Criminalizing unemployed - Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests

[ConHog]

Welfare and unemployment beneficiaries would have to pass a drug test to qualify for programs under an amendment offered Tuesday by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
Welfare absolutely . unemployment not so much.

How about right wing radio talk show hosts?

If their employer chose to test for drugs. You bet

 

[ConHog]

Welfare and unemployment beneficiaries would have to pass a drug test to qualify for programs under an amendment offered Tuesday by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
Welfare absolutely . unemployment not so much.

Yea! Let's spend a LOT more taxpayer's money, break up families and STILL be left with human beings that will be society's burden...

But at least we can complete the Right wing Nanny state Nixon and Reagan started...

Do you mean to tell me that as the US population went up so to did the prison population? But that makes no sense...........................

 

[Big Fitz]

Welfare and unemployment beneficiaries would have to pass a drug test to qualify for programs under an amendment offered Tuesday by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
Welfare absolutely . unemployment not so much.

Yea! Let's spend a LOT more taxpayer's money, break up families and STILL be left with human beings that will be society's burden...

But at least we can complete the Right wing Nanny state Nixon and Reagan started...

and heeeere we go again with that bullshit chart.

A change in prison population from 0.9% to 1.3% if I recall the last time I debunked your chart.

 

[jillian]

Being unemployed at the moment and not a drug user, I say bring it on.

But, I do agree who is going to pay for this? Gees, I thought Hatch was a fiscal conservative. Does this sound like fiscal conservatism?

Immie

It's a way of demeaning and dehumanizing people who are unemployed. This isn't about 'welfare'... it's about people who lost their jobs because the economy crashed.

I'm amazed that anyone is supporting anything so abusive.

 

[txlonghorn]

Sorry Orrin...that idea sucks.

 

[Immanuel]

Being unemployed at the moment and not a drug user, I say bring it on.

But, I do agree who is going to pay for this? Gees, I thought Hatch was a fiscal conservative. Does this sound like fiscal conservatism?

Immie

It's a way of demeaning and dehumanizing people who are unemployed. This isn't about 'welfare'... it's about people who lost their jobs because the economy crashed.

I'm amazed that anyone is supporting anything so abusive.

I'm not supporting it. We can't afford it. I'm just not afraid of it.

I certainly do not see it as demeaning... unless, of course, Nurse Ratchet is standing there laughing while I am peeing in a cup.

 

[SFC Ollie]

Sorry Orrin...that idea sucks.

Most everyone has said that for the Unemployed.

 

[ConHog]

Sorry Orrin...that idea sucks.

Most everyone has said that for the Unemployed.

OH the left morons realize that no one here advocates drug testing the unemployed before paying their benefits, but they have to pretend it is so to hide the fact that they don't even want welfare pigs drug tested.

 

[jillian]

Sorry Orrin...that idea sucks.

Most everyone has said that for the Unemployed.

OH the left morons realize that no one here advocates drug testing the unemployed before paying their benefits, but they have to pretend it is so to hide the fact that they don't even want welfare pigs drug tested.

welfare pigs?

were you aware that the largest group on welfare is white single mothers?

we should just toss them out because they got knocked up, right?

 

[ConHog]

Most everyone has said that for the Unemployed.

OH the left morons realize that no one here advocates drug testing the unemployed before paying their benefits, but they have to pretend it is so to hide the fact that they don't even want welfare pigs drug tested.

welfare pigs?

were you aware that the largest group on welfare is white single mothers?

we should just toss them out because they got knocked up, right?

Don't try that bullhsit with me

A) I don't care how what color a welfare pig is, they are pigs - note a welfare pig is NOT someone who uses welfare as a helping hand when needed, no a welfare pig is someone who makes a living off the system. You know exactly the difference.

B) As far as race goes, interesting that blacks make up 13% of the US population and 40% of the welfare roles. That's fact, spin it how you like.

 

[Bfgrn]

Welfare and unemployment beneficiaries would have to pass a drug test to qualify for programs under an amendment offered Tuesday by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).

Sen. Hatch wants unemployed to face mandatory drug tests - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
Welfare absolutely . unemployment not so much.

Yea! Let's spend a LOT more taxpayer's money, break up families and STILL be left with human beings that will be society's burden...

But at least we can complete the Right wing Nanny state Nixon and Reagan started...

and heeeere we go again with that bullshit chart.

A change in prison population from 0.9% to 1.3% if I recall the last time I debunked your chart.

Bullshit!

