When do we bring back debtor prisons?

[dgauss]

It seems the elements are creeping back into place, but in a slightly updated form.

We have the ongoing privatization of our prison system (that's prison for profit) ...

We have the increasingly popular idea of prison labor (that's really, really cheap labor - even undercutting illegal aliens) ...

We have the recent changes in the bankruptcy laws...

We've already, as a society, accepted the idea of a gigantic prison population...

We have privatized health care (that's gigantic debt for the uninsured, and for some of the so called insured) ...

I'm sure there's some bright-eyed Young Republican that can put the pieces together and realize there is a huge potential for profit.

Too bad about diminishing the of quality of life or whatever, but business is business, right?

[donheld]

1. Maybe China will make the USA one Giant debtor's prison

As much as * has drug the country into debt, may as well make the whole country the prison.

[gulfcoastliberal]

2. Welcome to DU. Hospitals are having uninsured patients locked up -

it's a horrendous practice they call "body attachments". And in Mississippi they are locking up indigent people for not paying municipal fines, like for jay walking. An arrest warrant is issued and they get locked up. There's a lawsuit over it.

Google "body attachments" for more.

[serryjw]

6. You're going to love this!

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/01/07/1524223

[dgauss]

20. Amazingly creepy n/t

[Jeffersons Ghost]

15. Jeez

I gotta love that graphic!

[jimshoes]

3. Not that they need any ideas

but its probably in the works already. Can't pay your bills, grab a rifle and get to boot camp, it don't matter if you're fifty, you can drive a truck. BTW, welcome to DU. Oh and if you still can't pay your bills, perhaps the Chinese, who hold your debt will want your services in a sweatshop in Beijing. Of course I'm being facetious, but you never know! Welcome again.

[katsy]

4. Happy New Year dgauss...

You pretty much hit the current state of affairs dead on.

Business is business indeed.

It's not about gop vs dems. Or religion vs godless heathens. Or abortion or gay rights. These personal issues are, by design, inflicted upon our national discourse to divide & conquer.

It's not even about the comic book strip characters we refer to as representatives... presidents... whatever.

This is about one thing alone and you nailed it... business. Corporate facsism and keeping the slave labor at odds amongst themselves.

It's about corporate power. Corporations rule this country and will soon eat away civilization as we have known it.

[dgauss]

10. Yep, business.

It sounds kind of benign, doesn't it. Like that's just the way it works. That's just what humanity must eventually coalesce around. I always hoped there would be something more.

[katsy]

11. Unfortunately...

Those who claim to be this nation's leaders are puppets doing the bidding of "business".

I believe there is something more. What's lacking is a leader. A leader that is neither gop or dem. A leader of people, not a corporate puppet.

Welcome to DU.

[rman]

5. they're working on it, first things first: create a lot of debtors,

who will then become a 'problem' that needs to be 'solved'.

to that end there is bankruptcy reform, doubling of minimum CC payments, rising cost of heating and health care.

[B Calm]

25. After bankruptcy reform, I see no other choice but to lock people up..

Sad..

[Octafish]

7. Nation's criminal corporatacracy likes the proposal.

The United States is rushing, heh, head long toward Haitization.

One percent will own 99 percent of what there is to own and what is each year earned.

The 99 percent will have make to do with the one percent that remains.

We're not there yet, but the Bush Transnational Criminal Enterprise is working on it.

Most importantly: A Happy New Year and hearty welcome to DU, dgauss! Great first post.

[dgauss]

21. And a good (better than 2005) new year to you, Octafish

I've been reading your posts for a while and am a more informed person for it.

[Nicole]

8. Welcome to DU

I'm waiting for the debtor prisons to make a return. In fact I got out of debt in anticipation of it.

I paid off all my credit cards & cut them up. Paid my home off a couple of years ago. I'm riding the bus or walking when possible so my vehicle can last longer.

I plan to remain debt free unless I run into unexpected medical bills, then I'm screwed.

[Berserker]

9. Welcome to DU dgauss

Good post. I have never seen a new DUer with one post and a star congrats. I am sure I would be one who will recive such a thing as debtors prison. When you have hard times and can't pay your bills you are punished. Even on DU they take your star away when you can't pay. Anyway Happy New Year!

[sam sarrha]

12. They will be sending debtors to copper mines in Uganda any day now..

[Elwood P Dowd]

13. The Shawshank Redemption with Bush's buddies in charge on a massive scale

all across the country. I just hope the ending is the same.

[rucky]

14. Credit checks for renters suggests that "debtors prison"

is the streets. Miss a mortgage payment, lose your home, damage your credit, nobody will rent to you, so you live in a slum or worse.

[Faux pas]

16. Great post! You can call them debtors prisons, I've been waiting

for them to open plain old labor camps.

[yurbud]

17. they will make up a new name for it, and indentured servitude and slavery

"whole life debt management" or something like that.

[dgauss]

18. they will make up a new name for it

Exactly. Perception management is the wave of the future. At least as they see it.

That is the monstrous foe.

[bobbieinok]

19. some sci-books see debtors 'sold' as indentured servants (slaves)

in Asia apparently some families sell some children (mostly girls but some boys) into sexual slavery so the rest of the family can survive (for a while; then another is sold)

also sci-fi idea: poor sell organs.....is this already going on in China??

[Erika]

22. The biggest single reason for bankruptcy was for health expenses

And the GOP has limited that. I'm sure the GOP will plan on having the sickly and infirmed absorbing city jobs to pay for their illness. They will give tax credits for every infirmed American who keels over in his/her wheelchair while trying to make up their bankruptcy costs caused by W's big health industry friends.

Bush's America.

[B Calm]

23. Way back in 1969, I was actually inside the walls of a debtor prison

for women in Curaco South America. I was in the US Navy and a cab driver took a small group of us to where the action was. Little did we know we would be going on a cab drive through jungles, around marijuana plantations, to a stone wall prison with armed guards. Inside the prison walls was an open bar with lines of shacks. The women in prison were paying their debts through prostitution..

[newyawker99]

24. Hi dgauss!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: