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« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2018, 04:39:27 PM » |
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The Patriot Post Digest 11-16-2018
From The Federalist Patriot
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It’s an issue where thoughtful conservatives have long favored necessary reforms27, but one that our previous president addressed by, for example, using his pen and his phone to commute the prison terms of 46 drug offenders28. Unfortunately, Barack Obama’s proposals muddied the waters by pulling in unrelated issues such as pre-K schooling and the restoration of voting rights for felons.
But thanks to a softening of public perception on crime29, these reforms aren’t the “third rail” they once were. A simpler approach to prison reform, such as that advocated in a 2016 report30 by the Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections, focuses more on rehabilitation and incentives to reduce a prison sentence through cooperative and contrite actions. But it must be combined with sentencing reform, lest the effects of good behavior be thwarted because a federal judge is forced to restore a draconian sentence, such as the Matthew Charles case31 we documented earlier this year.
In a bitter irony, it was about the time Matthew Charles was re-sentenced that the House passed the First Step Act by a bipartisan 360-59 vote. But as Reason’s C.J. Ciaramella wrote at the time, the bill was only half a loaf: “Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Republican point man on criminal justice reform, [said] the bill is dead in the water unless it includes major reforms to federal sentencing law as well.”
Fortunately, the Senate had a complementary sentencing reform bill already in the process, and over the interceding few months a deal was reached that includes these sentencing reforms in First Step. This revised proposal is a bill that President Donald Trump has already vowed to sign, and in the waning days of the 114th Congress he’s called on First Step to become a priority item32. “So far, seven major police organizations, more than 2,700 faith and evangelical leaders, and hundreds of conservative organizations and leaders support this legislation,” said the White House33 in a press release.
Not that he’ll get any credit for something that would help blacks. The Left, after all, has to maintain the narrative34 that he’s “racist.”
But even with the support of the president and conservatives like Utah’s Sen. Mike Lee — the former assistant U.S. attorney recently pointed out abuses in the current system35 as his reason for favoring the First Step proposal — the bill has some tough sledding ahead. “We don’t have a whole lot of time left,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “We need an actual proposal, then we would take a whip count, see where we stand, and then weigh it at that point against the other things that absolutely have to be accomplished.”
Despite the addition of sentencing reform to the original bill, it will be hard to convince politicians who prefer to keep the present system as a political cudgel36 while stoking the fires of race and class envy.
“Let’s just start with the hard truth about our criminal justice system,” complained probable 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren back in August. “It’s racist. It is. And when I say our system, I mean all the way. I mean front to back.” (In her case37, criminal justice reform takes a back seat to “LGBTQ equality.”) Fellow far-left progressive senators (and potential 2020 candidates) Kamala Harris and Cory Booker also came out against reform, co-signing a letter38 from Sen. Dick Durbin back in October calling First Step “a step backwards,” and warning that “the recidivism reduction plan that is the core of the bill could actually worsen the situation in our federal prisons by creating discriminatory non-evidence-based policies.” However, Booker has since read the tea leaves and yesterday announced his support39 of the compromise bill.
With this Congress closing out its two-year run, and with Democrats poised to take control, this may be the last best opportunity for some sorely needed reform.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/59523-a-good-first-step-toward-needed-prison-reform
OPINION IN BRIEF
Michael Reagan: “Spirituality, morality, kindness, the better part of our natures, love for your fellow humans no matter what their politics — it’s getting harder and harder to find in our daily lives. Everyone’s angry on TV. Left or right, Fox or CNN, it doesn’t matter what side you’re on. Social media and cable networks overflow 24/7 with hate, not calls for political compromise. They thrive on ratings and clicks and anger — not civility and compromise — to generates their profits. In my father’s time, in the 1970s and 1980s, we debated important political issues, but we did it without trying to destroy our opponents’ careers or reputations. Now everything in politics is personal and nasty. We don’t merely say we disagree with a person’s position. Instead we say, ‘You’re a racist. You hate women.’ There’s hardly anywhere you can go in the mainstream media to hear an uplifting spiritual message or an inspiring leader who rises above petty politics. There’s almost nowhere you can relax and make yourself feel good. I tweeted the other day that people should turn off the news and the cable channels for a night and watch the annual country music awards. That’s what I did. It was just country music and awards. No politics. No anger. No name calling. It was entertaining and pleasant — an oasis of civility in our angry world. It was something all of us could all use a lot more of.”
SHORT CUTS
Insight: “The main evil of the present democratic institutions of the united states does not raise, as is often asserted in Europe, from their weakness, but from their irresistible strength. I am not so much alarmed at the excessive liberty which reigns in that country as at the inadequate securities which one finds there against tyranny.” —Alexis De Tocqueville (1805-1859)
Belly laugh of the week: “I have always believed in the presumption of innocence but I know Michael Avenatti is not a fan of that principle. Out of respect for his preferences, I will therefore assume that he is guilty as hell.” —Matt Walsh
Ouch: “Bad news is because he hit a woman, Avenatti probably won’t be President. Good news is he still has an excellent chance of becoming DNC Co-Chair.” —Stephen Miller
For the record: “Last week, Florida voters elected me as their next U.S. Senator and now the ballots have been counted twice. I am incredibly proud and humbled by the opportunity to serve Florida in Washington. Our state needs to move forward.” —Rick Scott
Oh good grief: “If [Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams] had a fair election, she already would have won.” —Hillary Clinton, who believes her own electoral defeat was unfair
Braying Jackass: “I think people are tired of what’s happening. … We cannot have a truculent child president. We need something serious.” —John Kerry (Donald Trump is serious about putting America first. Barack Obama was serious about putting America last.)
A trip through the echo chamber: “Every place I go, people say … ‘Thank you for saving America.’” —House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
And last… “Here’s an idea. Give Acosta back his press pass. Next time (& every time) Acosta grandstands… End the press conference. Immediately. Until Acosta’s journalist colleagues (whom he disrespects by hogging time showboating), peer pressure him into behaving like an adult.” —Liz Wheeler
https://patriotpost.us/articles/59529-friday-short-cuts
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Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher |
