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hjs,

BL was not interviewing a candidate for mayor of NYCity. He was interviewing the economic advisor of a candidate for President of the United States.

People who say that black male unemployment rate is 50% are engaing in wild and unsupported hype. Historically the black unemployment rate has been at most twice that of the white unemployment rate. The difference actually narrowed during the Clinton years and during part of Bush's tenure. So I think the unemployment rate for all black males really is about 12%. The rate for young black males is a very different story. The unemployment rate in certain regions (e.g., Detroit, parts of NYCity) is of course also higher than the rate for all black males.

tw
here's the link again
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE1D81E3CF93BA15751C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

the Schumer quote refers to the country BL was talking about NYC
i posted this link but it got 'lost' some where.

from NY times
Nearly Half Of Black Men Found Jobless By JANNY SCOTT Published: February 28, 2004
It is well known that the unemployment rate in New York City rose sharply during the recent recession. It is also understood that the increase was worse for men than for women, and especially bad for black men. But a new study examining trends in joblessness in the city since 2000 suggests that by 2003, nearly one of every two black men between 16 and 64 was not working.

your link did not work.

from the NY times
"a new study examining trends in joblessness in the city since 2000 suggests that by 2003, nearly one of every two black men between 16 and 64 was not working."
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950CE1D81E3CF93BA15751C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

In a statement on March 8, 2007, Senator Schumer, after discussing "rate of participation in the labor force" (which includes retirees, disabled people etc.), said, apparently in a Senate hearing, "As of January 2007, the unemployment rate for African American men age 20 and older is 7.5%." See http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:b45FUW1F17gJ:jec.senate.gov/Hearings/03.08.07BlackMaleUnemploymentHearing.htm+black+male+unemployment&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=9&gl=us&client=firefox-a

So whatever the rate is, the unemployment rate is a bunch below 50% for all black males. Even if you assume a disproportionate number of discouraged job seekers, the overall unemployment rate for black males is far below 50%, perhaps (as I said once earlier) a lot closer to 12% or perhaps even lower.

I did indeed do some GOOGLE searches, just now. The 50% figure does indeed refer to "young black males without college education" or "young Black male high school dropouts." (The unemployment rate for the latter group is as high as 70%, some sources say.) Those figures are, of course, appalling. But I don't think anyone claims that the unemployment rate for all black males is 50% My firm guess is we are talking about a rate below 20%, and probably close to 15%. But the BLS should have those numbers.

Obama is the man! He will be our next President.

He is the next leader that will culminate with a mix of the greatness of FDR and JFK.

Funny how the comments on "The McCain agenda" are mostly about Obama. Yeah, shows you what the Repug agenda is: attack, denigrate, throw mud. Because McCain is yesterday, McCain is old, he seems more like a 19th Century President. It will be hard to overcome that image, especially with an agenda of corporate fealty, tax cuts for the rich, more war. Hence, the McCain Agenda, or his surrogates' agenda as seen here: smear and attack, fear and black.

Never mind... thank you!

Sorry about the "lame" stuff.

tw
look before up leap. a quick google supports BL's stats. which source are you citing?

Well, the edit moved Zach from 21 to 14.

We never hear about urban issues, because the Dems take us for granted, and the Gops see us as a lost cause.

Since most Americans live in cities and their suburbs, shouldn't we be able to get these issues into the mix?

In one question Brian L said that Black male unemployment is 50%. Please let's be more careful with statistics. I very much suspect the statistic Brian should have cited is the Black male TEEN unemployment rate. The unemployment rate for Black males may still be unacceptably high but I very much doubt it's anything close to 50%; my guess is that it may be around 12%. In any event, if you're going to cite statistics, please cite the right ones.

I know there is a lot of Obama love going on due to the nature of the listeners of this show, but what I see is a man willing to say anything to anyone in his attempt to grab the presidency. I also see someone who is willing to basically pay for votes with promises of the tax payer's money. It's too bad supporters have bought into the brand rather than question the leader. He talks about being above politics while he is the consummate politician behind the scenes. It's a shame there can't be some type of level headed discussions about the man without the supporters jumping down everyone's throat who disagrees, but such is the reality.

