Discussion: Rand Paul And I Agree On Prison Reform

Discussion for article #225209

Is this guy running for President?

Hey, Cory! Does this say more about him or more about you?

Justice reform in the context of this article is all about ending the “War on Drugs”.

“I am not against all wars I am only against dumb wars.” Barack Obama on his opposition to the Iraq War. Obama’s comments on the Iraq War is why he is president.

But there has been no dumber war than the “War on Drugs.” The War on Drugs is also the longest and most costly war in American history in both money and more importantly lives with millions of casualties.

Ron Paul was perhaps the first national politician to support ending the War on Drugs. I disagree with Ron, his son Rand who is really an extension of Ron in most ways, on almost every thing. But like Obama the Paul’s also opposed the dumb war in Iraq.

I also disagree with both Paul’s views that all drugs should be legalized. But all that said I do agree with both Paul’s that America needs to end another of its dumb wars, perhaps its dumbest, the War on Drugs. But unlike the Iraq War that could be ended by Obama alone, the War on Drugs can only be ended by getting a majority in congress to vote for changing the criminal laws that require extensive jail time for using drugs.

So I commend Booker for trying to find those who agree that the War on Drugs should be ended, work with them to find a way to end it that will get a majority in congress to change the laws so we can end this dumb War on Drugs.

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I hope this is more effective than when Jim Webb starting talking about sentencing reform. Then again, Webb didn’t list bite-sized technocratic policies but rather announced intention to lob grenades at CCA. (Makes me wonder if he knew some ugly campaigning was coming down the pike if he had run for reelection.)

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Hey Cory, are we supposed to be impressed because and he agree on a couple of issues? Flash: Of all of the qualities I look for in a candidate, “working across the aisle” has NEVER been one of them. I support, and work for “Democrats”. I work for “Democrats” who know what that means. For the un-informed, the phrase “work across the aisle” is the mantra of “Third Way” politics. The real definition of Third Way, as used in this context, translates to “Republican Light”. While I have never run/held political office, I did spend 45 years helping to elect “Democrats”.

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Puzzled that, with all of the embedded links in the opinion piece, there is no link to the text of the bill at congress.gov. -

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Quite a bit of comments on the potential level of Machiavellianism here.

Not so much on the actual bill. I haven’t read the full-text of the bill yet, but at least from the summary here, it looks pretty good. Incentivizing states to get rid of prosecutorial discretion to try juveniles as adults is a good step.

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Dear Corey Booker, We elected you to get out there and fight for Democratic values and help Obama. You have been sitting on the sidelines doing NOTHING! You have nothing to say about NJ, out horrendous Gov, the horrible obstruction in Congress and the lack of fight from many dems. You should be out there fighting for Progressive and Dem values not patting yourself on the back because you agree with Crazy rand or had dinner with whacko Cruz, very disappointed