ROBERT DE NIRO ACCUSED OF EXPLOITING HURRICANE IRMA TO BUILD RESORT IN BARBUDA

[Trotsky]

That might actually be better for them.

De Niro profiting and helping people at the same time.

How many times has the third world been sold this crock of shit?

No more using the myth of charity to leverage profits which ultimately push against charitable purposes. No more for-profit philanthropy. If you're going to help people, you don't get to earn interest on the investment. If you're going to earn interest on the investment, you don't get to frame it as anything but a for-profit, selfish endeavor.

For real, fuck rich folks' opportunity costs. You don't get to say that your $10 million dollar returns are charitable because you charitably chose them over $12 million returns.

 

[Lord Coke]

I agree but realize when you say "globalists" you mean "transnational capitalists".

This is a textbook example of the exploitation of a people by foreign capital and their native collaborators. Its particularly egregious because of the shockingly brazen exploitation of a natural calamity but its not entirely unlike what happens in many countries around the world.

Even if its true that they can't rebuild on their own, which I don't take as a given, its also the case that the foreign investors are going to rebuild with the completely different interests in mind. Note how the excerpt in the OP mentions that work on the airport has accelerated while schools remain in shambles and that the lack of schools is one of the main reasons keeping families from relocating back to the island.

They want to develop the island into a resort for foreigners and have the natives commute to the hotels from the slums on some dreary corner of the island, that's really the ideal these developers are working towards.

Why do we give money to these terrorist countries like Pakistan and Israel and not to this country.
I am skeptical of any foreign aid but if we are going to give money to anyone it should be to people right here in the Americas that are truly in need not say Pakistan that for better or worse has a functioning society.

 

[Fawlty]

Paranoid screams of some kind of GLOBALISM because some rich Hollywood cocksucker is doing some 1800's shit.

It's definitely threadworthy and interesting. OP is just a little bit batshit nuts.

 

[The ScorpioN]

How many times has the third world been sold this crock of shit?

No more using the myth of charity to leverage profits which ultimately push against charitable purposes. No more for-profit philanthropy. If you're going to help people, you don't get to earn interest on the investment. If you're going to earn interest on the investment, you don't get to frame it as anything but a for-profit, selfish endeavor.

For real, fuck rich folks' opportunity costs. You don't get to say that your $10 million dollar returns are charitable because you charitably chose them over $12 million returns.

So you think it's necessarily a zero-sum situation?

I think both parties can benefit here.

 

[Islam Imamate]

Why do we give money to these terrorist countries like Pakistan and Israel and not to this country.

Because they are strategically important countries unfortunately.

I am skeptical of any foreign aid but if we are going to give money to anyone it should be to people right here in the Americas that are truly in need not say Pakistan that for better or worse has a functioning society.

I'm not opposed to giving aid as relief for natural disasters as opposed to military aid to unsavory actors in countries like Pakistan and Egypt but I also believe that sometimes the best you can do for such a people is leave them alone. I remember reading about the unintended consequences of foreign aid in Somalia for instance. That was a very different scenario to be fair but nonetheless the point is even a generous act can have unintended consequences.

In my mind, the solution here is to respect the democratic and communal nature of the island and just prevent it from being ruthlessly exploited by foreign capital.

So you think it's necessarily a zero-sum situation?

I think both parties can benefit here.

There's only a certain amount of land on the island so in a sense it is zero-sum. If its freely sold to outsiders the price will skyrocket and price out the natives who then will then be dispossessed of their land. This even happens in wealthy countries like Canada where Chinese billionaires price out native Canadians from certain areas. If Canucks, who are far wealthier and live in a barren wasteland, are priced out of their land what do you think will happen to poor islanders living in a tropical paradise? They're fucked man.

 

[Swing]

Even if its true that they can't rebuild on their own, which I don't take as a given, its also the case that the foreign investors are going to rebuild with the completely different interests in mind. Note how the excerpt in the OP mentions that work on the airport has accelerated while schools remain in shambles and that the lack of schools is one of the main reasons keeping families from relocating back to the island.

They want to develop the island into a resort for foreigners and have the natives commute to the hotels from the slums on some dreary corner of the island, that's really the ideal these developers are working towards.

It just seems like a safe assumption considering that only 400 of them have come back, and those 400 people don't see to have accomplished much (this isn't a judgement on them--I wouldn't do any better in that situation). Regardless, the decision to sell land to bring over tourism shouldn't just be something they get a say in, it should also be something they directly profit from. So some rich people want to take advantage of a disaster to move in and build a resort. Gross, but okay. At least let the landowners bargain a price and set some terms.

 

[Islam Imamate]

It just seems like a safe assumption considering that only 400 of them have come back, and those 400 people don't see to have accomplished much (this isn't a judgement on them--I wouldn't do any better in that situation).

Sure given that I might see why you believe that but it hasn't even been a full year since the hurricane and even Puerto Rico, a territory if the US, is struggling to rebuild. I think its just too early to say that they can't do it on their own, especially given their government is taking the opportunity to sell out his country. If he dispossess the natives of their land, they would have even less incentive to return and rebuild.

Regardless, the decision to sell land to bring over tourism shouldn't just be something they get a say in, it should also be something they directly profit from. So some rich people want to take advantage of a disaster to move in and build a resort. Gross, but okay. At least let the landowners bargain a price and set some terms.

