Reduce sentencing disparity for crack cocaine retroactively
Q: The US Sentencing Commission recently limited the disparity in sentencing guidelines for those convicted of crimes involving crack cocaine versus crimes involving powder cocaine. Should that change be retroactive?
CLINTON: I believe we've got to
decrease the disparity that exists. But I have problems with retroactivity.
DODD: I'd be inclined to say yes on the retroactivity.
EDWARDS: I'm not just inclined to say yes; the answer is yes, absolutely; it should be retroactive.
KUCINICH: Yes.
Source: 2007 Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum
Dec 1, 2007
Allow medical marijuana; and allow decriminalization too
America suffers roughly 100,000 alcohol-related deaths per year. Marijuana kills virtually no one. Why is marijuana illegal?
A: Certainly with medical use of marijuana, it ought to be allowed. And many states allow that today. I've strongly advocated
that these states not be biased or prejudiced because they allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. And again, on allowing decriminalization, I strongly advocate as well. We're cluttering up our prisons, frankly, when we draw distinctions.
Let me go beyond marijuana here in terms of crack cocaine or powder cocaine, where we have differentials in prison sentences here. So I would decriminalize, or certainly advocate as president, the decriminalization of statutes
that would incarcerate or severely penalize people for using marijuana. I know there are a lot of people across the political spectrum who would just totally legalize it. I don't go that far.
Alcohol problems significant; keep drinking age at 21
Q: Would you as president remove the requirement that a state have a legal drinking age of 21 in order to receive federal highway funds, thereby returning the drinking age back to the states?
BIDEN: Absolutely no, I would not. The cost of alcoholism in
America, the cost of accidents that flow from drunkenness, are astronomical.
DODD: No, I agree with Joe on this. The problems associated with alcohol are significant in our country. The evidence is overwhelming..
RICHARDSON:
No, I wouldn't lower it. I think you need a dual approach: strong law enforcement, but you also have to have substance abuse treatment.
GRAVEL: I think we should lower it. Anybody that can go fight and die for this country should be able to drink.
KUCINICH: Of course they should be able to drink at age 18, and they should be able to vote at age 16.
Voted NO on increasing penalties for drug offenses.
Vote to increase penalties on certain drug-related crimes. The amendment would specifically target the manufacturing or trafficking of amphetamines & methamphetamines and possession of powder cocaine, and set stronger penalties for dealing drugs
Reference:
Bill S.625
; vote number 1999-360
on Nov 10, 1999
Voted NO on spending international development funds on drug control.
Vote to add an additional $53 million (raising the total to $213 million) to international narcotics control funding, and pay for it by taking $25 million from international operations funding and $28 million from development assistance.
Reference:
Bill HR 3540
; vote number 1996-244
on Jul 25, 1996
