Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Prison Reform??

From time to time the subject of prison reform comes up on the political radar, here in Illinois. Usually from the left, the angle is to provide more “benefits” for the inmates. The type of reform we do not need is Governor Quinn’s early release of thousands of prisoners. Nor do we need to house Gitmo enemy combatants in the Thomson Correctional Center.

Governor Quinn’s decision to grant early release to thousands of inmates is a slap in the face to law enforcement officials that built cases against these criminals. It is also a middle finger in the face of the jurors and the judges that sentenced them. If you do the crime you should do the time. Not get an early release because of supposed overcrowding.

The sale of the Level 1 (maximum security) Thomson Correctional Center to the feds should be allowed to go through. The state has not been able to fund this facility nor can it. Illinois needs the dough. Sell it to the feds, but they can keep the terrorists. To see Little Dicky Durbin standing side by side with Governor Quinn, poo pooing the Illinois Congressional delegations concern over moving the terrorists from Gitmo to Northern Illinois was a sight to behold. Little Dicky, who has called our troops unmentionable names wants to give quarter to individuals who would surely shoot our troops, given the chance. This guy is a blowhard, “joke” of a US Senator.

If there is such overcrowding in Illinois prisons, build more prisons. Yes, I know, Illinois doesn’t have the money. Find the money. De-fund all the unnecessary programs that exist and the discretionary funds provided to various state agencies. The state needs to prioritize its spending. It is far better to keep criminals off the street and families safe, then it is to fund some special artsy fartsy project.

Here are a few ideas for restructuring our states prison system.
(1) Build a level 4 (medium security) correctional center in the City of Chicago to relieve some of the overcrowding. There are plenty of areas in the city in which to build as more and more manufacturing companies bail out of the city. One site that comes to mind is the 17-acre site that RTC, a plastics corporation, will be vacating soon. It is located in the South Lawndale neighborhood.
(2) Begin to separate the prisoners by assigning them to prisons that house criminals with like offenses (i.e.: Murders Row; Robbers, Burglars, and Thieves; Gangland; etc.)
(3) Those convicted of minor drug offenses should be given a choice by the Judge of going to a “boot camp” type rehab facility or one of the Level 7 (low minimum security) work camp or correctional center.
(4) A separate facility might house those convicted of unlawful discharge of a firearm with intent to harm. Such a criminal act should get an automatic 25-year sentence.

Prison reform involves a lot more than letting prisoners loose before they serve their full amount of time or selling a prison to the feds. It will involve hard work and innovative solutions to get the job done. Hopefully the next Governor of Illinois can roll up his sleeves and get the job done. Making the state of Illinois safer for all law-abiding citizens should be a top priority.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Communication Breakdown. It Won't be the Same!

If last Tuesday’s (11/3) elections are any indication, both the Democrats and the Republicans have much to do bring back their luster. Both parties have begun to fracture. The elephants have gotten loose in the Republican tent, have run around knocking into the center pole and the tent has collapsed. Democrats have begun to spar with one another over ObamaCare, Cap and Trade (aka, Cap and Crunch the economy), and Bank and Finance legislation. All of this dissension has led to a growing independent voter movement.

The Republican Party has lost its luster as it departed from the Reagan Revolution into a borrow and spend political model. A kind of Jude Wanniski “Santa Claus Theory” on steroids. Promise them the moon and figure out how to pay for it later. Thus, the move away from the party to a declared independent status.

Democrats, on the other hand, have become the party of government (the direct opposite of the GOP, hence the POG). Over the decades since Jimmy “The Cracker” Carter, people have left the party in droves. Again, more often than not, they have moved to an entirely independent position.

This independent position is where political battles will be fought and won in the new decade soon to begin. Moreover such fracture in the two party system will lead to more third party movements and their eventual success. Much of this success will occur on the Congressional level as many voters identify with neither political party brand. Will either party go the way of the Whigs? It’s possible. The Whig party was destroyed over the issue of slavery. Founded in 1833 by Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams they felt that congress should hold more power over the executive branch. They were also very protectionist, which could have also led to their demise.

The current fracture or communication breakdown may lead to the four political parties in every congressional district as the next decade draws near. After re-apportionment the party breakdown will be:
Socialist Democrats—think Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and our President, Barrack H. Obama.
Traditional Democrats—think union rank and file of the trade unions, Teamsters, and UAW. The laborers, SEIU, and AFSME will cast their lot with the Socialist Democrats.
Republicans—chosen on the basis of family tradition, country club and generational wealth. A kind of Fraternity/Sorority operation. Think Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME).
Reaganites—chosen on the basis of economic freedom, strong national defense, and limited government.

The communication breakdown is already here. And when it takes root, it won’t be the same.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Obama-Care Must be Sent to the Infirmary

Not long ago, an old friend of mine sent me a video pertaining to the so-called public option portion of Obama-Care. In the cartoonish video it stated that a government funded health care system could be very efficiently run. It provided proof of governments ability to run programs by mentioning social security and the postal system, to name two. I nearly fell off my chair in laughter. The Postal System has a deficit in the billions and Social Security is nothing more than a giant Ponzi scheme. If a government run health care system is the latent intent of Obama-Care then it needs to be sent to the infirmary.

It seems the democrats are greatly divided over putting in the public option with Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Leader Reid (D-NV) pushing for it and more moderate party members like Max Baucus (D-MT) prefer to opt out on that element. Meanwhile the Obama administration "dithers". The democrat written health care legislation needs to be dumped. The public option is basically an incremental step towards government control.

The Nobel Prize (1974) winning economist F.A. Hayek, wrote in his fine book, The Road to Serfdom, "Our freedom of choice in a competitive society rests on the fact that, if one person refuses to satisfy our wishes, we can turn to another. But if we face a monopolist we are at his mercy." The current health care bill working its way through Congress places us on the slippery slope towards a governmental monopoly. Should it pass, it will put not only our health care system into tailspin, but will severely damage our already fragile economy.

The outstanding Republican Congressman Paul Ryan (WI-1st), offered up the "Patients Choice Act of 2009" earlier this year. It had many good elements in it. One portion of it made little sense to me. It proposed to eliminate the tax exemption offered to employers that provide health insurance to their employees. In its place would be a $2300 individual tax credit and a $5700 family tax credit. With these monies, an individual or family were free to select their own health care or to apply it to whatever their employer was offering. Now there is no duty by employers to offer health insurance, but those companies that wish to hire the best talent ought to have the ability to offer it. And get a tax exemption for it. The self-employed ought to be able to have that same tax benefit.

In order to provide a competitive environment for health insurance a number of components need to be incorporated in any legislation coming out of Congress. They are:
  • Tax credit for all out of pocket medical expenses including for elderly care.
  • Portability. We should be able to move from one plan to another based on any change in employment status.
  • Insurance plans should be offered across state lines. This will provided needed competition.
  • Medical tort reform. Cap the awards on pain and suffering.
  • Health Savings Accounts (HSA) should be expanded further. This alone will provide the basis for a three-tier health insurance paradigm. Level one--basic preventative health care, check-ups, working with our physicians to establish healthy lives. The payment for these would be out of pocket or through our HSA's. Level two--emergency care and accidental health insurance. Level three--catastrophic health insurance for live changing medical care.

The present health care system is so clogged that it needs an angioplasty. It needs to be invigorated with more competition to lower costs. Yes indeed, it needs reform. What it doesn't need, is the time of reform that the Obama-Care orderlies are working up. This type of Obama-Care needs to be sent to the infirmary, indefinitely.