The Obama Paradox

[ErnestLynch]

A Pew survey in January 2010 indicated that the percentage of black Americans who thought blacks were better off than they were five years before had almost doubled since 2007. There were also significant increases in the percentages who believed the standard-of-living gap between whites and blacks was decreasing. No wonder they love the president.

There was only one trouble with these assessments. They weren't true.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/03/obama-african-americans-paradox

[Latarian Milton]

the standard of living gap was shortening between whites and blacks because whites living standards have dropped alot while niggas' remain shitty as always

[boutons_deux]

the standard of living gap was shortening between whites and blacks because whites living standards have dropped alot while niggas' remain shitty as always

Simply not true. The poor, like blacks and browns, always "share the sacrifice" (ie, get screwed) more than those above them.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Getting people to think they're better off with you as president is what it's become all about, actually doing what's best for those people is basically an afterthought. Furthermore, black Americans don't have a candidate who will make their lives better, so Obama doesn't have to do much to convince them he's the best possible choice and his skin color will get enough of them to go out and vote.

The two big things holding black Americans back is the War on Drugs and a K-12 education system that cares more about kids passing standardized tests than preparing kids for the real world. Romney isn't about to piss Big Pharma or the privatized prison industry off by killing to war on drugs, so Obama is able to support the war on drugs in order to get funding from Big Pharma and privatized prisons without losing the black vote. The Republican primary for whatever reason became about killing public education, so Obama can continue to support the lazy teachers who don't give a shit about their black students without losing the vote of the black students' parents because an ineffective public education > no public education. The only reason Obama would do what's best for black Americans in poverty is if he genuinely cared about their best interests but he cares more about getting reelected.

Even after all that, if a candidate emerged who supports killing to War on Drugs and improving public education, a large part of this country's black population is content living off of food stamps, Obamaphones, housing projects, crack, and isn't interested in progressing as a group, so it's not like they'd come out in droves supporting the candidate who believes in them becoming more than a welfare group.

[ElNono]

Getting people to think they're better off with you as president is what it's become all about, actually doing what's best for those people is basically an afterthought. Furthermore, black Americans don't have a candidate who will make their lives better, so Obama doesn't have to do much to convince them he's the best possible choice and his skin color will get enough of them to go out and vote.

The two big things holding black Americans back is the War on Drugs and a K-12 education system that cares more about kids passing standardized tests than preparing kids for the real world. Romney isn't about to piss Big Pharma or the privatized prison industry off by killing to war on drugs, so Obama is able to support the war on drugs in order to get funding from Big Pharma and privatized prisons without losing the black vote. The Republican primary for whatever reason became about killing public education, so Obama can continue to support the lazy teachers who don't give a shit about their black students without losing the vote of the black students' parents because an ineffective public education > no public education. The only reason Obama would do what's best for black Americans in poverty is if he genuinely cared about their best interests but he cares more about getting reelected.

Even after all that, if a candidate emerged who supports killing to War on Drugs and improving public education, a large part of this country's black population is content living off of food stamps, Obamaphones, housing projects, crack, and isn't interested in progressing as a group, so it's not like they'd come out in droves supporting the candidate who believes in them becoming more than a welfare group.

that's slightly racist, tbh

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

that's slightly racist, tbh
Do you disagree with it? If so, what parts tbh?

[ElNono]

Do you disagree with it? If so, what parts tbh?

Don't necessarily disagree, tbh. But I would add it's not just blacks that don't want their handouts taken away from them. See: baby boomers and Medicare...

Ultimately, hispanics are probably a much bigger demographic they should worry about instead of african americans, imo.

[boutons_deux]

Why would blacks vote for a Repug?

And why would blacks vote for Bishop in a freakish white, male-dominated cult?

"The first reference in Latter Day Saint (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latter_Day_Saint) writings describing dark skin as a curse and mark from God refers to Lamanites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamanites). The Book of Mormon, published in the late 1820s, states the following about a group of people who rebelled against God:

And [God] had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. And thus saith the Lord God; I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities." (2 Nephi 5:21 (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Book_of_Mormon/2_Nephi#5:21))
The Lamanite nation was the original nation to disobey the teachings of the prophets in the Book of Mormon, and the Nephites (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephites) were the original people to follow said teachings, though the Nephites rebel and repent throughout the book. The curse was also placed on the Lamanites' descendants "because of the traditions of their fathers", (Alma 17:15 (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Book_of_Mormon/Alma#17:15)) which would ultimately "be taken from [them] and be answered upon the heads of [their] parents" (2 Nephi 4:6 (http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Book_of_Mormon/2_Nephi#4:6))"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_people_and_early_Mormonism

[ElNono]

Plus the GOP had Herman Cain as a candidate, thus proving they embrace blacks and their votes, tbh...

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Don't necessarily disagree, tbh. But I would add it's not just blacks that don't want their handouts taken away from them. See: baby boomers and Medicare...

