Can I get some good vibes for my home county today?

[Maddy McCall]

There's a referendum in my home county today.

Corrections Corporation of America wants to build a private prison in a RESIDENTIAL area here. They tried to push it through with support from most of the elected representatives in my county. In December, there was supposed to be a public meeting with concerned citizens and prison representatives, but CCA cancelled the hearing because of "overwhelming support for the prison," which was totally untrue...the fact is that they tried to silence their critics.

What's funny is that most of the elected representatives in my county who support the prison are Democrats who actually have bought into the bullshit that this will be good for the county because it will bring jobs and benefits...and tax money. Opponents of the prison are mostly Republicans who cite the bad employment conditions, 80% annual employee turnover rate, bad treatment of prisoners with lack of governmental oversight, and privatization of prisons being morally wrong. (Yes, I know what I just typed...REPUBLICANS oppose the prison on the same grounds that I, a Democrat, do!)

Fortunately, our county attorney found a state law that allows for a referendum on the prison, so prison opponents petitioned and got the necessary signatures.

The referendum is today. Voter turn-out is high. The prison supporters have pulled out all stops, hiring people to sit near the voting locations with signs in support of the prison. Most of the opposition has been low-key.

Can I get some good vibes for my county today from my fellow DUers? This will probably be the only time I'll ask you to support an issue on which my Republican neighbors agree. I'm nervous as a rattlesnake in a wood pile today.

[Taverner]

1. U got my vibes

:hug:

[Maddy McCall]

2. Thanks, sugar.

:hug:

[merh]

3. I'll send what I can spare!

:hi:

Private prisons are a joke, I hope they don't succeed in passing it.

[Maddy McCall]

5. Thank you!

I hope that our county officials will eventually develop enough intellect to inform themselves on why your officials rejected electronic voting.

Go look at my thread in GD:P. :)

[merh]

15. isn't this your thread in GD? *looksroundatforumheading*

:freak:


Have you noticed how goofy and behind the times some of our democratic leaders are? Supporting a private prison and touch screen voting on diebold machines. WTF??

:hug:

[Maddy McCall]

16. Well, I put GD:P

but the stupid software made it a stick-out-tongue smilie. :silly:

Here's the link. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3221101

:hug:

[merh]

18. Man-O-Man, glad you clarified that for me

I thought I had lost my mind - I went looking around GD to find your "other" thread. :rofl:

:silly:


:pals:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. You've got my good vibes

We fought one of these not long ago, and it looks as if we may be about to do so again all too soon, only in slightly different clothing. I feel for you and your community and I wish you the best of luck.

[Maddy McCall]

7. 'Preciate that, L_S_D.

If we reject the prison today, the officials are already in "talks" with neighboring counties...so it looks like we're going to have one somewhere around here.

This one, though, is planned to be literally 500 feet from people's homes. I am hoping that my county's residents feel enough empathy for their neighbors who'll be next door to the monstrosity to vote no, even if they don't reject it on other reasons.

:hi:

[wakeme2008]

6. Maddy I am bookmarking this thread please post

the results :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

9. I'll come back to this thread and update as results begin to come in.

I'm supposed to be grading papers tonight, but I have a feeling that I'll be very distracted by this referendum.

:D

[jonnyblitz]

8. i hope your side wins. privatizing prisons is fucked.

it's sad that DEMS are pushing this crap. :hug: :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

11. Hey!

Well, I did all that I could to have an impact on the election. But it wasn't enough. ;)

They've pulled out all the stops. Because I know these Democrats--hell, I'm on the board with them--they called me and asked me to make calls today! I told them that I'd be glad to call and recommend that people vote AGAINST the prison, as that's the truly Democratic thing to do. They never brought me the call list. :rofl:

They've put their "Vote for Jobs!" signs in mostly minority neighborhoods--and now they've got paid minorities sitting outside the voting places holding the signs and passing out literatore--where mostly minorities vote. They are really playing dirty pool with this one.

[DCKit]

10. Just goes to show you there are still some Republicans in it for the people

And some Dems who like the corporations.

I have never, ever voted any party line. What's better than the mix, anyway?

[Maddy McCall]

12. In Mississippi...

there are good people who are Republicans. Hell, I'd be an awfully lonely person if I only associated with Democrats.

There are also a lot of Republicans here who are vocal Bush critics. But I'll save that for another thread. :)

On this issue, the most prominent Democrats in the county are W-R-O-N-G.

[nini]

13. absolutely.. sending all the good vibes I can

I throw in a hug for good measure :hug:

[Maddy McCall]

14. Woohoo!

California vibes.

:hi: :hug:

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Maddy McCall]

19. It's not just an industrial park...

It's 500 feet from homes in the area. The industrial park here is pretty much non-existant...not what you'd imagine in big cities. The airport is used mostly by people here who own their own planes.

Thanks for the vibes! :hi: