1. JOBS, THE ECO 0 Y. For Black Americans, the Reagan
'recession" of 1982-83 was more accurately a "depre ion".
-In December 1982, unemployment for Black reached 20.9%.
(This compared to white unemployment of 9 .6%.) The rate for Blacks
in January 1984 was at a still-high 16.7% (compared to 6.9% for
whites). For Black teenager; , the rate is a steep 49%, and in some
urban centers, this rises to an intolerable 80%.
- The recession proved the most devastating employment
experience for Blacks in the �ore than 35 years since employment
figure have been kept by race. The unemployment gap between Black
and white has increased substantially in the Reagan Administration,
from an 6.6% difference in 1981 to 11 % difference by the end of
1983 ..
-Despite the e high unemployment rates, Reagan has cut job
training and employment programs by 60% since taking office. Gener­
ally half the participants in these programs are non-white.
From a combination of sources, including the House Bu get Com­
mittee's analysis of the FY '85 Reagan Budget, the National Urban
League's "The State of Black America: 1984", and the Children's
Defense Fund's "American Children in Poverty", comes an ominous
. .
message: the Reagan Administration has crafted a scheme to bank-
rupt the future of Black America. Current White House policy has
set back progress of recent decades for those least able to bear the
brunt of unyielding unemployment levels, a diminished standard of
living and devastating cuts to health and social service programs. The
repressive conditions brought on by this administration are ignored
or unseen by a Ronald Reagan who claims that the State of the Union
is flourishing and America is standing tall. ot only are those at h
bottom of the economic ladder mired in the tangle of an ineffective
safety net, this administration has created a leg y of regression and a
tradition of neglect.
R ag n'
TU-
lTV. The Reagan Administration throu It
civil rights laws, has undone many of th p 1 ti
of past discrimination.
- Reagan originally opposed ext n . n the 1965 Voting Tights
Act - and signed it only due to overwh Imin bip rti n Congre ional
support.
- He lifted a ban on tax-exempt tatus for r ci t priv te schools and
colleges - a decision subsequently overruled by the Supreme Court.
- He has presided over a 15% cut in actual spending power for civil
rights enforcement budgets and staffs in five key federal agencies.
- The Department of Justice in the last 30 months has filed only six
new lawsuits to win compliance with the Fair Housing Act; before
1981, 20-30 ca es were brought annually.
- The number of equal employment opportunity suits brought by
the Reagan Administration has declined more than 70% compared with
the Carter Administration record.
- Reagan's Department of Justice has resisted pursuing suits to de­
segregate our nation's schools.
- Reagan has stripped the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights of its
historic and essential independence.
- Reagan is less than enthusiastic in his support of the Econ mic
Equity Act now before Congre , which would help w men chi v
economic equality. Currently, women earn 59cent to the m 1
blac women earn 47 cents to that male dollar. .
2. DECL ING ST A DARn OF LIV G. Poverty in America has
increased under Ronald Reagan - currently 15% of all Americans live
below the poverty line. In the rece ion year of 1982 the number of
Blacks below the poverty line ro e to 35.6% - three time more than the
poverty level for whites.
- 48% of all Black 18 years and under live in poverty (compared to
17% of whites under 18).
- The figure for Black children under 3 years is even higher - at
51.5%.
- For female-headed non-white families, ith several children, the
poverty ratio reaches 70%.
- In 1982, the median Black family income was 13�98, while the ,
median income for white families was 24�93. Thus Black family in­
come was 55% of white family income; the income gap is now larger
than at any time in the 1970s or early 1980 .
3. SOCIAL SERVICE CUTS. In the midst of thi rising poverty and
continued high unemployment, Ro nd Reagan nonetheless proceeded
to slash federal cia} service budgets. The . cuts have especially hurt
minorities who are disproportionately served by federal programs.
- AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) has been cut by
13% ince Reagan c3J!1e to office. 98% of those erved by this program
re women and children. 45% of them are Black.
- Food tamp have been cut by 13% - and yet Ronald Re gan on­
tinue to be puzzled by reports of hunger in America.
- School lunches and other child nutrition programs have be n cut
by 2 %. Thi ha meant that 3 million children - mainly minorities -
have been dropped from these programs.
- Less than half of Black prescho lers are immunized against OPT-
. ,
Reagan's past record speaks for itself. Unfortun tely
America.ihis future priorities remain very much the sam . Hi r c ntl
proposed budget for FY85 again calls for cuts in cial pendin no tax
increases, a massive military build-up,
The Democratic Party concurs with the ational Urb n League's
recommendations for steps to enhance the state of Blac Ameri a.
Tho e step include: a full employment economy a social ervice safety
net that lets no one slip through, a tax system that doe n't take from
the poor and give to the rich aggressice affirmative action programs,
vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws, including fair hou ing odes,
and- major federal investment in quality education for all our citizens.