Harris refuses a second chance on Proposition 47
Life rarely offers second chances; however, California’s offering one to Kamala Harris on Proposition 47.
When California first considered Proposition 47’s standing down of law enforcement by reclassifying crimes and relaxing sentences, Harris was California’s attorney general; she was also MIA — taking no position on something directly in her wheelhouse.
Now, 10 years later, as California reconsiders Proposition 47’s failure on this November’s ballot, Harris has the belated chance to make amends.
In 2014, California considered Proposition 47, state-of-the-left legislation to reduce law enforcement. Specified drug and theft crimes were changed from felonies to misdemeanors, and those previously convicted of these offenses had their sentences reduced.
No longer felonies, DNA samples would also not be automatically collected, which meant that police could no longer check these criminals’ DNA against DNA evidence obtained from other serious crimes.
In 2014, Kamla Harris was also California’s attorney general. Despite her office writing Proposition 47’s summary and title, astoundingly Harris herself took no position on the initiative.
Considering its subject (law enforcement), its ramifications (reclassifying felonies, including retroactively, and limiting DNA testing), her current position, and her background (she had been San Fransisco’s DA), Harris’s recusal was curious, to say the least.
Proposition 47 went on to pass overwhelmingly. Then, California found itself overwhelmed by the consequences.
Drug use not only surged, it spilled into the streets and resulting homelessness spiked. What had been felony theft (including shoplifting, grand theft, forgery, and fraud) was now simply a misdemeanor (so long as it stayed below $950), and newly reclassified “shoplifting” skyrocketed. And without DNA testing for now-reduced drug and theft offenses, other serious crimes went unsolved.
After a decade of decadence, even lefty California has now had enough. Despite repeated efforts by liberal Democrats to undercut its overturning, November’s ballot contains Proposition 36, which would roll back 2014’s failed Proposition 47.
Such a rollback appears likely, as recent polling shows overturning to have landslide support: 70 percent favoring overall and 63 percent of Democrats. It also has 70 mayors (mostly Democrats) backing it — and bucking Governor Gavin Newsom and other liberal defenders of failure.
This winding chain of events leads us back again to Kamala Harris. A lot has changed for Harris since she was state attorney general just a decade ago. Not the least of these changes has been her recent reversals of past positions, such as her earlier support to ban fracking and decriminalize illegal immigration.
Now running for president, Harris is also trying to accentuate her prosecutorial background, getting tough on crime and strengthening security on the southern border. So, now would also be the perfect time for her to rectify her past dereliction of duty on Proposition 47.
Of course, Harris didn’t take a position a decade ago, because she is extremely risk-averse. Even with her responsibility as attorney general, she gave California no guidance. Her background — as well as simple common sense — should have told Harris what would occur.
Lower penalties would mean more drug usage, and more drug victims winding up homeless on California streets. Lower penalties for theft would mean more theft and decreased public safety. Removing DNA testing for reclassified crimes would mean fewer crimes being solved.
Predictably, all occurred.
It is hard to not conclude that either Harris herself was so far to the left that she didn’t care about Proposition 47’s consequences; or that she knew but was intimidated by the initiative’s popularity then and feared alienating the left supporting it.
So, Harris remained silent then. She has remained so ever since.
However, now things have changed in California. Proposition 47’s removal is on November’s ballot. There have been ten years of negative reinforcement statewide. And polling shows Proposition 47’s rollback is strongly popular.
Things have also changed for Harris. Now running for president, she wants to recast herself and reverse prior positions. Plus, crime is one of the Biden-Harris administration’s big liabilities: according to Real Clear Politics’ average of national polling, Biden’s approval rating on crime is just 40.3 percent, versus 57.3 percent disapproval.
Yet still, Harris remains silent on Proposition 47. By continuing to duck taking a stand on Proposition 47, the only conclusion is that she too is a member of the extreme left who — despite 10 years’ worth of evidence and now, overwhelming constituent opposition — still wants to retain Proposition 47’s soft on crime standards and its resulting failures.
If Harris doesn’t mean it in California after 10 years, how can voters believe she will as president over the next four? Because while Proposition 47 failed California, Kamala Harris failed it first.
J.T. Young is the author of the upcoming book, “Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed America’s Socialist Left.” He has over three decades’ of experience working in Congress, the Department of Treasury and the White House Office of Management and Budget, in addition to representing a Fortune 20 company.
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