Is Cornel West Right Or Has He Lost His Mind?
Perhaps the single most influential and most celebrated member of the black intelligentsia, Dr. Cornel West, is under fire for some highly controversial remarks he made concerning President Barack Obama. Here’s what he said.
“I think my dear brother Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men. It’s understandable. As a young brother who grows up in a white context, brilliant African father, he’s always had to fear being a white man with black skin. All he has known culturally is white. He is just as human as I am, but that is his cultural formation. When he meets an independent black brother, it is frightening. And that’s true for a white brother.”
First of all, what so many of us, as well as our African-American leaders forget is that President Obama is the president of the entire country. He was NOT elected President of Black America only. In fact, he didn’t even really begin to gain the support of African-American voters until he had begun to prove himself as a viable candidate due to his popularity among White voters in the early primaries. Name a POTUS (even Bill Clinton, who we claimed as the first Black president based mainly on stereotypical behavior such as smoking marijuana, playing the sax, and sleeping around—a post for another day) who was able to really focus on the types of issues we’re asking our current president to deal with, including a grossly race-biased justice system, the strength of the Black dollar, lack of jobs and education.
We’re asking for preferential treatment amidst some of the worst problems and issues a president has had to face in quite some time. We have an economic recession that is the worst since the Great Depression, many out of jobs, rising gas/oil prices, an ongoing debate over health care, and a struggle to revamp a largely failing education system. If he does what’s best for the country concerning these and other issues, won’t he in turn be doing what’s best for Black America?
Dr. West hasn’t just accused the President of refusing to speak to the issues of African-Americans, he’s accused him of being afraid of us. Of course, to most, this sounds like a personal dig because he hasn’t gotten something he wants—a seat at the table. Most of us realize this type of criticism began to come from Dr. West many years ago because then-candidate Obama did not show up to Tavis Smiley‘s (a close friend of West’s) State of The Black Union conference three or so years ago. This cheapens West’s work and makes him seem extremely immature. West seems to be saying “If he doesn’t consult me, he has not consulted Black America.” Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. No matter how well-educated, well-spoken, or charismatic he is—no one person can speak to the many issues and perspectives which make up our community. To even suggest so sorely undermines Dr. West’s own (perceived) brilliance.
Years ago, I read a book that cited many Black leaders, including West, as having the “Head Negro In Charge” syndrome. I thought the author wrote these things just to create shock value. However, in light of West’s attitude and comments, this may be the proper diagnosis. To answer the question posed in the title, Cornel West hasn’t lost his mind nor is he right. He is simply a black intellectual who sees his influence and importance waning in the wake of Barack Obama’s ascent to the highest office in the land.
Source: The Root
Dr. West’s most recent public criticism of President Obama, in my view, smacks of pettiness combined with a little megalomania on Dr. West’s part. For an African American man to refer to the President in such a racially derogatory manner says more about Dr. West than the President. I have always believed Dr. West to be a bit radical, and I now have the pinion that he is not only radical, but he is also very ignorant and a black racist himself. I don’t care if he has 20 doctorates; the man is a black racist. In spite of his tremendous academic achievements, this demagogue could not help himself from trying to shine some light on himself and his purported causes at the expense of the President. To blame the President for being a “wall street puppet” conveniently focuses the attention away from those individuals and institutions that are the real culprits of the matter that he takes issue with. Dr. West apparently expects the President to do all the heavy lifting for the nation and expects nothing from elected members of congress and the Senate.
I am an African American male, and I found West’s comments extremely offensive. Criticizing the President for his policies is one thing, but West’s tone is clearly personal. It should not matter what color the object of West’s apparent frustration is? If there is disagreement between the POTUS and West, then any comments related to the argument should be absent of race. To me, West’s comments reveals that he (West) is the one that has a problem with the President’s race and ethnicity in that the President’s mother was white. I am 57 years old and while I recognize the racist code language of the racist, Dr. West has proven that he is as capable as any Kluxer in dredging up the specter of race by inferring that President Obama is essentially an Uncle Tom. I have watched West, Tavis Smiley, and a very few other African American males take issue with the President over issues and they have a right to do so. But if African American’s can react to whites for race baiting, then Dr. West should be no exception, even though he too is Black. West just proved that he is just a black racist with a gigantic ego!
