Posted on 08/19/2004 5:27:04 AM PDT by kattracks
His voice rising to a yell, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Alan Keyes told a bipartisan civic group Wednesday he "will not budge" from his belief that descendants of slaves should be exempted from income taxes to help heal the wounds of past discrimination and segregation.The former presidential candidate disdainfully brushed aside questions over whether his suggestion should apply to rich African Americans such as Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan or Oprah Winfrey.
"Do you know how many Oprah Winfreys there might have been running around in the 1930s or in the 1920s or in the 19-teens that got nowhere because the doors were shut in their face?" Keyes thundered. "If you think that because I wear a conservative label, I have forgotten that history and am not mindful of that injustice -- then I will tell you now that you are wrong."
Keyes delivered his blistering defense at a luncheon of the City Club of Chicago, scolding fellow conservatives who challenged his proposal and evoking the struggle of his African-American parents, saying they had talent and "hearts and spirit and strength and faith."
"Why didn't they get to a point where they could stand on this platform?" Keyes aked.
Vying against Democrat Barack Obama, Keyes drew heat from conservatives earlier this week when he proposed exempting descendants of slaves from income taxes for a generation or two, a view he insists "involves a traditionally Republican, conservative and market-oriented approach."
On Wednesday, Keyes ridiculed the fuss over his position, saying it is simply a tax break, something "Republicans and my conservative brethren" don't object to when applied to a "wealthy corporation."
Conservative activist Jack Roeser met with Keyes for what Roeser called "a long argument and an intense one" over the issue before the speech. A Barrington businessman, Roeser said he still is not sold on Keyes' reparations proposal, but still plans to support him anyway. "I will tell my friends that this is a good man, and we should support him."
I wonder if that FReeper that left a couple years back in such a blaze of fire is still flacking for him?
See through his pandering...well I have to tell you even with this idea, Keyes is still seen as a tool of the white male republicans (as they view most all black pubbies in office).
I seriously doubt that. Most people hate the idea of paying taxes. They believe the money they get back every year is theirs for over paying taxes to the government. True they may not know how to get to the equation or even care about it. They think it is money the government owes them because they took out too much money on their check.
You are absolutely correct. I apologize if I misunderstood your point. I thought you were equating a tax break for slave descendants to a tax refund, which is revenue neutral for both the government and the party receiving the refund. My bad.
I have no doubt that you are salivating at that prospect. I do doubt that they will bring it up though.
Oberweiss was being a good Republican. He really deserved the shot. I don't owe anything to the Illinois GOP, since their insistance on nominating George "Lyan" Ryan has probably sunk the GOP for a generation. In 1998 when Ryan was running for govenor, all the libs in my office supported him because he was a gun grabber, while Poshard actually believed at least partially in the second amendment. Well, we all saw how that turned out. Once again I believe the go-alongs in the GOP central committee nominated Keyes to weaken any chance a conservative may have in the future.
Oh, it will come up; it's too target rich for the press to miss.
So basically, Keyes is standing up for the right of that small percentage of rich or upper middle class black taxpayers, like himself, to be exempted from income taxes because their great, great, great grandaddy was a slave.
According to the 2000 Census, 40% of black households bring in more than $50,000 per year.
That is not a "small percentage" by any measure.
If you have any Dem co-workers you might ask them. My wife has several that believe just that.
I fall in neither catagory but I'm damned sick and tired of people trying to sell me the idea that I somehow owe some sort of debt for acts that I, and all those I know, had no part in.
It's an old crutch and a continuing scam.
Lots of stereotyping going on on these reparation threads.
That's tinfoil hat stuff.
Not so bad. The waters around Keyes have been very muddied. I will say that it is up to him to clear them but a lot of people here seem to think that there's no such thing as a leftist slanted media in IL. I'm sure Chicago Dem pols would like the voters to think that the media is even-handed there.
If true, then I would be surprised. However, the issue is what percentage is in the top 50% of income earners. That's the category that pays 96.5% of the income taxes in this country. Those are the guys that Keyes is sticking up for, since the bottom 50% doesn't pay much in income taxes to begin with.
With the "anybody but Bush" climate you think the press will bring up Republican candidate Keyes opposition to Bush?
Kinda like the tax cuts?
Can you not comprehend your OWN words?
It would be a mistake for anyone to accuse you of having an underdeveloped sense of loyalty. And loyalty can be a virtue.
Don't you think that a lot of the hostility that Keyes encounters around here involves perceptions about his sense of loyalty?
Slaves are not allowed to own property. Don't be ridiculous. ;-)
My only question, Alan. Who would qualify? Would proof of descendency be necessary or does anyone with Negro features just get automatically accpeted even if he is Hakeem Olajuwon?
Personally, I've come out in favor of a similar one-time payoff for reparations but it comes with a clause. To accept your reparations, you can no longer apply for welfare or public assistance except those things available to the middle class and you will sign a statement declaring you will no longer bellyache about slavery and racism every time you don't get what you want. Deal?
IOW, reparations is meant to be a permanent end to the problem of widespread poverty and hunger among blacks but it will only be handed out once and if that money is not spent wisely, there is no second chance.
If white folks pay this out, absolve our collective guilt and end all the racial finger-pointing that keeps our people divided, I think it will be a long-term benefit for our country. Somehow, some way, blacks have got to get over it and not be conditioned to think they are monolithic victims instead of individuals with opportunities. If reparations can accomplish that, it will be well worth it.
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