It’s The Economy Again Come Fall Vote---Who's On The Right Side? Dems or GOP?

"Raw And Uncensored Political Views Explored"

Losers in a brutal struggle with President Barack Obama, Republicans now hope voter anger over newly enacted health care legislation will propel them to victory in midterm elections this fall. As the Italians are custom to saying, and I'll say in this Post:


"Forget about it."


No matter the impact of health care, the economy still matters most — unemployment in particular — in a country struggling to emerge from the deepest recession in decades.

In poll after poll, it isn't even close.



A CBS/New York Times poll taken last month, when the health care debate was in a lull, showed 52 percent of those surveyed identified the economy as their top priority. Health care was a distant second at 13 percent.


The gap closed somewhat this month as Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress put more of a focus on the legislation, but not by enough to upend the public's order of priorities. A CNN/Opinion research survey in mid-March showed the economy was the top issue, at 43 percent of those polled, with health care at 23 percent.


"There is still one number that matters most on Election Day, and that is the unemployment number," said David Winston, a Republican pollster. "If unemployment is where it is now (9.7 percent nationally), people are going to be very unhappy and looking for a change. Now my question the the Dems is quite simple---will you allow the "NO" strategy Republicans to drag this most urgent issue of the economy and job creation out, much like they did for Health Care Reform, or will you stand up for the American People early on this time and say "NO" to the devisive GOP's political postering strategy of "NO, NO, NO to every conceavable legislative issue before them?


The Republican pollster went on to observe this very real hypothetical: "If it were to get to 8 percent, that would get a different result," he added. I tend to agree. So, what will you do differently this time around Dems? It would appear to me that the Health Care Reform delay tactics instituted by the Rebublican Party, and the stunning loss of the Senate seat which Massachusetts' Sen. Edward M. Kennedy held for nearly a half-century, did, however awake the sleeping giant; the Democratic Party. This is particuarly so whereas over the Weekend President Barrack Obama pushed against Republican stall tactics and filled 15 Appointments that've been held hostage for over seven months by this same GOP. Way to go!



For all the recent focus on health care, this is hardly news to Obama, his aides or other Democrats who anxiously scan economic statistics for signs of job growth that have yet to materialize.


"Starting hopefully in early April, you're going to see job growth, not job negative," said Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey, the head of the Democratic senatorial campaign effort.


It's a Democratic hope that has only grown stronger since January, when Republicans captured the Senate seat that Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy had held for nearly a half-century.

‘Where are the jobs?’


Underscoring their eagerness to switch issues, a few House Democrats held a news conference before Congress began its vacation at week's end to say they were looking forward to working on economic concerns when they returned.


It's also likely that both parties will try to connect the economy and health care in the minds of the voters heading into the fall campaign. Albeit, a word of warning to the Republican base and Legislators--the American people can see clearly now since the dust has settled. Be very careful in any further stall tactic on issue dear to the people. It will be remebered come the Election. Nominally speaking, the GOP and so-called Tea Party's political antics failed miserably, and to continue the same will be nothing but utter destruction to the entire party. The American people view such manuevering as nothing less than "obstructionist" in the highest form and such egregious behavior will not go un-punished.


"Americans are asking, 'Where are the jobs?' but Democrats remain focused on this job-killing government takeover of health care," House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said as Obama's allies were pushing their legislation through Congress. Boehner's question posed "where are the jobs" are well placed. But seeing that the Republicans have vowed to say "NO" to any issue evinced by President Obama and the Democratic Party, it is axiomatic that they are the allies and advocate of "job-killing governement,"  not the other way around.


Democrats emphasized a Congressional Budget Office estimate that the legislation could cut red ink.


"This is ... one of the biggest deficit reduction measures in history — over $1.3 trillion (over 20 years) that will help put us on the path of fiscal responsibility," Obama told House Democrats days before they passed the measure. If for no other reason (though there are many, far and between) one would at the very least thought that the Republicans would have supported this measure for deficit reduction. Why? Because the last time I checked this is the same Party that have taunted "fiscal responsibility" in every past Election I can remember."


This is not to say that the steadfastly partisan struggle over health care won't matter in the fall, when control of Congress will be at stake. For indeed it will. The question is who will be on the right side of History--the REPEALERS or the REFORMERS? I tend to place my money on the latter.


Within hours of the legislation's passage, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said his party would campaign to "repeal and replace" Obama's prized accomplishment. And as we are all aware, the Republicans have kept their obstructionist promise. But to what avail?

GOP’s target groups


The first half of that pledge is a Republican fantasy as long as Obama is in the White House, as GOP leaders surely understand. Coming up with an alternative that his party can unify behind in the fall may or may not prove possible, or even politically desirable.


