The Democratic Party will make history by officially nominating Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the party as their standard bearer for president. Harris is the first woman of color to lead a major party ticket — only in America can this happen.
I imagine Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Harriet Tubman, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other departed civil rights activists are cheering Harris on.
Many feel joy at the possibility of a woman of color leading the free world. But does the historical moment of nominating a woman of color to run for president mean that her policies don’t really matter?
Making history is good, but progress and commonsense policies are more important.
As a Black man, I am feeling deja vu. Our first Black president, Barack Obama, rode a wave of history-making, hope and change to the White House, but he missed the opportunity to unify America. Democratic leaders should ask themselves why Black Americans, their most loyal constituents, remain mired at the bottom economically, educationally and socially. Democratic and Republican leaders should want to know: Why has there been very little progress in closing inequalities in income, wealth, education, employment, housing and health care? With record numbers of Black Americans in Congress and state legislatures and as mayors of big cities, why are Black citizens being shot and killed at alarming rates?
I urge Harris and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to focus on commonsense policies that would unite America and provide economic opportunities for all citizens.
Harris recently unveiled her economic plan, but will it help those who need it the most?
“As president, I will be laser-focused on creating opportunities for the middle class that advance their economic security, stability and dignity. Together, we will build what I call an ‘opportunity economy,’” she said.
An “opportunity economy” focuses on those who have been forgotten and left behind and are struggling to make ends meet. Harris’ economic plan should include removing barriers that limit full participation in the economy.
One such barrier is education, which is said to be the great equalizer. Too many children are graduating from schools without being able to read, write or do basic math. For example, Chicago Public Schools data for students in grades three to eight found an average proficiency rate of approximately 31% in literacy skills and 19% in math, according to the Tribune.
Also, schools should provide three meals a day, seven days a week for students from disadvantaged communities.
Another barrier to full participation in the economy is health care. Residents living on Chicago’s West Side can expect to live 14 years less than someone living downtown. An Illinois Department of Public Health report on infant mortality from December 2020 found that infants born to Black women die at rates more than double that of infants born to white, Latino and Asian women.
Additionally, too many distressed neighborhoods lack full-service grocery stores and are essentially food deserts.
Incarceration and privatized prisons are another barrier. The United States has almost 6.9 million people in jail, in prison, on probation or on parole at any given time, the Department of Health and Human Services reports. Private prisons make $7.4 billion a year and make up more than 10% of the corrections market, according to Smart Asset. The Sentencing Project reported that Black Americans were imprisoned at five times the rate of white Americans in 2021. These disparities must be addressed by the next president.
Unleashing economic opportunity will help reduce recidivism and keep citizens out of prisons. For example, in Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore used an executive order to pardon 175,000 people convicted of low-level marijuana offenses.
“We cannot celebrate the benefit of legalization if we do not address the consequences of criminalization,” Moore said in a statement. Moore also stated his action was aimed at healing social and economic disparities for communities of color that have been disproportionately affected by marijuana convictions.
The following are suggestions for the next president:
- End privatization of prisons and incentives around incarceration. Redirect taxpayer funds away from prisons to assist citizens with skills training.
- Expand capital to support ideas for small businesses in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Enlist trade unions to provide certifications in specialized trades including carpentry, plumbing, welding, electrical work and culinary art. Ensure labor unions reflect the diversity of America.
- Encourage federal agencies including the Department of Defense to procure items from small businesses operating in disadvantaged communities.
- Prioritize student learning and literacy. Require teacher accountability for student learning. Expand vocational and trade schools in disadvantaged communities.
- Secure the southern border. Emphasize American citizens first for housing, health care, education and other government benefits.
- Lower taxes to spur economic development. Overtaxation drives citizens out and demoralizes the spirit of innovation.
- Provide citizens the same health care that elected officials receive.
Economic parity and opportunity will solve a lot of problems in America. Democratic and Republican leaders should put the citizens’ needs ahead of their parties. Each generation has an obligation to secure the American Dream for the next generation. Commonsense polices will lead to progress and preserve democracy.
I write this commentary to make those comfortable with abdicating commonsense polices uncomfortable.
Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.
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