The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) issued an 8-page bi-annual report detailing their efforts between Jan-Jun 2009 to deal with the longterm, systemic inequities in the Black community.
More than 24% of African Americans live below the poverty line and African Americans are 55% more likely to be unemployed than other Americans. The CBC wants to be viewed as the 'Conscience of Congress'. It is up to us to be the judge. I encourage all villagers to download/read their 8-page report.
It appears that the CBC wants to use legislation to create a pathway out of poverty through economic opportunities, job training, livable wages, education, mental health services, affordable housing, health care, child nutrition and a responsible foreign policy.
Let's talk about the CBC. What are your thoughts on this report?
More than 24% of African Americans live below the poverty line and African Americans are 55% more likely to be unemployed than other Americans. The CBC wants to be viewed as the 'Conscience of Congress'. It is up to us to be the judge. I encourage all villagers to download/read their 8-page report.
It appears that the CBC wants to use legislation to create a pathway out of poverty through economic opportunities, job training, livable wages, education, mental health services, affordable housing, health care, child nutrition and a responsible foreign policy.
Let's talk about the CBC. What are your thoughts on this report?
7 comments:
Hotep Villager,
It seems to me that this is just a remixx of the information that we already know to be fact.
Some of these CBC folks have been in D.C. a long time and it seems to me that the same old song is growing tired of being played.
What I want to hear is how we are going to get our economic behinds up off of the ground.
I translate that movement as community development. We are always in pursuit of training, education and employment. Is the CBC going to be in the forefront of the Green Job Industry? That would be refreshing to see.
I think that we as in the non-elected officials need to have an economic summit and make a plan. Then we can tell the CBC what we want them to do for us. Because it seems that they are not as powerful as we need for them to be.
I feel that we need to start thinking more like capitalist and less like victims. That would require a mass movement on our part. Where are our economic advisors? Where are our developers? Who is it among us that is willing to stand up and declare that we have got cash to invest in ourselves?
I say this because if you look at spending trends there are blackfolks who are spending money like they are eating paper and producing it. We need to have a mass economic education ASAP! Because we cannot continue to depend on the government to help us.
When I read these figures and think about what I see in real time-the problem is not always the availability of resources. It seems that we have a mentality problem. We don't want to look outside of the box for solutions. That would require that we take charge of our lives and our communities. I'm not saying that there are not people who do not see the necessity of making a turn around.
What I am suggesting is the fact that the CBC doesn't communicate well with Black America. We're from the same home state. Who represents our interests among the CBC?
We so desperately need programs that concentrate on the first five years of a child's life. Nothing will change until that young generation has a beginning at the top of their game instead of having their future stolen before they have even begun.
Jamie,
I work in the field of Early Childhood Education and Development. I agree with you up to a point.
It is important for children to have the foundational skills to build upon as they mature.
But it is equally important that parents get involved in their child's educational process. Too many adults are too willing to let their respective school districts get by with not doing their job. Studies strongly suggest that teachers and admin staff do the right thing for children when their parents are a presence in the schools.
But in terms of our overall population-we seem to need a mind reset. We all are not broke or unemployed. But what we do with our incomes and what we do inregards to developing our communities has been an on-going problem for generations.
It would be fantastic to see a national campaign to save ourselves that does not totally rely on the government to make that happen.
I. Don't. Like. The. CBC.
Why?
Cause what are they doing?
That wasn't tongue-in-cheek or meant to make a point; it was a real question.
Oh my gosh... we have MANY black folks in Congress and WHAT are they doing? I'm not even asking them to push any black agenda, honestly. I just want to see them active, I want them to be introducing legislation and asking questions and being somewhere. Where's our Shirley Chisolm for the 111th Congress? HUH?
SIGH... ok... I'm done...
Shout out to Congressman Rangel, though... he's on it... relatively speaking...
All - I appreciate each of you for your comments. It seems we have two overarching issues to deal with -- first, is CBC relevant in our lives? --- second, are the specific issues laid out by the CBC in this bi-annual report on point or in need of our grassroots support?
I don't think CBC is terribly relevant. However, I provided this 8-page report so that villagers can make up their own mind.
I tend to agree with Lady D is that we need get serious about economic empowerment...
24% living below the poverty line.
Is that bad?
Miriam - If you have three siblings ... then this information tells us that one of them will live below the poverty line. Is that bad?
Methinks so. What say u?
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