The Arizona Star sides with Chief Justice Rehnquist in urging Congress to repeal the repeal the PROTECT Act:

Clearly, there is a disconnect between conservative members of Congress and some conservatives in the federal judiciary. Congress believes that when it comes to doling out sentences, one size fits all. Experienced jurists know otherwise. There is no evidence that judges who imposed lighter sentences abused their authority.

The emphasis in sentencing should be on justice, not on the retribution favored by mandatory sentencing adherents. A judge who has intimate knowledge of the case before him should be allowed the independence to impose what he considers the appropriate sentence. Federal court judges should be given more discretion in sentencing.

The Commercial Appeal of Memphis agrees:

The law, by attempting to enforce rigid adherence to sentencing guidelines, effectively puts more sentencing power in the hands of prosecutors, and it also strains the quality of official mercy.