According to the International Centre for Prison Studies at King's College London, the U.S. currently has the largest documented prison population in the world, both in absolute and proportional terms. We've got roughly 2.03 million people behind bars, or 701 per 100,000 population. China has the second-largest number of prisoners (1.51 million, for a rate of 117 per 100,000), and Russia has the second-highest rate (606 per 100,000, for a total of 865,000). Russia had the highest rate for years, but has released hundreds of thousands of prisoners since 1998; meanwhile the U.S. prison population has grown by even more.

The Straight Dope: Does the United States lead the world in prison population?

New High In U.S. Prison Numbers

Growth Attributed To More Stringent Sentencing Laws

By N.C. Aizenman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 29, 2008

More than one in 100 adults in the United States is in jail or prison, an all-time high that is costing state governments nearly $50 billion a year and the federal government $5 billion more, according to a report released yesterday.

With more than 2.3 million people behind bars, the United States leads the world in both the number and percentage of residents it incarcerates, leaving far-more-populous China a distant second, according to a study by the nonpartisan Pew Center on the States.

The growth in prison population is largely because of tougher state and federal sentencing imposed since the mid-1980s. Minorities have been particularly affected: One in nine black men ages 20 to 34 is behind bars. For black women ages 35 to 39, the figure is one in 100, compared with one in 355 for white women in the same age group.

New High In U.S. Prison Numbers - washingtonpost.com

A Nation in Chains
May 23, 2006

Earlier this month, the International Centre for Prison Studies at King's College London released its annual World Prison Population List. And there, standing proudly at the head of the line, towering far above all others, is that shining city on the hill, the United States of America. But strangely enough, the Bush gang and its many media sycophants failed to celebrate – or even note – yet another instance where a triumphant America leads the world. Where are the cheering hordes shouting "USA! USA!" at the news that the land of the free imprisons more people than any other country in the world – both in raw numbers and as a percentage of its population?

Yes, the world's greatest democracy now has more than two million of its citizens locked up in iron cages: an incarceration rate of 714 per 100,000 of the national population, the Centre reports. The only countries within shouting distance are such bastions of penological enlightenment as China (1.55 million prisoners, plus some unsorted "administrative detainees"), Russia (a wimpy 763,000) and Brazil (330,000), whose exemplary prison management has been on such prominent display this week.

A Nation in Chains by Chris Floyd




Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.
Edmund Burke

There can be no progress if people have no faith in tomorrow.
President John F. Kennedy

 

[ConHog]

Yea! Let's spend a LOT more taxpayer's money, break up families and STILL be left with human beings that will be society's burden...

But at least we can complete the Right wing Nanny state Nixon and Reagan started...

and heeeere we go again with that bullshit chart.

A change in prison population from 0.9% to 1.3% if I recall the last time I debunked your chart.

Bullshit!

According to the International Centre for Prison Studies at King's College London, the U.S. currently has the largest documented prison population in the world, both in absolute and proportional terms. We've got roughly 2.03 million people behind bars, or 701 per 100,000 population. China has the second-largest number of prisoners (1.51 million, for a rate of 117 per 100,000), and Russia has the second-highest rate (606 per 100,000, for a total of 865,000). Russia had the highest rate for years, but has released hundreds of thousands of prisoners since 1998; meanwhile the U.S. prison population has grown by even more.

The Straight Dope: Does the United States lead the world in prison population?

New High In U.S. Prison Numbers

Growth Attributed To More Stringent Sentencing Laws

By N.C. Aizenman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 29, 2008

More than one in 100 adults in the United States is in jail or prison, an all-time high that is costing state governments nearly $50 billion a year and the federal government $5 billion more, according to a report released yesterday.

With more than 2.3 million people behind bars, the United States leads the world in both the number and percentage of residents it incarcerates, leaving far-more-populous China a distant second, according to a study by the nonpartisan Pew Center on the States.

The growth in prison population is largely because of tougher state and federal sentencing imposed since the mid-1980s. Minorities have been particularly affected: One in nine black men ages 20 to 34 is behind bars. For black women ages 35 to 39, the figure is one in 100, compared with one in 355 for white women in the same age group.

New High In U.S. Prison Numbers - washingtonpost.com

A Nation in Chains
May 23, 2006

Earlier this month, the International Centre for Prison Studies at King's College London released its annual World Prison Population List. And there, standing proudly at the head of the line, towering far above all others, is that shining city on the hill, the United States of America. But strangely enough, the Bush gang and its many media sycophants failed to celebrate – or even note – yet another instance where a triumphant America leads the world. Where are the cheering hordes shouting "USA! USA!" at the news that the land of the free imprisons more people than any other country in the world – both in raw numbers and as a percentage of its population?

