NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - A resolution that would allow Tennesseans to abolish all forms of slavery in the state will now come before all Tennesseans for a vote.
The House of Representatives passed the measure on Tuesday night.
Currently, the Tennessee Constitution bans the use of slavery, except as a form of criminal punishment for inmates.
Prison inmates are often paid for their labor to some degree, so it's not really slavery. Whether they should be compensated at all is another discussion.
My understanding is that prisoners have the option to work or not. Most do because it is something to do and it provides money that can be used in the commissary.
One could also argue that actual slaves were paid in room and board (that isn't free of charge) so slaves were paid, but they were paid slave wages which this bill is probably trying to eliminate. Does Tennessee have a National Guard? Would they also get the same treatment of a livable wage during the time they are serving? I have the view that the inmates are in prison by choice - they chose to commit the crime so they also chose the consequences.
For National Guard soldiers, a two-day drill weekend consists of four drill periods, for which they are paid four days pay. For annual training and any federal duty, Guard soldiers receive active duty pay. I'm not sure what oldvet1950 means by "livable wage." Was a time Guard soldiers trained four hours a week and were paid every six months because the pay was so low. Now an E7 over 15 gets $616 for a weekend drill and $2,127 for annual training, %9,551 annual total.
the prison in Canberra Australia just opened their new commercial bakery, right next to their commercial laundry, they now pay prisoners $3.00 an hour to bake goods for sale and do any amounts of clothes cleaning the prison can get contracts for. One has to feel sorry for those people who are NOT prisoners who USED to work in the, not prison commercial laundries nearby, and likewise, all those overpaid bakers who have mortgages and families to work to maintain, they want to work for the countries award wage, but how can their company compete with another company that only has to pay "their workers" $3.00 an hour (instead of $15)?! perfect example, acacia prison western Australia (private prison), the prison gets paid $15 per hour, per worker, to prepare vegetables for airlines, fast food, hospitals, etc. the prisoner, gets $3.50 of that, (the prison complained the prisoners "wages were too high" and dropped everyone down to $3.00 per hour, and wondered why carrots suddenly got peeled into dicks), when you are finally released you walk out the gate with.....HALF a social security handout and a "see you soon, sucker". And don't forget, the prison already makin a million per BED, off the government, yes BED, cause "beds" never leave the system, so now the government has to keep those beds at capacity or slightly OVER, because nobody wants to pay a million a year for an empty bed, the money they skim off the private contracts and steal off the workers is just their Christmas bonus money. Knees up refusing to release prisoners because it meant californication may actually have to PAY for REAL fire fighters, cannot be having any of THAT now can we?!! give them a job, charge them rent/food/board (for those who think the prisoner WANTS to be there), but if you are charging them rent, give them AWARD WAGES for the job they are doing, give them a "living wage" out of the remainder, that gets put in a bank and gains interest HA HA on the capital, and they walk out of jail with a tidy sum to either get a first foot on the ladder, or a massive bunt that overdoses them, problem solvered. and IF you want to make them work, (on top of the removal from society, which IS the actual punishment btw), then ONLY let them do work that does not compete with an industry that employs workers, not incarcerated slaves, eg making school desks, racks for the military, etc. and, how low can they go? crates of carrots marked "horse feed only" bought for rock bottom prices at the close of trading, peeled by "slaves" and onsold as "fit for human consumption", when the prisoners complained, the (same) carrots no longer came in identifiable bags, but loose filled in the shipping crates.
Prison inmates are often paid for their labor to some degree, so it's not really slavery. Whether they should be compensated at all is another discussion.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that prisoners have the option to work or not. Most do because it is something to do and it provides money that can be used in the commissary.
DeleteSolution is simple....pay them.....say five cents an hour....and voila, no longer slavery.
ReplyDeleteAnd they'll still be out-earning the Chinese 'they not slaves because they are not black' that make our iPhones.
DeletePay them shit. They're getting 3 meals and heated/cooled sleeping arrangements. Any work they do could be considered room and board.
ReplyDeleteIn Texas they don't get cooling anything. They might get some heat during the two week winter we have, but I doubt it is real cozy.
DeleteOne could also argue that actual slaves were paid in room and board (that isn't free of charge) so slaves were paid, but they were paid slave wages which this bill is probably trying to eliminate. Does Tennessee have a National Guard? Would they also get the same treatment of a livable wage during the time they are serving? I have the view that the inmates are in prison by choice - they chose to commit the crime so they also chose the consequences.
ReplyDeleteIf you can't do the time don't do the crime.
DeleteEye of the sparrow
Yep, my Dad always said they didn't scratch under or climb over to get in there.
DeleteDon't know if Tennessee's National Guard was abused or not, but...
Deletehttps://wgntv.com/news/national-guard-troops-photographed-sleeping-on-marble-floors-of-capitol-ahead-of-impeachment-vote/
Fuck The Resident.
For National Guard soldiers, a two-day drill weekend consists of four drill periods, for which they are paid four days pay. For annual training and any federal duty, Guard soldiers receive active duty pay. I'm not sure what oldvet1950 means by "livable wage." Was a time Guard soldiers trained four hours a week and were paid every six months because the pay was so low. Now an E7 over 15 gets $616 for a weekend drill and $2,127 for annual training, %9,551 annual total.
ReplyDeletethe prison in Canberra Australia just opened their new commercial bakery, right next to their commercial laundry, they now pay prisoners $3.00 an hour to bake goods for sale and do any amounts of clothes cleaning the prison can get contracts for.
ReplyDeleteOne has to feel sorry for those people who are NOT prisoners who USED to work in the, not prison commercial laundries nearby, and likewise, all those overpaid bakers who have mortgages and families to work to maintain, they want to work for the countries award wage, but how can their company compete with another company that only has to pay "their workers" $3.00 an hour (instead of $15)?!
perfect example, acacia prison western Australia (private prison), the prison gets paid $15 per hour, per worker, to prepare vegetables for airlines, fast food, hospitals, etc. the prisoner, gets $3.50 of that, (the prison complained the prisoners "wages were too high" and dropped everyone down to $3.00 per hour, and wondered why carrots suddenly got peeled into dicks), when you are finally released you walk out the gate with.....HALF a social security handout and a "see you soon, sucker". And don't forget, the prison already makin a million per BED, off the government, yes BED, cause "beds" never leave the system, so now the government has to keep those beds at capacity or slightly OVER, because nobody wants to pay a million a year for an empty bed, the money they skim off the private contracts and steal off the workers is just their Christmas bonus money.
Knees up refusing to release prisoners because it meant californication may actually have to PAY for REAL fire fighters, cannot be having any of THAT now can we?!!
give them a job, charge them rent/food/board (for those who think the prisoner WANTS to be there), but if you are charging them rent, give them AWARD WAGES for the job they are doing, give them a "living wage" out of the remainder, that gets put in a bank and gains interest HA HA on the capital, and they walk out of jail with a tidy sum to either get a first foot on the ladder, or a massive bunt that overdoses them, problem solvered.
and IF you want to make them work, (on top of the removal from society, which IS the actual punishment btw), then ONLY let them do work that does not compete with an industry that employs workers, not incarcerated slaves, eg making school desks, racks for the military, etc.
and, how low can they go? crates of carrots marked "horse feed only" bought for rock bottom prices at the close of trading, peeled by "slaves" and onsold as "fit for human consumption", when the prisoners complained, the (same) carrots no longer came in identifiable bags, but loose filled in the shipping crates.