Obama’s American agenda benefits black America, too
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s historic status as the nation’s first black president hasn’t spared him criticism from some black commentators and members of Congress, who claim that the president ought to have a bona fide “black agenda.”
Several members of the Congressional Black Caucus have chastised Obama for, they claim, doing little to address the unemployment rate among black workers, some six to seven points higher than the overall rate of just under ten percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Last month, talk show host Tavis Smiley’s annual “Black Agenda” conference included a panel which heavily criticized Obama for failing to directly address a range of difficult social problems which still plague black America. Indeed, Smiley has become a consistent critic.
Smiley has every right to score the president’s accomplishments and failures as he sees fit. But it is naive for him to expect that the nation’s first black president will champion an exclusively black “agenda,” any more than John F. Kennedy, the nation’s first Catholic president, issued a “Catholic agenda.” Obama was not elected the president of black America. He’s the president of the entire country.
Still, Obama hasn’t ignored those detractors. Perhaps that’s why he met with a group of black preachers, including Atlanta’s T. DeWitt Smith, head of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, on Tuesday. Here’s hoping he took the opportunity to point out that his policies benefit black Americans, too.
According to Families USA, a health care advocacy group, 40 percent of blacks reported being uninsured during a some portion of 2007-2008, compared to about 26 percent of whites. Black or white, they will be able to afford health insurance as a result of the new law, which Obama made a priority.
The president also battled entrenched interests to change the student-loan program, which freed up money to give a slight funding increase to Pell grants. Many black students will benefit from the boost in tuition assistance, just as many white and brown students will.
But the most significant assistance that Obama is providing to black students — to all students, actually — lies in his promising reform plan for elementary and secondary education. The new emphasis on charter schools and merit pay has the potential for bringing the best and brightest teachers into public school classrooms, while weeding out the incompetent and uninspired.
There are few things that the federal government can do that have a more significant effect on children than helping them to get a good education. For black kids, that’s crucial. The difference between those black Americans who have achieved mainstream success and those mired in poverty lies, for the most party, in the difference in acadmic achievement.
For black boys, who have fallen behind black girls in educational attainment, a “black agenda” could be constructed around this issue alone. Black women now graduate from college at twice the rate of black men.
It’s true that college-educated black workers have a higher unemployment rate than college-educated white workers — a commentary on a “post-racial” America. But it’s also true that college-educated black men and women will fare much better than their less-educated counterparts.
So far, few black opinion-makers have zeroed in on Obama’s education reform plans. That reticence may stem from an ambivalence — or hostility — toward the reforms from a mainstay of the black middle-class: teachers. Teachers’ groups have not exactly rallied in support of Obama’s plans.
(Georgia may have lost out in Round 1 of Race to the Top because it didn’t get state-wide buy-in from teachers’ groups. Some teachers remain especially critical of merit pay.)
Still, his emphasis on teacher accountability has the potential for doing more to shake up public education than any reforms of the last two decades. Obama may not have a plan for reducing the black-on-black homicide rate (who does?) or shoring up black marriage (other than serving as a good role model), but, if he can boost educational achievement for all children — including those who are poor and black — that would certainly qualify as progress. Let’s call that an American agenda.
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363 comments Add your comment
Independent
April 7th, 2010
7:55 am
Obama is right in pointing out that his policies benefit black Americans too. The problem is that so many blacks believed he would be filling up their gas tanks and making their mortgage/rent payments for them. He’s on that path though. It is rather ludicrous for you to say that “they will be able to afford health insurance” though. Two points with that; first you don’t know how much health insurance will cost and second, to afford something is to say that you can pay for it with your labor, skills and talent. The taxpayers will be paying for their insurance through subsidies, not the actual policy holder. Be truthful now Ms. Tucker. Why didn’t you mention Obama killing the DC voucher program? It was a proven successful program benefitting almost exclusively black schoolkids. I guess the benefits to union members trump the benefits to schoolkids.
Tricky
April 7th, 2010
7:57 am
Just drop the labels, I consider myself an American, I don’t feel any less black.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:00 am
Dr. Sowell’s brilliant essay today mirror’s that of our esteemed hostess, His argument begins:
No dogma has caused more mischief — and, in some countries, tragedies — than the notion that there is something strange and wrong when some groups are “over-represented” or “under-represented” in some occupations or institutions.
This dogma is so widely accepted, and so deeply entrenched, that no one asks for evidence and no speck of evidence is offered.
Moreover, tons of evidence to the contrary are ignored.
Over the centuries, and in countries around the world, all sorts of groups have been disproportionately concentrated in particular occupations and at different income levels, and have had radical differences in their behavior, from rates of alcoholism to rates of crime and infant mortality.
