Dr. Cornel West has joined forces with Ralph Nadarin search of a primary challenger to face President Barack Obama in 2012.
Nadar is spearheading a group of liberal leaders to face the incumbent because it is his belief that the president has not followed through on campaign promises and veered too far toward corporate America:
“Without debates by challengers inside the Democratic Party’s presidential primaries, the liberal/majoritarian agenda will be muted and ignored,” Nader said in a statement. “The one-man Democratic primaries will be dull, repetitive, and draining of both voter enthusiasm and real bright lines between the two parties that excite voters.”
West, also on the steering committee of the New Progressive Alliance (NPA) — an online grassroots campaign conceptualized to oppose Obama by endorsing “an Independent or third-party candidate to oppose both corporatist marionettes in the general election, provided they publicly pledge to run on the Unified Progressive Platform and to govern based upon it when elected — is intent on holding the president accountable for “Main Street” or moving out of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
“We need to put strong Democratic pressure on President Obama in the name of poor and working people,” said Dr. West. “His administration has tilted too much toward Wall Street, we need policies that empower Main Street.”
Dr. West has been a consistent fixture in the headlines lately, as he travels the United States with Tavis Smileyon a Poverty Tour meant to highlight the plight of people living in poverty in America.
29 comments:
West is an educated fool. How in the world could a "thinking" black man in his right mind crusade against a Black president of the United States who is hampered by a Congress (House of Representatives) whose primary goal is to try to obstruct his programs and render him ineffective. If West is representative of "thinking" black
intellectuals, black people who read and believe what they have to say will forever be complicit in their own oppression. Poor West; poor in spirit and poor in judgment.
Dr. Christopher Bell Jr. www.drchrisbell.com
It is all bull. Read Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, then you will know why the poor exists. It is by design. Is Tavis & Cornel giving their books to the poor to empower them or are they making them pay for them. Is this a tour to highlight the poor or to line their coffers with false hope by making the poor pay for their books. What is their real hidden agenda of hate for President Obama. I would like to know if they are so concerned about the poor, are they giving or selling their books to the poor.
Yes Dr. Joyce, you West and Smiley are all uncle toms. West and Smiley are just using the poor to get rich, and you are no better by calling out Steve Harvey for saying the President is wrong. Re-read the posts on your Steve Harvey story, and you will see what is right.
I think that Mr. West has really gone too far this time. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but his comments show no respect for the office of President and little respect for the man that has accomplished so much so far. Wonder how much the Republicans have promised him for this.
Dawn, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is little more than conspiracy theorist writings with little to no actual admissions or documentary and testimonial evidence. If you base your opinions on that book, you need to open your eyes. I would trust Sebastian Mallaby 100 times more.
I really applaud Dr.West intelligence, but I think he is wrong on this one. His energy would be better spent helping to elect a congress that would support Pres. Obama agenda which is to help people who are not rich.
I wish God would take these ignorant niggers off this planet. President Obama is doing all he can to rebuild America and you have racist crackers and ignorant niggers fighting to destroy him and make sure he doesn't get re-elected.
Sellout West and his riding Buddy Tavis Smiley are a disgrace to the Black Community and to America. These fools are backing Corporate America.
Where was West and Smiley during the last reign of the 44+previous Presidents?
How much are the Books they are selling to the Black Community. Tavis has great experience in selling plenty
Tavis Smiley where is the money from the State Of Black America Books you sold after setting up the website and getting recommendations, ideas, and feedback for the book?
Our understanding Mr. Tavis Smiley was that any proceeds/profits would go into the Black community, however no matter how many have asked for an accounting of the Profits you remain silent.
Hold Tavis Smiley Accountable for reporting to the Black Community for reporting the Specific Amount he made from Selling "The State Of Black America Parts I & II.
These Books were the reselt of getting information from the Black community during the Seminar, On the Website set up specifically for Black America to contribute their ideas, yet to this day Mr. Tavis Smiley has not given the Black community an accounting of the Profits from the Book and how said Profits were used. Did the Black community get any benefit?
It's brothers like these two Yahoos that give the Black Community a Bad name
The Black community has voiced very loudly its opinion about these two in a huge majority
Tavis Smiley was fired from his radio show with Tom Joyner because the Black Community advised Mr. Joyner that they would not longer support the radio show is Mr. Tavis Smiley was continually employed after continually Bashing the President
To date that remains
These silly Yahoos act as if they don't Know that Ralph Nader is the single most Preson responsible for Georege Bush Getting Elected in 2000.
Yes they know and that's why they are teaming up with the guy, where these two are there's always seems to be a "Money Trail"
Unfortunately not for the Black community
I have lost all respect for West and I saw where Smiley was coming from before the presidential election in 08. Smiley always thought that he should have been the first black president and West has lost his mind. They, like the tea party and the other haters would rather see anyone as president, anyone but Obama.Heckle and Jeckle would rather see David Duke in office.
Did Tavis Smiley Push Bad Loans to Blacks?
By Carmen Dixon on Sep 18th 2009 2:00PM
Filed under: News, Opinion
Did Tavis Smiley help Wells Fargo herd black people into subprime loans? Yes, according to information contained in a lawsuit filed recently by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
The suit alleges that Smiley was the hook used to draw in potential customers for subprime mortgages.
You might be familiar with the "Wealth Building" seminars that Wells Fargo conducted beginning in the year 2000. Smiley was the headline speaker at these events, held in Baltimore; Chicago; Richmond, Va.; and San Francisco.
The seminars were advertised aggressively in black media and aimed directly at black communities.
They were a "HUGE SUCCESS". Often, standing room only audiences would hear Smiley speak about how he mostly disliked banks while strongly urging attendees to invest in real estate as a sound strategy to build wealth. ...
Turns out that his keynote address may be responsible for many would-be home buyers being pulled to the subprime loan slop Wells Fargo allegedly intended to push on them:
But what appeared on the surface as a way to help black borrowers build wealth was actually just the opposite, according to a little-noticed explanation of the "Wealth Building" seminar strategy, contained in a lawsuit recently filed by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Wells' plan for the seminars all along was to target black borrowers for higher-cost subprime mortgages, not for wealth-building, the suit charged. And the seminars were a part of the bank's overall illegal and discriminatory practice of steering black and Hispanic borrowers into riskier and more expensive loans, the suit said.
According to a former Wells Fargo Home Mortgage employee, one of these "Wealth Building" seminars held in Maryland was planned for an audience that would be virtually all African American, the suit said. The plan for the seminar was for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage employees to talk about subprime mortgages, although they were directed by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage to use the term 'alternative lending' when marketing these products." The former employee, who is white, was scheduled to speak at the seminar, but was told by a manager that she was "too white," and that only black employees could make presentations, the suit said.
Part II
Wells Fargo, one of the nation's largest mortgage lenders and a recipient of $25 billion in government bailout money, has denied all the charges in the Illinois suit, as well as other allegations of unfair lending. The bank did not respond to requests for comment on the seminars. Smiley, an author and advocate who hosts the late-night talk show, 'Tavis Smiley,' and who organizes the State of the Black Union symposiums each year, also declined comment. Source: Suit Alleges Trusted Black Figures Drew Minorities to High Rate Loans, Washington Independent
These are extremely serious allegations that will play out in the legal arena. But having worked with Smiley during the last "State of the Black Union," I do not believe he intentionally set out to hurt black people or poor people in general. That would be like me believing that Wall Street intentionally set out to destroy its own money-making schemes.
There are at least two glaring takeaways from this. For Smiley, I'm sure he's learned the hard way to be much more careful about how people use him and his established goodwill to sell stuff. I am skeptical of all corporations. But the other takeaway is the observation that this white company used a black spokesman to instantly gain trust and credibility where it had done little work on the ground in the black community to EARN it themselves.
All of us need to be particularly cautious when any company pushes a black person to sell you something they want you to "feel" good about and not understand
The Black Journalist who wrote this was kind in believing that Tavis was Naive, really................he's no dummy he's a very smart guy, he wasn't DUPED!
The people commenting here act like Obama can't handle challenges from the left, or that it's ignorant to expect him to be accountable. What nonsense! It's amazing to me how all of you come out to criticize West when he understands the obvious: that Obama won't do anything to address problems in the black community, or in any other "left" constituency, unless he's challenged to do so. So why all the hate on West, Tavis, and Boyce. You guys should be thanking them! (Unless of course, you're White House moles on Obama's PR payroll....)
President Obama does not need to be challenged to do the right thing.
Healthcare for 44,000 Americans who are dying each year will not stop
Unisured Americans can now get health insurance
Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions can now get Health Insurance
The 70% of Americans filing Bankruptcy because they had Health Insurance but it failed to cover all their Medical Bills will now have those bills covered
This is just one of many changes the President has made that's making a major difference in American families
There are many more
Yes we all get dissapointed with the President when he does or says something we don't disagree with, but we voice our opinion directly to his team and to him not try to embrass him via media, dogg him, Bash him..............
