Dr. Boyce: Newsweek’s Cover Says President Obama Has Failed
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, KultureKritic.com
Newsweek seems desperate to generate covers that will sell copies of their magazine. Just a few months ago, the publication received attention for naming Barack Obama “The First Gay President.” Now, it’s simply saying that Barack needs to be gone and replaced by Mitt Romney.
Newsweek’s latest cover has the words “Hit the Road Barack,” and they aren’t joking. The article, written by Harvard University historian Niall Ferguson, says that President Obama has failed and that it’s time to take the country in a different direction.
Niall Ferguson was instantly attacked by liberals like Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman, particularly on Ferguson’s assertion that President Obama’s healthcare reform plan will increase the deficit. Writing for the New York Times, Krugman simply stated that Ferguson’s words are highly inaccurate and unreliable. He also said that the Harvard professor misrepresented the numbers of the Congressional Budget Office in an unethical way.
Ferguson then shot back at Krugman and other critics of his article:
“The critics are the ones who are splitting hairs because it’s absolutely clear what the CBO has said, is that the costs of the ACA [Affordable Care Act] will not be met by the new sources of revenue,” Ferguson told Bloomberg TV’s “Market Makers”. “You have to distinguish here between the direct sources of revenue created by ACA and the indirect ways the CBO says it will not increase the deficit. … Krugman is being disingenuous.”
Brad DeLong, an economist with The University of California at Berkeley, actually called for Ferguson to be fired for his mistake. But Ferguson is holding steady to his critique and is now defending his academic reputation.
“I don’t think you can claim that this is in any way undermining my academic reputation because the facts are absolutely clear,” Ferguson said on Bloomberg TV. “What we’re dealing with here is a very carefully orchestrated campaign to try and discredit the piece by those who are ideologically loyal to the president.”
Ferguson argues that those who are seeking to discredit him are being positioned by the Obama Administration to undermine his analysis. It is quite possible that this is the case, since the Obama presidency can often be just as oppressive as any other. Even in the black community, anyone who speaks objectively or critically of President Obama is instantly put into the cross-hairs of paid political hounds.
At the same time, the subtle argument here appears to be that Ferguson himself is being affected by the very same bias that he believes to have tainted the perspective of his political enemies. By simply focusing on the cost of the healthcare plan without considering indirect economic (and non-financial) benefits, Ferguson may also be using selective information in order to make his point. Paul Krugman is no dummy, and one can easily argue that each man is choosing to see his version of political reality, while both are smart enough to selectively choose data to make their point (that’s what many scholars do in their research).
Finally, I find it interesting that no one considers the human element to all of this. Even if the Obama healthcare plan does increase the deficit, does it not matter that it allows every American to have health insurance? The costs of healthcare and education have risen to the point that few American families can afford to pay either one. Even if the deficit is negatively impacted by giving health coverage to children, I think that such a sacrifice makes our country better, not worse, in the end. Allowing the wealthy to pay higher taxes so that everyone benefits comes at minimal cost to the rich, while literally saving the lives of those at the bottom. If you aren’t willing to pay a little more in taxes to save another person’s life, then your soul has been poisoned with the very worst of greedy, unfettered capitalism.
Perhaps one day, we can stop seeing the value of human life like a price tag in a Wal-Mart store. In spite of all of our economic troubles, the United States is still the richest country in the world. The reality is that everyone deserves access to quality healthcare and education, and we can afford to give it to them. The bottom line does not always have to have a dollar sign attached to it, for there are some things more valuable than money.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. To check out Dr. Watkins in the Janks Morton Film, Hoodwinked, please visit this link.
Comments
Powered by Facebook Comments
Excellent!
These caucasoids are SICK! When that dumb idiot, called bushboy was in office; he didn’t know NOTHING!
Condy was the REAL president! She spoke 5 languages fluently and could go ANYWHERE in the world in talk to foreign dignitaries! Bushboy couldn’t leave the Black House nor could he hold a conversation with regular people, because he was TOO DUMB!!!
I am not an O’Drama follower, but he has been the most intelligent president, but that still does not make him a WISE MAN! There is a difference being wise versus being intelligent. O’Drama is being used like a puppet; like past presidents; therefore he is not wise because he is not using his MIND to try to settle problems; he has to listen and tap dance to the caucasoid’s music!
Yes, President Obama has failed, but not on his own. Congress has done what, nothing. Most of us have sat back and criticized everything that he has done. He was not really the President of the United States. About 2/3 of the country refused to support him and even acknowledged the fact that he was not their president. Have you read some of the billboards, magazine covers and emails that were written, not by some uneducated hick from way out, but by the educated elite of this country. Read a few they won’t surprise you. America should be embarassed about what has been done to Barack Obama. But most of us are not. If Romney wins and the opposition puts a derogatory billboard up or prays that his wife should be a widow and his children orphans, every law enforcement agency will be alerted and justice will be served. The world sees us and do they respect us? With lips only because we can destroy them with our great armies. I never thought I would see a Black Man in the White House and I have regretted every day he was there.
Well said!
