Hillary's position on eliminating the disparity in sentencing between crack offenders and sellers of powder cocaine is more complex than I described in yesterday's post: while she opposes freeing people already in prison under laws that unfairly give overly harsh sentences for crack cocaine in contrast to the powder form of the drug, she is the co-sponsor of a bill that would eliminate this disparity in future cases.
Obama has not signed onto any currently pending legislation on this issue-- although he, too, says he favors eliminating the disparity.
So, Hillary's position seems to be that sentencing people to longer terms in prison for quantities of crack 100 times smaller than those needed to trigger mandatory terms for powder is wrong-- but that people who have already been sentenced unjustly as a result should stay in prison.
While this is much better than doing nothing, it still uncomfortably reminds me of past Clinton actions which privilege pandering over principle. To be fair, however, Obama has yet to commit himself to a specific legislative remedy-- which could open him to similar criticism if his proposals had similar flaws.
Thanks to Bill Piper of the Drug Policy Alliance for the tip!
First we need to get a Democrat in the Whitehouse so let's stay focused on that goal. Democrats like to get sidetracked on any number of interesting side issues and lose sight of the main goal. Let's not do that.
Let's get out of Iraq first.
Let's get Universal Health Care for everyone (single payer).
Energy independence by promoting and funding green jobs and alternative energy sources.
Fix the economy by ending the war and funding a WPA program for green jobs and infrastructure repair.
Lower the price of oil by flooding the market with reserves and forceing the Oil companies to build new refineries or for over there profits.
Increase taxes on everyone over $ 250,00 per year ( 50% bracket new)
Social Security and disability for all that need it, say they need, want it including veterans.
Change the way we teach teachers by eliminating some of the requirements. (10 years of college is too much by about 8 years).
Yep, go ahead and start letting crack heads out of jail early. The first time one of these goof balls snuffs another person, the GOP will wrap it around our neck.
Of all the stupid things we can get wrapped up in, the crack vs cocaine issue is at the top. This is not something that needs to be campaigned on or put into the party platform.
Unless of course, you want to give the GOP more amo to shoot us down with.
Hillary '08
Couldn't they justify it somehow by the 30K we'd save the taxpayers to house and feed a prisoner jailed for a victimless crime.?
When's the last time you heard of gun violence between rival liquor dealers?
Oh yeah, back during prohibition. See the connection?
And since all the "drug-related" activities you cite are already illegal, what's the point in adding another crime into the mix?
Criminalizing a mental illness and unemployment doesn't help. Prison doesn't treat addiction and it doesn't solve the economic problems that drive dealing.
Why do you think poor neighborhoods have a worse problem than rich neighborhoods? It's not because people are taking fewer drugs or because there aren't any drug dealers there. It's because endemic violence surrounds hopelessness, child abuse, trauma and neglect and drives generation after generation to seek escape in drugs which drives the trade which drives abuse which drives more addiction...
Sending more people to prison is never going to solve this.