As President, Barack Obama often has a hard time catching a break (or gets criticized for even trying to take one), but a new Gallup poll shows the President is also having a hard time getting the country to support his economic tactics.
Only twenty-six percent of Americans approve of the way President Obama is handling the economy, according to the latest figures, which was cause for alarm at Tuesday’s town-hall meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in Detroit as Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) said they don’t put pressure on the president because black voters love him:
“You’re very proud to have a black man — first time in the history of the United States of America. If we go after the president too hard, you’re going after us.”
Waters also mentioned that President Obama isn’t paying enough attention to the black community. With an unemployment rate just above 16 percent for blacks and the president wrapping up his jobs-promotion trip throughout the Midwest, she added, “We don’t know why on this trip that he’s in the United States now, he’s not in any black community.” Footage from the CBC’s townhall is included below.
*sigh* Maybe if we go back to slavery they will stop complaining.
*dead*
We JUST DONT GET IT>>> I DONT GET IT>>>> WHY CANT WE STICK TOGETHER!
we are truly our on worst enemy it’s so sad that instead of us coming together to brain storm away to get things taken care of we beat and badger each other. We need a major movement as the black community
This man has so much pressure on him, and people still dont appreciate his hard work, is not like he can do miracles if he could I’m sure he would. America need to cut him some slack and be grateful for not having Sarah Palin as a president this day today.
i cosign,
GREAT SHORT TO THE POINT COMMENT…I agree as well
Maxine has been a congresswomen for 20 years what jobs, advancement and education has she brought to her community.Now she wants to complain about Obama.She is a sad bitter women and a career politician.
Obama has a lot of pressure on him, and while I do not agree with everything he has done in office, he has done some great things. He is not responsible for creating jobs only for Black people, but for the millions of AMERICANS who are suffering from the failing economy. It is great that we have an African-American (who has also lived in Chicago) in office because he understands what blacks are dealing with. Nevertheless, the plight of Black people cannot solely rest on Obama.
Maxine Waters and the black caucus are right on point!! It’s not about like or dislike, respect or disrespect, it’s about holding him accountability to address our issues. Why would we support him and he not address any of our specific issues like the gay people (dont ask dont tell), hispanics (path to citizenship), etc. This has NOTHING to do with the racist attacks on him. This is different. I can’t (and won’t) support him if he doesn’t do something for our community.
Don’t support him then. However, I hope you apply that same mentality to the other candidates as well. If none are doing sh*t for you don’t support any of them.
I beleive us as black people shouldn’t blindly follow this president, this false sense of loyalty to the president because he’s black needs to stop. I want him to succeed as every1 else but, if we analyze closely what his accomplishments and efforts as a president so far, he’s the biggest Republican president thsi country as ever has since president Bush.
A dare any1 to prove me wrong, with facts too…
In closing, I believe history was wasted!!!
HIPHOP – I am REALLY hoping history does not get not wasted. You may be right and that makes me extremely sad.
Al Sharpton said “black people need to realize he’s not a savior.” Well he sure campaigned like a savior. It seems like the White House & his team are down playing the hope and change he sold us on. I saw so happy in January 2009. I am equally disappointed now, August 2011.
State your facts and proof as well. You shouldn’t ask for something you didn’t give.
I don’t understand exactly what he is supposed to pay attention to, and how he is supposed to respond. He wasn’t elected for that purpose. There are bigger problems as an elected leader that he has to deal with and focus on. They whine and complain but what efforts have they made? As for the economy and the poll numbers, people need to get a grip and stop living in this world where they think government is responsible for creating jobs. Government also needs to stop lying to folks and come clean. With companies pulling back and realizing that some booms have gone bust, the way things are will more than likely be the new reality for most.
The president paying too much attention to one community is what got us in this mess in the first place.
However Obama has been in the White House 3 years what legislation or other programs have the CBC brought to him ?
Theyve been around for decades yet Ive yet to hear all of these complainers have anything tangible enough to ask Obama for a meeting and present it.
All this amounts to is a bunch of longtime black elected officials complaining because Obama aint hooked them up with any prime committee appointments and such.
Obama has been in office 3 years the CBC has been around 30 years and they dont have any well thought out and researched legislation that could help all poor communities NOT JUST THERE OWN to present.
Tell me what President Obama will do if he is standing at the corner of whatever Martin Luther King Boulevard in any major city will do to jumpstart “US” to get employed? Maxine you should be ashamed of yourself. People act as though this man can instantly change things in a couple years. HE IS A MAN, NOTHING MORE. If the people have such a problem with what he is doing, get in the race and run against him. The man getting elected was enough change for me personally. I dont look to Obama for me obtaining a job and or me feeling good about being me. Us as Blacks need to help ourselves. We hate to hear it but its true. Barack Obama is not the Saviour of the Black race. I honestly dont care to have another “rally” in the community. The people in our community need to act and stop waiting for somebody else to do our dirty work. Kids acting a fool in school, daddy aint around. We need the Lord and Saviour more than we need Obama. So to my President, I salute you. In my book, he has done enough. The rest is up to me. Maxine, get a life. THAT IS ALL.
@MLEW34 I completely agree with you. Our President is not our God, however like they say, truth is not measured in mass appeal.
We voted for Obama but then forgot to go out and vote for the House of Representatives and now they’re lead by republicans. How can we expect for any administration initiatives to get passed? I love how ppl forget that it took us 8 years to get us in the mess we’re in yet they want him to fix it in 3, come on folks!
Yeah, the house needs new blood something fierce. And they don’t need to be Republican OR Democrat!!!!
RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!
None of this is surprising. I would be more surprised if people still liked him. He was never going to get a second term.
Obama talked hope and change when he campaigned- but he cannot back up his speeches in the White House. He is a way better campaigner than a president. His lack of experience, leadership and bargaining has made his presidency an almost disaster.
It is very inspirational to have a black president. But that is where it ends. That may be enough for most of black voters- however the independents and white voters may not be back to the poles.
I can’t believe Obama is running again. How can the unemployed blacks even afford to spend gas/bus fare to even go and vote? How can he expect people that are hungry to stand in line and waste their energy on voting for him? Unless he puts out a stimulus check before Christmas- Obama is done!
I was a Hillary supporter- but I drank the kool-aid and voted for Obama.
RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!
First off these so called black organizations know there has always been high unemployment in the Black community, and you wait until we get a bi-racial president, and then decide there is a problem. Wakeup people these politicans do not care about us, or our communities. President Obama is the President of the United States, not Black America. Has he been perfect no, and I do not agree with some of his decisions,but I understand the pressure he is under, and the Republicans stopping any progress he has tried to make. They want him out of office, and so do some minorities, but do you think a Republican is going to care about the black community, the answer is hell no! I hope there is a green party, or a independent on the ballot, or maybe I will just vote for myself.
He doesn’t seem under pressure to me! He vacations and throws star-studded parties at the White House. That is VERY insensitive to what’s going on in America. I can’t wait for him to leave. If Obama was a equivalent to a product- he would have been recalled as a defect!
@ANON I agree with you, because its at the state level that things get done, not in the White House. You have to vote on issues you care about that effect the communities you live in.
“it’s inauthentic…where have they been over these years…don’t put it all on the President” – Karen Hunter
yes ma’am, preach!
I’m disappointed at you Black Caucus, weighing down on the President like all these other fools (Republicans). SMH.
Obama could have stopped in a black community in the mid west to get a haircut, He sure did it on the campaign trail when he ran!!!!! NOW he is all brand new!!!
By the way, J. Dakar, you the man! Love your posts.
I’M SO SICK OF THIS MESS!!! I CAN NOT WAIT!!! until Obama’s presidency is over to hear the excuses & reasons as to why OBAMA and the next president, and the one after that, and after that, and so on, can’t solve the U.S. and the rest of this world problems!!
PLEASE KNOW THAT OBAMA NOR ANOTHER PRESIDENT, NOR ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH FOR THAT MATTER, CAN FIX WHAT GOD IS ALLOWING TO HAPPEN!! THIS IS PURE DIVINITY!!
But I have NOT THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT IN MY MIND, that REALLL soon people will see a clear as a single paned window!! The question is, how many people will it be too late for???
(correction) See as clear as if they were looking through a single paned window!
I agree with the congress woman, everyone seems to be loving everything Obama does. No one wants to challenge him and once they do, people are quick to defend him. Obama is all talk and hasn’t done much for the American people, especially black people.
I agree with @Antonio & @HipHop