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TheKentuckian

(26,314 posts)

117. All prison labor should be banned, too much incentive to create a slave class and

Wed Feb 18, 2015, 10:37 PM

Feb 2015

a complete lack of surplus demand for labor.

At this stage in our development all it does is lower wages and reduce potential opportunity for the workforce. There will likely never be a surplus demand for labor again.

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Boston using prisoners like slave laborers to shovel snow in back-breaking conditions [View all] KamaAina Feb 2015 OP

Prisoners have been doing that kind of work sharp_stick Feb 2015 #1

So they owe their soul to the company store? Savannahmann Feb 2015 #5

I remember prisoners working to help people out in floods. We were told that they were volunteers jwirr Feb 2015 #17

Prisoner labor is slave labor. Brickbat Feb 2015 #2

And it distorts the labor force towards lower wages...win-win for the party of slavery. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #7

Which party is the party of slavery? philosslayer Feb 2015 #105

There are two....pick one. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #106

Well, Abraham Lincoln was the guy who signed the Emancipation Proclimation philosslayer Feb 2015 #107

The party of conservatives. NYC Liberal Feb 2015 #115

One reason why the prison industrial. complex likes to see those prisons full, even if that means tblue37 Feb 2015 #110

I believe the 13 Amendment makes exception for prisoners. muntrv Feb 2015 #3

Unfortunately it does. hifiguy Feb 2015 #67

And then paying restitution and covering the cost of warehousing them, right? Telcontar Feb 2015 #77

Um, no. hifiguy Feb 2015 #92

+1 well said F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #127

Nailed it, as usual. n/t Aerows Feb 2015 #129

No problem with this. whatthehey Feb 2015 #4

What the hey? KamaAina Feb 2015 #6

Today's prisoner is tomorrow's neighbor and worker. Folks realize prisoners are released? Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #9

They're all volunteers sharp_stick Feb 2015 #16

So they have to be slaves and do hard labor to get fresh air? And distort the labor market. Link? Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #20

how are they distorting the labor market Egnever Feb 2015 #23

So if there were no slave prison labor...who would they hire, and pay, to do it??? Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #24

um all the people they are paying $30 an hour to do it now? Egnever Feb 2015 #25

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Feb 2015 #101

Pretty weak point Egnever Feb 2015 #102

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Feb 2015 #103

Well this is the case we are talking about no? Egnever Feb 2015 #108

My company used prisoners for an office move. A Little Weird Feb 2015 #109

Well now you are talking about something else entirely Egnever Feb 2015 #111

There is no surplus demand for labor and never will be again in all likelihood TheKentuckian Feb 2015 #119

If our county had to pay going wages for trash pickup, it would not get done. dixiegrrrrl Feb 2015 #112

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Feb 2015 #125

I'll mark you down sharp_stick Feb 2015 #30

Your take on "prison life " is interesting. So boring one will do slave labor willingly? Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #33

I did a 6 month rotation sharp_stick Feb 2015 #34

Without disclosing anything further, I got you beat on the eyes opening thing. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #35

What'd you go up for? Nuclear Unicorn Feb 2015 #113

Violating DU guidelines jberryhill Feb 2015 #130

every time a prisoner is used as a worker outside the prison guillaumeb Feb 2015 #36

epic fail Egnever Feb 2015 #37

neither a prisoner nor a slave guillaumeb Feb 2015 #48

once again Egnever Feb 2015 #55

a prisoner is under the absolute control guillaumeb Feb 2015 #59

no sorry they aren't Egnever Feb 2015 #63

A reminder... pipi_k Feb 2015 #118

your points are all valid guillaumeb Feb 2015 #146

There is no surplus demand for labor. TheKentuckian Feb 2015 #120

some resources you might like guillaumeb Feb 2015 #53

I think like others on this thread Egnever Feb 2015 #61

I have never been incarcerated, guillaumeb Feb 2015 #95

I read the link Egnever Feb 2015 #98

you may be completely correct guillaumeb Feb 2015 #99

Well said. Anyone, like yourself, with an understanding of history, would have to agree. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #41

It's used all the time in Blue states glasshouses Feb 2015 #51

absolutely. guillaumeb Feb 2015 #57

My State has prisoners do road work, hlp direct traffic during construction, etc. napi21 Feb 2015 #76

My contention is these are jobs that are needed where the states gets out of posting them glasshouses Feb 2015 #83

You DO KNOW their argument is that they're saving taxpayer $$ by using prison labor. napi21 Feb 2015 #90

The government can only collect so much in tax TexasMommaWithAHat Feb 2015 #132

So how do you feel about Obama's (now stalled) immigration reform? Nuclear Unicorn Feb 2015 #114

,+1 840high Feb 2015 #93

shoveling snow = hard labor? Romeo.lima333 Feb 2015 #38

Four words = making a point? Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #40

that's it? ok, one word: yes Romeo.lima333 Feb 2015 #49

Double ditto. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #58

People get heart attacks shoveling snow all the time. haele Feb 2015 #75

you make it sound as if no one survives snow shoveling. Romeo.lima333 Feb 2015 #104

You nailed it. Shoveling snow is backbreaking and I don't imagine analgesics are freely handed Stardust Feb 2015 #123

What does = hard labor then? TheKentuckian Feb 2015 #122

Just because people want to do it doesn't mean it's not exploitive. Brickbat Feb 2015 #50

Did you get lost? Do you need directions to FR? HERVEPA Feb 2015 #11

the ones who need directions are the people who say that they will not vote for hillary if she's Romeo.lima333 Feb 2015 #39

