General Discussion

bhikkhu

(10,789 posts)

126. I always kind of liked shoveling snow

Thu Feb 19, 2015, 12:18 AM

Feb 2015

I think if I was in jail I'd probably volunteer for that - out in the clean air and all. Maybe I'm just missing snow, as we haven't had much of it in the past three winters here.

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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