Gitmo Debate: It's the People of Montana vs the congressional delegation of Montana

[ck4829]

On Capitol Hill, politicians are dead-set against transferring some of the world's most feared terrorists from Guantanamo to prisons on U.S. soil. But at City Hall in this impoverished town on the Northern Plains, the attitude is: Bring 'em on.

Hardin, a dusty town of 3,400 people so desperate that it built a $27 million jail a couple of years ago in the vain hope it would be a moneymaker, is offering to house hundreds of Gitmo detainees at the empty, never-used institution.

The medium-security jail was conceived as a holding facility for drunks and other scofflaws, but town leaders said it could be fortified with a couple of guard towers and some more concertina wire. Apart from that, it is a turnkey operation, fully outfitted with everything from cafeteria trays and sweatsocks to 88 surveillance cameras.

"Holy smokes — the amount of soldiers and attorneys it would bring here would be unbelievable," Clint Carleton said as he surveyed his mostly empty restaurant, Three Brothers Pizza. "I'm a lot more worried about some sex offender walking my streets than a guy that's a world-class terrorist. He's not going to escape, pop into the IGA (supermarket), grab a six-pack and go sit in the park."

After Hardin's six-member council passed a resolution last month in favor of taking the Guantanamo detainees, Montana's congressional delegation was quick to pledge it would never happen.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090529/ap_on_re_us/us_american_gitmo

[pscot]

1. I actuallybelieve the good citizens of Hardin

should be left alone to digest the results of their folly. Building a for-profit prison is a despicable thing to do. Fuck 'em.

[havocmom]

2. Yes, it is the people of Hardin, not the people of Montana

Before I moved back to MT, then gov Racicot spend a lot of state money building prisons. I am sure some fat cats (probably not native to the Big Sky) made a lot of money, and it cost the state dearly. We do not have a big population and we do not have a big prison population, but Racicot built away. Then he went on to RNC chair and the bush/cheney campaign. (yeah, I am thinkin the robbery of MT treasury for prison building was his pay to play ticket to back east establishment)

I am thinking the people of Hardin bought his line about how prisons would be a big money maker and they went off on their own and built a prison the state didn't need and won't use. They like to whine about DEM Gov Schweitzer and that it is his stubbornness, not theirs, that is making the boondoggle such a loss to the community.

[pscot]

3. Didn't Racicot sell your electrical system

to Scotland or some such? How's that working out?

[havocmom]

4. Don't know much save MT power was a great utility when I left here before

and most of the state is in power hell now, after Racicot. Co-op where I live now, but most of the state saw huge rate increases, so you may be right. He is a bum.

We had several MT DUers trying to find out ANYTHING about his draft/service status. No one could even find evidence that he had registered for the draft back in the day (he is of the age that would have had to register before that became optional) Spoiled brat chicken hawk who sold out his neighbors and state near as I can figure. State was a MESS when I got back after Racicot.