Clinton calls for change on drug sentencing

[struggle4progress]

PHILADELPHIA — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton would eliminate the federal mandatory five-year sentence for crack-cocaine users as part of a $4 billion-a-year anti-crime initiative designed, in part, to steer many nonviolent offenders away from prison ... Clinton said she would pay for the $4 billion initiative through a commission she will assign to "identify unnecessary and outdated corporate subsidies for elimination" ... http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004343832_campdig12.html

Related GD:P threads:

Hillary Clinton: Sad that Bush finds billions for Iraq, but cuts police funding here at home
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=5460396

Clinton outlines $4 billion anti-crime plan-in Philadelphia
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=5455489

[flor de jasmim]

1. Did she misspeak?

Clinton said she would pay for the $4 billion initiative through a commission she will assign to "identify unnecessary and outdated corporate subsidies for elimination." Critics of deficit spending generally urge campaigns to be more specific in saying how they will pay for programs.

This means that some corporate subsidies (perhaps the majority?) are NOT unnecessary or outdated. Hmmmm.....

[rodeodance]

3. silly--she is paying for her new program. Where is Obama's?

[cali]

6. silly little dancer

Hillary is late on this and just copying Obama. He proposed this ages ago. Try to keep up.

[rodeodance]

9. please do not mock my screen name--

[cali]

10. I'm just taking a page from YOU

call people silly, don't complain when you get it back with interest.

[rodeodance]

12. My point was my screen name

[indimuse]

7. don't worry Mr 'Copycat'...will

or shall I say Axelrod will roll one out shortly...

[indimuse]

8. K&R!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cali]

11. Sorry, Hillary Dearest is simply copying Obama.

Duh. He's been calling for this for years.

[Window]

13. Senator Obama already has one. Late AGAIN to the party.

[Asgaya Dihi]

2. Eliminating that would be good

No, it would be great actually. Other parts of what I read about it still disturb me though. Make punishment for parole violations more certain? That one bugs me. A serious violation sure, but parole is sometimes so restrictive that it's almost impossible to comply. For instance they might insist that you're employed but it can be almost impossible to get a job with a record and they might have to go outside an allowed area to get that work. Given time they might get an exception but they are in the meantime in violation for either waiting for approval without the job or in getting the job and going outside the allowed area. That's a violation, but one that should be ignored. Whole system needs an overhaul before we even talk about anything related to "tough", tough is why we're already the most imprisoned nation in the world today.

Some quick info on what it's like to try to survive straight out of prison, a documentary by American Radioworks called "Hard Time: Life After Prison". When we've dealt with this stuff so they have a decent chance of surviving while following the rules maybe we can talk tough again, but for now we've already been plenty tough and not half smart enough. http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/hardtime/

[rodeodance]

4. REC

[rodeodance]

5. Glad to see her proposal is getting wide coverage. She announced it PA