National Urban League Calls on President Obama, Congressional Leaders, to Make Economic Opportunity A Second-Term Priority

NEW YORK (November 7, 2012) -- Job creation, economic development and economic empowerment are the most important issues facing the nation, National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial told President Obama and Congressional leaders in a letter today.
 
"The American people spoke loudly last evening and, in my view, want all parties to put the business of the people first in a spirit of American patriotism and unity rather than resorting to ideological, divisive agendas," Morial wrote.
 
Morial urged that President Obama's second term be focused on four areas:

• A comprehensive jobs program executed through a partnership among government, the private sector and the nation's non-profit community
• An intense focus on children and youth, with a national policy to move the nation toward universal childhood education, an expansion of the effort to make post-secondary education affordable, and an emphasis on job training and skills retraining for those who did not finish high school on time.
• A comprehensive new approach to community safety and crime reduction, with a stronger enforcement of existing gun laws, re-enactment of the assault weapons ban and a thoughtful examination of disparities in the criminal justice system.
• A fair and sensible deficit reduction plan that includes one dollar in revenue enhancements for every dollar in spending cuts.

 
"The devastation of Superstorm Sandy has exposed the desperately slim margin to which our most vulnerable citizens cling," Morial wrote. "While there are many issues that you must confront, we believe those outlined above are the most important facing the nation and urge that they form the centerpiece of your second term domestic agenda."
 
The full text of the letter can be found here.
 
The National Urban League will soon convene an Urban Ideas Forum with policy and program experts, private sector executives and analysts to elevate the discussion of income inequality, disparities in education and workforce investment and other impediments to a full recovery from the Great Recession and to America’s competitiveness.



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