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Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)
Sun Mar 10, 2013, 07:36 AM Mar 2013

Why do folks here think the U.S. is so committed to the death penalty?

Support for executing people remains high enough in most polls that nobody has any chance of getting elected president(or U.S. senator or governor, in some states) without being at least somewhat pro-death penalty.

(we saw the absurd extreme of this when, running for re-election, Bill Clinton, already a big-time death penalty supporter, felt compelled to support and sign a GOP omnibus crime bill that actually extended the death penalty to, for example, people who murder poultry inspectors...which surprised me, since I didn't think we had that many instances of people choking chicken checkers, but that's another discussion).

What's the basis of the execution fervor in the "Land of the Free"?

What, if anything would make it decline?

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Why do folks here think the U.S. is so committed to the death penalty? (Original Post) Ken Burch Mar 2013 OP
I think it goes back to the biblical "eye for an eye". Arkansas Granny Mar 2013 #1
Becasue we are an uncivilized nation thetruthhurtsforsome Mar 2013 #2
Mr. Trayvon Martin, Mr. Mathew Shepard, Mr. James Byrd Jr.,Dr. Tiller,Mr. John Lennon graham4anything Mar 2013 #3
I find the death penalty abhorrent... Live and Learn Mar 2013 #4
Reduce money-for-politics. People fear gov cannot do a good job. Festivito Mar 2013 #5
 

graham4anything

(11,464 posts)
3. Mr. Trayvon Martin, Mr. Mathew Shepard, Mr. James Byrd Jr.,Dr. Tiller,Mr. John Lennon
Sun Mar 10, 2013, 07:55 AM
Mar 2013

and in this day of everyone whining about how little money is spent on good people,
why waste a dime housing the murderers of the above and any other person, in jail for life.

My tax dollars could be spent alot better.

(like maybe making America bullet free, so that the death penalty is not inflicted on someone,
everytime someone may pick up a gun with a bullet in it.
Remember, no one plans when waking up on using the gun and bullet.

Then sheeet happens.
without the bullet, less sheeet would happen.
without the bully, less sheeet would happen

and without the sheet, the person who like David Duke (the Ron Paul/ Rand Paul BFF) is
exposed. Back in the day they hid under the sheet and lynchings were common in parts of the nation.

anyone who took a person off the street, chained them to the back of a vehicle, dragged them on a joy ride through town, dismembering them like happened to Mr. James Byrd Jr.
does not get one ounce of pity from me.

Same with those that strung Mr. Shepard up.

Same with the judge/jury/executioner in Florida who in cold blood, asssassinated a young man who could have gone on to find a cure for cancer.

Money could be better spent giving everyone a better education than housing a murderer for life(especially in Florida and Texas, two of the worst educational states in the nation).

Live and Learn

(12,769 posts)
4. I find the death penalty abhorrent...
Sun Mar 10, 2013, 07:58 AM
Mar 2013

especially when they have the audacity to do it in my name, i.e.. the State.

Festivito

(13,452 posts)
5. Reduce money-for-politics. People fear gov cannot do a good job.
Sun Mar 10, 2013, 08:50 AM
Mar 2013

People believe gov cannot do a good job because of PR bought with money-for-politics.

If gov cannot do a good job, it cannot hold prisoners. So, kill 'em.

So, I floated a compromise sentence: Life in forfeit. If out of lockup you'll be shot.

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