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As we enter the home stretch of midterm elections, every vote counts and there is a clear choice in this election, according to White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett (pictured left).
Jarrett made it very clear that if we do not support the candidates that support President Barack Obama and the presidential agenda, then progress will cease because the Republicans have made it clear they will do whatever it takes to stop the presidential agenda.
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Now that Democrats have begun to aggressively campaign, with the President and First Lady Michelle Obama both making rounds, there seems to be a lot of energy and excitement on the ground that will hopefully translate into votes.
For example, when the First Lady went to cast her early vote in Chicago, an outpouring of people headed to the polls to cast early votes as well. Who can say that any of those individuals would have taken the time to vote had the First Lady not stopped in Chicago?
Democrats are proposing progress and promising change, but what does this mean to black voters?
Jarrett focused on three main areas of policy that definitely affects us: education, affordable health care and financial reform. These areas are critical to moving this country and our communities forward.
With education, the administration continues to focus on community colleges because hours are flexible, allowing people to attend school and work and receive job retraining. By redesigning the curriculum around jobs of the future, there is also an emphasis on providing internship programs to get young people excited about their career possibilities.
The President has made public education a signature issue because people, and especially our youth, need to be able to compete in a global economy.
With education, the administration continues to focus on community colleges because hours are flexible, allowing people to attend school and work and receive job retraining. By redesigning the curriculum around jobs of the future, there is also an emphasis on providing internship programs to get young people excited about their career possibilities.
The President has made public education a signature issue because people, and especially our youth, need to be able to compete in a global economy.
Health care is supposed to be accessible to everyone, but somewhere along the way, it became profit-driven at the expense of employers and American citizens. Only time will tell how health care reform will act to benefit us all, but Republicans might have their eyes set on repealing the act and the changes that have affected the health care industry already.
The White House need only glance over the numerous studies about minority health conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see that in 2009, 19 percent of blacks did not have health insurance while the number for whites was 10.4 percent in 2007. Getting any health insurance will be a big step forward for millions of African Americans and will increase access to preventative services and work to combat health disparities that plague our community. The expense of health care has acted as a barrier for far too long and the well-being of an entire community depends on the destruction of those barriers.
According to the White House, there has been nine months of steady private sector job growth in the United States. While this growth may not alleviate all of the unemployment woes that we are feeling, we have to remember that this economic crisis did not happen on President Obama's watch. It will take more time and key legislation to get and keep us employed.
Republicans openly opposed the Recovery Act and tax cuts.
Had the President not moved forward with the Recovery Act, the unemployment rate would be worse for our community. Credit policies have been reformed to help people understand credit cards and mortgages, which benefits the black community since we were taken advantage of by subprime lenders and have been adversely affected by the foreclosure crisis in the housing market.
While the President's name is not on the ballot, his long-term vision and policies are.
As a voter, only now am I beginning to realize the sheer importance of my vote. Voting in the midterm elections is just as important as voting in presidential elections. Midterm elections decide whether a president's agenda will be enforced. Unfortunately, midterm elections typically have less voter turnout due to ignorance about how our political system works.
In order for the agenda of President Obama to advance, he needs like-minded individuals in Congress to effectively translate his policies into legislation.
The black community is being battered by the effects of the recession, resulting in unemployment rates two to three times that of the national average. As a community, we need advocates who are willing to represent our best interests. Given the recent political climate of Tea Partiers and the GOP, it isn't a secret how important this election is for our community.
Both Democrats and Republicans know that the black vote is strong when we vote.
We cannot expect lawmakers to take us seriously if we can't show up to the polls and make our voices heard.
Our predecessors worked too hard for us not to take advantage and participate in the political process, so get your wife, get your kids and go vote!
Comments: (17)
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By: ashley timothy on 10/26/2010 2:43PM
ALL ethnic groups have a huge decision to make right now. We either want a free country where individual rights matter or we will vote for those who are pushing Socialism where big, elite government control freaks will reign supreme.
Freedom or Communism? That's the bottom line.
We will remain soverign or we will become part and parcel of the Socialist cesspool.
I love people of all hues, but my favorite hue, now that these colors are so very threatened, are red, white and blue and by God that's where my loyalty begins and ends.
I hope y'all will think about the bigger picture and refuse to be swayed by the pathetic propaganda that seeks to capture and control you; like a robot; like a useless, stupid comodity.
Run to save this country from tyranny, lest ALL hues perish under the weight of the oncoming, oppressive idealogy that swirls around us all right now!
THINK about it. VOTE for freedom. I love America and I hope you do also.
