John McCain: We Must Stop Coddling Criminals

John McCain gets all 1983 on us with a get-tough-on-crime speech:

Lax enforcement policies, judges who legislate from the bench and lack of support for law enforcement personnel all continue to force our innocent citizens behind the barred windows of their homes and allow criminals to roam free.

And now drugs are bringing waves of crime and organized gang activity to rural areas thought to be nearly immune from such problems. The federal government must both support state and local law enforcement and effectively enforce federal laws designed to root out violent crime, organized gangs and other interstate criminal activity.

[…]

I will appoint judges who will hold criminals accountable.

Huh. You'd never know from such speechifying that a record 1 in 100 Americans is behind bars today, including 400,000 for nonviolent drug crimes. Or that prosecutors win convictions in 90-95 percent of their cases. The "judges are letting criminals off on a technicality" line is a canard.

Unfortunately, Obama is no better on criminal justice policy.

Comments

[Warren]

And now drugs are bringing waves of crime and organized gang activity to rural areas thought to be nearly immune from such problems.

And that would be because drugs are illegal and the zealous efforts by law enforcement to "effectively enforce federal laws designed to root out violent crime, organized gangs and other interstate criminal activity". You giant douche!

[libertymike]

Those that shout the loudest for get tough on crime measures are usually members or beneficiaries of the Federal Mafia.

[Jack]

Have "judges who legislate from the bench" or "judicial activism" ever meant anything other than "Judges who don't rule how I want them to" to an elected politician? They're mystery concepts that lose all real world meaning in office, like federalism!

[joe]

The hell?

What's he going for here? Fear of crime as a campaign issue, in 2008?

Why is he doing this for the first time a week before the election?

[BDB]

Isn't crime still dropping, and hasn't it been since around 1991?

[BDB]

It's like the Hollywood attack, joe.

Crime-welfare-liberal-Hollywood worked in 1988, so why not 2008?

[joe]

Were they doing "Hollywood" in 1988?

"Hollywood Mike Dukakis" just doesn't ring any bells.

[BDB]

Didn't Dan Quayle rail against "Hollywood"? Or was that 1992?

[Mo]

Note to McCain: Just because you're running a Dukakis-like campaign, does not mean people care about the issues they cared about during the Dukakis campaign. What's next, denouncing the gender bending members of Culture Club?

[Abdul]

No politician ever lost a vote by over-brutalizing criminals.

[Citizen Nothing]

Boy George or George W.
You make the call.

[Registered Sex Offender]

Thanks to activist judges in my state, I'll be dressing up as one of the Jonas Brothers for Halloween.

[Jim Anderson]

I'm not sure how it affects your point, but it's worth noting that those 90-95% of convictions are secured through plea bargains.

[Mo]

Jim
Jury conviction rates are over 80%.

[joe]

And how 'bout that Murphy Brown?

She shouldn't be having a baby without a man.

Get off my lawn!

[SIV]

Clicking on Radley's Slate link indicates "street level" drug dealers should be voting for the GOP!

[Reinmoose]

mmmmmm... canard...

oh la la la la la la la la

[BDB]

SIV, didn't you get that GOP Robocall form Rudy Giuliani?

I did the other night. He wanted to let me know Barack Obama opposes mandatory prison sentences for drug dealers.

[Balloon Maker]

But now crime is happening in rural areas, meaning the REAL America. It's not just the fags and coloreds killing each other anymore.

[J sub D]

Lax enforcement policies, judges who legislate from the bench and lack of support for law enforcement personnel all continue to force our innocent citizens behind the barred windows of their homes and allow criminals to roam free.

Really? According to the Justice Department On June 30, 2007, 2,299,116 prisoners were held in federal or state prisons or in local jails - an increase of 1.8% from yearend 2006, less than the average annual growth of 2.6% from 2000-2006.

At midyear 2007 there were 4,618 black male sentenced prisoners per 100,000 black males in the United States, [a mere 4.6 % of that demographic]

And now drugs are prohibition is bringing waves of crime and organized gang activity to rural areas thought to be nearly immune from such problems.

Fixed that for ya Senator.

McCain is making Bob Dole and Michael Dukakis look like brilliant campaigners.

[SIV]

SIV, didn't you get that GOP Robocall form Rudy Giuliani?

Not in GA !

If you read Balko's link it says Obama supports Federal law enforcement grants to local cops that reward quantity of arrests over "quality". The GOP opposes them and has been phasing them out.

[J sub D]

SIV, didn't you get that GOP Robocall form Rudy Giuliani?

I did the other night. He wanted to let me know Barack Obama opposes mandatory prison sentences for drug dealers.

Is that allegation true (linky-link please)? If so my estimation of Obama goes up. Full disclosure = I used to be a "drug dealer". Never really made shit, but I toked for free.

[phalkor]

Another words, meth is awesome a great example of how people (despite geography or relative urbanism) will continually develop harmful and exciting ways to get high.

Actually, I think that the somewhat depressing an remote nature of rural America (especially during the colder months) encourages the binge consumption of alcohol and other intoxicants.

Well I can sleep well at night knowing my an evil drug dealer is safely behind bars.

[NotThatDavid]

J sub D: He opposes mandatory minimums, and so, the argument goes, wants judges to be able to sentence drug dealers to five seconds of probation.

[J sub D]

SWAT teams and paramilitary tactics "play an important role in community policing strategies."

Nothing say community involvement like body armored people dressed in black tossing concussion grenades and knocking down doors in the wee hours of the morning based on the word of some confidential informant low-life addict.

[PicassoIII]

SIV wrote:
"Obama supports Federal law enforcement grants to local cops that reward quantity of arrests over 'quality'. The GOP opposes them and has been phasing them out."

Somebody should tell Bloomberg that...

[BakedPenguin]

Boy George or George W.
You make the call.

I'd have to say, Boy George probably would be a bit less of a drug warrior than Dubya. But you never know - former addicts can be real assholes about the subject.

[SIV]

Who had overwhelming control of Congress when they passed those mandatory minimums?

[SIV]

Somebody should tell Bloomberg that...

Is Bloomberg still a "Republican"?
On anything other than the NYC Mayoral ballot?

[Pain]

John McCain is just worried that people are getting off on technicalities.

You know like the 4th Amendment.

[Balloon Maker]

But Pain,
McCain is in favor of judges who strictly enforce the constitution. How many times does he have to say it before it's true?

[joe]

John McCain hates it when judges let defendants off on technicalities, so he's going to appoint judges who adhere strictly to the constitution.

Also, SWAT teams are an important part of a community policing strategy.

Is this performance art? Some sort of brilliant meta-commentary?

[SugarFree]

Is this performance art? Some sort of brilliant meta-commentary?

Never subscribe to creativity that which can more easily be explained by a micro-stroke.

[Hugh Akston]

What's he going for here? Fear of crime as a campaign issue, in 2008?

I received a mailer this week informing me that only Republicans are strong enough to fight the war on terror, while Democrats want to meet with foreign leaders without precondition, and surrender in Iraq.

Fear is the only thing the GOP has left.

[the innominate one]

Unfortunately, Obama is no better on criminal justice policy.

reason's shilling for Obama again, I see

[Mo]

Fear is the only thing the GOP has left.

Ever since Nixon, it's been all they've had. In the 80s it was crime and the commies. Now it's the WoT. At least Reagan fixed the tax code in the process.

Though, to their credit, fear wins lots of elections. The Dems do the same thing, fear of not being able to pay medical bills, fear of being illegally arrested, fear of someone being richer than you, etc.

[Bill]

I agree with McCain. I know of one drug addict who stole from a charity to support her habit. I hope that McCain sees that that bitch is locked up for a long time.

[8]

Oh, SNAP!

[R C Dean]

I will appoint judges who will hold criminals accountable.

I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Authoritarian asshole.

[PicassoIII]

SIV wrote
Is Bloomberg still a "Republican"?

Pro war, patriot act, free trade, school vouchers, and anti drugs, etc. would all be R views, so, sorta. But, then he's pro choice, gay marriage, gov health, anti gun and likes taxes.
He 'charts' as Nolan moderate libertarian liberal. *shakes head*
Much of that doesn't matter at the city level, but there's where he can be quite an authoritarianprick.
Drugs, food, maternity leave (pre mayor) makes NYC as unappealing as Chicago.
Oh, he was recently in Germany accepting an award for his anti-tobacco work. Said something about how smokers are 'weak'. For all his faults, Daley II is a little more understanding concerning our more 'visceral' desires, barely.
If i ever move for 'even money' it will be to SE coast/FL, New Orleans or Las Vegas. I must be paid big bucks (on top of location COL adjustment) to go to a 'nanny' city.

SIV wrote
On anything other than the NYC Mayoral ballot?'

Question...
Would a 'republican' change a 'constitution' to bypass term limits as Bloomberg just did?

Bonus question...
Can one run a big US city, both be effective and not a tyrant?

[Doc]

If you vote, you can't complain!
http://halebobb.com/Patriot/vote.htm