Wednesday, July 27, 2011

So Obama Must Be A Racist Then, Right?

Obama must be a racist. How do I know? Well, that’s what the MSM usually tells us about Republican Presidents when they find some indication that minorities didn’t do as well as whites while that President was in office. . . like now. Indeed, financially, blacks are getting killed under Obama. Hence, the MSM will soon declare Obama a racist, right?

Here’s what I’m talking about. According to recent economic analysis, the “wealth gap,” i.e. the difference between the net worth of whites and the net worth of blacks has expanded greatly under Obama. It now stands at a difference of 20 times, meaning that whites are on average worth 20 times more than blacks. Under the evil Ronald Reagan, this was only 12-1, yet he was declared racist because of it.

What’s more, 35% of blacks have zero net worth, compared to 15% of whites. And black poverty has reached 14.3%, the highest number since the 1960s when LBJ began his Great (Destruction Of) Society program.

There are several reasons for this economic disparity, all having to do with the choices blacks make. For example, blacks are much more likely to work for the government. When this recession began, it was mainly white males who were laid off because they work in the kinds of fields that were hurt the quickest by the recession, e.g. trucking. But as the economy recovered, many of those white males found work again. But just as the honkeys were finding jobs, the budget crises experienced by the states caused them to start laying off government workers. These are predominantly women and blacks. Thus, what the MSM snickered at as the “mancession” has turned into something the MSM now considers horrible as women and blacks have (net) lost many more jobs than white males. . . over a million net.

Secondly, while blacks get more degrees per capita than any other race, they do it in fields that don’t lead to employment. They specifically avoid things like science and engineering degrees. Thus, they limit their economic potential.

Third, and most importantly in this case, blacks tend to invest all their savings in buying a home, whereas whites are more likely to invest in 401ks and other stock portfolios in addition to buying a home. Thus, while everyone was hit when the bottom fell out of the housing market, blacks were much more severely affected because that’s where all their assets were. By comparison, whites suffered when the stock market collapsed, but the market has returned to pre-crash levels. Homes continue to fall in value.

That’s really what’s going on here, not racism. But that never stopped the MSM from tarring Republican Presidents with the label.

And admittedly, Obama is not without blame. It’s Obama’s horrid job killing policies that have led to 16.2% unemployment among blacks. Black teenagers face an unemployment rate of 49.4%.

We also should not forget that blacks have stopped gaining on whites in schools under Obama. The achievement gap is about 28 points out of 500, and half of blacks still drop out before finishing high school. Of course, there are many causes for this too. According to some education nonprofit groups who have studied the issue, one of the big causes is that: “African-American students are less likely than their white counterparts to be taught by teachers who know their subject matter.” Still, that can hardly be blamed on Obama and his teachers unions friends, can it?

Nope, none of this is Obama’s fault.

Still, can you image what the papers would look like if Obama had been a Republican and these numbers were released?

47 comments:

CrispyRice said...

Astounding numbers, Andrew. I guess the question is - what is a conservative approach to dealing with some of these issues? Especially given that some of these are things that are societally-driven (ie investing in your house, not in the market) -- how does a society change that? Or is it necessary to change, if only the economy had not tanked? Thoughts?

T-Rav said...

Andrew, you are WAY off base with this article. The correct answer is, blacks are lagging so far behind whites because we haven't invested enough in African-American Studies classes. Racist.

AndrewPrice said...

Crispy, They are astounding numbers. But it's even more astounding that despite this, blacks continue to vote lock step with the left??

In terms of conservative solutions, I think they are the same as they are for the rest of society: the stronger the economy, the more attractive it is for people to invest and save, the more these numbers will break down. So I say, deregulation, stop taxing investment, stop taxing corporations. All of that will help to create jobs and get people to invest their money in a variety of possible investments (i.e. diversify). And then improve schools by breaking the public school monopoly, making it easy for people to choose public or private or charter schools.

I would not advocate any sort of specific help aimed at blacks because that's what got them here in the first place. Just give everyone a strong economy and good education and let the rest sort itself out.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, No doubt that's true. And let's not forget that employers are screaming to hired African-American Studies graduates!

Seriously, education is only the key to success, but only when the education you choose makes you more marketable.

Tehachapi Tom said...

Andrew
The key here is not race it is education. Educated Blacks are doing just fine even in this economy. I am sorry but Latinos are also doing well if they are educated.
The correct poll categories are not what race you belong to but instead what level of education have you attained.
Those numbers speak an entirely different tune.
College graduates - 4% unemployed, High School graduates 10% unemployed and no High School persons are at or above 18%.
Those are the numbers the country should be seeing.
Education reform would do more for the country than health insurance reform will ever do and cost a lot less. Education requirements and funding belongs under control of each state not the Federal Government.

AndrewPrice said...

Tom, That's true. Every statistic I've ever seen on education confirms that education helps protect you against bad economies. Educated people tend to get laid off last and get rehired more quickly and find it easier to change jobs as needed.

And you're right, this really isn't about race, it's about education and ultimately economic policy. But that's now how the media wants to paint these things. Everywhere I saw this study mentioned it was dripping with suggestions that somehow blacks were being targeted in the recession. And like I say, if we had a Republican President right now, you would be seeing story after story about how their policies were racist and were intended to harm blacks.

Ed said...

Andrew, Fascinating numbers. It makes you wonder why blacks continue to support Democratic policies when those clearly are the reason they are having these problems? Otherwise, there would be no education gap and after the stimulus, there would be no black unemployment.

I think this is a scathing indictment of liberalism frankly. After generations of liberals dominating education, black kids are nowhere near equal, and after 50 years of the Great Society, blacks still don't seem to have caught up. Maybe it's time to change those policies?

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, Many people have chronicled how blacks were moving up the social ladder until the Great Society kicked in, and how it's been a steady collapse ever since.

In the past couple decades (starting with Reagan) a quite black middle class has emerged. But too many still look to black leaders who preach that only the government can save them and that they need to vote for Democrats, attack the rich, and rely on the government. They are also being taught a good deal of oppression theory, primarily that they will never be able to succeed because they are an oppressed minority and thus, they are permanent victims.

All of that needs to change. But the Democrats have a vested interest in not letting it change.

Ed said...

Andrew, Agreed. The Democrats have no reason to help anyone escape the prisons their policies have created. Hopefully, conservatives can find a way to show people the way out?

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, The best "advertising" for conservatism is to put in place effective policies that improve the economy and education. Tell people why you're doing it and then show them the results. There's no better ad than success.

Unknown said...

Andrew: Maybe the newly-educated illegals can help. They'll have the college educations, and can teach them a second language as well.

The simple fact is that socialism and racial preference programs perpetuate poverty, and in bad times, make poverty for minorities even worse.

CrispyRice said...

Good points, Andrew. I agree with the others that education is key, but I see over and over again in poor communities (and this goes for both blacks and whites) that education is simply not valued. What kind of chance does a 5 year old stand when their peers, their parents and even their teachers (in Atlanta anyway...) are telling them, "I ain't never needed no education and I don't care if you pay any attention in school."

How do you turn that around?

AndrewPrice said...

Lawhawk, That's true. Liberalism generates failure.

What's interesting about Hispanics is that their numbers are nowhere near as bad as black even though large numbers of them are brand new to the country and many aren't even legally here.

Asians, by the way, are doing better than whites on average.

AndrewPrice said...

Crispy, I've seen that too -- especially in poor, rural areas... like West Virginia. They just don't value education at all. And that is dooming them to failure.

I honestly don't know how you turn that around except condition benefits on people finishing school.

Any ideas?

AndrewPrice said...

Crispy, By the way, two comments have stuck with me for years.

The first is from the mother of a friend of mine. It's a bad family (father in and out of jail, drugs, etc.). She told my friend (her son): "D is for done. And then said that the teachers weren't going to let him do any better."