Yeah pretty much. It reminds me of when Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio when Hurricane Harvey made landfall in the sense of taking advantage of a natural disaster to pass unpopular policy. This is 1000x worse than what Trump did though.

 

[KantoTerror]

They see De niro rolling they Shuckin' and Jivin'....

 

[Swing]

Sure given that I might see why you believe that but it hasn't even been a full year since the hurricane and even Puerto Rico, a territory if the US, is struggling to rebuild. I think its just too early to say that they can't do it on their own, especially given their government is taking the opportunity to sell out his country. If he dispossess the natives of their land, they would have even less incentive to return and rebuild.

True, and they're probably counting on just that. But even though it hasn't been a year, many of them are apparently still living in temporary shelters. I'm guessing they just aren't in a position to be working towards anything more than fending for their own families.

That Puerto Rico is still in a bad way makes the situation seem more dire to me, but it's not like I really have any idea of what it takes for a community to rebuild their home.

Incidentally, this is one of those times Hollywood could actually break out its pitchforks and take one of their own to task. It might even help a bunch of people.

 

[xcvbn]

How many times has the third world been sold this crock of shit?

No more using the myth of charity to leverage profits which ultimately push against charitable purposes. No more for-profit philanthropy. If you're going to help people, you don't get to earn interest on the investment. If you're going to earn interest on the investment, you don't get to frame it as anything but a for-profit, selfish endeavor.

For real, fuck rich folks' opportunity costs. You don't get to say that your $10 million dollar returns are charitable because you charitably chose them over $12 million returns.

The number of "non-profits" being wholly for tax write-offs/for-profit is too damn high

 

[Islam Imamate]

True, and they're probably counting on just that. But even though it hasn't been a year, many of them are apparently still living in temporary shelters. I'm guessing they just aren't in a position to be working towards anything more than fending for their own families.

That Puerto Rico is still in a bad way makes the situation seem more dire to me, but it's not like I really have any idea of what it takes for a community to rebuild their home.

That seems to be the case but given that the government should work so as to incentivize their rebuilding of the island, not disincentivize it by prioritizing the interests of foreign investors over the interests of the natives.

Incidentally, this is one of those times Hollywood could actually break out its pitchforks and take one of their own to task. It might even help a bunch of people.

Of course they won't because they want to play leftist when it makes them hip and cool but then turn into ruthless capitalists when it can fill their pockets. In fact De Niro was one of these rabid anti-trump guys, even getting into a spat with Arnold over it, and he spoke before the UN about the need rebuild after this hurricane and here he is exploiting the island.

He's a pig POS and I hope he has nightmares for the rest of his life.

 

[Lord Coke]

It just seems like a safe assumption considering that only 400 of them have come back, and those 400 people don't see to have accomplished much (this isn't a judgement on them--I wouldn't do any better in that situation). Regardless, the decision to sell land to bring over tourism shouldn't just be something they get a say in, it should also be something they directly profit from. So some rich people want to take advantage of a disaster to move in and build a resort. Gross, but okay. At least let the landowners bargain a price and set some terms.

How long have they had? We have not fixed Puerto Rico yet. Why should these guys be on a faster track that us

 

[Swing]

How long have they had? We have not fixed Puerto Rico yet. Why should these guys be on a faster track that us

I'm not saying they should be. I'm just commiserating.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Seems like a smart investment to net a return.

 

[Deleted member 196663]

De Niro is involved in a land development deal in Barbuda to create an ultra-luxury resort that will disrupt and displace almost 2000 islanders whose families have been there for 200 years. They'll lose their farms and fishing rights in exchange for service jobs at the resort. Thanks, man-of-the-people, De Niro.

https://theintercept.com/2018/01/23/robert-de-niro-barbuda-hotel-hurricane-irma/

I love how morons try to blame DeNiro rather than the political leaders that actually decide this shit.

 

[Swing]

I love how morons try to blame DeNiro rather than the elected politicians that actually decide this shit.

From the perspective of the US, it's not like we have any influence over Antiguan politicians. Celebrities are one of the few wealthy groups that, at least to me, seem particularly susceptible to influence by public outrage.

 

[Lord Coke]

I love how morons try to blame DeNiro rather than the elected politicians that actually decide this shit.

So DeNiro who is effectively bribing the government officials has no culpability at all? He is just a innocent participant?

 

[HockeyBjj]

The number of "non-profits" being wholly for tax write-offs/for-profit is too damn high

Non-profits should only receive those massive tax write offs if no employee (including owner and ceo) are making above 200k from it. (I'd set it less, but at times these non-profits do need to competitively pay top engineers and doctors and such)

That'll solve problems like the NFL and Mayo clinics of the world being "non-profits" one the leader of the non profit can't pocket millions off of it

 

[Deleted member 196663]

So DeNiro who is effectively bribing the government officials has no culpability at all? He is just a innocent participant?

If your politicians are being bribed, then attacking Rober DeNiro makes eve LESS sense. As if the problem goes away if DeNiro does. Do we not understand how basic problem-solving works?

 

[Lord Coke]

If your politicians are being bribed, then attacking Rober DeNiro makes eve LESS sense. As if the problem goes away if DeNiro does. Do we not understand how basic problem-solving works?

So the one doing the bribing is not at fault just the ones taking the money?