Posted on 08/17/2004 5:58:48 AM PDT by Aquinasfan
One day after their first meeting, U.S. Senate hopefuls Barack Obama and Alan Keyes were back on the campaign trail again Monday.
Speaking at a news conference at the Hotel InterContinental in Chicago, Republican Keyes added to his now familiar talking points his stance on slavery reparations.
Prompted by a reporter's question, Keyes gave a brief tutorial on Roman history and said that in regard to reparations for slavery, the U.S. should do what the Romans did: "When a city had been devastated [in the Roman empire], for a certain length of time--a generation or two--they exempted the damaged city from taxation."
Keyes proposed that for a generation or two, African-Americans of slave heritage should be exempted from federal taxes--federal because slavery "was an egregious failure on the part of the federal establishment." In calling for the tax relief, Keyes appeared to be reaching out to capture the black vote, something that may prove difficult to do, particularly after his unwelcome reception at the Bud Billiken Day Parade Saturday...
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
You can't make such a statement categorically, since the duty of the State is to promote justice.
Where will it end?
That's a huge problem. Reparations in practice has the potential to cause greater problems than it solves. It's a high-wire act.
What part of the "conservative Agenda" does this further? Maybe you could explain it to me, because I know of no part of the conservative agenda that treats people differently based on skin color...
Thanks in advance.
"Bow down and worship me, and all this can be yours" freebies. Their votes were bought instantly, before they took the chance to become self accountable. It was easier to live off others than get out and survive.
They were free then, and they're free now. It's just easier not to be.
Just how will the left legitimize this issue? By flat out rejecting no taxes for blacks? That ought to go over real well with the Dem black base. I'd love to hear them explain why they can't be relieved of taxation for a mere two generations. You see the issue as reparations but the real issue is taxation and Keyes has just out-hustled the race hustlers by using their issue dejour (which will never go anywhere) by tying it in with one of his core issues. Tax reform for everyone.
Reparations would create a racial quagmire that would make Vietnam look like vacation. Look at how some people react when talking about indians and casinos.
Yes, that's right. And what conditions existed that made that possible?
I wonder how many black people can actually prove slave heritage. Being black doesn't mean one was a slave.
Keyes has no chance of getting elected. He will, however, mix-it-up with Obama. Obama has got to be exposed as the empty suit that he is. Keyes is the perfect man for the job.
Don't forget that Illinois is the same state that put up with that fraud Carol Moseley-Braun. Obama will slide right into that job, but not before Keyes scuffs him up a bit and marginalizes him.
It sounds more like Keyes let his mouth get away from him and his spokesman had to come out and do one of those "what Ambassador Keyes meant to say was" clean-up jobs.
No, by taking the GOP plan to the next step and advocating reparations for all blacks. Having gone on record as being in favor for reparations for those who were not actually slaves how can the GOP fight tax breaks for all blacks?
I though reparations was based on slavery not skin color.
People will see "reparations" and refuse to vote Keyes period- Obama, if he is smart, will keep his mouth shut. Keyes will pick up no black votes and lose 90% of the white vote with this bizarre remark. What a joke this campaign has become.
"Reparations" for slavery in the United States is not "justice."
So I'll be crass and ask how many of those who are demanding reparations actually PAY taxes.
yep I agree
All that stuff can be filed under #4
Not with asinine schemes like this one he won't.
Inquiring minds want to know.
BTW...I think this story is bunk. I wouldn't think that Keyes would be proposing this.
You have a point. I propose, no taxes for two generations for those whose property was siezed by the Federal government as well.
Not at all. He's not talking about taking money from OTHERS, he's only talking about not taking money from the black people themselves to give to the government. Come to think of it, since many black families don't even make enough money to PAY income taxes, it will only affect those who actually DO pay them. Now, if he did this for payroll taxes, that could be HUGH.
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