I think that there has been a misinformation campaign on the behalf of the POTUS, in order to save his “brand” against this very realistically founded critique. I am too a “black” man, but I do not understand how this article/interview has been contorted into the dialogue that is currently taking place. He is not talking merely about race, but even the tea party members (the regular citizens that is) are correct in their assertions that our government is legitimately corrupt and not working mainly in the favor of its general population anymore but instead for special interests, which really do exist and have clout (unlike your 2nd grade school teacher) to make things proceed in the way in which they wish for them too, contrary to popular opinion, just watch television commercials if you want to know who they are. Probably due to that very same mechanism, this very sane attempt to awaken discussion on the part of the everyday citizen to the situation that we are in and how we got here (in order to find or create a solution) has been smeared as a “petty” attempt at character assassination. ?????? This is very unsettling and discouraging, but at the same time lets me know that people are listening we just need them to lend us their ears. Because at this moment the general population has lent their ears to those who don’t really care or show compassion toward them, and in any society that is a very dangerous and deadly game. There is never any good to come of deceiving and leading people astray. On what would be the 86th birthday of a brother by the name of Malcom X or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz I would like to remind people of his his famous speech on the growing danger being created through the maltreatment of people here and abroad by our gov’t through its leaders and policies, some know it as the “chicken’s coming home to roost” speech. The simple idea that if you do ill or bad to someone or something you will get ill or bad back in return and vice versa for doing good and being just, has been thrashed in our culture today. You can’t even get people let alone politicians to stand up for something just because it would be wrong not to, unless they are paid for it or are directly affected there is constant inaction by the WHOLE. We have lost our moral compass and the ability to empathize culturally and broadly throughout our country. There are pockets here and there, but that fact is that isn’t what is the norm. Our norm is actually a perfect stew for crafting psychopaths: increasingly isolating, violent, impulsive, greedy, and apathetic citizens. But at the same time we are more and more subversive of ourselves others but submissive to those in positions of authority and power. We are irresponsible and refuse to claim ownership of anything that we do or create as a whole. That’s why I seriously have a hard time finding the blow back from folks on this critique objective or warranted. The man took responsibility for being led astray and in turn leading others astray. He also explained why he feels led astray, and if you treated someone the way he was treated by the POTUS they would have feelings about that as well (they are human). However, being in authority gives you no right to downplay or degrade someone’s critique or self. You must remember, this is the exact same POTUS who allowed for the political party opposing him to rant and rave and even get some of the things they wanted as they brutally defiled and attempted to execute the character of the POTUS. ?????? This brother, Dr. Cornel West, was only attempting to hold this brother to his word, and open his eyes and ears to the real problems that are bringing our country into decline, he is only repeating the same suggestions by noted economists and political scientists. (I have also had issues with decisions made by this POTUS, upon doing research, with reference to the effects and the actual implemented actions of particular policies and orders. For instance, how is our healthcare plan really a large step forward? Basically, once fully implemented we are all able to pay a private organization money for insurance and they can’t turn us away, but we can’t negotiate prices in the markets and it’s mandated, which means that the citizens of the US have to participate in a insurance scheme in the private market and we don’t have our own option in which to disperse our OWN money, we can’t choose to opt out of the private insurance market, we will slowly drain our pockets as a country for private healthcare) Please remember this, the greatest empires and powers that have ever existed didn’t fall from without but within. Their systems became corrupt and the dominoes fell. You can’t hold up a country on a weak and failing foundation. It will be swept away by one the many floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes that could possibly befall it. This is what I really saw from the critique of the POTUS by this brother. If you chimed into the WHITE HOUSE on the idea of change and fixing the broken system, then you ought to change and fix things that are broken or out of order. To not do so is a shame and does not bode well for us in the future. WE, yes ALL of us, have a very big issue to deal with now. We have politicians that aren’t scared of lying to us, in public, even with youtube and other sources of media and video/audio capturing devices! Either we don’t really care or we can’t discern the differences between truth and falsehoods. The first of the two being the worst b/c that means we are tacitly complicit in our gov’t corruption and created disaster in a very deep way. Either our morals have significantly eroded in terms of being able to correctly prioritize and do the correct/moral action over the self indulgent/ego driven action, or we are not mentally competent enough to take care of our affairs correctly as a country (and I don’t believe the latter). We hold characters in movies and tv dramas even reality shows up to a higher and more critical set of morals than we do those who represent our intentions and ideals as a WHOLE. Those brothers and sisters are merely entertainment for enjoyment and pastime, but they can deliver inspiration and messages. These other brothers and sisters,however, are actually creating the circumstances in which you will have to then survive or thrive. This should really make you pause to think who’s really more important and in need of more scrutiny and critique, or eyes turned toward them. As the saying goes,”art merely reflects reality”, real or perceived. Our reality is that our government is not what we have thought it to be, we have been deceived, but we don’t have to stay this way anymore. There is too much ability and potential in our WHOLE to allow for this to jeopardize our morals and direction. WE must ALL turn around this ship and right it for the WHOLE. Oh and yes the POTUS is included in the WHOLE. This is where our energy needs to be pointed, alight of this critique, not to badgering the brother for questioning the validity of the POTUS and his administration. Before one casts that first stone please check yourself and my brother’s words to see if there is any ill or untruthful statements, it not let’s take it as is and learn from it as a WHOLE.
PEACE
Dr West comments, taken in their totality, are about poor and undeserved. His life has been about the poor and under-deserved….He is frustrated and angry,as he should be. The poor are getting smashed and the highest levels of the gov’t are not doing enough. That is at the core of what Dr West is/was talking about.
