My man Sen. Jim Webb and most-likely-soon-to-be-former Sen. Arlen Specter have teamed up to address one of our country's most unpopular, yet dire problems: our criminal justice system.As Webb explains:
"America's criminal justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a
national disgrace," said Senator Webb. "With five percent of the world's
population, our country houses twenty-five percent of the world's prison
population. Incarcerated drug offenders have soared 1200% since 1980. And four
times as many mentally ill people are in prisons than in mental health
hospitals. We should be devoting precious law enforcement capabilities toward
making our communities safer. Our neighborhoods are at risk from gang violence,
including transnational gang violence. There is great appreciation from most in
this country that we are doing something drastically wrong. And, I am gratified
that Senator Specter has joined me as the lead Republican cosponsor of this
effort. We are committed to getting this legislation passed and enacted into law
this year."
On a related note, if there is one area President Obama has disappointed me in, it was his flippant response to a question about the potential legalization of marijuana. Seriously...this is a subject who's time has come. Legalize it and Tax it. It is a win-win. We cut huge costs in enforcement, prosecuting and housing people criminalized for weed charges. And we bring in new revenue.
As my man Wooderson said, "Got any weed? It'd be a lot cooler if you did..."
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