Is Obama Good for Black Americans?

[Lonewolf]

Buried in a New York Times story about the economy was this arresting statistic: Median family income for black Americans has declined a whopping 10.9 percent during the Obama administration. It has declined for other groups as well — 3.6 percent for non-Hispanic whites and 4.5 percent for Hispanics - but the figure for blacks is huge. This decline does not include losses suffered during the financial crisis and the recession that followed, but it instead measures declines since June 2009, when the recession officially ended.

That's not the only bad news for African-Americans. The poverty rate for blacks is now 25.8 percent. The black labor force participation rate, which rose throughout the 1980s and 1990s, has declined for the past decade and quite sharply under Obama to 61.4 percent. The black unemployment rate, according to Pew Research, stands at 13.4 percent. Among black, male, high school dropouts, PBS' Paul Salmon reports, the unemployment rate is a staggering 95 percent.

Does any of this affect the standing of the nation's first black president with black Americans? Not a whit, apparently. This is not to suggest that any president should gear his policies to one or another ethnic group. The president serves the nation as a whole, or should. But if unemployment, poverty and the black/white income gap had expanded under a different president to the degree is has under Obama (the income gap is now larger than it was under George W. Bush), it wouldn't go unreported and the president would not escape responsibility.

The advent of an African-American president surely brings psychic dividends to black Americans (and the rest of us, to a degree), but those intangibles may be pretty much all they get from his presidency. In terms of material prosperity, his leadership has delivered nothing but decline. He plays the psychological card very skillfully — showboating his identification with Trayvon Martin and sticking up for Henry Louis Gates — but more and more his gestures in this regard seem like substitutes for results.

Black poverty is up, employment is down and wealth is down. The dissolution of the black family continues unabated, with 72.3 percent of black children born to unmarried mothers. Black males constitute just 6 percent of the population yet comprise more than 40 percent of those incarcerated in state and federal prisons and jails. One-third of black men aged 20 to 29 are in the purview of the criminal justice system (incarcerated or on probation or parole).

The press resolutely ignores these figures, while the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party in Hollywood serves up distorted history to distract and pacify the public. The latest entry appears to be "The Butler," which misrepresents President Reagan (as I gather from those who've seen it) as, at best, insensitive to blacks, and at worst as racist. Eugene Allen, the actual White House butler on whom the film is supposedly based, kept signed photos of Ronald and Nancy Reagan in his living room (pictures of the other presidents he had served hung in the basement).

According to a 2008 Washington Post profile, Allen served eight presidents for 34 years until his retirement. He did not, as the movie portrays, resign to protest Reagan's policies on civil rights or South Africa. His wife happily reminisced to the Post about the time the couple were invited by the Reagans to attend a state dinner in honor of the West German chancellor. "Drank champagne that night," Mrs. Allen recalled with pleasure. The film apparently depicts the invitation as tokenism. The filmmakers also insert a horrific childhood "memory" for Allen — his mother being raped and his father shot by a white landlord. Didn't happen.

Would it interest black moviegoers to know that under Ronald Reagan's policies, median African American household incomes increased by 84 percent (compared with 68 percent for whites)? The poverty rate dropped during the 1980s from 14 percent down to 11.6 percent. The black unemployment rate dropped by 9 percentage points. The number of black-owned businesses increased by 38 percent and receipts more than doubled.

Obama's economic record is dismal because he is inflexibly attached to the wrong ideas. Hollywood is, of course, free to worship at his tattered shrine. But to smear Reagan — a man who deeply loathed bigotry in any form and actually improved the lives of all Americans including blacks — in an attempt to prop up the drooping Obama standard, is contemptible.

Mona Charen's column

[alsheikh971]

Reagan was good for no black in the US, period.
If some blacks improved their status during his presidency, it is like the good weather that everybody takes benefit, but in noway it was intended.
From Reagan to now, Republicans went "righists" as far as possible, see the "tea party" thing.
Like others he let Haitians boat people dying, and welcomed white cubans as many as possible.
I think Obama knows that he isn't doing right and well for af-am but there's a huge opposition to what ever he intends.
So he's bad but not crooked (at the time)
Peace

[alexalonso]

Obama is no different than any other president, in fact he continued many of George bush's protocols.

[Quepolo3]

He has no reason to do anything for Black people. We have not held him accountable. We voted for him no matter what, and he has received a pass even though he has not done anything for our people. I voted for him, but only because the option was worse. If there had been a legitimate challenger, I can not say that I would have voted for him again. We need to protest his non action as it relates to all minorities and not ignore it because he is one. No child behind could have been repealed but he's done nothing but preach. Big disappointment in my opinion.

[lachica69]

Then, maybe it's time for the African American community to stand and deliver for themselves. Let's ask ourselves why the Latino community is prospering and the African American is NOT? That's the underlying question. WE all have the same opportunities, and if you think of the Latino community who are "immigrants" maybe 1st, 2nd or 3rd Generation, they still prosper over all. They come with language barrier but possibly with a different work ethics. So, what should the president do for them? Hold their hands, walk them to school, and enroll them in? That's the job of the parent to supply the work ethic mindset. If we continue to find reasons why they are failing we are only handicapping that community we all want to see succeed. Let's take the tough love strategy. There are many opportunities offered in America, find them and act on them.

