• Capt. Wolf@lemmy.world
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      19 hours ago

      8% of US prisons are privately owned by for profit organizations that contract out use to the state.

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        15 hours ago

        And almost all of the remaining 92% also exist to generate private profits with which to bribe politicians to increase profits to bribe politicians with.

        All at the low, low cost of enslaving millions of people!

        • Tja@programming.dev
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          4 hours ago

          Well, it’s what the constitution tells you to do. Slavery was abolished, except for prisoners.

          • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            4 hours ago

            I know.

            It’s one of the many reasons why the US needs a new constitution fit for a modern and civilized society rather than treat the oldest one still in effect as inviolable holy writ.

            And yes, I know that it’s effectively impossible to achieve as long as the current system of the rich owning both parties exists, but that just makes it a more difficult goal, not an undesirable one.

            • kayky@thelemmy.club
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              4 hours ago

              We don’t need a new constitution.

              We need new amendments. The constitution is a living document, but both democrats and republicans benefit from the status quo so they don’t want to change it.

              • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                3 hours ago

                We don’t need a new constitution.

                Disagree. Nothing written by a bunch of white slave owners 250 years ago can possibly anticipate the needs of 21st century society. That’s why it’s been patched up more than two dozen times and STILL doesn’t work adequately.

                We need new amendments.

                No, adding fresh coats of paint on a cracked foundation doesn’t work. Especially not when you can’t even agree on the permission to paint.

                The constitution is a living document

                It was SUPPOSED to be, but it’s being treated more like a (barely) secular bible.

                both democrats and republicans benefit from the status quo so they don’t want to change it.

                And the fact that they’re ALLOWED to be almost completely nonresponsive to the will of the people is in large part due to the constitution assuming good faith from all politicians and as such having no defense against blatant lies and demagoguery.

                The rest of the reason is mostly the influence of corporations and individuals with many times more financial power than the founders ever imagined possible.

                The constitution, amendments and all, simply isn’t built to withstand such naked assaults on the very basis of representative democracy.

                • kayky@thelemmy.club
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                  2 hours ago

                  It’s fine if you think this, but I don’t agree with any of it.

                  It’s good that the constitution is old and remains relevant because it can protect us from the hysteria of the times.

                  For example, a lot of morons have convinced themselves that the first amendment is a bad thing. I would hate for this ‘new document’ of yours to be made without protections for freedom of speech.

                  The issues preventing us from making amendments would still be present trying to create a brand new constitution. I wouldn’t trust the current government, or most of its citizens, to make better decisions than what we have in the Bill of Rights.

                  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                    2 hours ago

                    It’s fine if you think this, but I don’t agree with any of it.

                    Which makes you wrong. Which is your right, I guess 🤷

                    It’s good that the constitution is old

                    Nope. Literally nothing beneficial about that

                    and remains relevant

                    Does it, though? Or is that just something you’ve convinced yourself of to avoid confronting the reality that you’re basing a 21st century society on the ideas of 1700s slave owners?

                    it can protect us from the hysteria of the times

                    Clearly it CAN’T, as evidenced by this gestures at everything

                    For example, a lot of morons have convinced themselves that the first amendment is a bad thing. I would hate for this ‘new document’ of yours to be made without protections for freedom of speech.

                    Fun fact: such morons exist in all countries, yet almost all other constitutions DO include free speech protections.

                    To pretend that the First Amendment is somehow unique and impossible to replicate is so obtuse that I’m beginning to doubt if you know the first thing about how any of this works 🤦

                    The issues preventing us from making amendments would still be present trying to create a brand new constitution

                    Yes, I specifically addressed that already. Those issues would need to be dealt with first. Which has nothing to do with whether or not sticking with the centuries old decrees of slave owners is in itself a good idea.

                    I wouldn’t trust the current government,

                    Me neither. That it exists in its current condition is exhibit A of the case against insisting on a functionally dead document that’s not fit for the times we live in.

                    or most of its citizens

                    How would you know? Under the current system, anywhere from a third to over half of them aren’t ever consulted, or even acknowledged.

                    to make better decisions than what we have in the Bill of Rights

                    You sure about that? Other than the second one, which has been obsolete since the US acquired a standing military, all of the 10 first amendments are either present in newer constitutions, routinely violated with impunity by the people in power, or both.