(ThyBlackMan.com) Black American voters, and protesters have done everything right. It is Black American leaders, from former president Barack Obama down, to local state, county, and city leaders, who have done everything wrong. When ask to get out, and vote, Black American voters showed up at the polls in record numbers and voted the largest group of black political leaders into office, in the history of this nation.
Black American representation in legislatures and mayoral leadership are at an all-time high. There are a record 62 Black members serving in Congress, with Rep. Akeem Jeffries, of New York, serving as the Minority Leader of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives. Black mayors head the cities of Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. There is even a black Civil Rights leader in the person of Reverend Al Sharpton who regularly appears on the popular “Morning Joe program on MSNBC.” So, Black America is not without power to speak out, and be heard on issues at the highest levels, leading to change. Of what use is power, if they do not use that power, to correct unjust policies of the Biden-Harris administration, when it comes to undercounting the unemployment rates of American workers, including African American workers. Their lack of political courage is displayed in their silence, as Black American workers are laid off, and their layoffs are undercounted by this administration. It is hard for many of us to digest and understand why they do not use that power and speak up.
The lives of Black Americans did not get better in March, no matter what the main street media may have implied, as their headlines heralded a decrease in the Biden-Harris political unemployment rate of U-3, which dropped from 3.9 to 3.8%. However, the Real unemployment rate held steady at 7.3%, miring Black American workers, whose rate average 2.7% higher over the real rate in a Great Recession, at 10.0%. The economy is slowing. Real GDP in the 3rd quarter of 2023 grew at 4.9%; in the 4th quarter, it grew to 3.4%. Black American unemployment has been steadily climbing higher, since December.
Even, under the Biden administration’s own record keeping unemployment rate system, last month, the unemployment rate for black people rose to 6.4%, up from 5.6% in February. That rate was higher than the jobless rate for White Americans, which stayed the same at 3.4% for March. When you look at the Real unemployment rate, as the Biden-Harris administration U-3 political rate of 3.8% is not comprehensive of our unemployment situation, the Black American rate of 10% relates a story of some real economic desperation in African American communities, across this nation. The Real unemployment rate established by economists in 1994, when the unemployment categories were adjusted, is 7.3% (U-6), which is comprehensive of our unemployment situation in March. These numbers are pulled from the chart of Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization.
If ever there is a time, and a need to act, in support of Black Americans – it would be now. We have a presidential candidate in control of the GOP who is a pathological liar, who admires authoritarians and will subvert our Democracy if elected, and another candidate that has a lock on the Democratic party nomination for president, who is suppressing the unemployment rates of American workers, distorting and discrediting capitalism as an economic system, which has supported our Democracy, since it was established as a nation.
As the Democratic party candidate suppresses the unemployment rates of all American workers, professional, blue collar, union, and working-class Americans, including African Americans, it damages the reputation of the venerable institution of the Department of Labor. The presidential candidate and the Democratic party are undercounting the unemployment rates of American workers as “a matter of policy.” It is important that you understand what that means. It means the Biden-Harris administration advocates using all of “the power and authority of the federal government,” in furtherance of a repugnant policy of deceiving American voters, when it comes to our unemployment situation, and the state of the American economy. It is a policy that is inevitably destructive to our Democracy, as the Democratic party attempts to build our economy on false numbers.
When you add to this disastrous policy, millions of undocumented economic immigrants crossing our borders challenging American workers with lower wages, as an Economic Downturn begins, an untenable situation is developing. We can possibly lose our Democracy to an authoritarian or end up creating a permanent underclass of American workers locked in poverty, due to not being counted as unemployed.
When I read the statement of Cicley Gay outlining BLMGNF’s bent, I was impressed. What organization writes statements like this anymore? She stated:
“We recognize that we are in a moment, a moment full of promise and peril. This is not new for Black people. What is new is the unprecedented resources under Black control that can be used to build Black Power for Black Liberation.” However, our reality shows an organization that is unwilling to come to the aid of Black American communities in their moment of peril, for whatever reasons, they conjure up. Black American families need help now, not tomorrow, in ending the scam of undercounting our unemployment rates. Yet, Gay and BLMGNF’s silence is deafening when it comes, to this issue (Why).
You cannot build an economy that is going to create the millions of Jobs we need over the long term based on faulty unemployment numbers, which is what the present administration will have us believe. We have to tell the Truth when it comes to this administration’s unjust policy of depressing our unemployment rates.
Let the Democratic party defend its use of the U-3 category rate of being comprehensive of our unemployment situation if it can. That’s the American way. I truly believe in the good common sense and intelligence of American voters, because I am an American voter. If the lie about unemployment rates is debunked – that opens a door to growing our economy based on the Real unemployment rate.
Here is a television clip featuring former senator Claire McCaskill (D) of Missouri, Joe Scarborough, and Mika Brzezinski, where these people are advocating publicly on national television, in our faces, saying Joe Biden and Democrats, should not be fact checked.
This is something we can fix. A solution to dismantle this oppressive policy is doable. Is there anyone among you who feel, undercounting, or understating the unemployment rates of American workers helps American workers? Well, if your answer to that question is a resounding no, saying there is no upside for American workers, including Black American workers, then you can count yourself among the reasonable voters in this upcoming election.
Staff Writer; James Davis
Mr. Davis is a Financial Analyst. His articles are about relating facts in a usable, truthful, and understandable way. That way, WE ALL WIN. James is, the author of three books, among them, “The Fix This Time,” Boost Your Retirement Income! Simultaneously Create Jobs and Spur Economic Growth (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MI3PD2M). Reach out to James @ his blog https://thefixthistime.com.
Question? Comment? One may use this email address; MrDavis@ThyBlackMan.com.