Dem rep suggests temporary tax breaks for black Americans as a form of reparations

During a recent appearance on the Black Lawyers Podcast, Representative Jasmine Crockett expressed support for the idea that African Americans should be exempt from paying taxes as an alternative to being paid reparations.

The Democratic Texas congresswoman noted, however, that the plan wouldn't benefit poorer members of the community, who "aren't really paying taxes in the first place."

Host and fellow attorney Jehan Carter began by asking Crockett about her thoughts on reparations, pointing out that implementing a program that gets money to those whose ancestors were impacted by slavery would be rather difficult.

Crockett said more research needed to be done, adding that if a plan was adopted, it would have to be consistent across the country or "everybody's gonna run to whichever state and be like, 'Yo, I need mine.'" 

She went on to recall an idea she recently heard from a celebrity, though she couldn't remember exactly who had said it.

"One of the things they propose is black folk not having to pay taxes for a certain amount of time," she explained, "because then again, that puts money back in your pocket, but at the same time, it may not be as objectionable to some people about actually giving out dollars."

Crockett went on to say that perhaps reparations would still be better because, "so many black folk, not only do you owe for the labor that was stolen and killed and all the other things but the fact is we end up being so far behind."

"If you do the no tax thing," she added, "for people that are already say, struggling and not really paying taxes in the first place."

"They may want those checks instead from the government," Carter interjected.

Both Crockett and Carter admitted that it would still be a while before anything resembling reparations could even be proposed to federal and state leaders.