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I know some don't want to hear this, but it's true and important.
Something the Biden admin is doing is exactly what Trump did and every politician does.
They're holding press conferences and issuing "fact sheets" about their actions and letting the press repeat talking points.
Something the Biden admin is doing is exactly what Trump did and every politician does.
They're holding press conferences and issuing "fact sheets" about their actions and letting the press repeat talking points.
When the press run headlines and post tweets using headlines taken from the Biden admin fact sheet they get headlines like:
"Biden bans evictions"
or
"Biden cancels private prisons"
Biden hasn't done either of those things. But the admin hopes that you think he has.
"Biden bans evictions"
or
"Biden cancels private prisons"
Biden hasn't done either of those things. But the admin hopes that you think he has.
The best outcome for establishment politicians is getting press for doing something that sounds great, while actually doing very little, and certainly not challenging the status quo in any way. This is how they get power and keep power.
In some areas, Biden is doing this.
In some areas, Biden is doing this.
Even when great journalists write articles that address the details of what the White House has actually done, the headlines and tweet summaries end up determining the story, because most people don't read the article anymore.
This is a huge problem for social justice progress.
This is a huge problem for social justice progress.
If people think "oh wow, Biden stopped private prisons!" then they think the battle is over.
But Biden hasn't actually done anything meaningful about private prisons today, relative to what he could have done.
So it's important to know that, so that we can keep up the pressure!
But Biden hasn't actually done anything meaningful about private prisons today, relative to what he could have done.
So it's important to know that, so that we can keep up the pressure!
When we see headlines like "Biden bans evictions" we must look at the details.
When we do we would find out he just extended Trump's eviction order. The order that wasn't working, that allowed people to get evicted, the order that is still allowing people to get evicted.
When we do we would find out he just extended Trump's eviction order. The order that wasn't working, that allowed people to get evicted, the order that is still allowing people to get evicted.
When we see headlines like "Biden cancels private prisons for racial justice" we must look at the details.
When we do we find that he took almost no action at all relative to the problem of for-profit prisons, but just enough action to get a great headline.
That's... not good.
When we do we find that he took almost no action at all relative to the problem of for-profit prisons, but just enough action to get a great headline.
That's... not good.
Just because Biden isn't Trump doesn't mean his administration won't use all the same political tricks that every presidential administration has used.
Almost the whole communications office at the White House are Obama alumni, they all came back, and they're good at their jobs.
Almost the whole communications office at the White House are Obama alumni, they all came back, and they're good at their jobs.
What is going on when the leader of the wealthiest country on Earth does the bare minimum he needs to in order to get a great headline, and well-meaning liberals retweet it everywhere?
We have to call it what it is: That's propaganda.
We have to call it what it is: That's propaganda.
So what *can* Biden do on his own?
A HUGE AMOUNT! This is why we have to keep pressuring him and his administration!
Really, he can do so much just with presidential authority.
A HUGE AMOUNT! This is why we have to keep pressuring him and his administration!
Really, he can do so much just with presidential authority.
Here are some things Biden could do TODAY:
End the War on Drugs
Grant Mass Clemency
Embrace Use of Force Standard
Reduce Pretrial Detention
End Private Prisons
End the Federal Death Penalty
End Solitary Confinement https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/bold-and-visionary-a-criminal-justice-to-do-list-for-the-new-administration/
End the War on DrugsGrant Mass ClemencyEmbrace Use of Force StandardReduce Pretrial DetentionEnd Private PrisonsEnd the Federal Death PenaltyEnd Solitary Confinement https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/bold-and-visionary-a-criminal-justice-to-do-list-for-the-new-administration/
