CBC member Maxine Waters reacts to Obama: We're not complaining

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who's been critical this year of President Obama's response to the high unemployment within the black community, said she found it "curious" that Mr. Obama this weekend told black leaders to "stop complaining."

"I don't know who he was talking to because we're certainly not complaining," Waters said on CBS' "The Early Show." "We're working. We support him, and we're protecting that base because we want people to be enthusiastic about him when that election rolls around."

Waters and other CBC members this year have said Mr. Obama should do more to directly address the black unemployment rate, which is nearly double the national average. The Labor Department earlier this month said unemployment rate among African-Americans was 16.7 percent in August, while the overall unemployment rate last month was 9.1 percent. Among black youth, the unemployment rate was 46.5 percent in August, the government said.

At the CBC's annual awards dinner on Saturday, Mr. Obama told black leaders to "Shake it off. Stop complainin'. Stop grumblin'. Stop cryin'. We are going to press on. We have work to do."

He urged them to "put on your marching shoes" and get behind him.

Waters said she doesn't think the president would speak like that to other minority communities.

"I found that language a bit curious because the president spoke to the Hispanic Caucus, and certainly they're pushing him on immigration... he certainly didn't tell them to stop complaining," she said. "And he would never say that to the gay and lesbian community, who really pushed him on Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

The CBC has been holding a series of town hall meetings and jobs fairs across the country, where Waters said people have been "circling the blocks to get a chance to talk to employers."

"They want to know that we recognize, and that the president recognizes the pain that is in the African American community," she said.

Though she said she was surprised by some of Mr. Obama's language on Saturday, Waters said the president has heard the concerns of the CBC and is energized to address the needs of the black community.

[hugolives]

Same carnival act he pulled on the progressives....stop whining...
The presidents act is wearing painfully thin with everyone

[boondog70]

As a Christian and a friend to many black americans I have to say they are disappointed with this president for several reasons. One, the conservative Christian base does not support the don't ask don't tell that Obama supports. They don't support abortion unless there are very extenuating circumstances such as rape and molestion. And, many have lost their jobs. One of the christian black pastors who I admire said to me one time that when the rest of americans get a cold in a bad economy the black community gets a severe case of pneumonia. They have been devastated by this economy and class warfare will not work for this president in 2012 for his black base. We are all americans and all wanting to support and take care of our families and we need jobs not gimmicks.

[heis4real]

A fact that some people might miss who call Maxine Water a racist is that she is not so much a racist but a rabid politician stuck on doing and saying whatever it takes to please her constituents. Her constituents and faithful supporters are poor and in the low income
bracket. Many people may not know this Maxine Waters was a Hillary Clinton loyalist and even campaigned for her for President until she conceded the Democratic Presidential Nomination to Obama.
As a believer in Christ it is too bad people expected Obama to be their Savior & Messiah but there is and will be only one in my opinion. Worshiping the modern day golden calf called Politics and Politicians is futile!

[memphispiano]

As much as I usually disagree with Ms. Waters, she was right on this one. Unemployment in the black community is at record levels. What is Mr. Obama doing about it? And then he has the nerve to basically imply they just need to take it cause he's black, too. Garbage! The black community is suffering and having a "black" president doesn't help unless he's actually doing something about the problem.

[Suntsu22]

President Obama is absolutely right. As black people, we need to stop complaining, crying and sucking our thumbs and get up and fight. We will never advance as a people until we get over this tendency to be the victim. Maxine, give it a rest and open up your mind to the dynamics of black advancement. Stop complaining, and DO take what he said personally. It is meant for you, too, and Congresswoman Barbara Lee and any other of your cohorts in the CBC who are pretending not to understand or be surprised at the message! How did you get to where you are? Hard work I'll bet!! Ya'll get a grip!

[djaymick]

Will someone explain how this Jobs bill will do anything for the people Maxine mentions (the 16.9% unemployment and the 50% unemployment of black youths)? It does nothing for them. It goes to infrastructure jobs (union shops that will not hire new employees) and teachers and firefighters (who have jobs or were currently laid off). The tax breaks go to people with jobs. So, the black unemployment will not decrease.
He looks at blacks as good for one thing - community organizing, a job that pays nothing. But, it will get you out of those bedroom slippers.

[AngryMobVoter]

Obama's plan IS class warfare. This plan raises taxes on the very people who create jobs and provide investment capital. Not only that, these are people who achieved the American Dream. Clearly Obama is an enemy of the American Dream. This is not a plan to create jobs and grow the economy, this is a campaign stunt to try to get reelected after a failed first term.

