Black people managed to subsist historically on their own. What was wrongfully diverted to whites by slavery and discrimination was capital. It would have been used to build black savings and wealth in all forms - institutional, human, physical, and financial. Instead, it was wrongfully appropriated to build white wealth. So only capital transfers count against the debt, not welfare.
Resentment cotrodes our economy.
We cannot progress if so many people are convinced that the system is unfair, and that they are victims of a massive historic injustice that could be corrected through honorable dealings. We want to draw everyone into the work force and help all people find satisfaction, growth, security, achievement, a sense of pride and self-worth, and a valued place in the community. And we want everyone to understand the issues so they can vote intelligently and participate in the public life from a position of strength. But our income and wealth distributions are badly skewed toward the upper end. And that is corrosive.