Congressman tries to block use of Thomson prison for detainees

[47of74]

Source: Telegraph Herald

Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, said he will introduce legislation today to block the transfer of dangerous Guantanamo Bay terrorist-detainees Thompson and other areas in the Midwest. He has dubbed the legislation, the "Keep Terrorists Out of the Midwest Act."

"I have heard from so many Iowans over the past few days who are rightfully concerned about the proposed relocation of Guantanamo Bay terrorist-detainees to our backyard," Latham said in a news release posted on his Web site. "They're asking how bringing dangerous terrorists to U.S. soil will make our country safer. Iowa families deserve to have their voices heard in this important debate. Most importantly, Iowa families deserve the guarantee of the federal government that some of the world's most dangerous terrorists, many of whom helped plan the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, will not be housed or tried just minutes from the neighborhoods where they live and work."

Read more: http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=263817

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Latham is probably jealous of Steve King and latched on to this as a way to out-stupid King.

[aquart]

1. So he's saying midwest prisons have worthless security?

Why, I'm sure they'll appreciate that compliment.

Me, I'm fully confident NY will be just fine.

[Thrill]

2. These people in Congress are funny. They can introduce all the acts they want

Do they really think Obama is going to sign it if he wants the prisoners to go there??

[murielm99]

3. He's not listening to the people who live in and around

Thomson. They want the prisoners. The area is dying from lack of employment.

[Alcibiades]

13. That's exactly right

For better or worse, those communities that do have large federal correctional institutions do like having them. It's one of the few places left in this economy where someone with no college degree can get stable-recession-proof employment with great benefits.

[Luciferous]

16. Yep, I know a lot of people around here who would

go work at the prison- myself included. I've been looking for a decent job in Ogle county for 9 months and haven't found anything, and with Rockford unemployment at 15% we could really use the 3,000 jobs this prison would bring.

[Webster Green]

4. What a fucking wuss!

He's scared shitless of "terrorists", even if they're locked up in high security facilities.

What a fucking wuss. (Like all repukes, of course). Fucking cowards!

[customerserviceguy]

9. It's not the terrorists who are in the prison that they're afraid of

It's the ones on the outside who will do whatever it takes to spring the ones in the slammer that has them worried.

If Northwestern Illinois was getting a nuclear waste facility, wouldn't we expect Iowans to feel damned uneasy about it? Jihadis are nuclear waste with a modicum of brains.

New York might have the money needed to fully secure itself during the KSM trial, but I doubt that the rural areas of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin have those kind of budgets.

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. That might be an argument, but really, has there been ANY terrorist

jailbreak ANYWHERE outside Afghanistan?

Have you EVER heard of terrorists attacking a prison outside a war zone, in order to free their comrades?

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

[47of74]

15. Nice try.

Nice try.

Northwestern Illinois already has a nuclear facility. There's a reactor there that powers most of the Quad Cities. And Iowa has a nuclear plant too near Cedar Rapids. So we already have nuclear power facilities in own back yards.

[customerserviceguy]

17. And your response proves a point

Both rural Illinois and Iowa have the burdens and benefits of nuclear power facilities. Under the "let's stick the jihadis in NW Illinois, only that state gets any benefits from this. Iowa doesn't get to elect to have it's own terrorist prison, but has to deal with the problems the Illinois prison will create.

It's pretty easy for the people who don't have to have it in their own back yards.

[EFerrari]

18. Are you kidding? Do their many attempts at Bagram and Gitmo

fuel this belief or what?

[customerserviceguy]

19. Gitmo is a special case

It's not like Gitmo isn't already heavily defended against surrounding Cuba. I wouldn't expect any place stateside to be as impregnable as Gitmo is. Besides, who are the jihadis going to effectively threaten in the surrounding area? It's not like US troops would give a crap about a Cuban town being held hostage.

As for Bagram, I would expect that the same issues apply, but with people blowing people up practically every day, who could attribute such activities solely to holding jihadis in a prison camp? President Obama would do well to sit down with former President Clinton, after the Marielito boat people swarmed ashore in the late 1970's, many of them were stored at a prison in Arkansas. There was a prison riot, and the only time Bill Clinton ever lost an election was right after that incident.

