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Minority & Small Business Week
September 23, 2009
O pinion
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Wyden Lets Down Black Businesses
Senator must take a leadership role
Senator Wyden knows that
P osey
A few weeks ago
the black community has little
capacity to maintain and sus­
at the invite o f a
tain wealth. He already knows
p ro m in e n t P o r t­
our black businesses are deci­
lan d b la c k b u s i­
ness, I attended a
mated. And I believe he un­
m eeting to discuss issues fac­ d erstands that unless black
ing b lack b u sin e sse s w ith com m u n ities can som ehow
generate commerce sufficient to
Sen. Ron Wyden.
1 have been to a number of em ploy m any o f th eir own
Senator Wyden’s meetings over people, blacks will continue on
the last 20 years. In every meet­ the path to a perm an en t
ing I hoped to make the point underclass.
th a t the b lack co m m u n ity
I am particularly concerned
needed special help in order to about his patronizing approach
turn around decades of debili­ to black community leaders and
tating economic conditions. I his w illingness to ignore the
alw ay s th o u g h t S e n a to r obvious. For example, he came
by J ames L .
prehensive approach, but in­
s te a d t r ie d to c o n v in c e
ers to formulate a plan to deal those present that he would
comprehensively with the prob­ look at individual issues and
lem of black contractor and concerns and report back to
w orker exclusion on federal the gro u p . S e n a to r W yden
contracts in Oregon. (See my clearly know s that this ap ­
open letter to him in the May proach is unlikely to bring
31,2006 Portland Observer) But ab o u t any real re su lts. He
it seems that Senator Wyden know s th at issu es like a c ­
prefers to measure success by cess to capital, bonding, low
a few token contracts awarded b id d in g m e th o d s , siz e o f
primarily to black and Asian co n tra c ts, internal sta ff re ­
“front” companies in 2009.
sista n c e , and o u trig h t d is ­
At this m eeting he c o n tin ­ c r im in a tio n a m o n g o th e r
ued to resist taking a c o m ­ b arriers, are all in terrelated
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* I finally realized that Senator
Wyden has no intention o f seriously
addressing these issues that clearly
cripple the black community.
W y d en , k n o w n in so m e to the meeting to tout a waiver
circles as a progressive, was process his office took some
also a decent person w ith a credit for which would allow the
strong m oral conscious. To Oregon Department of Trans­
m e, he w as th e b la c k portation to set specific goals
com m unity’s best hope in the for African Americans on fed­
congressional d elegation to eral highway projects. These are
seriously address conditions federal projects on which black
that put blacks at the bottom contractors got zero contracts
and dollars for the last 10 years.
of every econom ic scale.
This has been a festering
In this latest meeting, it was
as if a light came on and I rec­ problem. Senator Wyden has
ognized how naive I have been known about for as many years
all these years. 1 finally realized but has never taken any effec­
that Senator Wyden has no in­ tive, definitive action to re­
tention of seriously addressing solve. Repeatedly he has been
these issues that clearly cripple asked to take a leadership role
in convening other local lead-
the black community.
and must be add ressed c o l­ only hope that more of us will
stand up to this politically con­
lectively.
It appears as if Senator Wyden venient charade. The black
is depending on black leaders to community must demand that
accept his half hearted approach, Senator Wyden withhold O r­
and just be glad he agreed to egon Department of Transpor­
meet with them. There is a sense tation funding until there is a
that Senator Wyden will work on responsible, com prehensive
behalf of one or two businesses plan to assure that black busi­
in attendance for political expe­ nesses will receive an equitable
dience. but no sense that he will number of federal contracts.
become accountable for initiat­
James L. Posey is a Portland
ing structural changes benefit­ business owner and form er
ing the community of black busi­ president o f the Oregon chap­
nesses.
ter o f the National Association
The black com m unity can o f Minority Contractors.
ESPONSIBILITY
ERSEVERENCE
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Why Obama is Right on Health Care
Setting the
record straight
by M arc H .
M oriai .
Before a joint ses­
sion o f C o n g re ss,
P re sid e n t O bam a
m ade his m ost d e­
ta ile d and im p a s­
sioned case to date in
support of legislation to fix our
broken health care system and
at long last make health insur­
ance affordable and accessible
to every American.
In summary, the president's
plan will provide more security
and stability to those who have
health insurance. It will provide
insurance to those who don't.
