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Locked in a tough re-election battle with Mitt Romney, President Barack Obama aimed to energize his core supporters – African American voters – by delivering a rousing speech and unveiling a new executive order at the Urban League’s annual convention in New Orleans Wednesday night.
The president told the largely African American crowd of roughly 3,700 people that the executive order will seek to improve educational achievement for African Americans at all levels “so every child has greater access to a complete and competitive education from the time they’re born to the time, all through the time they get a career” the president said to cheers.
An administration official tells NBC News the order will create a new White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans that will “work across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students.”
President Obama addresses the National Urban League in New Orleans, La., on Wednesday. "If you still believe in me ... stand with me," he said.
The official added that the initiative would be housed in the Education Department, which will work with the Executive Office and other Cabinet agencies to identify practices that will improve African Americans’ achievement in schools and colleges. The administration official did not yet know how much funding the program would receive but said more information would be released Thursday when the president signs the executive order.
The president has previously received criticism from some black leaders for not doing enough to help the African American community as rates for school dropout and unemployment among African Americans continue to be higher than the national numbers.
For example, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the dropout rate for African American students ages 16 to 25 was 8 percent in 2010; by comparison, white students in that age range had a 5.1 percent dropout rate. Further, the unemployment rate for African Americans is 14.4 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 8.2 percent.
Last August, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) told a crowd of Congressional Black Caucus members in Detroit, “We want to give the president every opportunity to show what he can do and what he’s prepared to lead on. But our people are hurting and the unemployment rate is unconscionable.”
Obama has in the past responded to such criticism. In an interview on BET last September he answered a question about why he didn’t create more policies specifically targeted at African Americans: “That’s not how America works,” the president replied, “America works when all of us are pulling together and everybody is focused on making sure that every single person has opportunity.”
When asked if this latest executive order is timed to mobilize African American voters ahead of the election, one White House official said it is “one more step along a path that the president has been walking.” The official cited the fact that the president enacted the Race to the Top initiative and new flexibility on No Child Left Behind, actions aimed at improving educational opportunities for all students including minorities, according to the Official.
On Tuesday, the president admitted there was still a lot more work and asked the Urban League crowd for their continued support: “If we don’t keep fighting for better jobs and a better future, who will? That’s our challenge. We don’t quit.”
From the Romney camp, spokeswoman Tara Wall responded to the speech, saying, "As black Americans, we all take pride in Barack Obama's historic election - but unfortunately his performance as president has not matched that enthusiasm."
Exit polls show that 95 percent of African American voters supported president Obama in 2008. Analysts believe he will need them to turn out in similarly large numbers if he hopes to win key swing states such as Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina.
The president wrapped up his remarks with a familiar plea for voters to turnout in November; “I still believe in you and if you still believe in me I ask you stand with me. March with me. Fight with me and … I promise we will finish what we started, turn this economy around, seize our future and remind the world why the United States of America is the greatest nation on earth.”
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convenientliesyoubelieve likes
Fudog130's very good points !
Very Well said dog, bravo...
Vote no bho M MM MMM
Obama the racist bigot and his building of welfare states.
the new executive order will create a new White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans that will "work across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students."
order will seek to improve educational achievement for African Americans at all levels "so every child has greater access to a complete and competitive education from the time they're born to the time, all through the time they get a career" the president said
I guess all the whites and hispanics will have to keep on studying to get theirs huh?
"you didn't get that on your own, Obama gave it to you" More dependant on the government than ever (from birth to career).
So if they never get a job it's from birth to death! Obama signed a life time of welfare for African Americans. By Executive Order.
I cannot fathom why the President is aiming for the betterment of education for a specific race instead of for all the children of America ... I have to call that one for what it is and nothing less.
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Now do you folks understand exactly who you have voted as President of the U.S.? You think it's bad now, wait until he leaves the white house. He's going to act a bigger fool!! Just imagine all the contacts he has acquired world wide, all the classified information he has privy to, all the people he will be leaving in key positions. For those of you who voted for him because you truly have the same political ideology, I ain't mad at you. However, for those of you who voted for him for any other reason, shame on you! You voted for a man for the most powerful position in this country because of what: guilt, his skin color, because he is cool? Pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
STOP, President Obama, just STOP. By Executive Order you pass initiatives for Hispanics to get their votes. Then you do the same for gay and lesbians. Now, you are instituting new educational programs for African Americans, to get their votes. Do you wonder why people don't trust you President Obama? You have NO INTEGRITY. We thought we were electing a President who would lead America, who would do what was in the best interests of the USA even if not in your re-election best interests. Hopefully all of America can see that you only hand them something when you want something in return. President Obama, you don't know the meaning of the word integrity.
Just more proof that this azzhole is the president of brown America...not all America. Any white person that votes for this d!ck gets just what they deserve....the only trouble is we ALL suffer!
How about we focus on all education in this country. My poor white husband is struggling to finish his degree and not because of the academics. We have a huge debt that I often wonder if we will be able to pay off before we die. He had to wait until our kids were grown before going back to school. We can't afford to send our white children to college either. As a struggling white person I'm so sick of all the entitlement for those who are not. My family came over on the mayflower, but I believe at some point we need to focus on the future and not blame all of our problems on the past. I'm sorry for all of the terrible things our ancestors did, but I think it is time to forgive on MOVE ON!!
i,m part irishbut i,m not an irish american ane these africans americans are not from african and if you want to try and figure out obama ,,hes a black muslum from kenya
The only thing African Americans need is a better work ethic and a healthy respect for education and learning. No program in the world will help that community unless they get their head and priorities on straight as a community. What the hell good is a Presidential order when their culture looks down on blacks who try to educate themselves to get ahead?
Apparently Barack Hussein missed Bill Cosby's infamous "Pound Cake Speech".
The problem has nothing to do with not throwing enough of my tax dollars at it.
So my child will not have the same educational opportunities because her skin is not the same color as our Kenyan-In-Chief? How do I explain that to her?
It would be awesome If someone....anyone...would asked Bary that very same question. But I won't hold my breath. Because If someone did ask him that question they would be considered a racist.
Welcome to Obama's America.....wonderful place Isn't it??
Obama is a divider not a uniter ( a house divided will not stand) 1st Rule of war Divide then Conqure
Obama the racist bigot and his building of welfare states.
the new executive order will create a new White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans that will "work across Federal agencies and with partners and communities nationwide to produce a more effective continuum of education programs for African American students."
order will seek to improve educational achievement for African Americans at all levels "so every child has greater access to a complete and competitive education from the time they're born to the time, all through the time they get a career" the president said
I guess all the whites and hispanics will have to keep on studying to get theirs huh? atlease they won't be so iliterate they kill each other in the streets of Englewood.
"you didn't get that on your own, Obama gave it to you" More dependant on the government than ever (from birth to career).
So if they never get a job it's from birth to death! Obama signed a life time of welfare for African Americans. By Executive Order.
Bozo Obuma wasting more $$$$$...
this would be fine IF U R closing affirmative action and EEO programs...
otherwise is a waste of $$$$$$
which is a common thing under Obuma admin....wasting taxpayer $$$$$ by billions...
Perhaps this will be the wake up call Hispanics need to realize OBozo is not their guy. "OK you want an education, stand next to this grayscale chart to see if, oh, sorry not dark enugh, next!
It's a lot of fun to sit there when you are white, unemployed, with a wife and two children under the age of four, and you hear a potential employer say, " I would love to hire you. You are definitely the most qualified applicant, but your not black. I have to hire someone in the minority."
You find yourself thinking, the blacks were in the same school system with me. They had the chance to apply themselves in life so they could legitimately compete for the job in question. Why should they ? The government is going to make sure they get the job anyway.
This government ignorance has failed for decades. This advantage that Obama is promising the blacks is just a vote buyer. After the election the blacks will not be in the back of the bus, they'll be under it, because that's exactly where Obama's going to toss them !
Trot along blind mice, Obama is pandering a tune for you !
