Democracy is a wonderful thing, I believe we can all agree with that. Capitalism is a very profitable thing, again, who doesn't like money to some extent. But don't confuse the two.
We as a society have taken two wholly separate ideas meant to provide and protect our freedoms, fused them together, and made one hodgepodge of a republic. What is the point of voting in a congressional representative to guarantee you a voice, when the government, more often than not, will listen to its biggest share holder, the military-industrial complex, when deciding whether or not we should go to war?
But this is only a symptom of an even larger problem. Where America is moving dangerously close to a plutocracy (a gov't run buy select, wealthy, individuals). Don't believe me, fair enough. But while you're here let's examine two situations. The C.E.O. and Stick-up.
A C.E.O of Some(TM) Company has been caught raiding the pension fund, naughty C.E.O. About 238,000$ gone. Tried, convicted, and got 9 months in a minimum security prison, a veritable Hyatt for ne'er do wells. Now let's check in on Mr. Stick-up, it seems he's pulled a gun on a humble shop keep, demanding the shopkeeper's honest day’s work. Luckily a police officer happens in. He's tried, convicted, and sentenced to 10 years, with possibility of parole, to be served in the state penitentiary. My question is, "Why should C.E.O. get 9 months for the equivalent of wholesale theft, when Stick up gets 10 years for attempting to rob a convenience store?” “But those crimes don't even compare", and you'd be right! They both had identical trials, but Mr. Stick-up couldn't afford the council C.E.O could. Even in a completely unbiased judicial system, a public defender is a far cry from an attorney with 500$ a hour council fee. You can't say, without lighting justly striking you, that both had equal representation. Not matter how you look at it, even with the best intentions, the system is rigged in favor of those who can afford it.
In a so called democracy, that is what we call a travesty. We need to realize that capitalism isn't a moral responsibility. And it is certainly not inherently patriotic.
Embezzlement is clearly wrong, and there also is an imbalance of equality stemming from wealth in our country, which needs to change. However, embezzlement is not a violent crime (although I do not deny that it hurts people), and a stick up is. That's the real reason for the different prison sentences.
Oh, I realize the difference between pulling a gun and fudging the books for a company, but is it honestly a 9 year and 3 month difference. Also, how do you define a violent crime? If I have gun, I must have been planning to use it. If the gun isn't loaded, is it still a violent crime? If its not even a real gun, is it still a violent crime? I can understand not wanting to be shot, but how can we determine who will or won't use that gun?