Obama commutes prison sentences of 214 Drug Offenders

[ogibillm]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine. This story is alarming when you consider the level of lawlessness that is already on the streets of America.

.

Crime is down across most of the United States. I.e. the level of 'lawlessness' has fallen.

Crack cocaine offenders had arbitrarily higher prison terms than cocaine users. Why? For no apparent reason.

there was a reason. crack was a street drug used by poor minorities. cocaine is used by affluent white people

Oh, the it's because they're black bullshit excuse.

It's reality. they are the same drug in different forms.
rhe only difference is what groups were using which drug

 

[MikeK]

I don't know anything about chemistry but it isn't difficult to see that crack cocaine users are given to violence. The study (posted on this thread) revealed 97% or more users had admitted to acts of violence. That alone tells us that commuting the sentences of such people was not a wise decision. Send them to a drug rehab but don't release them into society without treatment / counseling.

The rate of offenders whose violent acts occurred while under the influence of freebase ("crack") cocaine doesn't come close to the rate of those who became violent after using beverage alcohol. Without bothering to research the numbers I would estimate a probable 100 (alcohol) to 1 (crack) ratio. But if you choose to research it I suggest you start with domestic abuse statistics.

Big surprise. Alcohol is cheaper, more socially acceptable, and much easier to obtain.

But how does violent alcohol abusers make violent crack abusers not violent?

Who said they did?

You potheads keep pushing the inane meme that as long as people do bad things with alcohol, drugs should be given a pass. The key is to punish all bad behavior no matter what the agent of influence, but after spending millions of dollars and taking years to lock up many of these dangerous people, President Chimp comes along and springs them.

First, what is a "pothead?"

Back in 1920 our government decided to pass a law against drinking alcohol. That law was called Prohibition. It remained in effect for thirteen years, during which time it fostered the rise of several major criminal organizations. It created a black market in which all sorts of poisonous bootleg concoctions, widely known as "bathtub booze," caused the death and illness of millions. In spite of the fact that the cost of enforcing alcohol Prohibition was enormous and created a number of major problems it did absolutely nothing to reduce the availability and the use of beverage alcohol. The Prohibition Act gave new meaning to the word, counterproductive.

Sound familiar? Too bad we didn't learn anything from that tragically wasteful mistake.

 

[Conservative65]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine. This story is alarming when you consider the level of lawlessness that is already on the streets of America.

.

Crime is down across most of the United States. I.e. the level of 'lawlessness' has fallen.

Crack cocaine offenders had arbitrarily higher prison terms than cocaine users. Why? For no apparent reason.

there was a reason. crack was a street drug used by poor minorities. cocaine is used by affluent white people

Oh, the it's because they're black bullshit excuse.

It's reality. they are the same drug in different forms.
rhe only difference is what groups were using which drug

The reality is you used the typical it's because they're black excuse.

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

 

[ogibillm]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine. This story is alarming when you consider the level of lawlessness that is already on the streets of America.

.

Crime is down across most of the United States. I.e. the level of 'lawlessness' has fallen.

Crack cocaine offenders had arbitrarily higher prison terms than cocaine users. Why? For no apparent reason.

there was a reason. crack was a street drug used by poor minorities. cocaine is used by affluent white people

Oh, the it's because they're black bullshit excuse.

It's reality. they are the same drug in different forms.
rhe only difference is what groups were using which drug

The reality is you used the typical it's because they're black excuse.

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

absolutely. is there any reason it shouldn't be?

 

[MikeK]

There's an easy solution for that. Don't commit the crime.

The heart of this enormous problem resides in the distorted concept of what is and is not a "crime."

To the rational, reasoning mind a crime is any deliberate action which causes harm to others. While there are certain circumstances within which the use of a recreational drug could qualify as harmful to other than the user, this is not so in the overwhelming majority of examples. In spite of its amazing technological sophistication the disposition of most modern societies toward the use of recreational drugs closely resembles the disposition of medieval societies toward witchcraft and black magic.

 

[Anathema]

Sound familiar? Too bad we didn't learn anything from that tragically wasteful mistake.

Yep. Too bad we failed to learn the lesson.... don't arrest moral criminals, try them and incarcerate them. Instead, simply execute them on the spot and save all the trouble.

 

[MikeK]

[...]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

Why should there be punishment for the use of either substance? What constructive purpose has the practice of punishing recreational drug users served? Has it reduced availability of the substances? Has it reduced the number of users? Or has it simply replicated the negative effects brought about by the Prohibition of beverage alcohol?

 

[Rocko]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

Crack dealers are of the lowest common denominator. We are all better off when these people are locked up.

 

[ClosedCaption]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine.

Obama commutes prison sentences of 214 drug offenders

Is there a racial demographic on the 214?

Of course it is...read the last sentence:
For years crack offenders faced stiffer penalties than offenders of powder cocaine, even though the substances are similar on a molecular level. Critics have said the disparity has unfairly harmed minority and poor communities.

