Hot Stuff: “How to Beat Obama”

[Smiley and West]

		Smiley and guest co-host Glenn Loury discuss Karl Rove’s recent “How to Beat Obama” article, which makes a case for American exceptionalism. Smiley: Poverty is the new slavery, so how do you make with a straight face the argument that America is exceptional? Loury: Sadly, I think Rove might be right. That's a line that sells in America.

[mike green]

"America" is apparently used as a default term for "White America," which experiences a different paradigm than non-White America. America is a capitalist nation that has, over the past 40+ years cultivated and fostered a global Innovation Economy from which Black Americans and Hispanic Americans remain disconnected. The inclusion of Asians and East Indian immigrants in the 21st century global Innovation Economy is not due to any outreach by White America. Rather, it is due to the recognition by those groups of the changing economic landscape (from manufacturing to "advanced manufacturing" and "innovation" that rely upon a knowledge-based, tech-driven foundation) and adequate preparation to not only participate but compete.

Sadly, the conversation around the Innovation Economy and its job growth and wealth creating processes is missing in Black and Hispanic America. When we discuss the issues of poverty and lack of jobs, it often remains in the realm of lamenting or complaining. Solutions offered often target government leading political efforts to provide jobs for the masses of unemployed. These arguments are not pervasive within the Asian, East Indian communities that benefit from today's high-tech, high-growth innovation economy.

Sadly, too many of us are unable to speak the language of the innovation economy: risk capital, angel investing, venture capital, technology transfer, commercialization of R&D, high-growth entrepreneurship, and the list goes on. 

Black and Hispanic America have the capacity to get in this game and compete. But we must first understand the game and how it is played, its history, present and future. We must immediately take steps to get in the game and prepare our children to compete in it. This is NOT something that government will do. Government has a role, as it did in partnering with the private sector to create today's innovation economy. But it will not lead the effort. Only we will. Only we can. It is our responsibility. Our burden to bear. And our leadership to make happen.

That's why the America21 Project is engaged in efforts to change the economic narrative across Black and Urban America today. A21 is building innovation ecosystems in economically disconnected sectors of urban regions to connect to the established regional innovation clusters and benefit from competing in the 21st century innovation economy.

At the end of the day, it's about job growth and wealth creation. Let's get together and discuss this new narrative before it's too late. Check us out: http://blackinnovation.org

[Carol D. Durante-Spinner]

Wow!

[Jared Blair]

This idea of American exceptionalism has some truth to it.  I feel that in some ways (certainly not is the social equality realm), we used to be exceptional.  We used to innovate, produce, etc.  I feel that America is now akin to a trust fund kid.  The parents and grandparents are the ones who grew the business and created an atmosphere in a company that paid its workers a living wage, where the CEO made 80 times what the average worker made.  But now it's the lowest wage possible for the worker and the highest wage possible for the CEO.  The next generation has forgotten what has worked in the past, but more to the point, what is the right thing to do.

American exceptionalism should only work when we are truly exceptional, and we are currently not so.  Unfortunately, you can't ride the coat tails of previous success. 

 

Another quick example of this in government; why don't you have to get up and actually filibuster anything.  The definition of filibuster -  it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal.  That is not what is happening in Congress.  The concept is that you believe in something so much that you are willing to stand up and argue for it, putting your reputation and image on the line for an issue.  Now, all you have to do is say the word "filibuster" and the whole process is over.  How did that rule change to just be obstructionist (this is for BOTH sides of the aisle)?  This is not exceptional, it is ludicrous.

[David M Fine]

Your guest seemed to avoid the poverty issue - 'poverty is the new slavery' - that is a very serious parallel to make - and it certainly seems that in the USA there's little hope for most people who grow up in poverty or even middle class, to attain a much higher standard of living than their parents... 

Wealthy republicans, and even perhaps some middle class republicans, may not even see the poor. They live in their own worlds, and the wealthy or near-wealthy, i think the poor and near-poor are largely groups to "not see", avoid... 

Some wealthy democrats also seem to be this way, and if we consider how wealth distribution is in the country and the world, you have to wonder if it's a democratic country that allows relatively fair competition and real opportunity... 

Should our schools begin to encourage teens to learn 2 or even 3 skills to improve their employability? In high school, I never even thought this way, even in college I wasn't much concerned with my employability afterward - the end result was i needed the coming of the world wide web to save me in the mid-90s as did so many struggling liberal arts majors. But had the web not happened, i may have been waiting tables through the 1990s. 

But most people can't count on such technological saviors. It seems our country may need to have a national discussion about what occupations people should aspire to - to perhaps, save them from fast-food jobs, etc. What other occupational opportunities are there for people?  In our modern world, are we turning to arts, arts, arts?  Is that the way to go? Is that economically sustainable?  What can Americans hope to do for work to make a decent living in the new millenium?  

[safirah chinwe]

i agree wholeheartedly with the realization of accountability that blacks must have for their own future. the government won't teach us how to advance in the game. i checked out the website. i'd be interested to see if i can help out in the education dept. could you inbox me any houston or tx contacts? thanks. 

mike green said:

"America" is apparently used as a default term for "White America," which experiences a different paradigm than non-White America. America is a capitalist nation that has, over the past 40+ years cultivated and fostered a global Innovation Economy from which Black Americans and Hispanic Americans remain disconnected. The inclusion of Asians and East Indian immigrants in the 21st century global Innovation Economy is not due to any outreach by White America. Rather, it is due to the recognition by those groups of the changing economic landscape (from manufacturing to "advanced manufacturing" and "innovation" that rely upon a knowledge-based, tech-driven foundation) and adequate preparation to not only participate but compete.

Sadly, the conversation around the Innovation Economy and its job growth and wealth creating processes is missing in Black and Hispanic America. When we discuss the issues of poverty and lack of jobs, it often remains in the realm of lamenting or complaining. Solutions offered often target government leading political efforts to provide jobs for the masses of unemployed. These arguments are not pervasive within the Asian, East Indian communities that benefit from today's high-tech, high-growth innovation economy.

Sadly, too many of us are unable to speak the language of the innovation economy: risk capital, angel investing, venture capital, technology transfer, commercialization of R&D, high-growth entrepreneurship, and the list goes on. 

Black and Hispanic America have the capacity to get in this game and compete. But we must first understand the game and how it is played, its history, present and future. We must immediately take steps to get in the game and prepare our children to compete in it. This is NOT something that government will do. Government has a role, as it did in partnering with the private sector to create today's innovation economy. But it will not lead the effort. Only we will. Only we can. It is our responsibility. Our burden to bear. And our leadership to make happen.

That's why the America21 Project is engaged in efforts to change the economic narrative across Black and Urban America today. A21 is building innovation ecosystems in economically disconnected sectors of urban regions to connect to the established regional innovation clusters and benefit from competing in the 21st century innovation economy.

At the end of the day, it's about job growth and wealth creation. Let's get together and discuss this new narrative before it's too late. Check us out: http://blackinnovation.org