Since unemployment numbers haven’t always told the true story of what’s happened to the U.S. economy, a more diligent survey of other, broader indicators is necessary to gauge the President’s economic stewardship. When defined by gross domestic product (GDP) growth, for example, it’s the worst economy in 83 years.

Did you know that there was a time in our country, after the Civil War, when white unemployment was higher than black unemployment? It seems almost unfathomable now, but that was the case in the early decades of the 20^th Century. This was intentionally changed after Congress enacted the first federal minimum wage law: the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931.

We need businessmen to get more involved in our communities outside the school system. Instead of building another youth basketball center so people can pretend they have done something to help inner city kids, we need to build centers to teach kids about computers and business.

The one thing that stood out with me from his speech was his wanting to increase the federal minimum wage from $ 7.25 an hour to $ 9 an hour.  With a weak economy, you want to increase the cost of labor?  Are you kidding me?

In 1992, now Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke — one of the key players in current efforts to reinvigorate the American economy — collaborated with fellow economics professors Andrew Abel and Dean Croushore to author Macroeconomics. The book looks at fiscal policy from a “big picture” perspective.

At this appointment, however, the receptionist gave me three new forms to fill out. These forms were not the usual update forms. This new paperwork required specific and personal demographic information.

In tough economic times, such as those Americans are currently experiencing, there are some ways that black churches can perform services that could help parishioners weather financial crises more effectively.

Drilling and production could also help thousands of small businesses that would provide goods, equipment and services to drilling, pipeline and related companies. In Maryland, 19% of these businesses are owned by African Americans – still more by other minorities.