by Mish Shedlock, Mish Talk:
More and more headlines look as if they are from the Babylon Bee. Let’s discuss the latest idiocrasy from la-la land.
Background
In California, police don’t arrest prosecutors because prosecutors will just turn them loose. People and businesses are tired of the crime. The result is a campaign to roll back Soros-backed proposition 47 that made theft of less than $950 in goods a misdemeanor.
TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/
Stores are at the mercy of shoplifters and many merchants have decided to close up shop. Downtown San Francisco looks like a ghost town.
California Voter Revolt
The proposition 47 reversal has gathered enough signatures that it will be on the ballot.
However, the Progressive nut cases running the state propose an alternate measure with a laughable poison pill aimed at stopping the rollback.
The Wall Street Journal comments A Voter Revolt Grows in California.
The George Soros-backed initiative cut the state prison count, but Californians are paying a high price. Organized criminals exploit the law’s lax penalties. District attorneys say Prop. 47 prevents them from leveraging the penalty of jail time to induce addicts into treatment. Police often don’t arrest thieves or drug users because the crimes go unpunished. Retail theft, vagrancy and open-air drug use have spiked.
Thus the citizen initiative, which would toughen penalties for shoplifters and drug dealers. Someone with two prior convictions for theft could be charged with a felony on the third offense no matter the amount. The value of stolen property from multiple thefts could be combined for a felony charge.
The initiative would also make possessing fentanyl while carrying a loaded firearm a felony. Dealers could be charged with homicide if their clients overdose.
Democrats Alternative Solution
Democrats are advancing a package of bills to assuage public anger about surging crime. One would let courts issue restraining orders against thieves, as if this would stop them. Another would toughen penalties for organized criminals who steal more than $50,000 in goods.
Wow. Not even $50,000 currently gets much attention in California. People don’t bother reporting crimes because the police and prosecutors will not do a damn thing about anything.
Poison Pill
In a bizarre twist, Democrats last week threatened to blow up their own legislation by inserting language in the bills that would render them void if voters pass the Prop. 47 reform.
Let’s discuss how the Democrats bill would work.
Someone commits a 200 shoplifting crimes of which 25 get reported and 3 investigated. The three are immediately released because the amounts are under $950.
Ta Da!
The court issues a restraining order telling these shoplifters “Don’t do it again, or else”.
Or else what?
