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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Dems, stop lying to yourselves about Hillary: Sure, she “gets s*** done” — atrocious s***, that is [View all]thesquanderer
(11,986 posts)63. Yes, that Clinton bill was a mess.
But does anyone seriously doubt Sanders' positions on criminal justice?
Here is what he actually said in 1994 when debating the bill in question, from
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/8/8/1410122/-Senator-Sanders-remarks-on-1994-Crime-Bill
Mr. Speaker, how do we talk about the very serious crime problem in America without mentioning that we have the highest rate of childhood poverty in the industrialized world, by far, with 22 percent of our children in poverty and 5 million who are hungry today? Do the Members think maybe that might have some relationship to crime? How do we talk about crime when this Congress is prepared, this year, to spend 11 times more for the military than for education; when 21 percent of our kids drop out of high school; when a recent study told us that twice as many young workers now earn poverty wages as 10 years ago; when the gap between the rich and the poor is wider, and when the rate of poverty continues to grow? Do the members think that might have some relationship to crime?
Mr. Speaker, it is my firm belief that clearly, there are some people in our society who are horribly violent, who are deeply sick and sociopathic, and clearly these people must be put behind bars in order to protect society from them. But it is also my view that through the neglect of our Government and through a grossly irrational set of priorities, we are dooming tens of millions of young people to a future of bitterness, misery, hopelessness, drugs, crime, and violence. And Mr. Speaker, all the jails in the world, and we already imprison more people per capita than any other country, and all of the executions in the world, will not make that situation right. We can either educate or electrocute. We can create meaningful jobs, rebuilding our society, or we can build more jails. Mr. Speaker, let us create a society of hope and compassion, not one of hate and vengeance.
Mr. Speaker, it is my firm belief that clearly, there are some people in our society who are horribly violent, who are deeply sick and sociopathic, and clearly these people must be put behind bars in order to protect society from them. But it is also my view that through the neglect of our Government and through a grossly irrational set of priorities, we are dooming tens of millions of young people to a future of bitterness, misery, hopelessness, drugs, crime, and violence. And Mr. Speaker, all the jails in the world, and we already imprison more people per capita than any other country, and all of the executions in the world, will not make that situation right. We can either educate or electrocute. We can create meaningful jobs, rebuilding our society, or we can build more jails. Mr. Speaker, let us create a society of hope and compassion, not one of hate and vengeance.
And in terms of the current campaign, the following is from https://berniesanders.com/issues/racial-justice/
It is morally repugnant that we have privatized prisons all over America. Corporations should not be allowed to make a profit by building more jails and keeping more Americans behind bars. We have got to end the private for-profit prison racket in America. Earlier this year, Sen. Sanders introduced legislation that will end the private prison industry.
The measure of success for law enforcement should not be how many people get locked up. We need to invest in drug courts as well as medical and mental health interventions for people with substance abuse problems, so that people struggling with addiction do not end up in prison, they end up in treatment.
For people who have committed crimes that have landed them in jail, there needs to be a path back from prison. The federal system of parole needs to be reinstated. We need real education and real skills training for the incarcerated.
We must end the over-incarceration of nonviolent young Americans who do not pose a serious threat to our society. It is an international embarrassment that we have more people locked up in jail than any other country on earth more than even the Communist totalitarian state of China. That has got to end.
We must address the lingering unjust stereotypes that lead to the labeling of black youths as thugs and super predators. We know the truth that, like every community in this country, the vast majority of people of color are trying to work hard, play by the rules and raise their children. Its time to stop demonizing minority communities.
The measure of success for law enforcement should not be how many people get locked up. We need to invest in drug courts as well as medical and mental health interventions for people with substance abuse problems, so that people struggling with addiction do not end up in prison, they end up in treatment.
For people who have committed crimes that have landed them in jail, there needs to be a path back from prison. The federal system of parole needs to be reinstated. We need real education and real skills training for the incarcerated.
We must end the over-incarceration of nonviolent young Americans who do not pose a serious threat to our society. It is an international embarrassment that we have more people locked up in jail than any other country on earth more than even the Communist totalitarian state of China. That has got to end.
We must address the lingering unjust stereotypes that lead to the labeling of black youths as thugs and super predators. We know the truth that, like every community in this country, the vast majority of people of color are trying to work hard, play by the rules and raise their children. Its time to stop demonizing minority communities.
Really, unlike Hillary, he was saying the same thing then as he is now. The problem again is that, at a certain point, a congressman can't just pick and choose the pieces of legislation he likes, it's all or none.
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Dems, stop lying to yourselves about Hillary: Sure, she “gets s*** done” — atrocious s***, that is [View all]
cali
Feb 2016
OP
That Clinton crime bill also included an assault weapons ban and the Violence Against Women act.
thesquanderer
Feb 2016
#55
I know that a certain Senator votes YES on funding those millitary supplies every time.
bravenak
Feb 2016
#26
Waas a "Yes" vote on the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, too ...
1StrongBlackMan
Feb 2016
#11
That was lumped into an omnibus spending bill at the last minute after last minute modifications.
JonLeibowitz
Feb 2016
#39
I guess it depends on whether he was more for the the spending bill than he was
1StrongBlackMan
Feb 2016
#43
I was referring to the CfMA. I don't know enough about the crime bill to comment.
JonLeibowitz
Feb 2016
#65
I do not hold Bill Clinton blameless for, either, the CFMA nor the Crime Bill ...
1StrongBlackMan
Feb 2016
#74
Understood. That's a fine position. I am unsure of how to approach the issue.
JonLeibowitz
Feb 2016
#76
It was not the crime bill that was rolled into the omnibus spending bill, it was the CFMA.
thesquanderer
Feb 2016
#66
How Sanders came to support Bill Clinton's Commodity Futures Modernization Act
thesquanderer
Feb 2016
#48
So now you're back to advocating Sanders vote against the Violence Against Women Act.
jeff47
Feb 2016
#88