…
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:01 am
Apologies for the stray apostrophe – typo
kayaker 71
April 7th, 2010
8:03 am
I am sure that there is a significant number of the black electorate that feels that Bozo is not “taking care of this own”. The Congressional Black Caucus is a prime example of a special interest group organized to push the agenda of a specific portion of the population, that being the black electorate. They are not representative of their entire districts and ban the participation of anyone but black elected officials. I can just imagine the piece that Ms Tucker would howl about if this were the Congressional White Caucus, banning participation of all but white elected officials and focusing on the needs of white people at the exclusion of all others. What a commotion that this would cause, complete with KKK accusations, white supremacy names and all that goes with it.
This Caucus, like Black History Month, belongs in the history books.
TnGelding
April 7th, 2010
8:04 am
And why shouldn’t they benefit? Ending the war on drugs would certainly benefit the black community disproportionately. And the president is well aware that most of his supporters back that. But he has taken it to task on moral issues, demanding accountability. Let’s hope he can inspire the children of the lowlife to not follow in the footsteps of their parents. That is probably his most fertile ground.
Granny Godzilla
April 7th, 2010
8:04 am
It’s refreshing to read a piece that deals with race issues written in such an honest and brave manner. Thanks for the thoughtful look at
President Obama’s agenda.
Now, put on your rain coat…..it may get messy below.
jim in Jackson
April 7th, 2010
8:13 am
The president needs to right the ship for all americans first. The initiatives he has and is addressing are probably more tantamount to Black families than others. Unemployment always hurts the black families more; as does home mortages and grants for education. Smiley just wants to create controversy to help his ratings. We all need to be patient while Obama works to protect us from predatory banks and mega-corporations while nursing the economy back to health.The coal mine explosion is indicative of how the workers are considered expendable to exact the maximum profit.
Almost a million dollars in fines for safety violations and a history of buying off the WVA supreme court.This is the curse of unregulated free enterprise.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:16 am
Of course, at least one element of Obama’s agenda has a downside for people of color, and distressing implications for the opposition, reported this morning in the Times Online:
The Obama Administration has authorised the targeted killing of an American citizen in what is believed to be an unprecedented move in the War against Terror.
According to US media reports, the radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who has been linked to last November’s attack on Fort Hood, Texas, and the failed Christmas day airline bomb plot, has been approved for capture or killing.
Good reason
April 7th, 2010
8:17 am
There is a good reason teachers have not been in support of Obama’s educational plan. It is intellectually dishonest.
Independent
April 7th, 2010
8:19 am
Granny, what was honest and brave about it? The Ms. Tucker wrote of affording something that people cannot pay for? Do you own a home? Do you make the monthly mortgage payment on your own? Great, you can afford your home. If your neighbor must give you $500 a month in order for you to make your house payment, then you clearly cannot afford the house you live in. Honesty is clearly missing here.
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:19 am
Jim in Jackson, good points
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:20 am
Yes, Granny, I know it will get messy. And thanks to you for hanging in with so many uncivil commenters
arnold
April 7th, 2010
8:20 am
The President is the President for all America. I voted for a President. I did not vote for a black or white President. Just forget color and do the best to improve this country. Everyone will then be able to benefit.
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:21 am
kayaker 71, you and I actually agree on something — the cbc belongs in the history books
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:23 am
Independent, I’ll just take on one of your points: health insurance. I don’t know where you and so many other health insurance opponents get the impression people won’t buy their policies. There is already a health insurance program for the poor. It’s called Medicaid. The new health insurance law does provide subsidies; consumers will still have to buy some of their own money for the policies.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:28 am
Dear Ms. Tucker @ 8:23, “I don’t know where you and so many other health insurance opponents get the impression people won’t buy their policies.” Simple economics, three step logic. (1) The criminal penalty for lack of insurance is much lower than the cost of insurance. (2) No insurance company can refuse to cover for pre-existing conditions. (3) Economically-rational people will wait until they have a serious need for insurance before purchasing.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:30 am
I forgot step (4) And will drop their policies when the need abates.
jim in Jackson
April 7th, 2010
8:30 am
@Arnold
That’s essentially what I was talking about. Obama is the president for all americans and the problems he address are common to us all.
Putting a wanted dead or alive bounty on a terriorist is not a downside for people of color; only one depraved individual and that benefits us all.
I wasn’t aware that teachers in general disapproved of the president’s actions; only the sorry one need worry because the children have to have the best education possible.
