Congress: Idiots @ Work

Rather than pass laws that protect innocent lives, Democrats want to enable legislation that places more people at risk from predators. Per the WashTimes:

House Democrats said Tuesday they will offer an amendment to push to overturn stand-your-ground self-defense laws in states like Florida.

The amendment, which would withhold some grants from states that have such laws, will come as part of the House's debate on the Commerce Department spending bill.

"'Shoot-first' laws have already cost too many lives. In Florida alone, deaths due to self-defense have tripled since the law was enacted. Federal money shouldn't be spent supporting states with laws that endanger their own people," said Reps. Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the two Democrats who are offering the legislation. "This is no different than withholding transportation funds from states that don't enforce seat-belt laws."

Let's see what Florida's "stand your ground" legislation (2009) has done to Florida's Uniform Crime Report, Part I Violent Crime Index.

Note: The percent change is from 2008 to 2010. The 2011 UCR has not been finalized yet.

Murder, decreased by -16%
2008 .... 1,169
2009 .... 1,017
2010 .... 987

Forcible Rape, decreased by -10%
2008 .... 5,972
2009 .... 5,501
2010 .... 5,370

Robbery, decreased by -28%
2008 .... 36,269
2009 .... 30,911
2011 .... 26,086

Felony Assault, decreased by -16%
2008 .... 82,850
2009 .... 76,112
2011 .... 69,523

Violent Crime, decreased by -19%
2008 .... 126,260
2009 .... 113,541
2011 .... 101,969

So, since passing the Castle Doctrine, Florida violent crime has been reduced by 19%.

Of course it is rather premature at this point to assume that the reduction in violent crime is due to the 2009 self-defense law, but it is absolutely ridiculous to try to penalize a state in order to intimidate other states to not pass similar laws without even examining what effect the law has made in improving the quality of life for all Floridans. But being ridiculous, even criminal, never stopped a liberal democrat from pursuing the wrong course of action.

Democrats - idiot minions of the mindless.

At least these guys are cute in a pale yellowish, myoptic way.