(ThyBlackMan.com) The national unemployment rate for December is 7.8% per the U.S. Labor Department. The black rate of unemployment is 14.0%. We will officially enter our fifth year at double-digit unemployment levels under the Obama Administration this month. By comparison, the unemployment rate for blacks under Ronald Reagan reached it lowest point at 11.4%, in 1989, his last year in office after being as high as 20.4%. Accordingly, there is still an opportunity for Mr. Obama to impact the current rate, and beat Ronald Reagan’s number! Our highest rate of unemployment under the Obama Administration reached 19.6%, in December 2008. However, under the Bill Clinton Administration, black unemployment reached as low as 7% in April of 2000. Can Mr. Obama do better than Mr. Clinton?
Nevertheless, with the black unemployment rate at its current level, we hear nary a word of protest from venerable political pressure groups such as the NAACP, and the National Urban League. There is not a peep or even a slight utterance from the once dauntless Congressional Black Caucus whose relevancy is questionable when it comes to representing the best interest of blacks in the Congress of United States in the Obama era. The men and indeed the woman, as the Congressional Black Caucus is now chaired by Ohio
Representative Marcia Fudge, who head pro black political organizations and where it applies, their boards of directors have in large part compromised their leadership.
Their credibility as bankable assets to the black community was not rended, ripped or violently taken away from them, they voluntarily surrendered it. While at one time this Administration could credibly in eyes of many, blame this problem on the Bush Administration which has been out of office for four years, it must now own up to its dismal record as it relates to high black unemployment. The unemployment rate for blacks has been so high for so long, almost every black household in this nation is affected. Just about every black in this country has a friend, cousin, uncle, aunt, brother, sister, or parent that they know of who has been affected by unemployment, over the last five years. When the unemployed or underemployed need money, close friends and relatives usually get the call.
The voices of social activists, who responsibly champion solutions to or even register complaints regarding the dilemma of black people are “curiously criticized,” while outrage over these high unemployment numbers from high profile black elected leaders and political pressure groups is muted. Why are we not seeing public pressure exerted by the black community, upon this President and his Administration to come up with a national job creation plan ( http://www.sslumpsum.com )? We are now seeing high profile blacks take up the issue of “gun control.” They are advocating a national plan of reaction for that issue. Why no concerted support for a national job creation plan from them which will not only help the nation, but their own people as well?
Maybe it is because this Administration, has become adapt and expert at the manipulation of high profile blacks and traditional black political pressure groups. Through the power to make appointments to important governmental jobs, and influence in appointments to high paying private sectors jobs, this Administration can quiet many voices. Success in some of these high visibility private sector jobs, especially in the television industry, depends upon access to key Administration officials. Invitations to social events, sponsored by the White House can be used as another form of manipulation. Toe the party line and you get invited. Do not and you become a pariah.
When it comes to black political pressure groups whose stock and trade depend upon block grants from the federal government, as many of these organizations private sources of funding are limited, you can appreciate the power the federal government can wield when it comes to handing out grants. These pressure groups are non-profit organizations for the most part, and some need access to block grant money handed out by the federal government.
Additionally, there are many blacks employed and unemployed who feel this President should not be criticized; who feel this President has done an excellent job. Many feel being elected the first African American President is enough of an achievement and all blacks should be grateful. They add, if it were not for those annoying Republicans, he would be able to do more. With his hands tied, they say give him more time, he will get around to doing something that will affect the disintegration of the black community.
In the meanwhile, these are perilous times for Black America. With do-nothing leadership from the President and his comrades, on top of compromised leadership from political pressure groups, anchored by so called self appointed leaders of the black community like Al Sharpton, Ben Jealous of the NAACP and Marc Morial of the National Urban League, an ominous tone is being set as the black community’s situation worsens, with a slow economy. Until these pretenders to black leadership, are dealt with for their failure to address our economic disaster adequately, (true leaders complain loudly when their constituencies hurt), I am afraid as a race of people we will continue our long downward spiral economically.
Every economic indicator, which measures our viability, is in the red, and has been since Mr. Obama has been in office. Let us hope the love fest with this President ends soon, as he and his Presidency is a luxury, if things continue as they are, we as a community can ill afford! Lest we forget, unemployment and underemployment is hell!
Staff Writer; James Davis
More information about JD and his Deficit Neutral Stimulus Plan Can be founded at http://www.sslumpsum.com.