MichaelFauntroy.com

Race and the Housing Crisis

One of the undercovered aspects of the current housing crisis is the extent to which ones race can help to explain ones predicament.  As this article notes, Blacks and Latinos with identical credit are far more likely than Whites to receive subprime loans.  These kinds of loans are at the forefront of the mortgage credit crisis and have disproportionately negative impacts on Black and Latino communities.  The reason?  Blacks and Latino homeowners have a disproportionate amount of their household wealth tied up in their homes.  So if they lose their house, they also lose a substantial amount of their overall wealth.

Here (here and here) are links that lay it out in more detail.

More Ammunition for Renewable Energy

The next President of the United States will have to lead the rebuilding effort of the American economy which has been wrecked by greed and strong adherence to the status quo.  President McCain or President Obama must focus renewable energy as an engine for building an American economy well-poised to lead the world.  Michael Renner has an article on the Worldwatch Institute site which points out the need for more government support for innovation in this regard.  The investment is needed to accelerate innovation:

A handful of countries have emerged as leaders in renewables development, thanks to strong government support. A study commissioned by the German government found that in 2006 the country had some 259,000 direct and indirect jobs in the renewables sector. The number is expected to reach 400,000-500,000 by 2020 and then 710,000 by 2030.

Spain also has seen its renewables industry expand rapidly in recent years. The industry now employs some 89,000 people directly (mostly in wind power and PV) and another 99,000 indirectly. Denmark has long been a leader in wind development. But with policy support there less steady in recent years, the number of domestic wind jobs has stagnated at about 21,000.

In the United States, federal policies have been weak and inconsistent over the years, leaving leadership to individual state governments. Still, a study for the American Solar Energy Society found that the U.S. renewables sector employed close to 200,000 people directly in 2006 and another 246,000 indirectly.

It's my hope that our policymakers will find the courage to breakaway from the status quo and fund -- far more significantly -- support for research and innovation in renewable energy.

Could 2008 Be Like Florida in 2000?

I am deeply concerned about the administration of elections around the country.  I think the mish-mash of technology and rules can be used in a way that disenfranchises countless voters.  That can make all the difference in the world in closely contested races at all levels of the electoral landscape.  And as this article demonstrates, there is no reason to be optimistic that things will run as smoothly as they should this November. 

I think easily corruptible elections are among the most harmful maladies in the American body politic.  Florida in 2000 made that plain.  However, I'm fearful that the lessons of that year have been lost in eight years of politicking, corruption, partisanship, and a long struggle over power.  Because much of the country seems swept up in a wave of Obamania, we haven't talked much about the possibility that some shady things can happen at the polls.  Those of us who know better, must remind voters to make sure that the rules under which they vote are clear and fairly enforced.

Fauntroy on the Cover of Diverse Magazine

I recently made my first magazine cover!  Diverse: Issues in Higher Education did a story on the relative proliferation of African American pundits analyzing the presidential election and general political landscape.  The article is here.  I think the opportunities some Black pundits have received this year is a two-edged sword.  On the one hand, it's good to get the exposure and add commentary that might not otherwise see the light of day.  On the other hand, however, is the likelihood that many of us won't see the light of day after the election is over.  I hope this trend is the start of a more diverse media landscape when it comes to commentary and analysis.  My fear is that this is just a short-term thing based solely on the fact that there is a Black presidential nominee.

We'll know more shortly after the election.  If Obama wins, then there could be more to come.  A McCain win likely guarantees that the status quo -- a largely homogeneous puditocracy -- will return to its previous place.

I think this is a pretty important issue.  For all the talk of how people are not influenced by talking heads, the reality is that the punditocracy has tremendous influence.

A Republican Running Mate for Obama?

Barack Obama has built his reputation, in part, on his willingness to work across partisan lines.  I think bipartisanship is important at all levels of American politics.  Indeed, I argued that John Kerry should have picked Maine Senator Olympia Snowe as his running mate in 2004.  However, I have to question the Obama campaign's mental health if it is true that former Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Veneman, is on the short list.  The Nation picks up the story from here. 

