Herman Cain - They Think Youre Stupid: Why Democrats Lost Your Vote and What Republicans Must Do to Keep It

They Think You're Stupid

Why Democrats Lost Your Vote and What Republicans Must Do to Keep It
Herman Cain
*****
Copyright 2011 Herman Cain

Stroud & Hall Publishing

Table of Contents

The Political Parties Alienate Voters

The Politics of Politics

Lessons of 1994

We Won in 2004!

New Voters

Labels and Empty Rhetoric

The Great Divides

It's Time to Wake Up!

History Is Not on the Democrats' Side

Blacks and Conservative Democrats Have Been Taken for Granted

Facts Don't Lie--Liars Ignore Facts

Many of the Politically Homeless Have Already Left the Plantation

Republicans Have a Brand Identity Problem

Perception Is Reality, but Reality Matters

Winning Voters Is Not Black and White... It's Green

History and the Facts Are on Your Side--Use Them!

Terrorists Want to Kill All of Us

Economic Slavery for All

The City of Doubt--Washington, D.C.

A Nation of Hope... We the People

A New Voice

A New Nation

Climbing the Corporate Ladder

The Answer

No Running Shoes

A Dream Invitation

My Journey Continues

Dedication To
My mother, Lenora Davis Cain

(80 years young in 2005)

Acknowledgements

Thank You!

To God, who continues to bless me beyond my wildest dreams.

To my family and wife, Gloria, for all their love, support, joy and even laughter, especially when I get too sleepy and make no sense at all.

MATT CARROTHERS for his invaluable collaboration, research skills and dedication to the timely completion of this project.

Ericka Pertierra, Karleen Mahn and Joel Ricks for their brutally honest feedback, even if I did not like it.

Mary and Eric Tanenblatt for making their "hideaways" available for my writing retreats.

All of the staff, financial donors, and faithful volunteers who worked on the Cain for U.S Senate Campaign of 2004.

All of the voters in Georgia who voted for me and encouraged me to keep my voice and message heard. I hear you and stay tuned.

Randy Evans for suggesting that I write this book.

Stroud and Hall Publishers for their professionalism and willingness to truly be a partner in this project.

Senator Zell Miller for his inspiration as a leader, a true statesman, and an unwavering speaker of the truth.

To everyone who has prayed for me and my family. Thank you.

--Herman Cain

Foreword

Herman Cain writes "they don't get it." I think he should add to that "and they're gonna get it." Herman Cain writes that politicians are clueless about the average Joe, and folks are getting tired of it. Politicians who don't care for their constituents are going to be tossed out on their ears, as well they should be.

Today's political arena needs leaders who know people, real people. Not the cookie cutter demographic techno-speak spat out by some pollster. Real people have real problems and need real solutions. But you can't lead toward the solution that the promise of America holds out if you don't know or care about the voters. What keeps them up late at night? What are their struggles? What gets them up early? What are their dreams?

Herman Cain knows and has proven that the voting public is neither stupid, nor are they giving up. When he ran in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, the political "experts" wrote Cain off as a novelty. For all the media's pride over its progressiveness, they don't know what to think of a black and conservative Republican other than "he's a novelty." How's that for respect? Herman Cain breathed a breath of fresh and honest air in a politics-as-usual race. He brought a platform based on true respect for the taxpayer, solutions based on the same kind of common sense that have made him a self-made business success story.

Herman Cain also did something few politicians can duplicate. He brought in new voters. The politician who can bring new voters to the booth is reflecting the light of the American Dream itself. Herman Cain motivated college students with his message of responsibility and opportunity. Herman Cain attracted both Democrats and Republicans who were eager for a fresh start and some common sense.

Cain writes that even though he didn't win the nomination, he didn't lose either. His goal was to serve the people of Georgia. He did more than that by ensuring the truly important issues were addressed during the campaign and not simply danced around with sound bites. It takes a steady man who is sure of himself not to be distracted by the needs of his own ego. You can know there's something good about a man whose ultimate goal is to help others by representing them well.

All party leaders would do well to listen to him. Cain is onto something important for our future. The kind of democracy we have enjoyed for more than two hundred years won't survive voter apathy. When the voters' trust is lost, so is their support. To their own demise, many politicians play the politics-as-usual game and continue to think of voters as mindless and willing to follow anyone because of a few well-placed jabs and sound bites. Candidates from either party who are more concerned with how the party fares will find themselves with plenty of free time on their hands. Cain is the kind of man who is willing even to alienate himself from his own political party to do what's right. He ran for the U.S. Senate here in Georgia without the party bosses' blessing. He ran well. And it took a very good man to defeat him. I know something of what it means to be ostracized by party leaders, even from the party I've supported my entire political career. I also know something of the peace of mind that comes from doing the right thing and taking the right stand and holding the right ground. Doing the right thing can make a politician lonely at the Capitol, but satisfied in spirit. Herman Cain and his wise and proven leadership are a force to be reckoned with by politicians and a lifeline to the voter who wants common sense leadership but feels like an outsider in both parties.

Cain's New Voice and its aim to educate and inspire the disenfranchised or "homeless" voter gives me hope. I'm on his side because I'm on the side of anyone who cares for this country with honesty, good horse sense, and strong character. Herman Cain is that kind of leader.

Zell Miller

Former U.S. Senator and Governor of Georgia

Preface

This book is intended to be a wake-up call to both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. If they both stay asleep at the wheel, then this book can become a mobilizing force for the millions of voters who feel politically homeless. Many people have a party affiliation as a practical matter, but more and more people are finding it harder to feel a deep sense of loyalty to either party. Party insiders will disagree, and therein lies the problem. They don't see that there is a problem. They see the next election and the next campaign. Party outsiders want to see more results.

When I ran as a conservative Black Republican in the 2004 election for the U.S. Senate in Georgia, the party faithful considered me as an outsider because I had not asked permission from the Republican Party leaders in Georgia, nor had I ever sought any elective office before. A longtime Republican insider advised me that my chances of winning were very slim. He was only half right. They were slim, but not very slim. I won an impressive second place in the Republican primary. It is this experience that has made me aware of the rising tide of the politically homeless.

I have no illusions that many Democratic Party insiders will read this book; they are nearing political bankruptcy and cannot see it coming. The title for this book, They Think You're Stupid , evolved as I wrote. I have seen how many Democratic candidates distort, ignore, and even change the facts to try to get elected.