[thepostman]

The hope - at least mine - is that with the looming private prison shutdowns, state and federal legislatures will look at it as a problem they have to solve which will force them to do something. This is something that should be bipartisan and should be something everyone screaming unity can easily get behind. We need easy wins to start making progress on the whole unity thing.

At least you tried to answer the question unlike Captain Barcolounger of the US Chair Force

I basically said the same thing soooo

[rtb72]

I think the obvious answer is going to be, released. I think criminal justice reform needs to be in the style of a Continental congress. Everything is open for change all at once. Removing disparities in mandatory sentencing, differentiating crimes that we believe people can be rehabilitated from crimes where the person is effectively removed from soceity. Establishing trade schools in prisons.

My wild idea: If private prisons are a necessary component in the future, higher payments for prisons with low recidivism.

Mandatory minimums should be removed. For example....a person who gets caught for 28g (considered Trafficking in NC) of cocaine is subject to a man/min of 7 years...while a person who commits some assaults are subject to less than 2 years. Structured sentencing should be revamped and more utilized as the standard. This considers the specific crime, but bases the punishment on consideration of criminal history. If a person is a "habitual felon" they should be imprisoned for a period of time. Unfortunately, I'll be the first to tell you...it still often comes down to who has the money for a personal attorney versus court appointed/public defender as far as ability to get the most lenient sentencing. Structured sentencing also prohibits judges from getting crazy on punishment....which does happen sometimes.

I'm no advocate for drug violations...but over the past few years, I will say my eyes have been open to the fact that drug offenses are an area that sentencing does need a complete overhaul. I will also admit, when I first started working in LE I would not have entertained the fact that drug abuse was a mental illness...but I concede it certainly has to have a mental illness focus more-so than a law enforcement answer. Such reform, however, should not include legalizing illicit drugs.

By all means, let’s all go the way of Seattle,SF,and now LA and allow 3 grams of any substance be a non arrest and watch the homeless “drug addiction” aka liberal “ homeless crisis” ( which gets billions in Federal $ ) to “fight”. That will happen ASAP nationally and let’s all revel in it...

Wasn't able to access the video...but i'm not for legalizing illicit drugs. Enforcement alone doesn't work. We've proven that over the years since that has been our default measure only to see the addiction and abuse increase. Mental health has to be implemented and managed. The programs they have in place now for drug abuse is nothing more than a joke really.

[rtb72]

I read that post in the middle of the night the other day while up with a kid and forgot to respond.

From everything I’ve read, the things covered in “military equipment” are things like tear gas grenade launchers, armored vehicles, and bayonets. I don’t think it mentioned anything about the bomb sniffing robots or protective things like that.

Personnel carriers are used...I know of no tanks per se, and that is a misconception by the public. Personnel carriers or "Bearcats" are used for the safety of the officers and the suspect. Tear gas...OC spray...all have been deemed as non lethal and again, if used appropriately, can reduce the potential for deadly force. Grenade launchers and military munitions...I know no agency who has these. There are launchers used for chemical munitions, which are tear gas, pepper bombs and the like....all nonlethal and all proven to be a viable alternative to tactics more likely to cause injury.

[rtb72]

@rtb72

I absolutely agree with everything you said. I wasn't meaning to suggest that the ground is where LE shoud want to fight, but rather that having a high probability of "winning" without lethal force is a good thing and would lead to fewer shoots. The public doesn't understand Intent Opportunity Capability articulation every time we say "good shoot." But it's second nature for us.

Yes...I agree. Undoubtedly, when it goes really bad....we often end up on the ground and out skilled, thus resulting in a potential deadly encounter. We definitely have a problem with officer training in the area of simple street fighting. And this is where we find a lot of resistance evolving to when it goes bad...which is where you "hope" less lethal measures help. But you know as well as I probably...OC spray and Tasers don't work on everyone, especially those who are impaired by some substance. The recruitment today finds us seeing kids (I use this term only because i'm old) who have never been in a fight and so out of shape (this include MANY veteran officers, too)...they couldn't fight even if they were trained. Some say having folks never being in a fight is good....problem is we are seeing through training that they have no idea how to react when they are punched. This shock alone has shown over reaction. In our Academy, we run it as a para-military style academy and include boxing and ground fighting. The "out of shape" quandary is a pet peeve of mine...many agencies in NC require nothing in physical fitness after the academy or Basic Law Enforcement Training.

[TH Spangler]

Overall LE is fine. This narrative is a distraction from much more important things.

[TH Spangler]

Well, looks like we'll be paying for it. President Joe Biden will sign an executive order revoking the pro-life policy known as the Mexico City Policy and dismissing consistent polling that shows Americans share bipartisan unity on barring taxpayer funding of abortion both within the United States and abroad.

[thepostman]

For sure not a fan of this. I'll say this though. Republicans missed out on a golden opportunity the 1st 2 years of Trump's presidency to put more long term legislation in place.

With that said, as Christians we all need to continue to do a better job in ensuring women don't feel like they have to resort to abortion or even get to the point where an unwanted pregnancy occurs. I think the church has gotten a whole lot better over my lifetime with this but there is still a long ways to go. Depending on the government to change hearts isn't going to get it done.

I'm about as pro-life as one can get from the womb to the tomb. That often makes it so I lie with the left on some issues and on the right on others. Decisions like these always make my stomach turn.

I do admit that the abortion issue is more complex than we sometimes make it in Christian circles. It doesn't make it any less sad.

We as a society don't value life much. Both parties tend to put more value on certain life but not all life.

