4 ms·

Our new Vice President is a former prosecutor with a long history of fighting to keep demonstrably innocent people in prison on technicalities [1], subverting s

Our new Vice President is a former prosecutor with a long history of fighting to keep demonstrably innocent people in prison on technicalities [1], subverting state mandates requiring the release of nonviolent prisoners [2], and viciously fighting against compensating those she had wrongly imprisoned [3]. She also sought to expand the use of civil asset forfeiture in California [4]. Her record is the very definition of prosecutorial predation and abuse. So the idea that the Biden/Harris administration will do any better than Trump on any issue involving the restraint of law enforcement is farcical. If anything, they'll expand civil forfeiture, unless the courts keep them in check. [1] https://www.vice.com/en/article/3azy98/kamala-harriss-office-sent-this-innocent-man-to-prison-now-hes-voting-for-her https://www.vice.com/en/article/3azy98/kamala-harriss-office... [2] https://prospect.org/justice/how-kamala-harris-fought-to-keep-nonviolent-prisoners-locked-up/ https://prospect.org/justice/how-kamala-harris-fought-to-kee... [3] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-14/kamala-harris-offices-fought-payments-to-wrongly-convicted https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-14/kamala-ha... [4] https://www.johnlocke.org/update/flashback-kamala-harriss-record-as-a-state-attorney-general/ https://www.johnlocke.org/update/flashback-kamala-harriss-re...

knaq 6y ago
It's not just the VP. In 1983 Biden introduced the Comprehensive Forfeiture Act, which became law in 1984. That's the main piece of law that enabled civil asset forfeiture. That's how cops take property, alleging it to be drug money without any evidence. It's legalized theft, turning cops into gangs that prey on the people. Note that "defund the cops" will make them rely more on this source of revenue! He didn't just vote for it. He introduced it.
- monocasa 6y ago
  Most defundtge police initiatives I've seen place a heavy emphasis on removing caf, in addition to more standard funding sources.
- mullingitover 6y ago
  It's true, Biden was an awful option in so many ways. It's amazing that voters knew this and were still happy to crawl through broken glass to vote for him. The alternative was that much worse. I hope republicans find some moment of clarity and let their extreme wing be banished to a third party. It will cost them a huge amount of political power short term, but they need some time in the wilderness to rediscover the concept of principles. We need a sane opposition party that actually has ideas and isn't a general-purpose personality cult.
  - knaq 6y ago
    You missed the point if you thought Trump was about a personality cult. Lots of Americans tolerated his personality because they like the policy and the results: He built over 500 miles of crime-stopping wall, raised tariffs on China, didn't attack a new country, appointed decent judges, appointed a wonderful person for the Department of Education, put an end to racist anti-American hate sessions at federal employers, improved the H1B visa situation, ditched the Paris Accord, cut our taxes, got that pipeline approved, stopped China from using NAFTA via Mexico, got several peace treaties signed, and cut lots of economy-choking regulations. Just before that virus hit, he got us to the lowest unemployment numbers in recorded history (half a century) for black people and he got income inequality to go down a bit for the first time in ages. He even signed the First Step Act, fixing the overly harsh sentences imposed on crack users by another Biden-sponsored law. That's all policy that people wanted, not personality. I don't know if that is more reassuring or more terrifying for you.
    - mullingitover 6y ago
      A few translations, as seen by a majority of the electorate: > He built over 500 miles of crime-stopping wall Mostly repaired the existing wall which accomplishes practically nothing about illegal immigration anyway > raised tariffs on China Started a trade war that ravaged the farm sector, resulting in costly bailouts > didn't attack a new country Partnered with Saudi dictatorship to escalate drone strikes, and abolished transparency around them, attempted to start war with Iran by brazenly assassinating a high-ranking official > appointed decent judges Packed the courts with unqualified ideologues > appointed a wonderful person for the Department of Education Appointed a person who ruthlessly fought against relief for student debt > put an end to racist anti-American hate sessions at federal employers Aggressively fought against improving race relations > ditched the Paris Accord Went back on a climate policy supported by 70% of voters > stopped China from using NAFTA via Mexico Used foreign bogeyman to distract from automation, which has eliminated far more jobs > Just before that virus hit Bungled the biggest crisis to hit the nation in decades > got us to the lowest unemployment numbers in recorded history Was born on third base and claimed he hit a triple Overall the biggest signal that they've devolved into a personality cult was that the republican party was so overconfident, despite all signals to the contrary, that they had no platform whatsoever in the 2020 campaign.
t-writescode 6y ago
I don't think many Republicans realize how much nose-plugging there was during this election to elect Biden and ESPECIALLY his former AG Vice President. They have a lot of history to un-live; but, removing the man that said he wasn't going to wear a mask, and who regularly stuck his foot in his mouth was priority #1.

