I can't help but think that this ends up bad....

[latimdj]

Why on earth do we need a sitting President to come to our state and visit a Prison..... I just don't see how this ends with a positive image for Oklahoma.... I hope I am wrong.... I am speaking exclusively of the visit to El Reno Federal Prison.... I really have no opinion one way or the other of his visit to the Choctaw Nation in Durant....

http://www.news9.com/story/29520583/white-house-obama-plans-2-day-stay-in-oklahoma

 

[JimmyBob]

Let me preface my comments with: this needs to be moved to 24/7 board. This visit isn't a "randomly" selected site; the documentary (or WTF ever game he's playing here) will put a giant turd in the OK punchbowl. To quote one of the daily messages from an old Murphy's Law Calendar of mine, "what starts out badly, ends worse."

 

[Orange Jennyslipper]

Where will Ms. Fallin be vacationing this time?

 

[hollywood]

You guys do realize that this is a FEDERAL prison, don't you? Anything bad, reflects on the Federal Govt, not the state. The State doesn't manage it or operate it, that's completely within the Federal Govt's jurisdiction.

 

[latimdj]

Well it looks like I was wrong on what the cause of embarrassment would be...... I thought it would be Obama's political vindictiveness, but it turns out to be the Confederate Flag in Oklahoma.....

I knew something would be embarrassing, unfortunately it was our statesmen and not the Big City Lawyer from Chicago.....

I still don't like the man's politics, but I will admit that I was wrong here.

 

[hollywood]

I am so damned glad to see that there seems to be some progress being made in regards to sending people to prison for low level drug offenses and the like, that I am giddy!

So it turns out, that was basically the impetus behind his visit; to announce an initiative to start undoing some of the damage that this stupid damned "War on Drugs" is causing. Regardless of political party it now seems that there is growing agreement on both sides of the aisle that the path we are currently on is doing lots of damage and costing way more money than other options.

There's already bi-partisan support for a bill that is being introduced in the House to change sentencing structure and penalties. Anyone who considers even a portion of their political philosophy to lean towards "libertarian" should be celebrating this fact. We're way past due.

Now, if we can only get all the politicians in the US to focus their eyes across the Atlantic at Portugal and learn a lesson from them that there exists a vastly superior way to deal with the issue of illegal drugs. Stop trying to treat it like a Law and Order issue through the Criminal Justice system and start dealing with it as a matter of Public Health Policy through a Portuguese style approach. Their decade long experiment makes it very clear that their approach is solid and produces great results. I just wish this country could be just as smart.

http://news.yahoo.com/prison-sentencing-reform-bipartisan-efforts-headway-congress-235320171.html

Now if the lobbyist from the For-Profit Prison Industry don't get a chance to derail the proposed reforms, we'll be making some progress.

 

[shortbus]

Good post 'Wood!

 

[Bitter Creek]

Good post 'Wood!

Agreed.

I can't fully imagine the positive overall impact that not putting people away for some of the smallish offences. It could literally impact families for generations to come.

 

[Cowpoke]

Agreed.

I can't fully imagine the positive overall impact that not putting people away for some of the smallish offences. It could literally impact families for generations to come.

Also would allow us to be tougher on violent crimes with the freed up prison space.