Joel Ferguson initially made his money by being the minority front contractor for large construction companies in their attempts to secure government contracts. He is a smart but very mediocre, politico who is being promoted and quoted by the media because he is a bully who has learned to intimidate his adversaries by impliedly using an accusatory threat of racial discrimination against those with whom he disagrees. The man figured out how to work the system and realized that the image/presence of a successful minority entreprenuer was intimidating to most white businessmen of his and older generations. He realized early on that impliedly threatening to play the race card was his greatest leverage. He knew/knows that if he ever actually played/plays the card, without any real basis in fact, his leverage will be essentially lost The generation of business people who have followed Mr. Ferguson do not appear to be as susceptible to intimidation by the presence of a successful minority and, as a result, Mr. Fergusons effectiveness is beginning to decline. Joel has achieved great success and many accomplishments, very few of which appear to have been for the public good.
