Much has been made about the debate between two of our most respected black leaders: Tavis Smiley and the Rev. Al Sharpton. The two men, both activists in their own way, disagree on whether or not President Obama should openly pursue an ‘urban agenda’. Smiley thinks Obama should be more aggressive in pursuing a black agenda and thinks black leaders are being too soft on him. Sharpton thinks pushing such a plan would put the President in a vulnerable position and that black leaders, not the President, should pursue a plan for urban improvement. Rev. Sharpton is correct.
Residents of urban areas, many of whom are African American, suffer disproportionately from many issues mainstream society may not: failing schools, high dropout rates, lack of access to quality and affordable health care, poverty, high unemployment rates and increasing incarceration rates. While we certainly want those who live in these communities to receive increased attention and governmental support, it is not realistic.
America is a country with a variety of people and variety of obstacles to overcome. It is naïve to think the President would be able to push such an agenda through Congress if it is explained as something that would primarily benefit blacks. As a people, we represent just 12 percent of the population and we don’t have the votes in Congress to get such legislation through. Pursuing a black agenda would render the President ineffective and he would not succeed.
But let’s be clear: residents in urban areas are benefiting from the President’s efforts. What Obama is doing with his employment and training legislation and what he did with healthcare and education will undoubtedly affect African Americans. While these agendas support the entire nation, they will disproportionately benefit urban residents.
Many of our leaders are quick to dismiss the President’s efforts as not being ‘black enough’. They should open their eyes and realize that he is delivering to the masses what he promised while also affecting changes in our community. And he’s doing it while trying to work across both political aisles. Although the urban agenda isn’t obvious, the urban benefits are clear. We should applaud and support the President as he works and recognize that he is, in fact, President of the entire United States of America.
I don’t like to say this; however, I believe Obama will destroy this country. Much like Hitler did to Europe during World War II.
I concur with the vulnerability of Obama in doing something specifically about the black dilemma! My problem with Obama is that the things he could do for all Americans that would also ease the struggle for black America, he’s not doing.
Obama passed new laws for credit cards that only help people not in debt! It’s rinky-dink problem solving! It’s a half measure to a problem that needs him to handle the whole! Nearly all America is in debt because of the gross scams on Wall Street, banks giving credit cards like candy on Halloween, product quality going uncheck causing rebuys too often, lobbyist paying off politicians, oil speculation out of control, big business manipulating the economy to cause inflation, all converging to put a gross amount of Americans in deep debt!
Obama is doing nothing to free them! Instead, he’s bailing out Wall Street and the banks who do nothing to create jobs! He needs to forgive public debt with a clean slate to rebuild their credit! That starts the heavy buying and bank loans again which puts all Americans back to work. This is not rocket science!
The old bankruptcy laws would have prevented this mess! We can’t even get Obama to go back to them! Instead, he’s letting debt relief scammers run amuck to make a bad situation even worse! Still got the Bush Tax Cuts going and can’t give job incentives hot enough to raise a blister on a gnats butt! Obama is a jerk! We don’t need him to be an Idealist! We just need him to stick with the plan he promised!
Propping up overpriced real estate don’t get it! It’s just giving more money to the banks and Wall Street to reward them for the mess they created! IT’S JUST MORE MONEY GOING INTO THE WRONG POCKETS! Banks site no buying potential as a reason to withhold loans to businesses! Obama is full of crap! HE’S GOT THE BUYERS IN DEBT AND DOING NOTHING TO FREE THEM! IT’S THE KEY TO THE WHOLE PROBLEM OUTSIDE OF PROTECTING OUR JOBS FROM OUTSOURCING AND ILLEGALS!
All he has to do to benefit all Americans is what he promised in his campaign! Should have gotten rid of Bush tax cuts right away and never given banks money, trusting they would loan it! He let the banks continue to legally loan shark us on credit cards as the economy continued to sink! Obama is without a defense when it comes to helping black America or America as a whole! People are still coming across the border stealing our jobs! Guarding the border creates lots of jobs! It seriously needs doing! Why is he not doing that to create jobs?! Obama is without a defense and is up the creek without a paddle next vote! You hear this from a black man! Somebody ought to clue him in and head him in the right direction! Tell him, “IT’S THE ECONOMY STUPID”.
I agree, you would think Tavis would be able to see that or does he have another agenda?
Judge Mathis,
I agree with you wholeheartedly.President Obama is doing an excellent job as president in spite of all the obstacles he has to encounter.
The 2.3 million behind bars…do they count?
It has been since the 60’s that a President has made an address on crime. Why when Obama can speak to school children and terrorists alike, why won’t he address this new Jim Crow that is tearing up our communities. People’s lives are at the crossroads between these prisons and our inner city streets.
http://Www.obamaanswerthis.com