Prop - 5

Proposition 5 - No

Proposition 5 is about nonviolent drug offenders. It changes the way they are paroled, sentenced, and incarcerated. It’s meant to expand treatment since, in reality, most aren’t really criminals but addicts. They should be treated for their problem, not thrown in jail.

I really liked the sound of this, but then I talked to my dad. He was a Public Defender in Sacramento County. He’s dealt with the worst of the worst when it comes to criminals. He’s tried Capital cases and worked with accused thieves, sexual predators, and other criminals. He’s spent countless hours in Sacramento Jails and he’s still liberal. We have some differences, but when it comes the law, I trust him. In this case, he says the intent is great, but the proposition is so poorly written that it will cause more harm then good.

Again, this goes back to my whole problem with propositions. Many of them are written by people who don’t know what they are doing and voted on people people who don’t understand what they are voting on, and the unforseen consequences can be horrible. Which then gives the supporters of these types of programs a bad name because their attempt was a complete failure. Obviously their methods don’t work. What’s worse is I believe some of the people who write these things do know exactly what they are doing, but are relying on the fact most people who vote don’t know what they are voting on (and are swayed by commercials, of course). If the proposition does pass, it may benefit the people who wrote it, but not what the voters believe it was going to do.

Here's a quote about the other thing I hate about propositions. It's by Elizabeth Hill a legislative analyst who's retiring. Her analysis of budgets and other such stuff is nonpartisan and I think she'll really cool. Her quote sums up some of my feelings. The propositions tie the hand of the legislature so they can't do much. When asked what she would change in the budget process, she replied

"I'd try to unlock the budget. Unlock all the formulas that are both in statute and the constitution … so the governor and Legislature could really respond to changing conditions and set current priorities. … Right now there are so many formulas that it makes budgeting and setting priorities for the state very difficult. … Take Proposition 49, the after-school measure. It required that $500 million be put in only for after-school programs; whether we needed textbooks or other things, it has to be spent on after-school programs."

This proposition is kind of a bummer because I would really like to change the system when it comes to drug users. Well, I would like to change the system all together. We don’t do enough to help people. But that’s just my liberal side showing again.