The Obama Paradox: Blacks suffered more under Obama than any other modern president

[NightHawkeye]

The Financial Times offers an interesting perspective on its editorial page: The riddle of black America’s rising woes under Obama - Those who have fared worst under this president are the ones who love him the most | Financial Times

A paradox haunts America’s first black president. African-American wealth has fallen further under Barack Obama than under any president since the Depression. Yet they are the only group that still gives him high ratings. So meagre is Mr Obama’s national approval rating that embattled Democrats have made him unwelcome in states that twice swept him to power. Those who have fared worst under Mr Obama are the ones who love him the most. You would be hard-pressed to find a better example of perception-driven politics. As the Reverend Kevin Johnson asked in 2013: “Why are we so loyal to a president who isn’t loyal to us?”​

In typical convoluted Orwellian doublespeak fashion though, the editorial concludes that the problem lies with Republicans rather than Obama.

Go figure ...

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

The Financial Times offers an interesting perspective on its editorial page: The riddle of black America’s rising woes under Obama - Those who have fared worst under this president are the ones who love him the most | Financial Times

A paradox haunts America’s first black president. African-American wealth has fallen further under Barack Obama than under any president since the Depression. Yet they are the only group that still gives him high ratings. So meagre is Mr Obama’s national approval rating that embattled Democrats have made him unwelcome in states that twice swept him to power. Those who have fared worst under Mr Obama are the ones who love him the most. You would be hard-pressed to find a better example of perception-driven politics. As the Reverend Kevin Johnson asked in 2013: “Why are we so loyal to a president who isn’t loyal to us?”​

In typical convoluted Orwellian doublespeak fashion though, the editorial concludes that the problem lies with Republicans rather than Obama.

Go figure ...

The falling poll numbers for Obama in the American public are bought and paid for. The relentless propaganda campaign against him that has never let up is very expensive - whole networks have to be staffed with people dedicated to the task - but it has paid off for those who are buying that product.

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

The falling poll numbers for Obama in the American public are bought and paid for. The relentless propaganda campaign against him that has never let up is very expensive - whole networks have to be staffed with people dedicated to the task - but it has paid off for those who are buying that product.

I don't understand your point of view on the falling poll numbers. What do you think is going on?

 

[NightHawkeye]

The falling poll numbers for Obama in the American public are bought and paid for. The relentless propaganda campaign against him that has never let up is very expensive - whole networks have to be staffed with people dedicated to the task - but it has paid off for those who are buying that product.

I would argue rather that the vindictiveness of Obama'a fundamental transformation, as happens frequently with vendettas, has simply back-fired.

Curiously, it is those who deny Reagan's "trickle down" theory who somehow believe that punishing the entire nation will somehow benefit the poor.

Put yet another way, cutting off your nose to spite your face never turns out well. At least no one can say there weren't plenty of voices explaining clearly beforehand what would transpire under Obama's transformation.

 

[SummerMadness]

Rand Paul, Obama & Black Unemployment

A case can be made that Republican intransigence has created more problems for African Americans.

The African-American Labor Force in the Recovery

Black workers are more likely to be employed in the public sector than are either their white or Hispanic counterparts. In 2011, nearly 20 percent of employed Blacks worked for state, local, or federal government compared to 14.2 percent of Whites and 10.4 percent of Hispanics. Blacks are less likely than Hispanics and nearly as likely as Whites to work in the private sector, not including the self-employed. Few Blacks are self-employed — only 3.8 percent reported being self-employed in 2011 — making them almost half as likely to be self-employed as Whites (7.2 percent).

With the recession, unemployment went up and the Republican party used the recession as an opportunity to attack government and fought tooth and nail to shrink government (i.e., fire people working at the state, local and federal level). The reason why black people work for the government at a higher has a lot to do with racism; while the government is not perfect, it is less likely to toss your resume in the trash simply for having a "black-sounding" name. On top of attacking government workers, they also worked to prevent people from receiving unemployment benefits, pensions, food assistance, etc., all which affect African Americans more. If African Americans are faring worst under Obama, point the finger squarely at a Congress that works against the people.

 

[MikeCarra]

The Financial Times offers an interesting perspective on its editorial page: The riddle of black America’s rising woes under Obama - Those who have fared worst under this president are the ones who love him the most | Financial Times

A paradox haunts America’s first black president. African-American wealth has fallen further under Barack Obama than under any president since the Depression. Yet they are the only group that still gives him high ratings. So meagre is Mr Obama’s national approval rating that embattled Democrats have made him unwelcome in states that twice swept him to power. Those who have fared worst under Mr Obama are the ones who love him the most. You would be hard-pressed to find a better example of perception-driven politics. As the Reverend Kevin Johnson asked in 2013: “Why are we so loyal to a president who isn’t loyal to us?”​

In typical convoluted Orwellian doublespeak fashion though, the editorial concludes that the problem lies with Republicans rather than Obama.

Go figure ...

It is interesting that you Conservatives lay this anemic recovery at Obama's feet.

I say "interesting" when I actually mean grossly hypocritical.

