<p>&ldquo;America is a nation of second chances and I believe these folks deserve their second chance,&rdquo; said President Obama in a speech he released this week on Facebook. ;</p>
<p>While writing pardons may be a favorite pastime of presidents about to reach the end of their term, Obama has taken it a little too far. This Monday he decided to commute the sentences of 46 drug dealers as part of his effort to improve the country&rsquo;s criminal justice system and to &ldquo;make our community safer.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Was this unprecedented action a response to the rising nationwide distrust in police? ;</p>
<p>Many of those 46 men and women now walking the streets had been sentenced to 20 or more years; 14 of them had been sentenced to life. Obama believes that these punishments were far too severe for individuals ;who were &ldquo;only engaged in non-violent drug offenses.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>In his speech, Obama spoke about the &ldquo;inequities in the criminal justice system,&rdquo; and stated that the $80+ billion we spend annually on incarcerations is too high. The incarceration rate is falling and it&rsquo;s up to everyone &ndash; both Democrats and Republicans &ndash; to work together to find a way to make America&rsquo;s criminal justice system work more effectively. ;</p>
<p>Although his reasons for liberating specific individuals are unclear, the vast majority of those released were cocaine dealers. Just to give you an idea:</p>
<p>Telisha Rachette Watkins was convicted in Charlotte, NC in October 2007. Her offense: &ldquo;Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Jackie Johnson was convicted in Townsend, DE in January 2007. His offense: &ldquo;Possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a cocaine base.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Jermaine Lee Osborne was convicted in Roanoke, VA in May 2006. His offense: &ldquo;Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of cocaine base.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Marcus H. Richards was convicted in Miami in June 2005. His offense: &ldquo;Conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and more than 50 grams of cocaine base.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Although restoring a sense of fairness in our justice system and spending taxpayer dollars more effectively are admirable goals, I&rsquo;m not sure releasing 46 drug dealers was the best way to start. ;</p>
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