Don't get me wrong. It's important to lockup criminals who pose a true danger to society. But I'm sick of the Prison Guard Union. It's because of these thugs that we have more prisons than schools in our state. Non-violent offenders don't deserve the free room and board for years on end just to fatten wallets of prison guards. Do we really need to spend 10 billion dollars a year on prisons?
Now they are going after Arnold with a BS recall effort because Arnold isn't giving in to their demands for MO MONEY and MO MONEY! Someone forgot to tell them there is a budget crisis and everyone is suffering. Beef between Arnold and CCPOA goes way back, and they're using the budget crisis to force him out.
You really think Arnold is intimidated by these thugs? Just look at those guns!
Here's some facts about CCPOA you should know:
1. California spends $5.7 Billion per year housing 161,000 inmates.
2. The CCPOA made large contributions to the 1994 campaign for Proposition 184,* the "three strikes" initiative which put repeat offenders behind bars, and is credited with helping the proposition to pass with over 70 percent of the vote. (hmm, more "clients" for them to service?)
3. A 2004 report on the dysfunctional California prison system"openly criticized the CCPOA's power over the system, stating that the agreement between the state and the California Correctional Peace Officers Association "clearly has resulted in an unfair and unworkable tilt toward union influence."
4. During the 1980's and 90's, the CCPOA and other prison advocates pushed California elected officials to focus on imprisonment and punishment rather than the idea that convicts can be rehabilitated into society. (MO MONEY MO MONEY MO MONEY!)
Here's a quick way to decide if a proposition is worth voting for. If the CCPOA supports it, vote against it.
*9/10/08 Pacovilla brought it to my attention that I was calling prison guards thugs. My apologies. CCPOA is the thug, not individual prison guards. See comments section for Pacovillas response to my post and my response to his response. His blog is worth a visit as well.
6 comments:
You are entitled to your opinion. But you are way out of line painting over 30,000 officers (doing a dirty job you don't have the heart to do) "thugs."
Well, sir, if CCPOA and its membership were truly as you assert, you wouldn't be saying so quite as boldly, would you?
Have you ever SEEN a thug in the real world? Why don't you see if you can get a ride along with a parole agent or get a REAL tour in a REAL prison and see if you can gauge the difference then.
My fellow thugs are all that stands between inmates and each other...and snarky little blowhards peeing themselves on prison tours. Not to mention the public.
AND, what on Earth ever gave you the idea prison spending and education spending are part of the same pie. Ever heard of Prop 98? The CTA cut it's own Constitutionally guaranteed 40% of the budget. Prison spending comes out of the REST of the coffer, dimwit.
-Jeff Doyle
PS...Don't pee yourself. We won't hurt you. Mind you, take care not to trip or anything.
Pacovilla, Thank you for writing. I am so glad to have the opportunity to engage in dialogue. I must admit the post was not written in a voice of neutrality. I rant on my blog, it's my small voice expressing the absolute horror of what I perceive as injustice all around me. Thanks to taking time to read it and respond.
Let me make one thing clear first, which I did not do in the post. CCPOA is a thug. I don't consider prison guards thugs. My apologies. There's a difference there, which I hope you understand. Like all people, prison guards are individuals, and are responsible for their individual actions. My post was addressing the actions of CCPOA, not of prison guards individually. The collective thuggery of CCPOA in California politics is well established. (As an aside, by supporting the actions of their union, there is a little thuggishness spread amongst all prison guards, for it is their union dues that pay for propaganda that fools our society into accepting their positions whole heartedly.) When I speak of the union in plural form, it just sounds grammatically correct to my ears.
CCPOA consistently advocates positions that are not in the best interests of California's citizens, but in their own self-interests. It’s only rational for CCPOA to act as forcefully for their members as possible. They are beholden to their members and have a duty to do just that. The union masks its self-interested motives in heavy doses of fear of violence, drugs & minorities. Take the 3 Strikes Law. Advertisements playing up fear of crime played nonstop on TV in the lead up to that vote. It's resulted in our state locking up thousands of people who have had little quality competent legal counsel, were intimidated by DAs into accepting plea deals, and are for the most part, not a threat to society. The criminal (in)justice system is so heavily weighed against "the accused", it's a joke that judges are forced to lockup someone for life for stealing something. This happens today, in California. NOT COOL BRO.
Not only that, CCPOA has consistently fought against prison reform, even when our prisons are under judicial control for failing to provide adequate services.
When I hear CCPOA call for Arnold to be recalled, it rings hollow. Prison guards choose the occupation of prison guard, no one is forcing them into it. It is an honorable line of work.
As for pee pee, yes, I would be the little chicken shit you probably imagine me to be if I were to enter any prison anywhere. But that's no argument against the facts I presented in my post.
Many inmates suffer from ignorance, are uneducated, come from communities with little to no resources and are especially vulnerable to falling into criminal activity. CCPOA would be well advised to advocate for measures that work to end the cycle of violence and criminal behavior in our society, instead of building more prisons. Just as we can't drill our way out of the oil crisis, we cannot build more prisons and ignore the root causes of crime in our society. Will CCPOA advocate a position like that, which would possibly mean less “clients” to service? I’d like to know what you think.
CTA is a thug as well. The whole model of using propositions to guarantee funds for services is completely flawed and that been taken over by special interests, CTA included!
Oh please after I pee on myself could you place me into protective custody. I may be a threat to my self engaging in a number of constitutional rights in response to this Pancho.
Vivat Respublica
"CCPOA would be well advised to advocate for measures that work to end the cycle of violence and criminal behavior in our society, instead of building more prisons. Just as we can't drill our way out of the oil crisis, we cannot build more prisons and ignore the root causes of crime in our society. Will CCPOA advocate a position like that, which would possibly mean less “clients” to service? I’d like to know what you think."
I think you haven't been reading all the reports about CCPOA granting an internship to a parolee, highlighting Ex-con Rick Jaramillo's (of the reformist Presley Group) RE-ENTRY Program for addicted parolees, the running dialog on my blog and site NOR the numerous articles posted at CCPOA's website speaking to precisely what you are asking about.
In other words, Alex, you didn't even bother to RESEARCH what CCPOA is saying. You just took what the MSM the anti-prison left and the Gubner, says about them...us...ME.
Either you have been duped or you are an active participant in the smear campaign that DOES, in fact, paint us all as thugs. Thank you very much.
I rant too, Alex. But I do my homework first.
2 words: 3 Strikes. With their support of 3 strikes, CCPOA is tearing the heart out of communities already without social norms that promote education, achievement and progress. An "internship" is like putting a band aid over a 12 guage shot gun blast.
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