Yes, the world's greatest democracy now has more than two million of its citizens locked up in iron cages: an incarceration rate of 714 per 100,000 of the national population, the Centre reports. The only countries within shouting distance are such bastions of penological enlightenment as China (1.55 million prisoners, plus some unsorted "administrative detainees"), Russia (a wimpy 763,000) and Brazil (330,000), whose exemplary prison management has been on such prominent display this week.

A Nation in Chains by Chris Floyd




Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.
Edmund Burke

There can be no progress if people have no faith in tomorrow.
President John F. Kennedy

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH we lead the world in criminals behind bars??? That couldn't be because we are oh I don't know one of the safer nations in the world t could it?

You do realize that The Longest Yard was just a movie and that prisons aren't full of jokester who wanna play da football right?

Oh, don't bring your stupid chart of people who are in jail for MJ either, because invariably those charts include people who were arrested for something else and just happened to have MJ on them so they were charged for that to.

 

[rightwinger]

Its all an ingenious plan by Hatch..

Create more drug testing jobs by testing everyone without a job

 

[ConHog]

Its all an ingenious plan by Hatch..

Create more drug testing jobs by testing everyone without a job

That is ingenious.

 

[Big Fitz]

Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.
Edmund Burke

Well that explains nearly every law passed since ohhhhh 2002 in this nation. Glad you recognize it.

And yes, your charts are still bullshit. Less than 1.3% of the US population is incarcerated. Your chart is skewed to make it look like there has been a massive change in incarcerations, but really, compared to overall population as time went on, it really isn't. It's quite flat and reasonable, unlike your whackjob radical advocacy charts aren't.

But we know why you look at this. You don't want to be arrested for when you do or sell drugs. Understandable. The loudest advocates for sin are those who wish to profit or partake.

That being said, I do agree the FEDERAL war on drugs should be ended, with all federal drug laws. Every state should be allowed to legalize or criminalize any drug they want. I also believe that in a legalized drug state, I should be allowed the right to discriminate against you for using drugs as well, by denying you residence, service or employment on that ground alone if I so choose. Consequence for your stupidity.

As for creating jobs? Sure, great. Another "health care provider" to be in a public sector union making a union wage unnecessarily. That'll help the nation's productivity.

 

[Bfgrn]

Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.
Edmund Burke

Well that explains nearly every law passed since ohhhhh 2002 in this nation. Glad you recognize it.

And yes, your charts are still bullshit. Less than 1.3% of the US population is incarcerated. Your chart is skewed to make it look like there has been a massive change in incarcerations, but really, compared to overall population as time went on, it really isn't. It's quite flat and reasonable, unlike your whackjob radical advocacy charts aren't.

But we know why you look at this. You don't want to be arrested for when you do or sell drugs. Understandable. The loudest advocates for sin are those who wish to profit or partake.

That being said, I do agree the FEDERAL war on drugs should be ended, with all federal drug laws. Every state should be allowed to legalize or criminalize any drug they want. I also believe that in a legalized drug state, I should be allowed the right to discriminate against you for using drugs as well, by denying you residence, service or employment on that ground alone if I so choose. Consequence for your stupidity.

As for creating jobs? Sure, great. Another "health care provider" to be in a public sector union making a union wage unnecessarily. That'll help the nation's productivity.

You know Big Fitz, You folks on the right really, really anger me. But I will ignore your bullshit accusations about me. The only drug I use is caffeine. I don't even drink alcohol anymore, but when I did, I was a few beers guy. I am going to try restraining my anger and appeal to your human side. I really hope you have one.

This is not an aberration or a bullshit chart. America incarcerates more human beings per 100,000 citizens than ANY nation on the planet...more that Russia or China. THINK about that. This is the United States of America. We pride ourselves on freedom, liberty, the God given right to the pursuit of happiness. Those aren't numbers on a chart, they are human beings, fellow Americans, people from 'We, the People'

Yes..the war on drugs must end. We agree on something. It has become a war on freedom. Too many human lives are being destroyed and sacrificed not because of any harm they did to someone else, but because of harm they did to themselves. NO ONE that uses drugs should be punished for it. They are causing their own self punishment. They need help; counseling and medical.

