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I am admittedly shocked that the Republican Party would be so stubborn as to brand itself as the political party that hates the unemployed. In fact, there are some Republican leaders who've argued that extending unemployment benefits reduces the incentive for the unemployed to go out and find work. That's simply amazing.
President Obama has done a good job of painting the Republicans as the Scrooges of our economy. While most Americans have jobs, many of us are empathetic toward those who don't. Every other person in corporate America fully understands that living paycheck to paycheck means that your pink slip could quickly end your financial security. So, perhaps Obama can win some political points by fighting hard on behalf of those who are out of work.
One advantage the president has used to its fullest is his own face and voice. He has been holding one press conference after another, stealing headlines from Republicans who don't have the same star appeal in the media. He is also doing a very good job of linking the economic downturn to the plight of the middle class. Even amateur politicians are aware that the middle class determines the fate of most political leaders.
Republicans continue to argue that extending unemployment benefits is too expensive in a nation with a $12 trillion debt. The problem for their party, however, is that they've had no problem spending money on silly wars or cutting taxes for the rich. Given that the wealthiest one percent of all Americans control 42 percent of our wealth, I would presume we could solve quite a few financial problems by increasing their contribution to the public good.
The massive momentum that Republicans built early in the year seems to be waning as we approach midterm elections. If the president can tweak out some good economic news, he might be able to keep some Democratic seats in Congress. I argue that the Republican strategy of alienating our nation's unemployed during their most difficult time is going to be remembered as a selfish, myopic and arrogant political move.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. 
Comments: (12)
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By: BG on 7/20/2010 4:05PM
Just what is the effect of the Democrat's triumphant control of the congress?
Republicans' believes in their course and will vote along party line to validate such beliefs. So also are their backers.
None of the Republicans voted for the Healthcare and we still have some Demo-rats dissenting from the party's core beliefs voting along with the Republicans. Republicans always hold their ground.
As for the midterm election as in all elections, Republicans backers, historically white majority will come out en masse to assert their civic duties while the Demo-rats backers, historically blacks will lurk around the liquor store smoking blunts and drinking ripple.
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By: Conscious Black Beauty on 8/04/2010 9:43AM
First...I am a black woman and I don't hang around the liquor store smoking blunts and drinking ripple on election day or any other day...stop stereotyping because your ignorance & racism is insidious to this country (ignorance meaning a lack of knowledge by the way)...Republicans are afraid of everyone who isn't white like they are...they are driven by fear, ignorance & prejudice and nothing else...white men like yourself "created" racism and every other problem this country has...PLEASE stop the ignorance before I have pull your pants down and spank you with words of wisdom little BOY.....
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By: halfmoon on 7/20/2010 10:56PM
Well baby it's true...Some people enjoy not having to work and still getting monies from those of us who do, will continu to look for the $250,000.00 year job as long as we pay their lazy ass to sit idle.
90 weeks without a job is not a tragedy, it is a hobby. If you can't find some job is America in 90 weeks, 560 days then you don't want a job.. I see Hispanics moving in and taking all kinds of job while Americans sit home and watch OPrah and Maury..Get a damn job, that's what Republicans are saying. We can't afford to pay for OBAMACare, Iraq war, Afganistan war, General Motors, Banks and Lending instirutions and all the other OBAMA programs that have put our nation on the verge of bankruptcy. Get a damn job brother !
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By: Conscious Black Beauty on 8/04/2010 9:39AM
Are you serious...do you even KNOW what you are talking about..obviously you donot know your modern history...PRESIDENT OBAMA inherited ALL those problems...Bush, Cheney, and the rest of the GOB (Good Ole Boys)bequeathed them to him....check your facts boy....illegal hispanics come riding in on the back of a truck and take jobs for $2.00 an hour...no citizen can feed their family on $2-$6 per hour and nor should they have to...everyone should be paid decent wages and as long as a CEO can pay an illegal $2/hr they have no incentive to pay a legal American citizen a fair wage....
Next...have you took a look at the rich, white men who are holding the economic and political power in this country (yeah-they all look alike and tend to uplift others that look like them and exclude all others). A lot of the wealthy families here "old money" were already rich when they arrived in the new world because they were backed by the wealthy elites of other nations to come here and set up shop...they were given a whole lot to start with in order to make even more...the rest built their fortunes off of the FREE labor of blacks (especially), Native Americans, Asians, Mexicans, etc....please stick to the facts & not ignorant opinions(ignorant meaning a lack of knowledge by the way) before I have to pull your pants down and spank your racist self with my words boy....the racist white American men & women are driven by FEAR & IGNORANCE and nothing else....
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By: Willie W on 7/21/2010 11:06AM
You talk like a damn fool Halfmoon. Just because people are laid-off doesn't mean they're lazy ass people. Have you ever been laid? Try it and see if you like it.
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By: CheckIt on 7/21/2010 2:10PM
There are few jobs out there. For every one job there are hundreds who apply. It is the luck of the draw. One per son gets the job the others are set back out to look for the next. You hear about the lucky one who got the Walmart job but noe the 5o who were turned away.
By through the grace of God we go... the next job loss could be your's. Krama people... what goes around comes back 10 fold
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By: Shahid Raki on 7/23/2010 8:31AM
Here is a copy of an email that I sent to Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, who has sponsored a bill to have applicants for unemployment compensation be drug tested before they receive any payments.
Senator Hatch,
If you are naive enough to even think that a legislative act will keep people from using drugs or alcohol to receive any kind of government compensation then I feel you have reached a poor level of comprehension and belief. There are so many ways for an individual to get around this proposal than both you or I could know. Take note of all the different professional athletes in cycling, track and field, and other sports who have either skirted by or have done a good job of elusion before they may have finally been caught. Why don't you just stick to things that are more worth your while of pursuit. These two recommendations are just useless fodder and you should be able to see that. If not, then I would strongly suggest that you get out of politcs. As a matter of fact, I feel that you should do that anyway because and many of your constituents have made a profession out of political election. Any of you who have been in office for more than 3 terms should be eliminated just like the President and Vice President cannot be in for more than 2 terms. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. Don't you think?
Shahid Raki
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By: MICHELLE WILLIAMS on 7/21/2010 9:44PM
Its funny how most people that have negative comments are the people that have money or have a job. We are unemployed by no fault of our own and the money we recieve is enough to take care of bills not goodies! We have to live each day with the fact we could become homeless and that in its self is a nightmare I would not wish on anybody! We are not sitting at home on the couch watching Tv, I have and continue to apply and search for work everyday!!!!! I have not even reached a first extension Im still recieving State benefits but with the passing of the extensions I can at least breath to know God forbid Im still unemployed in September that I am not going to be left with no where to turn since im single and have no family!!!!Dont forget that not all the unemployed have even been on any of the federal extensions at all yet you want to pass judgement..Walk in our shoes and see how it feels before you decide to say rude and nasty things about us! Oh and to the people in the senate that did not want the extensions you suck!
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By: Paul on 7/21/2010 11:00PM
Why is it that we have money to fight the taliban at a cost of 10 billion per month ( I might like to add it is a unwinable war, since you cannot tell the taliban from regular citizens)but we could care less about the well being of our own American citizens
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By: bonita on 7/21/2010 11:02PM
I just cannot wrap around my mind how soon folks forget the eight years of the have abd the have nots the war started by Bush WRONG COUNTRY but hey the republicans ran our country right into the ground now that we ahve a black President the tea baggers and all the nut cases have come out of the wood work with there racist signs Obama did not create this mess we are in you better look at the last president and the mess he made
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