Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Racial Worm Turns

If I said this, I know what the left would be calling me. But I didn't. The Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus did. And here it is: "If Barack Obama weren't the President, we'd probably be marching on the White House." Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-Missouri) was speaking about unemployment in general and black unemployment specifically.

As bad as the effects of Barack Obama's failure of leadership have been for all Americans, the effects have been far worse for black Americans. Cleaver went on to tell the Miami Herald "If former President Bill Clinton had been in the White House and had failed to address this problem, we probably would be marching." Cleaver and the Black Caucus have been pushing Obama for months to do more to address the needs of the black community. But rather than organize a Martin Luther King-type march on Washington and let the chips fall where they may, the CBC has held back public demonstrations which might hurt the President's personal popularity (or lack thereof).

Cleaver went on to say that "there is a less-volatile reaction in the CBC because nobody wants to do anything that would empower the people who hate the President." The implication is obviously that if you hate Obama, it's because you're a racist, and the CBC doesn't want to encourage racism--even if it means allowing a President to get away with utter failure on all fronts simply because he's black (partially).

Unemployment is bad. Black unemployment is staggering, reaching nearly 50% among black youth who wish to enter the labor market for the first time. Regardless of what reason any individual may ascribe to the high unemployment rate among blacks, it is clear even to doctrinaire Democrats that the President isn't doing anything much about it. Sure, there are racists who will blame blacks entirely for their own plight, or spout ignorant race theories about black inferiority. But they are a small, intransigent and largely unaffiliated group. But there are plenty of others who say that Obama has done little--good, bad or indifferent--to change the unemployment figures. That group includes old-time civil rights advocates like me.

Although he was talking about taxes, John Kennedy said "a rising tide raises all boats." And in the employment sector, that surely includes blacks. In his lack of action and constant speechifying about jobs, Obama has failed entirely to push those unemployment numbers down. He wants to raise taxes, but only on the rich "who can afford it." He supports temporary employment relief but at the same time perpetuates the uncertainty in the market (and for potential employers and business investors) that prevents positive long-term employment decisions. He throws billions in taxpayer dollars at "green projects" about which most blacks couldn't care less (along with most of their white counterparts), and which result in net losses in jobs.

Obama has supported and encouraged policies which by his own admission will dramatically raise energy costs. Blacks are particularly negatively impacted by such cost increases simply because they have the highest unemployment rates and the lowest income rates among all racial and ethnic groups. Says firebrand leftist race-baiter Rep. Maxine Waters (D-California): "We're supportive of the President, but we're getting tired, y'all. We want to give Obama every opportunity, but our people are hurting. The unemployment is unconscionable. We don't know what the strategy is." Even the Devil tells the truth occasionally when it suits his purposes. But it still doesn't explain why Waters is "supportive of the President." Or does it?

Rather than blame the President for his inaction and perpetual speech-making, many members of the CBC have aimed their blame at the Tea Party. Waters simply says it's the Tea Party's fault, and "they can go to hell." Fellow hell-raiser Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Florida) says that "the Tea Party is the real enemy which is holding Congress hostage." Though his hesitance to demonstrate against the President simply because he is black is not particularly commendable, Cleaver has at least admitted that Obama is a major part of the black unemployment problem.

Cleaver has identified Obama as a major cause of the stagnant employment numbers, and to his credit has convinced sole conservative Black Caucus member Allen West (R-Florida) not to leave the CBC. Cleaver did so even after West said he would leave the Caucus unless fellow CBC member Andre Carson (D-Indiana) withdrew and apologized for his remarks claiming that the Tea Party considers African-Americans "second-class citizens" and would be happy to see blacks "hanging from a tree."

Cleaver is never going to be a conservative, nor even a moderate. But he is, for the time being, the voice of reason within the CBC leadership. Rep. West says that Cleaver is willing to work with him to produce a plan which will confront the horrendous unemployment rate among blacks. Cleaver himself has said that some of the things being said by other CBC radicals are counterproductive and not in the interests of the agenda addressing black unemployment that he and West are working on.

Author's note: On Tuesday, O'Reilly touched on this subject. Unfortunately, he didn't cover it well because he once again made the mistake of having Columbia hip-hop professor of economics/urban studies/black studies/fill-in-the-blank studies Marc Lamont Hill as his guest on the subject. As usual, it produced more heat than light, and Hill kept talking about "the black agenda" but couldn't explain why there should even be a black agenda. It was the same obfuscation, distortion and double-talk that liberal elites use to keep blacks on the liberal reservation. And it didn't do anything to clarify the causes behind black poverty (other than white oppression) let alone the attempts of Reps. Cleaver and West to rectify systemic problems.

16 comments:

Tennessee Jed said...

it is interesting that he is the voice of reason, but in line with Andrew's post from this morning, it is another example of a double standard. I suspect more people voted FOR Obama because of race than AGAINST.

That said, until such a time when a higher percentage of blacks become middle class or affluent, it will be hard to get too many to become Republicans. Many still feel they are owed something, which is right in the wheelhouse of the Socialist/Democrat/Labor Party.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, What's interesting is that when I went to college and law school, I actually found that the rich blacks were the nastiest and claimed they were the most discriminated against.


Lawhawk, I always go back to asking, how would people react if you stuck in the word "white" instead of "black" and when you do that, you realize pretty quickly how utterly racist comments like this really are.

Tehachapi Tom said...

Hawk
The single largest factor in any ethnic groups statistics on employment is EDUCATION.
The second factor as I see it for the black community is the large number of illegals who are occupying the entry level jobs that have in the past been the young peoples primary place of employment.
This second subject effects all young peoples jobs and especially summer jobs.
If any of the black community were honest they would have to concur with the above.
Is that racist? No it is merely stating the truth and possibly those folks just can't handle the truth.

rlaWTX said...

for some good snarky commentary on this story:
http://sweetness-light.com/archive/cbc-would-march-if-obama-was-not-black

T-Rav said...

Ugh. I can't stand Cleaver, but if he's willing to ally with West and others on this issue, I guess I won't get on his case too much. For the moment, anyway.

Unknown said...

Tennessee: It is very much an example of a double-standard, including the fundamental concept that blacks are genetically incapable of being racists.

History has demonstrated that blacks were becoming increasingly educated, increasingly middle-class, increasingly better off financially, and increasingly mainstream after the Civil Rights Movement, right up to the point where the government stepped in to help. After trillions of dollars spent in the War on Poverty and affirmative action, the entire positive trend was reversed, and then some. If there's a way to worsen the conditions of a class the government considers "victims," the government will find it, enforce it, and fund it.

Unknown said...

Andrew: Isn't it a shame that liberals can't see that simple truth? Substitute "black" for "white" and the whole paradigm becomes very dangerous for liberals.

Unknown said...

Tehachapi Tom: Very true, and a discussion about why blacks are at a lower economic level and a higher unemployment level could fill (and has filled) volumes. The simple fact that this article promotes is that we're all in this sinking ship together, Captain Obama is cowering under the wheel, and we all have to start bailing together, mutiny, and get a new captain who knows how to steer a ship.

Unknown said...

rlaWTX: I had to resist the temptation to throw out jokes and snark in order to keep the article manageable (as well as fit for a family blog). However, since someone else was unable to resist that temptation, I recommend that our readers take a quick trip over to that blog you suggested.

Unknown said...

rlaWTX: Here's the clickable link: CBC Would March, if . . . .

Unknown said...

T-Rav: Yep, politics makes strange bedfellows, and Cleaver is about as strange as they get.

Unknown said...

Off-Topic: It now looks like the Solyndra executives will be taking the Fifth at Friday's House hearings. I have rarely ever advised a client to take the Fifth in a civil matter, and only if it was very clear to me that the information requested could conceivably lead to a criminal prosecution. Based on what I've seen and read so far, were I Solyndra's attorney, I would probably be giving these guys exactly the same advice considering what this is starting to look like.

StanH said...

One person I love hear talk about race is Walter Williams, oh by the way he’s black…who cares. He was having a discussion with someone on Rush’s show as a guest host. Some yahoo came on and started their boring yarn about the effects of slavery, to modern racism in America, Mr. Williams came back without hesitation and said something to the effect, “I thank God my ancestors were brought over as slaves, I’m now an American other than from some God forsaken country in Africa.” He went on about the plight, and poverty in the black community, that it is directly related to education, or the lack thereof. Where ebonics is pushed above speaking proper English, ethnic/victim studies replaced reading, writing, and arithmetic. It’s inspiring to hear this wise man speak and really has nothing to do with color, it’s a guaranteed recipe for disaster.

Unknown said...

Stan: Education and a firm understanding of the rights of individuals to succeed in every area of endeavor is a factor sorely missing in the public schools and particularly in the black public schools. If you tell someone long enough that he's a victim, and convince him that his only hope is government protection in the form of unearned cash and goods, and he is given no other view of life, you have a self-fulfilling prophecy. The public education system combined with the professional race-baiters, poverty pimps and "victims" advocates create a way of thinking that says there is no way out except to get your revenge through government handouts or a life of crime. Williams understands that, as does Thomas Sowell, Bill Cosby and yes, Herman Cain, along with a host of other prominent black thinkers. That is why the liberals have to call them Uncle Toms and attempt to humiliate them among their fellow blacks. If their message ever gets out to the broad black population, a whole lot of useless "experts" will suddenly find themselves on the unemployment line while the very people they sold out rise to the top in every human endeavor.

T-Rav said...

LawHawk, speaking of scandals, authorities in Mexico (attorneys general and such) have now linked 200 murders to guns from the Fast and Furious operation. And they're expecting those numbers to go up, as out of 2500 guns known to have been involved in the operation, only about 600 have been recovered thus far. I really hope this was just gross incompetence, and not something worse.

Unknown said...

T-Rav: I've reached a point where I simply find it hard to think anything is beneath the Obama administration. It was certainly an operation gone wrong, and there was plenty of incompetence. But I have this horrible, gnawing thought at the back of my head that says that even though they didn't intend to lose all those guns and get Americans killed, the underlying purpose was to make a point about how strict gun control is a necessity.

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