But drug arrests are not the only problem. We have created too many laws and attached way too stiff penalties to them and instituted policies that turn our criminal justice system into a Chinese finger. We ALL can agree there are people that must be kept locked up and away from society. But it should be for violent crimes and adults that violate children.

This is OUR country. We, the People are the government. We can only change it, and correct things that are wrong if we are willing and able to see it. IMO, too many people on the right are unwilling to question government when it get too punitive. They just brush it off as 'they MUST be guilty', without considering if the laws are guilty of being too punitive. And they never consider that human foibles occur on the law enforcement side as well as the judicial side. But the right always finds excuses for a bad cop or a corrupt judge. Is there anything short of a personal tragic event that will moderate the right's view, make them stop and think? Will personal epiphany only come at the end of a nightstick or a bogus arrest? If THAT is the case, then we will continue down this horrible path of unjustly destroying the lives of fellow Americans.


Overpopulation
Currently the U.S. prison population is over 2.1 million, which is 5-8 times as much as the prison population of any other country in the world. This number has increased six-fold in the past 20-30 years, and will continue to rise unless new laws are passed to better deal with this prisoner population influx and the overcrowding that has resulted.

The prisoner population has increased for a number of reasons, none relating to an increase in crime. In the late 1980s and 1990s a series of laws were passed that became known as the “get tough” movement in the U.S. criminal justice system. Laws pertaining to truth-in-sentencing, longer mandatory minimum sentences, harsher drug crime sentences, three-strikes-your-out policy, restrictions on parole, and an increase of juveniles waived to criminal courts have all contributed to the phenomenon known as ‘mass incarceration.’ According to Marlene Martin, a sociologist, our country makes up 5 percent of the world’s population, but accounts for 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, and more than 40 percent of these prisoners are serving life sentences for a crime other than murder. Our extreme policies are causing problems that states are ill-equipped to solve, and which citizens are unwilling to spend their tax dollars on.
Overpopulation Stateville Speaks: Loyola University Chicago Edition

 

[ConHog]

Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny.
Edmund Burke

Well that explains nearly every law passed since ohhhhh 2002 in this nation. Glad you recognize it.

And yes, your charts are still bullshit. Less than 1.3% of the US population is incarcerated. Your chart is skewed to make it look like there has been a massive change in incarcerations, but really, compared to overall population as time went on, it really isn't. It's quite flat and reasonable, unlike your whackjob radical advocacy charts aren't.

But we know why you look at this. You don't want to be arrested for when you do or sell drugs. Understandable. The loudest advocates for sin are those who wish to profit or partake.

That being said, I do agree the FEDERAL war on drugs should be ended, with all federal drug laws. Every state should be allowed to legalize or criminalize any drug they want. I also believe that in a legalized drug state, I should be allowed the right to discriminate against you for using drugs as well, by denying you residence, service or employment on that ground alone if I so choose. Consequence for your stupidity.

As for creating jobs? Sure, great. Another "health care provider" to be in a public sector union making a union wage unnecessarily. That'll help the nation's productivity.

You know Big Fitz, You folks on the right really, really anger me. But I will ignore your bullshit accusations about me. The only drug I use is caffeine. I don't even drink alcohol anymore, but when I did, I was a few beers guy. I am going to try restraining my anger and appeal to your human side. I really hope you have one.

This is not an aberration or a bullshit chart. America incarcerates more human beings per 100,000 citizens than ANY nation on the planet...more that Russia or China. THINK about that. This is the United States of America. We pride ourselves on freedom, liberty, the God given right to the pursuit of happiness. Those aren't numbers on a chart, they are human beings, fellow Americans, people from 'We, the People'

Yes..the war on drugs must end. We agree on something. It has become a war on freedom. Too many human lives are being destroyed and sacrificed not because of any harm they did to someone else, but because of harm they did to themselves. NO ONE that uses drugs should be punished for it. They are causing their own self punishment. They need help; counseling and medical.

But drug arrests are not the only problem. We have created too many laws and attached way too stiff penalties to them and instituted policies that turn our criminal justice system into a Chinese finger. We ALL can agree there are people that must be kept locked up and away from society. But it should be for violent crimes and adults that violate children.

This is OUR country. We, the People are the government. We can only change it, and correct things that are wrong if we are willing and able to see it. IMO, too many people on the right are unwilling to question government when it get too punitive. They just brush it off as 'they MUST be guilty', without considering if the laws are guilty of being too punitive. And they never consider that human foibles occur on the law enforcement side as well as the judicial side. But the right always finds excuses for a bad cop or a corrupt judge. Is there anything short of a personal tragic event that will moderate the right's view, make them stop and think? Will personal epiphany only come at the end of a nightstick or a bogus arrest? If THAT is the case, then we will continue down this horrible path of unjustly destroying the lives of fellow Americans.