Right. What's that saying about the company one keeps? Octafish Feb 2015 #74

Learn a little history about George Wallace HERVEPA Feb 2015 #116

You are so right. That surely negates the evil he did as governor in 1963. Octafish Feb 2015 #135

Of course not. But it can explain Bill Clinton being in a picture with him in the 80's HERVEPA Feb 2015 #138

Complete agreement leftynyc Feb 2015 #12

This message was self-deleted by its author Brickbat Feb 2015 #13

Like the Gulag Archipelago, but covered with American Awesome Sauce to take the sting out of it... LanternWaste Feb 2015 #22

Yup sharp_stick Feb 2015 #26

Documentation on it being a voluntary program is found where...? LanternWaste Feb 2015 #27

Folks might also not know that "voluntary work", while a prisoner, has a different meaning. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #43

How so? Egnever Feb 2015 #65

If they paid the prisoners more, they would also charge them room and board. Shrike47 Feb 2015 #8

And most would rather be paid more than a pittance. Comrade Grumpy Feb 2015 #42

I would be willing to bet every single one of them volunteered Egnever Feb 2015 #10

There you go taking a positive outlook on something again. WillowTree Feb 2015 #15

yep Go Vols Feb 2015 #18

You are probably right about that. HappyMe Feb 2015 #19

is this place still DU ? olddots Feb 2015 #14

and once they get out of prison onethatcares Feb 2015 #21

Nobody's being forced to take the work... brooklynite Feb 2015 #28

My pity party ended. Sorry but I am not in the outrage yeoman6987 Feb 2015 #29

A day's labor won't even buy a cup of coffee in some places. lpbk2713 Feb 2015 #31

Why the hell should they be paid? B2G Feb 2015 #32

Further punishment of prisoners is not a progressive ideal. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #54

It's not further punishment. It is escape from their punishment. DesMoinesDem Feb 2015 #60

Loss of liberty is the only punishment for prisoners, anything else on top is not a liberal ideal. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #62

THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT. It is escape from their punishment. DesMoinesDem Feb 2015 #64

If you agree loss of liberty is the only punishment you will see there is still no liberty. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #66

Your posts don't make any sense. DesMoinesDem Feb 2015 #68

You do not agree loss of liberty is the only punishment? Shame on you. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #69

Still not making any sense. Afraid to actually respond to my posts? DesMoinesDem Feb 2015 #71

Ditto. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #72

LOL DesMoinesDem Feb 2015 #73

I previously posted a link at #53 guillaumeb Feb 2015 #97

Wrong board I think. nt Logical Feb 2015 #85

and rape kits Capt. Obvious Feb 2015 #91

Why is no one upset that the Students and Union workers are doing slave work? dilby Feb 2015 #44

Because they're getting paid thirty bucks an hour KamaAina Feb 2015 #46

The amount of lack of reading comprehension in the poster you replied to is as awesome as some Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #56

This message was self-deleted by its author Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #45

Um, no. KamaAina Feb 2015 #47

Sorry, my error. Deleting. Fred Sanders Feb 2015 #52

This is a time of God made disaster, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. Thinkingabout Feb 2015 #70

Keeps em healthy, gets their lungs going ghostsinthemachine Feb 2015 #78

Welcome to DU! KamaAina Feb 2015 #80

Thusly ghostsinthemachine Feb 2015 #88

You got it! KamaAina Feb 2015 #89

Welcome to DU. 840high Feb 2015 #94

Prisoners fight for this kind of work Capt. Obvious Feb 2015 #79

You did time?! KamaAina Feb 2015 #81

It would make a great short story Capt. Obvious Feb 2015 #82

I've got a Rita Hayworth poster for you... ScreamingMeemie Feb 2015 #84

Thinking of being his pen pal? KamaAina Feb 2015 #86

The sound of the wind as it blew over them was somthing akin to a sonic boom. Glassunion Feb 2015 #121

The weather is perfect for working on my boat Capt. Obvious Feb 2015 #131

I think they should kick the pay up a bit - but not by much. Chemisse Feb 2015 #87

Slave labor is alive and well in America Man from Pickens Feb 2015 #96

jails and prisons have been using slave labor for a long time Ramses Feb 2015 #100

All prison labor should be banned, too much incentive to create a slave class and TheKentuckian Feb 2015 #117

So, just keep everyone in their cells all day? brooklynite Feb 2015 #137

I said nothing of the sort. There are all kinds of things to do out of the cell besides labor. TheKentuckian Feb 2015 #145

Yeah!! Boston Strong Douchebags show their true spirits. madinmaryland Feb 2015 #124

Aw, c'mon, man! KamaAina Feb 2015 #139

I always kind of liked shoveling snow bhikkhu Feb 2015 #126

I see there's two very diverse opinions on this.. I guess I would Cha Feb 2015 #128

Holy shit this thread is shameful RedCappedBandit Feb 2015 #133

so the private prison collects the $30 an hour and pays out 20 cents to the labor? Sunlei Feb 2015 #134

UNREC brooklynite Feb 2015 #136

you really think the 'prison boss' offers 20 cent an hour 'workers' to the 30 an hour city job? Sunlei Feb 2015 #140

Explain how the work is either slavery or involuntary servitude brooklynite Feb 2015 #141

you have a lot of USA history to catchup on. start by searching the rise of for profit prisons. Sunlei Feb 2015 #142

You keep throwing out meaningless slogans... brooklynite Feb 2015 #143

K&R DeSwiss Feb 2015 #144

How many prisoners have broken backs so far ? Bonx Feb 2015 #147

Here's a thought: KamaAina Feb 2015 #148