Marianne Williamson plans to run in the far-left lane of the 2024 Democratic presidential primary. But she backs a policy so unpopular that even Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) opposes it : reparations. Williamson has voiced support for spending up to $500 billion on reparations for the descendants of slaves.

Since President Joe Biden is likely running for a second term, Williamson should use the Democratic primary to press Biden on reparations.

Why does this matter?

Well, because divisive identity politics-based policies are now part and parcel with the Democratic Party's ethos. Yet polls suggest that just 20% of people support reparations. The black vote helped elect Barack Obama as president in 2008 and 2012 and Biden in 2020. Still, most white, Hispanic, and Asian Americans and half of black voters do not want reparations.

People whose families immigrated to the United States well after slavery ended may feel little or no guilt about slavery because their ancestors had no role in it. Indeed, their ancestors faced their own discrimination upon coming to America, albeit nowhere to the degree of slavery. It's also important to remember that Union soldiers fought and died to end slavery. Do their ancestors owe more than that ultimate sacrifice?

The most basic rationale for opposing reparations is quite clear, however. Namely that impoverished white people in Appalachia are not oppressing black college graduates in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The sins of others should not require the contemporary financial suffering of today's public.

It is unclear how big of an issue Williamson will make reparations in her 2024 campaign. But voters deserve to know where Biden stands.

Tom Joyce ( @TomJoyceSports ) is a political reporter for the New Boston Post in Massachusetts.