Turns out, while rare, compromise is possible

It doesn’t happen often, so when it does, it is worth taking note. Republicans and Democrats in the nation’s capital actually agree on something. They worked together, they compromised, and in the end passed legislation to make this country better. In a bipartisan effort, members of the United States Senate passed a bill overhauling the nation’s criminal justice system. It won support from both democrats and republicans, and brought together such diverse groups as the Koch Brothers and the ACLU, all working toward a common cause. The bill, expected to be passed by the House and signed by President Trump, will save billions of dollars in the costs of incarceration. It changes the three strikes and your out law, reducing the punishment for the three strike penalty from life, to 25 years in prison. The bill also provides incentives for some inmates to earn time credits if they participate in certain programs while behind bars. It also reduces the disparity between sentencing for crack and powder cocaine, and eases mandatory minimum sentencing requirements, giving judges more leeway. Reaching this agreement wasn’t easy. It took more than a year of negotiations. But in the end, everyone can claim victory. Democrats, republicans and President Trump all came to agreement on this sweeping legislation. No one got everything they wanted, but everyone got something they wanted. That’s called compromise. It give hope that perhaps our federal lawmakers can bask in this spirit of bipartisanship, and work together on other important issues facing this country.