A new documentary from the BBC (in cooperation with The Guardian newspaper) has revealed direct ties between the torture practices and death squads of the Shia militia in Iraq and an American trainer, who also is alleged to have trained Salvadoran death squads. Retired Col. James Steele was dispatched to Iraq by former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and served under/with General Petraeus in Iraq. This was not the first time Petraeus and Steele cooperated.  During El Salvador’s civil war, Steele trained  special police brigades that have been linked to death squads and torture, when Petraeus visited the country to learn counter-insurgency techniques

 Col. Steele’s history

Col. Steele’s military service goes back to Vietnam, where General George Patton Jr. called him “the best small-unit leader in my command.” After Vietnam, Col. Steele worked his way through the ranks, until El Salvador’s civil war heated up, with Steele being sent to train local “special Police brigades.” The units that Steele trained quickly became linked to accusations of torture and death squad activity. Former senior DEA agent Celerino Castillo knew Steele during his time in El Salvador, and has stated that when he heard that Steele had been sent to Iraq that the US was implementing the “Salvadoran option” to battle the insurgency.

Col. Steele was lauded for his work in El Salvador because the insurgency was stopped in its tracks. The cost to the people of El Salvador was more than 30,000 dead at the hands of the death squads. and many more tortured and abused. Col Steele was nominated to become one of the youngest full generals in the US military, but he was caught up in the Iran-Contra scandal, and was forced to retire early. The connections that Steele had from El Salvador included Dick Cheney. who turned to the retired officer to organize Panama’s new police force after the US threw out Noriega. In the periods between counter-insurgencies, Steele worked for corporations such as Enron and Buchanan as an “energy consultant.”.Buchanan has been accused of shady business practices in Liberia when Steele was with them, and Enron’s history speaks for itself.

“Salvadorization” of Iraq

In 2005, Peter Maas of the New York Times broke the story of former Col Steele’s return to counterinsurgency. The US invaders had been met with an insurgency,  rather than the “flowers and candy” promised by the Bush administration. The war was becoming increasingly unpopular, and deaths among Iraqis and American troops were escalating. Steele arrived to replace efforts to train police by western policemen and turn to a more militarized option.

The insurgents were being led by those who had served under Saddam Hussein and were mostly members of the Sunni minority, which has long acted as leaders in Iraq. The Americans therefore turned to members of the Shia majority to act as the counter-insurgent forces. Steele worked alongside Col James H. Coffman, who reported directly to General David Petraeus  on their progress in training the new special police brigades. Very quickly. the new Shia special police brigades gained a fearsome reputation in the areas they operated in, with accusations of torture surfacing almost immediately. When Peter Maas was invited by Steele to visit their operations to interview a Saudi insurgent, he reported walking into an office with blood dripping off the desk and hearing screams of pain and terror in the room next door. Col. Steele walked next door to where the screams were coming from. and the screams quickly ceased, so that Maas’s interview with the insurgent could proceed uninterrupted.

The leader of the special brigades was Adnan Thabit, an Iraqi officer who had been caught plotting to overthrow Saddam Hussein but had escaped with his life. Thabit has confirmed that Steele was the American trainer of his forces and knew exactly what he was up to. Thabit has also stated that although he disapproves of torture generally, that it is necessary to get “criminals to confess.”

Iraqi former general and government minister during Steele’s time in Iraq, Muntadher al-Samari, has also confirmed Steele’s knowledge of torture in Iraq. Al-Samari describes Steele seeing a prisoner suspended from the ceiling with bruising so severe that it would have been difficult to identify the individual. Describing Steele, al-Samari indicated his belief that Steele had been exposed to so much war and torture that he was incapable of “human feelings” and felt no empathy for the tortured prisoners he saw. After resigning his post from the gGovernment due to the abuse he witnessed, al-Samari was visited by Steele in Jordan. Steele questioned al-Samari about what he had witnessed and particularly asked if he had any physical proof of Steele’s actions such as documents or photos. Al-Samari now says he would be willing to testify about Steele’s knowledge of torture before a human rights court.

Torture was only a part of the special police brigade’s activity – they have also been accused in the deaths of thousands of opponents. At one point, 3,000 bodies were turning up in the streets of Iraq every month, with the majority attributed to the sectarian violence practiced by the Shia police brigades. So many bodies were being found that they were buried in local dumps. Most were not identifiable due to the extent of abuse and were buried with only tin cans to mark their locations.

 Bradley Manning and Wikileaks

The BBC and The Guardian have attributed the genesis of their investigation into the abuses to documents released by Wikileaks in 2010. As of this writing, Bradley Manning has confessed to supplying these documents to Wikileaks.  Manning has described the torture that he himself underwent as a result of revealing to the world the actions of the U.S. government involving torture and the deaths of innocent civilians. It is known that Steele reported directly not just to Petraeus, but wrote memos to Donald Rumsfeld, which were passed on to Dick Cheney and the White House. Meanwhile, retired Col. Steele lives quietly in Texas and earns large sums of money in return for speaking engagements on the subject of counter-insurgency.

Further reading:

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article13558.htm

http://www.thenation.com/article/173246/why-invasion-iraq-was-single-worst-foreign-policy-decision-american-history?rel=emailNation#

http://www.stripes.com/mobile/news/middle-east/iraq/report-us-advisers-in-iraq-linked-to-torture-centers-1.210834

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350.org, The Sierra Club and The Hip Hop Caucus organized the largest environmental protest in US history, on February 17^th, 2013, with attendance estimated at 40,000 plus. The event was held on a frigid (sub-freezing) day, limiting attendance from climbing still higher. The immediate goal was to encourage President Obama to refuse permission on construction of the XL Pipeline, and more generally to increase awareness of environmental concerns. I attended this event along with several local activists from the Saint Louis metro area, and would like to share some personal observations.

 Marshals

Several of us signed up to be volunteer marshals at the event, attending a training the day prior to the event at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, arriving early and leaving late. We were instructed on proper methods of handling hecklers, to pass on instructions and encouragement to the participants and provide what organization is possible on such a large and diverse group of people. Our reward for playing this role was a yellow stocking cap marking us as a marshal. I found this role rewarding if occasionally trying.

 Speakers

The rally consisted of moving speeches by Bill McKibben, US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Van Jones, and Native American activist Chief Jacqueline Thomas, who expressed a willingness to fight the XL pipeline with absolutely every possible means, even giving their lives if called to. Each speaker met a resounding response from those attending with popular support from all those present. The messages focused particularly on holding President Obama accountable for the decision he will be making on granting permission for the Keystone Pipeline to begin construction across areas of the US with vital aquifers that are highly vulnerable to damage from oil spills.

 Crowd

After the speeches, we began the actual march around the blocks, which the White House sits on, providing a chance to interact and observe the crowd. Though the weather was cold and windy, the chill became much more noticeable once the crowd began to spread out and fill the streets. Despite our training on how to deal with hecklers, there was no one to practice these great anti-heckling skills on – probably too cold for them. People I talked to were from all over the nation with particular emphasis on the East Coast, though some came from California, Washington and other western states.

 Signs

There was a plethora of homemade signs, even though the organizers provided signs for participants. A personal favorite was a sign, which read, “I’m so mad I made a sign”. You can always count on participants to come up with better sign material than the organizers! The costumed participants included a bald eagle and a polar bear, who both garnered much attention.

The mix of people struck me as healthy with a fair showing by those with a lot of experience (also known as the gray hairs) in this type of protests and young people from colleges and even children with their parents. I noticed that the mix of ethnicities also looked pretty healthy – it would be difficult to pinpoint any dominant group.

The eye catchers in the crowd included the bucket drummers, who kept up a steady tempo for the marchers who happened to be near them. There was also a contingent of dancers who appeared to have way too much energy on a cold and blustery day, even after walking a good mile. One group was burning sage to purify the air and spirits of the area. I seem to remember a time when this type of protest would have called for the burning of other herbs, though the numerous park police and DC’s finest may have inhibited those types of celebration.