knaq 6y ago

It's not just the VP. In 1983 Biden introduced the Comprehensive Forfeiture Act, which became law in 1984. That's the main piece of law that enabled civil asset forfeiture. That's how cops take property, alleging it to be drug money without any evidence. It's legalized theft, turning cops into gangs that prey on the people. Note that "defund the cops" will make them rely more on this source of revenue! He didn't just vote for it. He introduced it.

monocasa 6y ago
Most defundtge police initiatives I've seen place a heavy emphasis on removing caf, in addition to more standard funding sources.
mullingitover 6y ago
It's true, Biden was an awful option in so many ways. It's amazing that voters knew this and were still happy to crawl through broken glass to vote for him. The alternative was that much worse. I hope republicans find some moment of clarity and let their extreme wing be banished to a third party. It will cost them a huge amount of political power short term, but they need some time in the wilderness to rediscover the concept of principles. We need a sane opposition party that actually has ideas and isn't a general-purpose personality cult.
- knaq 6y ago
  You missed the point if you thought Trump was about a personality cult. Lots of Americans tolerated his personality because they like the policy and the results: He built over 500 miles of crime-stopping wall, raised tariffs on China, didn't attack a new country, appointed decent judges, appointed a wonderful person for the Department of Education, put an end to racist anti-American hate sessions at federal employers, improved the H1B visa situation, ditched the Paris Accord, cut our taxes, got that pipeline approved, stopped China from using NAFTA via Mexico, got several peace treaties signed, and cut lots of economy-choking regulations. Just before that virus hit, he got us to the lowest unemployment numbers in recorded history (half a century) for black people and he got income inequality to go down a bit for the first time in ages. He even signed the First Step Act, fixing the overly harsh sentences imposed on crack users by another Biden-sponsored law. That's all policy that people wanted, not personality. I don't know if that is more reassuring or more terrifying for you.
  - mullingitover 6y ago
    A few translations, as seen by a majority of the electorate: > He built over 500 miles of crime-stopping wall Mostly repaired the existing wall which accomplishes practically nothing about illegal immigration anyway > raised tariffs on China Started a trade war that ravaged the farm sector, resulting in costly bailouts > didn't attack a new country Partnered with Saudi dictatorship to escalate drone strikes, and abolished transparency around them, attempted to start war with Iran by brazenly assassinating a high-ranking official > appointed decent judges Packed the courts with unqualified ideologues > appointed a wonderful person for the Department of Education Appointed a person who ruthlessly fought against relief for student debt > put an end to racist anti-American hate sessions at federal employers Aggressively fought against improving race relations > ditched the Paris Accord Went back on a climate policy supported by 70% of voters > stopped China from using NAFTA via Mexico Used foreign bogeyman to distract from automation, which has eliminated far more jobs > Just before that virus hit Bungled the biggest crisis to hit the nation in decades > got us to the lowest unemployment numbers in recorded history Was born on third base and claimed he hit a triple Overall the biggest signal that they've devolved into a personality cult was that the republican party was so overconfident, despite all signals to the contrary, that they had no platform whatsoever in the 2020 campaign.

t-writescode 6y ago

I don't think many Republicans realize how much nose-plugging there was during this election to elect Biden and ESPECIALLY his former AG Vice President. They have a lot of history to un-live; but, removing the man that said he wasn't going to wear a mask, and who regularly stuck his foot in his mouth was priority #1.