I couldn't agree more, I was just keeping the topic related to the OP. Everyone in America, from corporations to poor black people, want entitlements in some form.

General Motors thinks that the government should bail them out when they're about to go bankrupt and their pension fund is about to run dry. That way they don't have to worry about overfunding their pension plan when they have excess profits in the 60s and 70s which means more dividends and bonuses.

Banks expect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be there to buy any loan they don't want. That way they don't have to thoroughly screen the credit of people who borrow from them and can issue ninja loans with no concern.

Public school teachers think they should have a salary increase while still being able to leave work at 3:30 every day and without having their performance evaluated at all.

People who smoke 2-3 packs a day or drink 52 ounces of soda a day and don't have health insurance expect the government to worry about how their lung cancer or type 2 beetus treatment gets financed.

Privatized prison owners expect drug laws to ensure they get to fill their prisons with non-violent offenders when there aren't enough violent offenders to generate a profit.

Lazy people who dropped out of high school and think they don't need any further education expect the government to have no-skill labor jobs with high salaries that defy every aspect of supply and demand available for them. When illegal immigrants offer to do their job for less, they blame the illegal immigrants, rather than themselves for only being able to do a job that requires a room temperature IQ.

People who go to college with loans and chose an easy degree that doesn't lead to any job expect the government to take responsibility for their unemployment.

People who sign an adjustable rate loan without bothering to investigate what an adjustable rate loan is don't think they're responsible at all for defaulting after the rate adjusts.


Any person/group who points the finger at another person/group accusing them of wanting socialism and being against capitalism is kidding himself. Chances are the person pointing the finger feels entitled to a government handout without knowing it. The difference between America and real socialist countries is they actually have a tax code that can pay the bills and they don't have out of control defense spending. The reason America isn't a free market capitalist country is because that system leads to disaster.

[Nbadan]

Don't necessarily disagree, tbh. But I would add it's not just blacks that don't want their handouts taken away from them. See: baby boomers and Medicare...

Ultimately, hispanics are probably a much bigger demographic they should worry about instead of african americans, imo.

A lot of Hispanics are social conservatives and have bought into the idea that Democrats are all God-hating, socialists....as if Romney is gonna wave some magic wand and make abortion illegal and teaching God mandatory in schools...that's not gonna happen....but what will happen is that Romney and the GOP will raise their taxes by either eliminating or further reducing the tax deduction for things such as home mortgages and health-care....women rights will be further restricted, not on abortion, but on where and when they can take the kids they currently have to an emergency room visits or for a regular check-up...we live in a country where almost half our children live in poverty....that maybe OK in Mexico, where vagrant kids walk around begging for food on the streets or worse sell themselves to degenerates or gangs, but at least they had that chance at life, right?

[ElNono]

A lot of Hispanics are social conservatives and have bought into the idea that Democrats are all God-hating, socialists...

This sentence tells me you don't know much of anything about hispanics. You just described Cubans which are a tiny subset of hispanics.

[Nbadan]

You seriously don't think that a lot of hispanics are social conservatives? Really??

[ElNono]

You seriously don't think that a lot of hispanics are social conservatives? Really??

yeah, I'm pretty sure. Religious, sure (but not quite bible-thumpers)...

[ElNono]

Also, I would easily bet 3 in 1 have some left leaning... when you're poor, and these people largely are, "sticking it to the man" always sounds appealing...

[DJ Mbenga]

Also, I would easily bet 3 in 1 have some left leaning... when you're poor, and these people largely are, "sticking it to the man" always sounds appealing...

probably. the idea well they saw the left and want nothing to do with it isnt that much of an argument. they also saw the right's worse and ran away from it too.

[ElNono]

probably. the idea well they saw the left and want nothing to do with it isnt that much of an argument. they also saw the right's worse and ran away from it too.

Just take a sample of democratic governments in Latin America... either center left or straight left... the odd ones out are Cubans which have no democracy at all, thus the butthurt...

[MannyIsGod]

Perception can absolutely become reality.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/crime/2011/10/the_obama_effect_a_surprising_new_theory_for_the_c ontinuing_crim.html

[Clipper Nation]

Even after all that, if a candidate emerged who supports killing to War on Drugs and improving public education, a large part of this country's black population is content living off of food stamps, Obamaphones, housing projects, crack, and isn't interested in progressing as a group
There's sadly some truth to that... even sadder is that there's also the large part of our country's white population that's content living off food stamps, future generations' money, trailer parks, meth, and is interested in fake government "safety" and the moral-police act to soothe their fears of foreign brown people and homosexuals... those are the people voting for Willard...

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

There's sadly some truth to that... even sadder is that there's also the large part of our country's white population that's content living off food stamps, future generations' money, trailer parks, meth, and is interested in fake government "safety" and the moral-police act to soothe their fears of foreign brown people and homosexuals... those are the people voting for Willard...

I agree completely, but again, I was only responding to the topics in the OP. Dumb black people are to the Democratic party as dumb hicks are to the Republican party. Two groups that don't give enough of a shit to vote unless they're getting self-centered entitlements end up dictating policies in this country.

