The majoritarian nature of the democratic process forces minority groups to appeal to other like-minded citizens and politicians in order to garner policy support. As virtuous as their cause might be, racial and ethnic minorities do not comprise a majority voting bloc or have a sufficient number of representatives in government to pass legislation. To win appeals for equity and fairness, they must build coalitions that include support from majority segments of society and government. As Lieberman eloquently expresses in the opening quotation, coalitions are central to public policies that relate to racial and ethnic minority concerns, and the need to build coalitions has shaped contemporary politics in the minority community. These coalitions have largely been discussed in terms of support from the American public, where the millions of voters who rally behind a proposition or a political candidate represent this alliance. But coalitions are also established in government among politicians who are crafting legislation and shaping the narrative of public policy.

Given that federal politicians have the power to create public policy, it is here – among elite policy coalitions established in Congress and with the executive office – that alliances are most consequential for a dialogue on race. The link between political discourse and policy support allows us to ask several old and enduring questions that remain unsettled: Do politicians limit their political coalitions and policy networks when they speak about race? Can a dialogue on race promote policy alliances for both race-conscious and race-neutral policies? Does the dialogue on race influence policy outcomes?

This chapter extends the discursive governance theory to consider the implications for the policy-making process. In doing so, it challenges the shroud of doubt and pessimism that make politicians wary of discussing minority legislation through a racial frame. As we will see in this chapter, the discourse on race figures prominently in the ability of congressional leaders to garner support. Instead of presenting the traditional story of a dialogue on race as deteriorating policy support, I offer a new narrative in which racial rhetorical frames help to extend the reach and expand the network of opportunities for policy reform.