Extending jobless benefits is not the solution to Economic recovery

After months of contentious debate between President Barack Obama and Republican Legislators over extending unemployment benefits to the nearly 2.5 million unemployed workers who have recently exhausted their benefits, Senators voted 60-40 to approve the Bill, ending the staunchly partisan Republican filibuster which has previously resisted attempts to approve continued funding for those desperately in need of financial relief. The main reason for the opposition is that more federal borrowing will be used to pay for the benefits instead of looking to trim or eliminate redundant and ineffectual programs from the $3.7 trillion federal budget. Still, this will not help those 1.5 million Americans who have exhausted their UI after receiving payments for 99 weeks, and who do not have any other safety net. Not only that, but these checks printed by the US Treasury Department will only add to the burgeoning Federal Deficit; which is estimated to be $47, 000 for each of the over 300, 000, 000 Americans in the general population.

The thing is, receiving the government-issued checks will not necessarily stimulate the economy mainly because the money is not going towards buying big-ticket items as one would do with discretionary income from, say, an income tax rebate check. The recipients will use the money for living expenses and their basic necessities, not for frivolous spending sprees which generally drive the high-end retail and automotive markets. Displaced workers aren’t looking for a handout but a helping hand in the form of a job. Like most things, complex problems usually originate from a simpler precursor, and in this case it is one of basic economics, SUPPLY vs. DEMAND. It is counter-intuitive to extend for long periods of time giving money to a claimant who is jobless in the hope that he/she will eventually find a job among a shrinking or contracting economy. It seems more sensible and rational to approach the matter from another direction, and that is, allocating resources to promote OJT apprenticeships and give tax breaks and stimulus money to major in-demand industries who will by contractual agreement, hire and train the most disaffected workers from within any local city, county, municipality, and State level throughout the nation.

The solution is daunting, but not impossible and it will take a firm resolve, bi-partisan Congressional support as well as time; but sadly, a lot of hot air coming from both political parties and their pundits are not helpful but rather obstructionist, distracting, and counter-productive. Also, instead of President Obama focusing so much on those futuristic “GREEN JOBS,” most, if not all unemployed workers can’t wait that long for the technology to materialize and would gladly take a low-tech production, construction, or manufacturing job wearing a hard hat and steel-toed boots.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 20, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

NAACP accuses Tea Party of racist agenda

It must be difficult for the nation’s oldest Civil Rights organization to find their place in this complex, increasingly multicultural, bi-racial, ethnically and religiously diverse American society. Gone for the most part are the marathon Civil Rights marches, boycotts of buses, sit-ins at lunch counters, Jim Crow segregation Laws, bombings of Black Churches, KKK cross burnings, lynching of Black males, torrents of water spray from fire hoses, snarling teeth and bite marks from police canines, the painful sting and bloodied bruising inflicted by police Billy clubs, police roadblocks or barricades, and the “Dreamer” [MLK] was assassinated and has been laid to rest over forty years ago. It is a daunting task indeed to stay relevant in a culture when a generation of Black youth use the “N” word more frequently and just as freely as any racial bigot ever did or could have even imagined, and subsequently one of the most important issues of social justice, equality, and civil rights facing people of color today is that of “access to technology.” Indeed, Bill Gates, co-founder of MICROSOFT, said in an interview several years ago that the issue of racial, educational, and economic disparity is a matter of bridging the “Digital Gap” between those who have access to technology and those who do not [in a manner of speaking].

Since the beleaguered organization has not been in the forefront leading the charge for social change, it is not surprising that they would want to seize on some convenient opportunity to turn things around from some previous unfavorable news reporting on one of its former leaders or about misappropriation of funds, and dwindling membership as well as receiving fewer donations than in the past. Perhaps in an attempt to repair its image, leaders like NAACP President Ben Jealous are accusing the Tea Party of being a bunch of bigots, and while there are doubtless some members who are supporters of Arizona’s Immigration Law and are almost primarily concerned about White people [codeword: Patriotic Americans] losing their jobs to ‘foreigners’ and government spending for social programs that they perceive the greater amount as going towards people of color who have all these babies and are on welfare and the baby daddies won’t take care of their family responsibilities; among their other concerns.

Poster Girl for the Tea Party, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, said that she is saddened by the NAACP’s claims that they are ‘racists.’ It is unclear as to what the adoption of a resolution condemning the Tea Party’s agenda is going to achieve, except that it might have a negative impact toward the NAACP and galvanize Tea Party loyalists. One would also question the timing of this announcement, that is, whether it is politically-motivated and to what purpose or benefit does this action serve? If the NAACP want to decry the presence of ‘racists’ in the midst, start with Democrats who allegedly initially resisted the Voting Rights Act, then one could doubtless go through the ranks of the Republicans, Green Party, Libertarians, Independents, and Socialists Workers Party and discover a few working there, too. It’s really much to do about nothing and unless the Tea Party invite members of the John Birch Society, Glenn Beck, David Duke, or actor Mel [“I don’t hate Jews or Blacks, I was just drunk”] Gibson to speak at their rallies, the NAACP should focus their energies on some of the more important social issues than get caught up in this matter and and distracted from the kinds of advocacy and sounding the alarm to expose unlawful discriminatory and divisive practices and policies that the NAACP is known to fight against.


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 14, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com

Lebron James is pariah of Sports World

Lebron James, the probable heir-apparent to Basketball legend Michael “Air” Jordan, disappointed many of his fans, sportswriters, and even some national news anchors with his surprising decision to play for the Miami Heat. The GM of his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, accused Lebron of being narcissistic and selfish, but Lebron was to the city of Cleveland perhaps like what Jesus is to the town of Nazareth and to many of his hometown fans, his decision to play elsewhere is seen as an act of betrayal, much like that of Judas Iscariot. But is all of this criticism toward the NBA Superstar justified? After at least 7 seasons playing in the NBA without a Championship ring, shouldn’t he try to position himself to be on a contending team to win the NBA finals crown and ring, instead of playing another season at Cleveland out of a misplaced sense of duty or loyalty? And besides all of this, hasn’t Lebron been enough of a CASH COW to the city of Cleveland, to the tune of upwards of 100 million dollars throughout his professional basketball career?

For Miami, it is ‘Dancing in the Streets’ and in Cleveland, it is “Crying in the Streets” along with a much greatly reduced FIRESALE on Lebron James sports memorabilia. It must be remembered, however, that just because King James will join Dwayne Wade on the Heat’s roster, it doesn’t necessarily mean that this DREAM TEAM will win their Division, let alone the NBA Finals Championship. It also has to do with team chemistry and putting egos in check because it took some time for Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen of the Chicago Bulls to combine their unique talents into a nearly unbeatable dynasty. As it stands right now, Lebron James is about as popular as Tiger Woods and it will be interesting to see whether or not this story continues to capture the public’s interest, or will Lindsay Lohan’s self-destructive travails again take center-stage next on the tabloid agenda?


Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
July 14, 2010
pbks@hotmail.com