MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com:

August 15, 2015 1:53 PM EDT – Weldon Angelos was 25 when he was sentenced to 55 years in prison after selling marijuana to a police informant. His sons, now 16 and 18, look back on the childhood they missed without their father. But the boys and Weldon’s sister remain hopeful for an early release, as billionaire Charles Koch campaigns for clemency for Weldon.

It is totally absurd for anyone to spend 55 years in prison for selling marijuana.   It makes no sense.  Just the cost of incarceration makes this sentence stupid.   People just should not be spending their lives in jail for selling controlled substances.

I never thought I would be saying “Go Koch Brothers” but on this one, I sure am.  Sentencing reform needs to happen immediately.  In fact, sentencing reform should be a national issue for this upcoming presidential election.  We are wasting valuable resources when we send penny ante drug users to prison for decades.

 

 

 

3 Thoughts to “Good for Charles Koch: Sentencing Reform”

  1. Cargosquid
    August 18, 2015 at 12:47 am

    You do know that the Kochs are pro-choice, anti-drug war, right?

    1. Moon-howler
      August 18, 2015 at 8:59 am

      Being personally pro-choice is one thing. They don'[t give money to pro choice organizations–in fact, just the opposite is true. You know, money talks and bs walks.

      thinkprogress.org:

      David Koch said in a December 2014 interview, “I’m basically a libertarian. I’m a conservative on economic matters and I’m a social liberal.” But a ThinkProgress review of the brothers’ spending record finds that their actions largely contradict those claims. And the vast majority of the federal officials they have helped elect and re-elect since 2010 have been staunch social conservatives. Indeed, the duo and their affiliated organizations have spent more than $86 million in support of elected officials, presidential nominees and organizations who do not support abortion rights or same-sex marriage. Over that same period, the review found just over $86,000 spent in support of eight current officeholders who support both abortion rights and marriage equality (these totals do not include millions spent on unsuccessful House and Senate candidates).

    2. Moon-howler
      August 18, 2015 at 9:46 am

      Also, I am not necessarily opposed to a “war on drugs.” I just think it has been stupidly administered for 30 or so years with the wrong targets. I think putting people away for selling marijuana is criminal.

      I would like to see more of that money go to treatment. I don’t think anyone knows what to do about drug use in this country. Things that make people feel good are hard to fight.

      Like alcoholism, when drug use starts to become destructive, it is too late.

Comments are closed.