Putting Blacks and Welfare into a Proper Context

Well there you have it. Two top GOP Presidential hopefuls candidates have now breathed more life into the old “lazy blacks on welfare” meme. However, what Mr. Gingrich, Mr. Santorum and many of those that support this mindset fail to understand, is that this needs to be put into its proper contexts. First, it needs to be understood that statistically speaking, blacks are not the face of welfare. Secondly, the disproportional number of blacks who receive welfare are directly related to the disproportional number of blacks whom are living in poverty and unemployed, Finally, it must also be placed within the context of American history. All three of these things are needed in any discussion of blacks and government assistance.

First of all lets talk about food stamps. According to the most recently released data on food stamps, more than 44.7 Million people received food stamps in 2011( http://www.fns.usda.gov/pd/34SNAPmonthly.htm) . Well this should be a no-brainer because according to the last US Census data there are only 38 Million total black people in the United States or 12% of the entire US population. Herein lies the rub, though blacks are only 12% of the population, black households make up 1/3 of all food stamp participants. However, whites account for another 31% and Latinos account for another 28%. There is no dancing around this, this is unacceptable. Still three guys walked into a bar and robbed it. Though one suspect was black, one was white and the other was latino, the victim singles out the black guy. That is the issue. If there is a face to be put of food stamp recipients why is it a black one? Especially if more than 2/3 of all food stamp recipients aren’t black.

Secondly, before we can talk about the disproportionate number of blacks on welfare, lets talk about the disproportional number of blacks living in poverty. According to a separate data, more that 46 Million Americans live below the poverty line. Now, lets not get this confused, not every American who lives below the poverty line receives food stamps, nor does every person who receives food stamps lives below the poverty line. There are those among the working poor who are presently unable to ‘make the ends meet’ consistently. However, among the 46 Million people who are living in poverty, 11 Million or 27.4% are black. Of the 11 Million blacks that live below the poverty line, 51% live twice below the poverty line or earn less than $10,000 in annual income. Therefore, poor blacks are disproportionately the poorest of the poor.

Also statistically speaking according to the same census data, a majority of blacks live in metropolitan areas and do have jobs but, we earn less. The average income for blacks is lower than it is for other races who work in the same industries. if blacks are to be the face of anything we are the face of the working poor. Statistically speaking that face would be a female head of household with children, not the welfare queen dreamed up by Roger Ailes and Ronald Reagan.

Speaking of employment lets look at black unemployment. Black are unemployed at close to twice the national average. Gingrich and Santorum saying that blacks should demand jobs, is only half the picture. Most of the blacks who are unemployed, were employed at some time ago. However, when America recovered and when other races went back to work, many well qualified blacks were left in the unemployment line. Some headed back to school others sought underemployment. While there are multiple reasons for this, the most obvious one is the skills gap. Blacks don’t need more ‘jobs’ we need careers and small business loans. Those things require education resources, new skills acquisition and better lending practices. However all black hear from these candidates are cutting funds for education, no mention of funds for retraining the unemployed and tighter small business lending requirements.

Finally, lets look back a history. Right wingers speak out of both sides of their mouth when they say things such as never forget the Holocaust or never forget 9/11 but they want blacks to “GET OVER” slavery. Sorry but the plight of blacks in America begins there, deal with it. Slavery began in Jamestown, VA in 1619 and (technically) ended in 1862. So for more than 243 years, blacks were treated like wild animals. From 1862 to the Civil Rights act of 1964. Blacks had less basic rights than other Americans. That’s another 102 years. So for 343 years in American blacks have been LEGALLY treated as less than by the federal government. But some would make it seem that 47 years of being legally regarded as equals is enough time for blacks to “GET OVER” the psychological effects of systematic poverty. Some have but many have not. Many blacks are still in the ‘first generation’ stage. That is, some blacks are still experiencing ‘the first black in my family to go to college’, ‘the first child that wasn’t born into poverty’, ‘the first in my family that earned more that $50,000 per year’, ‘the first in my family to buy a house’, etc. However, this does not extend to the vast majority of us. There is still a vast number of blacks who have never even had their bank account.

With these and many other things in mind, blacks are simply playing the cards that they are dealt. None of them are a ‘race card’. While the facts above can be manipulated to say almost anything but the REAL TRUTH is, Blacks were given a bad hand in America. The disproportionate number of blacks on welfare and/ or receiving food stamps is simply due to the unfortunate set of circumstances that blacks have had to (and continue) to deal with that NO OTHER RACE has ever had to.

Therefore, until you put these statements in their proper context, SHUT UP.

