Benefits and Losses (Ann Speaking)
		Comment				MAIN PATH: Fred
				Fred

That's fine, because I think that strong affirmative action can be justified in terms of its consequences, although I have always felt that the best justification is based on compensation for past injustice. Strong affirmative action has obvious benefits for the blacks who get better jobs or get into better schools because of it. But I think that the benefits go way beyond that. For one thing, it creates good role models for other blacks. Black kids in school need to see people they can identify with in good jobs and positions of influence. If they don't see that, how can they be motivated to work for it? That role model may be the best investment you can make.

Second, strong affirmative action is an economic demand that will create its own supply. The conservative approach is to tell black people that if they make themselves marketable, then there will be a demand for their skills. That's backwards. In economics it's the demand that creates the supply by rewarding its producer.

If you want more blacks to become highly skilled workers and professionals, you first have to create the demand for those workers and professionals. The supply will follow. Strong affirmative action increases that demand. If the demand is maintained by consistent government pressure, it provides the incentive of a highly probable reward for blacks who acquire certain skills.

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