MI Republicans Still Pushing Privatization

Another quickie here; Republicans in Michigan continue to push for private prisons as they seek ways to reduce the state budget, despite the fact that private prisons don't actually save money.  But don't take it from me - a researcher at the Institute for Research on Labor, Employment, and the Economy (based in Ann Arbor), agrees.  "I don't know of any successful prison privatizations... as you move more into the private sector, it becomes more costly." (emphasis added)  Let's be honest here folks; privatization doesn't save money, not in the prison context, or really any other context for that matter.  It's nothing more than a method to steer public funds to private corporations who lobby government officials.  In fact, Michigan has already lived through one failed privatization attempt; the Baldwin facility was closed after the government found it cost more to operate than about 90% of its facilities.