Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. quietly changed his policy on race-based reparations (removing his initial stance from his campaign website) after backlash followed The Post’s reporting.
The 69-year-old White House hopeful had first stated on his campaign site that he planned to “rebuild black infrastructure” by issuing “direct reparation payments or tax credits” to “Jim Crow victims.” and other victims of persecution.”
Internet users on the right and left expressed outrage over his reparations policies after The Post reported on his stance, racking up more than 5 million views on X.
Those on the right said that Kennedy had I just lost all the support of the Republican Party.while those on the left said it did not go far enough.
Kennedy’s campaign website originally said: “These programs supplement direct reparation payments or tax credits to descendants of Jim Crow and other victims of persecution.” Kennedy’s campaign website now says he would make federal dollars available to “devastated communities across the country, not just Black people.”
A day after the Post report, the Kennedy campaign quietly edited its website to expand its policies to “devastated communities across the country.”
“Targeted community repair will be available to devastated communities across the country, not just Black people,” the site now reads.
“The criterion will be the need, not the color of the skin. However, because there are so many Black communities in need, this program will channel important resources toward rebuilding the most devastated communities.”
.@DC_Draino, my policy of targeted community reparations is not the same as race-based reparations. The program will make capital and resources available to the poorest and most desperate communities in the United States. These include inner cities, the rust belt, Appalachia, the devastated… https://t.co/iveNdxnJ8X
– Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) October 18, 2023
Kennedy also responded to a critical social media post in which he stated that he had never been in favor of race-based reparations.
“My policy of targeted community reparations is not the same as race-based reparations. The program will make capital and resources available to the poorest and most desperate communities in the United States. These include inner cities, the rust belt, Appalachia, devastated farm belt towns, etc. Yes, because Black people are disproportionately poor, this program will disproportionately benefit them. But the criteria will be indicators such as poverty, addiction rates, violence, etc. Not the color of the skin,” he wrote in X.
The Kennedy campaign did not respond by press time about why it changed its policy.
Kennedy changed his party affiliation to independent after running dangerously against President Biden as a Democrat.REUTERS RFK Jr. now claims his policies are not the same as “race-based reparations.” Corbis via Getty Images
The environmental lawyer and vaccine skeptic recently announced an independent candidacy after previously attempting to primary President Biden within the Democratic Party.
His independent candidacy has some politicians worried that he will cause problems in the general election and could steal votes from both the left and the right.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn