Obama’s Not Checking Out of Here Without Making a Broad Set of Reforms
Those of us who concern ourselves with environmental matters unanimously agree that the Obama Administration has represented a complete about-face in this arena from that which came before. Yet it’s hard not to notice our president’s work in dozens of other humanitarian matters, e.g., this one, where he banned solitary confinement for juveniles. (Pictured: a boy sentenced to life in prison at age 12; if you can think of anything more stupid and heartless, please let me know.)
Sir: You have almost a year left, and so many reforms left to make in the name of decency and compassion. Don’t. Slow. Down.
Hmmm…..er, Craig without wishing to demean any of the Presidents undoubted accomplishments, you observations appear to contain a certain partisan bias, and lack objectivity.
Managing crime and persons who have committed crimes, is something the US is not terribly good at doing. Nor is the US very good at addressing the causes of crime.
However, as an outside observer (which possibly allows for more dispassionate objectivity )I assess the Obama Presidency as mediocre. There’s no doubt that Mr Obama is personally a good, well-intentioned individual. But is that enough as a President?
This is a time when the challenges facing the US call for a great President. A President who can make shrewd, difficult decisions and force them through congress with the aid of a talented Vice-President. The next President must heal the rift between the pragmatic right and the sensible left, to defeat the lunatic fringes on both sides.
The President’s priority must be to ensure an economy able to seize the opportunity provided by the sudden abundance in North American energy, to re-capitalize US industry, pay down the National debt, so in eight years the US economy is once again competitive with emerging Asian rivals.
The next President must also begin the long and difficult process of US social reform and restructure, while also building a realistic and accurate program for environmental action.
Unfortunately, the current field of candidates is unlikely to produce such an individual. The easy front runner would appear at this stage to be Hillary Clinton. HC is certainly tough, determined, politically experienced and ruthless in achieving her objectives.
Time will tell if she has the quality of greatness that often surprises in such individuals.
Craig,
“boy sentenced to life in prison at age 12 ”
Please excuse my double post, but you raised two very diverse subjects.
Seeing any young person imprisoned is very sad, and in general I agree that harsh sentencing serves no useful purpose other than institutionalize people as criminals and prevent rehabilitation.
Harsh laws, harsh punishment,a lack of understanding, and vengeance and retribution posing as justice, are all recipes guaranteed to produce a less civilized, less compassionate society with high levels of crime and injustice.
However, it must also be considered that 12 year old sociopaths do exist, and society must be protected from the harm these people perpetrate. Handling such people within any environment, is not an easy task. Those that undertake this task do not have an easy job, and are not helped by overly emotional amateur arm-chair critics.
As an ideal, I believe in the possibility of redemption and rehabilitation for every human being. But I admit that is just a “noble” ideal, it may well be that some sociopaths, and psychopaths are lack the ability to control the evil they perpetrate and must be incarcerated for the protection of society and themselves, until some effective treatment can be discovered to render them harmless.
In the meantime, I believe the best and most humane method is to give the people researching and dealing with such people better resources, support and training.
Anyone who thinks that any child, regardless of the crime he committed at age 12 should die (70 years later) in prison has some profound moral defect.