this post was submitted on 05 Jan 2024
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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 168 points 8 months ago (3 children)

The book is just there as a gift within a grift.

The candidate "writes" the book and makes it available for sale. But not even their fans buy it.

The books are ordered at full price despite that by PACs to be given away at stuff like this.

This funnels money from PACs directly into the candidates pocket.

A couple years ago it was a big story, because one of them was strategically doing it thru the specific stores around NYC that were sampled for best seller list. They ended up pretty high up on the list for a couple weeks. Media even interviewed workers at the store who were really confused. Books come in on a schedule a couple skids at a time, all individually packed and not at bulk prices. And not even stay a day until picked up by another truck and shipped off again. At some stores this was more volume than every other book that went through the store normally.

They were burning money like crazy, because it was money laundering. The entire point is to move as much money around as possible.

I wouldn't be surprised if one tried some bullshit with valuating the signature tho.

Have the PAC buy them, pay the candidate to sign them, and then give them out at events like this. That could double maybe even triple the money laundering, but I don't know if they have the balls to do it.

[–] Drusas@kbin.social 39 points 8 months ago (2 children)

The candidate “writes” the book and makes it available for sale. But not even their fans buy it.

The US has a shockingly high rate of functional illiteracy, and I'm going to guess that her supporters are disproportionately affected by this. Which is to say that they probably couldn't read her book if they wanted to.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 25 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Not sure what you wrote, but somehow it feels offensive? Can you read your comment to me and let me know if it said something that would offend me?

[–] Drusas@kbin.social 10 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's not really offensive, it's just sad. There is a huge population of the United States which is under educated and the topic is largely ignored.

[–] thefartographer@lemm.ee 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

I for realsies work in education in Texas. We're truly trying our best, but the challenges we're up against are so pointless and only do harm.

[–] Drusas@kbin.social 8 points 8 months ago

Thanks for trying.

Long boring Anecdote time!

Every homeschooling family I know are super republican and are "religious".

Every single child of said families have less than a 6th grade reading level.

One family that got too extreme for my parents to continue being friends with them decided that their daughters book learning was done in fourth grade. After that it was basically home economics without any of the important Financials (because the man handles that, silly, women aren't smart enough!), just basically training a maid to cook and clean and also find a husband. Only a few of her NINE BROTHERS could read the books I was assigned in 5th grade. None of them could read my personal books, as I had a college reading level by 3rd grade, but I'm a super nerd so....

Well sure enough all the boys of that family grew up to be pieces of shit from the interactions I've had with them over the years, and the daughter hasn't been seen in nearly a decade. Ran away the moment she legally could, and I hope she's living her best life away from controlling religious freaks.

My in-laws are "homeschooling" their own children, which amounts to letting them do whatever they want Tuesday and Thursday, and sending them to the church van every m/w/f to be taught by Sunday school teachers. Who of course only talk about creationism. and none of the "graduates" have even heard of Charles Darwin. And also believe humans and T-Rex walked around with each other. Whose fossils were also put in the ground as a test...