Alabama Legislators do a “Deliverance” move on it’s Citizens
Posted by Warm Southern Breeze on Friday, April 6, 2012
Readers may want to refer to an earlier entry entitled, “I won the Alabama Lottery!” in which I added that, “…and all I got was this lousy governor and inept Republican legislature.”
One must wonder if going to Montgomery is cause of intellectual deprivation, or if it is evidence of the same.
Either way, Alabama sucks hind teat. (That’s a colloquial farming aphorism referring to the suckling which finds itself in a very disadvantaged position.)
God help us.
The Republican legislature is doing a “Deliverance” move on its citizens. Only thing is, they’re not asking us to squeal like a pig.
It’s just what Alabama needs in the midst of 10.6% proration… more overcrowded prisons, which require more state employees, etc.
Do we really need More proof Alabama’s Legislature are Fools & Idiots?
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House passes bill creating new level of penalty for drug possession
4/6/12 The Associated Press
MONTGOMERY — Alabamians carrying more than eight grams of an illegal drug would be faced with tougher penalties under a measure approved by the state House of Representatives.
The bill passed Thursday would make it a Class B felony to carry more than eight grams of an illegal substance, such as cocaine or heroin. The crime would be punishable by up to 20 years and prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
Currently, possession of less than 28 grams of an illegal drug is considered for personal use and is a Class C felony.
Sponsor Rep. Blaine Galliher says the proposal is aimed at making it easier to target street-level drug dealers who sell in small amounts.
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House passes new felony drug penalty for street-level dealers
Times Montgomery Bureau
MONTGOMERY — The House on Thursday by a 74-13 vote passed a bill to create a new class of felony and make it easier to prosecute street-level drug dealers.
Sponsor Rep. Blaine Galliher, R-Rainbow City, said his bill will create a new penalty for possession of significant amounts of illegal drugs.
Current state law says up to 28 grams of drugs such as heroin or cocaine is considered for personal use. Galliher said Etowah County officials believe 28 grams is too much to be considered for personal use only.
He said that amount of drugs — nearly one ounce — commonly is found in street-level drug deals.
Current law classifies less than 28 grams as a low-level Class C felony while more than 28 grams is a higher Class A felony.
Galliher’s bill would create a Class B felony for possession of more than 8 grams.
“Today, such offenders are typically placed under probation and released back onto the streets, due to restrictions in the current law that make it difficult for law enforcement to prove intent to deal,” he said.
Galliher said drug dealers know how to game the system by carrying just enough illegal drugs to make the crime worthwhile, but not subject them to stiff penalties.
Warm Southern Breeze 
therealkenjones said
It’s the private prison lobby.
The privatization fetish sweeping through politics is just a veneer for yet another campaign payback.
We’ve got to get money out of politics.
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Warm Southern Breeze said
Y’know, Ken… that thought occurred to me as I wrote. But in Alabama, we don’t have too many of those, if any. However, under the previous administration – that would be Bob Riley (R, Ashville) – many state prisoners, male & female, were sent to private prisons out of state, specifically in MS & LA, perhaps other states. The very idea stinks, but no one seems to think that by selling out to private enterprise – which touts itself as a cost-saving measure – is an indictment against the state’s status quo, that they cannot efficiently and effectively operate governmental functions.
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therealkenjones said
Whenever I hear about toughening laws I automatically think about the private prison scam. That’s certainly what’s going on here in California and obviously in other states as well. I don’t know how this would manifest practically in Alabama, but it could possibly be a prelude to a push for the privatization of your prison system. Overwhelm it, then declare it broken (Of course, that’s pure, unfounded speculation.)
It’s definitely an uphill battle when philosophically, one half of our two-party system has a vested interest in seeing government agencies fail. And from a political standpoint both parties want to hand the corporations that finance them as many giveaways as possible, including the privatization of traditionally government-run institutions.
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