Looks like he might:
Posted on 08/19/2004 12:56:29 AM PDT by kattracks
Keyes2000mt: Keyes in the year before he ran for the Senate earned $300,000 a year, so he was taking a 2/3 pay cut to run for the Senate in Maryland in '92.
I think most of us would consider a person making $300,000 per year relatively wealthy, and $96,000 a fairly generous salary, especially since one would assume the campaign paid his expenses in addition to the salary.
Yet, in the end, the people of America, set it right.
The time approaches when it will be done again.
Contingent of course upon the handing in and destruction of your passport and US citizenship at the port of embarkation immediately before boarding the aircraft.
$96,000 would be great. However, one has to remember that he bought a house, car depending on a 300,000 a year salary.
i.e., he doesn't live like the rest of us.....
So now we're saying that Upper Middle Class people have to sacrifice their whole livelihood to serve their country?
Well, don't complain that good people don't run, because good people can't afford to ruin their families.
So if Alan Keyes is accustomed to drawing a salary of $300K, and he also qualifies for reparations under this plan, how can you honestly make this claim?
You really can't.
So now we're saying that Upper Middle Class people have to sacrifice their whole livelihood to serve their country?
The problem isn't the sacrifice of serving, it's the sacrifice of running. America is ruled by the golden rule of politics, "He who has the gold rules." It used to be in the founding era, people running for President or Senate didn't campaign. The Presidential candidate stayed home, lived his life, and waited for the results.
I have no problem with people sacrificing when they serve, I have a problem with expecting peole to be destitute so they can run.
Well maybe Keyes can take some of the tax break money and use it to pay candidates while they are on the circuit trying to get that elected job so they can serve.... Heck we've got us a new 'class' of ppl now... Yep, I think Keyes could or should undertake that as part of his tax break plan.... Maybe only for a couple of generations also.
Now in all seriousness, it is a problem. If you aren't at least partially weathly or have some income from a business, investments, inheritance, etc then you do have a problem taking off your job to run while at the same time maintaining support for the family.
And of course, the prcentage of the slave-descended population which makes upper class income would be what? under 2% I guess since Bill Clinton was claiming that only about 2% of ALL taxpayers made that much.
Besides, don't nitpick the paln with me - I haven't said I liked it or endorsed it - only that any smart guy is entitled to a loopy, impossible-to-pass, idea once in a while.
I'm not nitpicking. I'm responding to your claim.
I still don't think it can be legitimately said that it's to remedy economic impact if included in its beneficiaries are people who make upwards of $300K a year - not to mention the Oprah Winfreys of the world.
People keep saying that poor black people don't pay anything anyway - does this plan really sound like remedy for economic impact if that is the case?
I don't think so.
I do agree that it's loopy.
No, I'm saying that "ordinary people" don't generally make anywhere close to $300,000 per year.
That being said, if one is running on principle and conscience as Keyes has always said he is, I'd think that making some sacrifices might be acceptable.
I also think that most of us here, if making that much money and sufficiently motivated, could find a way within a year or two to get all our bills (including the house and car) paid off and save up a couple of hundred thousand to pay for our run....but maybe not.
When we have people like Keyes, Oprah Winfrey, Clarence Thomas, Condeleeza Rice, Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman, (the list goes on but you get the idea) I wonder why people see a need for this.
Seems to me there must be a reason other than who one's ancestors were that determines success or lack thereof.
And, I agree with you that Keyes' plan would be targeted toward those blacks who are already successful, not the ones who actually might need economic assistance.
Well again Keyes sacrificed $200,000 a year in income. Of course, with speaking arrangements he has now this is hardly necessary.
Looks like he might:
Nice house! Did it say how much property comes with that?
What a martyr for the cause!
He's being paid to speak?
It was back in 2000 when Moore was doing his tv show "The Awful Truth" and offered to put up an endorsement on his website of any politician who would crowd surf a mosh pit that he drove up to their appearances on a flatbed truck. Keyes was the only candidate to take the plunge, and Moore duly included an endorsement and link to Keyes on his website.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.