# Trump friends handing out cash to black voters **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 29, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166 "2020-01-29T16:09:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/1 "2020-01-29T16:09:22Z")
I have to wonder if this is legal but I guess it is. > **[Trump allies are handing out cash to black voters](https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/trump-black-voters-cash-giveaways-108072)** > > Organizers have begun holding events in black communities where they lavish praise on the president while handing out thousands of dollars in giveaways. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/2 "2020-01-29T16:54:27Z")
[https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597) Oh, I’m quite certain that whatever they are doing is perfectly legal. But the intention is transparent, yah? And you can bet that if someone does determine that it is illegal, then they will go after the black voters who accepted the money, instead of the ones giving out the money. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/3 "2020-01-29T20:30:21Z")
[Street money](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_money) aka Walking Around money is a common thing for elections in most big cities. This is just a headstart on it. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/4 "2020-01-29T21:17:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Trump friends handing out cash to black voters Odd. I’ve been told over and over again that his supporters are racists and white supremacists. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/5 "2020-01-29T21:21:13Z")
And I’ve been told over and over that it’s the Democrats that give free stuff to black people in exchange for votes? Strange… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/6 "2020-01-29T21:21:29Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Odd. I’ve been told over and over again that his supporters are racists and white supremacists. And this proves it. They don’t have to buy the racist vote. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/7 "2020-01-29T21:31:51Z")
Indeed. This seems to be hella racist - thinking the way to get blacks to vote for you is just to hand them some money and they’ll be grateful and vote for you. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/8 "2020-01-29T21:36:10Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Odd. I’ve been told over and over again that his supporters are racists and white supremacists. Do you see a contradiction here? This scheme seems racist. Openly so. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/9 "2020-01-29T21:51:25Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Odd. I’ve been told over and over again that his supporters are racists and white supremacists. Scale of 1 to 10, how much do you wish you could still edit this post to “n/m”? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/10 "2020-01-30T14:42:10Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > And this proves it. > They don’t have to buy the racist vote. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/11 "2020-01-30T16:14:00Z")
> [@](#): > > And this proves it. > They don’t have to buy the racist vote. > [@](#): > > Do you see a contradiction here? > > This scheme seems racist. Openly so. > [@](#): > > Indeed. This seems to be hella racist - thinking the way to get blacks to vote for you is just to hand them some money and they’ll be grateful and vote for you. By basic logic, it is not racist. If a person or group of people has prejudice against blacks, obviously that person or group would say nasty things about blacks and do nasty things to blacks and would not say generous things about or do generous things to blacks. If Trump friends are handing out cash to blacks, they are obvious not motivated by anti-black prejudice. Also, the article linked in the OP mentioned that many of the people involved in this effort are themselves black. As for the notion that it’s racist because it’s an attempt to buy votes, does the same apply to all programs and schemes that direct money to minorities? There are countless examples of such. For example, there are programs that preferentially give government contracts to minority-owned businesses. I don’t hear anyone describing those as “openly racist” or “hella racist”. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/12 "2020-01-30T16:20:35Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > Odd. I’ve been told over and over again that his supporters are racists and white supremacists. Thats because they are. > **[div-class-title-explaining-the-trump-vote-the-effect-of-racist-resentment-and-anti-immigrant-sentiments-div.pdf](https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/537A8ABA46783791BFF4E2E36B90C0BE/S1049096518000367a.pdf/div-class-title-explaining-the-trump-vote-the-effect-of-racist-resentment-and-anti-immigrant-sentiments-div.pdf)** > **[Time to Kill the Zombie Argument: Another Study Shows Trump Won Because of...](https://theintercept.com/2018/09/18/2016-election-race-class-trump/)** > > Three previous studies found a link between cultural anxiety and Trump voters. Now a fourth, from the Voter Study Group, finds the same connections. > **[A new study reveals the real reason Obama voters switched to Trump](https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/16/17980820/trump-obama-2016-race-racism-class-economy-2018-midterm)** > > Hint: It has to do with race. [https://psmag.com/news/new-study-confirms-again-that-race-not-economics-drove-former-democrats-to-trump](https://psmag.com/news/new-study-confirms-again-that-race-not-economics-drove-former-democrats-to-trump) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/13 "2020-01-30T16:28:15Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > By basic logic, it is not racist. Super basic logic. I love the idea that if Elizabeth Warren started holding campaign events for black voters and handing out envelopes stuffed with cash, you’d be like, “Oh, cool, that’s just how campaigning works.” Because that’s how you roll. Come the fuck on. If this is legal, it’s only barely legal, because they’re passing out money exactly below the threshold that requires a report on charitable expenditures. They know what they’re doing. It’s corrupt as shit. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/14 "2020-01-30T16:42:38Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > As for the notion that it’s racist because it’s an attempt to buy votes, does the same apply to all programs and schemes that direct money to minorities? There are countless examples of such. For example, there are programs that preferentially give government contracts to minority-owned businesses. I don’t hear anyone describing those as “openly racist” or “hella racist”. You realize that the intent of those programs is to help minority businesses as a redress for past racism and denial of equal opportunity? OTOH just handing out cash to black people and thinking that’s all that’s needed to win votes just smacks of racism in the we don’t need to actually promote programs that lead to long term benefit, we just need to give you cash. In fact, I’d say it’s the same racist mentality that says government programs to help minorities are attempts to buy votes. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/15 "2020-01-30T16:53:47Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > By basic logic, it is not racist. Hilarious. It’s straightforwardly and openly racist. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/16 "2020-01-30T17:51:26Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > By basic logic, it is not racist. If a person or group of people has prejudice against blacks, obviously that person or group would say nasty things about blacks and do nasty things to blacks and would not say generous things about or do generous things to blacks. Right, especially if said person or group is up for re-election in approximately nine months.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/17 "2020-01-30T17:53:26Z")
“How could they be racist when they do generous things _ **to** _ blacks?” is magnificently clueless. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/18 "2020-01-30T20:08:05Z")
Who knew the GOP was such an avid proponent of universal basic income? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/19 "2020-01-30T20:19:54Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > “How could they be racist when they do generous things _ **to** _ blacks?” is magnificently clueless. “My good sir, how could the right Reverend Colonel James P. Effefferson possibly be considered to have ill will towards the blacks? Why, just last week he called in a hog doctor to check on a hand who collapsed in the cotton field! He even gave the fellow Sunday morning off to recover, with an extra ration of pig innards! Surely someone who didn’t favor with kindness the black race would never be so warm and generous towards his blacks?” ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166/20 "2020-01-30T20:33:37Z")
If I’m understanding the Wikipedia article correctly, “street money” is given out to low-level workers for the election campaigns as incentive/expense money, not to the random public. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-friends-handing-out-cash-to-black-voters/847166.md?page=2)