Send Feedback

Obama State of the Union

Before the State of the Union Address, I knew that President Barack Obama was going to give a great speech, as he always does.  I knew he would remind us that he has become the black male Oprah Winfrey:  The person of color that everyone seems to love. Many black men (including myself) are not as likable as Obama, and most of us are considered far more threatening.   But the president has mastered the ability to connect to white Americans, in large part because he is 50% white himself.  I’m definitely envious, sort of.

RELATED: Obama Vows To Restore “Tested” Nation In State Of The Union

Obama focused on job creation as the centerpiece of his speech, which I would have advised him to do.  When polled on what they care about most, Americans were overwhelmingly focused on jobs and the economy.  Everything else is pretty much entertainment.  The president gave America exactly what it wanted, laying out a very serious commitment to creating jobs in 2010.

The “jobs, jobs, jobs” speech is going to pay off for Obama, since the natural rotation of the business cycle will likely cause an upturn in the economy this year.  Jobs are going to come and most economic indicators are going to rise.  With this rise in economic conditions will come a rise in President Obama’s popularity among the American people.  That does not, however, help us to escape long-term fundamental problems in America’s collective financial situation, since our economy has not created one net new job since 1999.

RELATED: VIDEO: Chris Matthews Says “I Forgot Obama Was Black For An Hour”

President Obama also attacked the banks, making it clear that he is not in the pocket of Wall Street.  Well, at least he’s not in the pockets of big bankers.   Having Tim Geithner and Lawrence Summers as his key economic advisors implies that he is likely not going to throw all of Wall Street under the bus.  Geithner and Summers have deep ties to “the street,” and may have discouraged Obama from attacking America’s financial centers.  At the same time, the president clearly stated that taxing big banks was going to be a priority.  Even Republicans gave him a standing ovation on that one.

The president also made courtesy stops on other important issues in our nation, such as National Security, Immigration, Education and Civil Rights, but the truth was that he was focused on the economy.  That’s exactly where his attention needs to be right now, since no one seems to care about anything else.  When the economy improves, so will Obama’s  fortunes.  It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

Tags: Barack Obama, Speeches
Recommend to friends!
  • BlackPlanet
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • email

News One Links

 
  • http://www.blackplanet.com/panamaniak/ panamaniak

    That’s my man Big O!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    “Did The Job”? What job?

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Jahz_Lynx1/ Jahz_Lynx1

    Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. I have no reason to believe he’ll be any more productive than last year. I didn’t bother listening to the entire speech. If I have no expectations then he should be able to handle that and I won’t be disappointed…again.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SoularFlarez/ SoularFlarez

    Obama was a LAWYER before he was president

    what do lawyers do other than talk alotta s**t until people believe them???

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/masculine31/ masculine31

    SIMPLY SAD! A COMPLETE T-TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT…I’m not surprised tho! GOD is my alpha n omega, the beginning n da end…PUT NO TRUST n MAN!!! THEY WANT SLAVES out here…THIS SHYT IS KRAZY!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SirMoonlite2/ SirMoonlite2

    I concur with “Jahz_Lynx1 and CaliFemme23″…..** note I did not vote for him, nor Sen. McCain!!**

    all I heard from him was: Bush did this, do what I say, don’t talk back, I’m your savor!!!, blah blah blah blah…..etc!!
    …..Hama Bama you need a review:
    (1) 2006 the Dems took control of Congress from the GOP!!!
    (2) Congress control the purse strings, the President just execute the movement of the government ( via Bill, sign into action or law).
    (3) Check your congressional voting record, it don’t look good, son!!
    (4) Your TARPS has not…repeat…has not spawn one DAMN NEW JOB BOYAH!!!
    (5) Your brain washing techniques only works on weak minded people (not all of us!!)…enough with the alphabet TV news groups and web based propaganda.
    (6) Go center boyah!!! fuk the leftest!!!! or the 3rd & 4th party (American Libertarians, SOL/Tea) will knock your party out the box, its starting here in Ohio already ( the GOP can’t fight them either).

    i’m done…….kirk out!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/maatra/ maatra

    Did boyce say he was envious of berry cus he is half white.
    Boyce got all kinda berry azz on his lips

    Twhat kinda change is berry gonna bring now that he has locked arms wit lil bush

    Chuck D said every brotha aint a brotha cus of color he may jus be UNDERCOVER

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliFemme23/ CaliFemme23

    maatra, “Chuck D said every brotha aint a brotha cus of color”..