The President is a Politician first and foremost. His race is secondary. Cornel West is witness to the suffering of the poorest, lower class, middle income, blacks, native Americans, and others, while government is cutting and lacking to resource viable programs or allocation of funds to assist the most needy in the United States. By bailing out Wall Street, etc… and negotiating the simultaneous continuation of tax breaks for the richest 1 and 1/2 percent, President Obama is more focused on his re-election than the immediate affects of his presidency. We must find ways to help ourselves from our conditions. Dr. West is frustrated like the rest of us.
There is some interesting dialogue here both about Obama and West. It’s classic view of subjective perception, both on the part of West’s detractors and Obama supporters. West has worked very closely with white males, and white dominated organizations over his entire career and with other people who hold common ground. From what he’s written and what I’ve seen of him in debate I have found him egotistical from time to time; he certainly is a much needed provocateur, whether the subject be race, religion, American history, world history, or politics. Perhaps if you are uncomfortable with what he says, the genesis may be you, not him. He tries to be a ‘moral philosopher’ as that’s one of his bags–I think he went to Union Theological Seminary, and Yale School of Divinity. His dispute with Summers was predictable as winter snow. Summers has a healthy strain of racism and sexism in his psyche and is closer to being an egomaniac than West, I think. His relationship with the finance industry and the his work to overturn the Glass-Steagall Act helped bring on the financial collapse of 2008. He’s done far more damage to this country than West and belongs to the plutocracy West rightly condemns. I’m sure Summers is in the elite White Mens’ Club. [I agree with myself and maybe West on that]. I don’t see West as spiteful at all. Angry from time to time, but as a black intellectual and activist in America that would be pretty a conservative stance. I would guess he’s as judgmental as you or I are. Have you checked his bio? He’s no charlatan. His m.o. is to be “in your face” no matter what your color or religion. He is far more honest than Summers or even Obama.
West is incredibly naive every once in awhile. He knew that Obama had not grown up as a black American and spent his formative years as Biden said, “clean.” His family didn’t come to the US in chains as slaves. He grew up in Hawaii and the Philippines, and then he came straight to America after graduating from high school in Hawaii, in a polyglot of ethnicities. All this time he was raised by whites.
Then to Occidental College for a couple [?] of years, finished B.A. from Columbia University. Next, law degree from Harvard Law School (where he became the Harvard Law Review’s first African American president), graduating magna cum laude. Obama was also a lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Then to work and government. So Obama comes from outside the mainstream of black America, with its long racist history of the Civil War, reconstruction, followed by indentured servitude, robbed of the vote, the Jim Crow years, Dred Scott, segregation, and the rarest of opportunities for an education. Then there were the two great black migrations north, generally 1910-1940, and 1945-1970. There is no personal family or institutional memory for Obama to look to for in his personal past. Surely, there is an intellectual history he knows well.
So, West works his ass off for Obama during his campaign, emotionally driven by the emotion that here is a guy who understands what no president has ever felt before: being black in America. Obama was an outlier though. I’m sure he felt the sting of discrimination, but not like a guy like West, or any of millions of blacks who try to overcome being only three or four generations away from slavery, or one generation away from the civil rights movement.
So West felt betrayed. On a personal level, he felt used and abused by Obama. So he’s a little sensitive. Big deal. He should have known better as I should have and millions like me. But Obama will have a second term and hope is still alive. Overall I thought the West article was very accurate, but he failed to leave the door cracked open for a better second term.
There’s a great book covering the end of Reconstruction and the beginning of WWII which demonstrates very accurately those lost and brutal years in the south for 60 or so years which guaranteed damaged black generations for years to come. It was written by a white guy from the WSJ. “Slavery By Another Name.”
It’s a bogus criticism that West is angry with Obama because he’s not “President of Black America,” rather West legitimately wants Obama to be “President of All Americans.”
By the way, I’m a 65 year old white guy.
Marko
Cornel West is a prime example of the so-called “black intellectual” that I grew up with during the 1970′s after the major upheavals of the 1960′s. Falsely believing in the prescription of the W.E.B. Du Bois’ “talented tenth” proclamation as the modern day cure all for the ills of Black people, many such as West, sadly over time, cannot understand why barking for the same handouts has proved not to be a blessing, but a curse where being named a “first” no longer lulls the mass of us in to believing that “progress” is being made to the majority of Black people. As much as he has decried and defamed President Obama’s lineage as somehow making him illegitimate in addressing the plight of the downtrodden in this country, which is painfully laughable, without addressing his own healthy feeding at the trough of White America’s liberal patronage, makes this once proud man who had something to say an embarrassment to all people who realize that we can disagree without being disagreeable. I miss my old brother West….it seemed so long ago that I knew him. Then again, maybe I’m an idiot to suppose that I ever did.