The other comment came from West Virginia, where someone actually told me: "there ain't nuthin you can learn in school you can't learn in a mine."

Yeah... except math, science, proper English, business skills, or a million other things.

Ed said...

Andrew, I like the idea of conditioning benefits on education. But I also think we need to get tougher on benefits. They should encourage work. They should not be given to anyone who can work but just won't, and they need to have a time limit.

I read in one of the British papers that they have whole generations over there who have never held a job in their lives. That is unacceptable.

AndrewPrice said...

Ed, I agree that the benefits system needs to be changed, all of it from food stamps to disability. For example, there are many people on disability who are not in the least bit disabled. In West Virginia they got what is called "the crazy check" for being "bi-polar." You would be amazed how many West Virginians are "bi-polar." In reality, that's just an easy one to fake when the doctors are willing to be misled.

On food stamps, I'd like to see the things you can buy limited to much healthier foods as well. If you're going to live off the government, then we should have the right to make sure that (1) you only get what you need, and nothing more and (2) we should have the right to put conditions on that to force them to make the right choices... since they clearly can't make those on their own.

Koshcat said...

It's Bush's fault.

AndrewPrice said...

Koshkat, LOL! Yeah... there is that.

StanH said...

It’s cultural, whether you’re in a inner city Section 8, or a trailer in Appalachia. For fifty years these poor people have been taught to feed off the government teat. They’ve been trained that they simply cannot succeed without government. And be certain this is a symbiotic relationship, government employees need to justify their existence as well, and Keisha, Pedro, and Clem are willing dupes. “You want different results do things differently.” In this case go in reverse, and end The Great Society with all of it’s trappings and these people will thrive again. And call me a radical, in a sick way a default would go a long way to achieving this goal, but I digress. Without question, a continuing education is one of the keys to modern life, but if you are overly educated without moxey and gumption, those degrees are wallpaper, and as the wise man once said, “we all can’t be poets.” And there was a time in this country (pre 2008) a hard working person with drive could succeed fabulously, it takes all kinds.

AndrewPrice said...

Stan, That's true, education without motivation is just a waste. The problem is that these people are teaching their kids from the moment they are born "education is a waste of time, just live off the government." So they're dooming the next generation with their own "values."

The cold-turkey idea would frankly probably be the best answer to kick starting their independence again. But unfortunately, our government won't go for that. So at this point, I think we should be aiming to minimize the aid and get rid of the obvious deadbeats.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. I hit publish too soon, sorry.

Also, I think we should work toward phasing these programs out by making them worth less and putting more conditions on them that make them "like work" for these people. If the choice becomes meet all the "work-like conditions" or get a job and some freedom, hopefully, they'll choose the jobs.

Tam said...

On the question of whether Obama is racist, he is half white after all.

AndrewPrice said...

Good point Tam! By liberal-definition, that makes him half evil at least.

And wasn't his grandmother racist too? I seem to recall him claiming that at some point. So apparently, he's internalized that. Who would have guessed?

DUQ said...

Tam and Andrew, You may be onto something there! :D

AndrewPrice said...

DUQ, Apparently! LOL!

Seriously though, all joking aside, these things can only be fixed by taking the artificial constraints off our economy and giving people a fair chance to get educated. Nothing else will work.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

You have convinced me. Yep, Obama is racist. He hates the American Race.

AndrewPrice said...

Joel, Yeah, that certainly seems to be true.

AndrewPrice said...

FYI: My next BH article is scheduled to post tomorrow. You like. . . you see.

T-Rav said...

Andrew, on favorite education comments, I have one better: a friend of mine in grad school told me once about a professor she knows who gave a student a bad grade on a test. As everyone was leaving the classroom, he heard the student say to her friend: "Well, I don't know how he expects me to pass if he keeps giving me F's on these tests and quizzes!" (facepalm)

AndrewPrice said...

