[Satisfy4400]

It seems to me there's plenty of conspiratorial thinking on the left. The rhetoric around Project 2025 comes to mind as a recent example. Same with rhetoric around for-profit prisons (e.g., I see lots of people saying our criminal justice system is primarily profit driven).

If I had to guess, I'd say such thinking is more widespread on the right, but I find it very difficult to see these sort of things clearly since I'm generally left-leaning in my politics.

[llamaimperative]

Which rhetoric around Project 2025 specifically? Everything I saw claimed to be in it is actually in it, and Trump’s distance from it was complete bullshit.

I haven’t heard anyone say our justice system is primarily profit-driven, and certainly haven’t heard any notable mainstreamers taking that position. One could argue lefties overplay the significance/effects of commercial incentives, but I also think it’s defensible to say there should be (to the extent possible) no commercial incentives in incarceration whatsoever.

[Satisfy4400]

This is from Rep. Jared Huffman:

“Project 2025 is more than an idea, it's a dystopian plot that’s already in motion to dismantle our democratic institutions, abolish checks and balances, chip away at church-state separation, and impose a far-right agenda that infringes on basic liberties and violates public will. This is an unprecedented embrace of extremism, fascism, and religious nationalism, orchestrated by the radical right and its dark money backers. We need a coordinated strategy to save America and stop this coup before it’s too late."

https://huffman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congre...

[RajT88]

Which parts of that quote don't align with the actual policy proposals?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025#Policies

[Satisfy4400]

Here's one example on prisons from a quick Kagi search:

"Currently, many think that the goals of [American Prison System] APS are to rehabilitate inmates and help them function properly in the real world. However, the APS’s high recidivism rate and methods of revenue creation support the conclusion that increasing the prison population may be the real goal of the APS."

https://news.law.fordham.edu/jcfl/2018/12/09/the-american-pr...

[llamaimperative]

The prison system is not “the justice system.”

Yes, if a prison makes money from incarcerating people, its natural goal will be to incarcerate people.

For-profit prisons also have higher chances of recidivism, which bears this out as well.

[Satisfy4400]

https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2023/03/07/courts-profit-and-th...

"Daniel Hatcher used to work as an attorney for Maryland Legal Aid. He says he's seen American courts turn into a system that's more interested in profits than justice.

'California is pursuing billions in fines and fees, and Alabama, multiple prosecutors' offices in Alabama generate 70% of their total funding solely by the pursuit of these court ordered fines and fees against the poor,' Daniel Hatcher says.

Hatcher says that when profit becomes the point, families become targets of the very justice system that is meant to protect."

The suggestion that profit is "the point" of California's criminal fines and fees seems absolutely wild to me.

[llamaimperative]

Ah, the notable figurehead Daniel Hatcher, who used to work as an attorney in Maryland, I suppose.

> I haven’t heard anyone say our justice system is primarily profit-driven, and certainly haven’t heard any notable mainstreamers taking that position.

I suppose you can find someone to say any ol' opinion on the vast Internet. I'll consider clause 1 to be disproven and clause 2 to stand.

[Satisfy4400]

I'd consider someone saying profit is the "point" to mean it is primarily profit driven. You asked for an example and I provided one. It's pretty clear your mind is made up, so best of luck to you.