You see, Obama set in place pretty much every means of ensuring that the Republican ideal of "trickle down economics" would play out. Obama kept in place the bailouts started under Bush of the mega banks and under Obama the Stock Market has hit HISTORIC HIGHS.

The corporations have HUGE VAST SUMS of money and they are working overtime to "invert" it so they don't pay taxes on it.

And at the same time these same, now incredibly over-capitalized corporations, are NOT INCREASING SALARIES.

Of course those of us on the Left knew for the last 30 years that "Trickle Down" is a lie but the Right demanded it and they got it.

And now suddenly you want Obama to step in and "control" corporations????

What kind of Ultra-Marxists are you guys?????

 

[elliott95]

Blacks as a statistical group are financially worst off after six years of Obama.
Some explain this as a failure of his policy. Some explain it in terms of his impotency at getting his policies through an intransigent Congress.

Either way, nobody is disputing that statistically, the economic position of blacks has deteriorated over the past six years.

 

[Vylo]

Well, that didn't take long to shoot down.

 

[Jeffwhosoever]

Rand Paul, Obama & Black Unemployment

A case can be made that Republican intransigence has created more problems for African Americans.

The African-American Labor Force in the Recovery
With the recession, unemployment went up and the Republican party used the recession as an opportunity to attack government and fought tooth and nail to shrink government (i.e., fire people working at the state, local and federal level). The reason why black people work for the government at a higher has a lot to do with racism; while the government is not perfect, it is less likely to toss your resume in the trash simply for having a "black-sounding" name. On top of attacking government workers, they also worked to prevent people from receiving unemployment benefits, pensions, food assistance, etc., all which affect African Americans more. If African Americans are faring worst under Obama, point the finger squarely at a Congress that works against the people.

Sounds like cherry picking data to me. But who would guessed that Obama has been the worst for white people, at least per your data source as raw % ??

"We looked at the average rate of unemployment for blacks and whites in the first 58 months of the last four presidents who were reelected to a second term: Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. (We averaged the monthly unemployment rates from the first February in office to the first November in their second term.)"

 

[AceHero]

My question is, since they seem to take a lot of credit for not being responsible for the woes of black people, what exactly have conservatives done to benefit the lives of African Americans since Obama took office?

 

[NightHawkeye]

My question is, since they seem to take a lot of credit for not being responsible for the woes of black people, what exactly have conservatives done to benefit the lives of African Americans since Obama took office?

LOL ... that's the problem isn't it? Why is it the responsibility of anyone else to enrich the lives of African Americans?

 

[Savior2006]

LOL ... that's the problem isn't it? Why is it the responsibility of anyone else to enrich the lives of African Americans?

"It's their own responsibility" and yet somehow it's also Obama's fault because of reasons.

 

[NightHawkeye]

"It's their own responsibility" and yet somehow it's also Obama's fault because of reasons.

They voted for him in overwhelming numbers. It seems they have reaped the consequences of their votes.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

They voted for him in overwhelming numbers. It seems they have reaped the consequences of their votes.

See, you have swallowed the unrelenting anti-Obama propaganda hook, line and sinker. So the black people should be reponsible for themselves instead of depending on the government and at the same time Obama is reponsible, somehow, for blacks being worse off.

This doesn't compute but you go ahead and believe both things simultaneously.

 

[OlduvaiGeorge]

Cognitive dissonance

 

[NightHawkeye]

See, you have swallowed the unrelenting anti-Obama propaganda hook, line and sinker. So the black people should be reponsible for themselves instead of depending on the government and at the same time Obama is reponsible, somehow, for blacks being worse off.

This doesn't compute but you go ahead and believe both things simultaneously.

LOL ... Obama ran for office on redistribution of wealth. That's what his supporters voted for, government handouts. Some wanted Obamacare. Some wanted Obamaphones. Some wanted free contraception.

 

[Savior2006]

They voted for him in overwhelming numbers. It seems they have reaped the consequences of their votes.

I notice you still haven't explained why this is Obama's fault.

LOL ... Obama ran for office on redistribution of wealth. That's what his supporters voted for, government handouts.

LOL, try again Hawk.

 

[Vylo]

LOL ... Obama ran for office on redistribution of wealth. That's what his supporters voted for, government handouts. Some wanted Obamacare. Some wanted Obamaphones. Some wanted free contraception.

Obamaphone is a misnomer, as he had nothing to do with them at all.

 

[Nithavela]

Pretty sure they won't re-elect him.

 

[elliott95]

"It's their own responsibility" and yet somehow it's also Obama's fault because of reasons.

The conservative position is that blacks are worse off.

That may or may not Obama's fault. It would be his failure though, for he certainly did not run his campaign on the promise to "Vote for me, and I will promise you that you will be worse off than you were before I came into office".

Conservatives generally do not doubt the good intentions of Obama. The conservative position is that people who take responsibility for their own lives, rather than looking to government to do it, are living realistically. Anyone who relies on the government to improve their financial situation is in for disappointments.

For people to be better off, the government needs to follow policies that enhance wealth being generated. Even a redistributionist model of society requires wealth to be generated in order that there exist something to redistribute.