There is a common chorus that resonates with many Black R&B lovers that comes from Janet Jackson’s, “What have you done for me lately?” Black men’s recent outrage at former President Barack Obama’s comments has stressed how important it is for the Democratic Party to articulate their specific policy prescriptions to enhance opportunity for this demographic.
In a previous article, we detailed what the Trump administration did, or did not do, for Black Americans. In this article, we do the same for recent Democratic administrations and lay out Vice President Kamala Harris’ specific policy proposals for Black men.
Harris released a policy agenda, entitled “Kamala Harris Will Deliver for Black Men,” which her campaign states will provide Black men with “the tools to build wealth and achieve financial freedom, lower costs for themselves and their families, and protect their rights.” Her agenda is aligned with many policy goals of the current and previous Democratic administrations.
The agenda lists the following proposals, among others:
- Providing one million forgivable loans up to $20,000 to Black entrepreneurs;
- Launching a National Health Equity Initiative focused on Black men;
- Legalizing recreational marijuana and addressing barriers to opportunity in this new industry;
- Decreasing inflation and banning price-gouging on groceries and food;
- And providing down payment assistance for first-time Black homebuyers and lowering rent.
Some Black men have claimed it’s too little, too late, but Harris has been the Democratic nominee for less than three months. Similar to Obama and Hillary Clinton, Harris may face a double-whammy as a presidential candidate that intersects race and gender. Nonetheless, Harris has not taken for granted that her racial, gender, and/or political identities guarantee her any vote and is willing to demonstrate why Black men and other Americans should vote for her. She has largely aimed to avoid directly discussing her intersectional identities, but Obama’s callout of Black men put these issues front and center. Obama’s frustrations are partly rooted in the idea that some Black men think Trump may be better for them.
Under Obama, Black unemployment was cut nearly in half. Obama also guided the country out of the Great Recession that helped increase Black income. Black Americans often experience greater economic strides under Democratic administrations compared to Republican administrations. Trump rode the wave of Obama, who turned the ship around, economically. Fact-checkers have determined that Trump’s claim to have created “the greatest economy in history” is false. He inherited a great economy.
During the Great Recession, Black families disproportionately lost their homes. The Department of Justice under Obama held banking corporations accountable for predatory lending practices. In 2020, Trump, ended the Obama fair housing rule, tweeting, “all of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low-income housing built in your neighborhood.” This idea that lower-income families and people of color do not belong in neighborhoods harkens back to the 1942 “We want white tenants in our white community” sign to deter federal housing in Detroit.
In terms of entrepreneurship, of the over 161,000 Black-owned firms with majority Black ownership, 53% of them are owned by men. Through the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Obama administration:
- Launched the MBK Millennial Entrepreneurs Initiative to support men of color’s self-employment opportunities;
- Provided $13 billion in loans for underserved markets;
- And initiated SBA loans included $50,000 microloans to individuals on probation or parole eligible to help small businesses start.
Under the Biden-Harris administration, SBA loans have doubled since 2020. During the Trump administration, Congress rejected Trump’s budget proposal to eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). Trump’s policies have not supported Black businesses, which counters his current rhetoric. His economic policies could have fueled economic growth in places like Detroit. Trump recently offered derogatory comments about Detroit’s economy, a city that is 78% Black with 10% of residents working in manufacturing.
Black families and communities might not feel these gains until Democrats are out of office. Stopping and turning an economic downturn into an upturn takes resources and coordination as well as time. In fact, it often takes years for economic policies to be felt. There is a slower trickle to lower-resourced and less politically connected communities. However, factors like pandemics and interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve will cause people to feel immediate changes at the gas pump and in grocery stores. Often, whichever presidential administration is in power when these economic shocks occur has to assume responsibility for the negative impacts on Americans’ bank accounts and the inability to meet the population’s daily needs.
While Democrats argue that any president would have authorized COVID-19 stimulus checks, it happened under the Trump administration. And, as cheeky as Trump’s name is on government checks (presidents do not normally sign), it resonates with people who are not as focused on what happens on Capitol Hill every day. Accordingly, Democrats have failed in communicating their policy successes and how they have uniquely benefitted Black men.
So, despite the Biden-Harris administration’s Build Back Better plan and Inflation Reduction Act, the eventual positive effects are not as immediate. Build Back Better, according to the White House, benefits Black communities by providing investments in child care, health care, affordable housing, HBCUs, and community violence intervention programs, among other initiatives. The Biden administration has also provided more than $175 billion for student loan forgiveness. For Black men, especially those who may have less than a college degree, are unemployed, and/or have a former criminal record, these policies and economic shifts may feel less impactful and drive the perception that Democrats did not do enough and/or that Republicans are better for the economy and health of Black communities.
Regarding criminal justice reforms, the Black homicide rate dipped to near a 30-year low under Obama. Despite the Task Force on 21st Century Policing, Obama never really got a handle on criminal justice outcomes and the rallying cry of Black Lives Matter protesters. Despite passing in a Democrat-controlled House, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act stalled in a Republican-controlled Senate. For Harris, despite numerous articles showing she did not disproportionately “lock up” Black men while serving as Attorney General of California and District Attorney of San Francisco, this false narrative is alive and well in barbershops and group chats.
Despite Trump’s attempt to connect to Black men based on his criminal convictions, he has remained free to roam the country campaigning. This is not the reality for many Black men who are indicted. Black men are hyper-surveilled and often remain incarcerated while awaiting trial. They accumulate criminal justice fines and fees, and their incarceration leads to worse health and economic outcomes. This includes requiring those with felonies to pay court fees before becoming eligible to vote. In places like Florida, a constitutional amendment removed this practice, only to be overturned by the Republican-led state legislature.
Efforts to expand the quality of life of Black men has relied on one of Obama’s crown jewels—the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA promotes Black life and increases Black men’s life expectancy. The ACA’s expansion of Medicaid provides new pathways for Black men to receive health care—even Black men who are convicted of felonies.
Despite these efforts, some Black men are saying they do not feel any of the effects of the Biden-Harris administration’s policy advances of equity for Black Americans. When asked if they were doing better in 2020 than they are in 2024, many Black men say yes. They are over-represented in the top 15 occupations predicted to die off in the next decade and under-represented in the 15 fastest-growing occupations. Black men understand these threats to their livelihoods and are asking for resources to keep up with newer industries.
Harris now has a chance to convince Black men that her proposals will actually come to pass and advance their social mobility and well-being. The reality is that Black men have endured many broken promises from Black and white politicians—of both political parties. Only time will tell which candidate is more effective at taking policy proposals directed at Black men and translating them into a successful policy agenda that attracts Black men, increases their voter turnout, and shapes their choice in November.
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Commentary
What have Democrats done for Black men?
October 25, 2024