Governor Bonehead

How's this for really bonehead thinking; Empty your own state prisons, and refill them with out-of-state prisoners.  Even dumber, charge them less than what it costs to keep the ones you just let out.  Welcome to Michigan's world under Governor Bonehead.  Sorry, I mean Governor Failure.  Either way it's spelled G-R-A-N-H-O-L-M.

If you have followed this blog at all, you know that I am not a fan of Michigan's Democrat governor Jennifer Granholm.  For the last eight years she has been at the helm of a ship of state, that if it were a real boat, would be at the bottom of one of our beautiful Great Lakes.  She has witnessed no net job growth in either of her two terms.  None, zero, nahdah.  Only southbound moving vans.  Now she wants to release 7,500 of Michigan's best to make room for someone else's troublemakers.  Brilliant.

Last month, Pennsylvania began populating some previously shuttered Michigan prisons with the first installment of 1,300 prisoners.  But Tim, if the governor is opening previously closed prisons to make way for new ones, doesn't that mean jobs and new money for Michigan?   One would think, but Michigan doesn't do prisons well at all.  In fact we stink at it.  According to the National Institute of Corrections,  Michigan pays 70% more than the national average to run our prisons.  We spend 22% of our state budget, one fifth, whereas other states spend only 6%.  

Critics of her plan, and there will be plenty, suspect Granholm is only shifting the cost from the state to local law enforcement.  Republican candidate for governor and current Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, as well as Republican candidate for attorney general Bill Schuette, both agree that letting criminals out on the streets before they have completed their full sentences could be extremely dangerous.  According to a study by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, Michigan already has the highest crime rate among the Great Lakes states, but the fewest local law enforcement personnel per capita.  That's a real recipe for disaster.