I"M keeping black people down?  Are you just a bomb thrower with your projections of your own bigotry and racism? Or do you not live on the same planet????  If memory serves... We live in a republic.  The "people" vote.  The "people" elect whom they please at the local level, believing what the candidates running tell them.  They apparently are "comfortable" in their poverty, as B. Franklin said.  Are you implying that the federal government come into the local areas and TAKE OVER administration of local, county and State governments?  IS that what you're saying?  That won't work...as liberals are notorious for telling REpublicans to stay the hell out! (ala "Twinkle toes" Emmanuel in shi$cago).  And just for YOUR edification...I'm not a Republican.  And I"M not the problem...the liberal corrupt crooks in charge of the ghettos are... The federal government is involved waaay too much in state and local affairs as it is.  Think local, not global!  Bigger Big gummint is not the answer.