What The Eff?

It just blows my mind sometimes how ridiculous the conflicts of interest in politics can be. Governor Brewer in Arizona created a Commission to study ways to reduce the budget, called the Commission on Privatization and Efficiency. Basically, it's a way for conservative Arizona politicians to legitimize their attempts to undermine government agencies and transfer money from the public sector to their private-sector pals.

So this commission on privatization was comprised of, among other people:

1) A former Senior Director of State and Customer relations for CCA

2) The outgoing president of the Arizona Senate, who received campaign contributions from both CCA and GEO, and who also happens to be the Arizona Public Sector chair of ALEC. ALEC has a very strong contingent of Arizona legislators, and CCA is a major player in what has been called "Corporate America's Trojan Horse."

3) President of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, of which CCA is a "Board Level" Corporate member

Shockingly, this commission recommended, wait for it, that Arizona PRIVATIZE MORE of its prisons. You know, despite the fact that private prisons in Arizona are unsafe, unsecure, and don't save money.

I apologize, because I'm about to break my tradition of a PG-rated blog,

but this is completely fucking absurd!

It is ludicrous that these asshats are the ones directing policy in Arizona. I hate you, Arizona Commission on Privatization and Efficiency, the hypocrisy in your name and mission, and the ignorant moron of a governor that created you.

It is exactly this sort of absurd conservative political manipulation that has caused our country to lead the world far and away in rates of incarceration. If anyone remains unconvinced that our prison system is simply a cash cow for private corporate interests, his head is clearly buried in the sand. This is little more than corporatocracy masquerading as legitimate government. It is corruption and a conflict of interest to the highest degree. These greedy assholes are the reason our justice system is a joke to the rest of the world.