[dogfacedboy]

20. Very lame. You have no idea what you're talking about. n/t

[yellowwood]

21. You have a job?

Well, apparently you have a job, so you can be speculative about whether or not this prison present a risk. Do you have any idea how depressed this area is?

[MadMaddie]

25. When was the last time we had any prisoners escape or had

help breaking out of a Federal Maximum Security Prison?

The US has convicted over 100 terrorist over the last several years and not one has escaped or have others tried to break them out.

They are talking about the US government buying the prison and making it a Federally run prison not a private or state run prison.

[mrcheerful]

5. Lets see repukes tell folks that they need to build these multi million dollar prisons to

keep the citizens safe from those scary criminals out there who rob and murder victims citizens. When the citizens state their worries that they won't be safe with those prisons in their back yards, the repukes poo poo those fears as they pass off the prisons as escape proof and folks need to stop watching Hollywood prison movies. Now these same pukes are claiming that the prisons are not safe? Whats even more amazing is their followers never see the lameness of these nit wits logic.

[DumbBassRepublicans]

6. WHERE DO WE HIDE...???!!!

O.M.G...!!!
Run, run, run for your lives...!!!
The plotters of 9-11 are coming to NYC...!!!
It's OK, DICK (Cheney)...!!!
Calm down...!!!
Don't pee your pants in fear, DICK...!!!
It's all right..!!
You're too damn old to go and fight for the USA now...!!!
I know....
Your FIVE deferments to avoid serving in the military must have been a clerical error....
Certainly, you'd go to Iraq and Afghanistan to fight, IF only you were younger...!!!
Don't worry DICK, and RUSH, and SEAN, and BECK....
We all know that you are all brave Americans who would never send
our brave soldiers to do the job that you guys could do....
If ONLY you were younger, and braver, and not a bunch of chicken hawk
wussies who talk brave and then run as fast as you can, the other way...
Don't worry about the plotters coming to NYC, DICK...
You can go hide in your undisclosed, secret, underground bunker...!!!
You should be safe there, DICK..!!!
And, just for good measure, take your moronic daughter along, to keep you company...!!!

[madrchsod]

7. we`ll set up check points at the savanna and clinton bridges

then they will have to swim or boat across the mississippi to thompson!

...you would think guys like tommy would realize not every one in the midwest is afraid of things that go bump in the night...but they do`t

[DainBramaged]

10. Aren't these the guys with all of the guns?????

If they have all of these guns, why are they so afraid?

[madrchsod]

14. yup over there it`s hunting,fishing,and growing melons....

dam fine melons at really cheap prices.....there is a lot of northwestern illinois rednecks over by there

[Bitwit1234]

8. Do these dumbo's sit awake at night

and think of things to complain about that this administration is doing. Maybe we should line em all up...give each one a chance to write out a complaint and get it over with..this just goes to show the type of nitwits and cowards the republicans elect. I suppose they see themselves in their representatives...

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Wow, a representative of the people of Iowa calling them cowards.

[47of74]

26. And his district isn't anywhere near Thomson

He's mainly got the middle and northern counties of Iowa. The parts of Iowa that are anywhere near Thomson are represented by different Representatives.

[yellowwood]

22. The Issue Is Bigger than That

Other facts:

The state of Illinois is experiencing huge economic woes. This almost-empty prison has been a drain on the state budget. By selling it to the federal government, Illinois not only gets it off its hands, but it also gains the money from the sale. Win-win.

Northwestern Illinois has lost so many of its industries. People really need employment opportunities.

Jobs will emanate beyond the jobs at the prison. There will be support jobs in other services such a food supply, medical, education, etc., etc.

Even state representative Sacia, a knee-jerk Republican is supporting it. On the other hand, Representative Manzullo hasn't gotten the word yet and is vigorously opposing it. He has a nice job, of course, and hasn't noticed that his part of the state if falling apart.

[Blandocyte]

23. T-town is a few miles from where I "growed up at"

That part of the state desperately needs an opportunity for employment and the revenues that come with it.

[Ava83]

24. I think

that there are some that will do anything to have the President and the administration fail no matter what the cost to their district.

The entire state of Illinois can use this...I am also sure some employed will come from Iowa.

[47of74]

27. Sure

Clinton is only about 15 miles from this prison so I imagine there'd be people from that area working at the prison.