This ad illustrates a common conservative social myth - that severe punishments have a deterrent effect on crime. I have yet to see any studies that support this idea.
And it is pretty apparent that the toughening in penalties for drug crimes in the past have had no effect on actual drug use. Recent studies have shown that the greatest disincentive for youth drug use is education of the health dangers in doing drugs.
So the ad tries to show that Barack Obama didn't see the conservative solution to increased urban crime in Chicago as the best solution. Seems Ok to me. After all Obama isn't running as a repeat George Bush.
Yet, hate crimes legislation is all the rage. Will THAT reduce hate crimes? Who knows?
Bent's reference to a myth misses the point. In the "war on gangs", the idea is that merely being in a gang, an organization dedicated to the proposition that it's members are entitled to all things and anything and happily, if not eagerly, do anything to get them, is in itself worthy of punishment. I wholeheartedly agree.
Now if we want to talk about myths, it's the myth that there is no deterence from punishment and that deterence is the primary purpose of punishment. Neither is true. The first is false because it's not truly possible to accurately gauge the deterent effect of sentencing. How can we know what someone might do if they never do it?
The second is that we're concerned with deterence when deciding the severity of punishment. The truth is that we're deciding the level of justice for the crime committed. If it deters crime as well, all the better. If it doesn't, we're still getting justice from those caught, convicted and sentenced.
That Barry didn't see the "conservative" solution to increased urban crime as the best solution simply shows he's a flamin' idiot. And at the same time, he accomplished nothing in terms of alternatives. Does that seem OK to you? Crapping on a good idea without coming up with a better one at the same time? He'd do well to adopt some of George's positions and character. He'd do better to be more conservative than Bush. It's a bad time in the world to have a weenie in the Big Chair.
One more thing: as bad as I know Hillary would be as our prez, I feel confident she'd be more likely to kick ass if the terrorists tried to hit us again. Not that she would, only that she'd be more likely to. Cuz she's a mean broad.
The problem is not that deterrents to crime are ineffective, but rather, the problem lies in the fact that America has no solid moral foundation. Since the courts and educators have illegitimately barred God from the classroom, man's baser instincts have been allowed free rein; to do as it will. And today's culture is the proverbial pudding.
American culture, and especially that of American youth, is cankered and gangrenous. The point isn't that Barack was smart enough to realize this, because with associations like Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, etc., he obviously doesn't. No. Barack just isn't willing to punish murders. He wants to hold talks with terrorists after all.
There's only one solution to this problem. And it's not more taxes for more programs that ultimately fail. It's time to allow God back into the classroom with a genuine heartfelt, "Please..." "We're Sorry..." and "Thank-You!" But Barack will never go for this either; he's unwilling to defend Christ against the rough lips of men like Jeremiah Wright, and he's similarly uninterested in defending the truth of what a good biblical/educational foundation can do for this nation's youth.
As a Liberal, Obama clings to the lie that the First Amendment creates a wall of separation between Church and State. It does not. It protects the Church FROM the State. But Liberals have turned the First Amendment on its head, protecting the State, and "We the People" from the Church, and thereby crippling a "fundamental" aspect of each and every individual soul. Each and every one of us is both spirit and flesh. It is irresponsible, and CRIMINAL, to feed one and starve the other. Everyone needs a balanced diet of physical and spiritual nurturing to mature as balanced adults.
That's what's wrong with America. It's what's wrong with Obama.... this misguided belief that the Constitution demands God be stripped from the classroom-- Stripped from the plates of children who need God as much as they need free breakfast.
I agree in principle for sure. But at this stage of the game, the sell is tougher than ever. Not because of the anti-God people, but for the "different" God people, like Muslims for example. Still, I'd like to see some way for the idea to take place.
As to deterence, I just want to add that severe punishment is indeed a deterence. Nearly 100% of those whose capital punishment sentence is carried out never again commit another crime. :) And frankly, while incarcerated, it's also difficult to commit crimes against law abiding people.
Perhaps Obama's intent is to destroy America from within. I know it's a radical concept, but when was the last time a country suffered a revolt that was planned in the open?
And it is pretty apparent that the toughening in penalties for drug crimes in the past have had no effect on actual drug use. Recent studies have shown that the greatest disincentive for youth drug use is education of the health dangers in doing drugs.
So the ad tries to show that Barack Obama didn't see the conservative solution to increased urban crime in Chicago as the best solution. Seems Ok to me. After all Obama isn't running as a repeat George Bush.
Bent's reference to a myth misses the point. In the "war on gangs", the idea is that merely being in a gang, an organization dedicated to the proposition that it's members are entitled to all things and anything and happily, if not eagerly, do anything to get them, is in itself worthy of punishment. I wholeheartedly agree.
Now if we want to talk about myths, it's the myth that there is no deterence from punishment and that deterence is the primary purpose of punishment. Neither is true. The first is false because it's not truly possible to accurately gauge the deterent effect of sentencing. How can we know what someone might do if they never do it?
The second is that we're concerned with deterence when deciding the severity of punishment. The truth is that we're deciding the level of justice for the crime committed. If it deters crime as well, all the better. If it doesn't, we're still getting justice from those caught, convicted and sentenced.
That Barry didn't see the "conservative" solution to increased urban crime as the best solution simply shows he's a flamin' idiot. And at the same time, he accomplished nothing in terms of alternatives. Does that seem OK to you? Crapping on a good idea without coming up with a better one at the same time? He'd do well to adopt some of George's positions and character. He'd do better to be more conservative than Bush. It's a bad time in the world to have a weenie in the Big Chair.
One more thing: as bad as I know Hillary would be as our prez, I feel confident she'd be more likely to kick ass if the terrorists tried to hit us again. Not that she would, only that she'd be more likely to. Cuz she's a mean broad.
American culture, and especially that of American youth, is cankered and gangrenous. The point isn't that Barack was smart enough to realize this, because with associations like Bill Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, etc., he obviously doesn't. No. Barack just isn't willing to punish murders. He wants to hold talks with terrorists after all.
There's only one solution to this problem. And it's not more taxes for more programs that ultimately fail. It's time to allow God back into the classroom with a genuine heartfelt, "Please..." "We're Sorry..." and "Thank-You!" But Barack will never go for this either; he's unwilling to defend Christ against the rough lips of men like Jeremiah Wright, and he's similarly uninterested in defending the truth of what a good biblical/educational foundation can do for this nation's youth.
As a Liberal, Obama clings to the lie that the First Amendment creates a wall of separation between Church and State. It does not. It protects the Church FROM the State. But Liberals have turned the First Amendment on its head, protecting the State, and "We the People" from the Church, and thereby crippling a "fundamental" aspect of each and every individual soul. Each and every one of us is both spirit and flesh. It is irresponsible, and CRIMINAL, to feed one and starve the other. Everyone needs a balanced diet of physical and spiritual nurturing to mature as balanced adults.
That's what's wrong with America. It's what's wrong with Obama.... this misguided belief that the Constitution demands God be stripped from the classroom-- Stripped from the plates of children who need God as much as they need free breakfast.
As to deterence, I just want to add that severe punishment is indeed a deterence. Nearly 100% of those whose capital punishment sentence is carried out never again commit another crime. :) And frankly, while incarcerated, it's also difficult to commit crimes against law abiding people.