I don't think he has to cross the line to find a running mate.  In fact, I think the progressive wing of the party would be greatly disappointed if he were to do so.

Fence-Mending Time in Harlem

Predictably, Bill Clinton's reputation has taken a hit among African Americans.  Here's a New York Times story that looks at Bill's home base in Harlem and the fences he has to mend among his neighbors there and around the country.

While African Americans are very forgiving, we also have very long memories, so Bill has years of work to do.  Let's hope things get to a better place than where we are now.

Fauntroy Discusses Obama and McCain on the CBS Evening News

Here is some video from a CBS Evening News story on race and politics (I was interviewed for the story and appear about half-way through it).  Senators Obama and McCain addressed the NAACP this week and a CBS News/New York Times poll suggests some race-based difficulty ahead for Obama.

As I have noted in my book Republicans and the Black Vote, Republicans, when speaking to Black audiences, are often actually speaking to White moderates.  McCain's NAACP strikes me as in this tradition.  Obama has done something similar in his speeches to Black groups.  In such venues, he's actually speaking to White Independents and moderates trying to assure them that he is not a "scary" Black guy.

A More Accurate Measure of Poverty?

I have long believed that government statistics measuring items such as unemployment and poverty are underreporting the true extent of the problem (here is the Census Bureau measurement guide).  Consequently, badly needed resources for job training, food, and housing assistance, and other social services, are not being made available to the extent that they should to help those most in need.  Policymakers hide behind the numbers as presented and assume that they are dealing with the problem appropriately.  Here is a link (and here) to a story about a new poverty measure being instituted by the City of New York.  I have no idea if the measure will more accurately tell the story, but I'm happy that somebody is trying something new.  Anything that gets us closer to the truth is a good thing.

Other interesting reads on this issue include the Oregon Center for Public Policy, the 2004 Besharov and Germanis study, and the Economic Policy Institute (which details the undercount).

Fauntroy on CBS Early Show Discussing Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama

Here is a clip from an appearance I made on the Thursday, July 20 edition of the CBS Early Show.  Along with Keli Goff, I opined on Jesse Jackson's desire to conduct a surgical procedure on Barack Obama.  Delicate!!

I fear that focus on Jackson's language obscures what may well be a legitimate criticism. As a progressive, I'm deeply worried about the continued blurring of the line between church and state and the Faith-Based Initiative represents a significant threat to that line. Moreover, the initiative was sold to Blacks as an opportunity to get more resources into Black communities. However, studies have shown that the money didn't meet the promises.  In my opinion, the Faith-Based Initiative needs to go away, not be given more money.  That debate won't take place because everyone is focused on what Jackson said.

Fauntroy Lecture at Chilmark Public Library

I'm happy to announce that I will give a lecture on my book Republicans and the Black Vote on Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 5:00 PM at the Chilmark Public Library in Chilmark, Massachusetts.  Stop by if you're able.

From the promotional flier --

Republicans and the Black Vote examines the complicated relationship between a political party and a constituency from which it receives little support. The book relies on interviews and a review of the historical record to explain the GOPs early lock on Black voters, how they lost Black support, how policy positions and political symbolism combine to repel Black voters, and how the party can overcome its current position in the Black community.

Professor Fauntroy is an assistant professor of public policy at George Mason University (GMU), where he teaches courses in civil rights policy and American government and specializes in race and American politics and African American political behavior. Prior to joining the faculty at GMU, he was an analyst in American national government at the Congressional Research Service (CRS). At CRS, he provided research and consultations for members and committees of Congress. From 1993 to 1996, he was a civil rights analyst at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, where he conducted research on major civil rights issues.

Fauntroy is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and The Cliff Kelley Show on WVON-AM in Chicago.  He is a continuing media presence commenting and analyzing national issues.  He has been heard or seen on national radio and television networks such as ABC (World News Tonight), CBS (Evening News and The Early Show), CNN (American Morning), MSNBC (Hardball), Fox News (Hannity and Colmes), NBC (Nightly News and Today), Comcast (Your Morning), National Public Radio (Talk of the Nation, Tell Me More, and News and Notes), and XM Satellite Radio (POTUS '08).

Books will be available for purchase at the event.