SOTU Thoughts

Last night’s State of the Union indicated one thing: America still has her hands full.

Before last night’s address, I admit that cynicism and pessimistic sentiments started to creep in. Over this past year, President Obama and his administration have had to make some pretty unpopular and bold actions. Some moves have been received with pretty moderate support while others have been unwelcoming, especially from the Party of No. Some of the administration’s important first steps have alienated independent voters and frustrated a lot of the democrats along the way.

His speech served to reinforce the very idea that we know is true: this is America’s defining moment. Although in the past she has deprived the black race of some of the most basic and essential liberties, the acronym USA embodies a substantial buoyancy of hope and justice and freedom and democracy and independence.

President Obama’s tone in his first State of the Union compared to that of the 43rd President’s was noticeably different. Whereas former President Bush’s main priority was the War on Terror, there was a symbol of new wars headed our way: War of Fixing the Economy, War on Getting Americans Back to Work, War on Health Care, War on K-12 and Higher Education, and War on Putting American’s Needs in Front of Partisan Bickering. He shifted the nation’s top priorities. This is most needed.

Middle class Americans have it hard. It is a daily fight to prevent home foreclosures, work to make ends meet, taking out a student loan to gain access to a quality and affordable education, working to combat racial disparities, unfair gender or sexual discrimination – while those on the other side of the aisle live with insensible tax breaks and record bonuses.

Americans were often reminded last year that we needed to tighten our belts and that those on the Hill would be more committed than ever to ensure that our economy rebounds, people get back to work, and that reaching across the divided party line would become normal practices – all for the common purpose of creating a more perfect Union. But is it so? Our belts cannot get any tighter!

President Obama reminded me tonight that he gets it. He understands the hard times that everyday people are facing. He is in touch with those who wake up each day on a daily grind to find employment, and those who have to choose between feeding their children or provide adequate health care coverage.

When times get hard, people bail. What we cannot afford is the government turning its back on the people who need the resources the most. President Obama explained that it is not about winning another election, but it is about getting the people’s work done.

We elected them. We decide if they stay or go.

Health care reform to jobs

With the recent election of Senator-elect Scott Brown in Massachusetts, the once promising health care reform is probably stalled. As a result of the republican winning, the democrats do not have the supermajority – which is bad news for President Obama and his promises.

As much as I hate that this is happening, the democrats can only fault themselves for taking way too long to pass the bill. Boy oh boy do I dislike the agenda of the Republican Party; however, I can honestly admit - when they did have the majority, they pushed their legislation through, with or without bipartisan support. Democrats failed to deliver. And when November comes around, if the dems have fewer seats, think: health care.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi admitted earlier this week that she does not have enough votes in the House to pass the middle-of-the-road, not-what-was-originally-promised Health Care Reform that the Senate passed. Perhaps these representatives fear that a stamp of approval on this legislation would equate to less votes in the upcoming election. Rightfully so - because several left-leaning liberals, including myself, was depending on those who are seated now to get it right. And they did not.

Several of my friends have either graduated college or is pretty close to graduating. Growing up, our parents placed emphasis on finishing high school and going to college "so that you can get a good job". Okay. It has happened. Where are the jobs? Americans are hurting.

Everyone that can work and wants to work, should be able to work! This Congress definitely needs to step up and deliver. We need jobs (oh, and REAL health care reform, too).

Minority unemployment numbers

I am in countdown mode.

Each year we countdown to our birthday, to Christmas, graduation and even the New Year; this year, I am counting down to Black History Month! Celebrated in the shortest month of the year, through many toils and snares, Black America has a lot to be excited for, and a lot to worry about.

While some black people are celebrating many triumphs, victories and even firsts, it would be remiss of me to fail to highlight something that is obviously being swept under the rug - right in our face: the startling unemployment rate, in our own backyard!

Growing up, my parents along with other community leaders insisted that the best way to get ahead was by obtaining a college degree. While I do not contest their argument, I do question why there is a significant amount of blacks, with a college degree, are unemployed.

Each month, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics provide data on how well or poor America stands in the job market. The latest figures clearly represent a disproportionate number in the amount of blacks and Hispanics looking for work. These numbers have reached double-digit in the minority communities, and it appears that no one is talking about it. While I do not expect the federal government to be the problem solver to all problems, I would expect them to at least highlight and address the discrepancies.

Take a look for yourself:

	Sept 2009	Oct 2009	Nov 2009
Whites	9.0%	9.5%	9.3%
Blacks	15.4%	15.7%	15.6%
Hispanics	12.7%	13.1%	12.7%

72,300 (and growing) *knockout*

If you have been following the weather, you will know that there is a little ice on the roadways here in Texas and a lot worse up north. Well, yesterday morning, I woke up around 7:15 and turned on the television to see if our university was closed for work. Expecting to get back in the bed, I went to our universities’ webpage and sure enough – nothing was cancelled. My immediate reaction was “Damn, every other school is out.” Then, I was quickly reminded of a headline that I watched on CNN the day prior that read “72,300 lost jobs in 1 day”. Then yesterday, I read that another 8,000 jobs were cut. Hundreds of thousands of people have no source of income. These thoughts alone forced me to quit the complaining and get ready for work. I even messed up trimming my mustache.

The situation of people losing their jobs is turning from a recession to a depression. Businesses from Texas Instrument, Target, Home Depot to Microsoft… just to name a cutting back as consumer confidence is slashed. The economy is failing at a fast pace, there’s a mortgage crisis, from Wall Street to Main Street… this is bad, y’all. Now, I’m listening to reporters say that the situations are going to become bleaker before the healing starts. There are already millions of workers without employment. This will create an uphill challenge for them to find work. I’m not an economist, but no source of income equates to less money being spent to stimulate the economy – which further increases the number of companies forced to lay people off and more homes foreclosed.

Let’s be prayerful for those who are just graduating college seeking employment and those who were laid off.

*knockout*