Boycott Proves Effective for Black Caucus

(AP)  Call it the $6 billion boycott.

By boycotting a key House committee vote last week and threatening to abandon support for banking regulations, members of the Congressional Black Caucus got $4 billion added to a Wall Street regulation bill and $2 billion to a proposed House jobs bill in spending they sought for African American communities.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., this week inserted $3 billion to the legislation to provide low-interest loans to unemployed homeowners in danger of foreclosure. He added $1 billion for neighborhood revitalization programs.

The money would come out of the $700 billion financial rescue fund.

"For those of us who walked out, it was absolutely essential that we have parts of that legislation directed toward helping people who have been left out of all of these bailouts," Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., one of 10 black caucus members in the Financial Services Committee, said.

The proposed jobs bill targets $1 billion from infrastructure spending for public housing repairs. It also provides $1 billion for an affordable housing trust fund.

With 40 members in the House, the Congressional Black Caucus can be a potent force.

"Since last September, we have continuously voted for bailout and reform for the very institutions that created this devastation, without properly protecting the African-American community or small business," Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said on the day of the boycott. "That stops today."

Among the caucus' demands were greater assistance for minority-owned auto dealerships and banks that lend in African-American communities and more government advertising in minority-owned media.

[chitown639]

by endurorob_5 December 11, 2009 7:46 AM EST
I doubt federal dollars are spent disproportionately in white areas. As a matter of fact I would guess that they are spent disproportionately in minority areas since the majority of inner cities are minority and they likely contribute little to the tax base but suck up a lot of taaxes in food stamps, welfare, housing subsidies.......

____________________________________________________

You do a lot of guessing and doubting in your assertion....perhaps you shouldn't post comments on this topic if you don't have any facts....your ignorance and lack of racial tolerence is obvious....folks like you who spend their entire worthless lives embracing ignorant stereotypes and sweeping generalizations of a entire race of people are the single most important reason why there is a prominient place in Congress for the Black Caucus.....

[endurorob_5]

chitown639 December 10, 2009 6:29 PM EST
Well, the last time I checked the Congress has a responsibility to ALL of the neighborhoods and communities within the borders of the U.S...the days of federal dollars being disproportionately spent in white area only is on it's death bed...and it's up to YOU to determine how expensive the funeral will be.....




I doubt federal dollars are spent disproportionately in white areas. As a matter of fact I would guess that they are spent disproportionately in minority areas since the majority of inner cities are minority and they likely contribute little to the tax base but suck up a lot of taaxes in food stamps, welfare, housing subsidies.......

[endurorob_5]

The black caucus is a useless group. They are concerned only with 25% of the population and could care less about anyone else.

[louiville35]

another racist group uses extortion to get it's way.

Hmmmm maybe time to start a Congressional White Caucus, Congressional Latino Caucus, Congressional Asian Caucus, Congressional Women's Caucus, Congressional Men's caucus.......

Nothing like diversity to divide (fracture) a nation....

[jamead1]

There already is a Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, a Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, a Congressional Progressive Caucus, a Congressional Vision Caucus, a Congressional Organic Caucus, a Congressional Health Care Caucus, a Congressional China Caucus, a Congressional Russia Caucus, an Out of Iraq Congressional Caucus, a Congressional Bi-Partisan Robotics Caucus, and many, many more.

[progbassjohn]

Don't worry about cleaning up your own neighborhood, we will just take everyone elses money and do it for you so you can mess it all up again, and then we will just have to take more and more from everyone else, we wouldn't want you to get off your couch for any reason.

[chitown639]

Well, the last time I checked the Congress has a responsibility to ALL of the neighborhoods and communities within the borders of the U.S...the days of federal dollars being disproportionately spent in white area only is on it's death bed...and it's up to YOU to determine how expensive the funeral will be.....

[retm-w]

probassjohn you are correct, brand new low cost government subsidized housing was built in our city. After a year the houses and neighborhood looked like Baghdad.