I understand if we are speaking on the older generation, sure the jobs are scare out there for many, businesses have closed, and the factories have moved abroad.

You, tell me. What are the solutions to these issues we've been hearing for decades now?

[lachica69]

I can't wait for Hilary Clinton to hold office. A woman may be able to solve the problems these men couldn't do.

[elOriginalMartinez]

I can't wait for Hilary Clinton to hold office. A woman may be able to solve the problems these men couldn't do.

She's an unstable, bitter, power hungry woman

Fuck around n get us in a nuclear real quick

Plus every male president and prime minister

of a hostile country to the USA is going to want to test her right away!

They wont respect a woman president

Its not in their culture to do so

[lachica69]

Well, we have to accept it and move forward. It's time! We gave the black man the opportunity, why not a woman. She can handle it. Look, she handled her cheating husbands scandal I think she can handle to world. LOl. On a serious note, everyone one, even the Obama gets fucked around. What do we have to lose?

[elOriginalMartinez]

I dont see her as a genuine person

Shes got embarassed in fron of the world w the whole

Bill Clinto, Monica L sex scandal...

She wants to be prez out of spite, not good intentions

U can see it in her face... still Bitter


We have a Lott to lose... she aint a real leader

That lady prime minister if Israel was a real leader who truly had her
Countrys best interest in mind

Even Margaret Thatcher but Hillary Clinton is not in that same category

[elOriginalMartinez]

Golda Mier of Israel was a true female leader



Hilary is a just a political gold digger

She is the epitome of a power-hungry bitch

[RuthlessCray]

Everybody, black/brown/white etc need to stop hoping for a politician to be the great savior. Politicians are not good for humanity, period. We must give up on this childish attitude of expecting magic from our rulers, like they're going to come into office and actually FIX something! That day will never come. They can only come into power and accumulate more power and act as puppets for the ruling oligarchy.

So is Obama good for black America? Of course not, and he may be far worse than many of the president's before him simply because many people (blacks and other racial minorities) have now left their guard down because he's half black. He has gotten away with even more crimes than Bush at this point, but he can, because he's Obama! At least when Bush was doing evil, people actually knew it! Almost nobody really thought Bush was doing good.

[Sentenza]

We have a woman as our chancellor/president and she just got reelected. Angela Merkel. She is even mor power hungry and more of a hawk then most men before her.
I dont think that women have a different approach to politics then men have. Shes even worse, because she always thought she had to prove herself as a women and perform double as ruthless.

[EuroTrash]

Maybe in rethrospective things like Hip Hop,sports,movies,books and internet did more for the black community then any president has ever done.

[lachica69]

I agree with all the sentiments on this topic. Politicians are just as we see it, puppets. Obama is no different from any other past presidents. Sure, he can want something, to do something good for the people but he is just a puppet, he can't finalize a decision on his own. And, who made this country, politically...white america. That's who still and will always run this house.

A woman president, im still hopeful. But, a woman is just a human, like any other man before her. And, we are all wired for greed. I'll just keep praying this one is different. There must be hope or we are all doomed.

[elOriginalMartinez]

We have a woman as our chancellor/president and she just got reelected. Angela Merkel. She is even mor power hungry and more of a hawk then most men before her.
I dont think that women have a different approach to politics then men have. Shes even worse, because she always thought she had to prove herself as a women and perform double as ruthless.

i've seen with my very own eyes,

women who have deep rooted personal complexes and issues - once they get some power / authority

are the most scanless no good, double crossing, back-stabbing, unstable, conniving, ruthless bitches



I had a female boss like that ... bitch was no good. didnt know how to handle authority

hillary clinton is that type of bitch... I'd bet the bank on it.

[Sentenza]

I agree with all the sentiments on this topic. Politicians are just as we see it, puppets. Obama is no different from any other past presidents. Sure, he can want something, to do something good for the people but he is just a puppet, he can't finalize a decision on his own. And, who made this country, politically...white america. That's who still and will always run this house.

A woman president, im still hopeful. But, a woman is just a human, like any other man before her. And, we are all wired for greed. I'll just keep praying this one is different. There must be hope or we are all doomed.

Im not saying women are incapable, quite the opposite. But they are no different to men when they reach the high levels of politics.

Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel, Catherine the great of Russia etc.

They were all hawks, just like they male counterparts, only that they had to be more witty and ruthless in a male dominated world to get where they are/were.

[Coup]

Hillary would make a horrible President. Martinez and Sentenza hit it on the head. She is smart, but not that smart...she would be more problem then solution.

I do have to admit though....the push in the Democratic party will be for a woman President. Hillary is the popular choice now, but Diane Feinstein, Pilosi, or somebody else will pop up as well. Republicans will not let Hillary in...too much baggage for her.

To the topic....Obama Good for Black Americans?? Yes! If for anything, he broke down what many might call the toughest barrier...he gives the young Black generation hope and pride to achieve anything. NO FUCKEN EXCUSES!

