We can continue our progress as a Nation toward the promise that all people are created equal and that our Nation will treat every person in that spirit.

While we must ensure that these dangerous new drugs and precursors do not get in the hands of children or others who would use them improperly, we must also be aware that these same drugs have legitimate uses.

We can continue our progress as a Nation toward the promise that all people are created equal and that our Nation will treat every person in that spirit.

We can play politics, or we can reduce crime.

Today, education is perhaps the most important function of state and local governments.

Giving a 10-year mandatory minimum for a second offense fist fight is not going to reduce the chance that someone will be stabbed 16 times when you are not funding any of the programs that are desperately needed to actually reduce juvenile crime.

Rather than following through on the proven crime and violence prevention techniques that work, we are back to tough-talking sound byte policies that have been proven to not only fail to reduce crime but actually increase crime, waste taxpayers' money and discriminate against minorities.