All Articles Tagged "emanuel cleaver"
Obama a Challenge for Black Caucus Leader
(Miami Herald) — As the debate over jobs turns into the latest political tug-of-war, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri walks a careful but candid line. As chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, he has been at odds with President Barack Obama over the administration’s response to soaring unemployment in the African-American community. Nearing 17 percent, joblessness among blacks is at a three-decade high and almost twice the overall unemployment rate. The black caucus wants the president to do more. But the group’s efforts are freighted with political sensitivities, given Obama’s unique role as the first African-American president and the sometimes untethered animosity that his election has triggered. ”If Bill Clinton had been in the White House and had failed to address this problem, we probably would be marching on the White House,” Cleaver said. “There is a less-volatile reaction in the CBC because nobody wants to do anything that would empower the people who hate the president.”
Black Lawmakers to GOP: Immigrants Don’t Take Minority Jobs
(AP) — Black lawmakers accused Republicans on Tuesday of trying to “manufacture tension” between African-Americans and immigrants as GOP House members argued in a hearing that more minorities would be working were it not for illegal immigration. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, D-Mo., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, criticized the hearing’s premise in a statement. Several other Democratic lawmakers echoed that argument, saying Republicans were ignoring their lack of support for job training, affirmative action, college financial aid and other programs more critical to employment of minorities.
“I am concerned by the majority’s attempt to manufacture tension between African-Americans and immigrant communities. It seems as though they would like for our communities to think about immigration in terms of ‘us versus them,’ and I reject that notion,” Cleaver said in his statement. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, issued a warning at the start of the hearing against any attempts to pit blacks against Latino immigrants, a notion that he said he found “so abhorrent and repulsive.”
Head of Black Caucus Slams Obama’s Budget
(Politico) — Black Democrats are hitting President Barack Obama hard for his 2012 budget, further illustrating a divide between a core constituency and the White House. The most resounding statement came Monday from Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, who said he is “struggling to understand how this budget helps us to best achieve” the goal of protecting “our children from a mountain of debt. “Cutting funding to programs that assist hard-working Americans, help families heat their homes, and expand access to graduate-level education seems to conflict with the notion of winning the future,” Cleaver said in a statement.
Reelecting Obama an Enormous Challenge, Says CBC Chairman
(The Hill) — President Obama’s reelection in 2012 won’t be easy, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) says. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), the new chairman of the CBC, told the group IMPACT to expect a bruising fight to secure the president a second term. ”It’s realistic for our party to understand the enormous challenge we’re going to have, to get him back in the White House in 2012,” Cleaver told the group, as reported on Monday by NBC’s Washington affiliate. ”It will not be a landslide or an easy victory,” Cleaver added. “We’re going to have to scrape and battle for every vote we get.”
Head of Black Caucus Willing To Work With GOP Leadership
(News One) — Roland Martin talks with the new Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver. Congressman Cleaver explained that the CBCs first order of business is to pull together top African-American economist from around the nation to discuss the deficit commissions recommendations as it relates to African-Americans and poor people. Congressman Cleaver also told Roland that the CBC is going to sit down with Speaker Boehner and Republican leadership in a private meeting. Cleaver expressed that on issues where there are “opportunities for agreement,” the CBC is willing to work with Republicans.
CBC Chairman-Elect Says Obama Must Communicate Successes Better
(Seattle Medium) — Congressional Black Caucus Chairman-elect Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Mo.), gearing up to navigate a Republican-dominated House of Representatives, says the President must sharpen his communications skills to better articulate his plans and successes over the next two years approaching the 2012 presidential election. “The president is going to have to become a better communicator, communicator of what is going on and what needs to be done and of what we’ve done,” Cleaver said in an interview with Trice Edney Wire.
Cleaver Chosen to Lead Congressional Black Caucus
(Kansas City Star) — As House Democrats regroup after major losses in the midterm elections, members of the Congressional Black Caucus chose Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver on Wednesday to lead them through the new political terrain. He will become chairman of a group next year whose 42 members all survived the midterm elections, even as many of their more moderate and conservative colleagues are now packing up their offices and preparing to head home. After his unanimous approval Cleaver told the group, “Because we now occupy the minority, the challenge we are faced with will be greater …. If we walk together, we will accomplish our aim.”
