By Yuri Vanetik & Thomas Tucket, originally published in the OC Register.
Donald Trump’s effort to woo black voters has gotten off to a rocky start. The GOP nominee’s main argument – that black communities have been poorly served by Democratic leaders – is certainly powerful. But, as recent polls have shown, this strategy has yet to move the needle with African Americans.
What’s missing from Trump’s appeal is a positive vision for how he will improve the lives of black Americans. And a Republican proposal for creating stable inner-city jobs is exactly the plan the Trump campaign needs.
From Detroit to Washington, D.C. and Chicago, years of progressive policies have produced black communities plagued by dismally high levels of unemployment and crime.
Look at the West Baltimore neighborhood of Sandtown-Winchester. This is the birthplace of Freddie Gray, the young black man whose death while in police custody sparked the riots that ravaged the city last year. Half of the households in this area earn less than $25,000 a year, and the local murder rate is double the citywide average.
