FowardPolitic.comFowardPolitic.comForwardPolitic.com is a political blog focusing on issues impacting African-Americans. That said, the blog holds great universality due to the author's experience as a former Congressional aide. The articles are both searching and critical. Articles
A Different Perspective
2008-02-07 04:42:00 In the midst of Super Bowl Sunday and Super Duper Tuesday, it?s tempting to write about both. However, in that the writing begins before the final results are in, I?ll have to resist. Instead, I will write about a couple of projects I have worked on over the last 30 days or so. I choose these topics for forwardpolitic.com because of the projects? community significance: A historic black town, and a local investment in small businesses. I recently learned about a place called Brooklyn, Illinois. Brooklyn is located about 3 miles west of St. Louis, and next door to East St. Louis. The town boasts an official population nearing 700 and has the distinction of being this country?s oldest incorporated African-American town. Brooklyn was incorporated in 1873. As I talk to colleagues and friends about Brooklyn, both inside and outside of Illinois, all are surprised to learn that in our State we have the oldest incorporated Black town. Brooklyn?s incorporation in 1873 is signific... More About: Perspective
There?s Always Hope
2008-01-31 03:20:00 Last week ForwardPolitic.com addressed the $150 billion stimulus package proposed by the White House and leaders of Congress. Initial market reactions suggest that the move, combined with actions of the Federal Reserve, has stabilized Wall Street, for now. Many observers believe the proposed package may be too little too late. Time will tell. On Tuesday, the House passed the $150 billion proposal, and today the Federal Reserve will conclude a two day meeting. ForwardPolitic will have already published before any announcement regarding another rate cut. While I can support the concept of stimulating the economy, and fully support relief for families and individuals wrongfully caught in the housing crisis, I have only one request: Can we get a long term stimulus package for our low-income and underserved communities? The stimulus package passed Tuesday is a mix of spend and invest. Individuals and families will get money to spend, and businesses will get money and incentive... More About: Hope
I Want A Stimulus Package
2008-01-24 06:32:00 The topic of using economic policy to stimulate growth is not new to ForwardPolitic.com. It is an issue discussed often. This will not be an ?I said it before and I?ll say it again,? article, but instead, ?this is how they do it.? Over the past several weeks, economic markets have suffered as a result of the housing downturn. Banks are being acquired; CEO?s getting fired; the DOW is spiraling; world markets are tumbling, and there are serious concerns regarding a recession. To prevent the recession, and to infuse capital into the markets, the President, Congress, and the Feds are moving swiftly to enact a stimulus package. When the economy is bad, ?this is how they do it.? Economies in underserved and distressed communities have been in recession for decades, and there has not been a reaction anywhere near what we are presently seeing. This, I believe, is for two reasons: (1) Economies in distressed communities are not perceived as significant enough to impact national a... More About: Package
Of Kings
2008-01-16 04:31:00 Today is Dr. Martin Luther King?s birthday. I am writing the article on Tuesday, January 15. While conducting some work for a client, I had the opportunity to go to the website of a local Chicago radio station, v103.com. As you go to the site, the Home Page heading provides a tribute to Dr. King. The site flashes several of the Civil Rights leader?s quotes, all of which are striking. Dr. King would be 79 today. I cannot help but share a small tribute of my own. My mother tells the story of wanting to attend the March on Washington but not being able because my oldest sister, a baby at the time, was in the hospital. I think I understand the call my mother felt then to engage in a cause she knew must be fought. My mother I believe, growing up on Chicago?s West Side, knew she wanted her children to have every opportunity in the world, as afforded to Whites. I will not attempt to fully express or interpret Dr. King?s vision for African-Americans. Much has been written on ... More About: Kings
It?s The Economy
2008-01-10 05:29:00 Over the last few months FowardPolitic has focused greatly on the need for our communities to adopt a different policy for improving our markets and economies. As a result, I have had a few conversations with colleagues. The discussions have been informative, usually ending in concurrence. That said, the conversations almost always ended with, ?yes, but who, what, and how?? Some have said the people are not ready. Who? The ?Who? is us. Those of us who talk about making a change, those of us who vote, those of us who are elected, those of us who work for those who are elected, and those of us who don?t vote. The ?What? is certainly not what we have been doing, in that we know the result. The ?What? I believe, at least in part, is identifying economic policies that grow our communities out of poverty. The ?What? can no longer be a sole or primary focus on comforting poverty. Instead of only passing legislation that provides new rental housing for low-income families, we... More About: Economy
What Models?