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What would be President Obama’s responses to these questions, “Due, in large part to your up bringing, do you feel that you have a strong enough handle on issues that particularly affect people of African descent in America? Does the Black Agenda make any sense to you?” This POTUS’s answer to these questions would be of enormous help to Dr. West and others interested in sizing up Obama.
Dr. West has a point. Obama’s exposure to black life puts him at a distance to how we feel. This recession is a great depression for the black community. It didn’t have to be this way if Obama had decide to make CHANGE when he had the opportunity of a super majority! People are still willing to excuse him for not delivering on his promises but it’s clear that he really is nothing but a puppet! He rolls over at every big decision. He lost seats in congress to the Tea Party because of his lack of fight and foolish decision making. He let credit card holders pay for the banks bailouts while he bought a ticket and spectated! Those derivatives are nothing more than gambling that belong in Vegas! They are greatly the blame for the crash and he left them virtually unchanged. There’s really nothing to keep it all from happening again!
Obama could have done all Americans a great deal of good by keeping his campaign promises when he had the chance and in December 2010 when the Bush Tax Cuts were to expire. Never should have been allowed to continue from jump. We all know spending cuts is not the answer to our problem! We need tax revenues that big business is outsourcing with our jobs! It’s outsourcing our jobs and letting cheap products in the USA that destroy even more jobs. Plus, the problem with illegals stealing jobs. We’d be out of this recession if Obama had done these things and reversed the Bush Bankruptcy Laws that make it harder to get bankruptcy in a nation that has been scammed by the banks and Wall Street to cause inflation, drive up prices, and destroy the ability to pay ever increasing credit card interest rates! Obama is soo sorry he left the cap off credit card interest rates. The banks get the bailout and the people pay for it with destroyed credit histories! Where’s our bailout?! How about restoring our good credit since we’re the victims and you need buyer to get this economy running full steam again! Jobless recovery my butt! Obama has decided to allow banks and big business to rap us of our money and dignity! Only a fool says this guy deserves another term, let alone the one he has!
Unfeeling for the black community, puppet, chameleon, spooning with bankers and the rich while pretending he’s trying to make change, are all names that easily apply to Obama! I don’t see how anyone sees it any different! I must be a racist to also see him clearly. Fact is, I’m not a racist but a realist! The proof’s in the pudding! You can’t talk reality by sidelining race. It’s one of the biggest factors in America that decide your chances of success. We’re dealing with a lot of escapist who run from the race issue and turn it against the realist.
Good work Dr. West. Obama needs a fire lit under him more than anyone I’ve seen in my life! He’s only surviving because whites and blacks with money are delighted, sucking up Wall Street profits that work against America, and foolish blacks allow him excuses to defer CHANGE THAT REALLY COUNT while they suffer in poverty, entrenched crime, and Obama’s false promises!
Obama points to education as the answer when it’s obvious that’s working it butt backwards. He knows he needs to provide living wage jobs to all races and eliminate unemployment to truly head the nation in the right direction. Without jobs at the end of all that education, you get the same results! Blacks will still get the short end of the stick! LET’S BE REAL!
I NEVER CEASE TO BECOME PERPLEXED WHEN UNWARENTED CRITICISM GOES TO OUR CURRENT PRESIDENT, BARACK OBAMA. HE HAS COME WITH AN AMERICAN AGENDA THAT HAS NEVER BEEN ATTEMPTED BY ANY PRESIDENT BEFORE HIM. HE FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES THAT CONFRONT
AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND IS TRULY ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES IN THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE MANNER POSSIBLE. THE PRESIDENT IS WORKING TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD OF ALL AMERICANS. IF HE WERE TO ASSUME AN EXCLUSIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN AGENDA, AS DR. CORNEL WEST, REVEREND JESSE JACKSON OR TAVIS SMILEY, HE WOULD BE TERRIBLY ILL ADVISED. WE LIVE IN A VASTLY CHANGING WORLD WHERE AFRICAN AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA TOWARD EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND LOWERING THE SCHOOL DROP OUT RATE. WE DON’T NEED A PRESIDENT TO HELP US WITH THOSE ISSUES.
I THINK THE REAL ISSUE WITH DR. WEST IS HIS FEELING LEFT OUT OF THE PROCESS OF INFLUENCING WHITE HOUSE ACTION ON THE PLIGHT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS. HE IS NOT THE ONLY INTELLEGENT BROTHER IN AMERICA.
ELBERT RANSOM, JR.
One can disagree and not be disagreeable. I am so sick of all of the negative comments about our President. If you cannot respect the man, respect the position. You do NOT have to belittle him on camera. Black on Black hatred…began in the jungle and is still alive and and kicking now. One would think that education would alleviate some of this bad behavior. How well would Dr. West run this country. President Obama is not God, nor your mother or father. He is just a man who I hoped could pave the way for other African American men and women to follow. We do not have to dog each other out in front of a camera. Any idiot knows that that racist reporter is only going to play the clip that makes us look like fools. PLEASE stop hating. President Obama is not perfect. His hands are tied behind his back. Give him a chance. He inherited a lot of garbage. Quiet as its kept, he is the President of the United States with includes all races…get a grip yall..
