Pirate's Cove

They may be backing it, but, do they really believe this, or, are they just trying to placate voters temporarily? Or feeling the heat of lost donations from big companies?

Liberal California mayors are backing this ballot measure that could lock up repeat retail thieves

For the first time in ten years, California voters could get the opportunity to change a controversial law aimed at criminal justice reform.

A new proposal, called The Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, would roll back parts of Proposition 47, approved by California voters in 2014 to reduce overcrowding in jails by reducing punishments for some crimes, like theft and drug possession.

Many of the proposal’s backers are exactly who you’d expect: district attorneys, Republican lawmakers and big chain stores that have been lashing out against a Covid-era rise in shoplifting that last year subsided. But it has support from a handful of Democratic mayors, too.

Although Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes the proposal, arguing the system is sufficiently tough on crime. But it appears destined to be decided by voters: The proposal needs fewer than 547,000 signatures to get on California’s ballot in November, and organizers tell CNN they have 75% of the signatures needed.

Will Democrat voters sign on in high enough numbers?

Under the new proposal, “an offender with two prior convictions for theft can be charged with a felony, regardless of the value of the stolen property.” It would also allow prosecutors to add together the value of property stolen across multiple thefts to exceed the $950 threshold for a felony charge, and create harsher punishments for organized retail theft rings. (big snip)

When Prop 47 was approved by California voters ten years ago, it turned most drug possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. And right now, non-prescription fentanyl is not listed on Prop 47 as a hard drug that can result in harsher punishments in certain cases.

The new proposal would create harsher penalties for people who deal fentanyl and other hard drugs.

You know, common sense. Things that are freaking common sense. They can certainly find other ways to punish these people rather than mass incarceration in horrible living conditions, but, criminals need to be punished. They need to know there are consequences for their actions. Which is the opposite of what the People’s Republik Of California has been doing.

Read: Surprise: Democrat Mayors In PRC Back Measure Which Locks Up Repeat Thieves »

Yesterday I wrote in regards to the Politico article on the measures

One of the best parts, though, is that implementing law and order, reducing crime are considered a rightward and conservative shift. So, Democrat policy stands for crime and disorder?

Yes, yes they do

San Francisco ‘can no longer be called progressive city,’ newspaper declares after law-and-order measures pass

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle declared the city “can no longer be called a progressive city” after the success of two law-and-order ballot measures on Tuesday.

Chronicle reporters Aldo Toledo and Joe Garofoli wrote that with the city voting “yes” on ballot measures that would require drug screenings for potential welfare recipients and increase police powers in the city, progressive policies appear to no longer be popular with residents.

The first of the two ballot measures, Proposition F, requires drug screening for people receiving public benefits and would force drug addicts to go into treatment if they want to continue receiving those benefits. The second, Proposition E, would give law enforcement better surveillance tools and rein in oversight over the force, allowing looser restrictions on car chases, for example.

The reporters added that, in addition to approving these measures, “voters also backed a slate of moderates to run the local Democratic County Central Committee, whose endorsements could reshape who is elected in San Francisco for years.”

So, yes, crime and disorder is what Progressives stand for, and residents of San Francisco have hit their breaking point with these wackos. I’m surprised it too them this long

The Chronicle noted how some progressives feel they aren’t too devastated by Tuesday’s results, noting that November’s election – where Breed faces challengers to her re-election – will be “a better barometer of San Francisco’s progressivism.”

It detailed how progressives need to “rally behind better solutions when it comes to the problems that voters care about most, like public safety, housing, homelessness and the drug crisis,” and provided examples of prominent progressives strategizing on how to get their messaging straight. The authors also observed, “one message progressives agree on is that they’re in danger.”

Messaging is cute, but, the residents, those who haven’t moved out of San Francisco, have seen the results of the actions for decades as crime skyrocketed, as car breakins and thefts were the norm, as businesses saw constant theft, as businesses closed down, particularly in the downtown area, as people refused to go to certain shopping areas, as homeless raged across the city, as poop, urine, and drug needles were all over. The big wigs who supported all the anti-law and pro-disorder policies tend to live in areas which do not see this and are wealthy enough that the police who haven’t left patrol their neighborhoods in force, and I bet that anyone who commits a crime against the wealthy are prosecuted.

Next up, I can see SF changing policies and allowing law enforcement to work with immigration officials like ICE.

Read: SF Chronicle Says City Can No Longer Be Called Progressive After Law And Order Measures Passed »