Yesterday I mentioned the Wall Street Journal article by Jason Riley. He has also written a book that documents the negative impact government policies have on the African-American population. The provocative title is “Please Stop Helping Us.” He was on my radio program recently to talk about his book.

The book title explains it all. Government policies that are supposed to help the black community are often detrimental to them. His book covers a range of topics, but let me focus on the two he feels are having the greatest negative impact.

His chapter on “Mandating Unemployment” reminds us that minimum wage laws were first used against black workers. Politicians and unions used those laws to prevent blacks from taking jobs away from union members. He quotes from a number of black leaders in the past that felt unions were “the greatest enemy of the black working man.”

He is quick to point out that proponents of minimum wage laws today aren’t passing them to reduce black employment. Unfortunately, these laws do increase black unemployment. And black leaders have little reservation about supporting union policies and minimum wage laws that harm the black community, especially black teenagers.

Black teen unemployment has reached 44 percent. However, in the late 1940s before rapid minimum wage escalation, black teen unemployment was less the 10 percent.

His chapter on “Educational Freedom” talks about the terrible schools in so many African-American communities. Spending on public education has tripled in the last few decades and the school workforce has doubled. Nevertheless, student performance of black students lags behind. Jason Riley argues for school choice. Unfortunately, black leaders follow the dictates of teacher’s unions and oppose school choice.

This book reminds us that the black community has not been well served by its current black leadership. It also reminds us that often when government tries to help, it does great harm. Jason Riley is right when we pleads: “Please Stop Helping Us.