 

While I agree with the majority of your post I disagree with your statement about the race card, as it is greatly overused by some blacks and the democrats that use them to further their agenda, because of this racism is now seen as a joke by many and a crutch for the remainder. Slavery should never be forgotten and the people calling for blacks to just forget about it are idiots, plain and simple, but many have been discriminated against and have risen to new highs to break through said discrimination. You can not constantly live in the past and use that as an excuse as to poor performance. Look at all the people that come from nothing and make millions through hard work and determination.
And what of Hispanics, they are testing at the lowest levels and have never been dealt a bad hand in America.
And what of Asians, they are testing at the highest levels and have never been dealt a good hand in America.

As a black person, how do you feel these issues should be addressed?
Please keep in mind that entitlements have a tenacity to breed complacency and an attitude that they should be taken care of instead of seeking meaningful employment and education. (This statement applies to people of all races)

I believe that the answer is to revamp our educational system into charter schools along with getting parents involved in the future of their child. Many of the statistics behind these types of schools have shown they bring out the true potential in most under-served minorities in our failing education system, and unlike what the democrats keep screaming minorities are not stupid; they learn differently but constantly test as high as Caucasians and Asians when placed in charter schools.

Also we need to stop paying people to sit at home and have babies as this just produces a class of people that are dependent on welfare and social programs. It is really a horrible cycle when you really look at it but blindly throwing money through entitlements and AA type programs will do nothing but degrade this even further.

And remember, both sides are corrupt; politicians do not care about you, they do not care about me, they only care about their fat pensions and power.

 

I agree ... but my point is always this ... I am self made and I think everyone should be. But everyone doesn't have the same "advantages". Yes I know life isn't fare ... but eyes should be open at the same time.

 

Racist will spin their stories and excuse but histories have quite an accurate picture on the underlying psychology of a racist. The same guy will complain about "blacks on welfare" were also the fierce proponent of strong unions, against foreigners "stealing their jobs" for offering the same service at a third of the course. Some of the lower echelon of the society will always disfavour meritocracy and religiously demand the subjugation of minorities below them to make themselves feel superior. Mr Racist loves hearing this comforting line-You might not be earning big bucks, but guess what, at least you are in the 70%, the ethnic majority, congratulation, you are eligible entry into public facilities that were banned in the past! You are at least, despite the lack of class prestige and material comfort, a "respected member" recognised by the law!

Historians were somehow inaccurate that our social safety net began after New Deal. Our earliest social safety net began in the South. It didn't come in the forms of dollars but come in the form of "elevated social status" to compensate the negative feelings from economic deprivation. It isn't funded by the rich but by the minorities whose constitutional rights were denied. Racists in the past might not know how to read, what they knew how to let the Southern democrats know that they "were the 90%!".

 

The real problem is that people from all sides of the argument fail to define what constitutes "welfare". Why, for example, do people limit the definition to food stamps and relief checks? Is there is a chance that this is done purposefully so that other forms of welfare are not criticized on a daily basis?

Well, let's see if this problem cannot be corrected. I propose that we include within the definition of welfare the following examples:

abatements

corporate subsidies

incentives

inducements (esp for creating jobs overseas)

oil depletion allowances (esp for nonproductive wells)

oil subsidies

publicly financed pro sports stadiums

tax exemptions for mega churches

tax preference items

three martini lunches


How many Black beneficiaries of these welfare giveaways can you identify?



Years ago I worked for a corporation as a bookkeeper. The executives "hired" their sons for no-shows jobs and deducted the tuition costs for the Columbia University Business School on the corporate tax return every year. And no, the company was not owned by Blacks.

Now, when you consider all these other forms of welfare, when you consider the three martini lunch as a form of corporate food stamp benefit, when you consider that it is the American taxpayer who finances all this as the rich benefit and count their money all day long, then who are the real beneficiaries of welfare in the USA ~ Black or White???

 

What happened to the discussion?

 

I think they couldn’t handle the truth …

 

Why is the USA taking in so many more immigrant laborers when there are already so many unemployed blacks on welfare in the country?
Immigration will just mean lower wages in the low level positions, and more poverty and unemployment, whether it is the immigrants themselves, or the black youth that lose a chance at meaningful employment to the new arrivals. The recent rise of black crime can be directly attributed to hispanic immigration, but the "Obama effect" is likely currently masking the true extent of the problem. Do not be surprised to see violent crime rates spike as soon as Obama's term expires.

 

Remove all those forms of corporate welfare going back 30 to 40 years and there would be no Federal deficit at all. This is what the right wing whiners should be talking about but they lack the honesty to do so. And that's the TRUTH!

The TRUTH shall set you free!

 

Hispanic immigration increased under Republicans Reagan and Bush II, not under Obama. Reagan granted amnesty to illegals in his time - Bush tried to do the same but was stopped by conservatives of both parties in Congress.

 

It is very sad how in this society people are only willing to discuss welfare so long as the subject is Blacks and welfare. The Truth is that the vast majority of welfare recipients in this country are White as my earlier post confirms. If you were to take a large barrel as symbol, the amount of welfare given to Blacks is no more than a small tea cup in a sea of welfare. The vast majority of those dollars are given to Whites whether it be in "entitlement" programs and especially in corporate welfare. The fact that so many right wingers fail to acknowledge it, even though it has been conclusively proven over and over again shows their narrow mindedness and predisposition to harbor unsupportable stereotypes. It is to their ever lasting shame that they cannot be honest enough to admit this Truth.

 

For some reason, Page 2 of this thread is not appearing on my PC. Anyone know why??

 

I read through your answer rather quickly, I agree that the answer is multi layered.......that's four the information and your opinon

 

I think the proper context is to say Americans on Welfare rather than attach a color to it. But I understand and by-in-large agree with your argument OP. I was born at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. And in my life I have watched the steady decline of racism in America. We have a minority President and I honestly thought I would never see that in my life time. With that said, racism may not be out in the open like it was in the 60's, but it still exists just underneath the surface of society. Will racism ever be defeated? I doubt it, because it is based upon ignorance, and so long as there are people in this world, there will be ignorance.

 

The Black middle class is shrinking. What impact will that have on race relations?

 

I would imagine there would be less race riots inside our federal prisons.

 

As a professional on the topic of welfare, allow me to offer my input.

Welfare is for the oppressed, and the black man is oppressed by the white man. So the republicans are racists when they demonize welfare recepients.

Secondly, about the race card, its the same as the homosexual card, the woman card, or any other card that benefits anyone except the privileged white male. So they should respect it, or face the wrath of the democratic administration.

 

I like how you qualify yourself as a professional on the topic of welfare, then you immediately shoot down your own argument with a biased opinion. Welfare is for the oppressed? I have been on welfare because I am disabled. There are many reasons people are on welfare.

"So they should respect it, or face the wrath of the democratic administration." Come on really? You make Obama sound like Stalin... bend to my will or I will crush you! Obama represents America, not just the DNC. What you are referring to here is fear not respect.

 

Huh? Your original post states 33% percent of recipients are black and 31% white. That isn't a "vast majority" of whites. It's less whites.

And then adjust that for the fact blacks are 13% of the population.

Jared Taylor

 

Alot of people abuse the welfare rolls by claiming disability, but it doesn't have to be that way, welfare should be seen as reparations for past injustices.

Many people, not just black, are oppressed due to many reasons, and should be able to get welfare without a disability.

 

Welfare needs to be cut down. A lot of people, white and black, aren't suffering from "oppression" and "past injustices". They are just thick. These people shouldn't reproduce at the taxpayer expense. People who really need help should get it of course.

 

Welfare is how we unite whites and blacks, if we can make whites join blacks on welfare, there will be no divisive policies anymore. That is our plan, marxist socialism believes in cultural diversity, and welfare is a key to mixing the races.

 

I'm literally staring in disbelief at what you are writing.
You suggest that welfare should be used as a tool to "mix the races"? Let me guess, only in white nations?
Go "mix the races" in Pakistan or China and let us know how that goes. Or arrange for your next of kin to do it.
Welfare should be used to support incompetent Africans while they impregnate the whites that are paying for it in their own homeland?
What kind of person could be this sick?

There is so much fail in this sentence I don't know where to begin. Firstly you have no evidence culture is independent of race and genetics. Secondly, exactly what aspects of African or Pakistani culture should whites and only whites be expected to adopt, and why? Thirdly, since you believe culture is interchangeable, why do races need to mix to adopt the "new cultures"?

Is the real reason that you just hate white Christian civilization?

 

wow, that was profound. Did ya stay up all night figuring out that welfare recipients are unemployed and poor ?

 

Though many associate blacks and welfare even though most on welfare are white, it is because a disproportionate number of blacks are on welfare compared to the general population.

Government can encourage what needs to be done with tax breaks and discourage things with taxes. Corporations get tax breaks which often has a general benefit of sponsoring business that brings jobs. This often happens in States.

The problem with welfare is that it is a self perpetuating program that locks many into a cycle of welfare. That is why the welfare to work program is important because using the same logic, government is encouraging people to stay poor without it.