Political Roundtable Part XXX

[Zonkerbl]

There's money to be made perpetuating racism. That's why racism embedded in institutions persists long after the people working there stop having strong opinions about race. That's the problem we're facing now. If we do nothing, even if most white people aren't racist anymore, the consequences of past racism will persist, and there's no invisible hand of the market that will fix it - capitalism is, in fact, why those consequences persist.

[Pointgod]

There's money to be made perpetuating racism. That's why racism embedded in institutions persists long after the people working there stop having strong opinions about race. That's the problem we're facing now. If we do nothing, even if most white people aren't racist anymore, the consequences of past racism will persist, and there's no invisible hand of the market that will fix it - capitalism is, in fact, why those consequences persist.

Racism exists as a result of fear and ignorance. It exists under capitalism, socialism, communism, facism etc. Denying black people mortgages is antithetical to capitalism, the only color that matters is green. No matter the economic system, there will be psychopathic leaders and politicians that use racism to gain and maintain power. Once people stop giving into fear and rewarding them for it, then current and past systemic issues will actually be addressed that will help all people.

[Wizardspride]

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[dobrojim]

Zero sum thinking is the bridge that connects racist policies to
economics.

[Pointgod]

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This is insane thinking. Shouldn’t it be up to Ukraine if they want to pursue membership in NATO? And I find it interesting that Progressives and some people on the left are quick to slam American imperialism (rightly so), but Russian imperialism is A ok.

[Wizardspride]

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[Zonkerbl]

To be precise, and Marx pointed this out a long time ago, if the number of rich people is small enough, it's in their collective interest to band together and generate what's called "economic rents," which is basically just skimming value off the backs of labor and isn't "productive" wealth generation (just a transfer of value from poor to rich people). To keep this scam going they have to exclude the poors from successfully entering their circle (thus making the amount of coordination necessary more complicated). One way to keep the poors poor is to get them to fight among themselves instead of realizing who their true enemies are. Racism is a good way for the rich to distract the poors from realizing who their true enemy is. Pass a bunch of laws that keep everybody poor, but especially black people, and uneducated white people won't care. They'll cheer, in fact, if they're racist enough,.

Yes there are opportunities to generate wealth that the rich oligarchs are leaving on the cutting room floor with this strategy (denying investment opportunities to black people), but the benefits from economic rent generation tends to be greater, depending on how much control the rich have over the system. And in the US the rich are basically in charge of everything, because of the lack of periodic peasant uprisings.

But yes you are correct, the US would be better off if all the economic opportunities currently denied by racism were to occur. But it's not in the interest of the plutes to allow that to happen. And because we're so obsessed with wealth generation, we've stupidly handed over control of our country to them. Shoot, we elected one President. His biggest accomplishment while in office? Transferring a trillion dollars from poor to wealthy people.

[Dat2U]

DC Vax mandate over and I'm about to be back out in these streets. If your scared of the unvaxxed its probably time to go back into hiding!!!

[nate33]

DC Vax mandate over and I'm about to be back out in these streets. If your scared of the unvaxxed its probably time to go back into hiding!!!

You don't live in Columbus anymore?

[Dat2U]

DC Vax mandate over and I'm about to be back out in these streets. If your scared of the unvaxxed its probably time to go back into hiding!!!

You don't live in Columbus anymore?

Nope back in the heart of DC but i go to Columbus often and will probably be there in 2 weeks.

[verbal8]

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This might be more damaging to Trump than consequences for any of his criminal activity as President. The one thing that the Trump house of cards relies on is access to debt. This also very easily could be the thing that turns the Trump Crime Family on each other, even if it is only at civil level it could be very damaging. At the end of the day, Trump could be left with no source of cash other than political grifting in the US.

I do think there will be attempts to hold Trump accountable for his crimes as President, but I think he might succeed in delaying and/or watering down any convictions. You don't have to look any further than Ken Paxton for how that can play out. As usual with legal battles, Trump's interest is in dragging it out, and it is one thing he has success doing in the legal system.

[Zonkerbl]

The reason why Marx was "wrong" for such a long time was that technological advance was very egalitarian and allowed non-incumbents to break through the barriers the plutes tried to put up to deny the poors access to capital. Also some technological advances had lowered the costs of accessing capital somewhat. So now instead of relying on the high cost of accessing capital, the idea now is to set up the system to funnel money away from poor people and towards rich people, so that's why setting the poors against each other by taking advantage of racism is such an important tool for them. All you have to do is couch the policy designed to hurt poor people as a way to "be tough on crime (dogwhistle: black people!)"

You can't help but notice that law enforcement only applies to poor people. Look at what Trump is getting away with. That's just the tip of the iceberg - one of his defenses is "you're only enforcing this law on me because I'm famous - witchhunt! witchhunt!" which if you read between the lines means "you never enforce this law that applies only to rich people, why are you suddenly enforcing it now?"

[Zonkerbl]

By the way...

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[Ruzious]

DC Vax mandate over and I'm about to be back out in these streets. If your scared of the unvaxxed its probably time to go back into hiding!!!

Eek! I gotta get a space blanket like the one Saul's crazy brother Chuck wore on "Better Call Saul".

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They were ahead of their time - coming up with that storyline before Covid.

[AFM]

An unmasked, unvaxxed Dat2U, loaded off of Fireball shots, stumbling through the U Street corridor. Going absolute beast mode

[Dat2U]

DC Vax mandate over and I'm about to be back out in these streets. If your scared of the unvaxxed its probably time to go back into hiding!!!

Eek! I gotta get a space blanket like the one Saul's crazy brother Chuck wore on "Better Call Saul".

Watch on YouTube

They were ahead of their time - coming up with that storyline before Covid.

What a great scene and show. I admittedly gotta laugh outta this.

[Dat2U]

An unmasked, unvaxxed Dat2U, loaded off of Fireball shots, stumbling through the U Street corridor. Going absolute beast mode

I actually do wear a neck gaither indoors, mostly outta respect for those around me. I'll probably still keep it with me, at least initiately.

[Pointgod]

Tulsi Gabbard had you all fooled.

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[Zonkerbl]

This is an old thread but gives some great examples of how poor people are targeted by law enforcement more than rich people are.

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[closg00]

A PSA here since there is an active disinformation/propaganda campaign underway on this..
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/us/politics/durham-sussmann-trump-russia.html