When Alabama Democrats aren’t proposing allowing people to vote in multiple elections, advocating for men playing women’s basketball or defending rioters who destroy property, they are all out advocating for felons.
Not just any felons — repeat felons.
State Rep. Christopher England (D-Tuscaloosa), head of the Alabama Democratic Party, has proposed a bill that would repeal Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday advanced this bill.
The Habitual Felony Offender Act requires repeat offenders to be locked up longer, which is a completely appropriate use of state power.
State Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) is correct when he makes the point that this bill would limit the ability of prosecutors and judges to punish criminals after multiple felonies.
Could they still punish them harshly? Yes.
Would they have to? No.
The argument that this is about prison over-crowding is silly.
These are the people you want in prison: Repeat. Felony. Offenders.
The people who support the bill act as if these are people who just made a mistake and got locked up forever.
This, of course, is not true.
If these leaders, Republicans and Democrats alike, think the prison population is too large, then let some people out.
Repeat felons should not be on the list of people we should be opening the prison doors for.
They will offend again. That is what put them in prison in the first, second, third and fourth place.
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.
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