Posted on 08/20/2015 2:38:36 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
In 1865, toward the end of the Civil War, Union Army General William Tecumseh Sherman promised slaves that theyd receive 40 acres and a mule. Land was even set aside, but the promise was recanted by President Andrew Johnson. Ever since, the issue of reparations has come up many times, often fiercely debated. Although most Americans generally dont support reparations, according to University of Connecticut researcher Thomas Craemer, it matters greatly how the question is worded, who would get reparations and in what form. For example, the idea of reparations paid in educational benefits are more popular than others, Craemer says.
On the other hand, one of the cases often made against reparations is that it'd be impractically difficult to calculate how to fairly take and give so many years after the fact. But in a new paper, published in the journal Social Science Quarterly, Craemer makes the case that there are other examples of historical reparations paid many decades later after damages were incurred. He also has come up with what he says is the most economically sound estimate to date of what reparations could cost: between $5.9 trillion and $14.2 trillion.
Craemer came up with those figures by tabulating how many hours all slavesmen, women and childrenworked in the United States from when the country was officially established in 1776 until 1865, when slavery was officially abolished. He multiplied the amount of time they worked by average wage prices at the time, and then a compounding interest rate of 3 percent per year (more than making up for inflation). There is a range because the amount of time worked isnt a hard figure....
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
You’re right; they’ve been paid already. The fact that they squander it means nothing to me; the “new Americans” (Hispanics & Asians replacing the disappearing Anglos) might balk at these payments.
I want people to start talking about re-instituting slavery, since we’re listening to fools discuss reparations openly; maybe then they’ll shut up and appreciate what we already give them for free (and have been giving for 50 years).
Just say NO and see what happens. NOTHING will happen!
50 years of welfare, affirmative action, and set asides are their reparations.
Since when do army generals have the ability to authorize spending tax dollars
Subtract the trillions in transfer payments made over the years.... Hey, they owe me!
I wonder if he subtracted the price of freedom in his calculations
I think the Romans should be made to pay for the pillage and conquering of Gaul.
Okay. Just pay the fare for the transit from Africa, plus interest, subtract what we have already spent on the War on Poverty for blacks (total for WOP 22 Trillion in inflation adjusted 2012 dollars). Subtract cost of Civil War (75 Billion in 2008 dollars) and we’ll talk.
Eff ‘em. I’m no my great grandfather and back and I’ve already paid enough taxes in working an extra 8-10 hours a week evry week for over 35 years so at least 3 of their generaions could sit on their fat a$$e$ and collect welfare and Obamaphones.plus. This is stupid self entitled BS. It has nothing to do with righting any wrongs. Hell most of the slaves didn’t want o leave their master’s employ because they didn’t have a place to go and had actually become like family. Those were different times. We have no real understanding and they don’t either. They just want another handout because they’ve been emboldened by a lawless racial agitator who likes ti stir up racial tensions every chance he gets for his slaveowner.
> The reparations should be in the form of a waiver on paying income taxes for ten years.
I see what you did there givennthe fact that most probably don’t anyway.
Agreed. Since it’s never going to happen then calculating reparations is just a waste of time.
Since slavery is the involuntary making someone work for the profit of others I want my reparations. Since the great society I have been forced to pay for others thru a portion of my labor being taken by force of law. Id be willing to accept 30% of my taxes returned with interest from the last 50 years. This money could come from the current budgets of all redistribution programs in effect and retirement funds from the politicians that fostered this illegal system upon me. It is only fair.
Plus...
The Price in Blood
Casualties in the Civil War
At least 618,000 Americans died in the Civil War, and some experts say the toll reached 700,000.
The number that is most often quoted is 620,000. At any rate, these casualties exceed the nations loss in all its other wars, from the Revolution through Vietnam.
The Union armies had from 2,500,000 to 2,750,000 men. Their losses, by the best estimates:
Battle deaths: 110,070
Disease, etc: 250,152
Total 360,222
The Confederate strength, known less accurately because of missing records, was from 750,000 to 1,250,000. Its estimated losses:
Battle deaths: 94,000
Disease, etc: 164,000
Total: 258,000
The Africans got a free trip to America, plus free room and board for about the first 250 years of North American colonization (that it included grinding, dehumanizing slavery is beside the point). Black Americans STILL OWE US!
Vicksburg National Cemetery.
This is more than most deserve.
I support reparations for any living person who was a slave in the 1860’s.
No one else.
Now multiply that by the number of slaves owned by the current population of the country. Let’s see, carry the one, there you have it. A big fat zero!
Oh and since we have done reparations, no more need for EBT!
Welfare recipients - people who are too lazy to steal.
Why is anyone even discussing this nonsense? How about we settle on first class transportation back to the african country of choice, and $1,000 in return for full renunciation of US citizenship? That would make both continents better.
Perhaps that the bill is worth more as toilet paper than as currency...?
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