Many voters today will be motivated by anger at politicians, whether it’s over too much spending or not enough jobs. They should be just as worried about the things they don’t see — the unknown forces influencing decisions at all levels of government.
National Public Radio’s investigative report last week about the origins of Arizona’s immigration law, Senate Bill 1070, is one example. It turns out that border security wasn’t the only, or perhaps even the major, reason it passed. During a December meeting in Washington at which the law was written, representatives of the Corrections Corporation of America — the largest private prison company in the nation — were in the room with Russell Pearce, the bill’s chief sponsor.
The bill attracted an unheard-of 36 co-sponsors in the Arizona Legislature, 30 of whom received contributions from the private prison industry after it was introduced, according to NPR.
SB 1070’s supporters say it’s an overdue crackdown. But by potentially forcing the incarceration of thousands more people, it would also increase the profits of private corporations paid with tax dollars.
And it’s not just Arizona. Lawmakers in two dozen other states are considering similar laws, and many of those legislators also get contributions from the prison industry. Wayne Calabrese, president of the Geo Group, another prison company, recently told investors that he expected business to improve: “Those people coming across the border and getting caught are going to have to be detained and “… there’s going to be enhanced opportunities for what we do.”
The prison industry isn’t the sole reason for SB 1070. Pearce and others had been pushing similar bills for some time. But the campaign contributions could explain the large numbers of lawmakers suddenly working so hard to pass it. Keep that in mind as you watch politicians posturing about their plans to crack down on illegal immigration — or on anything else, for that matter.
