Not only is Philadelphia ranked as the 16th most corrupt city in the Republic, it ranks 8th in the nation with the highest unemployment among African Americans. In 2010, unemployment among African Americans living in Philadelphia was 14.6% compared to 7% in 2007. The unemployment rate for African American families is also a major dichotomy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, African American adults had the highest unemployment rate in 2009 at 14.9% while Philadelphia’s overall unemployment rate was 6.7%.
From a national perspective, African American unemployment is at a staggering 16.7% compared to 9.1% nationally. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for African Americans is projected to reach 17.2 % before 2012. So why is African American unemployment consistently high in the Republic year after year and decade after decade? According to a study conducted by the U.C. Berkeley Department of Labor, it’s because there is a lack of public sector jobs available to African Americans. The study concluded that “the public sector is the most important source of employment for African Americans and a key source of high-paying jobs, specifically for African American women.”
From 2008-2010, 21.2% of African Americans workers were employed in the public sector, compared to just 16.3% of non-African American workers. Some financial experts say some of the other factors of consistently high African American unemployment include:
1. A younger workforce.
2. A smaller proportion of college-educated job candidates.
3. A higher population of citizens living in areas that have been most affected by the recession.
What is also deeply troubling is that African American unemployment has always been high in the Republic. For example, in 1933 during the Great Depression, while the general unemployment rate was 25%, unemployment among African Americans was 50%. Further, unemployment among African Americans has been in the double digits under the previous four United States Presidents:
President Reagan: 17.0%
President Bush (I): 12.0%
President Clinton: 10.0%
President Bush (II): 12.6%
Fact is, President Obama inherited a high African American unemployment rate. Thus, under his presidency, “unemployment among African Americans increased by roughly 4.1%".
The past and current presidential hopefuls have all given the same weak, flat dish-watery response that their focus is to create jobs for “every” American. However, from Carter-to-Reagan, Reagan-to-Bush I, Bush I-to-Clinton, Clinton-to-Bush II, and Bush II-to-Obama, judging solely on the high unemployment rate, African Americans appear to not fall into the category of “every” American. Instead of partisan politics and political pandering, perhaps a significant and effective amount of time should be spent on initiatives in reducing African American unemployment that stubbornly hovers year after year in the double-digits. Until then, rhetoric about creating employments opportunities for "every" American rings hollow.
"Progressive will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
"Do You Hear the Citizenry?"
You thought you were going to run over the citizenry and we were just going to take it. You thought you could just steal and the people were going to stay silent. Did you really think you were going to get off so easy?
You declared war on every middle class, working poor and poor citizen by speculating prices on gas, wheat, oil and our future--at our expense. Did you expect us to be afraid of you?
You re-ignited this declaration of war on the middle class, working poor and poor American. You wanted to rekindle the dream of your master, J.P. Morgan and his ilk. His vision which was that only a few would possess all the wealth to rule over the majority of the citizenry with an iron fist. However, contrary to your misguided arrogance, there are some citizens that know American History from the financial perspective and now those voices are being heard.
Reform Wall Street! Reform your arrogance, reform your greed, reform your apathetic behavior toward the citizenry and reform your dastardly way of doing business. Do you hear the citizenry? You should, because we are at this very moment standing on your doorsteps. If you refuse to embrace the Reformation of Finance--the people you attempted to trample up will soon be cast as the ones that will bring effective change to Wall Street.
Wall Street, do you hear us now?
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson
You declared war on every middle class, working poor and poor citizen by speculating prices on gas, wheat, oil and our future--at our expense. Did you expect us to be afraid of you?
You re-ignited this declaration of war on the middle class, working poor and poor American. You wanted to rekindle the dream of your master, J.P. Morgan and his ilk. His vision which was that only a few would possess all the wealth to rule over the majority of the citizenry with an iron fist. However, contrary to your misguided arrogance, there are some citizens that know American History from the financial perspective and now those voices are being heard.
Reform Wall Street! Reform your arrogance, reform your greed, reform your apathetic behavior toward the citizenry and reform your dastardly way of doing business. Do you hear the citizenry? You should, because we are at this very moment standing on your doorsteps. If you refuse to embrace the Reformation of Finance--the people you attempted to trample up will soon be cast as the ones that will bring effective change to Wall Street.
Wall Street, do you hear us now?
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson
Saturday, October 1, 2011
"The South is #1"
The South is # 1. Once having the lowest unemployment rate in the Republic, the South now has the highest unemployment rate at 17%. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, several Southern states, including South Carolina, whose 11.1% unemployment rate is the fourth highest in the nation, have higher unemployment rates than they did a year ago. Unemployment in the South is now higher than it is in the Northeast and the Midwest, which include Rust Belt states that were struggling before the recession took center stage.
