(ThyBlackMan.com) With the official black unemployment rate at 14.3%, unofficially it could be as high as 18%; it is informative to look at what ostensibly could be happening in terms of conversations in some households of the black community. Here are some statements which maybe bouncing off the walls within these households. “Are you going out and look for a job today?” Did you follow-up on the applications that you completed recently?” “I know you need new clothing, but you are just going to have to do with what you have.” “How are we going to pay the rent this month without some help? “I hate to call home again for money, we just called last month.” “When is your unemployment insurance going to run out?” I know you don’t have any money, but don’t be stupid and go out and do something illegal.” “Did
you go online and fill out those applications?” “I can tell you are not serious,
because you don’t wake up in time to go out and look for a job.” “You can’t find a job keeping bankers hours.”
There are of course money issues associated with being unemployed. Even if you do not live in a household where there is an unemployed or underemployed person, because the unemployment rate for blacks is so high and has been in double digits for so long, approximately five years, 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 is or 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.
This round of unemployment is especially agonizing because you do not see the traditional push back politically against the federal government among our national leaders and political pressure groups. There is even confusion among blacks themselves, both employed and unemployed as to who is to blame. Many blame the unemployed for not being educated and qualified.
There are those who even say, people are out of work because they are lazy and do not really want to work. With all due respect, to folks with varying opinions (everybody has one) regarding blame, there is no question about where the responsibility for a solution lies. It lies with our federal government. Government was created by the founders of this country because they realized there are some things we can do better collectively, like fight wars when there is a common enemy, share in the cost of building infrastructure, enhancing wealth through trade, and most important providing an environment that is conductive to healthy growth, by leveraging the resources of the whole nation to resolve complex problems, like this economic downturn.
If you review your history, the federal government’s largess pulled us out of
the Great Depression of 1930’s. However, a complete recovery from the Great
Depression arrived after 1940, when mobilization for World War II caused a huge increase in industrial production. No one is suggesting Mr. Obama start a war to increase industrial production. However, he could, if he has not already, look at job creation plans (http://www.sslumpsum.com), which put money into the consumer’s hands, as the consumer is 70% of our GDP (gross domestic product). The consumer is king, when it comes to this economy.
The consumer is not spending at levels, high enough to create the 250,000 to 300,000 jobs a month that is needed to pull us out of this downturn. At 70% of GDP, you cannot have a swift recovery without involving the consumer! However, this President will not address the issue of unemployment by coming up with a consumer related job creation plan unless prompted by people like us, simply because it involves political risk. Nevertheless, this is a proper role for government to play, as demonstrated by our past.
Expanding the budget by hiring teachers, construction workers, fire and police personnel, while promoted as a job plan, is not “a job creation plan,” it is called political patronage. This thus far, has been the approach taken to resolve unemployment by this Administration. It is impossible for the federal
government to hire enough people to kick start this economy, when over 23 million people are out of work. It is important to take control of your career path however you feel will help you succeed. Whether it means having a nurse go from an RN to BSN or growing within in a smaller company, relying on the government is not an option. What is needed to resolve the issue of unemployment and underemployment is “an honest to goodness job creation plan” and its needed now!
Staff Writer; James Davis
More information about JD and his Deficit Neutral Stimulus Plan Can be founded at http://www.sslumpsum.com.
