Reparations advocates say Harris’s past comments and her new position as the first Black and Asian American woman to head a presidential ticket give them renewed hope that the movement to provide recompense for Black Americans for decades of discrimination could gain new, national traction.
But how Harris feels now, five years after expressing support in her first presidential campaign, how high the issue rests in her priorities and what impact that may have on the coalition of voters she must assemble to defeat Republican Donald Trump remains a mystery.
The Harris campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment on her current position on reparations.
Some Harris allies argue that support for reparations could help her attract Black voters who have been swayed somewhat by Trump’s economic message.
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The best reparations for all poor Americans, Black, Brown, and White would be a truly equal education. Inner cities, rural areas. Don't make school finance dependent on property tax. Equal opportunity begins in Pre-K, continues K-12, and on to college or trade school, or apprentiships.
Monetary reparations would be short-lived and ineffective. Give them the gift of knowledge. The world will open up like a shucked oyster.
@PunditLouieUnity2yrs2Y
Where I live in Cleveland, the city school system spends over $20k per student per year. This is higher than almost all of the suburban systems in the area. They continue to have the lowest graduation and, attendance rates as well as low test scores. The issues are a lot more than money.
@CivilRightsLeahDemocrat2yrs2Y
The question of reparations can be addressed after we secure some democratic norms. America needs a functioning government - first - to debate these issues. We can’t do that under an authoritarian regime.
If you need to write on issues of race - given that’s your “beat” - consider writing about the tangible threats to Black people (and Asian, and Hispanic, and White people, too) if Trump wins.
@8TJTZL5Republican2yrs2Y
In other words... This is a political loser at the ballot box, so shush!
@HumorousW3lfareDemocrat2yrs2Y
Uh Democrats should avoid this issue if they want to be a nationally viable party in the future.
You can't advocate for policy that polls 18% with White voters and 36% with Hispanic voters and expect to win the EC or Senate any time soon.
@DreadfulIdealisticGreen2yrs2Y
Want to drive away more white working class voters? Make a big deal out of promising reparations. Do the math. It ain't pretty or is it feasible.
No one is denying the horrigle injustice of 400 years of slavery and denied equal rights but if one is a student ofr history they soon discover other "second class" citizens came here and were likewise denied a fair shot for a long time. The Irish, the Italians, the Chinese, etc. etc. etc. all were exploited and denied rights guaranteed to them and their offspring by our Constitution.
The best way to begin leveling the playing field is… Read more
People who were never slaves demanding money from people who never owned slaves.
@9T24TL82yrs2Y
Everyone should leave the past in the past and move forward. If we all cut our hunger and hold it out, We will all bleed red.
“The poll found large racial gaps in support for reparations. While 75 percent of Black Americans support federal reparations, only 15 percent of White Americans and 36 percent of Hispanic Americans agree. That has made some leery of Harris making the issue part of her argument for the presidency.”
That says it all. Reparations is a political dead letter and always will be. Give it up.
As usual, Asians don't count. I wonder what they think about it.
@BoarsTommyConstitution2yrs2Y
Not this reparations BS again. Sick of defund the police and nonsense such as this along with not prosecuting and locking up violent criminals turning off middle of the road voters and keeping us from having control of Congress to make actual progress. Stop this insanity. We need to save our democracy and don't have time for stupid looney BS that not even the majority of democrats support. This stupid nonsense is like a hitjob on the Harris campaign many of us are working so hard for.
@PollingBrettForward2yrs2Y
The headline should read "Election is Harris's to lose; reparations advocates hope she will push extreme and massively unfavorable policy and lose"
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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