Booker to introduce reparations study bill in the Senate

[brooklynite]

Politico

Sen. Cory Booker is introducing a Senate bill to study reparations for African Americans — a companion bill to Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee's legislation on an issue that has become a litmus test for 2020 presidential hopefuls.

"I will be introducing a bill to study reparations proposals for African-Americans – the Senate companion to @JacksonLeeTX18's HR40 bill," Booker tweeted on Monday. "Our hope is this will finally begin to right the economic wrongs of persistent racism, white supremacy & implicit racial bias in our nation."

The bill, H.R. 40, by Lee (D-Texas) would create a congressional panel to study the possibility of reparations for the descendants of slaves. Former Rep. John Conyers of Michigan first introduced the legislation in 1989.

Booker hinted at the legislation last month during a CNN town hall, where he criticized the dialogue around reparations, saying it's "reduced to a box to check on a presidential list, when this is so much more of a serious conversation."

Don't tell me what happens; I want to be surprised...

[democratisphere]

1. When are the Dems going to give this up?!

It is absurd.

[customerserviceguy]

3. Its starting to look like a litmus test at this point

If we go into the general election with reparations not only as a plank in the party platform, but as an active topic for debate, Trump will eat us alive.

[democratisphere]

4. It is like shooting yourself in the foot.

Twice in a row.

[JCMach1]

8. So much that needs doing on related issues, but this

Is a really bad idea...

[brooklynite]

2. I will be happy to criticize my own candidate for supporting this...

[oasis]

5. Some Democrats better wake up. Reparations can be vigorously debated

after 2020. Trump must not be allowed to take over the narrative on this and hammer away at Democrats until Election Day.

If Trump is reelected, nobody attached to our side gets anything, reparations included.

[Bradshaw3]

6. Plays right into their hands

I like Booker (he was in top three or four) but this is just electoral malpractice. If Dems run on a platform featuring reparations, universal government paid college and healthcare as a starter and black lives matter they will lose the WH and senate.

[Autumn]

7. That's it for his campaign, dumbest idea ever at this time.

Lets start making the anti Dem commercials for the Republicans and Trump so they don't have to. Is he deliberately trying to give them ammunition? At this time?

[peggysue2]

9. If this becomes a litmus test, Democrats lose

The majority of Americans simply are not there on the issue. We can start that serious conversation of reparative policies after we win in 2020. But not before because it will hand the election to the Trumpster and his GOP enablers. They are no doubt salivating at the very mention of reparation legislation. We gotta be smart because if we aren't? Kiss the country good-bye. Forever.

[ComradeFunk]

10. This is a losing issue

Whether right or wrong

[David__77]

11. I think that this can be studied without a bill.

What would seen much more substantial from a policy perspective is a proposal for reparations. In the absence of that, what I get is a concept of "reparations" and not a proposal aimed at reparations.

[BeckyDem]

12. Recommend.