Black caucus leader: African-Americans living in 'depression'
VIDEO - Cleaver said politicians in Washington are falling short because are focused on only one issue at a time...
The unemployment rate in the African-American community is staggering. Congressional Black Caucus leader Rep. Emanuel Cleaver commented on the jobs crisis, but specifically on how government cuts are affecting Africans-Americans seeking employment — calling the current situation a “depression” among African-Americans.
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Cleaver said politicians in Washington are falling short because are focused on only one issue at a time. He also points out how we are 191 days into the congressional session, and there has been no new legislation on increasing jobs passed.
There is an unemployment crisis across the country, but in the African-American is far higher than the national average at 16.2 percent. Department of Labor numbers doubled for unemployed African-Americans who have given up looking for work. According to Cleaver, the actual number is more than 30 percent for African-Americans who are discouraged and have given up.
Nearly one-third of African-Americans are unemployed. For young African-American men, the numbers are skyrocketing.
“It is so bad that I think it merits the president and congress declaring that this is a national emergency,” Cleaver said.
Cleaver said if there is not more emphasis put on the unemployment rate in the African-American community than the community will move backwards — after making significant progress in the past 25 years.
“If unemployment continues and drop out rate continues, I’m looking for some serious problems down the road,” he said.
