Montana Gov. Bullock extends private prison company's contract

[CookieDamage]

https://helenair.com/news/government-and-politics/bullock-excess-revenue-and-private-prison-deal-will-help-state/article_f2eec7fc-ccdb-50aa-b78d-d37bfeb3b033.html

Highly disappointing. I was actually not too bothered by his potential candidacy and saw him as a great VP for Kamala Harris if she won the nom. Now, not so much, this is gross and vile and he probably had better choices.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

[JG]

Another overrated white male potential candidate.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Private prisons are a conflict of interest.  A company that profits on the incarceration of others has the financial incentive to lobby for more restrictive drug laws, minimum-mandatory sentences that take away judicial discretion in sentencing. abolition of parole, "truth-in-sentencing" laws that minimize the possibility of early release for good behavior, and the sort of corruption that leads to inmates being unnecessarily (or even wrongly) infracted questionably for rule violations while confined that lead to loss of good time toward earlier release or a negative mark on their incarceration record that a parole board will see at a parole hearing.  To say nothing of Judges being on the take and handing out prison sentences to people who would have ordinarily received probation (e. g. first-time non-violent offenders) in order to use up "bed space", as if prison is some kind of hotel and the Judge is getting a booking fee like Expedia.

Democrats and Republicans alike spread this cancer, but the GOP is far worse, and the industry has far more GOP officials that are pretty much in their pocket.

Bullock's not the worst in this area, and I wouldn't rule him out just because of this.  It's possible that the Montana Legislature is pushing this and he has more pressing priorities.  This was, however, his chance to be part of the solution, and he passed on it.  Private Prisons are a stain and a cancer.

[CookieDamage]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

[KingSweden]

Private prisons are a conflict of interest.  A company that profits on the incarceration of others has the financial incentive to lobby for more restrictive drug laws, minimum-mandatory sentences that take away judicial discretion in sentencing. abolition of parole, "truth-in-sentencing" laws that minimize the possibility of early release for good behavior, and the sort of corruption that leads to inmates being unnecessarily (or even wrongly) infracted questionably for rule violations while confined that lead to loss of good time toward earlier release or a negative mark on their incarceration record that a parole board will see at a parole hearing.  To say nothing of Judges being on the take and handing out prison sentences to people who would have ordinarily received probation (e. g. first-time non-violent offenders) in order to use up "bed space", as if prison is some kind of hotel and the Judge is getting a booking fee like Expedia.

Democrats and Republicans alike spread this cancer, but the GOP is far worse, and the industry has far more GOP officials that are pretty much in their pocket.

Bullock's not the worst in this area, and I wouldn't rule him out just because of this.  It's possible that the Montana Legislature is pushing this and he has more pressing priorities.  This was, however, his chance to be part of the solution, and he passed on it.  Private Prisons are a stain and a cancer.

^^^^^^^

Well put!

[Intell]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

Not Comparable...

[Santander]

I remember being ridiculed for saying he wouldn't run in 2020...

[BBD]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

Not Comparable...

[Alabama_Indy10]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

That’s the stupidest comparison I’ve ever heard.

[JA]

Private prisons are a conflict of interest.  A company that profits on the incarceration of others has the financial incentive to lobby for more restrictive drug laws, minimum-mandatory sentences that take away judicial discretion in sentencing. abolition of parole, "truth-in-sentencing" laws that minimize the possibility of early release for good behavior, and the sort of corruption that leads to inmates being unnecessarily (or even wrongly) infracted questionably for rule violations while confined that lead to loss of good time toward earlier release or a negative mark on their incarceration record that a parole board will see at a parole hearing.  To say nothing of Judges being on the take and handing out prison sentences to people who would have ordinarily received probation (e. g. first-time non-violent offenders) in order to use up "bed space", as if prison is some kind of hotel and the Judge is getting a booking fee like Expedia.

Democrats and Republicans alike spread this cancer, but the GOP is far worse, and the industry has far more GOP officials that are pretty much in their pocket.

Bullock's not the worst in this area, and I wouldn't rule him out just because of this.  It's possible that the Montana Legislature is pushing this and he has more pressing priorities.  This was, however, his chance to be part of the solution, and he passed on it.  Private Prisons are a stain and a cancer.

^^^^^^^

Well put!

[Santander]

I remember being ridiculed for saying he wouldn't run in 2020...

I don’t see any logical niche for him in a primary. Almost every available niche is already occupied by other people. I think he’ll eventually come to that realization and run for Senate instead

Totally agree.

[DINGO Joe]

Well, thanks to the dynamic duo of Robert Byrd and Hal Rogers the greatest concentration of Federal Prisons are in WV and Eastern Kentucky.  Plus Virginia has put a ridiculous number of state prisons in the small coal area in SW VA, so coal and prisons do go lockstep in that manner.

[PSOL]

Well that is one less candidate that has my vote, such a disappointment.

[dw93]

Private prisons are a conflict of interest.  A company that profits on the incarceration of others has the financial incentive to lobby for more restrictive drug laws, minimum-mandatory sentences that take away judicial discretion in sentencing. abolition of parole, "truth-in-sentencing" laws that minimize the possibility of early release for good behavior, and the sort of corruption that leads to inmates being unnecessarily (or even wrongly) infracted questionably for rule violations while confined that lead to loss of good time toward earlier release or a negative mark on their incarceration record that a parole board will see at a parole hearing.  To say nothing of Judges being on the take and handing out prison sentences to people who would have ordinarily received probation (e. g. first-time non-violent offenders) in order to use up "bed space", as if prison is some kind of hotel and the Judge is getting a booking fee like Expedia.

