# Reparations are never going to happen so why do some democrats come out in favor of them...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [February 25, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186 "2019-02-25T17:22:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SIick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SIick)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/1 "2019-02-25T17:22:39Z")
when they’re asked about whether they support the idea?
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/2 "2019-02-25T17:24:09Z")
Cite?
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/3 "2019-02-25T17:27:51Z")
[Moderating]
**SIick** , you might want to become more familiar with how this board is laid out, in particular reading the descriptions of the various forums. “Why do people of this political persuasion do this” is not a question that lends itself to a factual answer, and hence does not fit in General Questions. It’s more suited for our Great Debates forum, where I’m moving this.
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/4 "2019-02-25T17:29:39Z")
Sometimes you should support things because they are the right thing to do, even if you don’t expect they’ll actually be done.
I support a lot of political positions that are extreme long-shots. I don’t have any realistic expectation that they’ll happen in my lifetime. But if someone asks me how I feel about them, I’ll tell them, and I’ll do my darndest to convince them that _they_ should support them too. Because they’re the right thing to do.
So, presumably Democrats who support reparations and also don’t think they’ll ever happen support them because they believe they are just.
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### Author:  [@SIick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SIick)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/5 "2019-02-25T17:41:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> [Moderating]
>
> **SIick** , you might want to become more familiar with how this board is laid out, in particular reading the descriptions of the various forums. “Why do people of this political persuasion do this” is not a question that lends itself to a factual answer, and hence does not fit in General Questions. It’s more suited for our Great Debates forum, where I’m moving this.
Got it.
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### Author:  [@SIick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SIick)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/6 "2019-02-25T17:42:39Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#):
>
> Sometimes you should support things because they are the right thing to do, even if you don’t expect they’ll actually be done.
>
> I support a lot of political positions that are extreme long-shots. I don’t have any realistic expectation that they’ll happen in my lifetime. But if someone asks me how I feel about them, I’ll tell them, and I’ll do my darndest to convince them that _they_ should support them too. Because they’re the right thing to do.
>
> So, presumably Democrats who support reparations and also don’t think they’ll ever happen support them because they believe they are just.
That’s a pretty good answer.
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### Author:  [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/7 "2019-02-25T17:49:33Z")
A bluff? Say you’re in favor of something you know you’ll never have to put your money where your mouth is?
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/8 "2019-02-25T17:51:02Z")
Demand what you know, for sure, you won’t get. Rave, holler, snort, throw the fits of conniption. After a while, after they get thoroughly sick of your ass, allow as how, maybe, we might be willing to settle for less. Like what we _really_ want. “Fine!” they say. “Here, take this, just don’t come back tomorrow asking for more, because this is it!”
Agree, grab it and run, promise to never ever no we swear! not come back for more. Gotta hurry, gotta get to the planning meeting for doing just exactly that. Rinse and repeat until we have a country that is just, fair, and free.
OK, maybe never. Got anything better to do?
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### Author:  [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/9 "2019-02-25T17:55:07Z")
> [@beowulff](#):
>
> Cite?
> **[Three 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates Say They Support Race-Based...](https://www.complex.com/life/a/hannah-lifshutz/2020-democratic-presidential-candidates-support-race-based-reparations)**
>
> Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and Julian Castro have all signaled their support for issuing reparations for black Americans.
> **[The Daily 202: Will supporting reparations become a new litmus test for...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2019/02/22/daily-202-will-supporting-reparations-become-a-new-litmus-test-for-democrats-in-2020/5c6edc261b326b71858c6c02/)**
>
> Four presidential candidates have now expressed openness to the idea.
> **[2020 Democrats Embrace Race-Conscious Policies, Including Reparations...](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/us/politics/2020-democrats-race-policy.html)**
>
> The party has seen a shift toward idealistic and morally driven policies, particularly on the subjects of race and inequality.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/10 "2019-02-25T18:01:28Z")
I think the Overton window has been shifting for reparations over the last few years. It’s still very far from a mainstream, widely-accepted position, but it’s no longer anathema just to consider.
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### Author:  [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/11 "2019-02-25T18:28:57Z")
Politically speaking, we have entered an age of big ideas. Voters have made it clear they don’t want business-as-usual at the national level. Reparations as a political talking point fits that bill.
In addition, it is a fairly low risk claim. The candidates who are talking about it are fairly certain that anyone who would find the idea objectionable are not going to vote for them anyway for a long list of reasons. The media on the other side will rant and rave about them asking for Reparations, but that’s baked in. ANY policy position they take will get the media opponents screeching.
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### Author:  [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/12 "2019-02-25T18:53:15Z")
Must-read for anyone regarding [reparations.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiO8rLoxtfgAhVHYK0KHZJdDtkQFjAAegQIBBAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theatlantic.com%2Fmagazine%2Farchive%2F2014%2F06%2Fthe-case-for-reparations%2F361631%2F&usg=AOvVaw0Iu-rVgWhZJWWAmkru5umU)
I count reading this article as one of the most important moments in my long transition out of conservatism.
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### Author:  [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/13 "2019-02-25T18:55:14Z")
> [@Icarus](#):
>
> In addition, it is a fairly low risk claim. The candidates who are talking about it are fairly certain that anyone who would find the idea objectionable are not going to vote for them anyway for a long list of reasons.
…What? There are probably many swing or light-blue voters who would find a platform of reparations-for-black-people to be objectionable.
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/14 "2019-02-25T18:59:53Z")
> [@SIick](#):
>
> That’s a pretty good answer.