Overpopulation
Currently the U.S. prison population is over 2.1 million, which is 5-8 times as much as the prison population of any other country in the world. This number has increased six-fold in the past 20-30 years, and will continue to rise unless new laws are passed to better deal with this prisoner population influx and the overcrowding that has resulted.

The prisoner population has increased for a number of reasons, none relating to an increase in crime. In the late 1980s and 1990s a series of laws were passed that became known as the “get tough” movement in the U.S. criminal justice system. Laws pertaining to truth-in-sentencing, longer mandatory minimum sentences, harsher drug crime sentences, three-strikes-your-out policy, restrictions on parole, and an increase of juveniles waived to criminal courts have all contributed to the phenomenon known as ‘mass incarceration.’ According to Marlene Martin, a sociologist, our country makes up 5 percent of the world’s population, but accounts for 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, and more than 40 percent of these prisoners are serving life sentences for a crime other than murder. Our extreme policies are causing problems that states are ill-equipped to solve, and which citizens are unwilling to spend their tax dollars on.
Overpopulation Stateville Speaks: Loyola University Chicago Edition

puppycock... Drugs need to remain illegal.

 

[Political Junky]

I propose drug testing banksters that steal money.
Unfortunately, only the poor go to jail in this country.

 

[Bfgrn]

Well that explains nearly every law passed since ohhhhh 2002 in this nation. Glad you recognize it.

And yes, your charts are still bullshit. Less than 1.3% of the US population is incarcerated. Your chart is skewed to make it look like there has been a massive change in incarcerations, but really, compared to overall population as time went on, it really isn't. It's quite flat and reasonable, unlike your whackjob radical advocacy charts aren't.

But we know why you look at this. You don't want to be arrested for when you do or sell drugs. Understandable. The loudest advocates for sin are those who wish to profit or partake.

That being said, I do agree the FEDERAL war on drugs should be ended, with all federal drug laws. Every state should be allowed to legalize or criminalize any drug they want. I also believe that in a legalized drug state, I should be allowed the right to discriminate against you for using drugs as well, by denying you residence, service or employment on that ground alone if I so choose. Consequence for your stupidity.

As for creating jobs? Sure, great. Another "health care provider" to be in a public sector union making a union wage unnecessarily. That'll help the nation's productivity.

You know Big Fitz, You folks on the right really, really anger me. But I will ignore your bullshit accusations about me. The only drug I use is caffeine. I don't even drink alcohol anymore, but when I did, I was a few beers guy. I am going to try restraining my anger and appeal to your human side. I really hope you have one.

This is not an aberration or a bullshit chart. America incarcerates more human beings per 100,000 citizens than ANY nation on the planet...more that Russia or China. THINK about that. This is the United States of America. We pride ourselves on freedom, liberty, the God given right to the pursuit of happiness. Those aren't numbers on a chart, they are human beings, fellow Americans, people from 'We, the People'

Yes..the war on drugs must end. We agree on something. It has become a war on freedom. Too many human lives are being destroyed and sacrificed not because of any harm they did to someone else, but because of harm they did to themselves. NO ONE that uses drugs should be punished for it. They are causing their own self punishment. They need help; counseling and medical.

But drug arrests are not the only problem. We have created too many laws and attached way too stiff penalties to them and instituted policies that turn our criminal justice system into a Chinese finger. We ALL can agree there are people that must be kept locked up and away from society. But it should be for violent crimes and adults that violate children.

This is OUR country. We, the People are the government. We can only change it, and correct things that are wrong if we are willing and able to see it. IMO, too many people on the right are unwilling to question government when it get too punitive. They just brush it off as 'they MUST be guilty', without considering if the laws are guilty of being too punitive. And they never consider that human foibles occur on the law enforcement side as well as the judicial side. But the right always finds excuses for a bad cop or a corrupt judge. Is there anything short of a personal tragic event that will moderate the right's view, make them stop and think? Will personal epiphany only come at the end of a nightstick or a bogus arrest? If THAT is the case, then we will continue down this horrible path of unjustly destroying the lives of fellow Americans.


