TIME magazine’s recent column on the alleged GOP divide regarding criminal justice reform is generally accurate but suffers from a serious flaw—the notion that an aggressive stance on justice reform is at odds with a “law and order” party. I submit the two are compatible as a matter of substance—and politics. The GOP base continues to be law and order oriented, as are the Party’s candidates. Stiff sentences for violent crime (especially gun crimes) and continuing support for capital punishment are popular planks of the Party’s platform. But it is Republican governors who are leading the case for reform. These leaders understand that long sentences for non-violent drug offenses and unfunded re-entry programs are counterproductive and, quite costly to boot. These commonsense views appeal to everyone’s sense of justice.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 05:18:21 +0000