Keyes has plans for reparations

Chicago Tribune ^ | 8/17/04 | Allison Benedikt and David Mendell

[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...

[swheats]

Thanks I saw that. I hope Keyes will clarify his position. That's why I like to hear it from the horse's mouth what was said because this would appear as though Keyes has changed his mind.

[Chad Fairbanks]

You must have missed class the day they went over the word ownership. It's their money, not yours. Your money is not being taken and given away.

Maybe not, but the rest of us will end up making up the difference in higher taxes.

Shorts are covered when Keyes cuts pork dispersions.

And Keyes will do that how, exactly? Wave his magic wand?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

LOL

[Right_Handed_Writer]

And just exactly what points has Kohn called Obama on? Does Obama even know who Kohn is?

[ApesForEvolution]

They are a wastoid group of bitter failed soccer mom ninnies, and thank you for pointing to the realities of what we are facing as a country...foolishly thinking the GOP is full of people who can make any dents in the restoration of a Constitutional America. I say, when they sew to the winds of Liberalism, they shouldn't be surprised when the grim realities of reaping the whirlwind should be no shock.

It *is* good to know who is with America, and who is with Amerika...

[Howlin]

You're proving my very point post by post.

[Howlin]

If you're so unconcerned by what I say or think, why is it you feel it's your duty to respond to my posts?

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

"I want a house on a hill, and a 2002 Coupe DeVille..."

[Right_Handed_Writer]

"So now you are saying you don't agree with Keyes position but find it brilliant because its filled with strategery? "

His whole campaign is about the strategery! Obama has to be exposed.

[TigersEye]

You are actually quoting Jesse Jackson? How low can you go?

It's the same source as this reparations speech article that you are defending. These are your fellow anti-Keyes buddies. Jesse, Chicago Tribune, Sun-Times. This is where your argument is coming from.

[Smogger]

One thing is an asbolute certainty, Keyes has become a flip-flopping carpetbagging reparations seeker!

Is tax relief now synonymous with reperations?

[ApesForEvolution]

I'm guess I'm the kind of person, which we're all blessed and cursed differently, that when I see a pile of shi* in the middle of the room, I feel compelled to help clean it up...because I live here too.

[ApesForEvolution]

A lot of people say that about Bush and Kerry...what do you say to them IL GOP genius?

[Howlin]

Well, it ain't the same AUTHOR; you're quoting Jesse Jackson, for gawds sake.

Talk about strange bedfellows.

[jmc813]

And now you all think it's just peachy.

I, for one, disagree with Keyes on this one. I suspect of his supporters here do as well.

[Dog Gone]

My understanding is that only people who can prove slave ancestry will be given the abatement.

Is there any evidence indicating that blacks who are decendents of slaves are worse off than blacks who are not? If there isn't, the whole argument for reparations collapses, doesn't it?

[Howlin]

Actually, you're the kind of person who needs to destroy anybody who doesn't agree with them; it has something to do with your self-worth; for some reason, whether it's your personal life or just life in general, you have a visible need to best anonymous names on an internet forum.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Does Obama even care who Keyes is? The bottom line is, Keyes is flip-flopping on things. The Carpet-bagging Flip-Flop, now the Reparations Flip-Flop... What next? At what point do we say, "Wow. I thought I knew Alan Keyes... what other things is he going to change in order to be electable..."???