In light of dwindling support from Black voters, Vice President Kamala Harris and her team have been in overdrive, attempting to concoct a grand plan to prop up the finances and careers of Black men. This desperation comes as a result of ongoing poor performance and lost trust by the Black community in their administration. The plan is masquerading under the veneer of ‘Opportunity Agenda for Black Men’, an add-on to Harris’s inefficient ‘opportunity economy’ narrative.
The pitch revolves around the idea of addressing the perceived unique problems Black men face in terms of entrepreneurship and wealth creation. Ironically, it comes across as a spectacle of tokenism and pandering rather than a genuine concern for the welfare of Black men. A significant aspect of this plan involves offering one million loans that would forgive up to $20,000 exclusively for Black entrepreneurs who are looking to launch a business venture.
Interestingly, the plan also brazenly highlights the promise of affordable banking choices for Black men to tap into more capital. While on the surface this may seem like a boon, it’s worth questioning the underlying motives. After all, these promises are coming from an administration who have imposed high fees and other obstacles for Black men and others, making these banking options unaffordable in the first place.
Moreover, to attract the attention of the tech-savvy generation, the program plans to set forth regulations for safeguarding cryptocurrency assets. However, considering that more than 20 percent of Black Americans reportedly own or have ever owned a piece of the crypto pie, it’s questionable how much this ‘protection’ will add value, given the administration’s lacklustre history of effectively managing fiscal matters.
In an attempt to present a holistic image, the plan touts the creation of bureaucratic mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities. While this may seem appealing at first blush, it’s important to remember that mentorship platforms and apprenticeship schemes under this administration have been far from successful in the past. This has been evident with countless mismanaged initiatives that promised the same.
The plan also angles towards starting a health drive that deals with diseases like sickle cell, diabetes, and prostate cancer, that have higher rates among the population focussed in this program. While couched in good intentions, based on their past records, it’s quizzical how much attention or resources will be allocated to these preventive screening programs.
In a shameless bid to appeal even further to the demographic, Harris undertakes to nationally legalize marijuana. They claim that Black men, who were once ridiculously disproportionately jailed for using and dealing marijuana, will benefit from its business possibilities. However, it neglects to explain how this proposition demonstrates any real empathy or solution to the underlying issue of systematic racism in criminal justice.
It comes as no surprise that Harris’s campaign is desperately trying to regain the trust of Black men. Latest polls indicate a scandalous drop in support, way lower than the 2020 level. A key indicator of this dwindling popularity is the fact that only 70 percent expressed they would vote for Harris in the future, a fall from a whopping 85 percent in 2020.
The severity of the situation has even pushed stalwarts such as former President Barack Obama to urgently encourage Black men to rethink opting out of the election. Notably, his remarks urged them to abandon ‘excuses’, an assertive but inappropriate statement that fails to acknowledge the valid frustrations felt by the Black community.
The spike in the disillusionment of Black men, especially the younger demographic, with the Democratic Party is cause for concern. A sense of neglect and perceived lack of representation in policy formulation has encouraged an unsettling shift away from the party. The fact that this proposal has been flung out amidst rising disgruntlement makes it seem reactive rather than proactive.
Harris, in a bid to sell her desperate plan, is set to showcase in a town hall meeting hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, the host of ‘The Breakfast Club’. As we all should know by now, the show predominantly resonates with Black millennials. It will be intriguing to see how this desperate PR move plays out considering her support base is faltering among millennials of color.
The campaign claims that the plan mirrors issues brought up in conversations with Black men across the nation. Yet one can’t help but notice the glaring lack of efficacy in their past ‘economic opportunity’ initiatives, belying their claims of transformative potential. This only reinforces the sentiment that the proposals are more about optics than real change.
Harris has heavily featured her ‘Economic Opportunity Tour’ intended to strengthen her rapport with Black men. But one needs to question how genuine these efforts are, when her accomplishments touted during the tour include questionable ‘successes’ like providing access to capital for small businesses racked by discriminatory practices.
Adding to her miseries, Harris also faces formidable competition from former President Donald J. Trump. Trump has made significant strides with Black Americans by proving to be more successful at bolstering the economy. In contrast, Harris has nothing more than glamorous words hidden behind layers of ineffective bureaucracy.
In conclusion, the new plan from Kamala Harris’s campaign emerges as a desperate PR move more than a promising proposal. It fails to acknowledge the real issues that the Black community faces and instead appears as a flashy diversion attempt. The plan exposes the administration’s willingness to exploit the very group they claim to be helping in order to maintain their dwindling voter base.
It is yet to be seen how the politically awakened Black community will respond to this soon-to-be-unveiled plan. But if history is any indication, this plan could be another disappointing checkbox in the long list of failed promises by the Biden-Harris administration. While the optics may look promising, the ultimate success of this plan depends on its ability to truly meet the needs and aspirations of Black men, instead of just serving empty political posturing.