The 2020 Democratic campaign is already shaping up to be a battle of big ideas. From the Green New Deal to Medicare for All to a wealth tax, the candidates and the country are discussing bold responses to some of the greatest challenges of our times.
But when it comes to reforming our criminal legal system, the conversation hasn't been as visionary - in fact, it's been almost exclusively backward looking. Senators Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar are fending off criticism for actions they took as prosecutors. Should former Vice President Joe Biden enter the race, he can count on having to explain his role in championing regressive crime legislation in the 1980s and '90s.