JB
April 7th, 2010
8:31 am
The black community will see improvement to their plight ( Although I’m white, I see a lot of African Americans who have grabbed the golden ring in this country and done very very well,
God bless them) When they return to the family unit ( whites also), a mother AND a father requiring accountability of their children. It starts at home. Schools can not help educate a child to help them get out of poverty IF there is no support at home to do so. Now, I’m painting with a broad brush, so the one’s that do, I salute you.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:33 am
Of course, I am not a “health insurance opponent” – I merely oppose ObamaCare. I see ObamaCare as a death knell for “health insurance,” for the economic reasons I outline above. I would have used market incentives to reform “health insurance” instead of adding more government expense and inefficiency.
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:33 am
Amen to that, jim in Jackson!
jim in Jackson
April 7th, 2010
8:33 am
@ragnar
that’s why there will be a fine for those who choose to try to cheat the system.
arnold
April 7th, 2010
8:34 am
Jim in Jackson:
To improve education, more than the teachers need to be targeted. It is the students and their parents who are the most responsible for the students education. Any attempt to improve education must place a large emphasis on parental involveent.
T-Town
April 7th, 2010
8:36 am
Just a take on a famous quote: You can please all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but never all of the people all of the time.
DITTOhead...AJC Truth Detector
April 7th, 2010
8:36 am
CYNTHIA…………U & the Obama-Atlanta-Urnal are sooooooooooo obcessed with black & white..even when it snows………you bring RACE into the story……..WE NEED MORE BLACK SNOW..
DITTOhead...AJC Truth Detector
April 7th, 2010
8:36 am
CYNTHIA…………U & the Obama-Atlanta-Urnal are sooooooooooo obcessed with black & white..even when it snows………you bring RACE into the story……..WE NEED MORE BLACK SNOW..
Hank Johnson
April 7th, 2010
8:36 am
Well thought out commentary on a difficult subject Cindy . Have to give you an A on this one.
Good reason
April 7th, 2010
8:36 am
jim in jackson, please answer one question. Should discipline in the schools play any role, any role at all, in education reform?
The Chicago Way
April 7th, 2010
8:36 am
Who said that blacks were waiting around to ‘get their gas tanks filled up and mortgages paid.’ Some of you would be wise to stop painting every black person as some welfare king or queen waiting for a hand out. Some of us come are 3rd generation college graduates with advanced degrees. I’m sure I can find some folks in Hiawassee or any other rural town in Ga where whites are patiently waiting on the 1st of the month for that EBT card to be replenished. You can find bad in every race if you look hard enough.
And Tavis Smiley has lost most of his credibility with many middle class blacks with his tantrums. He doesn’t speak for me. I’ve got a mortgage to pay and a car that needs a fill-up.
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:37 am
arnold, I agree that parental involvement is a very important component in a child’s education. But we all know that there are parents who will NEVER be involved? Do we allow those children to be condemned to ignorance? Why not duplicate programs that we know can work, where children are getting an excellent education even without parental involvement?
Matilda
April 7th, 2010
8:37 am
Honest and brave…when Cynthia Tucker is talking about race? Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
Tucker is a tried and true hypocrite who only make arguments to advance her cause. No one believes she is honest anymore. She is a shill and a toady.
Honest and brave? Not so much.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
April 7th, 2010
8:37 am
Dear Jim @ 8:33, sort of like a speeding ticket. The fine is nothing compared to the cost of insurance. Much easier to “game the system” now.
jim in Jackson
April 7th, 2010
8:38 am
I suppose the market reform of health care means letting the insurance companies write the healthcare reform like the pharmaceutical companies wrote the Medicare part D.
Good reason
April 7th, 2010
8:38 am
Is there anybody out there not afraid to answer the question. Should discipline play any role, any role at all in education reform?
david wayne osedach
April 7th, 2010
8:39 am
We are seing “change we can believe in” coming ever so slowly.
arnold
April 7th, 2010
8:42 am
ctucker : “But we all know that there are parents who will NEVER be involved? Do we allow those children to be condemned to ignorance?”
Of course not. However, parental involvement needs to be stressed and be a part of any educational improvement plan. The lack of parental involvement seems to be the most common element in a students failure.
Curious Observer
April 7th, 2010
8:42 am
Yes, Ragnar, there will be some people who will game the health insurance system. But they will be in the extreme minority, for the most part, because 95% of the people in this country are law-abiding. Still, the only way to get rid of most of the adverse selection that insurance companies now guard against with preexisting conditions clauses and other devices is to have an individual mandate. There will always be the screamers about “freedom” and such who will protest a purchase requirement until they discover a severe need for insurance on themselves. We have read their screeds on this blog and others. Many of the same people drove around without motor vehicle insurance until the state imposed a requirement, with severe penalties, for every vehicle owner to have it.
