“When you look at this final agreement that we came to with the White House, I got 98 percent of what I wanted. I’m pretty happy.” John Boehner, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
If Boehner got 98% of what he wanted from the debt ceiling deal, what did the other side get? I haven’t heard the opposing side give its percentage yet. Of course, there was Representative Emmanuel Cleaver, who said the deal was a “Satan Sandwich.” The quandary here is that if 98% of the deal was pleasing to the Repubs, does that leave 2% for the Dems? And if that’s not true, and the Dems say they got 98% of what they wanted, or even 50%, it means that both parties wanted pretty much the same thing. You can’t have more than 100% of anything.
I wonder how this debt ceiling deal makes most Black people feel. Are you fired-up mad about it, or do you think it was pretty good? Considering the latest statistics on the net worth gap between Blacks and Whites, overall, we should understand that we are in deeper trouble than we were before the deal. But, many of us were asleep about ten years ago when the net worth gap was reported to be about 10 to 1 in favor of White households. Now that it’s 20 to 1, with Black households having a median net worth of $5,766.00, and 35% of our families having a zero or negative net worth, we are all riled up.
Top off that news with the latest debt ceiling deal and the highest unemployment rate in the nation and what we have is a real serious problem folks. But you already knew that I’m sure. We will now see cuts in federally subsidized student loans, Head Start, and food stamps, in addition to the loss of more than 300,000 jobs. Black folks won’t be left out of that equation.
The Brookings Institute issued a report written by William G. Gale, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, pointing out: “It does not seem fair or reasonable to impose virtually the entire cost of this part of the fiscal burden on poor and middle-class households, but that is exactly what this bipartisan act of Congress and the White House does. Without tax increases in either part of the current deal or in the foreseeable future, there is no way to get the well-off to pay anything close to their fair share of the fiscal burden. The top 1 percent own 33 percent of the wealth and receive about 15 percent of the income in the country. These shares have risen over the past 30 years. They are being asked to bear none of the burden of closing the fiscal gap.”
The report goes on to say, “…the plan imposes the full cost of deficit reduction on low- and middle-income households, gives the wealthy a free pass, and bodes poorly for future negotiations, which, like it or not, will require tax increases or draconian cuts in entitlements.”
All right, Black folks, you got stroked again. The deal went down and you didn’t get jack from it. In fact, you will have to bear much of the financial burden for the deal. So now, what’s it gonna be? Will you continue to buy into the symbolism of politics and its effect on your emotions? Or will you finally take appropriate action to empower yourselves economically and free yourselves from the yoke of economic oppression and exploitation?
Will you continue to be more concerned with catching the latest episode of the Basketball Wives, as they call one another the b-word over and over, or will you at least make an attempt to be informed on economic solutions to our problems?
Will you rest in the refuge of now being able to see a Black man in the 6 o’clock slot on television, making butt prints in your easy chair, or will you get busy making footprints on the path that leads to economic freedom?
Will you continue to subscribe to mantra, “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!” (Why must it be said three times?), asking the guv-ment to create them, you know, the same way it created jobs with the stimulus package, or will you start making your own jobs by growing Black businesses?
The folks in Washington are hardly concerned about our moanin’ and groanin’, our whinin’ and cryin’, and our yellin’ and screamin’. They couldn’t care less, and they have shown us time and time again. Why do we keep asking them to do what we know they won’t or can’t do? Why can’t we see we’ve been played again? Are we really that stupid? Do we need to be hit upside the head with a sledgehammer in order to take care of business for ourselves?
On August 27th there will yet another march in Washington, and on the 28th they will dedicate the made-in-China Martin Luther King monument (Another example of our dysfunction when it comes to economic empowerment; can’t lose with that Chinese granite and a Chinese sculptor; wow! what a find!). The songs will be sung again, the speeches will be given again, the tears will flow again, the chants will be yelled again, and the prayers will be prayed again. A few Black folks will be exalted, and the peons will look on from a roped-off distance “feeling good” once again. And after it’s all over, Black folks will lose – again. That is, if we fail to stop all the rhetoric and emotionalism, and take appropriate action to end our losing streak in the economic empowerment game.
“Will you continue to subscribe to mantra, “Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!” (Why must it be said three times?), asking the guv-ment to create them, you know, the same way it created jobs with the stimulus package, or will you start making your own jobs by growing Black businesses?”
LOL that was a little brutal. Nonetheless, direct action within the market is our priority rather than relying the political system.
It is good to see that someone besides the “Tea Party” understands that the government can not and will not save the country from its economic morass. It requires citizen’s to step up to the plate and take care of themselves. Look at the Native Americans as an example, they receive more government “help” than any group in the country. They are the only group with a cabinet level bureau and they are the poorest, sickest, least educated and most disenfranchised group in the country. That’s not my opinion the numbers back it up. It is times for blacks to get off the “reservation” and do what the government won’t. Take Care of Business.
Thanks so much for your comments. You have incredible insight and courage. I feel your love for us and I share your frustration.
During the past few weeks, I’ve contemplated many of the same questions you raised, causing me to take a serious look at my own personal horizon. For the first time in my almost 60 years, the view evoked fear and trepidation. I shutter to think about what might be if President Obama does not get re-elected.
I consider your words a call to action. I am developing a business plan today and I will implement that plan immediately. Time for excessive time on the golf course has past. It’s time to get down to “bidnezz”!!! Thanks Again….
Thanks so much for your encuragement. Please stay in touch.
You got it! Thanks so much for your reply. Spread the word!
Thanks Miles. Yeah, sometimes you have to go for he juggler. Check out the latest attempt to wake our people up on my homepage. “Pardon the Interruption”
That’s what I’m talking about – ACTION. Stay on course! Jim
Martin Delaney, Marcus Garvey, and many others old us that a long time ago. I pray we heed their messages before it’s too late, as Booker T and Frederick Douglass intimated. Jim
This is just the new Jim Crow. If you want to learn more about it get the audiobook from TheNewJimCrow.info