The most enjoyable portion of the march when we rounded the final bend and headed back to the Washington Monument. This portion of the march is downhill and gave us a magnificent view of the numbers of marchers. We were an impressive sight, with the street completely filled for almost as far as you could see. It was at this point we encountered several tourists who were non-participants. As we attempted to apologize for any inconvenience we might have caused, they responded quite favorably to the nature of our cause and general acknowledgement that protests are expected in the nation’s capitol.

Afterwards

The march ended the Washington Monument, with a short musical concert from Eve. The crowd had thinned by this point. with mainly younger members holding on to see the guest artist. Others stuck it out to participate in the cleanup, and they did an admirable job. We picked up almost all of the trash, leaving minimum damage to the grounds.

 Reflections

There is always a little let-down after such a big event, but we found ourselves still energized and eager for more. We agreed that the effort was well worth it. Before hitting the road, we ate at the Capital City Brewery. where our yellow marshal hats earned us a number of compliments for participation. Everyone we encountered was positive and felt that the rally was a big success and a great jumping off point for further actions on the environment.

To those who support the environmental cause, or any cause that is holding a protest or rally in DC, I would encourage you to take part. Writing letters and emails, etc., only goes so far.Turning out in numbers takes commitment and demonstrates a willingness to sacrifice that gets the attention of our congressmen, senators and President. You will have the opportunity to meet like-minded people from around the nation and will be rewarded with a feeling of satisfaction and encouragement that you are not alone.

On the practical side, find a hotel near the event. and do not count on finding parking. The  Metro system is a great alternative to driving. DC is a navigational nightmare with one resident claiming this was on purpose to make defending the city, in its early days, easier. I believe it.

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Mitt Romney’s campaign has come under fire for a number of gaffes recently, but one action by the company he cofounded, Bain Capital, is following a long-standing Romney tactic. Mitt Romney has a long history of exporting jobs overseas, according to Forbes magazine (hardly a liberal bastion). Vanity Fair has revealed that, while with Bain Capital before 1999 (the earliest date Romney claims having left Bain), Romney did indeed make sizable profits from sending American jobs to China, jobs that are unlikely to return. Although Mr. Romney is no longer in direct control of Bain Capital, he still makes $440,000 a week from his investments in the company.

On the same day that Americans go to the polls to vote for either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama as President, Sensata will lay off the last workers at the plant in Freeport IL. Sensata is now owned by Bain Capital. Sensata is moving 165 jobs to China and closing down the plant in Freeport, after having required American workers to train their overseas replacements. Romney will share in any profits gained by these actions.

Workers in Freeport IL have responded to the imminent loss of their jobs by protesting at a site they call “Bainport.” The protesters are asking that Romney save their jobs by demanding that the plant remain open. An alternative demand is that Romney debate Obama in Freeport, which was the site of one of the famous Lincoln and Douglas debates. So far, there has been no response from the Romney campaign, with claims that they are unaware of the situation.

Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now!” spoke with Dot Turner, who has worked at the company’s Freeport site since 1969. Turner described having been able to make a decent living at her job and having few if any prospects once the plant closes. Cheryl Randecker gave an account of being sent to China to train her replacements, who did not immediately seem to understand what was required to run the technical machinery. Workers at the plant believe that their jobs are being sent overseas simply to save money, with China providing the facilities for free, and workers paid at a much lower rate than their counterparts. Protesters first attempted to confront Mitt Romney at the RNC Convention, but were turned away.

Final layoffs from the plant closure are scheduled to take place on Election Day, with workers planning to vote, and immediately afterwards file for unemployment benefits.

Efforts to save the jobs in Freeport have included local Republican congressmen Don Manzullo, R-Ill., and Bobby Schilling, R-Ill writing to Sensata. The company response indicated that while the company sympathizes, they plan to shut down the plant just the same. Sensata employees have also heard from IL Governor Pat Quinn and Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill who are pushing a bill that stops tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. The Bring Jobs Home Act is currently dead, thanks to a failure to get enough votes for cloture, a necessary move to get past a threatened GOP filibuster.

Meanwhile, the protesters of “Bainport” are gathering signatures on a petition asking Mitt Romney to address the situation.

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Earlier this year, National Catholic Reporter called Hyatt Hotels “the worst hotel employer in the industry.”

Allegations about working conditions at Hyatt sound as if the profit  now takes priority even over the health of workers. Maids are required to clean up to 30 rooms in a single day, with many reporting detrimental health effects.  Cathy Youngblood reports that she “could smell the injustice” on her first day of employment and now has “a diminished quality of life.” Long-term regular employees making $12 to $14 an hour have been laid off and replaced with minimum wage temporary workers, impacting families and the community.

In Chicago, local groups led by teachers are protesting a $5.2 millionTIF (Tax Increment Financing) the city is awarding to a local Hyatt, while school local budgets are being cut by $3.3 million, and 27 teachers are being laid off.

These grievances are the at the heart of calls for a nationwide boycott of the hotel chain, with thousands of individuals, groups and companies already taking the pledge to not do business with Hyatt until it cleans up its act.

Chicago protests over the use of TIF funds at the same time the city is cutting back essential services is aimed at Hyatt heiress and CEO Penny Pritzker in particular. Ms. Pritzker was a major financial backer for President Obama’s 2008 election campaign, and many with deep pockets look to her for leadership on whether to continue supporting the President during his reelection bid. Accusations include conflict of interest, since the Hyatt chain stands to gain, and Ms. Pritzker sits on the unelected school board getting the financial cuts. To its credit, the Obama administration has not attempted  to counter the criticism directed at Pritzker. Some speculate that other backers are taking the Obama administration’s lack of action as a reason or excuse to withhold further backing.

Religious groups have stated that Hyatt has a moral obligation to correct its policies and treat their employees properly. A flash Mass was held at Hyatt hotels around the country to draw attention to the plight of employees. Clete Kiley, a Catholic priest of the Chicago Archdiocese stated, “Hyatt now faces a stark moral challenge. Will it continue to put profits before human dignity, or meet its responsibility to be an ethical corporation?”

Unite Here! Local 1 of Chicago has been central in organizing the boycott and is receiving support from some major hitters. The NFL players association has agreed to honor the boycott, as has the AFL-CIO, the National Organization of Women (NOW) and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Beside direct protests at local Hyatts, there is also a petition effort to name the company worst employer. Those wishing to sign the petition can find it here.

Pushback and defense of Ms. Pritzker and Hyatt has focused either on denying any benefit from company policies, denying there is anything wrong and blaming others. When confronted about financial gains fro, TIFs, corporate spokesmen responded that the TIF goes to a local franchisee and the company directly.

While that may be true, it would seem that when local franchises prosper, so does the franchise organization as a whole. The company accuses Unite Here! Of using the controversy as a recruiting tool, and that there is no truth to accusations of employee mistreatment. In light of the evidence available, these defenses seem disingenuous at best.

Further information on the Hyatt boycott, what you can do and testimonials from employees can be found at Hyatt Hurts.

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A Gallup poll indicates that America’s male veterans lean towards the Romney/Ryan ticket at a 58% to 34% margin. The reasons are uncertain, but previous Gallup polls suggest that a disproportionate number of males entering the service are conservative to begin with, and while in the military, men are socialized toward a conservative viewpoint. This is an interesting development, given that neither candidate has a military background, for the first time since World War II. Does the fact that veterans support Romney/Ryan mean that they can expect support in return, if the GOP presidential candidates are elected?

 Who’s advising Romney/Ryan on veterans’ issues?

The policies that Romney/Ryan would support in office do not seem to be shaping up well for veterans, if the advisers they’ve chosen so far are any indication. James Nicholson was G. W. Bush’s secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), at least until he left the position under a cloud. Now Nicholson and several of his former compatriots are advisers to the Romney/Ryan campaign. Nicholson was described by votevets.org as the VA’s equivalent of “heckuva job Brownie” (Michael Brown of FEMA during Hurricane Katrina) for his disastrous handling of the department. At the time, Presidential candidate Barack Obama stated that Nicholson “left the VA worse off than he found it.” Scandals under his tenure included disgraceful treatment of veterans at Walter Reed Hospital and a huge loss of two million veterans’ private data through misplacement of electronic records. It brings up the question of what advice the Romney/Ryan campaign is hoping for from an “expert” of this caliber.

