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 don't know what you're referring to as far as my history, but I know what you're saying is not nice.
The Federal Government has chosen to enslave us all through their anal-intrusive and ill-begotten IRS and IRC. Alan has a plan to put pressure on the system, turn around some black voters...and I hope it works.
You are delusional.
..why does he hate Keyes so much???
Yup, quite delusional. Or, lying through your teeth.
A little selective editing there, dork.
Oh, for a killfile...
PS: I suggest you petition for a screen-name change. Something like "Bites" might be a better fit.
Why? It's not costing you anything. Your taxes do not have to go up to pay for this. All that is happening is a tax decrease for a group of people that you happen not to be in.
What is wrong with that?
That's reasonable. It wasn't the smartest thing for Keyes to say, but he has my total support.
You'd better hope I don't. If I do, you'll be hearing from my widow's attorney.
For real.
They're coming back to Wisconsin over Labor Day for our family picnic. I'll ask them then.
how about Dogs & sailors stay off the grass
one of my personal favorites
Am I wrong in saying that you hate Keyes? Is "hate" too strong a word?
Wrong.
Money is fungible.
Well, if you are interested in honesty, be honest about the fact that Arnold is a pro-abortion liberal who just happened to have a highly qualified conservative opponent in that particular race.
Here's a test: Have you heard me make one peep about Arnold since he became the Republican Governor of California?
If the answer is no, then the accusations you all fling at me are once again proved specious.
And be honest about the fact that the poster you defend accused my of attacking the President; which isn't true.
Libertarian.
Ding, ding, ding ding, ding, ding. Sorry, I just do that when someone uses my nic in a sentence. Its a Non-Sequitur really. ;^)
I guess that means you'd oppose any tax break on the grounds that some other poor sap out there will have to "pay for it."
I've been in a few battles here for not swallowing the koolade. In fact, I had to fight people here when I announced that I was going to vote for Keyes over Bush. Anyhow, nothing bothers me. When I see something that is wrong and stupid I comment.
We seem to be in the same boat -- and it's taking fire from the "true believers", for whom loyalty to the man trumps loyalty to principle.
DJ: Yup, quite delusional. Or, lying through your teeth.
He says he doesn't hate Keyes, he just thinks he's a moron.
Why am I NOT surprised that you would WASTE your vote?
My God. Why not Alan Keyes?
After that point is reached, we can discuss where we go from there. I'm a "once burned, twice shy" kinda guy, after all.
Yes, I know that feeling.
You sound like you've been profoundly disappointed by this particular proposal. It was a shocker, that's for sure!
I'm wondering if he knew that it would be this surprising to many people or if maybe he just came up with it sort of on the spur of the moment and didn't really think it through before he started talking about it. That kind of thing can happen, you know.
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