2008-01-02 22:16:00 I can?t take credit for the title this week in that it comes from a comment a colleague sent me following his reading of ?The Irony of Public Housing Reform.? At first I referred him back to some of the previous articles, but the questions remained. In the past, ForwardPolitic has focused on market based solutions to secure the economic future of the African-American community. The discussion has had two purposes, the first is to make the subject matter of economics and related solutions part of our public discourse. The second purpose is to make economic solutions part of our policy making. The comments from my colleague, and others, suggest that at least the first purpose is beginning to be fulfilled. We must now also begin to have these discussions with our policy makers. To that end, let?s begin where we left off last week. In response to the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt and the Congress created a number of programs, the purpose of which was to create jobs, sti... More About: Models
The Irony of Public Housing Reform
2007-12-26 07:00:00 Seeing the protest in New Orleans this last week brought back to mind the curious irony found in public housing reform. New Orleans, like many urban centers, under the direction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is in the process of removing a large number of its public housing units. The structures will be replaced with acres of attached and detached single-family homes and condos. Upon completion, residents may be provided an opportunity to return. Vouchers are supplied to assist in finding replacement housing, and when the new construction is completed, former public housing residents can apply for re-entry. The new units are usually a part of a mixed income development, much of which is affordable for-sale housing. When mixed-income for-sale housing replaces public housing, new commercial development begins to flourish. This in turn leads to additional single-family housing development, and then additional commercial development. After a short peri... More About: Public , Reform , Irony
Let Them Have Cash
2007-12-20 04:19:00 In a recent interview on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, stated that a better answer to the present housing crisis is for the federal government to infuse cash. According to Greenspan, it?s not such a good idea to tinker with existing mortgage contracts, in that doing so could have a more negative effect on the market over time. The thinking is that if individuals or institutions cannot depend on the timely return of their security investment due to government intervention, the practice of such intervention could have a chilling effect on making dollars available. In short, investors would lose money on what were relatively guaranteed returns. Those who are involved in African-American politics, policy, and community development should view closely what is currently occurring at the national domestic policy level. We should view current domestic economic policy closely because it gives us a rare look at how our gover... More About: Cash
Market Solutions for Economic Problems
2007-12-13 04:17:00 Did anyone catch what just happened in the world economy last week? The federal government stepped in and applied a market solution to an economic problem. In the last four to five years, the nation?s housing market was blazing. Home values were up, and interest rates were down. People who couldn?t own homes became homeowners; many individuals refinanced, and others bought more home than they could afford. The boom has now gone bust, and the world markets are impacted. One of the reasons why you see such federal intervention in the ?free market? is because there are billions of dollars from around the world invested in subprime loans of Americans. In short, the U.S. housing market could greatly upset world economic markets. Mortgage subprime loans are those with interest rates above a present market rate. Several factors may determine whether a borrower receives a subprime mortgage. One factor may be the home buyer?s credit score. Another factor may be based on the borr... More About: Market , Problems , Economic , Solutions
Market Solutions for Economic Problems
2007-12-13 04:17:00 Did anyone catch what just happened in the world economy last week? The federal government stepped in and applied a market solution to an economic problem. In the last four to five years, the nation?s housing market was blazing. Home values were up, and interest rates were down. People who couldn?t own homes became homeowners; many individuals refinanced, and others bought more home than they could afford. The boom has now gone bust, and the world markets are impacted. One of the reasons why you see such federal intervention in the ?free market? is because there are billions of dollars from around the world invested in subprime loans of Americans. In short, the U.S. housing market could greatly upset world economic markets. Mortgage subprime loans are those with interest rates above a present market rate. Several factors may determine whether a borrower receives a subprime mortgage. One factor may be the home buyer?s credit score. Another factor may be based on the borr... More About: Market , Problems , Economic , Solutions
Wanted: Policy Advisors