    Maatra, you need to stand on top of the highest point of the US with a megaphone and HOLLER that shyt to the black community…I mean the white people already know hes not black, now all we need is for the black folks to know it too!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Nightowl358/ Nightowl358

    Please be a One Termer.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_A_/ _A_

    Yes Mr. Boyce…Obama definitely did the job last night. Problem is, he has been doing the same damn BS job for a year now. I’m done attacking Obama, he is not the problem, the problem is YOU FOOLS who fall for the same ole. First off, there is no such thing as a “natural” rotation to the business cycle. Its manipulated simply by artificially inflating bubbles (using one asset class or another, in the case most recently, it was real estate)and then when that bubble bursts (as it has to do at some point) the money supply is contracted, by the lack of easy loans and credit. This is a game the FED REserve has been playing since its inception, and this cycle is far from natural. Secondly, you can’t find one real economist who is as optimistic about a turn around THIS YEAR as you are, which leads me to wonder if your feelings are even genuine, or are you playing the same optimistic sounding, game that Obama is? Lastly, please tell me Boyce, what sector do you see this explosion of jobs taking place? This isn’t like the 50′s or 60′s when the US was the leading manufacturer and leading creditor nation in the world, that has been completely turned upside down with the emergence of global economies, primarily, the BRIC nations. I’m no expert on the economy, but I know enough to know, that not only is your article totally inaccurate, but highly reckless. Ok Casey, I know Boyce is not going to be reading this, so this is at you, can you stop exclusively printing articles from these handkerchief head negroes and at least give me a balance? Glen Ford, Thomas Sowell, Cynthia McKinney. As far as I’m concerned, these people are still status quo for the most part (aside from Glen Ford and Ms Mckinney to some degree) but they at least offer an opposing view than these ass kissing negroes you seem to be so fond of. This one sided, left leaning foolishness is played out!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Eolufemi/ Eolufemi

    Did a fine job. But that’s to be expected. Frankly, he’s not the one that needs to be explaining himself. It’d be more interesting to hear the Senate explain itself.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sexually_explicit/ sexually_explicit

    Obama is the master. Only u dumb asses cant see his technique. He’s not perfect like no one is but that dont mean he is not a master. Obama stood right there and told you what his plans were its up to you to follow up to make sure you are following the guidelines of that plan. obama is talking to us people but he cant just say it, open up your ears people or you going to get left behind see yaaaa lol.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MsTjaye/ MsTjaye

    Obama did a great job. He put everyone on blast and I think he’s going to stop trying to work with folks whose sole goal is to make him fail. If he’s going to be a one term President, he needs to do his thing and not worry about the next election.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/elusivedreams/ elusivedreams

    _A_@ (IMO) 2 your question: what sector do you see this explosion of jobs taking place? BIG GOVT payroll is growing fast, they should open Czars college courses is a sure way of finding a job later.

    I don’t believe his real concern for the people, we should be more a priority than the unions, many special interest groups, those are ones who get a tax break, exempt from everyone else who will be tax to death. the trickle down effects always going to be the people who get the shaft in the end. The companies who outsourced job overseas should get the most tax cuz they pay workers about a couple of $ per day w/ no medical or benefits (or osha safety protection). The govt should have their pay cut to help w/ the excessive national deficit….smh

