A Texas Democrat floated the suggestion that black people should be exempt from paying U.S. taxes to make up for slavery in the nation’s early years.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett delivered the bizarre suggestion in an interview on “The Black Lawyers Podcast” last week while talking about reparations for slavery. After that eyebrow-raising idea, she followed with another, essentially saying poorer black Americans don’t pay taxes anyway.
The liberal House freshman said she heard about the proposed plan from a celebrity and she thought to herself, “I don’t know that that’s necessarily a bad idea.”
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) suggests exempting blacks from taxes.
She then says maybe it’s not the best idea because many blacks don’t pay any taxes anyway… so maybe give free checks. pic.twitter.com/hPCNleGl1p
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 9, 2024
“One of the things they propose is black folk not have to pay taxes for a certain amount of time because then again, that puts money back in your pocket,” Crockett said, after noting she could not remember which celebrity she had heard mention the idea.
The plan “may not be as objectionable to some people,” Crockett said, while she pointed out one problem being that “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, for people that are already say, struggling and not really paying taxes in the first place,” she continued as the host interjected to say that they “may want those checks” instead, referring to the suggested reparations checks from the government.
“Exactly,” Crockett concurred.
Actor Terrence Howard made headlines recently when it was reported that he declared it is “immoral for the United States government to charge taxes to the descendants of slaves.”
The “Empire” star was sued in 2022 by the U.S. Justice Department after refusing to pay hundreds of thousands in income tax. Last month, a federal judge ordered Howard to pay nearly $1 million in back taxes.
“This brother was making a legitimate point,” former MSNBC host Tiffany Cross said of Howard on her Native Land Podcast. “I don’t know how we would make this happen, but I would be completely down for some sort of policy that says ‘Yes, you are exempt from paying taxes.'”
Earlier in the interview with Crckett, who is looking to be re-elected in November in the blue Dallas County district she represents, the Democrat urged for coordination between the federal and state governments in the area of reparations. Without some consistency, “everybody’s gonna’ run to whichever state and be like, ”Yo, I need mine.'” Crockett said.
She added that “we need to have a full understanding’ about the issue and slammed those who ‘aren’t even willing to do the studies, willing to invest to make sure we can roll this out the right way.”
Crockett sparked renewed reactions on social media and sent the word “Blacks” trending on X:
Everyone should get a tax break, let’s see how the record trillions debt does.
— Irvine Madula (@IrvineMadula) April 9, 2024
I’m fine with this. I think it’s a bit hypocritical to simultaneously demand reparations for slavery and beg the government to help handle your housing, food, education, healthcare, etc which is basically just voluntary servitude but – the no taxes thing, go for it.
— Fire & Dirt (@fireanddirt) April 9, 2024
This is a very entailed idea. For people struggling they have deductions and some wavier; but just on the basis of color of skin, it’s not justified
— dazzigar (@dazzigar) April 9, 2024
Victimhood and racism, is that you?
— SodaPop (@ImpulsiveSoda) April 10, 2024
That is the exact opposite of equality
— Turner Sutton (@Turner_on_X) April 9, 2024
Or just end taxation for everybody. That’s true equality. No more taxes.
— Vlad (@Vlad52673095) April 10, 2024