Veterans for Common Sense Executive Director Patrick Bellon has stated, “A Romney presidency would be a disaster for veterans, as evidenced by whom he’s chosen to advise him.” Bellon points out that this selection indicates that Romney has learned little to nothing from mistakes made by his predecessors. Nicholson encouraged cuts in staffing at a time when veterans were returning from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in record numbers. Paul Reickhoff , Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America has also criticized Nicholson’s handling of the VA at the time of his resignation.

What’s in the Romney/Ryan  budget for vets?

When the GOP released their version of the budget, it was noted by Jon Stoltz of votevets.org that it did not even mention the word veteran. This budget proposal calls for freezes to many crucial programs, including spending for veterans, at a time when the numbers and severity of need are increasing. Already 45,000 veterans have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with wounds that require continuing attention from the VA. The budget endorsed by Congressman Ryan would spend 13% less on veterans needs than would the Obama Administration’s proposal. The savings from the GOP/Ryan spending cuts would not have lowered the deficit, but would have provided still more tax cuts for those in the upper income brackets.

In the past, Governor Romney has had some interesting thoughts on how to fix problems with the VA healthcare system. One suggestion that Romney made was a voucher system that would privatize the VA healthcare system. The VFW, one of the more conservative veterans groups, quickly responded that this idea “is a non-starter.” Governor Romney quickly backtracked when it became clear that very few veterans would support such a move.

Making it harder for vets to vote

A recent move by the GOP in Ohio that drew support from the Romney/Ryan campaign stands to damage the ability of that state’s veterans to vote. Early voting has long allowed the elderly and disabled veterans, as well as those without easy access to the polls to cast votes. The Ohio GOP has decided to do all it can to end early voting, a move which could impact up to 900,000 veterans in the state. The Romney/Ryan campaign points to an exception for servicemen overseas, but this would not help those who rely on early voting and are veterans rather than active duty. Early voting in Ohio accounted for a third of all ballots cast in the 2008 election, meaning the program is at least popular, and most likely crucial to many in the state.

 The Obama record on veterans

Veterans might ask if President Obama has done any better for them. Since his election, he has signed into law several tax credits to benefit America’s veterans. The Returning Heroes tax credit provide $5,600 for hiring unemployed veterans. The Wounded Warriors tax credit gives up to $9,600 for hiring a disabled veteran. There is also the proposed Veterans Job Corps ConservationAct, which would put up to 20,000 veterans back to work. The current administration has been working hard to add more healthcare fessional and mental health professionals to deal with the increasing workload of the VA. The Obama administration also claims credit for fighting to preserve benefits and strengthen educational benefits.

Although veterans may support the Romney/Ryan ticket, according to recent polls, it would appear that America’s former vets would do better with the Obama/Biden ticket. Recent developments indicate that the Romney campaign is willing to do whatever it takes to hold onto their edge with male veterans. A “birther” and Navy seal has been chosen to lead a campaign to “swift boat” President Obama for claiming any credit in the takedown of Osama Bin Laden. Time will tell if these blatant propaganda moves will be successful or not.

Mike Davis is a disabled veteran and member of Veterans For Peace.

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Past reporting by this writer on prison conditions may have been shocking, but so is the Illinois Governor’s efforts to keep the media from reporting on it. Other sources have noted the lack of transparency evident in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).  This appears to not just apply to the maximum-security facilities such as Tamms, where inmates with mental illness are transferred due to the difficulty guards have in handling them, and are then denied prescribed medications.

WBEZ has interviewed prisoners coming out of Building 19 at the minimum-security facility in Vienna IL.  They tell stories that are difficult to believe. Keep in mind; a minimum-security facility can hold persons who have been convicted of offenses as minor as driving on a suspended license or non-payment of fines. Former inmates and attorneys who have visited building 19 describe boarded-up windows and no access to sunlight, except in the summer, when insects come through the broken windows. Six hundred inmates housed in one room with just 7 toilets and 7 showers. The toilets frequently are broken and overflow, creating a smell that one attorney stated would “stay with him.”

