Herman Cain and a step in the wrong direction

Herman Cain, the 2012 Republican aspirant, has been quoted as saying that people who are out of work and are poor have only themselves to blame. Assuming that Mr. Cain's words have not been taken out of context, one is left to ponder what a staggering blunder such an utterance represents at this time. The United States has an unemployment rate hovering near 10%. Those who have been out of work for prolonged periods of time often find themselves in a state of fear regarding the precarious existences. The fears can be attributed to the dissolution of benefits, the inability to find work and the loss of health insurance.

For Cain to make such a sweeping generalization at such a time shows a capacity for making terrible tactical errors. Cain is an American success story, and for that he should be applauded. The man advanced despite living in a time when racial discrimination was far more pronounced. He used his intelligence to further his formal education and maintained a strong work ethic that enabled him to succeed. In this regard he is a role model. It is also a fact that there are, of course, those individuals who are averse to hard work, hold an entitlement mentality and do expect more than they deserve. Where Cain goes wrong is his myopic take on the poor and the unemployed in 2011 America.

Cain's words offer a simplistic summary of the situation that confronts us today. Many hard-working individuals have lost their employment since the economic downturn began and are actively seeking to return to the workforce; however, for many, this dream, despite repeated efforts, has not come to fruition. It is, of course, possible to take any job that comes along (e.g., fast food, manual labor) and that is a temporary solution to the educated job seeker, but often those jobs do not come with medical benefits, often unaffordable on the private market for those with pre-existing conditions. The problem with taking jobs in fast food or manual labor for those who are qualified to do other things is that job hunting is a full-time job, working in a fast food restaurant or digging ditches does not necessarily advance the skills of someone trained in a specialized field nor is it particularly remunerative, especially for those with a family.

Misfortune has afflicted many within our population. Offering simplistic rationales is not a help. If Cain continues with such declarations, he will find himself among the many who are completely out of step with the average worker. The accusation that those on the left are out of touch with ordinary people due to an inherent strain of elitism is bound to descend upon the right as well. Cain has every right to criticize those who can work, but opt not to; where he is wrong is assuming that each person's misfortune is a result of his bad choices. Many among us get sick, are injured or find ourselves scrambling for new employment not due to bad decisions, but through an unfortunate destiny. It is true that many people have turned adversity around, but this is often not instantaneous. Cain needs to realize this before he alienates a large segment of the voting population.