Texas Prisons Close? What is Wrong With This Picture?

OK, this news article records the closing of one of the oldest prison facilities in the state of Texas. Never mind about the fact that the prison sits on the next most desired property in the southwest Houston suburbs. Don’t worry about that. Obviously the state closed the facility due to cost factors.

Yeah, right.

Sugar Land, what is left of it anyway, is up for sale and Texas has the best contiguous land holdings in the area. Lack space for prisoners? Don’t ask Jester to take up the slack. Jester is up for sale.

Texas is the single most state that is most likely to add to its prison population, and is also the single most likely state to sell off its prison property, and beds, to the highest bidder.

If you are surprised, you need a lesson in Texas.

This is what Texans have to thank themselves for voting in a Republican majority and a sell-out governor.  Oh, but Rick Perry no longer cares. He Has other fish to fry.

In DC.

Please, please, God, Buddha, Krishna, FSM, grant Rick Perry his wish to garner the Repub nomination for prez in 2012. Please, please, please.

It will be so much fun to watch, let alone participate in the barbecue.

Will Someone Please Go Buy a Buick?

Take a look at this chart. GM stock owners are well aware of what has happened to their stock over the past year. Since February of ’08 GM stock has lost 92% of its value, from $25 per share to today’s $1.77.

That, friends and neighbors, is cheaper than the national average for a gallon of gas.

Which, by the way, is no different than conditions in October of ’08 when this news clip aired on CBS.

And the guy in the video is right. Right now is not the time for GM, or any auto manufacturer to be strapped for cash, which is why they are begging for more stimulation.

They need the money to retool.

So the real problem is that GM is making cars that no one wants to buy because a) the cars use too much gasoline, b) customers can’t be certain they will have a reliable supply of spare parts, and c) everyone is waiting for American car companies to make hybrids or battery-powered cars.

And they can’t make these new cars until they retool.

It’s a vicious circle.

So everyone go out right now and buy a Buick, OK?

And I’ll go out and buy some shares of GM stock at bargain basement prices. Heck, at these prices GM is worth more as a source of scrap metal.