[bgcasper]

WELL he wasnt so good for black african


BUT I BET YALL AINT AFRICAN YALL FROM CRENSHAW MAFIA

[cliffard]

Even Margaret Thatcher but Hillary Clinton is not in that same category

i dunno bruv, i grew up under maggie thatcher and that was not a good look, government by the rich for the rich, exactly the same as what we got at the moment...having said that im not sure she was a woman at all, i reckon there was a set of bollocks under her skirt...

to my mind obama is a puppet, for someone whose supposed to be a progressive democrat hes done very very little to share the wealth of the usa about, the tiny few at the top are loaded while the rest get ground down...

hes done two good things, one prove that you dont have to be whitebread to be POTUS
and two not be mitt romney, i dread to think what he would have done as president...

apart from that not impressed at all..

[Lonewolf]

Forget about Rucas running any Country

Obama has fucked Negroes, far as it looks!

[alsheikh971]

The whole system (capitalistic) is wrong.
If Obama is part of the system, he cannot be good for black people, period.
I repeat myself Rain is falling on everybody & everything if it benefits you ... good. Otherwise, GTFO.
Obama like others cares about the ones that put him (financially) in charge.
The only Blacks that benefit Obama are his Family.
lol
Still Rep that RedBlack&Green

[Lonewolf]

Obama fukked all Blacks
and Browns too

but most don't capture
can't process what is happening

most simply go with the flow
they go with the lip promises
the a.k.a. talk

and they go with the 'color'

they never ever question or dig deep into the "soul" of a person

they never "analyze" the man or the interests he worked for

[Quepolo3]

Obama fukked all Blacks
and Browns too

but most don't capture
can't process what is happening

most simply go with the flow
they go with the lip promises
the a.k.a. talk

and they go with the 'color'

they never ever question or dig deep into the "soul" of a person

they never "analyze" the man or the interests he worked for

@Lonewolf- I Agree whole-heartedly!

[Sentenza]

I honestly think that every american president has to follow a certain program, doesnt matter as who or what he started out.

Theres a machinery that compresses pretty much every president into the same format.

Then you have legal corruption aka big money in politics. No president can evade all that.

[RuthlessCray]

It's not the money, it is the power. The president is the figure head, or the puppet. He is there to carry out the agenda of the special interests that control the government. Those special interests only care about themselves, so as we have seen with Bush and now with Obama, they (the establishment, the media) build up some politician as being the next great savior and once they squeeze out as much as they can out of this puppet, they move on to the next person that can be the face of the government. This way, people will get caught up in the personality of whose in charge and blame him, rather than point the finger at the entire system. It happens every election cycle, throw one guy out, and some new guy with a different style comes in promising to be different but never is. Truth is, the problem isn't who sits on the throne, it IS THE throne!

So as long as you have the biggest, most powerful government in the history of mankind, you will have different groups fighting tooth and nail to gain control or to fix things in their favor. You can even make laws against campaign donations,and it wouldn't change much, because the government still has plenty of power and with that power will be the ability to give out favors to the politically connected.

[EuroTrash]

Maybe he did nothing for Black or Brown.But on psychological level and mindset offcourse this was huge.I mean the most powerfull guy off the world is black.50 years ago he would have got shot and lynched.And u can't argue he is the funniest and taking the most advantage off his presidency.Going to talkshows,making fun off his opponents like Donald Trump.

[RuthlessCray]

Funny huh, I never found him found him to have a good sense of humor at all. And I'm not sure he's a good role model or a good inspiration for black or brown peoe just because he worked his way up the ladder of the biggest and most dangerous crime family in the world ( the US federal government). He's good at having peoe killed though, I'll give him that.

[EuroTrash]

Ok.....pfffff....can u tell me then what is a good rollmodel for black Americans?And compared to the other presidents mine view is he is the funniest but thats my opinion.

[RuthlessCray]

I don't know, I just know that something is seriously wrong when anybody, black, brown or white, starts to have politicians as role models. Politicians should be viewed as the scum of the earth, and something to minimize and discourage.

[EuroTrash]

I feel u on that one.The democratic system is flawd.There needs to be some changes in them.But we are on the verge off a new revolation it is in our crasps.So just hold on the future looks grim but actually there are coming some big changes in the world.Like the predictions are that in the near future electricity will free.Like u don't have to pay for it.It's already cheap but....u know where i'm getting at.As for rollmodel Obama shows that blacks kids can become whatever they want cause he is the living prove off that.

[Lonewolf]

i don't know about obama showing that black kids can become whatever they want cause he is living proof of that., what i see is the laws of the land still criminalizing minor shit and putting more and more young black kids in jail than ever before., check the stats under his presidency and compare them to prior administrations., he's done nothing to put a stop to it!

[EuroTrash]

Last i heard was that also the judges are complaining about the ruling system.They have to sentence people to life for minor sht like theft in a grocery store.And they are already using lopeholes in the system to prevent that.And law of ht eland sounds like pot smokers watching to much Jordan Maxwell.No disrespect.Even if we were in this illimunati stuff we would now be in the 1000 year reign off peace.So relax sit back and puff puff pass......