Is Obama Doing Enough For Black People?
Yesterday, President Obama announced a new plan to rebuild America’s economy. Yet the speech, which focused on the importance of building a new green economy, was criticized by the Congressional Black Caucus’ Barbara Lee for not doing enough for black people. What do you think? Is Obama doing enough to make sure that African Americans are getting jobs? All statistics show that African Americans are the hardest hit by the recession.
Check Obama’s speech and the CBC statement after the jump.
Obama’s speech:
Statement from Barbara Lee (found via Politico)
“We need a concerted effort from the Federal government to expand access to education, job training, direct job creation, infrastructure development and economic opportunities to provide pathways out of poverty and opportunities for all.
“The Congressional Black Caucus remains committed to working with President Obama and our Congressional leadership to address the very real economic crisis gripping our nation, which is particularly acute in communities of color.“
Not only is the unemployment rate for African Americans nearly twice that of whites, these racial disparities persist in other areas as well. Nearly 28 percent of African Americans receive food aid compared to 15 percent of Latinos and 8 percent of whites. Recent African American college graduates are unemployed at higher rates than their white counterparts and African American workers remain unemployed an average of five weeks longer than the rest of America. The gaps are very real.
“With more than 24 percent of African Americans living below the poverty line and African Americans 55 percent more likely to be unemployed than other Americans, the existence of racial disparities is undeniable.
“As a candidate, President Obama said in his speech on race during the Democratic primary, ‘race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now.’ The facts speak for themselves. The Congressional Black Caucus recognizes that behind virtually every economic indicator you will find gross racial disparities.
13% of Americans are black so if 8% of whites receive food aid, that is a large number of whites compared to blacks. Do the math. Yet, the poor whites don’t have a voice. They never have. They are invisible. Maybe they are an embarrassment to the rich and middle class whites. They do not have representation. They never have. Who fights for them? A white president? A black president?
They always tell us the percentage instead of the number of poor whites compared to the number of poor blacks in this country. The country is 13% black and 28% of those people receive food aid. So, there is a much larger percentage of whites in this country. Of that very large percentage, 8% receive food aid. That is a lot of people but they don’t count because there is a very large percentage of rich and middle class whites that stand out. Poor whites in this country are invisible. They have no representation. They have no voice. Look at it this way. They are probably poor for the same reasons you are. Their ancestors were dirt poor and no one ever got an education. No one owed a business. No one got a break. So they just never got out. Oh, and by the way, their ancestors were too poor to feed themselves much less a slave.
I thinkh that its messed up that all the poor peolpe have to struggle and rich are stll getting rich. Obama says that he is going to help the poor but i dont see nothing thats he is doing to help. its really hard out here and maybe the rich people should live poor people lives to understand what we go through. But the president is suppose to handle these things but his not. Its not about white, black everybody going through the same thing except for rich people. OBAMA DO YOUR JOB AND GET US POOR PEOPLE SOME KIND OF FINANCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS GOING ON.
I agree and thank you for reminding us, “The People” that we are suffering. It does not make a difference, as much as people who are isolated may believe. I live in the real world where poor is poor. We all need help. If we know how bad we or someone we know is struggling to find woek, keep their home, feed their families, buy clothing, pay ever increasing utilities. My God, I am so sick of people making excuses for President Obama. I so wanted to Love and be proud of him. I wanted to respect him. Everyday when I see a neighbor or a elderly person at the grocery store, complaining about the economy. I have never witnessed so many people working full time jobs, renting rooms from relatives or friends. In North Carolina, jobs are non-existant. Unless you want to ride five buses to raleigh for seven dollors and thirty cents an hour. Twenty hours a week will hardly feed one person and buy a bus token. President Obama knows the people are hurting. The American people are suffering. I have friends without healthcare or life insurance. After 15 years on a job, you get a 50 cents raise. Does it matter what color you are when you are having hunger pains and you live in, what we are taught, is a nation of abundant wealth. There is barely any help available for the needy. Not even with utilities. I am still in shock, from him sending thirty thousand troops to viet nam. Oppps I meant to say to the Gulf. Oppps I meant to say Iraq. No one mentions the US companies that participated in exploiting and profitted from apartied, and other third world countries. I am so glad Danny Glover called Obama out on the carpet. Danny would have made a much better president.
why do blacks always think they deserve something because the president is black. What makes you special. When Bush was prsident you did not hear whites in need complaining that he did not do enough for whites. If we did this we would be called racists. If you want equality you need to look to yourselves first and stop making everything a race issue. I know full well that you have suffered and struggled for equality but we as whites see it you are above us as far as the govt sees it. My wife is a police officer and she scored higher than 2 blacks for the sgt exam but the blacks got the job because of grade curves for minorities. Do you really think that 3 people that have the same qualifications and 1 has a higher test score that the 2 get the job just beause of there color. This is what you all fought against for years and now because it is in your favor it is ok. Double standard isn’t it. You can paint it as you wish but deep down you know I am right.
No God, institution, or person can do for another what one must do for one’s self… President Obama is not beholden to any one race or group. His obligation is to uphold the Constitution of The United States of America. As I see it poverty, crime, health issues, lack of education, and broken homes are symptoms of a much deeper problem. A problem that no president, government, laws, or organization can remedy. The problem lies deep in the hearts of black America.
Who is it that believes that selling drugs is “the only way out of poverty?” Who is it that decides to get a young woman pregnant and walk away for his responsibility? Who is it that lays down with a boy or man and gets herself pregnant? Who is that skips school to get high and who taunts and bullies the young men and women who are trying to educate and better themselves? Who walks away (man or woman) from a marriage when everything is not going the way THEY want it. No, our problems are not caused nor will they be solved by President Obama, Bush, Clinton or any one else.
It starts and ends with us. Until we blacks stop blaming others for our own ills nothing will change. Until we stop excusing bad behavior and attack the causes of our downfall within our race, nothing will every change. If nothing changes (within the community) nothing will change…
First of all Obama can’t just single out one race. It’s not the president’s job to help anyone who can’t even help themselves. What Blacks should start opening up their own businesses instead of blaming someone for not getting a decent paychecks. I don’t even know why people seem to think Obama owes them anything when it’s your fault your stuck in welfare payed building.