2007-12-06 03:59:00 The other day, while working on my business, I had an opportunity to speak with a colleague. As often happens, once we completed the business side of our discussion, we began to talk about other things that matter--- politics. The topic was not new to either of us. In fact, it was a conversation I have had with a number of individuals my age or younger: Politics and its relevance. Specifically, we were discussing economic policy and what is necessary to build wealth in the African-American and Latino communities. My colleague remarked, ?yeah we get it, but do our elected officials?? The concern, as I have heard voiced, is that our communities are running out of time. The discussion usually ends with the conclusion that someone should run for office. When I have these discussions, they are often with colleagues who have attended college, or graduate school. That said, I fully understand why I think the way I do. I firmly believe that our communities must make the mar... More About: Policy , Wanted
Wanted: Policy Advisors
2007-12-06 03:59:00 The other day, while working on my business, I had an opportunity to speak with a colleague. As often happens, once we completed the business side of our discussion, we began to talk about other things that matter--- politics. The topic was not new to either of us. In fact, it was a conversation I have had with a number of individuals my age or younger: Politics and its relevance. Specifically, we were discussing economic policy and what is necessary to build wealth in the African-American and Latino communities. My colleague remarked, ?yeah we get it, but do our elected officials?? The concern, as I have heard voiced, is that our communities are running out of time. The discussion usually ends with the conclusion that someone should run for office. When I have these discussions, they are often with colleagues who have attended college, or graduate school. That said, I fully understand why I think the way I do. I firmly believe that our communities must make the mar... More About: Policy , Wanted
Making Up The Difference (Part 4 of 4)
2007-11-29 02:33:00 This week?s article, the fourth and final installment of the series, will not examine the Chicago numbers. The data is clear from Part s 1-3 that investment dollars are available. That said, instead of stating the point for the fourth time, I hope to focus on something else as ForwardPolitic.com closes out this series. The ?something else? of which I speak is that of ?Can we do it?? Can we effectively retool our lottery investments into effective investments for our communities? Curiously, my research began with a look at Chicago lottery figures from previous years. When I saw the numbers, I was encouraged, although the data was not much different from what has been examined over the last few weeks. I was encouraged because the numbers provided insight into available financial resources to spur economic development in the African-American community. After later seeing the numbers from the District of Columbia, St. Louis, and then Detroit, I was encouraged still. My encou... More About: Difference , Diff
Making Up The Difference (Part 4 of 4)
2007-11-29 02:33:00 This week?s article, the fourth and final installment of the series, will not examine the Chicago numbers. The data is clear from Part s 1-3 that investment dollars are available. That said, instead of stating the point for the fourth time, I hope to focus on something else as ForwardPolitic.com closes out this series. The ?something else? of which I speak is that of ?Can we do it?? Can we effectively retool our lottery investments into effective investments for our communities? Curiously, my research began with a look at Chicago lottery figures from previous years. When I saw the numbers, I was encouraged, although the data was not much different from what has been examined over the last few weeks. I was encouraged because the numbers provided insight into available financial resources to spur economic development in the African-American community. After later seeing the numbers from the District of Columbia, St. Louis, and then Detroit, I was encouraged still. My encou... More About: Difference , Diff
Money Market (Part 3 of 4)
2007-11-21 07:20:00 Detroit provides the strongest argument yet for retooling investment dollars in predominantly African-American communities. It is curious, that in a week in which the city is identified as the most dangerous place to live, forwardpolitic.com discovers that in the last year, black Detroit invested over $270 million in the Michigan State Lottery. The amounts represent additional evidence of the dollars available in our communities and the strength these dollars represent in terms of potential community investments. Detroit is represented by thirty zip codes, three of which are not necessarily indicative of residential Detroit, such as the metropolitan airport and the Renaissance Center. The Detroit analysis focuses primarily on the remaining twenty-seven zip codes. Specifically, the analysis looks at those zip codes with populations 80% or more African-American. Detroit is over 82% African-American. Lottery purchases in areas that are 90% or more African-American make up t... More About: Money , Market , Money Market , Part , Part 3
Money Market
