They’re trying to act all bad. They live in fear of being called weak. They cultivate simplistic external symbols of “toughness” to mask insecurity. They confuse surface toughness with real strength.
No, I’m not talking about gang members. I’m talking about the Democrats.
Here’s the deal:
This morning senate committee hearings will begin on the so-called Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007—or S. 456. The proposed legislation is Diane Feinstein’s special baby, and is being co-sponsored by Orrin Hatch, Elizabeth Dole, plus a string of people who ought to know better, Hilary Clinton, Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden among them.
The bill has appeared in slightly different guises in 2003 and 2005 but has always (thankfully) been shot down, mainly because its a lousy, damaging piece of legislation that is made up primarily of over-the-top new penalties and sentencing enhancements—which, if passed, are likely to make exactly zero gang members “think twice” about violence, but may easily result in lengthy prison sentences for young men and women at the outer edges of gangs.
In its latest incarnation, S. 456 has done away with a couple of its worst previous elements (turning certain gang crimes into new death penalty cases, and trying yet more kids as adults if gang allegations can be “proven”). As a result, hoards of eager democratic senators have given themselves permission to flock to it, including such former opponents as Ted Kennedy.
But has the bill really gotten any better or more necessary than the last time around?
Nope.
Q: So why are these people supporting the thing?
A: Because right now Senate and House democrats are desperate for a way to elevate their bad ass quotient without having to do anything thats…you know…..HARD. I mean, nobody likes gangsters, right? So, hell—what’s to lose?
In the reality-based world we call this pandering.
S. 456 is being billed as legislation that would allocate more than $1 billion over five years to “provide police and prosecutors with the tools they need to fight gangs.”
But when LA District Attorney, Steve Cooley, was recently asked privately if he could name a tool he didn’t have, but needed to fight gang crime, he shrugged. “I can’t,” said Cooley. “This bill is just political.”
The guys I spoke with in the local US Attorney’s office echoed what Cooley said, but stronger, when asked about the bill’s usefulness. “It’s so much B.S.,” said one. “These people don’t have a clue.”
In addition to the “tools for law enforcement” pitch, the proponents of S. 456 claim it also allocates money for gang prevention and intervention programs, but this is more fabrication. Of the bill’s 23 provisions, 21 are sentencing enhancements and the like. Its only “prevention” or “intervention” programs are one weird FBI sponsored after school program, and another law-enforcement run program that has little to do with either prevention or intervention.
* this legislation defines “gangs” and “gang crime” so broadly that it will drastically increase the number of children and youth who are inappropriately swept into the juvenile justice system — especially poor children and children of color;
* this legislation places an extremely heavy emphasis on incarceration and punishment, and fails to support what we know really works to reduce recidivism: prevention and intervention…
To put it bluntly, S. 456 is a bill written by entirely by outsiders who have very little idea of what actually works to lower gang violence. For instance, none of the big city police chiefs who actually deal with gang crime on a day to day basis were consulted in the design of the bill, nor were gang intervention or prevention specialists working in the field asked for their opinions. Of law enforcement agencies, only the FBI was given any real input.
Yet, if the bill passes, and if there’s any money at all to be given out, everybody wants whatever they can get.
As a consequence, LA’s very own Chief Bill Bratton and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are in D.C. even as I type, getting ready to speak in favor of the bill this very morning.
Why?
As Steve Cooley said, it’s political.
Well at least the bill used the term “ILLEGAL ALIENS” instead of “undocumented democrats”
Actually this just looks like a bill to give the FBI the jurisdiction to prosecute anyone in a gang for inviting someone to a barbeque and send them to jail for 20 years..
(Gang Recruitment — It shall be unlawful to knowingly recruit, employ, solicit, induce, command, or cause another person to be or remain as a member of a criminal street gang…
http://www.theorator.com/bills110/text/s456.html
Exactly, Pokey.
Do ya think the ‘Topanga Democrats” would qalify as a street gang?
Someone should tell them that this Supreme Court is not terribly happy in making Federal Crimes out of what were traditionally state matters.
Well after some careful research, I have determined that yes indeed, the “Topanga Democrats†do qualify as “criminal street gangâ€Â.
1) It’s composed of 5 or more persons from Topanga.
2) I am sure that at least 3 or more have been smoking POT within the last five years.
3) I understand there are a number of “Celebrities†who have committed serious violent (domestic) felonies, who are also members of the Topanga Democratsâ€Â. Examples include “Gary Buseyâ€Â, “James Brownâ€Â, “Eric Clapton†and “Richard Hatchâ€Â. http://www.endabuse.org/celebritywatch/index.php?Fame=N
4) I understand also that this notorious GANG originally had 13 founding members.
