This actually makes perfect sense when you think about it. Obama doesn't take seriously the threats from external forces like Russia or Iran, having shown himself more than capable of simply dismissing any danger because that's a better fit for his ideology than to admit the threat and take responsibility for actually doing something about it.
So why wouldn't he do the same thing when it comes to threats inside the country from our own citizens? It's one thing if they're those scary right-wing militia types who make those disturbing anti-government remarks on talk radio. We can't have that. But drug traffickers with multiple felony convictions? Especially the
ones we've already got in federal prison?
Obama knows who he was elected to serve, and he rarely lets them down
The White House claims that prisoners applying for early release were put through a vigorous review process to be sure they were not a threat. How thorough a review process? Not very, because 74 percent of all applications for early release were approved.
When you hear liberals talk about "rethinking federal sentencing," what that really means is that they hated all along the idea that drug criminals had to do serious prison time, and if they ever got in power and got enough judges on their side, they would let them go. They're not "rethinking" anything. They're doing what they always wanted to do.
And as a serious review of the prisoners' histories (not to mention anyone's common sense) would tell you, drug criminals are almost never just harmless little guys who happened to traffic a little cocaine, heroin or meth. They're serious criminals who commit a variety of crimes because these are the kinds of people who traffic drugs. And now they're going to be free to do it again. The sheriffs point out that about a third of the prisoners set for release are illegals, which means they'll have an even harder time than most released prisoners finding work - and it's hard to take seriously the Obama claim that they'll be deported.
So what do you think they're going to do? Of course. Go back to what they did before.
One of the reasons liberals hate anti-drug laws, of course - in addition to their aversion to the law-and-order mentality in general - is that so many of them like to do drugs, and it bothers them that any part of the drug world would be considered criminal.
Why should it be illegal to traffic drugs? I like to get high!
So a mass release like this represents some major gratification for many on the left. Letting criminals go, re-establishing ties with Cuba, lifting sanctions against Iran, refusing to enforce immigration law . . . these are the kinds of things these people dreamed Obama would do when they elected him. This is an exciting day for them. And for lots of serious criminals.
Obama knows who he was elected to serve, and he rarely lets them down.