If they are nonviolent crimes then they would qualify for the safety valve already in place, therefore, as I stated this is pointless proposal.

It seems that you are talking about state law in the examples that you have given...Federal Mandatory Minimums as I understand them are just that Mandatory Minimums that for years have bound Federal courts in sentencing. The bill introduced is for Federal Mandatory Minimums not a change to state sentencing guidelines.

It seems that you are talking about state law in the examples that you have given...Federal Mandatory Minimums as I understand them are just that Mandatory Minimums that for years have bound Federal courts in sentencing. The bill introduced is for Federal Mandatory Minimums not a change to state sentencing guidelines.

 

Trust me i'm talking about Federal Courts. In 1994 Congress passed a safety valve act that allows Federal Judges in certain situations to depart from mandatory minimums. In non mandatory minimum cases the Federal Judges have complete control to deviate from the sentencing guideline suggestions.

Trust me i'm talking about Federal Courts. In 1994 Congress passed a safety valve act that allows Federal Judges in certain situations to depart from mandatory minimums. In non mandatory minimum cases the Federal Judges have complete control to deviate from the sentencing guideline suggestions.

 

I understand in Non-MM cases judges have leeway, how about Mandatory Minimum cases can they still deviate?

I understand in Non-MM cases judges have leeway, how about Mandatory Minimum cases can they still deviate?

 

If you pass the 1994 safety valve test, 1. you aren't a mastermind of a drug conspiracy 2. the offender didn't use a gun in the crime 3. you have very little to no criminal history 4. you fully cooperate with the feds 5.no one was harmed during the offense.

Another Rand Paul smoke screen, if you know anything about federal sentencing you know it's always at the judge's discretion. The sentencing guidelines give a recommendation of a range, however, a federal judge is free to depart from those guidelines if cause is shown.

 

I don't think you're grasping his purpose of producing the legislation.

 

No one is going to end our worthless and overly expensive drug war overnight nor are they going to persuade everyone on its flaws with one swift motion. He's bringing attention to the abuse by the state the drug war perpetuates.

 

Not a smoke-screen. Its progress.

I don't think you're grasping his purpose of producing the legislation.

 

No one is going to end our worthless and overly expensive drug war overnight nor are they going to persuade everyone on its flaws with one swift motion. He's bringing attention to the abuse by the state the drug war perpetuates.

 

Not a smoke-screen. Its progress.

 

Please come down here to Eastern Kentucky and see the damage drugs have done, the war on drugs is not worthless, it's worth fighting for the children that suffer because of it. We may never win it, but it's worth the fight.

Please come down here to Eastern Kentucky and see the damage drugs have done, the war on drugs is not worthless, it's worth fighting for the children that suffer because of it. We may never win it, but it's worth the fight.

 

It's the way it is down there because they've been "fighting" the "war on drugs" in the most asinine way possible. They might make some actual progress by investing a lot more in treatment and educational efforts rather than just making the prison and pharmaceutical industries rich. Because that's really all that's being accomplished down there -- getting the entire population hooked on pills and caught up in the legal system.

It's the way it is down there because they've been "fighting" the "war on drugs" in the most asinine way possible. They might make some actual progress by investing a lot more in treatment and educational efforts rather than just making the prison and pharmaceutical industries rich. Because that's really all that's being accomplished down there -- getting the entire population hooked on pills and caught up in the legal system.

 

The War on Drugs has been a spectacular disaster except for the private prison industry.

Please come down here to Eastern Kentucky and see the damage drugs have done, the war on drugs is not worthless, it's worth fighting for the children that suffer because of it. We may never win it, but it's worth the fight.

Has the drug problem gotten better in EKY since the War on Drugs started?

Please come down here to Eastern Kentucky and see the damage drugs have done, the war on drugs is not worthless, it's worth fighting for the children that suffer because of it. We may never win it, but it's worth the fight.

 

Its not just E KY. KY as a whole is suffering from drug abuse.

 

I don't think anyone would argue drugs being a detriment to a community. They certainly are. But if you're going to declare war on something, you should at least show some sign of winning -- especially after 4 decades.

 

Current policy has done zero.

 

Not only has it been a waste of money (costing over $1 trillion) but it's bloated our prisons (over half of the prison population is made up of drug offenders) which does nothing but increase drug abuse. And at least a 25% of that is for marijuana use which is ridiculous.

 

Its also broken up the family unit and has racial undertones -- especially in communities with blacks and hispanics. This is one of the biggest reasons the black community suffers. They only comprise 15% but account for a third for those getting arrested for dug law violations. Being from Eastern KY you are fully aware whites abuse drugs much more than blacks.

 

The War on Drugs has had some successes. It's made drug lords filthy rich, been a huge boon to private prisons, successfully kept black kids fatherless, and has allowed the drug industry to account for 1% of all commerce on the planet.

 

Making law enforcement in to a source of revenue isn't going to solve drug abuse.

Has the drug problem gotten better in EKY since the War on Drugs started?

 

Yes, if Democrats would get out of the way and allow the laws to pass make sudafed a controlled substance it would get even better. Mississipp had something like an 80 or 90% drop in meth labs after changing sudafed to a controlled substance.

It's the way it is down there because they've been "fighting" the "war on drugs" in the most asinine way possible. They might make some actual progress by investing a lot more in treatment and educational efforts rather than just making the prison and pharmaceutical industries rich. Because that's really all that's being accomplished down there -- getting the entire population hooked on pills and caught up in the legal system.

 

First if you want to help the drug problem "pain clinics" should be shut down, new laws in Kentucky are starting to address the problem of doctors that prescribe suboxone. A lot of things Kentucky is doing over the last 10 years is addressed at treating the problem though, look no further than Drug Court. Operation Unite offers pay vouchers to anyone willing to come forward and seek help.

Being from Eastern KY you are fully aware whites abuse drugs much more than blacks.

 

I'm not so sure about that. I do no whites likely abuse it as much as anyone else, but I'm certainly not going to say it's more than anyone else. I have a good amount of experience of dealing with drug addicts and the most common denominator is poverty.

I'm not so sure about that. I do no whites likely abuse it as much as anyone else, but I'm certainly not going to say it's more than anyone else. I have a good amount of experience of dealing with drug addicts and the most common denominator is poverty.

 

 

I worded that wrong. There is no evidence that proves whites, as a whole, abuse drugs more than blacks. But there are more whites than blacks so black people shouldn't be getting arrested and imprisoned at such a disproportionate rate.

 

Yes, if Democrats would get out of the way and allow the laws to pass make sudafed a controlled substance it would get even better. Mississipp had something like an 80 or 90% drop in meth labs after changing sudafed to a controlled substance.

 

Did other drug usage in MS increase?