Forget for a minute the current president’s skin color. Consider his results as they apply to the minority community that the president got to vote for him in overwhelming numbers. The spread between black and white unemployment rates has increased under the current administration, both for teenagers and generally. Black unemployment for both sexes aged 16 to 19 is currently 37.8 percent (seasonally adjusted). Black unemployment generally is currently 13.8 percent (seasonally adjusted). The comparable figures for whites are 20.8 percent for teenagers and 7.0 percent generally.
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t02.htm In 2008 under George W. Bush, black unemployment for both sexes aged 16 to 19 was 31.2 percent. Black unemployment generally was 10.1 percent. The comparable figures for whites in 2008 were 16.8 percent for teenagers and 5.2 percent generally. http://www.bls.gov/cps/race_ethnicity_2008_unemployment.htm The difference between black and white teenagers is now 17 percentage points. In 2008, it was 14.4 percentage points. The difference between blacks and whites generally now is 6.8 percentage points. Back in 2008 it was 4.9 percentage points.
If the president was a white Republican, this record would be highlighted and denounced on front pages as an example of Republican racism. If the president was a white Democrat, it would be regretted as a lack of progress, despite good intentions. Since the president is black, nobody mentions it. He is judged by the color of his skin, rather than the results of his policies.
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