how unbelievably short sighted. one way or another, the recession will end, the economy will pick up, and unemployment will go down. once the detainees are permanently relocated, they -- and those that will surely follow them -- will be there for decades.
it's like taking chemotherapy because you have a head cold. holy crap.
Thirst for Jobs Drives Cities to Beg Feds for Guantanamo DetaineesIn a reversal of the not-in-my-backyard approach many lawmakers and communities took to the idea of housing the detainees stateside, the thirst for prison-centered employment has caused several U.S. cities to plead with federal officials to let them host dozens of detainees.
It's like the Olympics host-city selection all over again. A handful of cities are locked in tight competition for the privilege of hosting international guests -- only instead of Olympians, they're jockeying to welcome Guantanamo Bay detainees to their home towns.
The reason? Jobs.
In a reversal of the not-in-my-backyard approach many lawmakers and communities have taken to the idea of housing the terror detainees stateside, the thirst for prison-centered employment has caused several U.S. cities to plead with federal officials to let them become permanent hosts to dozens of alleged killers.
The prospect still has some residents and officials up in arms, but the fact that hosting terrorist suspects has generated strong local support for economic reasons is just the latest sign of the times -- hard times.
"At a time when Illinois is facing recession ... this is a lifeline. This is an opportunity," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told reporters Monday, predicting that high-paying jobs with benefits packages would accompany a proposal to bring up to 100 detainees, in a revamped federal prison, to his state. "These people deserve a fighting chance to save their communities ... and this project will give them that chance." Durbin called it a "competition."
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