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06
Who Died and Made YOU God?
Jun 26, 2008Let’s forget the moral question about capital punishment for just a moment.
(Can’t wait to see how THAT goes over).
On this, the occasion of Virginia’s 100th execution via the death penalty, let’s explore just how EFFECTIVE it is as a deterrent to crime.
Of course, since there is no way to statistically figure how many times a crime MIGHT have been committed under these or any other circumstances, still, there are some things we can look at to give us an idea of how death-as-
punishment is working.
I invite you to consider a letter from a group called the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice (http://deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=125).
It is a group made up of current and former law and law-enforcement folks and it raises some interesting points. While they talk specifically about the California death penalty, the same reasoning can be applied to any state’s d-p.
In part, they write “A trial seeking life without parole is far speedier than a death penalty case and costs far less. By pursuing life without parole sentences instead of death, resources now spent on the death penalty prosecutions and appeals could be used to investigate unsolved homicides, modernize crime labs, and expand effective violence prevention programs.”
Good logic, I think.
Then, of course, there is the bottom line that when life and death are at stake, there is no margin for error.
Enough opinion – let’s look at some facts; specifically the effectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime. I went to deathpenaltyinfo.org – a non-profit non-biased gathering of information. Take a look at the chart at this link – it’ll just take a second:
http://deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=12&did=168#stateswithvwithout
It’s obvious that the death penalty is NOT preventing murder, When the states that HAVE the death penalty have consistently higher murder rates, there’s no arguing it.
Which leaves us with one thing to consider – justice. Is that what the death penalty is about? Delivering justice? It isn’t about deterrence, it isn’t about saving money, it isn’t about protecting society (life without parole would do that) - so what else is left?
And if justice is the goal, my question to you is –
who died and made US God?
Posted by Jody Lee Seriously, Obama - Why In the World Southwest Virginia?
Jun 12, 2008Of all the places Obama could have kicked off his general election campaign last week, why in the world Southwest Virginia?
Honestly, the first thing that crossed my mind was that he was considering Mark Warner – who appeared with Obama at his kickoff in Bristol – for the Veep position. And frankly, from a Democratic viewpoint, that would not make for such a bad ticket. Not bad at all.
But that can’t be, right? Warner is running for Senate against Jim Gilmore so Vice Prez is out of the question. Right?
Well, maybe, maybe not. For an ambitious guy like Warner, ditching his run for Senate if Obama should tap him for a running mate is not unthinkable. Granted, as a Senator, you have more power from a lawmaking perspective than a VP, or in many regards, than the President himself.
On the other hand, there is no faster track to an eventual successful nomination from your party for President than serving as VP.
Barak’s “Moment”
Jun 03, 2008Last night, Obama talked about “the moment” it all began.
Our children will one day look back and say this was the moment….
The moment that ended in free health care.
The moment that ended in a healthy environment.
The moment that ended unemployment.
The moment that ended a war.
The moment that ended hunger in America.
The moment that ended lack of health care for every citizen.
The moment that ended the lack of a college education for every citizen who wants it.
The moment that communism began.
How else? How else can you possibly achieve what Barak Obama promised in his speech last night?
Simple answer. There is no other way. The government supplies the jobs, the health care, the education, the food and shelter for every citizen.