I disagree with Elbert Ransom, Jr. and those of his persuasion!
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“WE LIVE IN A VASTLY CHANGING WORLD WHERE AFRICAN AMERICANS SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA TOWARD EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND LOWERING THE SCHOOL DROP OUT RATE. WE DON’T NEED A PRESIDENT TO HELP US WITH THOSE ISSUES.”
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It’s real hard to work for higher educational goals when your main concerns are survival. It’s a hard go in the hood when your piers are dealing with the same poverty which exposes you to crime organizations, beats down your self esteem, confines you to a one parent household struggling to provide food and clothing. In most cases, forget about a parent with enough education to help with homework. The benefit of education is lost on a lot of impoverished Americans black or white. It’s hard for a brain to focus when it’s stressed and undernourished!
To blame the victim for their circumstances is idiotic! It’s the government that allows the capitalistic system to deny every adult American a job with a decent wage. How can they not be the blame?! We know capitalism is corrupt and full of racism. The only real way to put greater education pursuits in reach of every American, black, white, green, or purple, is to elect to create a system of full employment with a living wage! We need to come to terms that lack of decent jobs and good living conditions are at the root of poor education pursuits and low achievement in general! We need full employment with a living wage! Yes, some of the work will need to be subsidized. That’s a far better system than we presently have! Presently failure is being subsidized by building prisons! A better system doesn’t have to destroy capitalism! You just tax the upper class sucking up outsourced job profits enough to provide job incentives here in America and pay for people in training programs. By allowing our college tuitions to be so far out of whack with most Americans ability to pay when coupled with job opportunities after college educations, we simply perpetuate a system of classes with barriers too high to overcome by most. The very perception of benefitting from college is out of reach by most. There are untold numbers still in college with degrees because there are no jobs. There are untold numbers with college degrees who never had those degrees deliver the promise, resulting in deep debt! Let’s not forget those who got good jobs with their college degrees but jobless for years now after having been jerked around from job to job, right back in the same impoverished, crime entrenched neighborhood they started from! We need a better system!
For most it’s born poor and undereducated and so will your children! It’s the norm that has been accepted by the underserved because they have no power to change it and the voices that use to be out there trying to make a difference have been quieted with racist tags and innuendos or jobs elevating them to positions that pay well to keep their mouths shut! So, many jump on the bandwagon of blaming the victims instead of trying to promote a better, equal playing field to survive and thrive in America. To wit, trying to improve black education butt backwards. It can not be done by making stressed out, undernourished, environmentally depressed, hopeless, low self esteem kids, believe they can make it out of the hood consistent enough in numbers enough, to overcome their circumstances! Doesn’t add up! They see so many adults that didn’t make it out! Some are their parents! Many more aspire to achieve but fall to circumstances they have no control over that poverty produce!
Time to stop blaming the victims and fix the system! Decent, reliable jobs first, and education levels will rise! You will have create the environment for hope and relieved the burden of stress and nutritional disadvantage! This perception is not new! When will it be fully adopted so that we bear the fruit of a better future for all Americans?! There’s a clear choice! You can subsidize success or you can continue to subsidize failure by building more prisons. This kind of foolishness has us where we are! Fools scream socialism when prison are built by socialism. Why not use that socialism to a better effect rather than allow foolishness to utterly destroy this great country! The real outcry should be against an out of control capitalism that is selling us out and destroying any hope of reclaiming our greatness while the rich profit, smirk, thumb their nose, and call those jobless from their actions, bums! The nerve of them! The nerve of all of us if we don’t find leaders to stand behind and confront this onslaught against the poor which delivers more and more to poverty! We need to wake up and stand up for what is right!
It’s a breath of fresh air to hear people like Dr. West, Tavis Smiley, and others still doing the hard work that if successful will make us a far better country.
By the way Elbert Ransom, Jr., if Obama “FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES THAT CONFRONT
AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE, AND IS TRULY ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES IN THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE MANNER POSSIBLE”, he would have chosen to let the Bush Tax Cuts Expire instead of continuing to punish black Americans and the poor. That was money to give job incentives and create training programs that put opportunity, jobs and money in the pockets of not only blacks but all Americans. that’s what you call ‘THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE MANNER POSSIBLE”! Neither you are Obama understand the way to that, apparently!
PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO KISS HIS BUTT WHEN HE DESERVES TO HAVE IT KICKED IS WHAT’S HOLDING UP PROGRESS! If everyone turned on him and congress the way we should, we’d get done what needs to get done. Divide and conquer is what he’s doing so he doesn’t have to disappoint his bankers and Wall Street he’s happy to spoon with! His grandmother was a banker, so it’s only reasonable he’s partial to bankers. Probably got a job already lined-up with bankers if he loses the election. Makes Rev. Wright more valid than ever when he said “He’s a politician, I’m a pastor. We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician.” That sums Obama up in a nutshell. When the decision is right and truth or political advantage, Obama chooses to play politics from all I’ve seen. When deciding to fight for rich or poor, Obama chooses the rich! The proofs in the pudding!