If they are not saying that BUSH was an utter FAILURE and a complete LOSER… how can they criticize Pres. Obama. Bush inherited a big SURPLUS and PEACE from Pres. Clinton…and messed up all of it… Pres. Obama inherited a COWPIE of problems from G.W. BUSH….but he has repaired a lot of the problems and we are created more jobs.
And don’t forget the TEA-REPUBLICANS in Congress who turned it into an “Obama blocking circus” — opposing the JOBS BILL and almost everything good proposed by Dems.
Some people just like to ignore the truth and facts and BLAME THE BLACK MAN…who has been doing the cleaning.
So you guys would rather have a billionaire in there to help his friends and not the country. WAKE UP EVERYBODY. If Romney & Ryan get in we are all in trouble. Be careful what you wish for
MJ, you are so right they haven’t seen any thing yet. What do they think Romney and Ryan going to do for them? Lord help us all!
The Lord says, I am giving you the power of strength and wisdom to do for your self. So you can leave me out of it and make sure any and everybody you have influence with to register and vote. I can’t do everything for you. If you don’t do that Blame yourself.
Congress was controlled by Democrats the last two years of the Bush administration. The first two years of the Obama administration, it was a Democratic controlled congress– that’s four (4) years of Democrats doing, controlling, blaming Bush for everything! Obama is a dismal failure–historically, Jimmy Carter looks better than Obama. Get off the Bush kick, accept responsibility for not doing one thing to positively promote America. Obama has promoted Islam in a very positive way!
And I suppose you want me to forget all the antics that Congress pulled to make him a failure, however, I don’t think he is a failure. I think he has held up pretty good under the ‘Blue Dog Democrats and the Republicans. The Blue Dogs Democrats worked just as hard against President Obama as the Republicans.
I don’t mind you saying that he is a failure, but please do not leave out the actions of the Republican Party that vowed that they would make him a one term President. This was their dedication the moment he won.
White folks will believe anything whites tell them if they think that their white privileges are being threaten So, get off that kick that he is a failure, America failed President Obama.
RB, MJ you are so right Romney and Ryan is going to look out for people like him people need to wake up to see where they going to take this country down the wrong path
Nobody is gonna do nuthin ” for us”. I thought we black folks realized that after the stealing of 3 trillion by wall street and most blacks losing their homes, fancy cars and virtually all( if we have saved) savings. The Pres has made history, but history made him. This system is set up to favor rich white males( see the Constitution and Bill of so called rights). The own 88 percent of the wealth and the Pres is no robin hood. He would get a bullet if he tried. So I made it thru Reaganomics and I will make it thru whichever white male takes over after Obama( 2 terms no matter what people). Whatever changes made( like will bill Clinton) will be torn down unless the workers and people on the under 500 a year rung unite.. are u prepared for the future my people? Only 4 years left no matter what then what? Look at those four years now!!! Power to beans and rice and peanut butter and jelly. Ptah Ra…
I like what you wrote. Thanks!
500 k a year..correction
Also, the Prez instructed the Justice Dept not to seek prosecution for the Wall Street massacre.. Now ask urself why is that? A crime is a crime right? Brothas got plenty for a crack rock. So why? Ptah Ra..
The only thing President Obama has failed at,is Trying To Get The Sorry Do Nothing Republican[112th] Congress To Cooperate and Work With Him,in Order To Get The Economy Going…This Sorry Do Nothing Congress,Would Rather Leave Millions Upon Millions of People Out of Work,Homeless and Destitute,Than To Work With President Obama To Rejuvenate The Economy….How Sad!!…VOTE-VOTE-VOTE!! OBAMA-OBAMA-OBAMA 2012!!!
You are absolutely correct. Now, the only thing we have to do is get up off of our a**s and vote. But, you will be surprised how many blacks are listening to that “he ain’t did nothing for us” train.
Where are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton calling for a boycott of Newsweek magazine for such idiotic articles?
When will people wake up to the unfortunate yet, blatant racism by those who obviously cater to the idea of blaming Obama for the mess those greedy people caused from the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Haliburton scam, etc.?
I don’t know!
By the way, when one re-publishes these articles…isn’t it logical that you are giving air to these inflammatory ariticles…hmm?
Why should we care?? Remember, Obama is not “The President of Black people.” He is not his brother’s keeper. With Black men dying in the streets like dogs everyday throughout the United States from guns and assult rifles (Black on Black crime) that they could never walk into a store and buy yet, no one seems to ask who puts them in our community? Unemployment soaring in our community and the education of our children being ignored Obama is totally, unconcerned with any issues concering Black people yet we are supposed to feel obligated to him because a magazine is publishing what many of us are now saying openly? Let the gays, immigrants and White Women boycott. Even WallStreet and the auto industry should feel more inclined to defend him. Personally, I could care less.
At least with White folks we always know what to expect.
We’ll survive no matter whose in office-Black folks always do!
