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opinion Save Ex-Inmate Programs, Save money O ne of the first places state and federal governments look to make cutbacks in an attempt to balance their bal- looning budgets is in the penal system. As a result, ex-offender re-entry programs that help reha- bilitate those who are at risk for returning to prison are on the chopping block. Sure, cutting funding to these programs may help balance budgets in the short M aTHiS ’ M iNd Judge Greg Mathis incarcerate them. Additionally, communities and individuals will continue to be victimized by crime and trapped in a seemingly never- ending cycle. Recently, USA Today reported on these cutbacks and the impact In many states, the number of ex- offenders committing new crimes has increased, partly because of cuts to programs term. But, as ex-offenders become repeat offenders and return to jail or prison, we end up shelling out more money in the long run to they could have on states across the country. Florida, for example, saw a small decrease in the num- ber of ex-offenders who commit- ted a new felony while on proba- tion. Instead of looking at the big- ger picture and continuing to invest in programs designed to reduce recidivism, Florida, in an attempt to get its fiscal house in order, plans to cut such programs. Other states are also weighing sig- nificant budget cuts to all parts of their criminal justice systems. This is just bad business. In many states, the number of ex- offenders committing new crimes has increased, partly because of cuts to programs that help them transform their lives and stay out of prison. Any state considering such cuts should look to Michigan for guid- ance. Budget gaps and increasing- ly high unemployment rates have lead lawmakers there to address both problems with a novel plan: help ex-offenders find and keep jobs that will keep them out of prison. According to a report by the Institute for Research on Poverty, Michigan has used job avoid making budget cuts to prison re-entry programs at all costs. In these difficult economic Michigan has used job placement programs to cut the prison population by about 15 percent placement programs to cut the prison population by about 15 per- cent during the last four years and has saved more than $200 million each year. Here’s hoping other locales will follow Michigan’s lead. With your help, maybe they can. Call or write your county, state, and feder- al legislators and demand they not be so short sighted; ask that they times, it is only reasonable that lawmakers conserve resources where they can. The criminal jus- tice system, particularly ex- offender re-entry programs, is not the place to make these cuts. Our lawmakers must think about the effect these budget reductions will have on our overall safety and the economic impact they will have on taxpayers down the road. koch Brothers: Libertarian, Free market Enthusiasts A ccording to the liberal left media, Charles Koch is gearing up to help raise and spend $88 million during the 2012 election cycle. Most African Americans have never heard of billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, but if they could be “good people to know.” Charles and David Koch are the owners of Koch Industries, which is head- quartered in Wichita, Kansas. Their annual revenues are estimat- ed to be $100 billion. Their hold- ings include: Oil refineries, four thousand miles of oil pipeline, Brawny paper towels, Dixie cups, Georgia-Pacific lumber, Stainmaster carpet, and Lycra. Koch Industries is the sec- ond-largest private company in the USA, after Cargill. If Koch Industries were a public com- pany it would rank about 16 in the Fortune 500. Their combined fortune of $35 billion is exceeded only by those of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. Charles Koch is Koch Industries, Inc’s chairman of the board and chief executive offi- cer. Charles and David Koch’s and his strategy for running a business, Market Based Management (MBM), is described in his 2007 book The Science of Success, which promotes long-term plan- ning for success even at the expense of short-term gains. The Kochs are empirical examples of successful capitalists. Koch is a libertarian and his philanthropy includes co-founding the Cato Institute, the Institute for Humane Studies, and the Mercatus Center. The Kochs and their affiliates have recently been recipients of received negative media coverage. Charles and David Koch were raised as Libertarians, and advo- cate individual liberty, especially freedom of expression and action. Liberal Democrats accused the Koch brothers of funding opposi- tion against Obama Administration’s policies. It’s a B uSiNeSS e XCHaNge William Reed spurious argument, the Kochs and their foundations have been donat- ing to many pro-free market organizations and think tanks long before Obama came into the White House. For more than 40 years these brothers have been steadfast proponents of individual and economic freedom. Through their personal involvement and private foundations they lawfully support activities and causes con- sistent with their beliefs. Koch Industries is the source of funds for free market foun- dations and caus- es. Koch Industries and its subsidiaries spent more than $20 million on lobby- ing in 2008 and $12.3 million in 2009. Enterprising Black groups and individuals may want to take note that the Kochs’ network of non- profit groups, once centered around sleepy free-enterprise think tanks, seems to some to be emerging as a more ideological counterweight to Bush-era GOP political operatives. This has cheered fiscal conservatives seek- ing to reorient their political appa- ratus and aspirations around free- market, small government princi- ples and candidates. In recent years the Koch brothers have increasingly focused their giving on more activist groups, and, per- haps more significantly, they have used their influence to help guide millions more in contributions from other major conservative benefactors, primarily through twice-a-year donor summits they have been organizing since 2003. The conferences bring together roughly 150 wealthy conservative business titans or their representa- tives to hear presentations from politicians and thought leaders to fund their non-profits. At the most To prosper, Blacks should steer clear of ‘hating those they know not of’ recent summit in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the Kochs and their invited donors pledged to contribute $49 million towards an $88-million budget goal for policy and politi- cal projects in the 2012 election cycle. To prosper, Blacks should steer clear of “hating those they know not of.” Among the hundreds of organizations that have received support from Koch companies and/or the Koch foundations are Americans for Prosperity and Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Youth Entrepreneurs® Kansas (YEK) was founded in 1991 by the Charles G. Koch Foundation to teach business and entrepreneurial skills in high school classrooms, and offers hands-on experience to help students succeed as business owners or employees. YEK chap- ters teach free enterprise funda- mentals through hands-on experi- ences and encourage students to start their own business, enhance their business skills for future career opportunities and continue into higher education. Many Koch-funded YEK programs are located in inner-cities. Students write a business plan, participate in classroom competitions, and receive school credit for success- fully meeting class completion requirements. YEK graduates’ involvement is maintained through the Alumni Program, which promotes continued learn- ing opportunities and community service. william reed is available for speaking/seminar projects via Baileygroup.org) Week on the Web Mideast countries erupt in protest … in “Breaking News” A Somali teenage pirate was sentenced to 33 years in prison for his role in holding a ship and its crew hostage … in “Breaking News” A defense contractor standoff tests the budg- et cutting resolve of President Obama. At the center of the controversy is an expensive jet engine for the F-35 … in “National News” Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt and other Culture Critic Kam Williams reviews a new book by Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas … in “Entertainment and Music” Actress Jennifer Hudson talks about getting on with her life after the tragic murders of her mother and two other close relatives … in “Entertainment and Movies” www. The Skanner.com has a new look! With a photo archive, automatic updates for weather and sports, the latest news from Portland and beyond ... it’s your go-to place for news you won’t see in mainstream publications. It’s your community. It’s The Skanner. february 16, 2011 The Portland Skanner Page 5
