An Unhappy Median

Sept. 2, 2012

jimclingman

Blackonomics

By James Clingman

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - Although there is still a debate between those who say “Happy Median” and “Happy Medium,” despite the latter being in the overwhelming majority, there is no doubt that in today’s parlance “median” is the topic of conversation; but, it is definitely not a happy median. To the contrary, the topic on the minds of many in this country is the decrease in median income and net worth, and that’s making a lot of people very unhappy.

The latest depressing article came from the Pew research Center, titled, "The Lost Decade of the Middle Class". To no one’s surprise I am sure, it pointed out the dire straits of the so-called middle class, citing that median household income had dropped 5 percent, but even more important was the fact that median household wealth had gone from $129,582 to $93,150, a startling 28 percent decline. Where do you fit in this statistical dilemma?

All of this talk about the “middle class” leaves me wondering what politicians and statisticians think about the poor or lower tier people in this country. All of the conversation and concentration are on the middle class. Of course, the upper class is well taken care of and, according to folks like Paul Ryan, it’s only significant when poor people get freebies from the government, not Wall Street bankers and major corporations.

Mitt Romney’s assertion about the poor having a safety net, therefore, he was “not worried” about them, paints a very graphic picture of the antithesis of what this country should be about. Who was it that said we should be judged on how we as a nation treat the least among us? I wonder if the folks in charge think that by ignoring the poor they will just go away.

We will hear much about the middle class and how both parties plan to help that group of people, but I’d like to know what their plans are for the poor, some of whom were pushed out of the middle class due to loss of jobs, housing foreclosures, or a reduction in the value of their homes. A story in USA Today in September of 2011, titled, "Typical U.S. Family Got Poorer During the Past 10 Years", stated, “The share of people living in poverty hit 15.1 percent, the highest level since 1993, and 2.6 million more people moved into poverty, the most since Census began keeping track in 1959.” The article went on to say, “Median income for black households fell 3.2 percent to $32,068”

The term “Unhappy Median” points to the seriousness of the problems facing this country, especially among Black and poor people. And right now no one is addressing this ever-expanding group of citizens. President Obama “can’t” say anything in support of Black people, and Mitt Romney doesn’t “care about the poor.” Where does that leave us? Well, as usual, it leaves many of us on the sidelines, watching the game and even cheering for one side or the other, in spite of our unhappy state of affairs. As for that “safety net,” chew on this statement by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “While the increase in poverty primarily reflects developments in the economy, weaknesses in the safety net particularly in the temporary federal unemployment benefits program also contributed to it.”

A great deal of the crime in this country emanates from an economic position. I suppose only when we have seen enough killing among young folks, who are willing to get money or things they value by any means necessary, will we see a significant change in how we address the issue of poverty. Statistics and rhetoric obviously will not solve the problem. To show how silly we are when it comes to our own economic security, we vehemently complained about the Shackle Gym Shoe, so much so that it was taken off the market. But that $315 pair of LeBron James gym shoes will surely be the rage of the marketplace, mainly the Black marketplace.

Determining median household income and net worth are great exercises for the statisticians, economists, and politicians; but to those at the bottom of the economic spectrum things are in a most unhappy state. Regardless of what happens in November, we will wake up the next morning and find ourselves in the relative same situation, and it will persist until we decide we have had enough. Then and only then will Black economic empowerment move to the forefront of our psyche and take the precedence it deserves and should have had for decades.

Boehner Predicts Minority and Young People Not a Factor in November

Sept. 2, 2012

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Afro American Newspapers

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U. S. Rep. John Boehner, Speaker of the House

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) admits that the GOP doesn’t do well with Blacks and Hispanics but said Aug. 27 that they don’t have to.

He predicted at a media lunch at the Republican National Convention that he doesn’t expect a repeat on November 2012 of the massive turnout at the polls by Blacks, Hispanics and young people that keyed President Obama’s 2008 victory.
“This election is about economics,” he told reporters at a Christian Science Monitor lunch when asked about the Republican Party’s standing with Blacks, Hispanics and young voters."These groups have been hit the hardest. They may not show up and vote for our candidate but I’d suggest to you they won’t show up and vote for the president either then.”

His statement drew a media reaction claiming that Boehner is dismissing the minority and youth voters. The headline in the online Atlantic Wire said “Boehner Says Out Loud He Hopes Blacks and Latinos 'Won't Show Up' This Election.”

“It's not much of a reach to say that Boehner hopes Republicans will win, and when he was asked to explain how that might happen despite polls showing historically low minority support, he predicted that low turnout for those groups means the polls won't matter,” Elspeth Reeve wrote for the Atlantic Wire. “His prediction, in other words, is what he hopes will happen.”

Conservative publications denounced the Atlantic Wire’s inference. Matt Vespa of Hotair.com called it “desperate” and asked “does anyone else feel we talk about race too much?”

“They construed this story to make the GOP look racist, even though the minority vote isn’t where the election will be decided,” Vespa wrote.

Despite Vespa’s assertions, GOP officials nationwide continue to push for voter ID laws, which will disproportionately affect minorities. In Pennsylvania, where the law was upheld earlier this month, State House Speaker Mike Turzai admitted that the law could prove beneficial to Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.

“Voter ID, which is gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania, done,” he said at a Republican State Committee meeting in June when speaking of his state party’s accomplishments,.

Obama Convention Serves as 'Pep Rally' and 'Launching Pad' for Re-election, says CBC Chairman

Sept. 2, 2012

By Hazel Trice Edney

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CBC Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.)

CHARLOTTE , N.C. (TriceEdneyWire.com) - President Barack Obama, four years after taking office on Mile High Mountain in Denver, was set to accept the nomination to lead America four more years this week. Despite the tough race ahead, he won't be alone says Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) at the Democratic National Convention.

"This convention is primarily a pep rally and a launching pad - a pep rally for those of us who are believers and a launching pad for those of us who are believers to go out and recapture the people who, for a variety of reasons, may have lost some of the enthusiasm and to some degree we've got to go out and secure the enthusiastic support of African-Americans," says Cleaver. "We've got to have an energized Black vote. When I say energized, we've got to get African-Americans to the point where they're willing to stand in line for two hours to vote. We've got to get African-Americans to the point where they come to the headquarters in cities all around this nation and volunteer and get signs and go out and create the atmosphere that a second term is inevitable. We've got to create an atmosphere of inevitability. We don't have it yet so we're working on it."

Thousands were expected to pack in to the Charlotte Convention Center for three days of speeches, music and exhuberant activities aimed to excite voters and answer the attacks from last week's Republican convention on Tampa. Among the highlighted speakers are First Lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday and President Bill Clinton, who will nominate President Obama on Wednesday. The President will address the crowd at the peak of the convention on Thursday evening.

With Republican Nominee Mitt Romney nipping at his heals after an energized GOP convention, it is clear that the Black vote will make the difference in the election that will determine whether America's first Black President will continue in the White House. Complaints of high unemployment and disparate economic hardships among Blacks has caused enthusiasm to dissipate from the exuberance of four years ago.

But, Cleaver says all voters have to do is compare Obama's Democratic ticket with what they could get in a Mitt Romney and the choice would be clear.

"People have to look at the reality of what we would have in a President Mitt Romney. And I think anybody who looked at the convention last week and saw people stand up and make bold-faced untruthful declarations about things should know now that a presidency of Mitt Romney would be packed with insults," Cleaver said. "And if people are disappointed with what they think the President did not do because Mitt Romney will not in any way even consider programs that I think many African-Americans will want and need."

