Obama's Gals

President Obama is set to begin a multi-city tour where he will push gender specific issues. (USA Today) He is expected to discuss the gender wage gap, raising the minimum wage and affordable child care.  I'll set aside my hesitations in calling anything women's issues (because I think all issues are women's issues) to thank him for fighting the good fight.  Obama's presidency has not shied away from combating women's issues, (though to what extent he has had success in alleviating some of these problems has yet to be determined) by noting women's institutional and structural obstacles.  Good for him, I wish him great success.

This story reminded me of another recent Obama initiative but this time dealing with race.  In presenting his "My Brother's Keeper," a program aimed at young men of color, Obama spoke frankly about some of the challenges he faced as a young black man.  To those who followed Obama's presidency closely, this might actually come as a surprise.  He has made remarkable few comments or initiatives aimed at the Black community.  I assume this is a conscious decision on his part, an effort to prevent a perception that he favors his own community over the country as a whole.  It's actually a smart strategy in this light, even subdued concerns of this nature might make it harder for any future presidents who want to break our traditional mold.  I've frequently joked (sarcastically) that Obama and Hillary cut a deal during the 2008 presidential primary, if he won he'd focus on women's issues, if she won she'd tackle racial discrimination.  If that's true (it's not) then that'd be one good reason to vote for Hillary in 2016.

Having finally broken his silence on racial problems, you'd think he be met with emphatic support by the African American community.  This was not exactly the case.  While many cheered for him and are encouraged by this sign, there were others who thought that his approach left a great deal to be desired. I actually think that their critique is augmented by a comparison with his concern over women's issues.  His approach with women notes the structural difficulties that women face: income inequality, affordable child care, and an inadequate minimum wage.  With "My Brothers Keeper" his tone was a bit different, he seemed to stress individualistic or cultural deficiencies.  That's not to say that he isn't aware of institutional race based inequality, nor is it to say that there may not be legitimate individual or cultural concerns, only that his approach was different even though there are many similarities.  Is this a continuation of his aversion towards racial inequality because of his historic presidency?

Let me end with a couple of points that should be made clear.  If you want to get young Black men back in the family taking care of their children, stop disproportionally arresting them for non-violent drug offenses.  If you want Black children to do better in school, look to the quality of their schools not their individual efforts.  If you want Black men to succeed in their careers and to save for a comfortable retirement, tear down the structural walls that hold them back.  If you want Black men to be healthier, help them get insurance support programs that make quality healthy food cheaper than the terrible fast food crap we've all been inundated with.  If you want Black men to quit smoking dope, well... I don't know what you could do about that (or why you'd want to).