But no matter.


In political terms, the new mantra seems designed to appeal to two GOP target groups:


the anti-government tea party activists, who staged sometimes unruly demonstrations outside the Capitol a week ago and want simply to rip out the new law before it can take root.

swing voters who want improvements made to the existing health care system, but fear that the president and Democrats went too far.


Democrats argue — that lagging support for the health care legislation is the result of months of Republican distortions as far back as last summer's debunked charges that "death panels" would decide the fate of elderly Medicare recipients.


Now Democrats hope they can argue successfully that they can govern effectively, and they are promoting a series of highly popular changes that will take effect in the next six months. To this wise, I believe they are correct, and could very easily demonstrate the same so long as they 1) tackle economic concerns with positive results and stay vigilant as a Unified Party. Yes, this is doable. Just listen to the American People, not the Republican Party and they are destined to come out on top.


Small businesses will be eligible for tax credits to help them cover the cost of insurance for employees, Obama said in Iowa a few days ago, and older people with high drug costs will receive a $250 rebate from the government.


"This year, insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people's coverage when they get sick, or place lifetime limits or restrictive annual limits on the amount of care they can receive," the president added.


"This is the reform that some folks in Washington are still hollering about. And now that it's passed, they're already promising to repeal it. ... Well, I say go for it."


As noted previously, Republicans indeed appear determined to go for it.


But come the fall, they'll no doubt remember that the economy comes first. So to the American People---Republicans, Democrats and Independants---don't fall for the bamboozlement.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Here's the question of the day. Who do you think will come out on top come the fall's Election, Dems or GOP?

A Call For "Job Reform" In Black-America

"Raw And Uncensored Political Views Explored"

Startling, the National Urban League, a 100 year old Organization, released its annual report which highlights such a disproportionate gap in unemployment in the African American Community that one must pause and ponder one question; "what in the world is going on in this Country?" The unemployment rate, as of March 24, 2010, is 15.8 percent for blacks and 12.4 percent for Hispanics, compared to 9.7 percent overall and 8.8 percent for whites.



While it is almost certain that the President's Health Care Reform legislation will address a host of Black America's years of medical concerns, and may even procure jobs in the long term, it however, will do nothing to address or solve Black America's laggings in the job industry.


As mentioned in my previous article of discussion; Mr. President, you've come to the rescue of the irresponsible and disingenuous bankers (who've once again, and arrogantly if I may say so, given the American People their butts' to kiss), and the automobile industry alike. You've championed Health Care Reform for well over a year now with a positive outcome. As noble as that may be, without employment or a remote prospect for employment; how is one to afford to even pay $35.00 or more for mandated health insurance? In short, the overall consensus of African-Americans affected by this unfair, discriminable and over-representation in our Nation's unemployment arena is, and rightfully so; "we need an immediate bail-out too!


Though I do not delve into it extensively here; it is a well documented fact that this disproportionate representation in unemployment, low wages and the forced acceptance of lower wages for the college educated black person in contravention their white counterpart for the same job, did not however just began during our Nation's recent recession and job crisis. As a matter of fact, such inequality can be traced back to slavery. Until we address this and the many issues plaguing this most vulnerable sector of our Community and find solutions therefore, crime, cost, the dropout rate and unsettledness of National peace will never be attained. For the immediate, the only answer is a comprehensive Job Reform legislation sustained, long-lasting and far-reaching.


In closing, the 151-page study referenced herein, which in 2007 featured a foreword by then-Sen. Obama bemoaning the problems facing black men, makes clear that it appreciates his efforts so far as president but that "much, much more must be done." And on that note, I concur.

To read full report go to http://www.nul.org/

Recession And Its' Economic Impact On Black America -vs- White America

"Raw And Uncensored Political Views Explored"

My friends in this post I want you to consider these figures that have been in the works, and continue to escalate to this very date regarding the impact of recession on Black America -vs- White America: Recessions hurt. And they hurt the poor and socially marginalized populations the most. As we faced the prospect of the second recession of the decade and considered the merits of various stimulus packages, it was useful to examine what a recession would mean for black America. 

 

The late 1990s produced a full employment economy and significant absolute and relative economic gains for blacks. This Issue Brief contrasts the benefits of a national full-employment economy with the harm caused by the 2001 recession and the weak job growth that followed. 

Black America's permanent recession 

In the best of times, many African American communities are forced to tolerate levels of unemployment unseen in most white communities. The 2001 recession pushed the white annual unemployment rate up from a low of 3.5% in 2000 to a high of 5.2% in 2003. During the same period, the black unemployment rate shot up from 7.6% to 10.8%. National recessions take African Americans from a bad situation to a worse one. 