Of the states with the 10 highest unemployment rates, six (6) are in the South. The region which once relied heavily on manufacturing and construction was dealt a significant blow by the economic downturn.
For more than 30 years, the nation's economic landscape consisted of a prospering Sun Belt and a struggling Rust Belt. However, since the recession enveloped the nation, all that has changed. Unemployment remains high across much of the Republic stubbornly holding at 9.1%.
There are more than 3,000,000 of our southern families who are unemployed and require employment to provide for their families. I'm challenging the Republican governors representing the Southern states to turn their focus on creating jobs and cease from toiling in partisan politics.
I'm challenging you to make the citizenry of the great states in the South your #1 priority. Anything less and you'll find yourself unemployed in your re-election bid.
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson
Of the states with the 10 highest unemployment rates, six (6) are in the South. The region which once relied heavily on manufacturing and construction was dealt a significant blow by the economic downturn.
For more than 30 years, the nation's economic landscape consisted of a prospering Sun Belt and a struggling Rust Belt. However, since the recession enveloped the nation, all that has changed. Unemployment remains high across much of the Republic stubbornly holding at 9.1%.
There are more than 3,000,000 of our southern families who are unemployed and require employment to provide for their families. I'm challenging the Republican governors representing the Southern states to turn their focus on creating jobs and cease from toiling in partisan politics.
I'm challenging you to make the citizenry of the great states in the South your #1 priority. Anything less and you'll find yourself unemployed in your re-election bid.
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson
Monday, September 26, 2011
"What do 'Black people' want?” is what Bill O'Reilly bellowed to guest, Dr. Lamont Hill on a segment of "The O'Reilly Factor." Well, first some facts:
• African Americans have the highest unemployment in the nation at more than 16%.
• Of the 47,000,000 Americans without medical coverage—20% are African Americans.
• 27% of African Americans are living below the poverty level.
Isn't it woefully apparent what African Americans "need"?
Not to waste too much ink on O'Reilly; he said if his taxes are raised any higher he may have to pack up and leave his show possibly the Republic. So leave! What does he expect--That millions of Americans are going to take to the streets wearing a Bill O'Reilly mask chanting "Bill Don't Go." As you can see, O’Reilly' dream of grandeur is pathetic.
If O'Reilly does in fact pay 45% in taxes as he was quoted, then the conversation that the wealthy citizenry pay their fair share of taxes doesn't apply to him and he should stay out of grown folks business. But, this is just O'Reilly attempting to make himself appear to be self-sufficient and important to the majority of the citizenry that deems Bill O’Reilly as "Mr. Irrelevant" to the greatness of the Republic.
“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson
• African Americans have the highest unemployment in the nation at more than 16%.
• Of the 47,000,000 Americans without medical coverage—20% are African Americans.
• 27% of African Americans are living below the poverty level.
Isn't it woefully apparent what African Americans "need"?
Not to waste too much ink on O'Reilly; he said if his taxes are raised any higher he may have to pack up and leave his show possibly the Republic. So leave! What does he expect--That millions of Americans are going to take to the streets wearing a Bill O'Reilly mask chanting "Bill Don't Go." As you can see, O’Reilly' dream of grandeur is pathetic.
If O'Reilly does in fact pay 45% in taxes as he was quoted, then the conversation that the wealthy citizenry pay their fair share of taxes doesn't apply to him and he should stay out of grown folks business. But, this is just O'Reilly attempting to make himself appear to be self-sufficient and important to the majority of the citizenry that deems Bill O’Reilly as "Mr. Irrelevant" to the greatness of the Republic.
“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic."
Anthony P. Johnson
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
“So Much for Job Creators”
Recent polls show President Obama’s chances for a second term will not necessarily be assured. Factoring in the debt-ceiling fight, Standard & Poor's subsequent downgrade of the nation's credit rating and even extending the Bush tax cuts for the super wealthy; the president’s approval rating has slipped under 50%. On the economy, only 19% of the citizenry think the country is headed in the right direction. However, with the aforementioned stinging data, here is a poll question that I pose to the citizenry:
"How can President Obama get meaningful legislation passed that will benefit every citizen from a group of elected officials whose allegiance belongs to 1% of the population aka, the super wealthy and no loyalty to the middle class, working poor and poor American?"
Do you really want to give the Tea/Republican Party another opportunity at destroying America? The Tea/Republican Party version of job creation is to damage the United States economy. Time and time again, the Tea/Republican Party members have shown that the party is more important than the Republic.
