Senate Journal Extra Session February 1982 First Day

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PITTSFIELD. }1ASJ.

'S-30,Q00

AUG- 1 .63

By Sheila Rule

. O l$t New York T'lmes News Servlc€

NEW ORLEANS - Character-
izing black Americans as a people
without a political party, the presi-
dent of the National Urban Leagte
said yesterday that the over-
whelming majority of blacks would
advise President Reagan not to run
for reelection

"Some would say he's done
enough damage in one term to last
a lifetime," John E. Jacob said h a
speech to be delivered last night at
the opening of the civil rights organ-
ization's 73rd annual conference,

"Others would say that if the
president does not run, the cam-
paign could deal with the substan-
tive issues facing the country
instead of being an autopsy on his
failed policies," he said, offering
statistics that etched a bleak profile
of black life in the nation. "And still
others would say, 'Don't mn be
cause we are unhappy with the
Democrats and want a Republican -

we can support, a Republican who.
can help revive the two-party sYs-
tem among blacks.' "

lYlderanglng speech

In a speech that touched on the is.
sues of education, affirmative ac'
tlon and the effect of hlgh
technology on blacks, Jacob said the
president was incorrect in ascribing
his poor showing among blacks to a
problem of perceptlon. Instead, the
civil rights leader said, the Reagan
administration was the most hostile
administration in 50 years and had
glven blacks "Pac-man social poli- "

iies and caveman civil rights polt-
cies."

But Jacob warned the Democratic
Party that it could not count on the
historic loyalty of black voters un-
less it offered a program relative to
their concerns, and said manY Dem'
ocratic members of Congress
elected with the help of black votes
"just rolled over and played dead'l
when social programs were being

Saying that politics for blacks this
vearwas "a Dolitics of frustration,"

'r iacob calted for vigorous black
I voter registration and education

programf and the develoPment of
coalitions of blacks, Hispanic Amer'
icans and poor whites.

Electlon lmportauce strtssed

He said next year's election would
be oue of the most imPortant in the
nation's history beeause ltt outcome:
would have a far'reaching impact
on oolicies that. affect tlrc nation'$
ecoiomy and social order. rr

Blacks are "concentrated in the
industries where Jobs are hemorr'

4riagtng," Jacob' added, and "ar€

*

Blacks worlld te[ Rpugan
not to runr'x'SayS, leader

concentrated inseftce tobs, wherc . 0n the issue of education, Jacob
we face two threatrs: Flrst, those isald many people pushing for lm-
Jobs may'be automated out of exist- proved public educallon failed to ad-
ence; second, blacks may be ,qress the lack of resources, high ^ _

squeezed out by dlsplaced white dropout rates and low academ-ic ' -''
workers or by arbitrary higher ' achievement levels in many inner
quallfications. It's happened before city schools. He said the nation
in our history. It may happen aSain. , must demand quality education for

k*:'*slT:,i:ot.'Siir"fi iiiH:'ryi..T,''[:'rJi'?&,lit":i3'whites, either," he contlnued. "If ";;T".Ameriia rosei its r.li*l"*]t*i *H""*d:.Ht:,lif ffi,"Jf 
,ji#*i

$!{lJ['?1f',Xl*.1fl Y','Jfr"ifl :ii.-#Xiifl $j,#tk;,*t;l1fdrain.
,,our economy is based on mass $ffi: r"il.'"iffl"ii ,i,:t tffill

consumerism, on the premise that States Commission on Civil Rights;
most people work, earn and spend," William Bradlord Reynolds, aistst-
Jacob said. "But. if they are not ant attoraey general and head of the

'working or iI they aren't earning JusUce Department's civil rights di-
enough, who will buy those goods? vision; Clarcnce Thomas, chairman
Bobots don't buy autos. And the pro- of the Equal Employment Opportu-
ducers. of imported goods spend nity Commisslon, and Elaine Jones,
their money at home, not ln the a Iawyer with the NAAQP Lesal De
U.S.A." fense and nOucatiqg?u-{fncl_ __- guBlrya+_--u u 

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dismantled.