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By: Tom Truth on 10/26/2010 5:15PM
"Jarrett made it very clear that if we do not support the candidates that support President Barack Obama and the presidential agenda, then progress will cease because the Republicans have made it clear they will do whatever it takes to stop the presidential agenda."
Why don't you have a single conservative author on BV to counter the current 100% of authors who are leftist socialists? Don't you believe in fair journalism?
As far as your and Obama's definition of "progress", you agree with each other, BUT the majority of American voters DISAGREE with you and agree with ME. That is, they and I see Obama's agenda of the last 2 years as socialism, and want it REPEALED. That's why Republicans are going to pick up so many seats in Congress.
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By: Tom Truth on 10/26/2010 5:23PM
OBAMA HEADS INTO MIDTERMS AT LOWEST APPROVAL RATINGS OF HIS PRESIDENCY
"Currently, two-thirds of Americans (67%) have a negative opinion of the job President Obama is doing while just over one-third (37%) have a positive opinion. This continues the president's downward trend and he is now at the lowest job approval rating of his presidency."
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/Hi_assets/TopHitPageNews.html
But, if your only source of information was BV, you wouldn't be aware of this.
What a disconnect between BV and blacks, and the rest of America. Incredible.
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By: Tom Truth on 10/26/2010 5:30PM
Latest poll, Angle up by 4 over Reid:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/nv/nevada_senate_angle_vs_reid-1517.html
Republicans and Tea Party candidates are pulling away from Democrats in the final moments of the campaign. It's going to be a WIPEOUT for Democrats.
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By: Tom Truth on 10/26/2010 5:39PM
"Health care is supposed to be accessible to everyone, but somewhere along the way, it became profit-driven at the expense of employers and American citizens."
Wow, you need an education in free market economics.
Health care has ALWAYS been accessible to everyone. FREE OR SUBSIDIZED HEALTHCARE has not always been accessible to everyone.
Every product and service in the free market is profit driven, it has ALWAYS been that way, it never changed "somewhere along the way". Profit in the free market is what leads to quality and availability with supply meeting demand. Profit also provides the means for innovation to occur in healthcare. Competition in the free market is what keeps profit reasonable and proper. To the extent that healthcare costs were too high in the past, that's because there was TOO MUCH government involvement already, restricting competition. For example, rules keeping insurance from crossing state lines.
Government innovates nothing. Government is very inefficient in re-distributing wealth, it involves middleman bureaucrats with high salaries, bureaucrats which take FREEDOM away because THEY make the decisions about what healthcare you'll receive and when.
Once government takes over, the only way for YOU to get free or subsidized health care is for someone else to have their wages taken and re-distributed to you ... that's called SOCIALISM. You should not be proud of being a socialist.
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By: Tom Truth on 10/26/2010 6:00PM
I'll make this point again.
It DOES NOT MATTER if 100% of blacks turn out and vote, it won't change the result of a single House election. That's because the vast majority of blacks live in gerrymandered districts, with borders drawn to include virtually nothing but blacks. Consequently, very few blacks live in districts that don't currently ALREADY have a black Democratic congressman. Nobody doubts those black Democratic congressman, even the many with ethics problems, will all be re-elected. BUT that won't change ANYTHING about the huge losses Democrats are going to take in ALL other districts.
So, turn out and vote all you want. Your black Democratic congressman is going to win with 90% of the vote whether black turnout is 20% or 99%. But every other district will see no impact.
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By: Hector Garcia on 10/26/2010 10:26PM
I now regret voting Obama. Like most others I got caught up in the Whole "Hope" propaganda campaign.
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By: Brady on 10/27/2010 12:10AM
Hector man, dont sweat it. You are not the only one who bought in. This is why we have midterm elections. Its the opportunity to send a message.
The hope is after Tuesday, President Obama will govern more to the middle, like clinton did in 94.
In 2008, the clintons were correct, Hillairy was the better choice.
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By: jewishways on 10/26/2010 11:01PM
Black TV, Radio, Internet, Black media are all a bunch of sell outs. It AMAZES me how gullible you people are. If this was not the first African President (because he is not really African American i.e. a decendent of slaves -- yes that is important if you're going to say he is "a first") you people would be calling for a lynching! And the Christians...give me a break, he has made so many anti-christian comments it is a disgrace. C'mon people, lets be real, he is a puppet for the Banks and corporate America and don't give a damn about yall. They PUT him in office because they know WE would all be boo-hooing in the streets and caught up in the emotion while they all destroy the middle class and turn us all Black, White, Yellow, Red whatever into slaves for the establishment. Watch the movie Ziegiest and get a hold of your "emotions"!
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By: Jen on 10/27/2010 10:22AM
I agree that the poor and Seniors citizens are not
on Washington's Agenda for help.
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