More good things from the Wisconsin union law changes.

[Darwin333]

They did the crime let them do the time. Why should they get reduce time for mowing lawns? If you really want to rehabilitate them teach them stuff that will help them in the real world like IT or Accounting.

Because they have a question on most applications that is along the lines of "are you a convicted felon"? Most folks that check the yes box on that question generally aren't considered for a job in accounting...

 

[theeedude]

Because they have a question on most resumes that is along the lines of "are you a convicted felon"? Most folks that check the yes box on that question generally aren't considered for a job in accounting...

Most folks whose resume consists of multiple choice questions and answers are generally not considered for a job in accounting...

 

[Darwin333]

Nothing as long as it doesn't cost people jobs. I'm all for letting them fight forest fires, cleaning up all spills and the aftermath of floods, tornados and other natural disasters

I highly doubt it will cost anyone their jobs. Relatively few inmates even qualify for programs like this and they generally do stuff that isn't already being done (usually do to budget issues).

But if it does then shouldn't you be advocating that the people who lost their jobs "be taught something that will actually be useful in the real world like accounting or IT"?

 

[Darwin333]

Most folks whose resume consists of multiple choice questions and answers are generally not considered for a job in accounting...

I meant application, thank you for pointing out my error.

 

[Red Dawn]

Because they have a question on most applications that is along the lines of "are you a convicted felon"? Most folks that check the yes box on that question generally aren't considered for a job in accounting...

Yeah they'd be more suited for Wall Street Banking.

 

[Jhhnn]

Sounds like a lefty dream. See USSR. You should be happy.

It's an authoritarian dream, and the right wing has a lock on authoritarian tendencies in American politics.

Law and Order!? Mandatory minimums? Three Strikes? Hard Time? Prisons for Profit? Warrantless searches? Indefinite Detention? Death Penalty?

These aren't the rallying points of the progressive/ liberal forces in American politics.

Yeh, sure, there are some so-called Libertarians on the Right, but they're delusional dimwits poisoned by Koch Bros propaganda from the Cato Institute & others. They read too much Ayn Rand, watched too many John Wayne movies, believed every word, too...

 

[RightIsWrong]

So, by the OP's and so many others' logic, "free" labor that is being supported with "free" room and board by a state run facility supported by taxes who contribute nothing to the tax base from which they draw their free room and board and cannot contribute anything to the state's economy because they earn no wages that are taxed to add to the state's coffers and, even if they did, could not put it back into the state's economy because they are incarcerated is a good thing?

I guess they can just tax the unemployed's benefits at 100% to cover the difference....at least till they are no longer eligible and then they can do something drastic to feed their family and then end up in jail so that they can then be put back to work for free.

 

[matt0611]

So, by the OP's and so many others' logic, "free" labor that is being supported with "free" room and board by a state run facility supported by taxes who contribute nothing to the tax base from which they draw their free room and board and cannot contribute anything to the state's economy because they earn no wages that are taxed to add to the state's coffers and, even if they did, could not put it back into the state's economy because they are incarcerated is a good thing?

I guess they can just tax the unemployed's benefits at 100% to cover the difference....at least till they are no longer eligible and then they can do something drastic to feed their family and then end up in jail so that they can then be put back to work for free.

So doing work for virtually free for the state is not contributing anything to the states economy? huh?

 

[RightIsWrong]

So doing work for virtually free for the state is not contributing anything to the states economy? huh?

When it is menial work that is being paid for by the state in the form of room and board, healthcare and no income tax offset to people that cannot reintroduce those benefits to the economy, there is no benefit to the economy....just costs.

 

[matt0611]

When it is menial work that is being paid for by the state in the form of room and board, healthcare and no income tax offset to people that cannot reintroduce those benefits to the economy, there is no benefit to the economy....just costs.

They're already prisoners, their room and board is already being paid for. Either way.
Of course the state benefits from the work being done

 

[RightIsWrong]

They're already prisoners, their room and board is already being paid for. Either way.
Of course the state benefits from the work being done

I agree.

If the governor really wanted to make a difference in the state's budget, he would revise the laws and make some of the archaic, victimless crimes no longer applicable and, here's something for the righties, put tort reform into action....for corporations.

Get rid of marijuana laws for one thing (and no, I've never even smoked a cigarette let alone gotten high but it's asinine to be footing the bill for people smoking weed and then allow tobacco companies to operate openly) and limit corporate lawsuit abilities. Looking at the statistics provided by the Circuit Courts show that almost 1/2 of all civil lawsuits that reach their level are by one corporation suing another corporation.

That might seem minor when compared to the cost of incarceration, but take into consideration that civil lawsuits outweigh criminal by almost 4:1 and you will see that the differences in costs aren't quite as wide when you add up the court costs associated with filing, staffing, recording, etc.

http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/Statistics/JudicialBusiness/2010/judicialbusinespdfversion.pdf

 

[matt0611]

I agree.

If the governor really wanted to make a difference in the state's budget, he would revise the laws and make some of the archaic, victimless crimes no longer applicable and, here's something for the righties, put tort reform into action....for corporations.

Get rid of marijuana laws for one thing (and no, I've never even smoked a cigarette let alone gotten high but it's asinine to be footing the bill for people smoking weed and then allow tobacco companies to operate openly) and limit corporate lawsuit abilities. Looking at the statistics provided by the Circuit Courts show that almost 1/2 of all civil lawsuits that reach their level are by one corporation suing another corporation.

That might seem minor when compared to the cost of incarceration, but take into consideration that civil lawsuits outweigh criminal by almost 4:1 and you will see that the differences in costs aren't quite as wide when you add up the court costs associated with filing, staffing, recording, etc.

http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/Statistics/JudicialBusiness/2010/judicialbusinespdfversion.pdf

Oh I'm for getting rid of a lot of laws and decriminalizing drugs and clearing out the prisons of victimless crimes. But if they're already in there, might as well have them do something to help offset the costs in the mean time.

 

[Obsoleet]

All states are as "corrupt" as any other, but anti-labor states are somehow idealistic, stalwart locales of Good Americans because their corruption involves only taking money from wealthy corporations to write the laws. Only lobbying and buy-offs of politicians by labor unions are "corruption".

As a non-union employee, I'd prefer unions fight to increase wage-competition so I can get better benefits and pay myself. Unions were the best thing to ever happen to this country's economy.