So after this new Bill of Dianne’s gets passed, please feel free to rat out any BARBEQUING undertakings of the “Topanga Democratsâ€Â, this “CRIMINAL STREET GANG†as defined by the federal government and also know on the street as “T13â€Â, to those in the know.
If you happen be driving with your family past this nest of criminals on Topanga Canyon Blvd. and someone holds up one hand with their fingers crossed (forming a T) and the other hand with the fore finger slightly separated from the other three (forming a I and III), you have just been flashed their gang sign “T13â€Â.
It is suggested in these cases to have minimal eye contact, keep moving, lock your doors, key in 911 on your cell phone and be ready to press dial button. A short prayer is also suggested for your family’s safety and for the criminal to turn from their wicked ways.
Below is definition of a criminal street gang from: http://tinyurl.com/27sjhp
A “criminal street gang†is defined to mean a formal or informal group, club, organization or association of five or more persons who have committed three or more separate felony crimes – including at least one serious violent felony – within the past five years. This legislation makes it a federal crime for a member of a criminal street gang to commit, conspire or attempt a predicate gang crime, or to recruit minors or others into one of these gangs with an intent that they will commit a gang crime.
The term “gang crime†is defined to include violent and other serious state and federal felony crimes such as: Murder, Manslaughter, Maiming, Assault with a dangerous weapon, Kidnapping, Robbery, Extortion, Arson, Obstruction of justice, Tampering with witnesses or victims, Carjacking, Trafficking in controlled substances, Firearm offenses, and Money Laundering.
Exactly right, Richard. That’s why the Feds like it but it has exactly zero to do with the little disaffected fool on the street who blasts at his “enemy” and accidentally hits a little girl, which is what LA cops are dealing with on a week to week basis, not giant “criminal organizations.” (And for the rare big deal, across state lines cases, we’ve got RICO, which works fine and dandy already, thank you very much.)
Pokey, that’s HILARIOUS. It’s a good thing I wasn’t drinking coffee this late in the day or I’d have quite a clean up job after all the spontaneous laugh/spitting.
And, don’t forget the SECRET meaning to the T13 sign, “M” being the 13th letter of the alphabet, in other words, proof positive that those Top Dems (as they like to call themselves) are Eme AKA Mexican Mafia affiliated. Case closed, call the Feds, get out the RICO statutes.
Celeste: …“Celebrities†who have committed serious violent (domestic) felonies, who are also members of the Topanga Democrats…include…James Brown….
Which supports my claim that, once someone is dead, his future votes go to the Democrats.
Oops. I meant that Pokey wrote that. Sorry.
Well, Pokey, hilarity for sure, for sure! While Celeste might not have been drinking coffee, I was drinking a coke. Good jub, but thanks a bunch!
Celeste is obviously in the KNOW or part of the conspiracy.
M-13 = Mexican Mafia
T-13 = Topanga Mafia
Next she will be telling us that she was born on the 13th.
It is no wonder that I have a case of Triskaidekaphobia.
Lord, Pokey. I had to look that up. I guess I must have the opposite of a “fear of the number 13.” I was born on the 13th, and married on the 13th (a Friday, no less). Guess, the number works okay for me. Spouse and I decided that if we ever got divorced we could blame the day rather than each other. 30+ years later, there might be some ‘good’ psychology to that.
Full disclosure and coincidence requires me to admit that I was born on Friday the 13th and married on the 13th as well, but not a Friday, and am petting a 6 week old black kitten (with has a broken hip/leg) in between key strokes. We got her Friday
“In the reality-based world we call this pandering.”
And yet, those panderers are also “members” of the reality based community. Which leads me to believe that the reality based community is delusional and thus, not reality based at all. 😉
Uh oh, G.M. made the 13th comment. There could be significance to that.
So, Celeste, what’s your colors?
“So, Celeste, what’s your colors?”
A very nice sage green, and blue going to lavender AKA the color of mountain lupine.
[http://witnessla.com/index.php?s=lupine&Submit=Go]
Either that or tye-dye, for the OTG types. (Original Topanga Gangsters.) Those tones are a tad hard to come by in prison though, a small disadvantage.
Plus, in terms of Topanga gangster garb, UGG boots figure prominently.
[…] gets the Republican nomination—Hillary co-sponsored a lousy piece of legislation called the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007. The bill, which passed out of the Senate late last month, and will soon come up for a vote in the […]