Where were you people when President Bush needed a Challenger?
Funny the only time you come out of the wood work for a Challenger for a Sitting President is when he's Black
You have to love it!
I whole heartedly support Dr. West efforts in principle. I feel a primary challenge would force President Obama to at least recognize his base in some substantive way. We can no longer blame the republican congress for the policies of this administration. Obama has not governed the way he campaigned. To cow-tail to the radical wright this president has all but ignored African American and he appear strong on immigration this administration has deported anyone remotely resemble a Hispanic. The results of the policies of this administration is the worst economic for African American in fifty years. Hillary Clinton would have been a much safer gamble. We gambled and lost!
I whole heartedly support Dr. West efforts in principle. I feel a primary challenge would force President Obama to at least recognize his base in some substantive way. We can no longer blame the republican congress for the policies of this administration. Obama has not governed the way he campaigned. To cow-tail to the radical wright this president has all but ignored African American and he appear strong on immigration this administration has deported anyone remotely resemble a Hispanic. The results of the policies of this administration is the worst economic for African American in fifty years. Hillary Clinton would have been a much safer gamble. We gambled and lost!
You may not like the President's wimpy actions but the last and most inconceivable thing any responsible Democrat or African-American for that matter will do is what Dr. West is doing.
I can't believe Dr. West will go to that extreme. I wonder if he understands the gravity of his actions. I've always admired and respected him, now I'm quite disappointed by his actions.
This man is a fool and so is Smiley. I almost wish they would get their wish (a white overseer telling them when and where to pee) so they can see how fast they get tossed to the side after they help him or her (Hillary) get into the oval office.
You can take a nigger off the plantation but you cannot remove plantation mentality from a nigger. This man and Smiley too, are nothing but dumb niggers.
Unfortunately we have not yet arrived at the point where we as Black People can criticize our President. I'm sure he can handle challenges. I feel that his current policies are all inclusive, and are benefiting us as Black People as well as all Americans. He is the President of all Americans and does not need to be "challenged" or "coerced" into doing anything.
This is a perfect example of us not sticking together and supporting one another in our community. This will only "muddy the water" and force many of us to choose. It could even be the action that causes Mr. obama to lose the 2012 election. As much respect as I have for Mr. West, I do not support this decision. His real intentions have become clear to me and I didn't want to beleive it for so long. Black people unite. As long as we are divided, we are weak.
I really see this as an outrageous smoke screen. Why is anyone poor in America? The real questions are being circumvented here. Billions of dollars going towards war, and trillions of dollars are lost because of these wars, that is what should be campaigned!! This in-fighting, is a distraction from the current real news. The Administration is heading deep into Africa, to subjugate, manipulate and control Libya. What African country is next? These folks can't see the forest for the trees. There are bigger fish to fry if they were really serious. And that's my point, what a waste of energy complaining about poverty and not focusing on the root cause of it. Capitalism, Globalism, Free Trade, IMF and World Bank loans, Credit debt, valueless paper money, drug wars, military industrial complex, the prison industrial complex, high unemployment,smuggling of weapons and drugs in an out of countries, 4 wars going on right now, and Lord Knows how many not even spoken about. Come on people, get a grip here, and deal with some real issues.
Whenever shocking developments like the West Nader announcement occur, it is always the time to look for the money. The super rich white plutocratic oligarchical billionaires would gladly spend millions of dollars to undermine President Obama's solid support among African American voters.
It is important to remember Tavis Smiley's long connection with the corporate structure of America and the established history of their relationship with him and their generous funding of his State of The Black Union conventions. Further more, the recent Smiley West "Poverty Tour" should be regarded with a great deal of suspicion as to who exactly is paying the bills.
Both West and Smiley are well known hustlers and I think that their verbal attacks on President Obama were designed to attract some serious support money from people like the Koch Brothers, Langone (of Home Depot), and other right wing funders.
Therefore in my estimation Bat Man and Robin are most likely already on Dick Armey's Freedom Works payroll.
Now don't get me wrong. I doubt very much that Ralph Nader is on the Freedom Works payroll. However, Nader is one of these self-delusional ideological driven liberals who would rather see a George W. Bush get re-elected than exercise practical judgment and step aside in favor of an Al Gore. So with Nader's mentality I am not surprised that he would be willing to go along with West's loony toons idea to look for a Democratic primary candidate to oppose Presideent Obama, a sitting president. I think that Nader's role will simply to allow his name to be used in West's effort to find a Democratic primary candidate for the Presidential nomination.