Wow, talk about not getting it! But I guess that's what comes of just being passed through the system no matter what -- you start to think you're entitled to pass all your classes whether you do anything or not.

That is someone who will have a LOT of trouble in the real world, where they don't accept those kinds of ideas. If you don't do your job, you will be fired.

Tennessee Jed said...

Looks like a campaign push to whip the blacks into a frenzy to turn out and vote for the great man's re-election. When one makes poor choices, and becomes dependant on government largesse, it is hard to move up the economic ladder. It strikes me as possible that being on the payroll of a gang may also miss getting into the numbers so there may be a little distortion from that as well. And, per your article of yesterday, if teachers lie and cheat about your education . . . .

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, That's a good point too. A lot of income is under the table, especially in poor areas. When I was in WVa, I'd say half the people were earning money without declaring it -- some legally, some not.

This could well be the beginning of a campaign push to excite the black base by telling them "look how bad off you are" and then shifting the blame to Bush or the Republicans in Congress. Especially with recent attempts to label any opposition to Obama as being racism-based, I don't doubt that this could be part of the same game plan.

Notawonk said...

when you have your hand out to an entity other than yourself, when you look to someone for your care other than yourself, when you rely on someone to feed, house and educate you other than yourself, you get what you pay (oopsie!) for. remember the fawning folks who couldn't wait for barry to pay for their gas, mortgage, heat, etc?! well, they're reaping what they sowed. squat.

now get out there and get a job, or better yet, get out there and create a job so you can stop sucking the dependent teat of big government.

AndrewPrice said...

Patti, True, dependence only breeds dependence. People need to break away from that if they ever want to make any progress, and relying on Obama to pump your gas is not a valid answer!

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

Superb post, Andrew!
And everyone's comments too!

"What's interesting about Hispanics is that their numbers are nowhere near as bad as black even though large numbers of them are brand new to the country and many aren't even legally here."

I think this explains another factor that holds true no matter what race people are:

If a couple is stable, and for most that means marriage, they will almost always progress to at least middle class income.

The stability is not just economic either since fewer kids from stable and loving families go on to commit crime and tend to get married, have kids and achieve at least middle class income themselves.

Bill Cosby, among others such as Thomas Sowell, have spoken about how single parenthood and a lack of committed fathers have devastated black families.

Of course, this was all encouraged by the leftist "Great Society" programs and the leftist feministas that tell womyn that having their child's father around is unnecessary and oppressive, but as you mentioned, people with the same (or worse) destructive ideology keep getting elected in black majority (or leftist dominated) cities, districts and states.

As Jed mentioned, this is the result of generations of brainwashing by the left.
The clear and provable results of leftist programs shows who the real racists in our country are, which is why they project their guilt and charges of racism onto conservatives.

Afterall, the democrat party is the party of racial, sexist, victim, and envy politics.

Since their entire worldview depends on denying (or somehow circumventing) reality most illiberal leftists can't face the truth behind the nagging guilt they feel.

Easier to simply blame it on successful folks, whitey, conservatives, Christians, Jews, Bush, Reagan, or whoever or whatever is convenient.

Being a leftist is never having to say you're sorry.

AndrewPrice said...

USS Ben, I agree on all points. And very nicely put about being a leftist means never having to say you're sorry.

The biggest problem faced by the black community is the destruction of the family. Patrick Moynihan warned about this in the 1960s and what he's said has come true with a vengeance. When you have a government stepping into the shoes of family provider, it splits families up by eliminating the sense of responsibility that kept people together. That then feeds on itself with each passing generation.

That needs to be fixed. But it won't be fixed so long as the black community looks to race husslers as their leaders. These guys are preaching helplessness so that they have an army of victims ready to follow them and defend them when they get caught enriching themselves.

I'm hoping the black middle class is breaking away from this. And I think the rise of prominent black conservatives is changing the idea that blacks need to be liberals. But we'll see. Victimhood is a great excuse and people often prefer to reach for excuses rather than cures.

T-Rav said...