 

[ClosedCaption]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

Crack dealers are of the lowest common denominator. We are all better off when these people are locked up.

Meth

 

[Conservative65]

Crime is down across most of the United States. I.e. the level of 'lawlessness' has fallen.

Crack cocaine offenders had arbitrarily higher prison terms than cocaine users. Why? For no apparent reason.

there was a reason. crack was a street drug used by poor minorities. cocaine is used by affluent white people

Oh, the it's because they're black bullshit excuse.

It's reality. they are the same drug in different forms.
rhe only difference is what groups were using which drug

The reality is you used the typical it's because they're black excuse.

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

absolutely. is there any reason it shouldn't be?

There are factors totally unrelated to what it is that can affect sentencing making one longer and one shorter, race not having anything to do with it.

Let's test your statement for consistency related to the part about it being the same thing in a different form but with guns.

An AR-15 and a small caliber handgun are both guns. Shouldn't an individual be able to own both if they choose?

 

[Rocko]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

Crack dealers are of the lowest common denominator. We are all better off when these people are locked up.

Meth

We are in agreement. The government should get them off the streets as well.

 

[ClosedCaption]

there was a reason. crack was a street drug used by poor minorities. cocaine is used by affluent white people

Oh, the it's because they're black bullshit excuse.

It's reality. they are the same drug in different forms.
rhe only difference is what groups were using which drug

The reality is you used the typical it's because they're black excuse.

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

absolutely. is there any reason it shouldn't be?

There are factors totally unrelated to what it is that can affect sentencing making one longer and one shorter, race not having anything to do with it.

Does this response come with a decoder ring to find out what the factors are?

 

[ClosedCaption]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

Crack dealers are of the lowest common denominator. We are all better off when these people are locked up.

Meth

We are in agreement. The government should get them off the streets as well.

There can only be one lowest

 

[Rocko]

Non-violent drug offenses should not land you in jail.

Crack dealers are of the lowest common denominator. We are all better off when these people are locked up.

Meth

We are in agreement. The government should get them off the streets as well.

There can only be one lowest

Learn to read. I said of the lowest, and that includes anyone who sells the kind of drugs that ruin lives.

 

[Conservative65]

There's an easy solution for that. Don't commit the crime.

The heart of this enormous problem resides in the distorted concept of what is and is not a "crime."

To the rational, reasoning mind a crime is any deliberate action which causes harm to others. While there are certain circumstances within which the use of a recreational drug could qualify as harmful to other than the user, this is not so in the overwhelming majority of examples. In spite of its amazing technological sophistication the disposition of most modern societies toward the use of recreational drugs closely resembles the disposition of medieval societies toward witchcraft and black magic.

A crime is any action, deliberate or not where the person did something he/she shouldn't have done or didn't do something they should have done. Intent or unknown can make a difference in the extent of sentencing/punishment but it doesn't change that is was a crime.

Are you saying drunk driving, as an action, isn't a crime?

 

[Conservative65]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine.

Obama commutes prison sentences of 214 drug offenders

Is there a racial demographic on the 214?

Of course it is...read the last sentence:
For years crack offenders faced stiffer penalties than offenders of powder cocaine, even though the substances are similar on a molecular level. Critics have said the disparity has unfairly harmed minority and poor communities.

Critics? You mean those who want to use the it's only because they're black excuse?

 

[Conservative65]

[...]

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

Why should there be punishment for the use of either substance? What constructive purpose has the practice of punishing recreational drug users served? Has it reduced availability of the substances? Has it reduced the number of users? Or has it simply replicated the negative effects brought about by the Prohibition of beverage alcohol?

Oh, one of those legalize all drugs idiots.

 

[Conservative65]

Oh, the it's because they're black bullshit excuse.

It's reality. they are the same drug in different forms.
rhe only difference is what groups were using which drug

The reality is you used the typical it's because they're black excuse.

Are you saying the punishment should be the same for both crack and powder cocaine?

absolutely. is there any reason it shouldn't be?

There are factors totally unrelated to what it is that can affect sentencing making one longer and one shorter, race not having anything to do with it.

Does this response come with a decoder ring to find out what the factors are?

Common sense should tell you. Since you have to ask, I'll take it as you have none.

 

[ClosedCaption]

Breaking story: He just commuted the prison sentences of 214 drug offenders. Many were in prison for crack cocaine.

Obama commutes prison sentences of 214 drug offenders

Is there a racial demographic on the 214?

Of course it is...read the last sentence:
For years crack offenders faced stiffer penalties than offenders of powder cocaine, even though the substances are similar on a molecular level. Critics have said the disparity has unfairly harmed minority and poor communities.

Critics? You mean those who want to use the it's only because they're black excuse?

It harmed minority and poor communities. So of course you think that means only blacks.