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Uh.... how exactly are any of them pushing back on anything right now?

It’s not unlikely that they are just murdering the inmates

I do think that's rather unlikely. After Bukele came into power promising a massive reduction in violent crime he met with the leaders of all the major gangs in El Salvador. He asked them tor reduce violent crime in exchange for payoffs and a promise of improved conditions for prisoners. Within 2 years of that agreement violent crime in El Salvador reached the lowest point it's been in 30 years. If it comes out that prisoners in CECOT are dying, that agreement disappears and violent crime skyrockets. That would completely undermine Bukele's basis of support.

Americans are absolutely calling the shots here. That's why El Salvador has him and is keeping him: because the US government is paying them to do so.

I think he is still alive. Bukele made agreements with the leaders of all the major gangs in El Salvador to get them to reduce violent crime. In exchange he gave some money and concessions as to how prisoners would be treated. If it comes out that prisoners are dying in CECOT, the gangs are going to treat that as Bukele breaking their agreement and violent crime will shoot up.

Even if he's still alive, though, there's a 0% chance he, or anyone else Trump sends there, will ever come out of CECOT while Bukele or Trump is still in power. It would completely undermine so much about their regimes at this point. They are using CECOT as the ever present existential threat against opposition. It's supposed to be a black hole people go into and never leave. They can't let anyone out ever or it proves that people can get out. They don't want anyone to believe that is possible. They can't let anyone believe that is possible or it'll breed massive opposition in both countries.

I think 14 (ish) of them were actually charged with a crime, although none of them had a trial, let alone were found guilty and sentenced. And even if they were found guilty of something, I'm pretty sure locking someone up indefinitely in a foreign torture prison/slave labor camp qualifies for the 8th Amendment's prohibition on "cruel and unusual punishment."

There is no legal or moral justification for sending even the most hardened convicted criminal there.

They need to stop this 1 at a time thing. Get like 40 members of Congress, Senators and Representatives. Show up at CECOT with cameras live streaming and demand to be admitted. When they refuse, force your way in.

I don't believe anyone in El Salvador, including Bukele and the goons staffing the prison, want to have a live stream of them assaulting/arresting a bunch of US members of Congress. And if they do, maybe that'll help wake some Republican voters up to the fascism.

Open curtains to let in as much natural sunlight as possible. If that's not enough, main overhead light with a super-bright 14W 2700K bulb. I want it bright, and I want it bright everywhere.

I don't think for China specifically, though?

There'd be motherfuckers on TikTok snorting lines of asbestos

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Trump never dropped tariffs on China, did he?

Yeah in a global environment essentially China is the workforce/factory workers of the previous gilded age.

Maybe 15-20 years ago, but not so much anymore. Cost of labor has been rising in China dramatically to the point that a lot of manufacturing is leaving China.

when my own joy brought others joy. That was the only thing that was worth it.

If that's something you truly value, then you should absolutely have kids. There is no joy greater than that which a child feels, especially one with a loving family.

I also don't think experiencing life is inconsequential. Sure, it doesn't have some grand cosmic consequence. Our existence has virtually 0 impact on nearly all of reality. But that's not the only way to define something as consequential. What's important to me is my life and the lives of those I care about (which extends far beyond just the people I know personally). My kids' existence has been enormously consequential for many people who I care about, and my life has been enormously consequential on that of my kids.

I don't need some grand cosmic meaning behind that. The meaning of life is whatever you choose to make of it. For me, that's providing as much enjoyment and fulfillment to my family as I can.