And I don’t dismiss the possibility that the penalties for failure to acquire coverage will become more severe as the nation gains experience with the new system. With all its faults—and I will acknowledge here that I have been in favor of a public option or, failing that, a Medicare buy-in—the new system will be infinitely more favorable than the existing disgraceful situation.
Granny Godzilla
April 7th, 2010
8:43 am
Good Reason
Discipline? Of course.
But never give an angry nun a ruler.
JB
April 7th, 2010
8:43 am
Obama= weak military, bloated government, debt ridden treasury, IRS empowerment, social entitlements expansion, higher taxes, job and investment prevention and isolation from our allies. Other than that, gives a pretty good speech.
TisP'doff
April 7th, 2010
8:44 am
Why does it always come down to black and white issues. Race is a poor excuse to allow mediocrity to continue. While the entitlement mentality has had many generations to root in the black community, it
has been a wasted money pit for the country. I want all children to be educated, I want affordable health care for all, and I want to see an end to the entitlements. My only request is, that those receiving entitlements only be granted that privalege for a set amount of time. The system is broken now, why should we continue to support irresponsibility? Those who pay for, give to, and contribute the most, receive the least. Excuses won’t continue to work given the present economy.
Granny Godzilla
April 7th, 2010
8:45 am
Oh and thanks to that creepy guy from yesterday.
Mr. G laughed so hard…..kept calling me Gramma Poopy Pants.
Good reason
April 7th, 2010
8:45 am
Is Granny Godzilla the only person who will address this? Can the supporters of Obama’s education plan not answer one simple question?
Should discipline play any role, any role at all, in education reform?
Morrus
April 7th, 2010
8:45 am
Vote out the incumbents and start over
commoncents
April 7th, 2010
8:48 am
“Black or white, they will be able to afford health insurance as a result of the new law, which Obama made a priority.”
“They will be able to” should be “they must,” and “a priority” should be “mandatory.”
Other than that, I agree with other commentators. There should be no CBC, or any other group that recognizes only one skin color. Race is (and should be) no more significant than eye color. It seems that today the only people preaching about inequality (other than a few nuts) are the same people who were actually alive during times of segregation. They continue to point fingers and name call, otherwise they might have to actually do something productive with their lives other than say that they are the targets of discrimination. These are the old codgers that keep the race card on the table.
And finally, CT, I actually agree with Barack and you about the school chartering system, and weeding out incompetent teachers. There are too many of them who just wait on a paycheck and do not care about the quality of their work, knowing they are tenured.
The Chicago Way
April 7th, 2010
8:48 am
Ragnar- Other than the fact when you get a speeding ticket, if you don’t have insurance you’ll receive an additional fine. Republicans wanted to mandate health insurance back in ‘94. Romneycare does the same thing. You’re currently paying for the uninsured who show up in the ED sick. All this talk about ‘death knell’ seemed more relevant prior to health care’s package, at least for those who were denied care even though they had health insurance.
GR- Yes, discipline SHOULD play a role in education reform. Back in the late 80s when I was in middle school, you would get a swat (paddling) from the AP before you’d be suspended from school. All this you can’t put your hands on your kids crap has helped contribute to all the problems we have now. He knew if I came home suspended or was referred to the office, my parents would ‘discipline’ me, so I thought twice. Now parents could go to jail for spanking their child.
JB
April 7th, 2010
8:49 am
No one…..and I mean no one in the ” private sector is hiring because of the wait to see where taxes and health care cost are heading. Companies are managing from the bottom line through expense reduction rater than expansion, and expense reduction is employee reduction. pretty simple stuff.
One Voice
April 7th, 2010
8:49 am
Cynthia,
Merit based pay is an excellent idea in theory. But I have to believe it will be a terrible idea in practice until you (or someone in authority) can describe the statistical method for calculating the results. As far as I know, a valid, reliable way of measuring teacher effectiveness does not exist. The closest way I can think of is called an analysis of covariance where pre and post tests are given to the same students and then initial skill levels are controlled for using the covariate. However, there are a number of issues with even this analysis and I don’t know of anything better. So tell me, how should teacher effectiveness be measured? Unless you can answer that, you’re in the same boat as the Republicans who want to repeal health care but cannot even begin describing a sound mechanism they would use as a replacement.
ctucker
April 7th, 2010
8:50 am
Good reason,
Here’s the answer: Good principals and good teachers maintain discipline. That’s why the emphasis is on “good” teachers and “good” principals.
gmaye
April 7th, 2010
8:51 am
How many marches has Tavis Smiley Lead? What’s the ratio of white people on welfare say in Iowa? 99% you see how you can play with numbers. What’s wrong with the President adressing high unemployment in the Black area, would we have a problem if it was in the white area? would it be call a white problem, no it would be call a America problem.