This plan is ANTI-GROWTH and ANTI-JOBS. Raising taxes on ANYONE with a WEAK ECONOMY is RECKLESS. This plan will send more investment and jobs out of the country. The only thing this plan will accomplish is extending the government's intrusion into the economy and it is the AVERAGE AMERICAN who will SUFFER.

More CLASS WARFARE from Obama. Obama will continue his SOCIALIST AGENDA until the AVERAGE AMERICAN votes him out of office.

Obama must realize most of his policies are temporary in nature. They will not fix the economy. What is need is a permanent FOUNDATION FOR GROWTH. If Obama wants to keep the wages of his union buddies ARTIFICIALLY HIGH, he must come up with other ways to lower the cost of production in the United States. If it cost more to produce a product in the US, companies will expand and add jobs outside the country. It is that simple. If Obama does not want to deal with the labor cost issue, the only other tools he can use to lower the cost of production are LOWER TAXES and LESS INTRUSIVE REGULATION.

Obama needs to stop pushing for alternative energy because it costs more to produce than it costs to produce conventional energy. That means the taxpayer pays an added cost twice: once for the money the government gives to the alternative energy companies and again because the energy produced by them costs more.

Instead of the government doing more and spending more, the government must stop the spending that only has a temporary effect, cut taxes, reduce the unsustainable public debt, and eliminate the oppressive regulation.

Obama also needs to do something about the culture we are breeding in the US which encourages people to depend on the system to survive. 46 million on food stamps and the millions who do not pay income taxes is more than we can afford.

When will Obama deal with the 46 million on food stamps or the millions who PAY ZERO INCOME TAX?

We must continue to VOTE THEM OUT!!!

[sandy 1027]

Thousands of manufacturing plants closed under G.W.Bush, not President Obama, and those jobs were shipped abroad, putting astronomical numbers of people out of work- people who were taxpayers, who paid unemployment insurance from their payroll checks, and who now find themselves in need of that ( unemployment is only a fraction of one's salary), and in some cases, yes_ food stamps to feed their families.
This mess was created by G.W.Bush, and his policies.Republicans tout tax cuts and deregulation as the answer to our economic woes, but that's what we've had for the last 10 years, so where are the jobs?It has been a 10-year failure. The unfunded Bush tax cuts, and UNENFORCED regulation is the reason that the economy collapsed .The business sector went wild , like unsupervised kids, and they wonder why there are calls for more regulation?This, by the way, is the same formula that the Republican presidential candidates are saying will rescue the economy.I think not.
Many say that Repatriation of assets is the answer for corporations, which would allow those with assets abroad to bring them back here at a lower rate than the normal 35% corporate tax rate, but we have also tried that; and corporations repatriated their assets at the lower rate; but didn't keep their end of the bargain by creating jobs.We need jobs, not labels, and I hope that the president's jobs bill passes, and that he is reelected, because he is the only one in the race that even articulates a vision of economic growth and progress.

, if they will invest the assets in job creation here.Guess what? We tried that, and guess what the corporations did ? They repatriated funds at a lower rate, and created no jobs.
We need long-term investment projects , and a top-notch education system to restore the American economy to its former glory, and of all of the candidates talked about Barack Obama is the only one speaking as a visionary, and not just about doom and gloom.

[carey47]

When will you calm down?

[cbsnacilbuper]

by paid4congress September 26, 2011 2:01 PM EDT
How silly. I don't need attention that badly. I don't need to pretend my opinion is popular.


"pretend" is all you have...

[cbsnacilbuper]

You are...

No hurt feelings here, check the mirror.

[rob98ss]

"Stop complaining, stop whining". Maxine, you know what this means? Let me interpret this for you, it means: This is the best that you're going to get, I'm not going to do any more than I HAVEN'T done. I need these voters unemployed so they think they need to depend on the government so my grand scheme of a welfare can exist. Because if these democrat voters had a job, they wouldn't need to depend on the government for any $upport. Notice how this works, Maxine? Because this is really common sense.

[sandy 1027]

Nobody is happy about the way that things are in this country right now.I believe the president when he says he himself is frustrated about how things are.I think that there are a lot of things that he would do if he had it within his power alone to do so; but because of how our system of government works, he doesn't.What I heard in the president's remarks and tone was a pep talk , similar to what a coach says to a sports team that's behind or down . They don't always phrase things, delicately.I heard :" Don't give up, and quit on me now. Get up, and fight!"