I’ll try and keep this short and sweet. I know plenty of folks who are “emotionally blinded” that we have a Black President. So much so, they can see no wrong in anything President Obama does or says. President Obama arguably has the most difficult job in the world. I am not up to the task of being President of the United States of America. He clearly is, and along with that comes scrutiny from supporters like me. Yes, I said supporter. I don’t have to agree with everything that the President puts forward on his agenda. Some of the things on the President’s agenda are not in my best interest. I can live with that reality.
Everything with me is viewed from a perspective of balance, (which I will try to be in this commentary). When evaluating President Obama, one must first realize that he is first and foremost a politician. In fact, he has proven to be one of the savviest politicians in recent history. President Obama and his supporters have claimed that he is not the “President of Black America.” I agree. He is the President of the United States of America accountable to all of the people.
Politicians talk differently to different groups, sometimes when delivering the same message. I get that. What rubs me the wrong way is that President Obama appears to be talking to Black America in more of a condescending and scolding tone. Lord knows there are problems in the black community and not enough folks are stepping up to help provide support and solutions. There are some in the black community who need to have their ass kicked, taken to the woodshed and then go to a “Come to Jesus” meeting. You will get no argument from me on that. Everyone needs to be held accountable, including President Obama.
If the President feels the need to call out the black community, particularly black men in public, then he needs to be prepared to be called out and held accountable on his record and campaign promises. One one-hand, I get the sense that the President feels the need or obligation to hold the black community to a higher standard. I can understand that. My growing annoyance with the President is that it appears that he is holding the black community accountable for the bad things that happen in their communities, but doesn’t hold other groups as accountable for the bad things that happen in their communities.
I could be wrong. I could also have some “blind-spots” that prevent me from seeing the entire picture.
Earlier this week President Obama president addressed Morehouse College’s graduating class, and said:
“We’ve got no time for excuses — not because the bitter legacies of slavery and segregation have vanished entirely; they haven’t. Not because racism and discrimination no longer exist; that’s still out there. It’s just that in today’s hyperconnected, hypercompetitive world, with a billion young people from China and India and Brazil entering the global workforce alongside you, nobody is going to give you anything you haven’t earned. And whatever hardships you may experience because of your race, they pale in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured — and overcame.”
The President also told the Morehouse graduates: “You have to remember that whatever you’ve gone through pales in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured – and they overcame, and if they overcame them, you can overcome them too.”
Personally, I would like to see the President hold his top advisers and appointees more accountable. These men and women are responsible for helping the President achieve his many campaign promises. With the recent scandals involving the IRS seizing records and phone messages of media, the President’s administration appears to have a problem with transparency to the American people. In my mind, transparency is closely aligned to TRUST!
Feeling The Heat
The scandals that are in the headlines have to do with the government surveillance of reporters telephone and computer records, the IRS tax scandal against Tea Party and conservative groups and to a lesser extent the Benghazi attack where our Ambassador was killed last September. With all of the alleged misconduct in his administration, President Obama’s attempt to be above the fray and not having knowledge of anything that will connect him to any wrongdoing, reflects that his administration is out of control. For the record, every administration does this. Did the Obama administration go too far?
The President made a lot of promises to Black America during his last campaign. How has he done?
According to the NAACP the Black community is in worse shape under the Obama Administration than under the Bush administration. The Labor Department reports that the black unemployment rate was at 12.7 percent when President Obama took office. That unemployment rate is now reportedly 16.7 percent — making it the highest unemployment rate for Black since 1983 (Reagan Administration). Black teens jobless rate was even more staggering at 39.3 percent in July 2012.
Cost of Obamacare
Obama outlined three goals for his health care legislation. Lowering the cost curve and insuring all Americans were two of the three. It has now been determined that Obamacare will add to the deficit and 25 million Americans will remain uninsured. This doesn’t mean that Obamacare is a failure. Obamacare is still developing. In my mind it is too early to evaluate.
Cost of Obamacare
Obama promised that he would “not sign [a healthcare bill] if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period.” Yet, a new analysis determines that his bill will add quite a bit to future deficits.
Insuring All Americans
Obama outlined three goals for his health care legislation. Lowering the cost curve and insuring all Americans were two of the three. It has now been determined that Obamacare will add to the deficit and 25 million Americans will remain uninsured.
Cost of Obamacare
Obama promised that he would “not sign [a healthcare bill] if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period.” Yet, a new analysis determines that his bill will add quite a bit to future deficits.
Insuring All Americans
Obama outlined three goals for his health care legislation. Lowering the cost curve and insuring all Americans were two of the three. It has now been determined that Obamacare will add to the deficit and 25 million Americans will remain uninsured.
Cost of Obamacare
Obama promised that he would “not sign [a healthcare bill] if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period.” Yet, a new analysis determines that his bill will add quite a bit to future deficits.
Insuring All Americans
Obama outlined three goals for his health care legislation. Lowering the cost curve and insuring all Americans were two of the three. It has now been determined that Obamacare will add to the deficit and 25 million Americans will remain uninsured.
PolitiFact.com has compiled more than 500 promises that President Obama made during the 2008 and 2012 campaigns. The sites tracks his progress on a scorecard they call the Obameter. I’m not certain of the political affiliation of the site or its neutrality but the site is worth checking out if you want to learn more about the President’s track record for keeping his promises. You can also click here and scroll down to read the campaign promises that President Obama has honored.
I want President Obama to succeed. The fact that he is President reflects his success. I think President Obama, Michelle Obama and their daughters are great role models for America, but he is NOT above being criticized. The fact that I am irritated at him at times in my mind does not make me a “hater.” I’m simply questioning the President and his administration’s behavior in an effort to hold them accountable as they promised, something that I believe he would not find objectionable or unfair.
Gary A. Johnson is the Founder & Publisher of Black Men In America.com a popular online magazine on the Internet and the Black Men In America.com Blog. Gary is also the author of the book “25 Things That Really Matter In Life.”
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