California Democrats Embrace Criminals and Illegal Aliens

by GREGORY D. LEE October 4, 2012

Over the weekend, California Governor Jerry Brown signed two pieces of legislation that will satisfy his liberal constituents: convicted felons and illegal aliens. It makes conservatives like me cringe.

Jerry, "Moonbeam" Brown signed SB9, allowing for the possibility of parole for 309 murderers who were convicted as juveniles and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. This new law allows these cold blooded killers to ask a judge to resentence them to 25-years to life if the inmate shows remorse and is taking steps towards rehabilitation. In order to qualify for the new hearing, the prisoner must have spent at least 15 years in prison. Those murderers who tortured their victims or kill police officers or fire fighters are not eligible for early release. At least not now. I'm sure some liberal legislator is drafting legislation to correct that flaw in the law.

Despite overwhelming criticism from California law enforcement officials, Gov. Brown sided with the likes of Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, and defense attorneys. The only law enforcement officials who publically announced support for the bill were the San Francisco police chief, the San Francisco interim sheriff and the district attorney. Imagine that!

Now there are 309 families who did have closure to their relative's murders that will now have to bear the burden of attending parole hearings to demonstrate why these vicious killers should never be released. The nightmares of the circumstances leading to their loved ones murders will have to be replayed every several years.

A proposition is on this November's ballot to abolish capital punishment and replace it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. You must be joking? Gov. Brown has just demonstrated that there is no such thing as life in prison without the possibility of parole in California. Some future study will conclude that convicted murderers are capable of baking tasty fruitcake people actually want to eat, and Gov. Brown will sign legislation to allow them instant parole in time for Christmas.   

Gov. Brown said he was convinced that medical evidence has revealed that juvenile offenders' minds are not fully developed and that with maturity they could be released from prison and be productive voters, err citizens. This "new evidence" sounds like good reason to not allow 18-year olds to vote, with the possible exception of people in the armed forces.

This is on the heels of the one year anniversary of the state's "Criminal Justice Realignment" plan which transfers hardened state prisoners to county jails to ease prison overcrowding, or outright release them from custody. Turns out that many of these "non-violent, low-risk" released prisoners are committing rape, attempted murders, kidnappings, robberies and stabbings. Guess they didn't get the memo that they were supposed to only commit non-violent crimes.

Instead of spending $30 billion dollars on a high speed train to nowhere in the California desert, Gov. Brown could have better used those funds to ease prison overcrowding and keep killers in prisons. I wonder how many of those 309 murderers are illegal aliens brought to this country as children by their illegal alien parents.

Speaking of which, the other piece of legislation Gov. Brown signed into law was a bill allowing those illegal aliens identified by President Obama's back door immigration policy who came to the country as children, to be issued California State drivers licenses. While these illegal aliens are waiting in line at their local Department of Motor Vehicles office to get their licenses, they can fill out and turn in a voter registration card! That, after all, is what this whole issue of back door amnesty is about: keeping the Democrats in power by adding numbers of voters to its roster and keep them dependent on big government. Now these same people can legally drive to a polling place to cast their ballots for the president and Jerry Brown in a couple more years. They can also legally drive to work to fill a job they've taken away from a deserving U.S. citizen.

Conservatives and Republican legislators are becoming an endangered species in California. Maybe when the state is hopelessly screwed up beyond all recognition the voters will decide it's time for a change of leadership and direction. Getting the state back on track can be accomplished if someone with the political will takes over and does what's right for all Californians, and not just convicted murders and illegal aliens.