Some might be tempted to think a few bad smells, bugs and lack of light might not be so hellish, although adding in the cockroach infestation and rat population might alter that calculation. The roaches are bad enough that one prisoner had to have one surgically removed from his ear. An inmate described the rats as resembling kangaroo rats, because they frequently jump up into the beds. When inmates spot people who are not guards, they rush to ask for help with their conditions, pointing out birds’ nests, the foul stench and other negative aspects of the environment.

When WBEZ reporters petitioned for access to building 19, Governor Quinn cited safety concerns in denying access. Given the type of information coming out of Illinois prisons, one has to wonder exactly whose safety he is concerned about. Illinois is currently spending a billion dollars a year on IDOC, making it difficult to understand how there are not enough resources to allow a reporter into a minimum-security facility for two days of reporting. On the other hand, a visit in 2011 by the prison-monitoring group “The John Howard Association” found Vienna to be the most overcrowded prison in Illinois. There was one mental health professional for 1,600 inmates in a facility built to house just over 600. Another concern is that 12 percent of Vienna’s inmates are over 55, a population with greater health care needs than the general population. Given these conditions, it is safe to assume that access to the facility would not be good pf for IDOC, Governor Quinn or the state of Illinois.

WBEZ is the public TV station for Chicago, and has been pursuing IDOC to grant access to bring conditions to the general public’s attention. The mainstream media only rarely does stories on these conditions, instead concentrating on prison stories about gang influences within the system (MSNBC’s “Lockup” is a good example). Change for the better is unlikely if this is the main view that the voting public has of the prison system. Change makes sense for many reasons; advocates make the point that most minimum-security inmates will be returning home – soon. It does not make sense to traumatize, physically sicken and radicalize fit young men for minor offenses at a cost to the state of a  billion dollars a year. Many would benefit more from outpatient treatment programs at a fraction of the cost currently being incurred by Illinois taxpayers. Talking with people in my area frequently brings up stereotypes of prisoners eating well, having access to exercise equipment and cable TV, and generally living comfortably. When horror stories are mentioned, the most frequent response is “what do they expect – they broke the law?” What do we expect will happen when they move back in next door?

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According to Addicting Info, a Mississippi school has arranged for suspensions to be served in prison–a  real prison, where children serve  alongside hardened criminals who are in for armed robbery, drug distribution, etc. It’s not exactly a surprise to find that a breakdown of who gets sent to prison for school infractions seems to depend heavily on skin hue and national origin. You might ask what kinds of nefarious behavior can get a school kid sent to prison instead of detention – well, passing gas is one.

Students in Meridian, especially African-American and disabled children, face the prospect of prison time for even the silliest infraction. As it turns out, the Department of Justice has been investigating the school system in the city for allegedly having students arrested and placed in juvenile detention. School principals and teachers punish students for infractions such as passing gas, dressing in an unacceptable manner, general disrespect, and swearing.

Obviously, these young people are incorrigible and well deserve being sentenced to jail cells instead of home rooms.

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Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has been suggesting the closure of Tamms supermax prison facility due to budget concerns. The response from downstate Illinois has focused on the cost in lost jobs to local communities and the region. Neither side in the debate over the future of Tamms seems overly concerned with the welfare of mentally ill inmates, nor the residents of Illinois who will encounter recently released inmates who have been refused treatment for years.

Closing Tamms would save Illinois $26 million annually, a key consideration at a time when the state is attempting to decide whether to fund prisons or vital services for children. The original purpose of Tamms was to house “the worst of the worst,” but all too often now houses “the sickest of the sick”. Prisoners are placed in individual cells, only coming out for an hour a day to spend in an outdoor concrete box. By design, there are no common areas for inmates, and most interactions with staff take place through the cell door. This costs the taxpayers $64,000 a year per prisoner, who are selected for this treatment entirely at the whim of the Department of Corrections, with little to no oversight.