Obama makes stupid decisions because it’s more important to him to keep campaign promises to the middle class to not raise their taxes and stay tight with the rich. It’s asinine! Didn’t really fight for keeping tax cuts for the middle class while increasing them on the rich which is the right move! Just rolled over like usual! A lot of the middle class out of work along with the outraged poor are going to vote him out if they have the sense God gave them! But don’t count him out. I’m amaze America let the Tea Party in congress to bottle things up even more. How they bought into a small government and spending cuts is beyond comprehension when the right way out is spending more by raising taxes on the wealthy who are sucking up profits from outsourced jobs that destroyed our tax base! At the time we need clear thinking, right voting Americans, we get utter stupidity! Too stupid to know which side their bread is buttered on!
We’re still stuck not because there wasn’t a way out already, but by stupidity in such a degree that it properly deserves to be called MADNESS! FOAMING AT THE MOUTH, MAD LUNATICS THAT WOULDN’T AT LEAST RAISE TAXES ON THE RICH OR LET THE BUSH TAX CUTS EXPIRE! SO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP KISSING OBAMA’S BUTT AFTER HE’S DONE NOTHING TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE! HE’S MR. NO CHANGE, BROKEN PROMISES, NO FIGHT DUDE! REPUBLICANS DON’T NEED A CANDIDATE. OBAMA IS THEIR MAN! OBAMA LOOKS MORE LIKE A REPUBLICAN PLANT EVERYDAY! JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT NO ONE COULD BE A BIGGER SELLOUT AND KISS UP TO REPUBLICANS MORE THAN BILL CLINTON, ALONG COMES OBAMA! CLINTON DESTROYED THE SAFETY NET AND OBAMA IS DOING NOTHING TO REPAIR IT BUT MAKE EMPTY PROMISES! IF YOU BELIEVE ANY OF HIS PROMISES TO BRING CHANGE THAT’S REAL, I HAVE A BRIDGE IN BROOKLYN I’D LIKE TO SELL YOU!
Elbert Ransom, Jr., your problem is paying attention to what Obama says and not what he does! I was fooled like many on what he said because he said all the right things most Americans feel should be the role of government. His actions are sadly lacking and found wanting! There is a serious lag between his talk and his walk! His butt can’t cash the checks his mouth writes! Only because he refuses to make the case for the change that needs to take place to move the economy! The man with the power of the mic does nothing but psych! Wants us to hang in there with him while the rope around our necks is chocking us to death! Time to cut the rope and breath the truth. Obama is comfortable playing the middle. He’ll keep being comfortable as long as people put up with his stupid nonsense! A person with a heart for the people wouldn’t play politics while PEOPLE NEED REAL CHANGE! Lives are being destroyed while Obama fiddles! America is burning while Obama plays politics!
Letting the Bush Tax Cuts Expire would have put black America back to work along with more of the middle class which would pleased the middle class more than a stupid promise he’s keeping by making blacks and people on Social Security suffer the most serious for it! Two years and I don’t get a Social Security cost of living increase! Grocery bills steady on the rise! Gas prices rise to near pre-crash period of 2008. Obama does nothing! I could care less about him killing Bin Laden. Does nothing for the way I’m living! Obama’s too dumb to understand that! He won’t get my vote! Obama’s playing stupid politics while people are suffering! It ain’t funny and neither are your cross eyed perceptions Elbert Ransom! No reason to be perplexed if you open your eyes and see clearly! OBAMA IS NOT THE TRUTH!
THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM WHEN MIXED RACE PERSONS COME INTO POWER. THEY ALMOST ALWAYS CHOSE THE WRONG SIDE TO BE ON. I’M NOT A FAN OF CORNEL WEST OR TAVIS AND FOR THAT MATTER THE HAND PICKED BLACK LEADERS TO KEEP UP IN PLACE. HOWEVER HE ISN’T THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS RAISED THE ISSUE, ON LOYALTY. WE CAN’T CONTINUE TO PUT A PROTECTIVE SHIELD ON OBAMA AND NOT RAISE SOME QUESTIONS. WE VOTED 96% FOR OBAMA GIVE OR TAKE. HE CAN’T DEAL WITH US ON THE DOWNLOW.
