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damnedifIknow

(3,183 posts) Thu Jul 16, 2015, 01:17 PM Jul 2015

Obama to visit prison, seeking failed systems' reform

Washington (AFP) - Barack Obama will become the first sitting US president to visit a federal prison on Thursday, in a push to reform one of the most expensive and crowded prison systems in the world."

The statistics against US prisons are many: 2.2 million prisoners are housed in the United States, which is more men and women behind bars than the top 35 European countries combined.

During his visit to El Reno prison in Oklahoma, Obama will advocate for fairer sentencing and better professional integration for former inmates, among other measures.

"Our incarceration rate is four times higher than China's" Obama said Tuesday, adding that prisons were four times less crowded in 1980 and two times less crowded just 20 years ago.

Nearly a quarter of the world's prison population is concentrated in American jails, while the United States accounts for less than five percent of the world's population.

One of Obama's first orders of business will be to change the duration of prison time for inmates."

http://news.yahoo.com/obama-visit-prison-seeking-failed-systems-reform-070207456.html#

15 replies

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Obama to visit prison, seeking failed systems' reform (Original Post) damnedifIknow Jul 2015 OP

he could push for decriminalization of weed as hard as he's pushing TPP KG Jul 2015 #1

The vast majority of pot busts happen under state, not federal law. Comrade Grumpy Jul 2015 #7

He could push for all non-violent drug offenders to be let out. Stellar Jul 2015 #2

What's wrong with the question? JustABozoOnThisBus Jul 2015 #5

Would you be more or less passionate Stellar Jul 2015 #10

Understood, but I read the reporter's question containing the word "now" ... JustABozoOnThisBus Jul 2015 #11

Bill Plante told her that the President has been on this mission for a 'long' time. Stellar Jul 2015 #12

He wants the Iran Agreement to draw less fire fadedrose Jul 2015 #14

He has invited non-violent drug offenders to seek clemency. 30,000 have done so. Comrade Grumpy Jul 2015 #6

Obama is trans-formative, I don't agree with around 15 - 20% of his actions and he's still kicks ass uponit7771 Jul 2015 #3

This has me hopeful damnedifIknow Jul 2015 #9

Damned right he does KA... fadedrose Jul 2015 #15

The President also needs to look at the issue of solitary confinement. PADemD Jul 2015 #4

He mentioned it in his speech to the NAACP yesterday. Comrade Grumpy Jul 2015 #8

Good news for the President fadedrose Jul 2015 #13

KG

(28,752 posts)

1. he could push for decriminalization of weed as hard as he's pushing TPP

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 01:27 PM

Jul 2015

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

7. The vast majority of pot busts happen under state, not federal law.

Reply to KG (Reply #1)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 02:43 PM

Jul 2015

You have to get caught smoking pot at the Washington Monument to get a federal pot possession bust.

Stellar

(5,644 posts)

2. He could push for all non-violent drug offenders to be let out.

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 01:36 PM

Jul 2015

The reporter asked why now is the president so particularly passionate about this issue?

Her question makes me angry.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,362 posts)

5. What's wrong with the question?

Reply to Stellar (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 02:40 PM

Jul 2015

The prez didn't wake up this morning to find out there are a lot of prisoners.

It's been an issue for a long time.

Stellar

(5,644 posts)

10. Would you be more or less passionate

Reply to JustABozoOnThisBus (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 04:07 PM

Jul 2015

to see many more of your people placed in prison with longer sentences than any other race. I hate making this a race thing but every time I read about it that is the issue. I really am pissed off about that. Rant Over.

JustABozoOnThisBus

(23,362 posts)

11. Understood, but I read the reporter's question containing the word "now" ...

Reply to Stellar (Reply #10)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 04:38 PM

Jul 2015

... and the question seems good. As in: Mr Prez, where have you been for the last 7 years on this issue? Why "now"?

Drugs should just be legalized, ending prohibition. And anyone convicted of drug offenses should be let go.

If race is a factor in deciding the length of sentences, that's another issue that needs to be addressed. If race is a factor in deciding which prison to serve in, that's another.

Stellar

(5,644 posts)

12. Bill Plante told her that the President has been on this mission for a 'long' time.

Reply to JustABozoOnThisBus (Reply #11)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 07:29 PM

Jul 2015

and she says why 'now'....? Does she expect him to remain on that mission even longer...argh...oh, never mind? Sorry.

fadedrose

(10,044 posts)

14. He wants the Iran Agreement to draw less fire

Reply to JustABozoOnThisBus (Reply #5)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 09:16 PM

Jul 2015

So he's keeping the right wing jumping from one foot to the other..but they don't know the dance he's doing..I jus love that man...

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

6. He has invited non-violent drug offenders to seek clemency. 30,000 have done so.

Reply to Stellar (Reply #2)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 02:41 PM

Jul 2015

The first batch got commutations this week.

uponit7771

(90,348 posts)

3. Obama is trans-formative, I don't agree with around 15 - 20% of his actions and he's still kicks ass

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 02:04 PM

Jul 2015

... on many fronts.

I pray this isn't just camera talk and there's something following it that's not temporary

damnedifIknow

(3,183 posts)

9. This has me hopeful

Reply to uponit7771 (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 03:04 PM

Jul 2015

This is not a low level official looking into this problem, it's the president. Way overdue but better late than never.

fadedrose

(10,044 posts)

15. Damned right he does KA...

Reply to uponit7771 (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 09:22 PM

Jul 2015

If you don't like what he did last week, or this week, wait till next week or the week after, and I'm sure he'll do something you like.

He's batting over 800 and getting walks the rest of the time...

The other side is running out of pitchers...

PADemD

(4,482 posts)

4. The President also needs to look at the issue of solitary confinement.

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 02:06 PM

Jul 2015

I don't know why solitary confinement is not considered torture.

Comrade Grumpy

(13,184 posts)

8. He mentioned it in his speech to the NAACP yesterday.

Reply to PADemD (Reply #4)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 02:43 PM

Jul 2015

fadedrose

(10,044 posts)

13. Good news for the President

Reply to damnedifIknow (Original post)

Thu Jul 16, 2015, 09:13 PM

Jul 2015

Heard John Boehner on tonight's news say that he's all for prison reform, and would be more than willing to bring all bills to the floor. He said he knows people who should not be in jail and that sentences are too severe, plus keeping people in prison for small offenses costs a lot.

At last, Obama & Boehner can be friends again.....along with being enemies on Iran...

Washington is a confusing place.

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