Leaving aside the obvious distribution problems, reparations also opens the door to hereditary debt.

If you look at the third column, it looks like the most likely outcome is this money will come from money that was already going to a "stabilization fund"--this honestly just looks like their standard "we give people/businesses help on a case by case basis" fund will now have a certain amount tagged specifically for "we give Black people/businesses help on a case by case basis."

Happy Monkey wrote:

... for the government paying restitution to victims of misbehavior by the government, ...

That is where the entire argument falls apart.  Government is not compensating a victim.

If your grandfather dies owning a $million, are you responsible for paying that $million?  Of course not.  If your grandfather is Bernie Madoff, are you responsible for reimbursements?  Of course not.

If your grandfather was the victim of Madoff, do you deserve reimbursement?  Of course not.  You are not the victim.  You are not the perpetrator. You are a separate entity.

An underlying fallacy in that argument is that, as xoxoxoBruce accurately implies, no good will come of it.

Far more relevant, what injustice will be solved?  What will it fix today?  Restitution should only apply to the victim.  It should not be a reward for others because distant relatives were victims.  That solves nothing.

Two points.  Who really is the only victim?  And what will be solved?

 

Luce wrote:

Which is in principle the same as saying that when your dad dies, you have to pick up his tab.

No, it's saying that when your dad dies, and he is owed money, you can collect.  Which is true.

In that vein, I would not support singling out just the descendants of slaveholders to pay a special tax, but I'm all for paying it from the general fund.