I've been meaning to write about the invisible beast, the prison-industrial complex, for a while, and Rachel Maddow just gave me the chance. This beast is fed when folks are sent to the slammer, and the beast feeds big bucks to Congress and the states to "make it so."
There's so much to say on this subject, and so much ignored research. But let's start with Rachel, whose place in the firmament is secure, if only for segments like these:
From the transcript (my emphasis):
Imagine the boon to [Corrections Corporation of America,] the private for-profit prison company that has the contract to house federal detainees in Arizona, if Arizona came up with a whacky plan to arrest a lot more people for suspected immigration violations. Imagine how awesome a law like SB-1070 would be for an industry like the for-profit private prison industry in Arizona.Corrections Corporation of America — remember that name. They want more browns in jail, and for longer terms of imprisonment. This beast eats dark people. They're national, they're powerful, and they're way under the radar.
Sure, it's an industry with an incredibly awful record in Arizona, but there is money to be made here, and it turns out that that industry, particularly Corrections Corporation of America, which stands to benefit the most, that industry and that company in Arizona, they're really well connected.
The CBS affiliate in Phoenix, KPHO did some investigating on this subject. This is what they turned up."Our CBS 5 investigation found two of governor Brewer's top advisers have connections to CCA. Deputy chief of staff Paul Senseman was a lobbyist for the company. His wife is still a registered lobbyist for CCA. Brewer policy adviser Chuck Coughlin owns High Ground Public Affairs, which also represents CCA."
They're also slime. And the unelected slime governor (yep) who drinks this muck and spews it back to her voters (chunky bits and all) is smack in the middle of it (check the tape at the 8:20 mark).
She may even believe in this bilge. Worse for her — if the St. Peter of her right-wing dreams ever asks for her own account book, she'll be forced to say: "I sent brown people to prison for money, sir; can I have my pony now?"
Does this sound vicious? How vicious is Prisons for Profit? How do you max those dollars? And what ring of hell does that get you — this one?
Or one worse?
GP