As was expected, the Republican convention - with a lily White audience - was deplete of any mention of the disasterous economic conditions inherited by President Obama from the administration of President George Bush. His accomplishments of the first national health care program, his economic policies that led to the resurrection of General Motors and his elimination of Sept. 11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden were all but ignored or vehemently criticized.

Therefore, as President Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for re-election Thursday evening, he must make his record clear to his base, Cleaver says.

"And so the president needs to say that this second term will be infinitely more significant because incumbents are freer to implement their [ideas]," Cleaver said. "It's going to be difficult for him to say I'm going to be more forceful for African-Americans. However, some programs that the president will push will indisputeably be put in place to help folk who are the urban poor."

He continud, "This is President Obama's opportunity to go to the American public and say, 'Look, we didn't get everything done that we wanted. But what we want you to do is give us a chance to finish the job. Give us a chance to get the job done. That's what he's got to say. The President is going to have to sell himself again and I think he can do that."

Over the next two months, Cleaver says members of the CBC will take campaigns to the streets to excite Black people to go back to the polls in the high 90 percentile like four years ago. The activities will include huge concerts in key states such as Ohio, Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin. They will hold a voter participation concert in Cincinatti.

"And in that concert we will have some of the top musical talent in the country performing in Cincinatti. Everybody who is a registered voter will be admitted free. If you are not registered or if you moved and made a change of address or if you don't have ID, we will have lines and tables right there to help people. Once you are registered, you can come into this event free. We are doing the same thing in Florida," Cleaver says. "We will attract thousands of people who will come to these free events."

In 22 other cities around the nation, they will have smaller rallies, he said.

The biggest mistake that could be made for Black America at this point would be for voters to stay home thinking someone else will carry the ball, Cleaver says.

"We must take nothing for granted. It is dangerous to be arrogant to assume that we're going to automatically win," he said. "People will realize that President Obama was not able to accomplish everything he wanted. He was stymied by Republicans, but I'm not ready to even entertain the thought of a Romney presidency."

Sharpton Cautions, Reprimands, Pushes Activism at Social Justice Rally

By Valerie D. White

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Capital Outlook

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - (TriceEdneyWire.com) - The Rev. Al Sharpton delivered a message of caution, reprimand and activism to a full house at the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church on the evening of Aug. 26. His second appearance in celebration of Social Justice Sunday coincided with the six-month anniversary of the death of Trayvon Martin, a Central Florida teen, who was gunned down by George Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watchman.During the rally, which kicked-off at 6 p.m., Sharpton encouraged the congregation to register to vote.

He explained that the “super militant friends” are trying to erase the progress made by requiring voter identification cards.“We are not going to let them take it (right to vote) back,” said the founder and president of the National Action Network. He encouraged the audience to assist with serving the senior citizens and college students, the population he perceives as most affected by the state law.“Some of you are too lazy and ungrateful to help somebody get an ID card,” he scolded. “The only way your life has value is if you do something with your life,” he said in his 45-minute speech, which was a mixture of history lessons, anecdotes and comedy delivered with Baptist fervor. “The hardest job of a preacher is to preach the funeral of an irrelevant person.”

We can’t “hallucinate a life for you, you never lived. The only thing that will matter two minutes after you’re gone is if you did something for somebody else.”

Sharpton admonished the audience, which included elected officials, to commit to assisting with voter registration and to vote. After telling of the brutality of the Civil Rights Movement and the sacrifices activists have made to secure voting privileges and other opportunities, he reminded the audience that “nobody invited us to vote in the first place. We had to fight to get the right to vote.”

“Don’t be an expert in the past and absent from the present,” said Sharpton, the host of “PoliticsNation” on MSNBC.

In his opening remarks, he praised local attorneys Daryl Parks and Benjamin Crump for filling the void left by Johnnie Cochran. He explained that he had to invest in young, Black professionals.He told of his admiration for Martin’s parents —Sabrina Fulton and Tracy Martin — who have “not uttered one public word of bitterness. They have maintained the dignity and integrity of the Civil Rights Movement.”In keeping with the theme of the day, Sharpton said, “All they asked for is justice. No matter how long it takes, we will stand with Sabrina and Tracy because Trayvon was our son, too.”

The Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr., pastor of the church, also lavished praise on Trayvon’s parents. “You have not been bitter,” Holmes said. “But you have made us better. We’ve got to stand up for what’s right and not let them discourage us.”Reflecting on the day’s events that also included an 11 a.m. service where Sharpton delivered the message, Fulton said that Social Justice Sunday had “multiple meanings” for her.“We are still healing six months after his death.”

She said that she was honored that the pastor and Sharpton spoke to them and that activism continues. “It is good to see the young people here.”

Also in attendance was Gina Williams, the mother of Martin Lee Anderson, the teen who died in 2006 after an incident at the Bay County Juvenile Boot Camp.“It’s good everybody is keeping the family in prayer,” Williams said. “Hopefully what happened to Trayvon Martin won’t happen to anybody else.”Sharpton explained that he has been a preacher all his life. He said that he will “stand up for justice, stand up for righteousness and God will make a way.”

Let Me Get This Straight!

August 26, 2012

By Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

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(TriceEdneyWire.com) – It’s really hard to keep up with whether this is 2012 or the years before the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, the Civil Rights Amendment or Roe v. Wade! Considering the battles our ancestors fought-- the fight for equal rights, equality of opportunity and choice for women should, rightly, be behind us. Viewing and analyzing the news today must thoroughly confuse our young people.

We have spent too many days re-living settled issues. The presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney has totally thrown us for a loop. One day he is on one side of an issue. The next day he has switched positions. Enter other conservative candidates like Representative Todd Akin of Missouri and Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Even the subject ofrape is back on the table! Let’s take Mr. Ryan first. A few weeks ago, he and Mr. Akin, and many of their colleagues, were trying to limit government involvement in our lives and struggling to re-define rape. By the way, I have not been able to dice it or slice it to figure out the difference between Mr. Ryan’s, Mr. Akin’s or the Republican Party’s position on rape. President Barack Obama had to enter the picture to say, “Rape is rape; we can’t dice it or slice it to minimize the seriousness of the act.”

Mr. Akin has at least confessed that his words were ill-conceived when he said, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” This was news to all the women I know, and his record in Congress confirms that what he said was really what he meant until it caused him a few problems. Now, unsuccessfully, he’s turning to his Christian friends in an effort to change the subject. I suppose that’s because his Republican co-conspirators are not happy with him exposing their true position on rape, with which most women are not amused.

Coincidentally, Mr. Akin tells us that while his party wants to limit the role of government in our lives, he wants to increase religion’s role in government. It seems that he has always been a darling of the conservatives and certain right-wing Christians. Now that he has been thrown under the bus by conservatives—the ones for whom he has carried water for all the years he’s been in Congress—his few remaining friends are certain radically-right Christians. Of course, there is at least one Congressman still supporting him and saying that we "just need to know Mr. Akin" as he does, and "if we did, we would want him in Congress." That is the position of Representative Trent Franks of Arizona. Not many of Mr. Akin’s colleagues still confess their love for him.

Mr. Akin doesn’t think well of liberals. He thinks we hate God, and that we want government to replace God. That’s news to my church and my Christian friends! If government is to be replaced with God's representatives, let’s get its mechanics straight. Would the Catholics run Health and Human Services so their leaders are in control of women’s bodies? Would the Mormons be in charge of IRS to decide who pays what in taxes and who does not have to report theirs to the American people? Would we have the Southern Baptists in charge of civil rights? Would we have the Amish in charge of highways? Would we allow religious corporate heads to run the EPA so they could de-regulate air quality and re-design pollution standards? For the Muslims who get blamed for so much, would we have them in charge of TSA? Would the Pope be appointed as a Congressional leader or our President? I’m just asking!