Topic: Incarceration Rates

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) appeared on ABC News to discuss the evolution of the "woke" movement and her previous support for defunding the police. She characterized her past positions as "rhetoric" from a unique period during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The hosts argue that AOC and the DSA still fundamentally believe in abolishing prisons and the presidency despite changes in public messaging.

During a discussion on North Korean human rights, the hosts compare the reported 120,000 North Korean prisoners to the 2.5 million people incarcerated in the United States. One host shares an anecdote about a graphic novel written by an animator who worked in North Korea, noting that the author's first-hand account of the country seemed less dire than the "gulag" narrative presented by NGOs.

The Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) has offered to buy state prisons in 48 states under the condition that they maintain a 90% occupancy rate. The hosts characterize this as the institutionalization of slave labor, where the state is incentivized to keep citizens incarcerated to meet corporate profit goals. They argue that this privatization removes legal recourse for prisoners and turns justice into a profit-driven enterprise.