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Obama aims to bypass Congress with ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ initiative

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President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, and his recently announced “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, might be considered his response to the prolonged inflexibility of Congress during the course of his administration. Designed specifically to target young males of color, it aims to help them economically and educationally, two areas in which assistance is undoubtedly needed. In order to do this, Obama wants to sidestep the legislative arm that thus far has rendered his previous efforts ineffective by tapping an overlooked resource: huge charitable organizations known as foundations.

America’s democratic process is based, at least in theory, on the principle of egalitarianism: the belief that everyone deserves equal rights and opportunities. This plays out better in theory than in real life however, as it is a considerable hurdle to get groups of people with different opinions to move in the same direction. For Obama, it is telling that his highest approval rating to date is 69 percent (according to the Gallup poll as of 1-22-09), compared to 89 percent for George H.W. Bush (90 percent, 2-28-91), and 90 percent for George W. Bush (9-21-01).

This may reflect the comparatively brief governmental experience Obama  had prior to entering the Oval Office (seven years as an Illinois State Senator from 1997 to 2004, and three years as junior U.S. Senator from 2005 to 2008). In comparison, Lyndon Baines Johnson had some 23 years as a Texas Congressman and U.S. Senator before becoming John F. Kennedy’s running mate in the 1960 Presidential election. By the time he ascended to the presidency, LBJ had the act of persuasion down to a science, using what has become known as “the Johnson Treatment” to bend friend and foe to do his political bidding.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, with whom Obama is often compared, had the luxury of democratic majority in the House and Senate, as well as the support, at least initially, of a seasoned vice president, John Nance Garner. “Cactus Jack,” as he was known, had some 30 years in Congress under his belt with contacts and experience to share. With this in mind, it is possibly inaccurate to balance Johnson and Roosevelt with a chief executive confronted with law makers so focused on undermining his every move.

Obama’s gifts as a politician—especially his oratorical skills—are widely acknowledged, even among his adversaries. Alex Castellanos, a Cuban American political consultant for the Republican Party and commentator for the 24-hour news channel CNN said as much during his coverage of the State of the Union.

“I think I’ve said before that I think a speech by Barack Obama is a lot like sex, the worst there ever was is still excellent,” he waxed provocatively, generating a quizzical look from his colleague, Newt Gingrich.

Speaking ability and charisma not-with-standing, Obama has consistently failed to win the cooperation of the Republican power base. Nowhere is this more apparent then in the long protracted battle to augment a healthcare plan. The content of his annual presentation to the joint session of Congress alluded to this, and give an inkling of his plans to correct this situation.

The foundations listed thus far include a roster of heavy hitters. They include The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Atlantic Philanthropies, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The California Endowment, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Open Society Foundations, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and The Kapor Center for Social Impact.

Their initial goal, an expenditure of 200 million dollars, seems like an enormous sum to start a philanthropic enterprise. But upon closer examination this is not so impressive. Spread out over five years, this funding comes out to $40 million per annum, not a princely sum at all considering it is meant to uplift all the young men of color across the continental United States plus Alaska and Hawaii.

Thus far, no specifics have been worked out. Over the next three months areas will be selected and prioritized, the all important methods of evaluating which programs actually work, and other large and small details will be determined and hopefully, ironed out.

For Obama’s core group of original supporters, this possibly will draw happy tidings, as many, especially celebrities from the prominent Hollywood liberal bastion, were disappointed by the president’s unwillingness to directly challenge his Republican opposition. Black constituents may finally commend the chief executive for making the first steps towards effecting meaningful change in their community.

“My Brother’s Keeper” is likely meant to be a partnership with “The Promise Zone,” announced at the State of the Union Address and earmarking five geographic areas deemed hardest hit by the recession and therefore eligible for federal assistance. Other programs are likely to follow, and will surely solidify another label Obama shares with Roosevelt: that of a Socialist or further left, a Communist.

While the president’s selection of sources to bypass Congress to fund his initiatives maybe a novel approach, these proposals are not without precedent. Michael R. Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative launched during his tenure as mayor of New York City in 2011 earmarked some $127 million from the public and private sectors for the advancement of Black and Latino young men. The jury is still out on merits of this program, which Bloomberg’s successor Bill de Blasio has pledged to continue and build upon.

More recently and closer to home, The California Endowment’s statewide “Sons and Brothers” campaign begun in the last quarter of 2013 with some $50 million proposed to address such fundamental obstacles as discipline and behavioral problems in the educational and justice systems that inhibit young boys’ progress through the school system. These organizations are among the 10 original participants listed as part of “My Brother’s Keeper,” and the two programs will likely be absorbed in the president’s larger initiative. Such a massive undertaking will bring with it numerous logistical and execution difficulties. Only time will tell how it’s overall success will impact those it is designated to serve.

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