ALSO WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS,WE ARE AFRICANS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
IF WE WERE AMERICANS WE WOULDN’T HAVE THE PROBLEMS. PROUD AFRICAN
Sharon is so clueless. People complaining about Obama is exactly what she and all of her friends should be doing. Being super respectful and civilized go no where in politics. It gets you nothing. You have to raise a ruckus and shout out loud that you don’t like what Obama is doing with the economy! You need to scream crap or get off the pot! Otherwise, he’ll just ignore you and think you’re such an idiot that you’re buying his dumb excuses about the Republicans won’t let him do what the country needs because of too much push back. That gets real old, real quick! Obama has the highest office in the land and the power of the mic. He can call a news conference any time he wants. He can have experts explain simple economics that will work in our circumstances since the country seems to be soo uneducated, give the way they voted to let the Tea Party in power. He needs to spend some of those campaign dollars to educate the public with commercial, his website, books describing the right path to restore America, and any other means possible. He needs to fight to bring gridlock issues directly to the people since he’s well aware the political system is corrupted by campaign contributions and jobs offers after terms in office are done. BRING THE VOTE DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE. WE PUT HIM IN OFFICE AND CONGRESS HAS NO RIGHT TO BLOCK THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE! THERE NEEDS TO BE NEW AMENDMENTS SO THE PEOPLE WILL IS CLEARLY KNOWN! OUR REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN STOLEN AWAY BY THE RICH BUYING CONGRESS! THAT’S NOT A GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE! DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA IS A FALLACY! WE ALL NEED TO STAND UP TOGETHER AND DEMAND OUR COUNTRY BACK!
WE CAN’T RAISE TAXES ON THE RICH BECAUSE THEY OWN CONGRESSMEN! IF YOU RAISE THEIR TAXES, THEY WILL LAY PEOPLE OFF! NOT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BUT BECAUSE IT’S EFFECTIVE TO GET THE CONGRESS TO LOWER THEIR TAXES! THEY SHOULD BE FINED AND JAILED FOR THAT! THEY’RE HOLDING AMERICA HOSTAGE! THAT’S CALLED TYRANNY! IT’S OPPRESSION OF THE GREATEST DEGREE, AND OBAMA KNOWS IT’S CRIMINAL CONDUCT THAT SHOULD HAVE NEW AMENDMENTS TO GUARD AGAINST IT! THERE’S NO NEED FOR THIS RECESSION LASTING THIS LONG BUT FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES! THE RICH NEED TO HAVE THEIR TAXES RAISED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE JOBS BEING LOST TO OUTSOURCING DUE TO THEIR BUSINESS DEALINGS AND INVESTMENTS THAT DO NOT BENEFIT JOB CREATION IN AMERICA! THAT’S WHY WE DON’T HAVE THE JOBS! ON TOP OF IT ALL, OUR GOVERNMENT IS PAYING THEM TO OUTSOURCE OUR JOBS AND NOT RAISING FEES AND IMPORT DUTIES HIGH ENOUGH TO PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS! OUR CONGRESS IS IN WHOREDOM TO THE RICH! IT’S CREATING ENORMOUS LEVELS OF CRIME AND IMPRISONMENT BECAUSE BILL CLINTON DESTROYED THE SAFETY NET AND WE DON’T HAVE THE TAX REVENUES TO GIVE JOB INCENTIVES OR ALLOW PEOPLE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO KEEP SHELTERED, FED, AND CLOTHED UNTIL DECENT LIVING WAGE JOBS ARE CREATED!
OBAMA IS KICKING THAT CAN DOWN THE ROAD! HE’S DOING MISDIRECTION BY PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THE BACKS OF THE DIVESTED AMERICANS WHICH ARE BLACK IN GREATER PERCENTAGES! THERE’S A GRAVE, PRISON CELL, OR PLACE TO SLEEP UNDER A BRIDGE FOR BLACK AMERICANS IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE OBAMA WON’T STAND LIKE THE MAN HE REPRESENTED HIMSELF TO BE TO GET OUR VOTE!
THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH WELFARE IS THERE WERE NO REQUIREMENT TO DO SOME KIND OF WORK OR TRAINING ATTACHED TO IT! THE GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE EASILY CREATED THOSE JOBS AND TRAINING BUT BILL CLINTON SOLD US OUT INSTEAD OF FIXING THE SYSTEM! WE NEED TO RECLAIM WELFARE AND DO IT THE RIGHT WAY THIS TIME! YOU CAN’T OPERATE A RACIST CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM THAT UNDEREMPLOYS BLACK PEOPLE WITHOUT A PROGRAM THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS! WE NEVER WANTED A CHECK AND BUM OFF THE SYSTEM. WE WERE FORCE IN THAT POSITION. WE WANTED AND STILL WANT JOBS THAT GIVE US DIGNITY OF MEETING OUR NEEDS!
