Growing economy helps every race

September 17, 2011

By Ron HartIt's funny how things change. Fresh from summering on Martha's Vineyard, Obama is now getting heat from blacks for the shocking increase in their unemployment under his policies. Then we have Dick Cheney promoting his book by showing up at every show on TV in a limo, with bodyguards and a posse, bragging about how he shot a man in the face and got away with it. Cheney may get the BET "Rapper of the Year" award while Obama is getting heat for not doing enough for blacks.

What is interesting is how, under Obama, black unemployment hit a 27-year high last week. Even his loyal supporters are starting to get snippy. It did not help that at a Congressional Black Caucus cocktail party, Obama kept handing his empty glass to Rep. Maxine Waters. Also, not a smart move picking Brigham Young to win the NCAA.

Just to add to what Jack Kennedy said, a rising tide does lift all boats but, conversely, when the tide goes out it crushes those under the boat. We are all hurt by his government's policies of anti-business, increasing regulation and debt-craving controls.

Instead of dividing black workers from white, Obama has resisted the temptation to overplay the race card there. He is more of a class envy card player. Just FYI, it ain't so great in white America either. From what I can tell by watching TV, the only growing industry is redneck hand-fishing.

At a loss for anything but spending money on unions and government jobs, Obama has no ability to reduce the African-American unemployment rate. Generally, when blacks got mad in the past, politicians would build them a Martin Luther King statue or name another street MLK, and all was well. Not anymore. Folks are no longer pacified by idle patronizing, which is a good thing. Maybe now we can have a non-racial discussion on how a growing economy helps us all.

What can Obama do to help black male unemployment? Beyond expanding the NBA to 5,000 teams, there is nothing he can do except get out of the way. Yet he will not. Attorney General Eric Holder seems to want to sue businesses over anything; Holder's DOJ seems to see race issues everywhere.

They also love PC word-smithing. The president's smartphone is no longer a BlackBerry. Now it's an "African-American-Berry." The administration might look into Axe shower gel and deodorant to make sure they are not marketed as "Ask" in white communities.

Under Obama's watch, the U.S. has gone from AAA-rated to AA. As any AA person will tell you, the first thing you have to do is admit you have problem in order to change your ways. Apparently Obama was not in step with the Twelve Steppers when he gave his much-anticipated "jobs" speech, which was full of the same pork stimulus that failed the first time.

The only good "shovel-ready jobs" were created by Texas Gov. Rick Perry when his state executed 235 murderers.

If you wonder why the first stimulus never worked, look no further than this example. Our Homeland Security Department had an office in a town of twelve people on the Canadian border with Maine; it handled six cars a day. But that wasn't good enough. With at least $16 million in stimulus money, DHS is building a huge office in Forest City, Maine, to handle the one car every four hours that crosses the border there.

The Forest City office building is so nice that DHS also created several Homeland Security desk jobs there. They just hope the terrorists respect our honor system by taking the time to come into the office and check in when they enter the country illegally -- and don't forget to enjoy the free espresso and the nice lobby.

The "Jobs Bill" that Obama is pushing like a used car dealer trying to move some metal ("Pass this bill now!") has more of the same. One CNBC analyst said he thought it would cost $230,000 to $400,000 for each $50,000 job created.

At some point, even the most partisan politicians in Washington have to come to understand that good policies benefit us all. In reality, blacks have fared better under Republicans, pretty much from Abraham Lincoln on.

We are all in this together and must help businesses in the U.S. grow and compete so we all can work to provide for our families.