[ErnestLynch]

The best thing for Obama is to lose. Otherwise I think he get impeach in second term.

[dbestpro]

when you're poor, and these people largely are, "sticking it to the man" always sounds appealing...

This is what it is about. This is what it is always about.

[ErnestLynch]

You seriously don't think that a lot of hispanics are social conservatives? Really??

They dirty slave traders.

[boutons_deux]

This is what it is about. This is what it is always about.

No, it's the 1% Man is always about sticking it to the 99% man.

[TeyshaBlue]

I couldn't agree more, I was just keeping the topic related to the OP. Everyone in America, from corporations to poor black people, want entitlements in some form.

General Motors thinks that the government should bail them out when they're about to go bankrupt and their pension fund is about to run dry. That way they don't have to worry about overfunding their pension plan when they have excess profits in the 60s and 70s which means more dividends and bonuses.

Banks expect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be there to buy any loan they don't want. That way they don't have to thoroughly screen the credit of people who borrow from them and can issue ninja loans with no concern.

Public school teachers think they should have a salary increase while still being able to leave work at 3:30 every day and without having their performance evaluated at all.

People who smoke 2-3 packs a day or drink 52 ounces of soda a day and don't have health insurance expect the government to worry about how their lung cancer or type 2 beetus treatment gets financed.

Privatized prison owners expect drug laws to ensure they get to fill their prisons with non-violent offenders when there aren't enough violent offenders to generate a profit.

Lazy people who dropped out of high school and think they don't need any further education expect the government to have no-skill labor jobs with high salaries that defy every aspect of supply and demand available for them. When illegal immigrants offer to do their job for less, they blame the illegal immigrants, rather than themselves for only being able to do a job that requires a room temperature IQ.

People who go to college with loans and chose an easy degree that doesn't lead to any job expect the government to take responsibility for their unemployment.

People who sign an adjustable rate loan without bothering to investigate what an adjustable rate loan is don't think they're responsible at all for defaulting after the rate adjusts.


Any person/group who points the finger at another person/group accusing them of wanting socialism and being against capitalism is kidding himself. Chances are the person pointing the finger feels entitled to a government handout without knowing it. The difference between America and real socialist countries is they actually have a tax code that can pay the bills and they don't have out of control defense spending. The reason America isn't a free market capitalist country is because that system leads to disaster.

Holy shit. Word.:toast

[DarrinS]

I couldn't agree more, I was just keeping the topic related to the OP. Everyone in America, from corporations to poor black people, want entitlements in some form.

General Motors thinks that the government should bail them out when they're about to go bankrupt and their pension fund is about to run dry. That way they don't have to worry about overfunding their pension plan when they have excess profits in the 60s and 70s which means more dividends and bonuses.

Banks expect Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be there to buy any loan they don't want. That way they don't have to thoroughly screen the credit of people who borrow from them and can issue ninja loans with no concern.

Public school teachers think they should have a salary increase while still being able to leave work at 3:30 every day and without having their performance evaluated at all.

People who smoke 2-3 packs a day or drink 52 ounces of soda a day and don't have health insurance expect the government to worry about how their lung cancer or type 2 beetus treatment gets financed.

Privatized prison owners expect drug laws to ensure they get to fill their prisons with non-violent offenders when there aren't enough violent offenders to generate a profit.

Lazy people who dropped out of high school and think they don't need any further education expect the government to have no-skill labor jobs with high salaries that defy every aspect of supply and demand available for them. When illegal immigrants offer to do their job for less, they blame the illegal immigrants, rather than themselves for only being able to do a job that requires a room temperature IQ.

People who go to college with loans and chose an easy degree that doesn't lead to any job expect the government to take responsibility for their unemployment.

People who sign an adjustable rate loan without bothering to investigate what an adjustable rate loan is don't think they're responsible at all for defaulting after the rate adjusts.


Any person/group who points the finger at another person/group accusing them of wanting socialism and being against capitalism is kidding himself. Chances are the person pointing the finger feels entitled to a government handout without knowing it. The difference between America and real socialist countries is they actually have a tax code that can pay the bills and they don't have out of control defense spending. The reason America isn't a free market capitalist country is because that system leads to disaster.



Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! If you on food stamps, you sosh security, you low income, you disability…

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! If you on food stamps, you sosh security, you low income, you disability…

She managed to perpetuate every stereotype about Obama supporters. She couldn't have convinced more working class people who play by the rules to vote for Romney if she tried. Part of me thinks she was a GOP mole sent to make Obama supporters look like a welfare class that contributes nothing to society other than more offspring who will be on welfare because she did such a good job at it :lol

[Clipper Nation]

Keep Obama in president, you know? He gave us a phone! He gonna do more! If you on food stamps, you sosh security, you low income, you disability…

Works for Willard too... just replace "phone" with "gub'mint healthcare"... :lol