January 20, 2020 ☼ 💬
Economist Espresso for //20/01/2020//
The third Monday in January has been a federal holiday honouring Martin Luther King since 1986. But not until 2000 did all 50 states observe it (South Carolina, a state represented by a pro-segregation senator until 2003, was the last to join). Today Donald Trump’s re-election campaign hosts an event in North Carolina touting “the progress being made in the black community under President Trump”. Mr Trump frequently takes credit for the relatively low rate of unemployment and boasts about “what I’ve done for African-Americans”. He has also called non-white countries “shitholes” and often associates black officials with crime. A recent national Washington Post-Ipsos poll showed 83% of African-Americans believe Mr Trump—a leading proponent of the “birther” movement, which spread the lie that Barack Obama was not American—is a racist. The same percentage feel he has inflamed racism. Unsurprisingly, just 4% of black registered voters plan to cast their ballot for Mr Trump in November.