Seems to me MZ, you have a little sickness that quite a few blacks have developed since they see that the black President didn’t give them their 40 acres and a mule. President Obama is not “the President of black people.” And, anybody that thought that white people were going to elect a President for black people have lost their minds. He is his brother’s keeper and he has shown it time and time again. When the President signed the “Obamacare” did that not help black people? When he gave millions to the public school system for teachers and improvement on the school, were not our children in public schools, did that not help blacks. When he gave grants for people to go back to school, did that not have your back?? When he stopped the hemorrhaging of foreclosures did that not help blacks. When he brought the troops home did that not bring the black soldiers home to? When he signed the additional months to the unemployment bill did that not help unemployed blacks? When he signed the bill for women to make the same money as a man on the same job, you don’t
You should care because the President has your back more than any president before of after Roosevelt and Johnson. You don’t really believe that the President in 3 1/2 years could stop those self-hating blacks from killing themselves did you. You didn’t seriously think that America is going to do anything about the guns that blacks use to kill themselves with did you.
President Obama is not the President of black people, you don’t believe that white people would put a president in the White House for black people did you?
But here’s some of the things President Obama has done that effects you: When he signed the ‘Obamacare” bill-did that not help black people? When he gave millions to the public schools to hire teachers and improve the schools, did that not help blacks? When he stopped the hemorrhaging of foreclosures houses did that not help blacks? When he brought the troops home from Iraq, did the black soldiers not come home too? When he signed the bill to extend unemployment checks, that didn’t help blacks. When he goes to that do nothing congress over and over to get the economy started and they do nothing so he will not be successful–is he trying? When he signed the bill for women to get paid the same as men on the same job–did he not have your black women backs?
The Republicans can’t afford for the President to be successful. They vowed he would be a one term president and they meant it and blacks like you are cooperating with those racist Republicans to make him a one term president.
Now, another thing could you list at least one thing that the President Obama could do to help black people directly and make it something that’s feasible.
thomas kristy, klansmen have their own website!
I am sick of the bull. If he has failed it is because hat was the goal of racist that had a meeting to make him fail. If you were smart that makes you fail too unless you have Romney stolen money. Read between the lines and ask seniors if they would like to go backwards or forward. Stop the madness you toms set us back and they are useing you. Pray and Vote Obama 2012
Don’t purchase newsweek magizine.
While Obama was being inaugarated(sp)Republican bigwig bigots were already planning on how to jack up his presidency and have been succeeding, why are they sooo scared? Because if they worked with the President they would see this country raise to the level it should be and damned if they want a black man to have that acclaim! And to those who want to blame Obama for brothers killing each other PLEASE! The ignorant bastards simply have no regard for life or pride for our race, they have NO REASON FOR THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR! Excuse me, Obama went to school, college and look where he’s at (like him or not) other black men have gone on to make positive strides in their lives, they MADE A CHOICE, these little b*m f**k punks have the same opportunity! What are some of you brothas doing in your own communities to improve the situation? The man has to run the country, deal with international issues, deal with outright disrespect by a racist congress, and have “us”crying about not helping with crime in our communities , where were all your crying complaining a***s with other Presidents in office BEFORE Obama? Did black on black crime begin when he took office or has it been in effect for over 40yrs? Stand up brothers and sisters! If we handled our business right, our President would be getting respect because this country would see we would not tolerate his disrespect! It’s OUR fault d**n it! And now with a black president in office this country Is making their dislike/hatred for us “crystal clear” and all some of you do is put your laxed a*s faults on his shoulders as well! Go ahead and sit on your sleepy a***s and let Romney/Ryan get in office your crying a***s will know what being ignored is REALLY like! P.s. I’m one p****d off sistah who is tired of hearing “who gonna hep us”? King tried, Malcolm tried (and brothas killed him, WTF!) a whole crew of black men tried to help us and we turn on them, just like your doing our president,instead of showing a united force, some of you turn ya d**n backs because he’s not holding your f+*king hands and personally guiding you in taking care of your own d**n communities! Some of your ignorant a***s probably isn’t even registered to vote! Help yourselves by standing up to inequality on all levels, help raise each other up without getting jealous (crabs in a d**n barrel) help each other, brothers patrol your neighborhoods! Protect your women, children,community….like other races. Stop coming out in force, then drawing back into the darkness when we have situations like the Zimmerman situation, our of site out of mind. We have to be a CONTINUOUS FORCE! BLAME, BLAME, BLAME, huh I guess that’s easier than getting your hands dirty or breaking a sweat. Wake the h**l
up! And you other pigs who try to say he’s not american…….kiss my a*s!
I have been given another reason not to buy newsweek, another reason not to be enamored by “nial ferguson” thank you
@Bahati Sobukwe
Great book. No point.
African Americans, Stop Buying NewsWeek. Stop Doing It Right Now.
The damage was already done before the Democrats took control of Congress in 2006. George Bush’s financial advisers were the one’s pushing for the tax cuts and telling us this would “stimulate” the economy, which we now know didn’t work. Remember getting Rebate checks? While we got pennies, the wealthy got richer. Now you want to sit around and criticize? Don’t you think it’s a little late?
My hope is that people will be more “informed” when making decisions at the ballot box instead of just voting for a Name.