Yesterday, former President Bill Clinton practically melted down Twitter with his vigorous – to put it mildly – defense of the 1994 crime bill that he supported and signed (New York Times).
None of those issues has been more central to the 2016 campaign than the 1994 crime bill, which created tougher penalties for nonviolent drug offenders, erected dozens of new prisons and deluged American cities with more police officers.
Today, Black Lives Matter protesters have pointed to the effects of that legislation as contributing to the high rates of incarceration of black men and the current tensions between white police officers and black communities.
Both Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Sanders supported the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act and have had to answer to Black Lives Matter protesters at their events.
Of course, the Times manages to leave something out in their trip down memory lane: namely, that Clinton’s crime bill was not universally popular even at the time, although support from the Democrats was practically unanimous.
Who were the primary opponents of that bill? The Republicans.
In fact, the GOP delegation in the House voted nearly three to one against that very bill. Senate Republicans were even more resolute, voting five to one against.
To be fair to the Times, the paper never liked the crime bill. However, perhaps the bill’s younger critics – particularly the Black Lives Matter movement – might consider taking another look at the party that actually opposed the bill.