Not that any of you need an economics lesson, but the actual economy is based on money changing hands --I pay you, you pay the other person, etc. More tax breaks for the wealthy and putting more money in their pockets has little or no effect on the "real" economy. The economy has always blossomed when the middle class and working poor have more money. This is largely because we spend most of what we earn.
If you look at most large United States companies, there’s absolutely nothing about taxation preventing their economic growth. Apple Inc. for example, has accumulated more than $70,000,000,000 just in cash, and that’s the case for many of America’s big businesses. Record profits by big businesses in the Republic have never been higher and yet, layoffs at these companies are staggering. So much for the job creators! Small business--the backbone of America is similarly affected; only they don’t have the option of building up cash reserves. When the consumers, i.e. the working poor and middle class are not there--they simply fail.
I believe that President Obama must remain at the helm and that is why he must be re-elected in 2012, and continue moving forward despite the current economic crisis infecting the Republic. I sincerely believe that beyond this economic stupor we’ve endured since 2007 awaits an economic rainbow of prosperity. President Obama’s $447,000,000,000 job’s plan will be beneficial to the citizenry and the economy will recover. It will!
If President Obama is defeated in 2012 and replaced with Romney, Perry or Bachmann, whose track records on job creation in their states is so pathetic—they make George Bush’s 5,000,000 created jobs in his 8 years look like Bill Clinton; it will most assuredly accelerate the Republic’s demise.
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012
"How can President Obama get meaningful legislation passed that will benefit every citizen from a group of elected officials whose allegiance belongs to 1% of the population aka, the super wealthy and no loyalty to the middle class, working poor and poor American?"
Do you really want to give the Tea/Republican Party another opportunity at destroying America? The Tea/Republican Party version of job creation is to damage the United States economy. Time and time again, the Tea/Republican Party members have shown that the party is more important than the Republic.
Not that any of you need an economics lesson, but the actual economy is based on money changing hands --I pay you, you pay the other person, etc. More tax breaks for the wealthy and putting more money in their pockets has little or no effect on the "real" economy. The economy has always blossomed when the middle class and working poor have more money. This is largely because we spend most of what we earn.
If you look at most large United States companies, there’s absolutely nothing about taxation preventing their economic growth. Apple Inc. for example, has accumulated more than $70,000,000,000 just in cash, and that’s the case for many of America’s big businesses. Record profits by big businesses in the Republic have never been higher and yet, layoffs at these companies are staggering. So much for the job creators! Small business--the backbone of America is similarly affected; only they don’t have the option of building up cash reserves. When the consumers, i.e. the working poor and middle class are not there--they simply fail.
I believe that President Obama must remain at the helm and that is why he must be re-elected in 2012, and continue moving forward despite the current economic crisis infecting the Republic. I sincerely believe that beyond this economic stupor we’ve endured since 2007 awaits an economic rainbow of prosperity. President Obama’s $447,000,000,000 job’s plan will be beneficial to the citizenry and the economy will recover. It will!
If President Obama is defeated in 2012 and replaced with Romney, Perry or Bachmann, whose track records on job creation in their states is so pathetic—they make George Bush’s 5,000,000 created jobs in his 8 years look like Bill Clinton; it will most assuredly accelerate the Republic’s demise.
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012
Thursday, September 8, 2011
“Facts vs. Baseless Propaganda”
Fact: President Obama is about as responsible for the Republic's high unemployment as Rick Perry is responsible for reducing unemployment in Texas or Michelle Bachmann becoming President of the United States. The Bush Wars and Tax Cuts will account for nearly half of the Republic's public debt by 2019. Facts will always supersede baseless propaganda.
“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012
* This posting is printed in today’s Philadelphia Metro Newspaper.
“Progressives will bring balance to the Republic”
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012
* This posting is printed in today’s Philadelphia Metro Newspaper.
Friday, September 2, 2011
"Vote for the Candidate--Not the Color"
I've been told that an African American will never represent the 180th District as an elected official in any capacity.
It has been mentioned to me that the Latino community in the 180th District, which accounts for about 64% of the population, will never elect an African American against a Latino American because it would be considered an "act of betrayal."
If we continue to make an individual's ethnicity a prerequisite and the deciding factor in electing public servants, we will continue to receive the type of corrupt, incompetent and weak government the 180th District has endured for decades. Continuing to vote for Angel Cruz, the incumbent State Representative from the 180th District or Jonathan Ramos who has lost to him on two occasions based upon his being Latino is as flawed as Mitt Romney's view that a corporation is an individual or the misguided opinions that say Barack Obama is not fit to lead the Republic because of his African American heritage. This kind of thinking has held the 180th district back for far too long; we can do better.
