Friday, March 29, 2024

Instead of Meaningful Commitment to Cube’s C.W.B.A., Trump’s Platinum Plan Disregards Rapper’s Most Innovative Ideas

ice-cube
Photo by Chillopedia

*This past Tuesday, social media users were outraged to discover via Twitter that former N.W.A. member and “Are We There Yet?” actor, Ice Cube has collaborated with the Trump Administration. The news was revealed when Katrina Pierson, senior advisor to the Trump campaign publicly thanked the rapper using the social site for his assistance in consulting the Administration on its “Platinum Plan.”

Originally introduced at a campaign rally in Atlanta back in September, the Platinum Plan is an economic proposal intended for Black Americans with the goal of financially empowering them through four pillars: opportunity, security, prosperity, and fairness. According to Ice Cube, his involvement with the proposal came only after the teams of both Biden and Trump contacted him regarding interest in his own plan for Black Americans entitled “A Contract with Black America” (C.W.B.A.). However, this explanation did not suffice as the rap icon’s actions still left many of his followers appalled even prompting famed journalist, Roland Martin to question whether he got: “used politically for their purposes.”

Performing damage control with CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Friday, Ice Cube elaborated further on his involvement saying, “One campaign said ‘We love what you have, but let’s really dig into [it] after the election.’ And one campaign said ‘We love what you have, do you mind talking to us about it?’ And that’s what I did, so I didn’t run to nobody”” (Vera, 2020, para.3).

Ice Cube’s “A Contract with Black America” is a twenty-two-page, thirteen-point, ambitious demand to politicians: “that strikes at the heart of racism and presents a blueprint to achieve racial economic justice” (Hamilton, 2020, para.1). Developed in July, a couple months after the murder of George Floyd, the C.W.B.A. extensively covers not only how to redress the wealth gap between Whites and Blacks through initiatives like federal funding of “baby bonds” and one-time interest free loans for home ownership, but also touches upon judicial and police reform solutions such as eliminating privately run prisons and abolishing qualified immunity for officers, respectively.

MORE NEWS: R. Kelly Jail Beating Went Down While No Guard ‘Raised A Finger’ Says Legal Team

Trump and Pence - Unsplash
Trump and Pence – Unsplash

Overall, the C.W.B.A. is a mostly practical and very well-researched manifesto that thoroughly examines the sins of America against its Black citizenry and provides a list of solutions to rectify them.

Anyhow, two days before his interview with Cuomo, Ice Cube tweeted that the: “Trump campaign made some adjustments to their plan after talking to us about the CWBA.”

However, after viewing both his and the Trump Administration’s proposal for Black Americans, I can confidently say that very little of Cube’s suggestions went into the Platinum Plan. Trump’s proposal is nothing more than empty promises written in a vague manner to create false hope amongst Black voters in order to win over some of their ballots this election. Cube’s proposal addresses a wide range of topics such as reparations, the implementation of affirmative action at all educational institutions, mandatory civil rights and anti-racism classes at all elementary schools, changing the way schools are funded, a formal apology to Black Americans for past wrongs, revamping the credit score model, eliminating three strikes, removal of Confederate statues, and lots more. All subjects Trump’s plan either fails to touch on or fully implement.

Donald Trump - Ice Cube
Donald Trump – Ice Cube

The Platinum Plan is brief in its points and makes promises that simply could have been accomplished in Trump’s first term. For example, it promises to: “prosecute the KKK and ANTIFA as terrorist organizations and make lynching a national hate crime.” But, this is laughable coming from a President, who just two weeks ago at the first presidential debate had the opportunity to denounce white supremacy, but hesitated, telling one racist group to instead: “Stand back and stand by.”

Trump also had the chance to advocate on the part of an anti-lynching bill back in June, when Representative Bobby Rush introduced the Emmett Till Anti-lynching Act to Congress, specifically the House. The bill would of recognized lynching as a hate crime for the first time under federal law, however its passage through the Senate was blocked by Senator Rand Paul, who felt that it as too broad. Where was the President when this was happening? I’ll tell you, not caring in the White House.

Ice Cube’s C.W.B.A has many great ideas, but he is wasting his time if truly believes the current administration will fully implement any of his most significant recommendations in their proposal. President Trump is a walking contradiction, he will say anything if it means personal gain. Black voters should take heed this coming election.

EURweb.com, Everything Urban & RadioScope (formerly The Electronic Urban Report) Covering the Culture since 1997

David Anthony EURweb 20201006_231339
David Anthony is new on the EURweb team. Covering the culture since 1997. Contact David: [email protected]

David Anthony is a new graduate of Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government.  A self-designated history buff and random fact finder, David could rattle your ear for hours with information. Born and raised in the City of Angels he is a huge fan of the city’s culture and hometown NBA team, the L.A. Clippers. A future attorney, businessman, and civil servant, he hopes to be an impactful individual in life.  Contact David: [email protected]

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