Northern Colorado Gazette

By Craig Masters
Speaking at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Student Summit on the campus of North Carolina Central University in Durham, Tuesday, Senior Presidential Advisor, Valerie Jarrett, explained Obama’s economic policy on unemployment. In her speech, broadcast nationwide to HBCU campuses, Jarrett told the largely black audience of students that unemployment checks actually “stimulate” the economy.

Jarrett is not the only woman standing behind Obama supporting his economic ideology. Nancy Pelosi demonstrated her depth of American economy knowledge in a press conference in San Francisco. Pelosi explained to the reporters how each federal dollar spent on food stamps returns $1.79 into the economy. Her comment was in response to the “food stamp President” comment made by Newt Gingrich in a recent presidential campaign debate.

Pelosi and Jarrett are joined by other presidential advisors echoing the Obama economic numerology. In August of last year, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack made the astonishing claim that each food stamp dollar spent infuses $1.84 into the economy. These comments were similar to White House press secretary, Jay Carney’s, August statement in which he stated unemployment checks are, “one of the most direct ways to infuse money into the economy…”

Jarrett’s appearance at the HBCU Student Summit was arranged to kick off Obama’s campaign effort to mobilize these students in support of his re-election.

Federally subsidized Historically Black Colleges and Universities have come under some criticism over the past few years as studies have indicated a decrease in graduation rates instead of an increase as would be expected when funds increase. The time gauge for completion of a four-year degree is six years. From 2006 to 2011, the six-year graduation rate of blacks at HBCU’s has dropped from 49% to 45%. That compares to a black male graduation rate at UNC, Greeley, CO of 34% in six years for a four year degree, according to a report covering 2005 to 2010.

Of the 37 HBCUs in a NCAA survey published by the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, 21 show a decline in their black student graduation rate over the past five years. Moreover, some of these schools’ graduation rates have dropped significantly from ten years ago, according to the Journal. This during a time when some of these HBCU’s such as Florida A & M have gained national attention. The Journal report says, “Florida A&M University is the same as it was five years ago but is significantly less than was the case a decade ago.”

So the question becomes; is it possible that these statements by Obama senior advisors are an indication that the democrat strategy for remaining in power is to sacrifice these students’ future by denying them truth and knowledge about the American economic system in favor of enslaving them to federal programs? Or, do the women behind the man actually believe we could stimulate economic growth by simply printing more food stamps?

Maybe this is what Newt actually meant when labeling Obama the “food stamp President.”

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