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/AJyAnt1/ AJyAnt1

    MORE LIES more trick daddy talk. Poor brother even if he wanted to do everything in his power to change Americas course, hes like ALL by HIMSELF. With Brown getting the seat, they are going to block any and everything he tries to put foward. But, OBAMA is BUSH x 3. He’s not intrested in changing the country, hes more for the ELITE bankers. He is fast disregarding the constitution and setting up a police state.
    This is the greatest and last trick to fool the people of GOD(EX-Slaves) into ignoring GOD and his LAST WARNER to us and AMERICA(FARRAKHAN). OBAMA has set blacks in America back 100 years. for we were fighting for freedoms, and OBAMA made us to feel that we were forging forward, but got in and turned his back on us. His new exec oders, his pdd51 signing, H.R bills being rushed thru has the country ALL ready for MARTIAL LAW. Soon they will allow a disaster to happen inside America to force the military on the streets of America. We can no longer ride the BUSH blame waggon. this is OBAMAs thing now, and with him sending more troops, bailing out more criminals, causing more wars, we can see that he is not working for the American people he’s bought and sold, and consumed by THE DRAGON.
    PLEASE DONT FOLLOW OBAMA…He’s leading the American people to the slaughter and anyone of you who wish to join the ARMED FORCES…well…
    YOUR DEAD ALREADY…….AMERICA is not, shall, will not, and is written that she will not win another WAR. She is being broken by GOD as you read this thru.. RAIN, SNOW, HAIL, EARTHQUAKE, REVOLUTION and WAR!!!!!
    PLEASE….go and get PART 1 and 2 of “The time and what be done” by FARRAKHAN back in November. It will help us to understand where we are in scripture, where America is and whats about to go down in America, and what we as black people MUST do to survive a WICKED PLAN they have in place to absolutely destroy us(the exslave, GODS TOP CHOICE). God has come, and has declared the WHITEMANS day to rule is done. OBAMA cant save the country. GOD wont allow it because hes gonna prove he is God by destroying the MOST powerful Gov in the past 6,0000 years. America.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MR_NANASTROKER/ MR_NANASTROKER

    I thought I was the only one noticing the surgence of MORE Police and other bullshlt 2 keep ya’ll SAFE from terrorist attacks since the one on X-Mas frightened everyone…lmao…wat a sorry azz ploy that was but they did get ya’ll with that 9/11 I was like shiiit lemme see whats going on and 3 days after that shlt happened they told it all…gave Osama $300 fukin Million Dollars 2 get the Russians off the Land…paid the man 2 do they dirty work slept in his house ate the man food and ya’ll think they gone do something 2 Osama??? HAHAHAHA maaaaan please, fuk outta here with that shlt son!!

    YES I AM REPOSTING THIS as it was so eloquently stated
    elusivedreams
    1-29-2010 7:22 am_A_@ (IMO) 2 your question: what sector do you see this explosion of jobs taking place? BIG GOVT payroll is growing fast, they should open Czars college courses is a sure way of finding a job later.

    I don’t believe his real concern for the people, we should be more a priority than the unions, many special interest groups, those are ones who get a tax break, exempt from everyone else who will be tax to death. the trickle down effects always going to be the people who get the shaft in the end. The companies who outsourced job overseas should get the most tax cuz they pay workers about a couple of $ per day w/ no medical or benefits (or osha safety protection). The govt should have their pay cut to help w/ the excessive national deficit….smh
    SMMFH 2 ms lady

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/MR_NANASTROKER/ MR_NANASTROKER

    Boyce: -aka- Uncle Ruckus
    Many black men (including myself) are not as likable as Obama, and most of us are considered far more threatening. But the president has mastered the ability to connect to white Americans, in large part because he is 50% white himself. I’m definitely envious, sort of.

    Use A good Nlgger….envious huh…sort of? how about yes
    that quote further lets me know that Uncle Ruckus is as real as can be…and you hopin 4 revitiligo or whatever that disease he always have
    And additionally that statement about the Many Black Men well just speak for yourself nlgger

    Boyce -aka- Uncle Ruckus

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/_A_/ _A_

    @ElusiveDreams & NanaStroker, right on, right on. And why is it, that banks are NEVER in a recession. Constant growth no matter what. That’s because whenever you have a crash of the system, it doesn’t mean an erosion of money and wealth, just a transfer of it.