2007-11-21 07:20:00 Detroit provides the strongest argument yet for retooling investment dollars in predominantly African-American communities. It is curious, that in a week in which the city is identified as the most dangerous place to live, forwardpolitic.com discovers that in the last year, black Detroit invested over $270 million in the Michigan State Lottery. The amounts represent additional evidence of the dollars available in our communities and the strength these dollars represent in terms of potential community investments. Detroit is represented by thirty zip codes, three of which are not necessarily indicative of residential Detroit, such as the metropolitan airport and the Renaissance Center. The Detroit analysis focuses primarily on the remaining twenty-seven zip codes. Specifically, the analysis looks at those zip codes with populations 80% or more African-American. Detroit is over 82% African-American. Lottery purchases in areas that are 90% or more African-American make up t... More About: Money , Market , Money Market
A Community Reinvestment Act
2007-11-15 05:25:00 Over the last two weeks ForwardPolitic.com has focused on the issue of investing in the African-American community. If in your reading you thought the discussion was about the lottery, reconsider. The focus of the previous articles, as well as the two that will follow after this week, is to identify existing resources and dollars that are present now in our communities to be used for family, capital, and economic development. By economic measurement, many of our urban communities are in what economists would term a recession (some of us might conclude a depression). The Oxford Dictionary of Economics defines recession as: A situation when demand is sluggish, real output is not rising and unemployment is increasing. A recession is usually identified when real gross domestic product (GDP) falls for two successive quarters. It is not as severe as a depression. Instead of GDP we can think in terms of Gross Community Product or GCP. A number of our neighborhoods for years have ... More About: Unit
A Community Reinvestment Act
2007-11-15 05:25:00 Over the last two weeks ForwardPolitic.com has focused on the issue of investing in the African-American community. If in your reading you thought the discussion was about the lottery, reconsider. The focus of the previous articles, as well as the two that will follow after this week, is to identify existing resources and dollars that are present now in our communities to be used for family, capital, and economic development. By economic measurement, many of our urban communities are in what economists would term a recession (some of us might conclude a depression). The Oxford Dictionary of Economics defines recession as: A situation when demand is sluggish, real output is not rising and unemployment is increasing. A recession is usually identified when real gross domestic product (GDP) falls for two successive quarters. It is not as severe as a depression. Instead of GDP we can think in terms of Gross Community Product or GCP. A number of our neighborhoods for years have ... More About: Unit
No Return On The Investment
2007-11-07 07:00:00 In analyzing African-American lottery expenditures in St. Louis, Missouri, the research revealed some interesting phenomena. The numbers cover the State?s fiscal period of 7/1/06 to 6/30/07. It was first curious to discover the small total dollar amount in St. Louis lottery sales. It was good to find that two of the four largest areas in sales had under 25% of African-Americans in population. It was also instructive to see that the lowest income communities by zip code evidenced some of the highest numbers in sales when factoring in population totals. That said, like the District of Columbia, the St. Louis lottery numbers provide guidance as to where African-Americans can look when identifying available dollars for investment in the African-American community. It is not a stretch to define state lottery systems as investments; in fact, that?s exactly what they are. States set up lottery industries for the purpose of building their treasuries to fund identified programs and ... More About: Investment , Return
Winning The Lottery (A Four Part Series)
2007-10-31 11:09:00 After almost 8 years of economic policy development in one of Chicago?s ?low-income? communities, I find it interesting to hear people discuss the concept of our communities being ?low-income.? It is further enlightening when others speak of the dollars not available as the cause of the community?s economic failure. The concepts are interesting and enlightening because for-profit industry designed to service the ?low-income? somehow manage to reap large profits in communities where there is allegedly little money. Curiously, the industries that do well in the less monied neighborhoods are those that deal with the residents? money, e.g., currency exchanges, tax services, and short-term loan companies. That these businesses reap such profits suggests two things: (1) There is money to be made in our communities, or why else would the companies be there; And (2) We are providing the money. The simple analysis might be that of supply and demand. That said, the holding from the ana... More About: Series , Lottery , Winning the lottery , Part , Winning
Capitol Gains In The Black Community
