Books reviews, current events, and other musings

A Guardian profile of Wesley Clark includes this interesting biographical tidbit.

He grew up a Baptist but converted to his wife's Catholicism. He was born in Chicago but raised in the Deep South. Oh, and his real father was Jewish.

So, the major Democratic prospects include a Jew (Lieberman), a gentile with a Jewish wife (Dean), and a gentile with a Jewish father (Clark).

Actually, Lieberman's Jewishness might make things even more difficult were he to become President. If the US still occupies Iraq, fighting an Islamic resistance, having a pro-Israeli Orthodox Jew as President would just add fuel to the fire. As someone who grew up Jewish, it's uncomfortable for me to acknowledge the fact, but Lieberman's Presidency would heighten anti-American sentiment in the Arab World. Though, to be honest, Lieberman has long been my least favorite Democratic candidate for a variety of reasons.

posted by Julian at 9:30PM

According to a fascinating The Washington Monthly article, police forces have decreasing resources available for fighting crime. Spending cuts, homeland security needs, and National Guard deployments in Iraq have reduced the number of police on the street. Consequently, violent crime, which diminished during the 90's, is on the upswing.

Here's how the Bush administration is addressing the crime problem.

Attorney General John Ashcroft today made it tougher for federal prosecutors to strike plea bargains with criminal defendants, requiring attorneys to seek the most serious charges possible in almost all cases.

Once again, the Republican strategy is totally counterproductive. Long prison sentences have a limited deterrent effect, while removing discretion from prosecutors leads to unfair sentences and overcrowded prisons. Community policing was working well, and it's a shame that so many departments are abandoning it for financial reasons.

posted by Julian at 9:35PM