[Purple Haize]

For sure not a fan of this. I'll say this though. Republicans missed out on a golden opportunity the 1st 2 years of Trump's presidency to put more long term legislation in place.

This. All of this. With an additional more of this. It’s why I have disdain for Never Trumpers. It’s always been one of my biggest criticisms of Trump
Now we have Governance by Fiat/Executive Orders. We had it before but now it’s in hyper drive. I’m not sure there’s any coming back

[thepostman]

On the topic of EO's, Trump had nearly as many as Obama had and he was in office for only 4 years. I don't think Biden keeps up this pace. I hope he doesn't. It isn't a good way to govern but on the flip side it is much easier to reverse.

Because I'm a nerd and like statistics I looked up EO totals and we aren't anywhere close to all time highs but we have seen an uptick in recent years.

SOURCE

[Purple Haize]

On the topic of EO's, Trump had nearly as many as Obama had and he was in office for only 4 years. I don't think Biden keeps up this pace. I hope he doesn't. It isn't a good way to govern but on the flip side it is much easier to reverse.

Because I'm a nerd and like statistics I looked up EO totals and we aren't anywhere close to all time highs but we have seen an uptick in recent years.

SOURCE

I’m in no way saying it’s a Biden only thing. It’s the uptick I’m concerned about. Especially when you come out of the gate tossing them out like beads at Mardi Gras. Bad optics. Bad precedent.

[Jonathan Carone]

It’s the unfortunate result of a Congress that refuses to do their job. If they could learn to be adults and work together the office of the president wouldn’t be able to get away with that many EOs.

[TH Spangler]

It’s the unfortunate result of a Congress that refuses to do their job. If they could learn to be adults and work together the office of the president wouldn’t be able to get away with that many EOs.

They could work together when there was only one party pretending to be two, the establishment party. Post Trump, for the first time in my lifetime there seems to really be two parties. A corporate, globalist, socialist leaning party and a citizens, nationalist, workers party. And on social issues, like abortion they are miles apart.

In the mean time, China is taking advantage of our open society, capitalism, free-trade and Americian greed to take over without firing a shot. America is up for sale to the highest bidder.

[paradox]

Nationalist Workers Party?

[tyndal23]

Nationalist Workers Party?

Paradox, me thinks you just nailed the parodox in that post...

[TH Spangler]

How about the Americian citizens first party

[paradox]

Maybe what you're trying to describe is authoritarian elites versus the people, who prefer self-governance.

[thepostman]

I wonder if there is already a 3rd party who believes that???

[paradox]

Saw a guy with a Portnoy/Musk 2024 sweatshirt today. Not saying that either guy will ever run, but that live free or die spirit is definitely alive and well. 2022 & 2024 should be interesting.

[olldflame]

Saw a guy with a Portnoy/Musk 2024 sweatshirt today. Not saying that either guy will ever run, but that live free or die spirit is definitely alive and well. 2022 & 2024 should be interesting.

Musk could not run for president since he was not born in the US. Not 100% sure about VP. I love Portnoy as a provocateur, but President or VP? I'm not so sure. I could maybe see him running against AOC in the House.

[Purple Haize]

Saw a guy with a Portnoy/Musk 2024 sweatshirt today. Not saying that either guy will ever run, but that live free or die spirit is definitely alive and well. 2022 & 2024 should be interesting.

Musk could not run for president since he was not born in the US. Not 100% sure about VP. I love Portnoy as a provocateur, but President or VP? I'm not so sure. I could maybe see him running against AOC in the House.

I’ve grown to really like Portnoy What he’s doing with the Barstool fund is and should be putting others to shame
I just wish I’d seen his IMO’s pizza reviews before I ordered them!

[paradox]

It's been a long time, but Monte Carlo on Old Forrest Road wasn't bad for VA pizza.

[Purple Haize]

It's been a long time, but Monte Carlo on Old Forrest Road wasn't bad for VA pizza.

Portnoy hasn’t reviewed it

[TH Spangler]

Saw a guy with a Portnoy/Musk 2024 sweatshirt today. Not saying that either guy will ever run, but that live free or die spirit is definitely alive and well. 2022 & 2024 should be interesting.

Musk could not run for president since he was not born in the US. Not 100% sure about VP. I love Portnoy as a provocateur, but President or VP? I'm not so sure. I could maybe see him running against AOC in the House.

I’ve grown to really like Portnoy What he’s doing with the Barstool fund is and should be putting others to shame
I just wish I’d seen his IMO’s pizza reviews before I ordered them!

He lost 1/4 million in the market this week when they froze trading

Biden question.

His policies are not looking good for jobs. It's already hit close to home. The day he won Dominion Power had to pull the plug on a clean natural gas power plant that was to be built this year at the Southern Virginia Mega Site near Danville. It's 3500 acres and was a finalist for the recent Toyota plant that went to Alabama. The site is 10 years in the making. The likelihood of something big happening now dosen't look good. I hope I'm wrong.

Biden is practically setting up welcome centers on our southern boarder. I just don't see how more unskilled labor makes sense when our manufacturing will continue to be offshored and technology takes over even more jobs.

[paradox]

It's been a long time, but Monte Carlo on Old Forrest Road wasn't bad for VA pizza.

Portnoy hasn’t reviewed it

I can see how that would be helpful when traveling.

As far as Monte Carlo goes, the Prevo crime family runs an operation from there. And there's usually a card game going on in the back room. Tell them Jerry sent you. They're looking for a guy to make a few deliveries every now and then. Someone with connections who knows how to keep his mouth shut. Easy money.

[TH Spangler]

Forget pizza deliveries, drones doing it soon