Congressional Black Caucus: "We Got Your Back, Barack; But We Ain't No Punk."

"No Rubber Stamp Here, Barry."

I tell you what: even after the losses taken by the Democrats a couple of weeks ago, some of you Negroes still don't get it. Yeah, I've had conversations with some of you about just where the White House went wrong by not pursuing a more aggressive and progressive agenda, and you still defend his lack of action.

Nothing wrong with supporting and loving the brother: hell, I love Barack like a play-cousin too! However, as I've said before: a more progressive agenda targeting urban communities should have been the way to go as part of the now 2yr old stimulus. But no, all I ever heard was, "give Barack a chance, bro; give him some time." Yep, "a rising tide floats all boats, RiPPa." Well, how's that floating thing working out, black folks?

Well, obviously the suffrage of people of color in this day and age isn't too important when people who look like me fail to recognize what Martin Luther King Jr. called, "the fierce urgency of now." But thankfully some of us get it; namely, that political organization you love to hate: the CBC (Congressional Black Caucus). Which is rather ironic because Obama asked the CBC to push you Negroes to get out and vote recently.

Since becoming the incoming chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus this week, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) has stressed the need for the caucus to chart its own course.

Cleaver said he recognizes both the need to support President Obama and that the agendas of the black caucus and the White House sometimes conflict.

"The CBC has had disagreement with every president that has come to office since it was created," Cleaver said. "All of a sudden, it's like, 'Oh my goodness, black people are disagreeing with somebody black.' There is absolutely no way that we can function in a manner consistent with the wishes of our constituents and always be in lockstep with the president."


Even so, he said, Obama knows that he has an ally in the CBC. In a phone conversation with White House staffers this week, Cleaver began discussing ways the two groups can work together.

[...] The caucus has spent the past year carefully navigating its relationship with the White House - seeking to press Obama to target more stimulus funds to the minority community, which has suffered from disproportionately high unemployment rates. The president declined, saying his efforts would help all Americans and "a rising tide lifts all boats."

Cleaver will have to contend with that tension. The ACLU scores his voting record at 93 percent, yet he is considered a moderate in relation to his liberal colleagues in the black caucus. And unlike most members of the CBC, his district is not majority-black.

Both he and other members of the caucus said they welcome the two black Republicans who were elected to Congress this month. Rep.-elect Allen West (Fla.) has said that he plans to join the caucus to bring a different view to the group's deliberations. During some meetings, though, such as when the caucus discusses Democratic strategy, the Democratic members intend to break off from West. (Rep.-elect Tim Scott of South Carolina has said it is not likely that he'll join the CBC.)

"There are going to be some times when it makes no sense for the caucus to deal with an issue that is an anathema to one or two members," Cleaver said. "We'll make whatever adjustment needed to do that."

Among Cleaver's priorities will be turning the attention of the caucus to environmental and energy policy - which would allow its members to work with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Department on developing green jobs in their districts, many of which face high unemployment rates.

[...] "I wish I could tell you that most of the issues we are going to approach are new and contemporary, but the truth of the matter is the Congressional Black Caucus -painfully and tragically - must champion the same issues that our founders dealt with in 1971," he said. "One would hope that the day would have already arrived when ... African Americans are not struggling legislatively to have issues redressed." (source)

Yep, time is running out, and you can bet your bottom dollar that it is not going to be easy to make it happen; and, obviously with the Republican majority in the House, people of color are screwed. Hell, you only have to look at this weeks vote to block unemployment extensions to see what I'm talking about.

"It appalls me that the Republicans keep pitching and pitching and pitching the tax cuts for the rich and won't join in a bill to help people keep their homes and not have to live in their cars." - Al Grayson (D-Fla.)

"Now Listen Here, Negroes!"

Shit, they're so gangsta they said f@%k your invitation to the White House... BOY!

But no, some of you will continue to "defend" the current administration's lack of focus on our communities in these economic times, while at the same time continue to denigrate the CBC. I swear, the bass ackwardness of my folk can be a detriment to not only our success but our survival - it's a wonder how we became free.

And now we have at least one Black Tea Party Rep., Allan West (R-Fla.), as a member of the CBC. Not that he shouldn't be allowed, nor that his political views and mores doesn't lend to a spirited debate. However, with ideas such as he espouses in the following clip about black folks and working with the CBC...

Gotta wonder if you Negroes would support him much like you do Obama:



QUESTION(S): Whether Barack Obama is a one-term president or not, once he's gone, given the current economic crisis, can you say that "Black America" would collectively be better off economically? Also, in your opinion, what can be done to ensure that we are?