Reparations Backlash: California Voters Oppose “Unfair” Cash Payments For Slavery According To Berkeley Poll

The sprawling social experiment referred to as California faces an uphill battle on reparations, after a new poll from UC Berkeley and the LA Times reveals that voters overwhelmingly oppose the thought of money funds for black descendants of slaves by a 2-to-1 margin.

The poll discovered that 59% of voters oppose money funds vs. 28% who assist the thought. Four out of 10 voters “strongly” opposed the thought.

Interestingly, simply 19% of these opposed cited price as a problem. The majority merely says it is unfair to in the present day’s taxpayers and unsuitable to single out one group for reparations.

In the Berkeley ballot, when voters who oppose reparations have been requested why, the 2 essential causes cited most frequently have been that “it’s unfair to ask today’s taxpayers to pay for wrongs committed in the past,” picked by 60% of voters, and “it’s not fair to single out one group for reparations when other racial and religious groups have been wronged in the past,” chosen by 53%.

Only 19% mentioned their purpose was that the proposal would price the state an excessive amount of, suggesting that cash alone just isn’t the principle objection.

Among Democrats, 43% favored and 41% opposed money reparations. Republicans have been strongly in opposition to the proposal at 90% with solely 5% in favor. Independents have been 65% opposed and 22% in favor.

Black California voters have been extra prone to assist money funds than every other demographic, with 76% in favor and 16% opposed, the survey discovered. Almost two-thirds of white voters have been opposed as have been 6 in 10 Latino and Asian voters. -LA Times

“It has a steep uphill climb, at least from the public’s point of view,” mentioned ballot director Mark DiCamillo, who was clearly disenchanted on the outcomes. “The idea of cash reparations is really what’s being strongly opposed,” he continued, including “There could be other solutions that could be much more warmly received.”

The sobering actuality might put Gov. Gavin Newsom and his fellow Democrats in a good spot, after state leaders have vocally endorsed the thought of reparations – going as far as to create California’s Reparations Task Force in 2020. The goal was to create a mannequin for nationwide reparations. But because the ballot reveals, they’re crusing in opposition to sturdy winds.

The job drive has certainly been arduous at work. They suggest funds to all descendants primarily based on a plethora of standards, starting from well being disparities to housing discrimination. But there’s extra: The group additionally suggests ending the demise penalty, restoring voting rights to all incarcerated people, and implementing lease caps in traditionally redlined areas.

Members of the reparations job drive beforehand mentioned convincing non-Black Californians that the harms from slavery are nonetheless persisting in the present day may very well be one of many greatest challenges for proponents.

Much of the duty drive’s work centered on listening to testimony from teachers, economists and different consultants to collect proof of the results of slavery and to show the methods through which government-sanctioned insurance policies discriminated in opposition to Black individuals lengthy after slavery was abolished. -LA Times

When requested about his stance on reparations within the spring, Newsom mentioned reparations are extra than simply money funds.

“It doesn’t have to be in the frame of writing a check; reparations comes in many different forms. But one cannot deny these historical facts, and I really believe very strongly we have to come to grips with what’s happened,” Newsom advised Fox News host Sean Hannity.

When requested whether or not the state is ‘doing sufficient’ to make sure that black residents have a good likelihood to succeed, 29% mentioned the California is doing too little, 22% mentioned the state is doing an excessive amount of, and 26% mentioned it is simply sufficient. Nearly 1/4, or 23%, had no opinion.