Interview response has President Obama taking heat
By: Lisa M. Smith
African-American News&Issues
HOUSTON- President Obama has been catching some heat lately behind comments he made during a recent Oval Office interview with Black Enterprise Magazine’s Editor in Chief Derek T. Dingle.
When he was asked about criticism regarding statements that he hasn’t done enough to help Black business owners who have suffered more than others in the recession.
His reply was, “My general view has been consistent throughout, which is that I want all businesses to succeed. I want all Americans to have opportunity. I’m not the president of Black America. I’m the president of the United States of America, but the programs that we have put in place have been directed at those folks who are least able to get financing through conventional means, who have been in the past locked out of opportunities that were available to everybody. I’ll put my track record up against anybody in terms of us putting in place broad-based programs that ultimately had a huge benefit for African-American businesses.”
The POTUS outlined his progress at the end of July when a job report was released. “The African-American community ends up being hurt during recessionary times more than the population at large. The African-American unemployment rate is still way too high. You had a credit crunch for small- and medium-sized businesses that disproportionately impacted African-American businesses. But part of what we have been able to do is to specifically focus on disadvantaged businesses, disadvantaged communities. The Small Business Administration, for example, which is a significant source of financing for minority- and women-owned businesses, has stepped into the breach by expanding their loan portfolios and cutting their fees at a time when a lot of banks and other financial institutions just pulled back. Some of the work that we did legislatively, like the New Markets Tax Credit, makes a huge difference specifically for African-American businesses.”
The biggest misconception when he took office was that Blacks would benefit more than any other race. How? Seems like most of US are simply looking at his skin color, and not at the entire picture. We have to look past that. Realistically, how can we call him the president of Black America, when there is not enough of us when it comes to voting. Face the facts, we make all types of excuses for us not to go to the polls.
One BE reader stated, “In my opinion, he responded truthfully and from his heart. He is not just a president for Black America, you all should know this fact, he is POTUS for All. I am pleased to see that the Black Chamber Of Congress along with Black owned banks are now beginning to step to the plate to help assist our businesses with loans to create jobs in our communities. Many of our people complain about President Obama not doing enough in our communities, yet, we are the first to spend our money outside of our own communities. …Black communities must take responsibility for our own employment by supporting and spending with Black owned businesses.”
Be Clear. Like it on not, the bottom line is…..he is President of this entire country, not just of Black America.
