The Drug War, Federal Prisons — and Bipartisanship

The US population has risen by one-third since 1980. At the same time, the federal prison population has risen 800% -- and there's little to show for a lot of taxpayer money. That's what Democratic Attorney General Eric Holder told the independent US Sentencing Commission today, proposing that mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes be scaled back. Even Rand Paul and Rick Perry of Texas agree that the War on Drugs has gone too far with long, mandatory sentences for minor crimes. Prison costs are rising, with little to show for the money, and Holder's reform proposals just might be accepted on Capitol Hill. Those concerned about racial disparities among inmates are saying it's about time.