And it will lower the cost of
health care for families, busi­
nesses and our government.
If you have health in su r­
ance, the president's plan will
prevent insurance com panies
from denying you coverage
due to a pre-existing condi­
tion. It will also put a cap on
out o f p o ck et e x p e n se s so
people don't go broke when
they get sick. It will ensure
that all A m ericans have ac­
cess to free preventive ser­
vices like m am m ogram s, flu
shots and d iab etes tests to
im p ro v e h e a lth and save
money. And it protects M edi­
care and closes the so-called
p r e s c r ip tio n d ru g "d o n u t
hole" which has resulted
in an average o f $,4,080
in out o f pocket costs for
beneficiaries who reach a
coverage lim it and who
lack a n o th e r source o f
insurance.
If you are one o f the tens of
m illions o f A m ericans who
bu sin esses co v er th e ir e m ­ the Congressional Black Cau­
ployees. It offers new lo w ­ cus and N A A C P president,
cost coverage through a na­ Ben Jealous in a Capitol Hill
tional "high-risk" pool to pro­ press conference to help set
tect people with pre-existing the record straight.
We made it clear, as the presi­
conditions from financial ruin
until the new Exchange is cre­ dent did later in the evening,
ated. And it offers a public that the plan would not create
h e a lth in su ran ce o p tio n to so-called "death panels" with
provide the uninsured who the power to kill off senior citi­
can't afford coverage with a zens; coverage will not be ex­
tended to illegal immigrants;
real choice.
The president also sought and no federal dollars will be
used to fund abortions.
Finally the public option,
which we strongly support, is
not a "governm ent takeover"
as som e have irresponsibly
claimed. It would be an essen­
tial option to hold down costs.
It sim ply increases com peti­
tion. That is the very essence
of capitalism.
America stands alone among
industrialized nations in not af­
to dispel a num ber o f myths, fording its citizens comprehen­
lies and distortions that have sive health insurance. We have
fueled so much m isinform a­ been fighting this battle for over
tion and confusion about his a century. Now is the time to
p la n . T he N a tio n a l U rb an get the job done.
Marc H. Morial is president
League shares his outrage at
and
chief executive officer o f
the deliberate attem pts to de­
the
National
Urban League.
fe a t re fo rm th ro u g h the
spreading o f outright false­
hoods. T hat is why on the
m orning o f the p re sid e n t's
speech, I joined members of
America stands alone
among industrialized nations
in not affording its citizens
comprehensive health
insurance.
don't have health insurance,
half of whom are people of
color, the president's plan cre­
ates a new insurance m arket­
place - the Exchange - that
allows people without health
in su ra n c e and sm all b u s i­
nesses to com pare plans and
buy insurance at com petitive
prices. It provides new tax
credits to help individuals buy
insurance and to help small
I have found that the Black
C om m unity has no unified
voice; however, many
by B ishop H . L . H odge
are like frogs in a pond,
It is easy to blow
each croaking their own
sm oke regarding the
solo. I contend that it is
state of affairs for the
time to stop seeking to
so-called leadership of
people of color in the
be king and work to­
gether for the common good by
greater Portland area.
A cursory glance and half­ developing a unified kingdom
hearted attendance will reveal mentality.
a litany of “jaw flappers; who
One of the goals of Portland
attempt to besmirch or deny the NAACP branch is to establish
efforts of organizations such as a voice for “people of color.”
the NAACP as opposed to join­
To address this concern, the
ing in. The truth is that there Portland NAACP will call for a
are an inordinate number of per­ Summit to speak to the real is­
sons who verbalize a desire to sues affecting the Portland
make a difference in the non­ community.
It is time to unify as a people
existent “Black Community.”
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and to stop pretense. When
this occurs, we will take note of
the leadership in attendance
and inform the community of the
outcome. We must take a stand
on issues, such as racial profil­
ing, quality of education in our
schools, housing discrim ina­
tion, health care availability, and
unemployment.
We must overcome the “O s­
trich Syndrome” and get our
heads out of the sand or what­
ever place they are buried.
Information about the summit
will be provided in a timely man­
ner for all leaders and commu­
nity representatives to attend.
Bishop H. L. Hodge is presi­
dent o f the Portland NAACP.
Zchon R. Jones, DC
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
(503) 284-7838
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