# American system of government (for a Brit of little brain) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 27, 2026, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230 "2026-06-27T15:01:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/101 "2026-07-08T18:05:18Z")
> [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > On the other hand, many state level prisons and criminal justice systems were and often are still used to provide a source of cheap labor. Some of that is pointless- breaking rocks for example- and most of the “profit” goes to the inmate commissary fund, victim restitution, and legal fines, etc. The State doesnt keep any, afaik. There is no “profit motive”. Why not do some research on this? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/102 "2026-07-08T18:10:43Z")
Five years ago, the [legislature of Louisiana voted against a marijuana legalization bill](https://lailluminator.com/2021/05/21/sheriffs-oppose-marijuana-legalizations-because-sheriffs-profit-from-marijuanas-prohibition-jarvis-deberry/) in part due to opposition from county sheriffs, who would lose money. (The county sheriffs get paid by the state for every prisoner incarcerated in their jails.) ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/103 "2026-07-08T18:12:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The State doesnt keep any, afaik. There is no “profit motive”. Why not do some research on this? Who claimed they kept it? I claimed the labor provides billions to state economies, which means there’s still a profit motive. The head of the Arizona Department of Corrections even claimed back in 2022 the economies of many small Arizona towns economies [would collapse](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2022/07/14/arizona-cities-would-collapse-without-prison-labor/10062910002/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z1126xxe1126xxv005478d--60--b--60--&gca-ft=187&gca-ds=sophi) if the practice was not allowed. Whether true or not, it’s clearly not some minor busywork but a practice with a lot of money riding on it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/104 "2026-07-08T18:14:54Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Five years ago, the [legislature of Louisiana voted against a marijuana legalization bill](https://lailluminator.com/2021/05/21/sheriffs-oppose-marijuana-legalizations-because-sheriffs-profit-from-marijuanas-prohibition-jarvis-deberry/) in part due to opposition from county sheriffs, who would lose money. (The county sheriffs get paid by the state for every prisoner incarcerated in their jails.) That is an Op-Ed story. > Nelson said several lawmakers told him they wouldn’t vote for his proposal because their local sheriffs and district attorneys wanted them to vote against it. Anonymous sources are not reliable. In fact- named sources now- > Neither man acknowledged that marijuana prohibition benefits sheriffs and D.A.’s. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/105 "2026-07-08T18:18:14Z")
Often large organizations, whether public or private, will support any policy or law that preserves or expands their budget and/or powers. i.e. They can get to a point where they’re more concerned with their organization than they are with the good of the public. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/106 "2026-07-08T18:20:10Z")
Maybe the whole bit about prison labor is somewhat off from the OP? A new thread, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/107 "2026-07-08T19:36:19Z")
You seem to be willfully misunderstanding what I am saying. I don’t think there is productive debate to be had here. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/108 "2026-07-08T20:15:19Z")
How is the legislature of the State of Louisiana directly accountable to county sheriffs? Are you alleging gross corruption? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230/109 "2026-07-08T22:54:26Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > You seem to be willfully misunderstanding what I am saying. I don’t think there is productive debate to be had here. You started it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-system-of-government-for-a-brit-of-little-brain/1031230.md?page=5)