NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Panelists on a panel about outreach to minorities at the conservative political action conference got into a big of a spat over whether low-income people like getting “goodies.”
The moderator, Jason Roe, said one of the problems Republicans have with attracting poor minority voters is that Democrats like to give them handouts while Republicans don’t. Sailor said that one of the frustrations he’s seen is that Democrats have lots of “goodies to offer.”
“Our guys aren’t exactly in the offering goodies business so it’s harder for us to go in and say what can we do to help the African American experience,” Sailor said.
But then Woodson (pictured) interjected.
“It’s not goodies,” Woodson said “It bothers me that people assume that lower income respond to gifts —food stamps or thing that will be given to them.”
“Nobody wants to be dependent so let’s assume that people want a hand up and not a hand down,” Woodson added.
He said that instead conservatives should try to reach out on social issues like abortion.
“Abortion has been worse on the African-American community than the slave trade or Jim Crow,” Woodson concluded.
Correction: This said Elroy Sailor, a panelist, made the comments about offering goodies. It was Jason Roe. We regret the error.
(Photo credit: Jeff Mallett)