Dick Armey must be loving this arrangement with these two Negroes (West and Smiley) attempting to erode Obama's support among African American voters; while Mr. white liberal, Ralph Nader attempts to undermine support for President Obama among young idealistic white students and other young white liberals and environmentalists.
If one looks at the massive roadblacks that the Republicans have erected to STOP President Obama's re-election, one would find that they have already reached historic portions. Consider this brief list:
(1)The Republicans have introduced extreme voter suppression legislation in 30 States, out of which 17 states have passed these laws. (Note that these laws are WORSE than the old poll tax laws used in the south to prevent Negroes from voting.)
(2) The Republicans have moved many polling stations out of Democratic districts and severely curtailed the hours of operation for the remaining stations.
(3) The Republicans have restricted early voting and voting by absentee ballot. This is just another move to take away a voting service that was highly popular with African Americans in the 2008 election.
(4) The Republicans have enacted laws that stipulate that anyone who intends to counsel voters or anyone who intends to provide transportation to the polls for any voter, must register with the Secretary of State or face fines and imprisonment.
So to all of these republican dirty tricks you can add the hustlers Smiley West scrounging in the dirt for their chump money from the "man". Meanwhile Ralph Nader polishes up his best voter enthusiasm suppression skills on those dedicated liberals who still follow him. If the Republicans have THROWN everything including the kitchen sink at President Obama's re-election campaign; then you could say that the Smiley West Nader anti-Obama coalition represents the garbage that was laying in the kitchen sink at the time it was thrown.
Are we Black African only STRONG against one another?
Do we still fear "Broni" - Whites?
I really feel sorry for the people who support the likes of West, Smiley and Watkins.
See, they know better!
They know that any President(Black, White, Yellow or Brown) cannot cater to their party in the first term. They, along with, Mitch McConnell and Jim Demint, knows that if President Obama is "re-elected" he will unveil something better than what FDR formed. That would be a "BRAND NEW DEAL!"
Again, the aforemention knows this! To Tavis and Co., their jealousy is @ an all time high. If elected, Obama will help the hispanics (Immigration/Dream Act). Then, he will work his butt off for the Black community. You know why? Because he doesn't have to cater to the "independents." He can't run for a third term. Now, Demint and McConnell knows that Obama's 2nd term would set the republicans, who are trying to repeal everything from the NEW DEAL to CIVIL RIGHTS, back 40 years.
But it's shameful for Blacks like Watkins, GW on the Hill, Tavis and Cornell to lead blacks into thinking that a HARVARD grad., who TURNED DOWN WALL ST. TO WORK IN STREETS OF CHICAGO, will someone leave the Black community as is. They Know better!!!
Give the man his second term and then judge. He can't be any worse to the Black community than say, Mitt Romney!
Btw, for my money, watch and see- If the POTUS is re-elected and he does what I predict, whatch these same clowns come out and say, "It a us who pressured the POTUS. If we didn't, he wouldn't have heard our cries."
What a bunch of clowns! People wake up and see what's in front of you. These guys (West, Watkins and Smiley) are group of weasels.....jealous weasels!
These two house niggers are being paid to make these off the walls comment....It's all about the dollar bill....Some people will sell their soul to the devil to get it.....We can hit both of them where it hurt the most, pocket book..... Don't buy any of their books...Chastise & ridicule them every time they make these insane comments....Continue to gang up on both of them and the other trolls who agree with them...If they so anti Obama why don't they throw their hats in the ring and run against Obama....I bet neither one of them would get one single vote from the Blacks..........They are HOUSE NIGGERS...........
These two are perfect examples of "educated fools". I really think they both are all about themselves, not about us or anyone else. They've lost all credibility.
Tavis and Dr. west have lost my respect.Both men have lost touch with what,s going on in America.Someone please pull their coat-tails ,maybe than they will realize the direction of better govement is toward Obama.
I am so sick of us always falling prey to the divide and conquer ploy of the majority community. Until we can learn to disagree with one another and still stick together, we will never get anywhere. We always let our ego's get in the way of our progress as a people. I really hate that this is happening. I pray that one day we will have real unity as a people.
Give the President a chance!!! He inherited the MESS the United States is in...he did not create it...let's be real and stop this foolishness and work together with our black President to try and make things better for the good of all MEN....
I have No respect for West or Smiley. Both have shown me they are only ut for themselves and NOT anyone else. Shame on them!
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