Barack Obama and the Congressional Black Caucus

1. The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is an organization of elected Black congressional lawmakers. Since its founding it has functioned as part of the left wing of the Democratic Party. The CBC was founded in January 1969. Its founders were Representatives John Conyers and Charles Diggs of Michigan, Ron Dellums and Gus Hawkins of California, Charles Rangel and Shirley Chisholm of New York, Louis Stokes of Ohio, Ralph Metcalf and Pennsylvania, William Clay of Missouri, and Delegate from the District of Columbia Walter Fauntroy. Until 1994, when voters returned a Republican House of Representatives, the CBC had been defined as an "official office of Congress" and as such was provided its own offices, staff and lavish budget.
2. There are 43 people who sit on the Black Caucus and they are The Honorable G.K. Butterfield (North Carolina), The Honorable Sanford D. Bishop, Jr.(Georgia), The Honorable Corrine Brown (Florida), The Honorable Roland W. Burris (Illinois), The Honorable Andre Carson (Indiana), The Honorable Donna M. Christensen Delegate, (Virgin Islands), The Honorable Yvette Clarke (New York), The Honorable William Lacy Clay, Jr. (Missouri), The Honorable Emanuel Cleaver II (Missouri), The Honorable James E. Clyburn (South Carolina), The Honorable John Conyers, Jr. (Michigan), The Honorable Elijah E. Cummings (Maryland), The Honorable Artur Davis (Alabama), The Honorable Danny K. Davis (Illinois), The Honorable Donna Edwards (Maryland), The Honorable Keith Ellison (Minnesota), The Honorable Chaka Fattah (Pennsylvania), The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge (Ohio), The Honorable Al Green (Texas), The Honorable Alcee L. Hastings (Florida), The Honorable Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (Illinois), The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas), The Honorable Hank Johnson (Georgia), The Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas), The Honorable Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (Michigan), The Honorable Barbara Lee (California), The Honorable John Lewis (Georgia), The Honorable Kendrick B. Meek (Florida), The Honorable Gregory W. Meeks (New York), The Honorable Gwendolynne Moore (Wisconsin), The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton Delegate, (District of Columbia), The Honorable Donald M. Payne (New Jersey), The Honorable Charles B. Rangel (New York), The Honorable Laura Richardson (California), The Honorable Bobby L. Rush (Illinois), The Honorable David Scott (Georgia), The Honorable Robert C. Scott (Virginia), The Honorable Bennie Thompson (Mississippi), The Honorable Edolphus Towns (New York), The Honorable Maxine Waters (California), The Honorable Diane E. Watson (California), and The Honorable Melvin L. Watt (North Carolina).
3. The nature of Barack Obama's meeting with the Black Caucus was to press him on their priorities. The session could rekindle lingering differences Obama has had with the group, which hasn't always embraced his approach to politics. Obama relies partly on the organization's largely Black constituents, who were a big factor in his presidential win. Yet Obama maintained a distant relationship with the caucus when he was its only Senate member form 2004-08. That dynamic was on display early in the Democratic presidential primary, when many senior caucus members initially backed Hillary Rodham Clinton even as Obama quickly became viable as a candidate.
4. The issues that the Black caucus would like to see him address was they wanted Obama to hire more minorities to federal jobs and help minority jobs get government contracts. They wanted him to create health care for minorities. They wanted him to improve the education in low income communities. Most of the issues effect minorities and their health.
5. I believe that the Congressional Black Caucus and Obama will have a good relationship because he has the power to get the problems they want fixed done. Also I believe that because he is the first Black President and they are the black caucus, because their both black politicians, that this will influence the relationship in a good way. The CBC's constituents are mostly Blacks, who supported President Obama and voted for him. President Obama probably feels obligated to the CBC's constituents, so this will make it easier for the CBC to get their issues addressed. I also believe that since Obama was once a member of the black caucus that he probably agrees with most of their issues so he will support them again.