Democrats and Republicans alike spread this cancer, but the GOP is far worse, and the industry has far more GOP officials that are pretty much in their pocket.

Bullock's not the worst in this area, and I wouldn't rule him out just because of this.  It's possible that the Montana Legislature is pushing this and he has more pressing priorities.  This was, however, his chance to be part of the solution, and he passed on it.  Private Prisons are a stain and a cancer.

Well said.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

Private prisons are wrong for many of the reasons FuzzyBear rightfully cites, but it's ludicrous to compare them to slavery.

[Calthrina950]

Private prisons are a conflict of interest.  A company that profits on the incarceration of others has the financial incentive to lobby for more restrictive drug laws, minimum-mandatory sentences that take away judicial discretion in sentencing. abolition of parole, "truth-in-sentencing" laws that minimize the possibility of early release for good behavior, and the sort of corruption that leads to inmates being unnecessarily (or even wrongly) infracted questionably for rule violations while confined that lead to loss of good time toward earlier release or a negative mark on their incarceration record that a parole board will see at a parole hearing.  To say nothing of Judges being on the take and handing out prison sentences to people who would have ordinarily received probation (e. g. first-time non-violent offenders) in order to use up "bed space", as if prison is some kind of hotel and the Judge is getting a booking fee like Expedia.

Democrats and Republicans alike spread this cancer, but the GOP is far worse, and the industry has far more GOP officials that are pretty much in their pocket.

Bullock's not the worst in this area, and I wouldn't rule him out just because of this.  It's possible that the Montana Legislature is pushing this and he has more pressing priorities.  This was, however, his chance to be part of the solution, and he passed on it.  Private Prisons are a stain and a cancer.

^^^^^^^

Well put!

I fully agree with this as well. While I think that private corporations handle most sectors of the economy better than the state would, I also believe that there are several vital "public services" that would be best left in state hands. This would include such essential services as national defense, public education, roads (as regards to overall supervision, funding, and maintenance), emergency services, utilities, and of course, prisons. Private companies are motivated by a drive for profit, and that overrides all else. Prisons have been one of the easiest ways for them to make such a profit, and they have done so in a manner that has only served to exacerbate the problems in our criminal justice system. Reversing the privatization of prisons is an essential step in the process of criminal justice reform.

[Green Line]

He’s definitely a top contender.

[Progressive Pessimist]

This is disappointing. This suggests that he is either not running at all for the nomination in 2020 or he blatantly doesn't understand what direction the party is going. The latter part is especially frustrating since he's been great on campaign finance and net neutrality.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I would also mention that Bullock cancelling the contract wouldn't necessarily close the prison; it would just mean that the prison would be staffed by state correctional staff (a better outcome) or a different privatized provider (who could possibly be worse than the privatized provider they have right now).

In most (though not all) cases, private correctional firms provide the prison staffing, but the state provides the facility.  Prisons are expensive to build, and they can't readily be converted for other uses. 

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I would also mention that Bullock cancelling the contract wouldn't necessarily close the prison; it would just mean that the prison would be staffed by state correctional staff (a better outcome) or a different privatized provider (who could possibly be worse than the privatized provider they have right now).

In most (though not all) cases, private correctional firms provide the prison staffing, but the state provides the facility.  Prisons are expensive to build, and they can't readily be converted for other uses. 

Question is, though, does the legislature give him the freedom to even consider turning this into a public prison? Have they not given him enough fiscal room for him to do such?
I don't know...I would not have done this but I easily see why he might have done this.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Disgusting. There is no excuse for this.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Private prisons are a conflict of interest.  A company that profits on the incarceration of others has the financial incentive to lobby for more restrictive drug laws, minimum-mandatory sentences that take away judicial discretion in sentencing. abolition of parole, "truth-in-sentencing" laws that minimize the possibility of early release for good behavior, and the sort of corruption that leads to inmates being unnecessarily (or even wrongly) infracted questionably for rule violations while confined that lead to loss of good time toward earlier release or a negative mark on their incarceration record that a parole board will see at a parole hearing.  To say nothing of Judges being on the take and handing out prison sentences to people who would have ordinarily received probation (e. g. first-time non-violent offenders) in order to use up "bed space", as if prison is some kind of hotel and the Judge is getting a booking fee like Expedia.

Democrats and Republicans alike spread this cancer, but the GOP is far worse, and the industry has far more GOP officials that are pretty much in their pocket.

Bullock's not the worst in this area, and I wouldn't rule him out just because of this.  It's possible that the Montana Legislature is pushing this and he has more pressing priorities.  This was, however, his chance to be part of the solution, and he passed on it.  Private Prisons are a stain and a cancer.

I agree with pretty much all of what you said here, Fuzzy.  I’d only add that part of the problem is also that a wide variety of mid/lower-profile and/or localized aspects of prisons from who gets the private contracts to where public or private ones will be located has become a frequent bargaining chip in state legislative horse trading.  The leverage this can provide as a carrot or stick is something many politicians are loath to give up.

[Very Legal & Very Cool]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

Private prisons are wrong for many of the reasons FuzzyBear rightfully cites, but it's ludicrous to compare them to slavery.

What makes the comparison ludicrous?

[Mr. Reactionary]

He probably renewed the contract because the area had a relative lack of well-paying jobs. Prisons prop up the rural economy.

So did slavery and coal mining.

That’s the stupidest comparison I’ve ever heard.