Will blacks vote for democrats who run away from President Obama?

Let's be honest here. If democrats want to hold onto the Senate, they need to win the black vote overwhelmingly. While many pundits and talking heads have focused on this, they have not mentioned the fact that black voters in some states are making a tough choice. They have a choice to make, stay home, vote republican or vote for a democratic candidate that willingly distances themselves from President Obama.

In states like Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Kentucky and Alaska democratic candidates have asked the president to stay home and not help with their campaigns. Some like Kay Hagan in North Carolina have gone as far as attacking President Obama's handling of Ebola. In Kentucky Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes won't even say if she voted for President Obama.

Some back voters are publicly asking why they should support candidates that don't support the president. Obama himself has made the rounds on black radio to counter that type of thinking. He is trying to remind us that many of those same Dems distancing themselves have supported him in the past. He is trying to make his case to African American voters as to why they need to come out and vote for these democrats because he believes that the alternative is a lot worse.

So, what will you do? Will you vote democratic on Tuesday, vote republican, or stay home?

Black voters could decide who controls the Senate in 2015

I truly hope people are paying attention to this. Being involved means more than just voting every four years. George Cook, AAReports.com

Black voters played a huge role in delivering Barack Obama to the White House in 2008 and 2012. And in 2014, they will play a huge role in determining whether the president's party can stop Republicans from taking the Senate.

Why? Here are four reasons:

1. Black voters are hugely influential on the 2014 map

Six of the 16 states with the highest black populations are holding key Senate contests in 2014. A seventh -- the most African American state in the country, Mississippi -- is holding a contest that could get interesting if there's a tea party upset in the GOP primary.

This is a highly unusual set of circumstances, especially when you consider that most states with large numbers of African American voters generally don't hold competitive Senate races because they are safely red (in the South, generally) or blue (in the Northeast).

Read more here: Black voters could decide who controls the Senate in 2015

We can cry about changes to voting laws or we can get ready!

In states such as Ohio, Wisconsin, and North Carolina voting times and polls have been curtailed and some type of voter ID is required. Let's be honest these are attacks on voting rights by conservative / republican legislatures. These laws effect mostly minority and lower income voters who vote democrat in overwhelming numbers. If anyone says otherwise they are either on drugs or seriously delusional.

We also have to deal with the fact that many of these laws may hold up in court. You see what republicans have quietly done is change their argument from the nonsense of voter fraud which they couldn't prove to one of voter fairness. They are now making the argument that it's not fair that urban counties can afford to keep polling sites open longer and have more early voting days when rural counties can't. They argue that there should be uniformity among all polling sites. This argument stands a much better chance of holding up in court.

Because of that can hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

We can whine, bitch, and moan about these laws or we can get ready to deal with them.

We should not even wait for these cases to wind their way through the courts. We should start mobilizing now. We should learn these laws inside and out. We must now what we are fighting against and be so prepared for it that these laws restricting voting are rendered useless.

Here are four things I think we need to do:

* Organize drives to get people voter ID. We must find those without ID and help them get it and provide transportation if nescecary. If there are state programs that will pay for the ID we must make sure people know about them and take advantage of them.

* Make sure that everyone that is eligible to vote is registered. Groups such as the NAACP, Urban League , National Action Network, and churches can help here. We as citizens can get our friends and family registered. It's not hard I have worked on many voter registration drives and one just have to be willing to give their time.

* We must learn where all of the early polling sites are and the hours that they are open. We must then bus voters there. If it means we have to use our own cars to give those a ride who can't get there because of the distance then so be it.

* We must flood these states with volunteers from other states to help out with all of the above. It's going to take a lot of organization and man power to get this done.

I'm sure that people much smarter than me can think of other things we can do but I believe these are things we should start doing NOW to get ready for the 2014 mid-term elections.

So what are we going to do people? Bitch and moan or take action?

George Cook AAReports.com