    @Sexually_Explicit. I won’t try to deny that Obama is a master. A master of deception.

    http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2010/01/28/bushs-third-term/

    Dude, lets be honest, before Obama, you probably paid very little or no attention to politics at all. I can only guess that by your silly notion that he is somehow talking to us in “code” You do realize that although he may have some input, he actually has a team of speech writers, right? Now, which one do you want me to believe? His team is in on the plan to actually save us? or has the master fooled those in his inner circle, into believing he doesn’t care about the downtrodden, but in reality he really does? wake up out of that fantasy world my brother!

    @AjyANT. Didn’t Farrakhan subtly endorse Obama? And I certainly haven’t seen or heard Farrakhan speaking to the veil of deception that Obama has cast over Blacks. Please correct me if I’m wrong Can you believe that 96% of Blacks have given Obama an approval rating? If that ain’t magician sh1t right there, I don’t know what it is!

  • http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/newsone.com/nation/boycewatkins/dr-boyce-president-obamas-state-of-the-union-address-did-the-job/ uberVU – social comments

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by blackamerica: “Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address: A Black Perspective …” http://tinyurl.com/yd3ousu Black In America…

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Mrbrmann225/ Mrbrmann225

    I really don’t see how it did the job, Obama shouldn’t even have a job, the man committed treason on Sept. 24, 2009. And there is proof, so I can say that Congress is no sharper than a ton of pillows. Obama should not be in office but there are so many people who don’t read the US Constitution, and if they did they would read Article I Section 9, where it says:

    No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

    Obama committed treason by being the chairman of the UN’s Security Council which is in direct violation of the oath he took as President of the United States, so at this point nothing that comes out his mouth is valid, contains merit, or has any authority.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/bj24681357/ bj24681357

    All that I can say is WOW, It is about time that black America woke up.

  • http://newsone.com/nation/technology-nation/samalesh/follow-friday-this-weeks-top-5-black-celebrities-to-follow-on-twitter/ The Top Five Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter | News One

    [...] OPINION: President Obama’s State Of The Union Address Did The Job [...]

  • http://ipowerrichmond.com/national/kingtutt/follow-friday-this-weeks-top-5-black-celebrities-to-follow-on-twitter/ The Top Five Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter | iPowerRichmond – Power 92.1

    [...] OPINION: President Obama’s State Of The Union Address Did The Job [...]

  • http://thelightnc.com/national/jerrysmith/follow-friday-this-weeks-top-5-black-celebrities-to-follow-on-twitter/ The Top Five Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter | TheLightNC

    [...] OPINION: President Obama’s State Of The Union Address Did The Job [...]

  • http://universalexcuses.com/follow-friday-this-week%e2%80%99s-top-5-black-celebrities-to-follow-on-twitter FOLLOW FRIDAY: This Week’s Top 5 Black Celebrities To Follow On Twitter | Entertainment News & Gossips

    [...] OPINION: President Obama’s State Of The Union Address Did The Job [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Lettenlight/ Lettenlight

    Concerning Mrbrmann225′s assertion on Obama’s legitimacy since September 24, 2009:

    Is the U.N. a king, prince, or foreign state?

    Perhaps a state–but what does it really enforce, provide, or allow for? Who are its people? what is its territory?

    The root fear is that a president will develop conflicting interests, but because we basically run the U.N., this dual-office holding is merely an overt expression of the United States’ power.

    Considering this, I think we should be comfortable with his Constitutionally-backed authority. I agree that it is suspicious to lead a country and to hold power as an official council member, but anyone concerned with the wellbeing of the United Nations and its members has more reason to be more nervous than we about having a U.S. president making decisions on world security. How can the world police itself if the police are themselves partial entities?

    This aside, continue the scrutiny, and
    stay sharp
    stay vocal
    stay classy.

blog comments powered by Disqus
?>