Reparations for slavery

[dazzleman]

You guys are crazy if you think our roads are anything but the best in the world. The interstate highways are the most amazing engineering project in the history of humanity. A few cities have problems with their roads, but this is the exception. Without public schools parks and Social Security American would be a feudal backwater and a complete hellhole. Without student loans there would be no pretense of meritocracy. The difficulty of social mobility is already a major hurdle holding Americans back.

I think you're mostly right.  I cannot be a libertarian because I think that philosophy doesn't take into account sufficiently the fact that our actions do affect others in some way.  I think many libertarians take for granted the benefits they are receiving from being part of society.

Of course, there can be legitimate debate about where individual responsibility ends and public responsibility begins, but libertarians are on the extreme end of this spectrum.

I strongly favor personal responsibility on matters that are in the purview of the individual, but there are obviously certain things that must be more of a community effort -- things like roads, libraries, educational facilities, etc.

Still, too much socialized responsibility leads individuals to engage in destructive behavior and fail to take responsibility for it, and we see a lot of that type of behavior in certain segments of society.  So taking that to an extreme can be highly destructive.

[TomC]

Yes, there should be some kind of pension system for those who served in war- and more importantly Veteran's hospitals and medical benefits. Or maybe a GI Bill type compensation- so they can move on to another way of making money. Should there be huge lump payments like from a civil trial? No.

[ian]

Yes, obviously with provisions.
It only makes sense that people that were screwed out of money get it.  If my great grandparents had money that didn't get passed down to me, I would expect it.
However, I think it should be in the form of scholarships or something useful, not just a random check given to all great-grandchildren of slaves.

Then go give some money to some black people in an inner city by you right now.

OK, I clearly was one of the people who responded in the polls to the incorrect question.  However, MJ, my great-grandparents were all immigrants, and, therefore, didn't have slaves, so it isn't my responsibility to pay the reparations, although I won't be complaining if the government takes my money to help out the process--just because I think it's the right thing to do.  Also, I have given many-a-hobo, many of them black, some money to buy food and MREs in downtown Little Rock.

[TomC]

Yes, obviously with provisions.
It only makes sense that people that were screwed out of money get it.  If my great grandparents had money that didn't get passed down to me, I would expect it.
However, I think it should be in the form of scholarships or something useful, not just a random check given to all great-grandchildren of slaves.

Then go give some money to some black people in an inner city by you right now.

Great suggestion, Jedi. Here's where I donate, and will again directly:

http://www.uncf.org/

[Speed of Sound]

Certainly not.

If I slap someone, I shouldnt have to pay thier son $5.

When scaled down like above, you see how dumb this idea really is.

[© tweed]

Yes, obviously with provisions.
It only makes sense that people that were screwed out of money get it.  If my great grandparents had money that didn't get passed down to me, I would expect it.
However, I think it should be in the form of scholarships or something useful, not just a random check given to all great-grandchildren of slaves.

Then go give some money to some black people in an inner city by you right now.

Most blacks wouldn't have built up a major cash reserve anyway.

[Nym90]

Make sure you read the question. Then discuss.

Is this supposed to be a trick question?

My guess is that you might be referring to descendants of those who were drafted into the military to fight in war. Am I right?

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

Given how 1/3 of white americans have some black ancestry(I refer to just the non-hispanic whites) and pretty much all black americans besides the ones who immigrated since the 60s from africa/the carribean have at least some white ancestry(given how my father is an anthropology professor who focuses on africa we've had over for dinner various peolpe from his work, a godo chunk of them black. And I mean black black) this scheme falls apart.

[Gustaf]

Yes, obviously with provisions.
It only makes sense that people that were screwed out of money get it.  If my great grandparents had money that didn't get passed down to me, I would expect it.
However, I think it should be in the form of scholarships or something useful, not just a random check given to all great-grandchildren of slaves.

So when am I getting my tax dollars back? Don't say social programs and government spending, because I don't experience the benefits of either.

Bull!
Your local police are protecting you right now.
The US military is protecting you right now.
Firefighters are protecting you right now.
We have the finest roads in the world for you to use.
You have local, state, and national parks which you can visit.
There are public schools should you choose to attend them.
When you are old, the government will provide health insurance for you far cheaper and far more efficiently than the private sector would.
The government is keeping unlicensed professionals from scamming you.
Your food is dirt cheap because of farm subsidies.
If you cannot afford college, the gov't may offer grants or loans
The gov't maintains prisons, keeping criminals off the streets

These things don't come cheap, but you wouldn't want to live without them. Our government's not perfect, but I hate when people don't even consider all the crap it does for you and just bitch about taxes.

Lol, do you actually think youor food is CHEAPER because of farm subsidies? The point of subsidizing farms is to make the food more EXPENSIVE.

[Bono]

Yes, obviously with provisions.
It only makes sense that people that were screwed out of money get it.  If my great grandparents had money that didn't get passed down to me, I would expect it.
However, I think it should be in the form of scholarships or something useful, not just a random check given to all great-grandchildren of slaves.

So when am I getting my tax dollars back? Don't say social programs and government spending, because I don't experience the benefits of either.

Bull!
Your local police are protecting you right now.
The US military is protecting you right now.
Firefighters are protecting you right now.
We have the finest roads in the world for you to use.
You have local, state, and national parks which you can visit.
There are public schools should you choose to attend them.
When you are old, the government will provide health insurance for you far cheaper and far more efficiently than the private sector would.
The government is keeping unlicensed professionals from scamming you.
Your food is dirt cheap because of farm subsidies.
If you cannot afford college, the gov't may offer grants or loans
The gov't maintains prisons, keeping criminals off the streets

These things don't come cheap, but you wouldn't want to live without them. Our government's not perfect, but I hate when people don't even consider all the crap it does for you and just bitch about taxes.

Lol, do you actually think youor food is CHEAPER because of farm subsidies? The point of subsidizing farms is to make the food more EXPENSIVE.

Did you see that study saying that food in the EU is twice as expensive as it would be in a free market because of the CAP? What horrible people.

[MasterJedi]

Yes, obviously with provisions.
It only makes sense that people that were screwed out of money get it.  If my great grandparents had money that didn't get passed down to me, I would expect it.
However, I think it should be in the form of scholarships or something useful, not just a random check given to all great-grandchildren of slaves.

Then go give some money to some black people in an inner city by you right now.

Great suggestion, Jedi. Here's where I donate, and will again directly:

http://www.uncf.org/

I would if I actually had the money to do it. Right now I need to save all the money I have for College though I do give some money and the spare change I have around Christmas.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

No (R)

[Undisguised Sockpuppet]

As I've said before where do mixed race people fit into this insanity?