Suder's outrage short on thought

Two state newspapers have wisely warned the state legislature to take a deep breath on the report about felons employed in the UW system. Especially Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford). If we follow his thoughts (scary, I know) he is basically saying that former felons shouldn't be employed at all.

The Wisconsin State Journal editorial has some items Suder should keep in mind.

Study after study shows that when former convicts do not find work, some get desperate and return to criminal activity. That means more taxpayer money spent on prosecution and prisons and more insecurity for the rest of society.

Instead, former convicts should be encouraged to be self-sufficient. They should get a chance at rehabilitation. That is why state law prohibits job discrimination based on a person's arrest or conviction record - unless the convict's crimes substantially relate to the duties of the job he or she is applying for.

Suder is part 'tough on crime' crowd running up the tab for taxpayers in the corrections budget. But how does this mesh with the fiscal conservatism he claims to have? It doesn't but why let a little thing like reality get in the way of bashing the Republican's favorite chew toy these days - the UW.

It's a good thing that these folks are productive members of our society, not a shocking revelation. Is Suder even aware that things like drunk driving can make you a felon?

The Racine Journal Times has an editorial that says:

We’re talking about 40 felons out of more than 42,000 employees —that’s less than one in one thousand. As one UW official suggested, that’s probably a ratio that would be mirrored by any other state agency and any corporation in the state.

Indeed, the state legislature has a worse percentage of drunk drivers with only 132 members.