Showing posts with label barney frank. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barney frank. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
The War on Drugs - American Style
Thanks to Patrick, I saw this wonderful video today, which touches on a number of our favorite topics. The script includes this gem, speaking about the war on drugs:
It has led the charge in the dumbing-down of America.
I very much liked the comments of Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts. On Wikipedia he's quoted as having said this about himself:
"I'm used to being in the minority. I'm a left-handed gay Jew. I've never felt, automatically, a member of any majority."
That's enough for me to like him right there, but his common sense ideas about government non-involvement in the lives of the people make perfect sense to me. What do you think? What's his opinion on gun control? I didn't see mention of it in his short Wiki bio, but I'm sure some of our commenters will tell us.
Recently we discussed this prison problem here. I came up with a broad-brush proposal
Here's my three-part plan:
1. White collar criminals get out immediately, but it's not a get-out-of-jail-free card. They'd have to pay heavy fines and submit to severe supervision.
2. Then, we remove all the alcoholics, drug addicts and mentally ill from prisons and give them the mental health care they need.
3. After that we release the 25% least dangerous prisoners, right across the board, under the same conditions as the white collar guys.
With all the savings generated we could afford the proper upkeep of the present facilities including the mental hospitals and make the necessary increases in the probation departments.
Maybe that 25% figure in point 3 could be adjusted up or down to accommodate the statistics in the video. What do you think?
Obama promised to do something about this during his campaign. Do you think he will? Has the new Attorney General shown any indications of making the necessary changes? It seems to me this is a deceptively large issue. With so much focus on the wars and the economic crisis, do you think this very important situation will be overlooked?
Please tell us what you think.
It has led the charge in the dumbing-down of America.
I very much liked the comments of Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts. On Wikipedia he's quoted as having said this about himself:
"I'm used to being in the minority. I'm a left-handed gay Jew. I've never felt, automatically, a member of any majority."
That's enough for me to like him right there, but his common sense ideas about government non-involvement in the lives of the people make perfect sense to me. What do you think? What's his opinion on gun control? I didn't see mention of it in his short Wiki bio, but I'm sure some of our commenters will tell us.
Recently we discussed this prison problem here. I came up with a broad-brush proposal
Here's my three-part plan:
1. White collar criminals get out immediately, but it's not a get-out-of-jail-free card. They'd have to pay heavy fines and submit to severe supervision.
2. Then, we remove all the alcoholics, drug addicts and mentally ill from prisons and give them the mental health care they need.
3. After that we release the 25% least dangerous prisoners, right across the board, under the same conditions as the white collar guys.
With all the savings generated we could afford the proper upkeep of the present facilities including the mental hospitals and make the necessary increases in the probation departments.
Maybe that 25% figure in point 3 could be adjusted up or down to accommodate the statistics in the video. What do you think?
Obama promised to do something about this during his campaign. Do you think he will? Has the new Attorney General shown any indications of making the necessary changes? It seems to me this is a deceptively large issue. With so much focus on the wars and the economic crisis, do you think this very important situation will be overlooked?
Please tell us what you think.
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