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I am neither lawyer, politician, nor SJW. You can @ me with
"no shit" or you can help me share awareness of things as we learn.
The past year I have tried to understand socio-economic debt policies - prisoner debt, medical debt, predatory lending, civil asset forfeiture.
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"no shit" or you can help me share awareness of things as we learn.
The past year I have tried to understand socio-economic debt policies - prisoner debt, medical debt, predatory lending, civil asset forfeiture.
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Firstly, these are not red state or blue state issues, these are United States issues. Secondly, these are not liberal or conservative (nor Dem v. GOP) issues, these are an every state issue.
So why bring this up now? Why in the context of the impeachment?
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So why bring this up now? Why in the context of the impeachment?
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The reason I do so is that I believe these policies, at their root, highlight what happens when either conservatives or liberals, unchecked by the other, advance policies without compromise.
The nuance changes by state by policy. Yet, at the core, I see this fundament core:
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The nuance changes by state by policy. Yet, at the core, I see this fundament core:
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R and D governments are unwilling to lose power by voting for the necessary taxes to fund services that are required OR to stop providing those services that cannot be paid for. Lack of compromise and bipartisan support, with each side looking to score an L for the other
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means D's add services but don't increase taxes, daring the R's to cut them or raise taxes. R's cut taxes but don't cut services, daring the D's to raise taxes or cut services.
When the budget shortfall comes, what do the R's and D's do?
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When the budget shortfall comes, what do the R's and D's do?
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They put regressive fines on the backs of the vulnerable or the disadvantaged or least able to pay. Don't want to pay for Courts? Court fees for the loser. Don't want to pay for that trauma center? Trauma fee for prisoners.
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Don't want to pay for the police? Civil asset forfeiture. Don't want to fund medicare and Medicaid? Allow hospitals to sue patients rather than bill the programs. Don't want to pay for unemployment insurance? Make the system impossible to use (ahem, FL).
The list goes on.
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The list goes on.
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Then, weaponize the fines. Can't pay? Arrest warrant. Want to vote? You have to pay those fines, so sorry you cannot get a job & we have no clue how much they are or what you have paid, so good luck. Also, we know you cannot pay, so we sold your debt to a collection agency.
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This is why I have changed my charitable giving to organizations like @RIPMedicalDebt, @ACLU, or local charities that are focused on helping reformed felons regain the vote.
We all need to change these policies.
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We all need to change these policies.
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Taxes are how we fund the services we provide. The state should tax its citizens to fund the services or cease providing the services.
No one wants to pay more taxes.
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No one wants to pay more taxes.
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I challenge you to read the reports from the ACLU, Brennan Center, and the Marshall Project and walk away saying that is just. There is very good reporting from @NPR on these topics as well.
A few resources...
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A few resources...
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