 

In 2007, the black unemployment rate was 8.3%. This figure is still above the pre-recession low and more than twice the white unemployment rate. Goldman Sachs estimated that a new recession (our current one) would increase the national unemployment rate to 6.4% by 2009. For African Americans, the unemployment rate was expected to rise to 11.0%.2, but as discussed in this post, went well above that figure to 15.8%. 

African Americans lose income relative to whites 

The low unemployment rates of the 1990s led to positive gains in the black/white income ratio. In 1995, the median black family earned 60.9% of what the median white family did. By 2000, the ratio had climbed to a record high of 63.5%. The effect of the 2001 recession and the weak economic recovery was to undo all of those gains and then take away some more. By 2005, the median black household earned only 60.2% of the median white household, 0.7 points lower than it was in 1995.  

But median family income does not tell the entire story. The 2001 recession and weak recovery hurt the poorest African Americans the most. The same is true of the current recession. In 1995, the poorest fifth of black families only earned on average 43.0% of what the poorest fifth of white families earned. Again, the economic growth of the late 1990s was a significant boom. The black/white average income ratio for the poorest fifth increased to 49.9% in 2000. By 2005, it had fallen back to 43.4%. Among blacks, the poorest black families lost the largest share of their income gains from the late 1990s. 

Another recession was expected to likely reduce the median family income for all Americans by about 4%. However, for blacks, the decline would be about 6%, leaving the average African American family $2,400 poorer. Again, this loss of income will hurt the poorest fifth of African Americans the most. 

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/income/histinc/ineqtoc.html

 

Consider these additional costs associated to this jobs question posed in this discussion. Associated with the strong economy of the 1990s, there were significant declines in the black violent crime rate and the black teen pregnancy rate. Between 1993 and 2001, the black violent crime rate declined by 60%. Between 1990 and 2004, the black teen pregnancy rate declined by 46%. These improving trends have ended, and it is likely that the worsening economic conditions of African Americans since 2001 have played at least a partial role. 

At the community level, criminologists find a correlation between violent crime rates and socioeconomic disadvantage. At the national level, too, the black violent crime rate has recently been strongly correlated with black poverty rates. Therefore, it is not surprising that the historic crime decline of the 1990s ended with the reversal of economic fortunes that African Americans experienced at the beginning of the 21st century. http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/bp210/ 

Based on a study of five countries including the United States, the Alan Guttmacher Institute reports "across all of the focus countries, young people growing up in disadvantaged economic, familial and social circumstances are more likely than their better-off peers to engage in risky behavior and have a child during adolescence." Given that socioeconomic disadvantage has increased for African Americans since 2000, it is not entirely surprising that black teen pregnancy rates have started to rise again. 

This present recession would likely continue these negative trends. The black violent crime rate and the black teenage pregnancy rate both will likely rise. Once again, the negative effects of these trends will hurt the poorest African Americans most. 

What black America needs 

Even when the national unemployment picture is good, the black unemployment rate is more than twice that of the white unemployment rate. This means that in what looks like good economic times nationally, most of black America is still experiencing a recession. When white America is in recession, black America is in an economic depression. 

This however has been my overall point from the onset of this post, and it's quite axiomatic; Black America being faced with the prospect of this recession and its lingering effects--- what I believe that black America needs is what all of America needs: a stimulus package that will help average Americans and those with the most insecure jobs. The lesson from black America is that the poorest among us are most hurt by recessions. Stimulus proposals based on tax cuts for the wealthy or for business owners are not likely to provide immediate relief to those still hurting from the 2007-2009 recession, much less protect them from the additional damage of a new one. Thankfully, most of those sort of tax breaks have been halted by the Obama's

Administration.  

 

A better approach would be to boost the economy by 1) providing targeted supports through expanded

unemployment insurance and broad-based tax rebates, 2) providing assistance to states to prevent tax increases or spending cuts, 3) directly stimulating job growth by accelerating funding for infrastructure, particularity for bridge and school repair, and 4) provide targeted job stimulus for the hardest hit groups of this job's crisis; with a focus on funneling those funds to job locales commensurate with that group's education and job experiences or skills. (See EPI's Strategy for An Economic Rebound for more details): 

While the discussion above is based on national data about African Americans, it is important to remember that some black communities are better off than average and some are worse off. Also, although the discussion is about African Americans, the findings likely apply to a degree to other poor minority communities and to the poorest white communities, as well. For example, the violent crime decline for whites has also stalled, and the teen pregnancy rate for whites has also increased in the latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics. 

The Round-Table question of the day is: What should the Government do (if anything) to stimulate job growth in the hardest hit Community of this Country; Black America?