Overpopulation
Currently the U.S. prison population is over 2.1 million, which is 5-8 times as much as the prison population of any other country in the world. This number has increased six-fold in the past 20-30 years, and will continue to rise unless new laws are passed to better deal with this prisoner population influx and the overcrowding that has resulted.

The prisoner population has increased for a number of reasons, none relating to an increase in crime. In the late 1980s and 1990s a series of laws were passed that became known as the “get tough” movement in the U.S. criminal justice system. Laws pertaining to truth-in-sentencing, longer mandatory minimum sentences, harsher drug crime sentences, three-strikes-your-out policy, restrictions on parole, and an increase of juveniles waived to criminal courts have all contributed to the phenomenon known as ‘mass incarceration.’ According to Marlene Martin, a sociologist, our country makes up 5 percent of the world’s population, but accounts for 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, and more than 40 percent of these prisoners are serving life sentences for a crime other than murder. Our extreme policies are causing problems that states are ill-equipped to solve, and which citizens are unwilling to spend their tax dollars on.
Overpopulation Stateville Speaks: Loyola University Chicago Edition

puppycock... Drugs need to remain illegal.

You are nothing but mindless a right wing scum bag. Hey asshole, do you know there is only ONE drug where a human being can DIE just from withdrawal? Look it up! It's the same one that kills more Americans that any other. Look it up!

 

[del]

You know Big Fitz, You folks on the right really, really anger me. But I will ignore your bullshit accusations about me. The only drug I use is caffeine. I don't even drink alcohol anymore, but when I did, I was a few beers guy. I am going to try restraining my anger and appeal to your human side. I really hope you have one.

This is not an aberration or a bullshit chart. America incarcerates more human beings per 100,000 citizens than ANY nation on the planet...more that Russia or China. THINK about that. This is the United States of America. We pride ourselves on freedom, liberty, the God given right to the pursuit of happiness. Those aren't numbers on a chart, they are human beings, fellow Americans, people from 'We, the People'

Yes..the war on drugs must end. We agree on something. It has become a war on freedom. Too many human lives are being destroyed and sacrificed not because of any harm they did to someone else, but because of harm they did to themselves. NO ONE that uses drugs should be punished for it. They are causing their own self punishment. They need help; counseling and medical.

But drug arrests are not the only problem. We have created too many laws and attached way too stiff penalties to them and instituted policies that turn our criminal justice system into a Chinese finger. We ALL can agree there are people that must be kept locked up and away from society. But it should be for violent crimes and adults that violate children.

This is OUR country. We, the People are the government. We can only change it, and correct things that are wrong if we are willing and able to see it. IMO, too many people on the right are unwilling to question government when it get too punitive. They just brush it off as 'they MUST be guilty', without considering if the laws are guilty of being too punitive. And they never consider that human foibles occur on the law enforcement side as well as the judicial side. But the right always finds excuses for a bad cop or a corrupt judge. Is there anything short of a personal tragic event that will moderate the right's view, make them stop and think? Will personal epiphany only come at the end of a nightstick or a bogus arrest? If THAT is the case, then we will continue down this horrible path of unjustly destroying the lives of fellow Americans.


Overpopulation
Currently the U.S. prison population is over 2.1 million, which is 5-8 times as much as the prison population of any other country in the world. This number has increased six-fold in the past 20-30 years, and will continue to rise unless new laws are passed to better deal with this prisoner population influx and the overcrowding that has resulted.

The prisoner population has increased for a number of reasons, none relating to an increase in crime. In the late 1980s and 1990s a series of laws were passed that became known as the “get tough” movement in the U.S. criminal justice system. Laws pertaining to truth-in-sentencing, longer mandatory minimum sentences, harsher drug crime sentences, three-strikes-your-out policy, restrictions on parole, and an increase of juveniles waived to criminal courts have all contributed to the phenomenon known as ‘mass incarceration.’ According to Marlene Martin, a sociologist, our country makes up 5 percent of the world’s population, but accounts for 25 percent of the world’s prisoners, and more than 40 percent of these prisoners are serving life sentences for a crime other than murder. Our extreme policies are causing problems that states are ill-equipped to solve, and which citizens are unwilling to spend their tax dollars on.
Overpopulation Stateville Speaks: Loyola University Chicago Edition

puppycock... Drugs need to remain illegal.

You are nothing but mindless a right wing scum bag. Hey asshole, do you know there is only ONE drug where a human being can DIE just from withdrawal? Look it up! It's the same one that kills more Americans that any other. Look it up!

actually, there are two.