Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton Accepted Almost the Same Amount of Prison Lobbyist Donations

Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton Accepted Almost the Same Amount of Prison Lobbyist Donations

One little-known fact this year is that Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio have benefited from prison lobbyist money. In fact, they've taken almost the same amount of contributions from major prison lobbyists. Clinton's campaign has received $133,246 while Rubio's campaign accepted $133,450 from the prison lobby.

Rubio's home state of Florida has recently faced a crisis with its corrections system and has the 11th highest incarceration rate in the nation.

What's most startling is that African Americans on average vote around 90% Democrat in presidential elections, yet Hillary Clinton accepted money from major prison lobbyists, even as "African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of whites."

As for the reaction from Latino and African American civil rights organizations, these groups pressured Clinton to stop taking the prison lobby's money, as illustrated in a Huffington Post article titled Hillary Clinton Says She'll End Private Prisons, Stop Accepting Their Money:

These two candidates are clearly for locking up people for crimes they didn't do. Is it any wonder that Rubio wants to crack down on the legal marijuana markets? Or that Clinton has such a wishy-washy answer on the subject?

Oh yeah just for reference:

In contrast to Clinton, Rubio, and Bush, Senator Bernie Sanders has been outspoken in his desire to ban private prisons, as stated in a USA Today piece titled Bernie Sanders seeks to ban private prisons:

Oh about Bush:

What's also surprising is that Jeb Bush actually received less money ($21,700) than Clinton, from the same interests that target a key voter base among Democrats.

We NEED prison reform and to reduce our seriously high incarceration rate. Which is the number one in the world. You know, when we talk about America being the best in the world, I'm not sure this is what we are supposed to be talking about... Especially when the official slogan for the country is "Land of the Free".

I understand that the prison industry has political interests as well, but anyone supporting actions like this is only supporting the continuation of failed correctional procedures.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

What the eff do you expect? Its Aumurrikah~ after all /src


I do not believe either of these two schmucks will take the seat; assuredly, the American people are seeing through these two,,,,

hell, I dont know anymore

It certainly makes me doubt Hillary's statements about wanting prison reform... Clearly she is beholden to not reforming TOO much. It's investing in politicians like Hillary that you end up with #ty political compromises like the ACA.

The only prison reform Clinton is interested in involves hiring an interior decorator to help her design a plush jail cell in the event she is tried and convicted.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

"Almost". A small word with huge meaning. And one members would pounce on in a heartbeat if someone dared use it in a thread.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Billary will do anything/say anthing to get the vote-

I mean, who the frigg brings in Madeleine Albright, for a backer... ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!

a reply to: NewzNose

Almost is trivial to me in this instance. Any number greater than 0 is too much for me. So regardless of how close those contributions are, I'm upset with both of them. Well three if you count Bush in there as well.

Clinton on the issues - Prison reform

End the era of mass incarceration, reform mandatory minimum sentences, and end private prisons.

Encourage the use of smart strategies—like police body cameras—and end racial profiling to rebuild trust between law enforcement and communities.

Help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully re-enter society.

Like if Clinton is receiving all that money from the PIC, does anyone believe that she'll have incentive to follow through on any of that? Especially the part about ending private prisons?

This piece highlights the problem with special interests and their ability to lobby our elected officials.

Lobbying must be banned and Citizen United repealed.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

There should be "law reform".

There are too many laws, too many things that are illegal, too many ways to get someone incarcerated.

a reply to: DBCowboy

Yea, I agree. We need to crack down on the fun police. Stop criminalizing social deviancy and let people do what they want to do as long as it doesn't affect you and yours. It's such a simple premise, it's a wonder why it gets ignored so often...

Any conversation about prison reform cannot be honest without discussing removing most of the stupid laws that put people in prison in the first place from the books.

Just another fine example of how politicians will say pretty much anything to get elected.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: DBCowboy

Yea, I agree. We need to crack down on the fun police. Stop criminalizing social deviancy and let people do what they want to do as long as it doesn't affect you and yours. It's such a simple premise, it's a wonder why it gets ignored so often...

Any conversation about prison reform cannot be honest without discussing removing most of the stupid laws that put people in prison in the first place from the books.

Sadly, none of that will ever happen quite simply cause theres no money to be made that way.

Politics needs to stop being a life long career with scads of money and long term perks to be had.
This only ensures that the politician will do more for themselves than for the people who elected him/her.

As Bluntone22 says above me:

Just another fine example of how politicians will say pretty much anything to get elected.

Exactly!
Blowing smoke up your ass and telling you what you want to hear to get the vote and the money/perks then doing the opposite or nothing.

Agree with you both 100%

a reply to: Krazysh0t

It makes my blood boil every time these political rats take interest money to work against the citizens in this nation, specially those of us that pay taxes that then end up in the hands of the government to pay for keeping us under the power of private interest.

originally posted by: marg6043
a reply to: Krazysh0t

It makes my blood boil every time these political rats take interest money to work against the citizens in this nation, specially those of us that pay taxes that then end up in the hands of the government to pay for keeping us under the power of private interest.

Good point! In fact, the more I think about it, the more illegal "Citizens United" seems to be. The simple fact of the matter is that most corporations today are multi-national in nature. By allowing corporate money into our political system, we open up a great possibility, and most probably a reality, that foreign interests are funneling money into the US election process by way of corporate donations in hopes of swaying (buying) votes. What the hell were the SCOTUS thinking?

originally posted by: WeDemBoyz
What the hell were the SCOTUS thinking?

I think the answer to that question is rather obvious.