Florida's Governor Vetoes Looting Bill

[Kadie]

Florida's Governor Vetoes Looting Bill
Thu Jun 2, 4:20 PM ET


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have increased the penalties for looting during a hurricane, saying the measure was too broad.


Burglary in Florida is typically punishable by up to 15 years in prison. The new measure called for up to 30 years for burglaries committed while a state of emergency is in effect.

snip...
Both chambers of the Legislature had passed the measure unanimously. One of the sponsors, Democratic Sen. Dave Aronberg, said he would push for a revised bill next year.


more...
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050602/ap_on_re_us/florida_looting_1

[Politicub]

1. 30 years seems excessive to me

even though people who loot are scum.

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. I agree that 30 seems excessive, but...

the law says "up to 30."

[Kadie]

7. I thought so too , however

since both chambers of the Legislature had passed the measure unanimously, I assume that it is such a big problem they need to try something to stop the looting.

[merwin]

11. What ever happened to an up or down vote being acceptable?

Why does Jeb hate america?

[Warpy]

8. It reads like it would have covered cans of beans

looted from a neighbor by a survivor who rode the storm out.

30 years is too much. We've already got a huge prison population on Draconian drug sentences. We don't need to add more.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

2. too tough on his kids. drugs are hard to come by in a hurricane

have you no sympathy for noelle?

[Robb]

3. Write your own campaign ad...

(deep voice)

"Governor Jeb Bush wanted to go light on looters...." :D

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. If the Democrats in Florida don't bring that up during the

election cycle they are totally clueless.

[brooklynite]

6. Where's the mantra: "SOFT ON CRIME!"??

If a Democratic Governor did this, you know the Republicans would be in a tizzy/

[Spinzonner]

9. Looks like Jeb is "Objectively Pro-looter"

[Benhurst]

10. The Bush Crime Family has looted everything it could get its

hands on. No wonder Jeb didn't like the law.

[amber dog democrat]

13. Birds of a feather

look after their own. That was what I was thinking as well.

[Coexist]

12. why am I always so embarassed by my state.

we need to Dukakis this during the next election cycle.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. I have a question. Is it a chargeable offense if you're looting a house

for survival? Let's say it's a particularly bad storm and there's utter chaos afterwards. You live in an area which is not easily accesible. You're hungry, you need tools to fix your homestead. Is it considered looting if you break into your snowbird neighbor's house for the necessary items?

[Billy Burnett]

15. A note on the looting after hurricane Andrew

I saw with my own eyes, along with hundreds of others, the 82nd airborne looting the Cutler Ridge Mall in South Miami-Dade county. TVs sofas appliances loaded on the back of military vehicles. We called the cops - nothing.