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Part 21 of the "Incarcerated American" series will be to focus on recent big news concerning U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's plan to reduce prison population and reform mandatory drug sentencing, etc. But first to try to simplify this, asking the reader to take a look at the top photo for which is from a California facility, notice how the bunk bed's are not standard of 2 bunk's also, but 3 deep bunk's, now look at the space/ size of these quarter's, notice as well that the day room facilities, bedding, eating/ chow/ cafeteria, shower's, etc ... are all within this limited space ... now imagine that if it is a corporate ran facility, how much money this make's off tax payer's at roughly $40,000 a year per prisoner, and prison personel making a few bucks an hour above the federal minimum wage in many cases ... okay? ... with me so far? Now ask yourself ... with a corporate lobby this strong to be able to reform and redesign prison/ incarceration to this type housing and capacity, and those corporation's pumping million's annually into your political representation, along with drafting the legislation through their attorneyz, how would you expect much "change" in any reasonable time frame?
The reason I wanted to highlight this move is because it is a move that is past due, and really got the media's all hyped for a bit, and because I was listening to Holder's speech on C-Span (Sirius XM radio) live and the after responses from folk's calling in ... many praising of course Atty Holder and the Obama Administration ... even some with tear's of joy, several folk's that were in their 60's and 70's that have/ had loved one's or themselves been incarcerated for long length's with almost tear's of joy, saying God Bless Holder and Obama, and how long they waited for this, in a way it broke my heart listening to these folk's with their hope on a rope over the dope issue's especially, so I was so inspired by THEM and the various media twist's to do this posting. It certainly was a big boost politically for our President and even had long time right winger's like Rand Paul in support listening to him in the past, and many on the right ... so it was a boost even for both these polarizing side's, which of course is positive and show's some bipartisanship, etc, etc. But also this is in such a needed time, especially when you are seeing more and more even the two parties dividing from within themselves, American's confidence in overall representation, Congress, etc is at nearly an all time low, and American's basically just fed up with the pre- paid politic's in this bloody nation ... so the timing is perfect too.
So why this hesitation and pessimism by me on this? Simply because the same I had on Health Care Reform and the public option which also was a great proposal getting through, but of course not likely, only with a twist to milk billion's more some way, or how election's and the shaft's would come starting 2013 or a number of the other related issue's that I point out throughout this journal and paint a picture and blueprint of what the likely outcome would/ will be, so I am not focusing on pessimism, but the reality and what WILL happen basically, okay? In fact I am optimistic and confident as a person as well, and not likely to fold on much, period. What reform is truely needed more than anything in America is simply the political and lobby reform, clear this up, and our BIGGEST problemo's start to bury themselves, and may as well, since what they dont see, is they are all digging their own grave's anywayz.
First I chose Cenk of TYT to do the opening video post out of many I seen, because most were nonsensical and endless right/ wrong debate over nothing, then some newsread linked, then some input from myself on this after. The posting's title was partly inspired by the classic 1988 song by Public Enemy "Dont Believe The Hype" since it's lyric's were most fitting as well.
Harsh US Drug Laws To Change, Says Eric Holder ... Thanx to THE YOUNG TURKS
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***** THE TELEGRAPH/ WORLD: Eric Holder lays out plan to reform US drugs laws and cut prison population
***** WASHINGTON POST/ NATIONAL SECURITY: Holder seeks to avert mandatory minimum sentences for some low- level drug offenders
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First of all what, the proposal/ plan, etc is great and past due ... but also when I say it break's my heart listening to so many respond to this as if were finally there and free at last ... I have to frankly write about this, because I know so many like so many other American's who have familia, friend's, neighbour's, etc doing unjust sentences for basically nothing. I mean if you pause and look around these dayz, every bloody thing is a crime and every time you blink your eyes during a stop and frisk or similar, your resisting officer's, etc ... in fact the ONLY one's who are not criminal violator's in America are basically lawmaker's/ politician's, and corporate CEO's, Catholic priest's, or anyone else that has input on drafting law's/ legislation or has significant clout in our communities, or at least they would have to really do something very hard and obvious with mega public outcry to even be looked at. Today Jesse Jackson, Jr got a couple year's in prison for his openly admitted action's, I dont expect the former rep to do any hard time of course (certainly not like in a state facility like the above photo, or any work/ labour detail, etc, like the rest of us), and my guess is that he will appeal, listening to his dad saying that he has a "bipolar" disorder ... and that is sad to have such a disorder that make's you go out and buy thing's like gold plated Rolex watches and other luxuries at the expense of campaign donation's ... imagine that! {: )
Holder's plan is great as far as the listen, applause, etc, and any part that actually goes into effect would be most likely a positive ... but also listening to the whole thing/ speech could be also very vague looking at the condition. It's basically a state to state thing, except for some federal offender's, most of those incarcerated on smaller cases are state and county offender's and have nothing to do with federal sentencing guideline's at all, and even state court's on federal level would be to use their own discretion and plan's, and much could be easily even manipulated to open more door's for foul sentencing actually. As far as the corporate sector going along with this who have a multi- billion dollar locked in contract as it is and their shareholder's ... perhap's they will rather get into the probation/ parole/ community supervision and rehabilitation business? I mean ... do you think that they will just lie down and roll over when it come's to billion's in lost profit's? And especially how each branch of political representation on national and state to state level's will vote on this, when they are all being supported financially and their campaign's by these same entities and their affiliate's? Do you realize just how complex the sentencing system is to begin with? That's about as Willie Foo- Foo talk as the cop's who tell you when they bust/ arrest you, that if you "talk" they will put a good word in for you at your court hearing's, etc ... as if the court's care what the cop's say (all they can do is write in a report that you simply cooperated, and even that may be used against you, but never most likely in your favour) ... the cop's make the bust okay?, then it's out of their hand's, then it's out of the court's hand's after sentencing and the prison's/ jail's use their OWN discretion as far as release and good behaviour credit's or what have you, then after you get out of their "hand's", the parole/ probation/ community supervision department's take over and uses only their discretion, etc, etc ... get my drift? ... bottom line is NONE of the agencies even work together as it is, one agency passes down to the next and so on and so on, until they all got their piece of the pie, eh? It ISNT about justice or keeping the communities safe or whatever other nonsense, it's about business, conviction credit's for judges, sheriff's, DA's and such running for election's, etc only, okay? ... just to cut through some of the politipop bullshit here.
These folk's that are talking about small ( 4 ounces and less) marijuana possession prison sentence's and so forth that I been reading, I reckon they dont know too much about law's, jail/ prison, charge's, etc ... I mean ... where in the U.S. is there even any prison sentencing on misdemeanor pot possession? there is none, period. How many low amount possession cases are federal? I never heard of any in these time's, perhap's like back in 1950's Texas or something. The word's tossed around in so much of these debate's were mostly off key, and not clear as far as the incarceration and basic standard charges and court proceedure's reality that we currently have, and far too complex to get into detail about in this one posting, but I also explain much in various other posting's throughout this series and journal. Nonetheless, I will be curious to see just how any of this materialize's and how many victim's of these type law's and incarceration across America's urban communities especially will be freed or whatever, so that's it for now.
Word Out ....
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***** PD/ RCJ: "INCARCERATED AMERICAN" PART'S 20 THRU 1
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Public Enemy- Don't Believe The Hype- with lyrics ... Thanx to PE4EVA
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***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL/ YOU TUBE ... this is a link to the YouTube generated site for this journal for a quick glance/ preview of many posting's throughout this journal/ blog.
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