2007-10-24 07:00:00 I have spent the last 9 years of my professional life in two areas of major significance: Legislative Policy Development, and Economic Development. During those 9 years I learned many things, but two are most prominent in my present-day thoughts: Capital makes the Capitol go around, and that we as African-Americans need greater economic strength to be full participants in national policy making. In 1999, a major issue before Congress was House Resolution (HR) 10, then known as Financial Modernization, now entitled Graham-Leech-Bliley. As legislative counsel to a member on the Commerce Committee, I was assigned to the Bill. The year 1933 (Glass-Steagall) was the last time banking laws underwent the type of changes proposed in HR 10. Following bank closures and the market crash, Washington and the financial markets wanted to ensure that such events could be prevented from occurring in the future. The legislative result was a cadre of regulations restricting the financial prac... More About: Community , Black , Unit
?Come On People?-- A Critical Review
2007-10-17 14:45:00 Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint, M.D. recently published what has to be termed a challenging text. Most know Bill Cosby, fewer may know Dr. Poussaint. The Dr., a leading psychiatrist, is also a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Come On People presents a compelling proposition. The text?s didactic duality of self help through fault acceptance presents several solutions that should be considered and even adopted, if the reader is able to traverse through the oversold sins of Black folks. The book begins with a 3-1/2 page introduction by Cosby, which appears to be the author?s stated ?Black Card? to write what the reader is about to encounter. The text continues into the first chapter, and clearly provides statistics all to familiar to anyone tracking the state of Black America. In doing so, the authors assign primary responsibility of today?s conditions to those impacted, African-Americans. The approach while controversial, forces the African-American re... More About: Review , Critical , Critic
They Just Don?t Get It
2007-10-10 07:00:00 Much has been written about the Jena 6 and the issues in Jena, Louisiana. I have not written regarding the subject, because, up until now, I believed what needed to be said was getting addressed. In short, I had nothing additional to provide in the dialogue, until now. Sunday morning, I read an article on CNN.com regarding a John Mellencamp video. The article is entitled, ?Mellencamp song about ?Jena Six? upsets mayor.? Quoting Murphy R. McMillin, Jena?s mayor, the article reads, ?The town of Jena has for months been mischaracterized in the media and portrayed as the epicenter of hatred, racism and a place where justice is denied.? According to CNN, the mayor said he had been silent, up until now, ?hoping that the town?s courtesy to people who have visited over the past year would speak for itself.? The mayor?s statement goes on to read, ?However, the Mellencamp video is so inflammatory, so defamatory, that a line has been crossed and enough is enough.? After reading the CNN...
The Economics of Immigration Policy
2007-10-03 07:00:00 Generally speaking, when the African-American community interprets U.S. immigration policy, it?s under the microscope of disparity in application, comparing African diaspora immigration policy to that of immigration policy related to Cuba and Latin America. This is a worthy concern. That said, there should also exists concern regarding illegal immigration from south of the border, and the impact on African-American economics. U.S. economic policy, for the most part, is built on the concept of free markets, including the principles of supply and demand. In brief, this means, at least in theory, that goods the economy will support have the privilege of viability. Goods the economy will not support are discarded. The ?free? in free markets is achieved in that the government does not dictate which items get introduced into the economy and which do not, in theory. When the government does interfere, it is said to be ?regulation? for the purposes of general health and welfare. ... More About: Economics , Immigration , Policy
At The Expense Of Our Children?s Future
2007-09-26 07:38:00 For the past several decades, African-Americans in general have provided the Democratic Party wholesale electoral support. The support is also evident at the legislative level in the votes cast by our African-American elected officials on various local and national issues. It is likely safe to conclude that the Democratic Party is not led by African-Americans, however, the policy measures developed therefrom impact us greatly. Sometimes those policies are part of a national agenda that make sense to party leadership, but are disadvantageous to African-Americans in effect. Public education is one such national agenda. The Democratic Party?s opposition to school vouchers, and African-American electoral and legislative support of that opposition, may be adverse to our children?s future. I have long opposed school voucher programs based on the perceived harm caused to public schools. The argument goes that if funds are used to provide vouchers for students to attend private sch... More About: Children , Future |
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