Fact: As a resident I've witnessed very little of the legislative successes of Mr. Cruz and I'm deeply troubled by his lack of effective governing. One thing is clear however--Mr. Cruz has won re-election several times, so defeating him will not be an easy task.
Since his second straight defeat to Mr. Cruz, (2008 and 2010) Jonathan Ramos has been nonexistent in the community. He hasn't produced any plan on how to revitalize the 180th District. Mr. Ramos, as you will remember in 2010, was involved in attempting to unseat Angel Cruz by cheating. He received resources from Ms. Renee Tartaglione, a city worker which she and Mr. Ramos knew was "highly inappropriate." Tartaglione would eventually resign from her post.
In my opinion, neither Mr. Cruz or Mr. Ramos represent the needs and concerns of more than 50,000 residents composed of Puerto Ricans, Colombian Americans, Dominican Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans and African Americans residing in the 180th District. It appears that the only action plan that has been acted upon has been based on "unethical violations and arrogance".
I do believe as an African American, a resident of the 180th District and a candidate for state representative in 2012, I can win. I have a plan--a written initiative that can improve the 180th District. There those who may not agree with my "Vision" plan and "Feed the Children" bill and that is to be expected. However, there is a stark contrast between empty rhetoric and policy that will garner results.
Conversely, I issue a challenge to the incumbent, Mr. Cruz, candidate Jonathan Ramos and anyone else seeking the office of state representative for the 180th District to a series of public debates and let the residents decide which one of us is worthy to lead the community to prosperity.
I am also asking that the residents of the community in which I wish to serve carefully weigh the character, integrity & willingness to work for the people as a measure of standard when voting in the 2012 primary election for state representative. It is time we vote for an individual, not an ethnicity. I am committed to serving my community, not my own self interests.
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012
It has been mentioned to me that the Latino community in the 180th District, which accounts for about 64% of the population, will never elect an African American against a Latino American because it would be considered an "act of betrayal."
If we continue to make an individual's ethnicity a prerequisite and the deciding factor in electing public servants, we will continue to receive the type of corrupt, incompetent and weak government the 180th District has endured for decades. Continuing to vote for Angel Cruz, the incumbent State Representative from the 180th District or Jonathan Ramos who has lost to him on two occasions based upon his being Latino is as flawed as Mitt Romney's view that a corporation is an individual or the misguided opinions that say Barack Obama is not fit to lead the Republic because of his African American heritage. This kind of thinking has held the 180th district back for far too long; we can do better.
Fact: As a resident I've witnessed very little of the legislative successes of Mr. Cruz and I'm deeply troubled by his lack of effective governing. One thing is clear however--Mr. Cruz has won re-election several times, so defeating him will not be an easy task.
Since his second straight defeat to Mr. Cruz, (2008 and 2010) Jonathan Ramos has been nonexistent in the community. He hasn't produced any plan on how to revitalize the 180th District. Mr. Ramos, as you will remember in 2010, was involved in attempting to unseat Angel Cruz by cheating. He received resources from Ms. Renee Tartaglione, a city worker which she and Mr. Ramos knew was "highly inappropriate." Tartaglione would eventually resign from her post.
In my opinion, neither Mr. Cruz or Mr. Ramos represent the needs and concerns of more than 50,000 residents composed of Puerto Ricans, Colombian Americans, Dominican Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Caucasian Americans and African Americans residing in the 180th District. It appears that the only action plan that has been acted upon has been based on "unethical violations and arrogance".
I do believe as an African American, a resident of the 180th District and a candidate for state representative in 2012, I can win. I have a plan--a written initiative that can improve the 180th District. There those who may not agree with my "Vision" plan and "Feed the Children" bill and that is to be expected. However, there is a stark contrast between empty rhetoric and policy that will garner results.
Conversely, I issue a challenge to the incumbent, Mr. Cruz, candidate Jonathan Ramos and anyone else seeking the office of state representative for the 180th District to a series of public debates and let the residents decide which one of us is worthy to lead the community to prosperity.
I am also asking that the residents of the community in which I wish to serve carefully weigh the character, integrity & willingness to work for the people as a measure of standard when voting in the 2012 primary election for state representative. It is time we vote for an individual, not an ethnicity. I am committed to serving my community, not my own self interests.
"Progressives will bring balance to the Republic"
Anthony P. Johnson, Candidate for State Representative 180th District, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
