Ummm... Err..... OK. He's got me on that one. Napoli extends an offer of cooperation to the Dems.
I have to admit, I'm still trying to digest this story (along with my Taco Johns Lunch). State Senator Bill Napoli is reaching out to the Democratic candidate for Governor, Jack Billion, for support on a plan of his to put drunk drivers in a different facility than more hardened criminals.
Today the Rapid City Journal is all over Bill Napoli's overtures to the Democratic Candidate for Governor, Jack Billion :
I think the key thing to consider is that his past criticisms of a certain State Senator who lost the primary are based on the fact that this person was bashing the GOP and it's candidates saying they needed to be removed from office. Here, Bill is just saying the Republicans and Democrats need to work together on this issue.
That being said, personally, I'm not sure why he would have gone to Billion with this, other than to highlight the issue for discussion. Coming in the middle of the battle for Governor, it seems that it could be a bit... incindiary for his relationship with Governor Mike Rounds.
And Bill wouldn't do anything incindiary now, would he?
Today the Rapid City Journal is all over Bill Napoli's overtures to the Democratic Candidate for Governor, Jack Billion :
State Sen. Bill Napoli proposed a new type of prison facility Thursday for nonviolent criminals struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. And in an unusual move for a conservative Republican who has criticized GOP moderates for blurring political philosophy, he sought Democratic support for his plan.I will give him this - Despite the newspaper painting this as unusual, I would note that it isn't the first time that Bill has gone to the other side of the aisle for support on issues he cares about. I think I've mentioned before that he's currently working with Senator Jim Hundstad on Amendment D.
"If I have to go to the Democrats to get this done, I will," the Rapid City incumbent from District 35 said during a news conference attended by both Democratic and Republican political candidates.
Napoli said South Dakota has a "terrible" incarceration rate, in part because of "Republican get-tough-on-crime" programs that he has opposed in the state Legislature.
and..
Napoli spoke about the idea recently with Jack Billion, the Democratic candidate for governor, and invited Billion's running mate, Eric Abrahamson of Rapid City, and other candidates from both major parties to the news conference Thursday.
also..
Napoli said he left a phone message about the issue weeks ago for Gov. Mike Rounds but never heard back from the governor. He left messages Wednesday in Rounds campaign offices in Rapid City and Pierre and did not hear back.
and the response...
"I haven't talked to him, nor have I had a request from him for a phone call," Rounds said late Thursday afternoon. "I've checked our phone logs. The last time I had a phone call from Bill Napoli was March of this year."
and finally..
On Thursday, Napoli said there is no hypocrisy in his outreach to Democrats a month after he blasted Adelstein for his Democratic connections. There should be a hard line between the parties on political philosophy, but it can be crossed on key issues, he said.
"When it comes to issues, the lines have to disappear," he said.
I think the key thing to consider is that his past criticisms of a certain State Senator who lost the primary are based on the fact that this person was bashing the GOP and it's candidates saying they needed to be removed from office. Here, Bill is just saying the Republicans and Democrats need to work together on this issue.
That being said, personally, I'm not sure why he would have gone to Billion with this, other than to highlight the issue for discussion. Coming in the middle of the battle for Governor, it seems that it could be a bit... incindiary for his relationship with Governor Mike Rounds.
And Bill wouldn't do anything incindiary now, would he?
Comments
I can't wait for session this year. It will be the Bill and Jerry show and there will be an awful lot of DOA matters coming out of and being pushed by the governors office.
Coddling criminals does not work. Just because the Peoples Republic of Minnesota has a revolving door installed to its jails, doesn't mean it is good for the citizens of our society.
Rehab is fine, but the state of south dakota probably pays out millions of dollars in rehab every year for habitual criminals. That investment is surely helping some, but the reality of the situation is that jail forces sobriety and the pennitentiary does have drug and alcohol programs for the inmates.
Bill simply does not know what he's talking about. Conspiring with the liberals to release criminals from jail, who were most recently caught for a non-violent drug or alcohol offense, will just lead to more crime and less productivity of our society.
Bill, please don't buy into the liberal diatribe!
You are spot on with two comments. The first is that the Rounds Administration is lacking a legislative liason and fails to communicate with folks who are worthy of having their phone calls returned.
This has been a hallmark of Rounds and shows that the administration up there is being run by the junior varsity. Rounds needs to get out there more. South Dakotans have been partly conditioned by their history and partially by Bill Janklow into liking hands on leadership. Rounds has had some victories, like Homestake and the like but he's never on the scene of anything.
Secondly, and I concur, a rise in alcohol related crimes means that more people are committing those crimes. Liberals in this state think that everytime we have too many people going to jail we should reduce the penalties so we don't have to spend more on jails. I though libs were in favor of spending more money. Oh that's right they are just in favor of spending money with their special interests groups.
We need to stick to our guns on the crime issue. Also, imprisonment does force sobriety. What it doesn't do is force responsiblity after being let out.
We need to bring Chuck Colson and the Prison Fellowship ministries into the prison to teach that stuff.
Napoli can't have it both ways, but we are talking about Bill Napoli, and I'm not sure if he is smart enough to know it.
There are bloggers on the War College who are just as stupid as they claim I am.
The story was factual, the heading was not. Not that it makes a hill of beans difference to you bloggers who are unable to understand how issues work. I called Rounds in March, I was told he would call me back about this issue, and there was no response.
I took the time to call the Republican Headquarters and get the campaign phone numbers for Round's office in Pierre and Rapid City. I had to leave a message at the Pierre office, and I talked to one of Round's guys here in Rapid, who said, someone would be there.
That news conference was open to everyone. Both Republicans and Democrats showed up, including Abrahamson. No one from the Rounds camp bothered to show.
It was typical of the Rounds administration.
