Trump’s boasts ring hollow in black areas
PHILADELPHIA: It’s one of President Donald Trump’s favourite talking points in promoting his administration’s success: the record low rate of black unemployment. But on a recent sunny afternoon in Vernon Park in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighbourhood, that victory seemed hollow.
As children laughed on the playground, several black men — some out of work, others homeless — sat or slept on benches nearby. Similar scenes play out across America and are backed by data that counter the positive picture Mr Trump often paints in campaign-style rallies before largely white audiences.
When asked what he makes of Mr Trump’s claim that black Americans are faring better under his administration, construction company owner and Germantown resident Carlton Washington replied, “Where at? Calabasas?’’
The retort was a reference to controversial rapper Kanye West, who had lunch with Mr Trump at the White House on Thursday afternoon. Over roasted chicken, fingerling potatoes and sauteed asparagus, the two discussed crime in Chicago, more possible presidential pardons, job creation and the black unemployment rate.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for black Americans in September was 6%. That’s down from a high of 21.2% in January 1983, but is still nearly double the overall national unemployment rate of 3.7%. The unemployment rate belies the on-theground reality for many African-Americans, according to experts.
“The rates are improving. There’s a question of whether his policies created that improvement,’’ said Andre Perry of the Brookings Institution, whose research focuses on black communities. “My question is: What kind of jobs are people working in?’’
While black employment may have improved, that hasn’t translated into broader economic gains.
That’s partly because African-Americans are still disproportionately toiling in lowerquality jobs. Black people make up roughly one-fifth of those working in temporary jobs, a figure that hasn’t changed much in the past five years, even as the economy has improved.
And last year, Mr Trump’s first in office, the income gap between whites and blacks widened slightly. The typical African-American household earned US$40,258 (about 1.3 million baht), down 0.2% from a year earlier, while white households saw an income gain of 2.6%, to $68,145.
The racial wealth gap has also worsened even as unemployment rates have come down. The median net worth of a white household was 10 times that of a black household in 2016, the latest data available. That’s up from seven times in 2004.
Mr Perry noted that the national unemployment rate doesn’t take into account underperforming geographic regions or demographic groups.
“What does full employment mean to a black man in Baltimore? To youth in Chicago?’’ Mr Perry said. “What are you doing to bring opportunities to black neighbourhoods, to create wealth? I don’t see those signs of the economy.’’
Philadelphia City Councilwoman Cindy Bass, whose district includes Germantown, remembers shopping with her family as a child along the neighbourhood’s then-main economic corridor, where residents could buy food, get their hair done and find a pair of sneakers or a new outfit all within a few blocks during the 1970s and 1980s.
The area is much different today, with less activity and fewer businesses and the jobs that came with them.
“I don’t know what he’s claiming credit for,’’ said Ms Bass, looking toward Germantown and Chelten avenues. “His numbers are fake news, as far as I’m concerned.’’