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 ...
I'm liking the sound of it! The intended benefactors of the Great Society would be enlisted into the front ranks of that righteous effort to wean us all off of government. Who else would make better advocates for smaller government?
If this is true, Keyes' political career in the GOP is finito.
The downside of this plan is that once people are paying no taxes, they have no incentive to cut taxes for anyone else. On the other hand, they have no exscuse for their own failure but themselves, a point I'm sure Keyes is trying to get across.
Me too. I want the old Plantation back too, which means the government needs to turn over what is now Kings Bay Naval Submarine Station to me PRONTO.
What is Keyes smoking?
Yea , but presumably they are also exempt from the benefits of citizenship: voting , etc ..It can be debated that this is being circumvented, but for the most part they are "underground" in most every way.
Now you're talking about making it official policy: YOU pay nothing, I pay for you!
Many people pay no income tax and many actually get EITC --- a form of welfare --- a tax refund for taxes they didn't pay
Thats true, and it sucks, but you still have to meet the dependency requirement. You dont just get it for having black skin, nor do you get if for just showing up!
That's what I figured happened.
However, the idea is interesting. Keyes nips it in the bud.
What does that have to do with it? Keyes was talking about Federal income tax, which isn't limited to residents of Illinois, as far as I know.
Our goal as conservatives should be to treat all citizens equally and fairly regardless of race.
Where did the Chicago Tribune get this? I couldn't read the whole article (won't register at the CT and BugMeNot.com seems to be down). I waded through every speech of Keyes whose title seemed applicable and found nothing. Alan Keyes archives.
Given that the Chicago Tribune is the fishwrap dejour that filed suit to open the divorce records of the IL GOPs first Sen. candidate (against his and his ex's will) thus scuttling his run I don't believe a word they say. I also note that they are yet another leftist rag that doesn't want FR to have easy access to their propaganda.
I'm sure P. Diddy, Shaq and Whitney Houston can use the extra dough.
I do think Stern was grudgingly a Bush supporter before the FCC thing came along.
40 years of negative taxes - welfare - hasn't helped, neither will no taxes.
Keyes has gone over the deep end. He's lost his bearings.
Everybody sing!... Nuthin' from nuthin' means nuthin'...
But are we not way past the second generation ?
From the looks of it the IL DNC. They seem to be digging fast and furious to find something to shoot him down with. : )
I have no concern with this position. First, most blacks who would want to pursue this are not paying taxes now and second, the proof will be impossible to find without an expensive search. What Keyes has done is cut into Obama's base of support. Now Obama must state his position. He is in a no win position, this was brilliant on Keyes' part.
Keyes will lead and make you think, he is the right choice for Illinois.
Vote for Keyes, vote Republican.
I'm curious, do you have a source for that?
That's the hilarity of it. They will.
In short, his proposal highlights the fact that poor people are not currently paying their share and that in itself is reparations.
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