Hey guys,

We've removed several comments on this thread that weren't productive to the conversation. Please keep your comments civil and on topic, and please bear in mind WNYC's policy on posting comments.

Thanks!

Obama makes me think of the Devo song about being soft and strong. Can't remember the song title.

Obama is the man and the next President!!

Give it up and get out of the way, here we Progressive Liberal Democrats come!!

Mccain is so power hungry he doesn't know what he thinks.

Senator McCain is offering $5000 for health insurance? That will help this self-employed, otherwise un-insured citizen NOT AT ALL. Premiums are up to $800 a month! Do the math.

McCain has no urban agenda! I guess no one does. We need mad money for mass transit.

Katie:

In reference to Israel, you wrote "what does he need experience for to deal with that? All it takes is diplomacy and tact and anyone can get through anything."

Well, Obama aleady has shown the Arab world that he will enter into negotiations having decided the outcome. Did you read the Arab papers the next day? Man, folks were not happy that Obama would attempt to predetermine final status issues. It showed an arrogant contempt for Palestinians and other Arabs.

As far as spouses go, it is fair to a point. The comments that Obama's wife made about her patriotism were over the top and, in my opinion, are fair game. This country needs to know if the potential first lady holds the US in such high contempt.

And for the record, though Lehrer episodes you posted were fine, but how about the 20 years of tapes we didn't hear? How about the preacher who recently got in trouble for making fun of Clinton from the podium. Those youtube videos were not fluke.

well, you can see from the questioning where Brian's allegiances are. It's truly great he is asking the tough questions about McCain - its just too bad most of his talks about Obama are not done in this same style - I'm tired of shows about Obama either being something glossy or talks about race relations, attacks, money raising, etc. - but rarely are talks about some of the serious issues of his proposed policies.

#12 I agree!

It is time to take back America and Obama will take us where we want to go.

Jesse Califano-'...the unspoken word, written'!

FACT: The 'wealthy' in America already carries far more than their share of the tax burden!!

The top 5% of the American Tax Base already pays more than 50% of the taxes collected in America-

Geez- seems to me we aught to thank goodness that the 'wealthy' are among us- and that they are STILL wealthy!!

Listen up people! Everyone who ever took office, had never had any experience in an office as high as that one before, yet this was never a campaign "card" that was ever played.

Obama is as qualified as all of the rest.

McCain's flat tax will anialate the middle class!

Jesse Califano-'...the unspoken word, written'!

Let's see: O-Ba-Ma in his short term as a U.S. Senator- have voted FOR no less than 27 ear-marked appropriations...

JOhn McCain: in his 20+ years in the U.S. Senate- have voted for ZERO (-as in: NONE!) ear-marked appropriations...

Pretty Good- Yes?!

What is he talking about? Obama has no plan for the existing gas situation? Stop Lying please!

Ask H-E how much Social Security & Medicare will have to be cut in order to balance the budget under McCain's doubling the tax cuts to the wealthy.

Jesse Califano-'...the unspoken word, written'!

American is NOT going to vote for the lovely, yet irascible Michelle O-Ba-Ma to become America's First Lady! And while she's intelligent- she's just NOT smart!

We'll see...

McCain will have to challenge his own ethics and mind first. People for McCain have started hitting below the belt attacking Michelle Obama for grammatical error in a paper she wrote in college.

Spouses of candidates are off limits. We won't bring up Cindy McCain's addiction to prescription drugs and stealing drugs from a charity she supports in 1994 which was covered up.

People will look for anything to attack Obama. There is nothing there. Clinton was my first choice but now she is not the candidate, it is Obama. Obama is not a racist. If anything, he is trying to wipe out racism and bring this country together. If a candidate was Jewish and picked on for attending a certain synagogue, that would be a big deal, Obama has separated himself from Wright. That clip was three sermons in a preaching every Sunday for 20 years! Last time I checked, candidates could attend whatever house of worship they wanted and it had nothing to do with their policies. Obama has the right to worship where he wants and how he wants. He has the maturity and the knowledge to know separation of church and state. Once Obama is President, he will use his magical combination of being soft and strong to put people like McCain in their place where they belong.

Obama is the man!!