After this morning's Chicago Tribune article that showed Keyes appearing to support reparations all of a sudden, the Keyes camp issued a statement this afternoon to "clarify" his position.
I have also consistently maintained that the history of slavery, racial segregation and discrimination did real damage to black Americans, left real and persistent material wounds in need of healing.Or to translate it into English? "If I pander to the black folks, they'll vote for me."In various ways through the generations since the end of slavery, America has tried to address this objective fact, but without real success. This was at least in part the rational for many elements of the Great Society programs of the sixties, and for the original and proper concept of affirmative action developed under Republican leadership during the Nixon years.
Unfortunately, the government-dominated approaches of the Great Society, which purported to heal and repair the legacy of historical damage, actually widened and deepened the wounds. They undermined the moral foundations of the black community and seriously corrupted the family structure and the incentives to work, savings, investment, and business ownership.
The idea I have often put forward to address this challenge involves a traditionally Republican, conservative and market-oriented approach: removing the tax burden from the black community for a generation or two in order to encourage business ownership, create jobs and support the development of strong economic foundations for working families.
This has the advantage of letting people help themselves, rather then pouring money into government bureaucracies that displace and discourage their own efforts. It takes no money from other citizens, while righting the historic imbalance that results from the truth that black slaves toiled for generations at a tax rate that was effectively 100 percent.
I have also made it clear that while I believe that the descendants of slaves would be helped by this period of tax relief, my firm goal and ultimate objective is to replace the income tax, and thereby free all Americans from this insidious form of tax slavery. It is well known that this is one of the key priorities of the Keyes campaign.
He's full of himself. Not only that, he waffles as bad as Kerry.
About the only thing that Keyes' plan would do is to drive an even larger class-based wedge between the races. And it's a far cry from his on-the-record 2002 position. Waffles, indeed.
Posted by mhking at August 17, 2004 08:56 PMSee? See? You're doing that Toucan Sam thing again!
Given the choices, I still prefer Alan Keyes over Barak Obama. I think, though, people are going to see Alan for what he is doing - and he won't get elected. Shame, really.
Posted by: Joel (No Pundit Intended) at August 17, 2004 10:07 PMI have to stew over this. I don't like it one bit. Keyes was one of my favorite politician-pundits. I have to decide how much respect for him I lose over this.
I think government should treat its citizens all the same. This idea would create different classes, and I do not approve.
Posted by: GeronL at August 17, 2004 11:02 PMBoy, is he stupid! I'm surprised such a bright guy could come up with this idea.
Posted by: Lola at August 18, 2004 10:38 AMMaybe somebody slipped Keyes some funny pills on the campaign trail.
Posted by: La Shawn at August 18, 2004 02:55 PM*LOL*
Maybe he's paying back the IL GOP for using him as a token?
Posted by: DarkStar at August 18, 2004 04:05 PMWell that's it for me. I had nothing but respect for Alan Keyes but I'm disgusted by this.
Posted by: kimberley at August 18, 2004 09:49 PMIf that's the case, wouldn't it be interesting if all black token politicans (starting with Obama, then Harold Ford and so on...) paid back the Man at the same time? High comedy! It would be like the movie where all the illegal aliens disappeared.
Posted by: La Shawn at August 19, 2004 06:53 AMpaid back the Man at the same time? High comedy
That's the reason why I supported Al Sharpton's speaking out about Democrats disloyality to "loyal" Blacks. That's the only reason why I hoped that Sharpton would get more votes during the primaries.
But I wasn't surprised that he didn't get much support.
Btw, "The Man" phrased hasn't been used since the 70s. :-D
Posted by: DarkStar at August 19, 2004 09:01 AMSo; would it be tied to just 'race' or would it have a means test too?
I'm not seeing Oprah or Bill Cosby or Alan Iverson needing a tax break.
Would apply to just income taxes or sales and use taxes too?
Who gets to be 'black'? Does the non black spouse of a black person benefit?
Heh.
Btw, "The Man" phrased hasn't been used since the 70s. :-D
Also tongue-in-cheek: it's outdated, retro and comical.
Posted by: La Shawn at August 19, 2004 10:17 AM