July Jobs Report Revealed Some Bad News for Black Americans

On Friday, the Labor Department reported that 528,000 jobs had been added to the economy in July, more than double the 258,000 economists had been expecting. We also learned the unemployment rate had ticked down to 3.5%. Coming on the heels of the prior week’s Commerce Department report that showed the economy had contracted at an annual rate of 1.6% and .09%, respectively, in the last two quarters, it provided some very welcome relief to the Biden administration.

Hidden inside the report, however, was some bad news for black Americans, for whom the unemployment rate rose to 6% in July from 5.8% in June. This demographic group also saw a drop in the labor participation rate. For comparison, the unemployment rate stands at 3.9% for Hispanic Americans, 3.1% for whites and 2.6% for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The importance of the African American demographic to any Democrat’s victory cannot be overstated. For decades, Democratic candidates could rely upon black support at the polls. So much so that the party began to take their support for granted.

The 2.5% gap between the overall unemployment rate and that for black voters is significant and should have this group asking, ‘What have you done for us lately?’

There are signs they may be slowly waking up to the fact that Democrats really haven’t done anything to justify their perpetual loyalty, and why they’re turning to Republicans who have reached out to them. Former President Donald Trump made a concerted effort to reach out to blacks.

Although this crucial demographic group still overwhelmingly votes Democratic, the level of support has gradually waned since the 2012 election when former President Barack Obama won 97%. Hillary Clinton received 93% of the black vote in 2016 and President Joe Biden, 90%, in 2020, according to Democratic data firm Catalist.

Since Biden took office, however, support for Democrats among blacks has seen a more marked decline. A recent Marist poll asked voters which party’s candidate they would favor in their district if the congressional election were held today. Remarkably, black support for generic Republicans, which stood at 3% in September, surged to 20%, close to a sevenfold increase. Over the same period, support among black Americans for Democrats fell from 80% in September to 72%.

A Washington Post/Ipsos poll released in May shows a similar drop in approval for Biden among black voters. Notably, of the four demographic groups (Hispanic, blacks, AAPI, or whites), support for Biden was highest among blacks.

While Hispanics have abandoned the Democratic Party in droves, the shift away has been considerably lower for blacks. Still, small as the movement is, it could prove deadly for the Democrats’ prospects in the upcoming midterm elections. In a close race, a 1- or 2-point shift in the black vote could sway the outcome.

Several Democratic organizers told The Hill they’ve been warning candidates “not to take black voters for granted ahead of the midterms, worried that the party isn’t listening to the community’s concerns in an election year where their vote could be decisive in key races.”

They also “expressed frustration that the Democratic Party consistently overlooks black voters until it’s too late, a sentiment common in previous election cycles.”

Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, echoed this point telling The Hill, “It’s not just about supporting communities or knocking on doors two weeks right before Election Day. There is no such thing as an off year, because there’s no being off from the issues that impact our communities.”

Are black voters beginning to understand that Democrats care only about getting their votes every two years? That they’ve worked to keep them dependent upon the government to guarantee their loyalty to the party? And that it’s all part of their larger strategy to maintain political power for generations to come?

Or perhaps black voters are moving away from Democrats for the same reason as so many others. The foolish policies of the Biden administration have driven prices to record highs, sent the crime rate into the stratosphere, and allowed millions of illegal immigrants to enter the country. And now, in the middle of a recession, the Senate has passed a massive tax and spend bill that has the added benefit of tripling one’s chances of an IRS audit.

Maybe they should be asking, ‘What have you done for us ever?’

A previous version of this article appeared on The Washington Examiner
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