Thanks.
The more jaded view might be: they support things that are popular among their constituents. And things that will never actually happen but are popular with your voters are like the best issues to support. You get political credit for voicing support, but you aren’t ever expected to accomplish anything!
I expect there’s some of both.
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### Author:  [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/15 "2019-02-25T19:05:32Z")
I would also tend to take the more cynical view. Most elected Democrats who seem to express support for reparations don’t do it IMO because they really think it’s ‘right’ (some might). They do it at the appropriate phase on an election contest, like now for president, when it’s a contest for the activist base. You make friendly noises about the idea at that stage, but don’t pin yourself down to actually supporting what most people would think of as reparations, checks to particular people based on their race. That’s probably 80-20 or more unpopular if it came to a concrete bill in Congress (I think a hypothetical poll would probably understate the degree of opposition), besides possibly unconstitutional. You leave room to redefine your position in a general election as meaning a general expansion of the welfare state, phrased as ‘more opportunity for the disadvantaged’.
Same as the Green New Deal. You can support it at this stage and assume it won’t turn off too many non-base voters later if you say ‘well I do support, it as an aspiration’ (IOW, ‘no of course we’re not going to actually do that as written’).
I don’t see GOP politicians in any more of a soft and glowing light BTW. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/16 "2019-02-25T19:05:59Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> …What? There are probably many swing or light-blue voters who would find a platform of reparations-for-black-people to be objectionable.
To be offset by the previously non-voters who become enthusiastic supporters.
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### Author:  [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/17 "2019-02-25T19:58:16Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#):
>
> Must-read for anyone regarding [reparations.](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiO8rLoxtfgAhVHYK0KHZJdDtkQFjAAegQIBBAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theatlantic.com%2Fmagazine%2Farchive%2F2014%2F06%2Fthe-case-for-reparations%2F361631%2F&usg=AOvVaw0Iu-rVgWhZJWWAmkru5umU)
>
> I count reading this article as one of the most important moments in my long transition out of conservatism.
That was a great article and certainly opened my eyes to alot of things.
However it doesnt offer alot of concrete proposals.
Frankly I have always thought of the writer as certainly good at writing a good story, but fails in he rarely seems to come out of his New York office and go and actually talk to people. For example, he doesnt talk to anyone who opposes reparations in the article. He doesnt visit anyone outside Chicago.
Years ago Coates would allow comments on his writing and even answered some questions now and then. I even got him to respond to a couple of my comments. I often asked him to come visit Kansas City to get a midwestern perspective on his ideas (for example, I suggested he come and visit our Negro Baseball League Museum). He always declined.
So to me, I’m not really sure Coates himself is really for reparations at least not some big program to hand every black person a check. His writing seems to suggest something more targeted to those directly affected by racist programs of the past.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/18 "2019-02-25T20:06:06Z")
> [@Velocity](#):
>
> …What? There are probably many swing or light-blue voters who would find a platform of reparations-for-black-people to be objectionable.
I find them _highly_ objectionable. I mean, sure, we should have given something to the slaves. But simply being black? And how do we define being black? Note that in the USA it’s self-identification. Reparations are racist as hell. And stupid.
Should a person who recently emigrated from Liberia get the reparations? How about someone who just claims to be black but has blue eyes, fair skin and blond hair?
The idea is unbelievably foolish.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/19 "2019-02-25T20:16:13Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#):
>
> That was a great article and certainly opened my eyes to alot of things.
>
> However it doesnt offer alot of concrete proposals.
>
> Frankly I have always thought of the writer as certainly good at writing a good story, but fails in he rarely seems to come out of his New York office and go and actually talk to people. For example, he doesnt talk to anyone who opposes reparations in the article. He doesnt visit anyone outside Chicago.
>
> Years ago Coates would allow comments on his writing and even answered some questions now and then. I even got him to respond to a couple of my comments. I often asked him to come visit Kansas City to get a midwestern perspective on his ideas (for example, I suggested he come and visit our Negro Baseball League Museum). He always declined.
>
> So to me, I’m not really sure Coates himself is really for reparations at least not some big program to hand every black person a check. His writing seems to suggest something more targeted to those directly affected by racist programs of the past.
He didn’t intend for that article to offer any concret proposals. From my reading, the biggest message he wanted to send with that article is “reparations for various forms of persistent institutional discrimination and brutality is not a totally crazy idea, and should be seriously considered as a policy that would improve the state of the country and the condition of the American people”.
And it wasn’t intended to be a talking tour with a bunch of people with a wide variety of viewpoints on reparations – it was his own views and his own arguments based on his own research and understanding of historical data and fact.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186/20 "2019-02-25T20:18:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> I find them _highly_ objectionable. I mean, sure, we should have given something to the slaves. But simply being black? And how do we define being black? Note that in the USA it’s self-identification. Reparations are racist as hell. And stupid.
>
> Should a person who recently emigrated from Liberia get the reparations? How about someone who just claims to be black but has blue eyes, fair skin and blond hair?
>
> The idea is unbelievably foolish.
We’ve had this discussion before, but I’ll reiterate that this is an extremely simplistic view of reparations. Reparations have been proposed for a variety of forms of discrimination, including things like redlining that have affected many living people, and it’s a far, far more nuanced and complicated set of issues than just “give money to black people in America”.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reparations-are-never-going-to-happen-so-why-do-some-democrats-come-out-in-favor-of-them/830186.md?page=2)