America’s Incarcerated Population, Largest in World, Grew Even More Last Year
Zaid Milani * Dec. 30 2015 * The Intercept

The federal government’s Bureau of Justice Statistics has released new numbers detailing how America’s incarcerated population — already the world’s largest — grew even bigger in 2014.

The bureau’s researchers report that the number of individuals incarcerated grew by 1,900 people over the course of last year — “reversing a 5-year decline since 2008.”

It’s not all bad news, though. The researchers also report that there was a decrease in overall adults supervised by the correctional systems — meaning included in community supervision or parole. In 2014, there were “about 52,200 fewer offenders than at yearend 2013.”

Their report found that just seven jurisdictions “accounted for almost half of the U.S. correctional population at yearend 2014,” with Texas topping the list with 699,300 offenders. Overall, “about 1 in 36 adults in the United States was under some form of correctional supervision at yearend 2014.”

Numerous explanations have been offered for this high rate of incarceration. As The Intercept reported earlier this month, one private prison executive offered his own theory at a recent investment bankers conference.

“The reality is, we are a very affluent country, we have loose borders, and we have a bad education system,” said Shayn March, a vice president at private prison firm Geo Group. “And all that adds up to a significant amount of correctional needs, which, thankfully, we’ve been able to help the country out with and states with by providing a lower cost solution.”
https://theintercept.com/2015/12/30/americas-incarcerated-population-largest-in-world-grew-even-more-last-year/

It's this kind of nefarious crap going on between our supposed "allies" and ISIS that convinces me, in part, of the wisdom and importance of Sanders' policy positions re ISIS and the Middle East. That reference to another such instance involving Canada is a little confusing though, as I'm not sure what it's based on, or how similar that was to this.



http://www.mintpressnews.com/killed-isis-commanders-cell-phone-shows-direct-ties-to-turkish-intelligence/212317/

Hllarians are outraged that a 'socialist' candidate has the audacity to actually educate the
'little people' to start actually voting in their own best interests. Imagine that.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=949930

How dare Sanders help defuse a racist blowhard's popularity among the 'little people' by
redirecting misplaced hatred away from racial minorities, and towards Wall Street crooks
and MIC war profiteers, where it rightfully belongs.

Just who does this Sanders guy think he is anyway? The next President or something?

I absolutely love this compare & contrast piece re: Bernie & tRump, especially because it eloquently explodes the M$M's annoying habit of sliming Bernie with repeated off-handed insinuations re "The similarities between the Sander and Trump campaigns"; while otherwise ignoring Sanders campaign altogether.

Sanders promotes equality, Trump promotes hate
By Brent Budowsky * December 24, 2015 * The Hill

In my previous Contributors piece, I cited a Quinnipiac poll that showed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) running ahead of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump by the landslide magnitude margin of 13 percentage points. Today, we take this analysis to the next level and consider how Sanders and Trump represent different visions of America and different visions of American politics.

Sanders is a powerful leader and visionary of progressive politics who is historically descended from presidents such as Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt. Sanders is the happy warrior of American politics who rejects personal attacks and negative campaigning in his politics and seeks to build coalitions of common interests behind policies of economic fairness, justice and equality.

Trump is a bitterly divisive figure in American politics who is historically descended from Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.), who ran an ultra-right candidacy in 1964 that led Republicans to a historic landslide defeat, and Trump is also descended from President Richard Nixon, who believed in creating enemies lists and slandering political opponents (who, by the end of his presidency, included virtually everyone in America).

While Sanders is the happy warrior who cheerfully takes his case of economic equality and fairness to the nation, seeking to build a majority coalition for his policies of change we can believe in, Trump is the angry man of American politics who campaigns with vicious words and bizarre facial contortions as he angrily attacks the individuals and groups he showers with scorn and derision every day.

As Sanders said on CNN Thursday morning, Trump "[plays] off the anxiety and the fears" of Americans and scapegoats minority groups and "then [tries] to get us to hate Mexicans or to hate Muslims" — and Sanders used the word "hate," as have some principled conservatives who have called Trump a fascist. I have never used the word "fascist" to describe Trump, and do not so so here, but the fact that some Republican conservatives have begun to describe Trump this way is a sign of how far Trump has moved from the politics of civility and mutual respect that is the American political tradition.

Sanders is inclusive, trying to bring voters together by lifting voters up behind a shared interest in economic equality. Trump is bitterly divisive, trying to pit groups of Americans against each other and make America what Abraham Lincoln warned would be a "house divided against itself.

MORE (a very good read): http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/264187-sanders-promotes-equality-trump-promotes-hate

A cool US map, showing how to make sure you can vote for Bernie in each state's primary. There's also
a place to sign-up to receive notice of any unforeseen changes in election rules that states may adopt.

http://voteforbernie.org

A cool US map, showing how to make sure you can vote for Bernie in each state's primary. There's also
a place to sign-up to receive notice of any unforeseen changes in election rules that states may adopt.

http://voteforbernie.org

Hill's refusal to acknowledge her over-statement is succeeding to some extent to keep M$M's
attention on HER & Trump i.e. GE-bound.. while giving the M$M a handy excuse to keep ignoring
Bernie Sanders phenomenal campaign.

Judging from NBC's national news tonight, she's succeeded, to a point. There was an 3-4
minute sement on the Cinton-Trump dust-up, ALL about Hillary & Trump, like the GE was
already "On!". Was this Hillary at her "presumptive" best, pretending like she's already won
the Primary; and the M$M is lapping it up.

Lawrence O'Donnell did a segment on the Cinton-Trump kerfuffle, arguing that it was foolish
of Hillary to attempt to "out-Trump" Trump by refusing to admit what she said was technically
not true, but was an "exaggeration", but to make an important point, that shouldn't get
lost in the he-said/she-said shuffle. O'Donnell argues forcefully that Clinton was wrong to
refuse to acknowledge the untruth of her claim re: Trump videos being shown to recruit
new ISIS jihadists. That segment is at the first 10-15 min. of this 43 minute video:


So which is it?

Did Hillary blow it by not illustrating to Trump and the nation what a real leader does,
when caught in a lie, i.e. simply acknowledge the 'overstatement' and move on? Or is Hillary
being sly like a fox by copping M$M focus to shine on HER and Trump, warming up for the GE,
enabling the M$M to continue to completely ignore Sanders?

Normally, I can click on a DU member's handle, and it would take me to their profile, Journal, etc.
For some odd reason, I have not been able to do that today, at all. When I try to go to a member's
profile, etc. this is what comes up. It happens regardless of which DU member I click on.



This is very frustrating because it is often very useful and informative to see another members
info, in order to reply accurately and fairly to their post or OP. ANY help I can get with this issue
would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your consideration. ~99th_Monkey

Right now, it shows 96% YES, 3% NO, 1% Not Sure.

http://thepoliticus.com/content/should-debbie-wasserman-schultz-be-forcibly-removed-dnc-chairwoman

While you are at it, Please also sign Petition to President Obama to remove DWS as DNC Chair, here:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-debbie-wasserman-schultz-dnc-chair-0