Lawsuits recently initiated on behalf of inmates at Tamms, and other supermax facilities reveal costs that are truly horrific. An article in The Atlantic describes the ordeal of Jack Powers. Powers made the error assisting a fellow inmate who had been attacked by members of the Aryan Brotherhood, a notorious prison gang. I say mistake, because the Department of Corrections (DOC) failed to provide adequate protection after the incident, allowing the gang to regularly harrass and threaten him. Mr. Powers had no prior history of mental illness, but he reports that the constant threats led him to begin cutting himself in order to seek an outlet for his stress. Mr. Powers has since been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has cut off his own pinkie, carved skin off of his face, amputated his scrotum and one of his testicles, as well as attempting suicide more than once. Mr. Powers was sent to supermax due to self-harm and threats from the gang, where he is refused medications for his PTSD. DOC policies do not allow psychotropic medications in supermax, so his condition regularly worsens. He self-mutilates, is sent to a hospital unit where he is stabilized and put back on medication, and is transferred back to supermax where no medications are allowed, and the cycle continues.

The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) is alleged to have a long history of ignoring mental illness diagnoses for inmates, and even recommendations of judges that the sentenced individual receive treatment. The current lawsuit on behalf of inmates details haphazard methods of administering medications and frequent slip-ups, scheduling doses incorrectly and even mixing up different people’s prescriptions. The BOP has also been accused of refusing access to life-saving medications when an individual has his own supply, and is in jail due to an old history of writing bad checks.

The current debate over whether to refit Tamms, or to close it entirely, centers around whether it is even possible to turn it into a general facility. Tamms was designed without any common areas, so there is no cafeteria, no gym, no classrooms, etc. In order to provide religious services (only recently instituted), inmates are placed in individualcells, with the chaplain giving sermons through the bars.

Proponents claim that supermax prisons have reduced violence and cut off some of the worst abuses by gang leaders who are removed from the general population. Opponents note that many of those sent to supermax facilities were originally convicted of relatively minor offenses and were transferred due to worsening mental health symptoms when refused proper treatment. A recent court ruling states that the public does not even have the right to know why a prisoner was transferred to Tamms in the first place. Inmates participating in lawsuits are reporting that prison officials are threatening them with “payback” if they do not drop their lawsuit. It certainly seems that a lot of effort is being spent to make sure that what happens at Tamms stays at Tamms.

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The Illinois budget deficit is a problem that has been going on for a long time. It has become the new normal for many state funded community services, and many service providers face extinction. The continuing crisis has led to a new “solution,” a deal that would cut the education budget by $210 million, yet keep funding for the overcrowded prison system.

Other options are available, such as the current bi-partisan push for Governor Quinn to undo his termination of a long running, early-release program for prisoners. The program got lumped together with a more controversial one that resulted in political backlash for the Governor when problems arose. Rather than risk further exposure on the issue, Gov. Quinn simply ended both early-release programs. As a result, the Illinois prison system has become dangerously overcrowded, now holding 14,000 more prisoners than the system was designed for.  Savings from a return to early-release (without the fear of political backlash) would contribute to balancing the budget.

The cuts to education particularly hurt those most in need, such as children of low-income families whose lunch programs will be cut.  The most recent round of cuts affected over 7,000 students, and the current proposed cut would reduce meals served by 45 percent. Illinois will move even closer to not meeting the minimum funding level per pupil, which has been at risk in the past. The cuts are particularly galling given evidence showing early education is directly linked to lower crime rates.

Higher education is also facing a hard blow – funding from the state would be reduced by another 5.9 percent, or $200 million. Grants for low-income students would also be slashed by the budget proposal. Currently, Illinois is providing need grants to only half of those who qualify – that would go down even further.

Medicaid is also looking at a sharp reduction. The current proposal of a $1 cigarette tax to help alleviate the shock is facing sharp opposition. Unsurprisingly, the tobacco industry is fighting cigarette tax hikes in Illinois and elsewhere. This is particularly galling for health advocates, given that tobacco use is known to cost the Medicaid system in excess of $1 billion a yea. Experts hope that a higher tax on cigarettes would deter many from smoking and help prevent at least some children from starting to smoke, providing a monetary benefit in collections and deterrence.

The Department of Children and Family Services would also be cut by 6.8 percent, leading one senator to ask how those proposing the cut will be able to sleep at night. Advocates for DCFS have openly mentioned a rise in deaths as a likely outcome of the budget measure. We have seen sweetheart deals for corporations and the uber-wealthy in Illinois. Why is it so difficult to look somewhere other than the most needy and at risk when trying to balance the state budget?

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The coal gasification plant that Tenasaka Energy wants to build in Taylorville Illinois is the kind of bargain that does not seem to have the best interests of the customers at heart.

Coal gasification has been around for over 150 years, with a long history of polluting the areas around it. In the 1850s, coal gasification was developed to provide fuel for gas lighting.

The process turns coal into byproducts, some useful, others dangerous. Coal gasification begins by first turning coal into syngas, an intermediary product that can then be turned into other products, including diesel, gasoline or useful chemicals and fertilizers. The ability to create byproducts of oil without oil came in handy for the Germans during World War II and has been used in emergencies since.

An important “selling point” for coal gasification is its ability to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Unfortunately, studies have shown that even with sequestration, coal gasification creates just as much CO2 emission as oil. When the desired product is electricity, the pollution equation does no better, and in the case of the proposed Taylorville plant, there would be no limit to the amount of CO2 that could be released, while other coal plants must meet strict guidelines. Such problems have led to the Sierra Club and other environmental groups successfully suing other states to prevent the introduction of coal gasification.

Tenasaka has most recently suggested building the plant as a natural-gas-burning operation, in order to overcome objections about CO2 sequestration. Illinois would still guarantee sales and profits for the company for the next 30 years. In order to prevent a consumer groundswell of objections to the plan, there is a guarantee that homeowners would see no more than a 2 percent rate increase. While that may sound like a good protection for citizens, local businesses, municipalities and school districts would bear the brunt of the rate increases. This situation has prompted the unusual alliance of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Sierra Club in opposing the project.

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce opposes the Taylorville plant because its associated rate increases will hurt Illinois businesses. Proponents of the plant have touted the jobs that would be created both during the construction phase (2,400 construction jobs) and during operation of the plant (several hundred), while ignoring the negative effects that increased energy costs will have on businesses.. Higher electrical rates could cost as many as 15,000 to 35,000 jobs throughout the state of Illinois.

Proponents of the plan claim that the additional electricity generated is necessary to meet future demands, while currently Illinois generates more than enough electricity to meet needs. Electricity from the Taylorville plant would cost $212.73 per MWh which compares to wind generated electricity cost of $88 to $121 per MWh, nuclear generated electricity’s cost of $101 to $128 per MWh or traditional coal’s cost of $$141 to $153 per MWh. These comparative costs make it clear why Tenasaka Energy is demanding a 30-year commitment from the state – the electricity from the Taylorville Energy Center would be the most expensive in the state.

A rate impact study by Tenasaka Energy shows that the cost of the state’s subsidy of the plant would be more than $8.7 billion, or $314 million in 2015 alone. The 30 year subsidy  could slow or prevent construction of alternative energy sources. The inclusion of language that caps rate increases for homeowners at 2 percent is deceptive, given that ordinary citizens will end up paying for the increased cost of utilities for local businesses through increased prices on goods and services.

Tenasaka Energy was ranked by Forbes as the 16^th largest corporation in America as of 2009, and would be risking absolutely nothing if it is given the 30-year commitment it seeks. Tenaska claims the Taylorville Energy Center would sequester 50 percent of the CO2 generated, but there would be no requirements on the company as to a total amount of CO2 that would be acceptable, and no standard as to what the 50 percent refers to – like a retail chain offering 50 percent off but not telling us what the original price really was. Other options are currently available which would be less expensive and cleaner (wind for instance). More jobs would be lost than gained as a result of this project.

The Taylorville Energy Center looks like a sweetheart deal for Tenasaka Energy, and a lousy deal for the people of Illinois.

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