I will work with anyone on issues.
I'm tired of sending people to prison that don't belong there and wasting millions of your tax dollars.
We are spending over $27,000 per inmate per year. If you are OK with that, fine.
I just believe there has to be a better way. Frankly I am just sick of you anonymous bloggers who bitch and moan about every issue, and don't have the courage, guts, or ambition to get your fat butts away from your computer and come help us save the taxpayers some money and work out these issues.
Napoli
About 10% of the nation is Atheist/Agnostic. About .2% of the prison population is Atheist/Agnostic.
And we need more Christianity in prisons?
Wonders never cease.
It's not that we need more Christianity in our prisons. Nobody is saying we do. Lest of all me. What I am saying is that we need more responsibility coming out of the prisons. Prison Fellowship Ministries can help our state acheive that. In fact they are one of the few private organizations that is helping prisoners in South Dakota.
It's the one private religous organization that has successfully helped tens of thousands of prisoners. Are you against helping prisoners become responsible people again. Because what is sounds like is you can't past the fact that Christianity helps people. Imagine that...a private religious organization led by a conservative that helps prisoners escape the chains of addiction and teaches them responsiblity.
Whoda thunk it?
P.S. $27,000 per year is probably a bargain when you consider all of the restitution and welfare that won't have to be paid in addition to all of the potential child support the taxpayers will get stuck with for releasing these folks early under the "Napoli Plan".
You people are ruthless.
It's a great idea Bill!
This issue is philosophical. It isn't some isolated matter which can be parced. Liberals want to make excuses for people. That is all Bill is doing, period.
Napoli could care less which way the wind is blowing. What you hear from Bill's mouth is what he's thinking, not what he thinks will get him the most votes or win the most friends.
Have you heard the saying "breath of fresh air"? I've found I don't agree with Napoli about half the time, but I have come to greatly respect the man.
Bill's idea is pathetic, though. The liberals would love to seperate the druggers and drunk drivers from the other criminals. It just helps them classify some more criminals as victims in our society who just need help. That is the first step on the slippery slope to decriminalization.
Bill needs to wake up. He is acting like a pawn for the democrats.
In his property tax amendment the best served tax payer is Bill. In this reach across the aisle, the best served person is Bill. Everyone knows that you can't coddle addicts and alcoholics. The drinking drivers only end up in prison when they have committed the offense 3 or 4 times. They are dangerous to themselves and others and deserve to serve time along side any other felon. People who use marijuana get short jail stints, the felons are the people arrested for controlled substances like meth and cocaine. Meth addicted felons deserve to do time along side any other felon. Let's not blur the issue. First time offenders and marijuana users are not clogging up our prisons. Meth dealers and 5 time DUI felons are filling up the prisons. Maybe instead of dreaming up some utopian rehab prison, let's increase the penalties on 1st and 2nd DUI convictions and possession of marijuana. Then maybe the idiots won't continue to endanger the lives of the innocent.
As far as the property tax amendment, c'mon Bill, we all know it doesn't work. And why roll the valuation back to 2003? Isn't that when your property taxes went up?
One other thing. This is a blog and it is meant for us to sit on our "fat butts" and make anonymous statements. So go put on a dog and pony show elswhere. Leave the rambling and gossip to us.
You are right about how many offenses it takes for drunks and druggers to actually go to jail. I don't think Bill had this information prior to his press conference.
But you are wrong about the property tax issue. Something needs to be done and the governor and other republicans in the legislature have their head stuck in the sand. Bill is providing leadership where there isn't any. He has a novel idea and I commend him for his actions. He's got a point about others not doing something to solve the problem. I understand his frustration.
I think you could find more than a few that know the truth about Napoli's younger days.
We'll see.
It sounds reasonable at first - poor people afflicted with addictions are not violent criminals and shouldn't be treated as such. But by the time prison is an issue, the offender has been through some program at least once and has gone back out on the road drunk. They put lives at risk with a dangerous weapon, and they need to atone for that, just as other criminals do.
I remember a good doctor friend of mine who just served a shift in Arizona and left home at 3 am when his shift ended. He was hit by a drunk driver 3rd offense and brought to the ER where he had just worked. His friends had to pronounce him dead. Maybe this program if universal ( and cheap to do- as it uses the staff we have) can save lives of the alcoholics, their families, and future victims. Just a thought.
I've known people who could afford the best treatment around, but they didn't stay sober very long. Some of them, however, did have enough sense to arrange transportation with a friend so that they wouldn't drive drunk.
When people's licenses have been taken away and they still opt to drive themselves to a bar, they make a choice that puts everyone else at risk.
The law doesn't come down hard on them until they've had their third DUI. Then the well-being of other drivers and their passengers must be the primary concern.
I know of too many instances where a car of people were killed when a drunk driver slammed into them. They didn't even get a second chance.
Longtime alcoholics who refuse to stop driving need to be taken off the road and locked up - for a very long time.
The bottom line is the same people who drive drunk are normally using drugs, stealing, commiting violence against their loved ones and not paying any child support. It is a personality disorder--they are sociopaths, they do not care about anyone but themselves. For these individuals, prison is an excellent option. A second offense drunk driver cannot get a work permit until they have completed treatment. Frankly, treatment is usally a joke.
Prison keeps our communities safe! Quit making excuses for the irresponsible criminals in our soceity. Their mothers already coddled them too much when they were children.
People have to want to quit their addictions, and I'm not convinced that most of them want to quit.
Maybe the program could be successful, but I wouldn't bet on it.
Dude, you forgot to include the allegation that they engage in bestiality and are card-carrying members of NAMBLA.
I think maybe you're being a little too dramatic. Where I come from, drinking & driving is a recreational activity, but nothing else that you've stated applies.
Easy, Turbo.