You know, Andrew, I really don't like this trashing of West Virginia. At bottom, it's not all that different from southern Missouri, so when you attack them, it sorta feels like you're attacking us. So I occasionally feel the need to speak up and defend my distant hillbilly cousins.

And then I run upon stories like this:

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/national/school-shut-down-after-meth-found-inside-072611

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav,

Far be it for me to insult two states by accurately describing one. ;-)

Here's your link: LINK

What's wrong with a school supplementing their budget?

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

T-Rav: Maybe it was a science experiment.

Sort of related to the racism and other damaging effects of Big Socialism by Dennis Prager:
Big Government Small People

Andrew: You mean the trolls are attacking Breitbart or Allen? Either/or those allegations are ridiculous.

I don't like trolls of any stripe that can't even give a coherent criticism (I'm assuming the trolls are criticizing Boehner's last budget plan that kicks the can down the road so to speak in which Boehner and the CBO didn't agree on the actual cuts. I'm all for constructive criticism but calling any of those guys commies sure ain't constructive nor accurate. Unfortunayely, there's a small but vocal fringe group of conservatives who are imbeciles at best).

AndrewPrice said...

Ben, They are attacking West. They are calling him a RINO or "socialist", saying he "betrayed us" and "sold us out" because he has stated his support for the Boehner plan. And now they're talking about finding a "real conservative" to run against him. It's really insane.

In all truth, I don't think they are conservatives. I think they are just nuts who have adopted the trappings of conservatism because it sounds better than "I want to watch the world burn." And I suspect that if you asked them to outline an agenda, they won't get much further than "get back to the constitution," a document they don't understand in the least.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. Excellent article by Prager! Thanks for linking to that.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

What a bunch of nimrods! I don't think anyone loves Boehner's plan (incuding West) but at least that plan is better than Reid's plan or the Gang of Six, and I seriously doubt that Boehner will get anything else through (perhaps not even that plan).

There's still time but I think the fact that the House and Senate GOP never getting coordinated or on the same page pretty much blew any chance there was to turn enough public opinion against the donks and Obama for any significant cuts to happen.

I do hope at the very least that whatever Boehner and company get through that they don't give Obama a free pass until 2013.
Have it expire in a year so there's time to make this an issue for the next election. Force the donks and Obama to defend their (still) unwritten plans and point it out ad nauseam.

AndrewPrice said...

Ben, I agree on all points. This thing was mishandled from the beginning. They should have come up with a plan that would be the Republican Proposal (along with a fall back plan just in case). Then they should have stuck together. Instead, they've been shooting each other and knifing each other as the Democrats laugh.

And now that we're at this point, the only good alternative is the Boehner plan. So rather than whine about it, they should be working with him to beef it up a bit and give him as strong a hand as possible against Reid or we will get the Reid plan.

And in any event, turning on a guy like West because he grasps reality is pure lunacy and tell us that these people are not anyone we should take seriously. They are out version of leftist moonbats like Code Pink. Could you imagine how much hate they would have poured out on Reagan for all of his compromises?

The 2012 thing is interesting. I would like to see that too, though I would give it up for significantly bigger cuts because that will (1) show people our side can get things done and will (2) demoralize Obama's base. But barring that, I want to see them hold the point. Either get the cuts or keep the issue alive in 2012.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

I saw that earlier on BreitBart.tv. I consider the idiots are like agent provocateurs. There to get us angry at our best conservatives.

The very first one screaming for West's head gives it away. Three times? Right.

Joel Farnham said...

Andrew,

You will find that I asked the first guy how George Soros paid him. Directly or did Soros use intermediaries. ;-)

AndrewPrice said...

Joel, LOL! Great question! And truthfully, I wouldn't doubt for a minute that many of these people are leftists playing the part. It would be a great way to demoralize people to go play along for a while and then start undermining the other side.

I just can't believe that any legitimate conservative would start screaming for West's head because of one issue like this. Maybe if he got up there and proposed ObamaCare 2... but not something like this.

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