Rand Paul: "Unite 'the two Americas"
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is using Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to push for criminal justice reform to unite "the two Americas."
http://time.com/3671819/sen-rand-paul-eric-garner-and-michael-brown-and-...
In another post, BaneMaler posted a short clip of the following:
More than 50 people packed into the Platinum Kutz barbershop in the Drake neighborhood in Des Moines to ask Paul questions.
“I’ve been working with the other side for several years now on all of these issues above and beyond the presidential campaign,” Paul said. “I think you’ll find me a different sort of Republican.”
Paul said he has proposed at least 10 criminal justice reform bills, and has worked with the Congressional Black Caucus to form policy. He said he wants to see more records expunged for non-violent criminals who have “done their time” and who “ought to get a second chance.”
Paul said he would also get rid of mandatory minimum sentencing and give judges more discretion when it comes to sentencing. The reforms would not apply to child predators or other violent criminals who “hurt somebody in the process” of their crime, he said.
“I also think that we need sentencing reform, where people aren’t going to jail for 15, 20 years for youthful, non-violent mistakes,” Paul said to applause from the crowd. “Republicans are always saying 'we don’t want this big welfare state, we want people working.' We do, we want people working but what’s the biggest impediment to getting a job in our country? Having a criminal record.”
Paul questioned Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton’s stance in Sunday’s debate regarding her husband’s criminal justice reform bill passed in the early 1990s. He said Clinton should say whether she’s sorry for supporting a bill that “put a whole generation of young African-Americans in jail.”
Employees and patrons of Platinum Kutz got to ask Paul direct questions during the stop. He spent about 20 minutes with the group, before pastors said a prayer and local rapper Will Keeps sang the national anthem in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Among the attendees was State Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, D-Des Moines, who told Paul: “The urban core is largely forgotten. I don’t know another candidate that has walked in a barbershop ever before, and we applaud you for that.”
REACTION: The crowd asked the senator several questions, listened politely, and applauded several times.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucu...