Friday, September 01, 2017

Disaster Capitalism is the Republican Plan

Disaster Capitalism = Predatory Capitalism = The Republican Plan.

This is the Republican ideal. It’s their goal. It’s the reason they like government to “get out of the way”. So their friends in the private sector can loot the vulnerable. This isn’t to say private business is all predatory, but lack of oversight and the chaos of unpreparedness tends to declare open season on victims of disaster.

This long read from Naomi Klein is worth sharing

The Right loves unpreparedness because it strips the vulnerable of all defenses and sets them up for profiteers to prey on.The Right, the GOP, and Wall Street see disasters as a profit opportunity. That’s why they see government as the enemy.

The Intercept describes how Houston was intentionally left unprepared

Republicans––not all of Republicans but certainly the leadership and the dominant wing of the party––see problems as an opportunity to exploit the vulnerable for profit.

There are also disasters that unfold more slowly and broadly and don’t need a giant storm to monetize. Our unfair system of housing in this country is a disaster that’s been in place for a hundred years. It was put in place by Jim Crow laws in the South, and by Jim Crow members of Congress who dominated federal rules and regulations. The racists used to dominate the Democratic Party until Humphrey and LBJ drove them out in the 50s and 60s. Those racists were welcomed with open arms by Nixon’s Southern Strategy, and the Republican Party has been White Folks Central ever since… with the occasional person of color included for decoration.

Predatory mortgage contracts designed to fleece people of color have come back because of bigotry in this Republican Congress and Republican dominated state legislatures:

Chuck Collins writes about how unfair housing enriches the few Loan sharking is back, thanks to this Republican president and this Republican congress.

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Tuesday, January 17, 2017

The Things Republicans Say And Do

A longtime Republican elected official in Greenwich, CT grabbed a 57 year-old constituent by her genitals, saying “I love this new world, I no longer have to be politically correct.”

The two had been having a disagreement. When the woman tried to walk away, Connecticut Republican Christopher von Keyserling, 71, reached his hand between her legs and grabbed her. He reportedly said “it will be your word against mine and nobody will believe you,”

From the Westport, CT Daily Voice

A Georgia Republican county official (white) calls civil rights hero John Lewis a “racist pig” on social media, then goes on to say this: “If you’re easily offended and looking for a ‘safe place’ my page ain’t it.. Move along snowflake.”

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution

What is it about Republicans? Tin ears or loose mouths or deranged minds?

Gov. LePage scolds Rep. John Lewis for not being grateful that white folks freed his ancestors from the slavery white folks kept them in for centuries. This sort of tirade is common for the Maine Governor. LePage is looking forward to Friday when he will no longer be the most offensive elected Republican in America.

From Politico

Then there’s the boilerplate Republican stupidity on policy...

In North Dakota Republicans propose legislation to legalize running protesters down with a car or truck.

From blogger JoeMyGod

In Wyoming Republicans propose a punitive tax on clean energy.

From the Caspar Wyoming Tribune

And then there’s this, in Betsy DeVos’s confirmation hearing for Education Secretary.

Asked why she thought guns should not be banned from schools, she said “Grizzlies.”

From VOX

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