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."
You ever seen his picture? Obama looks pretty black to me.
Where are the Bush quotes?
That is just too funny. Never heard of that one.
Excellent point...I like Mr. Keyes, second only to my man Steve Forbes in the 2000 GOP Primary, but I believe this Senator's race will diminish his stature, which already had sunk quite a bit. I wish him luck this fall and am thankful that he's got a cadre of ready-made defenders, but yer point is right on target.
FReegards...MUD
Technically, no...still, I believe you will agree that Dubyuh's proposed immigration policy is, in part, a carrot he's danglin' to encourage support from those demographics who have taken advantage of our lax border policies.
"Second question: are all illegal aliens in the US Mexican?"
Of course not...however, our border with Mexico is by far our most porous and the program Bush has proffered is--IMHO--aimed primarily at appeasing the Mexican-American community.
FReegards...MUD
I agree this concept is DEAD ON ARRIVAL in Congress, so perhaps Keyes just sees no damage in proposing it as a wedge issue to peel off a layer of African-American support. To me, it's a bit craven to get folks' hopes up about something you know will never become law, but I think Keyes is tired of LOSING and will do whatever it takes to make that next step up in national prominence.
It's up to the Illinois voters to determine if this is a good political gambit...MUD
1) Barack Obama has been annointed by the media and the Democrats as a "future star" in the Democrat party.
2) The national Republican Party will be watching to see if the public will vote pro-life.
3) The national GOP will be watching to see if party activists will send money to an "extreme Conservative."
4) If Alan Keyes does better than expected, we will get more Conservative, Pro-Life, Pro-Constitution candidates in the future.
5) If Alan Keyes does worse than expected, we will get more pro-choice, "liberal" Arlen Specter-type candidates.
6) Obama voted to defend "live-birth abortion" (Allowing babies born alive during botched abortions to die from lack of care.) Hillary and Ted Kennedy wouldn't even vote for this. If this is not a winning issue, the GOP can take "pro-life" off the table as an issue.
7) The national media will be waiting for the opportunity to claim that Republicans are racist and will not vote for a black man.
8) The media knocked Jack Ryan out of the race. A bigger victory for Obama over Keyes than would have happened versus Ryan will reward them and encourage more of the same against other GOP candidates. An improved showing in IL by the GOP will punish the media for trashing Ryan. If Ryan was your man, avenge him by supporting Keyes.
9) Supporting Keyes in IL will help Bush win IL.
10) It will indicate that the GOP is made up of people who can intelligently debate ideas (slavery, reparations, tax cuts, freedom) and support someone who makes an attempt to debate ideas. If Keyes is shunned for being willing to debate ideas, we will only be rewarded with more bland, packaged candidated who spout platitudes.
11) Obama or Keyes? Who do you want voting on the next several Supreme Court nominees?
12) Everything you don't like about Keyes, you'll get more of from Obama. One of these two men WILL be the next Senator from Illinois.
13) At stake is not only a much-needed U.S. Senate seat but the future ability of the Republican Party to attract and keep black candidates and voters. That is unlikely to happen if black candidates simply get sent out on suicide missions. --Thanks to Thomas Sowell...
I'm hoping that everything on your post #717 is a figment of my imagination. I can't believe that anyone takes Keyes seriously anymore.
ROTFLOL Hoo hoooo, you're a riot, Luis.
The bottom line is this; in the presidential race you can choose Bush or Kerry. Bush is far from perfect, especially if you'd like a conservative President, but it's a no-brainer. In the Illinois senate race you can choose Keyes or Obama. Another no-brainer.
Of course not. Only about 99.9% of illegal aliens are Mexican.
Far from the truth. For instance, did you know that Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager, was probably an illegal alien?
So what does that change the percentage to? 99.8999999%?
Probably? Don't bury me with so much factual inormation. Hard to sift through it all.
'Moderates'
Wolves in sheep's clothing
Why is anyone shocked
When to sate their appetites
They prey upon the flock?
With smooth words and glib
They pretend they belong
But the nature of a wolf
Is in the end too strong
Lamb is so delectable
And the occasional ewe
Just what's a poor wolf
Supposed to do?
by EV
Wrong again, why am I not surprised?
Mexican illegal immigrants are roughly 58% of the total illegal immigrants in the US.
The information is there should you decide to educate yourself.
Do you enjoy being constantly wrong?
LOL!!!
I don't have to choose anyone in Illinois, but Keyesters will blame Bush and the GOP for the loss, and the GOP will forever look like a bunch of hypocrites for doing this.
Where in the hell have you been?
The information is there should you decide to educate yourself.
Thank you. I did. I notice that 58% was for 1999 and 68% was the estimate for 2000. If it has continued to increase at that rate then 98% might be about right for 2004. With Bush's Amnesty 'proposal' the increase from Mexico surely accelerated as reflected in the survey of illegals crossing the Mexican border.
Thanks for straightening me out.
Your bias showing again, you WANT that to be the fact, but as usual, you're wrong.
In order for your assumption to work out, the number of illegal immigrants either entering the country, or the number of people who entered the country legally and allowed their visas to expire who are not Mexicans, would have to stop growing.
And in spite of the fact that you've been shown to be wrong yet again, I see that you still refuse to admit it.
Par for the course.
So in essence no real change for the Grand Old Party. Specter. McCain. Snowe. Lugar. Chafee.
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