Sir Bandelot

Are the Republicans buying into false leftist narratives? And why. Or could it be that those narratives are not false in their view, but they are false in yours. Otherwise, I can't imagine why they would cut their own throats.

More likely none of this is possible, since the level of corruption in our society is so pervasive.

It's only when things become a problem that action has to be taken. There's no law against inhaling petroleum fumes, for example. But hardly anyone does it, and there's no "black market". There has to be at least some regulation or restriction, if anything to protect the public. These potheads making claims that marijuana is harmless need to be countered, lest naive people believe them.

It has happened in the past. But even spending 27 years in jail only to find out the accused was innocent, their lives are ruined. Off topic anyway.

Oooh... ouch!

I won't say it's not a problem. Has DNA evidence ever been wrong?

Like the examples you cited?

We should never allow emotion to could our judgement, especially the court of public opinion but the real problem is, corruption. How many cases have we seen with trumped up evidence? Those people should be heavily punished, with incarceration. But the real killers, Olsen, Bernardo, Homolka, Williams, should not be kept alive IMO. Although, it comes down to a question of should the state have the right to take a life, for me it's a trade off between the rights if the individual and the rights of the people to peace and security.

Which government is new?

It's true; but likewise there WILL be some who no longer fear reprisal and are therefore wiling to come out. I personally don't condone legalization. Decrim, yes but I would want to see more treatment programs available. This would cost more, but is offset by the cost savings avoiding incarceration. Beyond that, we take some of the pressure off jails. More room for bad criminals. And taking control away from organized crime does appeal to me. The economic argument also appeals to me, in this time of fiscal restraint.

Not so sure after seeing Manson on TV recently, and his accomplices. Somehow keeping them alive and in the media year after year, hearing about their crimes and their attitudes after years in prison. doesn't satisfy me that they are being adequately punished, and that the public conscience is undisturbed.