Quote of the Day...but Which One?

Michigan Mismanagement Madlibs

Read the sentence below and then fill in the blanks with one of the four options below.

"The best way for us to run safe and secure ____ is to understand what the ____ desires, needs and wants are and to respect them as human beings."

A. citizen's lives; state bureaucrats'
B. legislatures; tax-spenders'
C. K-12 budgets; MEA's six-figure executives'
D. prisons; inmates'

The answer is:

"D"

This is what Russ Marlan, spokesman for the Corrections Department really said in response to an Auditor General report that said we could save nearly 50% ($30 million+) on food service to the prisons by privatizing services.

Hey, I am all for humane treatment of our fellow humans, but did we somehow forget what words like "penitentiary" and "corrections" mean? And besides, no one ever said we had to give inmates substandard food, the Auditor General simply said we could save millions if we privatized the food services in the prisons.

You can read the Auditor General report at http://audgen.michigan.gov/comprpt/docs/r471062107L.pdf

The Detroit News did a good story on the issue. You can read it at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/POLITICS/806240375/&imw=Y

You can also read my essay on this issue by subscribing to "Core Principles." Simply email me at jackhoogendyk@gmail.com with the word "subscribe" in the subject line.