Yes...no...yes...no...ummm, well, OK. That's your state government at work

Remember how we told you about the tussle in the state legislature about whether to pony up the $7 billion the feds want California to pay to upgrade prison health care? Though the federal receiver has the power to take the money right from the state treasury, Republicans voted en masse to block the move.

So J. Clark Kelso, the federal receiver, did it, wrote a tart little note saying he has no choice, he's going after $7 billion in the state's very depleted coffers. He'll need a court order, but we're betting he'll get one.

And today, right this second? The legislature is re-visiting its decision.

We'll have more in a little while.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Comments

[Patricia]

Republicans are disgusting. The prison health care system is so bad that it amounts to a random death penalty without due process.

I'm shocked and disgusted that Republicans believe it's okay to kill prisoners at random without due process.

Some prisoners are murderers, but some are just addicts who failed rehab.

Why should we kill drug addicts? There's not supposed to be a death penalty for addiction.

In our prison system, it turns out there is.

[matt]

since when is "prison helthcare" the prioity around here, esp after many are crying about the schools schools schools and closing hospitals and other important things - my guess is that anything that can possible show republicans being contrary, even with good reason, is THE newsmaker for the news editors. saying, "repulicans are disgusting" come on just shows where some of the readership is comming from, i think its outragious that the feds can come in a take money we dont have and dole it out to the worst in our society, i think many people should exahmine their prioirties, i think crime vicims dont need to as much on this issue at least.

Matt

[Cindy M]

Please. Rather you beleive in inmate health care or not is not the issue. The only one who will come out of this with anything will be CCPOA. Mr. Kelso and his team are not being 100% honest with the taxpayers. His plan is to hire a hundred plus officers per institution and basically put the power back to the wardens. Not someone that have medical backgrounds. Talk about going backwards 20 plus years in medical care in CDCR. He hired ex-wardens as consultants who did what? Hire officers. Last time I knew most guards only had GED, not medical degrees.

[joe]

I suggest an island to house all the dangerous criminals, gangbangers, muderers, drug and arms traffickers as well as sexual predators. Put them all together on this island, where they can work hard for their living, till the land and plant, raise animals or maybe kill themselves for survival and hopefully to extinction. The R on CDCR is a joke. I'm tired of paying for their meals complete with fruits, milk, ice cream, steak and a room with A/C and cable. We take care of them, fatten them up. They don't do anything inside but to be buff and ready so when they come out they'll be more chiseled and adept at their criminal skills. We should be doing the other way around, serve them just palin vegetables and make them thin and weak so when they get out they will not be as much threat as when they get in. I'm sorry but jail time no longer has teeth for these people, they treat it as luxury and vacation.