Rep. Maxine Waters: Obama should have mentioned black unemployment in jobs speech

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said President Obama should have specified the African American community in his address on jobs to Congress Thursday night, similar to how he signaled out veterans and small business owners.

"I wanted him to say something about the intolerable rate of unemployment in the African American community. He didn't quite get there," Waters told CBS News' Scott Pelley in an interview on CBSNews.com immediately following the speech. "But he talked about long-term unemployed, he talked about disadvantaged youth."

More than 26 percent of African Americans are currently unemployed or underemployed (meaning they are in part-time jobs because they cannot find full-time work). African American joblessness in this country is the highest it's been in 27 years.

In the coming weeks Mr. Obama is expected to detail more of his "American Jobs Act," including how he'll pay for $447 billion in spending initiatives and tax cuts. Waters hopes he targets the "communities most in need" then.

Obama unveils $447B jobs plan
Eric Cantor rejects Obama's "all or nothing" approach to creating jobs

"I would have had even bigger plans, but it was a big plan and it included some of the ideas we have been pushing," she said.

Waters, who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, has been vocally critical of the president for a lack of focus on black unemployment, telling Politico earlier Thursday that Mr. Obama has to prove he cares about unemployed blacks as much as swing voters.

Following his address, the congresswoman was more hopeful.

"I do think we have a chance to do something substantive and to get at this terrible unemployment in this country," Waters told Pelley. "I think he got it right."

From CBS MoneyWatch.com:

Mark Thoma: Obama's Jobs Speech: Bolder Than Expected
Alain Sherter: Some Worthy Ideas, but It Won't Turn the Tide

[jamesdew8]

Without pride there can be no accomplishment. 13% of Amaerica is black,59% of our prison system is black. This is your preseption.

[Autumntrails]

by MarineVet46 September 9, 2011 12:49 PM EDT
What % of morons who can't spell, and have the I.Q. of a lizard, post on this site??????????????


I'd say most from what I have read. And Maxine is a space cadet.

[hughglass]

For the public good, this beast should be caged and muzzled.

[barbaram99]

madam..stop playing the skin colour card..He is the President of us all Americans..

[sticky3d]

Ty, well said! Millions of people out of work and Maxine is only concerned about skin color. That's dirt poor character.

[JV1970]

You are right! What Ms. Waters either doesn't realize or doesn't care about is that there are millions of whites who are unemployed or under employed too and we hurt just as much as the blacks when we're unemployed! When we're unemployed our bills don't get paid and our children have to do without just as the black children do!

[Abanikonda]

For God's sake, why is this woman yelly_bellying about Obama all the time; Over ten years in the House, she accomplished nothing for the constituent she represent; I can't think of any in the South Central LA., rather than making noises all over the Housing floor. She should have told GW Bush not to go Iraq and Afghanistan; over 5 trillions dollars already wasted, nothing accomplished; money supposed to have been used for education, better health care reform, housing reforms, and employment for several Americans, including Blacks. Obama barely finished 2 years of his 4 year term, this woman is already belly aching with venomous hatered for the President. Should this goulish woman be a racist in disguise.