IT’S ABOUT DOING WHAT’S RIGHT! IT’S NOT ABOUT A HANDOUT! IT’S ABOUT MAKING CORRECTIONS AND COMPENSATIONS FOR A SYSTEM WE ALL KNOW IS SERIOUSLY CORRUPT AND RACIST! WE NEED A NEW ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL! TIME OUT FOR ALL THE NONSENSE CORRUPT POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH FOR DECADES! OUR LAWS ARE CORRUPT AND DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA IS A LIE!!! OBAMA IS LYING ABOUT BRINGING CHANGE! HE’S PUSHING EDUCATION BEFORE HE ESTABLISHES A JOBS SYSTEM ON A FAIR AND EQUAL FOUNDATION FIRST! EDUCATION ALONE WILL NOT CREATE JOBS FOR EVERYONE! IT HAS TO BE ORGANIZED AND REGULATED BY GOVERNMENT AND NOT RELYING ON A CORRUPT AND RACIST BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE ENOUGH, AND BE FAIR ENOUGH! IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN THAT WAY!
THE CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM NEVER DID LIVE UP TO EXPECTATION OF FULL EMPLOYMENT. IT HAD TO BE MANIPULATED BY RAISING TAXES TO CREATE JOBS NEAR FULL EMPLOYMENT! THERE’S NO REAL REASON WE CAN’T HAVE FULL EMPLOYMENT IF MANAGED TO DO SO! IT’S PURE STUPIDITY TO THINK THE MORALS AND ETHICS OF A CORRUPT AN RACIST BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS GOING TO GIVE US ENOUGH LIVING WAGE JOBS FOR EVERYONE IF WE LOWER THEIR TAXES ENOUGH! IT’S THE FAIRY TALE OF ALL FAIRY TALES! THAT’S NOT CAPITALISM AT IT’S BASIC FUNCTIONS! CAPITALISM FUNCTIONS TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY CAN WITH AS LITTLE LABOR COST AS POSSIBLE! THAT’S WHY MACHINES AND TECHNOLOGY ARE REPLACING MANY JOBS! IT’S A GROSS FALLACY THAT ONLY THE MOST IMMENSELY IGNORANT OF USE BELIEVE! EDUCATION ALONE IS NOT GOING TO PRODUCE ENOUGH JOBS! THERE MUST BE AN OBLIGATION PUT ON BUSINESS AND THE WEALTHY TO PAY ENOUGH TAXES TO COMPENSATE FOR WHAT A CORRUPT AN RACIST BUSINESS COMMUNITY DOES NOT OR EVEN PLAN TO DO! IT’S ABOUT FREEDOM AND JUSTICE FOR ALL! OBAMA IS LETTING THEM GET AWAY WITH IT! IT’S CRIMINAL AND THERE SHOULD BE A LAW AGAINST ANYONE SUGGESTING IT’S THE TRUTH! OBAMA IS NOT THE TRUTH BY SUGGESTING EDUCATION IS THE CURE ALL FOR OUR JOBS PROBLEMS! THAT’S CALLED KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD!
WE NEED TO OBLIGATE OBAMA TO MAKE NEW LAWS AND NEW SYSTEMS THAT DON’T LEAVE AMERICANS JOBLESS OR WORKING AND LIVING BENEATH DIGNITY NO MATER HOW ADVANCED OUR TECHNOLOGY BECOMES! YOU CAN CALL IT SOCIALISM BUT YOU’D BE A FOOL TO NOT NOTICE IT’S SOCIALISM THAT UPHOLDS CAPITALISM! THERE IS NO REASON WE CAN’T MAKE THE PROPER SOCIAL CHANGES AND OBLIGATE BUSINESS AND THE RICH TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL AMERICANS! WHERE ARE THEY WITHOUT US! IT IS CRIMINAL THE WAY THEY NEGLECT THEIR OBLIGATION TO US, NOT ONLY AS A SPIRITUAL LAW OF BROTHERS KEEPER BUT AS A RATIONAL CONCLUSION THAT IT’S WRONG TO NEGLECT OUR NEEDS SINCE THEIR PROFITS COME FROM OUR PURCHASES AND SWEAT! IT’S WRONG IN EVERY CONCEIVABLE WAY IF WE ALLOW THEM TO FLY FREE AT THE EXPENSE OF A COUNTRY THAT ALLOWS THEM A WEALTH SYSTEM AND GIVES THEM PROTECTION! JUST PLAIN WRONG! OBAMA NEED TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM! WEST IS RIGHT TO SCOUR HIM AND WE SHOULD ALL DO THE SAME UNTIL HE GET’S OFF THE COUCH AND STOP SPINNING FAIRY TALES THAT SAY EDUCATION WILL GIVE US THE JOBS WE NEED! OBAMA NEEDS TO GET OFF HIS BUTT AND ACTUALLY CREATE THE LAWS AND SYSTEMS THAT REALLY CREATES JOBS AND MEET THE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!
WE DON’T HAVE SO MUCH A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PROBLEM AS WE HAVE A GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITY PROBLEM! OBAMA NEEDS TO STAND UP OR STEP DOWN!
You really make it seem so easy together with your presentation but I to find this topic to be really something that I believe I’d never understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely large for me. I’m taking a look forward for your subsequent submit, I will try to get the cling of it!