Why is it when a politician comes up with programs to help the African American community it is considered racist? Why do people in this country believe that every African American is lazy, has no values, morals, dignity and is on welfare? The people who use the food stamp and welfare programs the most are caucasion there are studies that have proven this for years. There are people who game the system in every ethinicity African Americans don't have the inside track on that. Why is it okay to give millionares and billionares subsidies from the government in the amount of billions of dollars but not to give any of that to struggling families to survive. By the way people subsidies are welfare for the rich. I think that bears repeating subsidies are welfare for the rich.
There is no one group of people better than the other in this country or world for that matter. There is however a difference in how society treats minorities as opposed to caucasions and that is a fact. A cold hard fact that many people don't want to acknowledge or accept which is eveident in some of the posts here. There are problems in the black community that can be changed in the home and most others that are institutionalized. That is why the civil rights movement existed in the first place. Yes President Obama has made this excutive order to shore up African American votes. As he did with the executive order to shore up the Latino vote. Somehow people seem to forget that President Obama is a politician first and foremost as they all are. He will say and do whatever he needs to in the next several months to get elected that should be no surprise.
I do agree that President Obama nor the Democratic Party has done enough to help any one minority or otherwise outside of Wall Street and the Banks. The Republican party has done even less and only cares about the Banks and Wall Street. We as Americans have to realize the propaganda we are being fed from both sides is used to appease us long enough for the politicians to continue to get corporate donations. Coporate money funds both sides of the isle if you think its one sided your sadly mistaken. I also agree with having a third party to keep the other to as honest as possible given the climate in Washington. I would even go as far to say we should write in a candidate for the November elections because I don't like either option available. President Obama had the opportunity to stop alot of the problems with the housing crash and he didn't.
He could have helped people keep from being impoverished with better programs to stave off the foreclosures and bringing the corporate and banking criminals to justice and he didn't. President Obama gave the banking industry and Wall Street an easy out while the rest of America is still suffering and getting hammered by the fraud these institutions are continuing to committ. Nothing has changed mainly because the people who created alot of these supposed foreclosure prevention and modification programs worked for the same industry that created the mess in the first place of which they are still beholden. These people are part of the Obama administration so how were these programs ever going to work. Considering the goal of people to help was 1 million while more than 45 million people are struggling as a direct result of the econmic downturn.
People its time to stand up for ourselves and hold our politicians accountable. Let's also hold these corporations accountable. Those coporations that fund campaigns that don't support the nations best interest stop buying their products. I know that is easier said than done but the only way to change the way business operates is to hit them in the pocket. All the coporations that fund politicans that promote bad policy boycott them some are big box stores and some are not. It's time to stand up for our future because if we don't America won't have one.
To answer your first question: excluding other races and preferring one ---is racist. And I am Black.
Obama is pandering for more votes. He tells all groups his great plans, but he never follows through. Obama truly is "The Great Divider".
Where's your friggin diversity, Mr. Obama? Diversity is nothing more than legalized reverse discrimination. Where are the programs, Mr. Obama, for the American Indiana, the Japanese-Americans, etc., etc. I can hardly wait til your sorry b*u*t*t is voted out!
If a major constituency of your party is the poor and downtrodden, then don't you have a vested interest in keeping them poor and downtrodden?
Just asking.
"then don't you have a vested Interest In keeping them poor and downtrodden". Absolutely...a educated and well Informed person is Barys worst enemy. But right now It's about votes....not education and family values.
The finer points can come later.
Now i will say that Obama should be addressing this program twords ALL ethnicity's in america but recent polls have shown that the black communities are suffering the most when it comes to education maybe that's why he is addressing the black communities because of their failing test scores and poor schools (no offense) i think Obama is trying to inspire more than help :/
Demo vote buying. Send better prepared children to schools.
Clear and open racism to single out one group for reward while all others are not aided at all. Racist in chief to be sure.
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE !!!!!!!!!!!!! CHILDREN ARE GETTING KILLED IN PARKS!!!!!!!! EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT IT IS NOT THE PEOPLE THAT GETS GUNS LEGALLY THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!! SO GUN CONTROL IS NOT THE ANSWER. I lived in co and i am sure some of those people probably owned guns the theater was A NO GUN ZONE!!!!!!!!!! this is not about laws this is MUCH MUCH more than that we have to do something to save ourselves (legally)
vote the racist jackass out