Same…
You miss the whole point of our debate…If all those convicted “justifyably” in your opinion, of murder, were executed the percent would be so small (12% or less depending on the institution) as to make it a completely invalid reason to create more jail space. Moreover, with DNA slowly evolving into a more capable tool, we are finding enough innocent prisoners on death row, to make it unjustifiable to kill except on the rarest of occasions.
“Liberals are conservatives who haven’t been mugged” is just a coy way of stating TRUTHFULLY that vengeance and fear is the mantra of the conservative. I have investigated enough crimes to have sympathy for the victims. I don’t remember any changing their party affiliation or even talking politics.
BTW, being liberal or conservative has nothing to do with how I feel. I’m being pragmatic and our system is unfair and too costly the way we are doing it and with an equal amount of respect accorded to you, I do not believe your ideas would effectively serve us a country…unless Texas were to succeed, then perhaps some of their past mojority view holders might be happier.
Dag, you clearly have a different approach to the issue than I. Our differences certainly won’t be resolved here. I would respectfully suggest, however, that you’re showing more sympathy for the criminals than the victims.
And while someone on death row does occasionally get proven innocent by dna, that does not in my opinion justify the leniency in the existing system. The current system would rather let thousands of convicted violent offenders back out on the streets to victimize and murder thousands of new innocent victims than to execute one convicted murderer who has had numerous failed appeals. In my perspective, preventing victimization of those countless thousands of innocent people is paramount when considering the disposition of a convicted murderer…even if on a very rare occasion a weakness in the system allows an innocent person to get convicted.
Same
Our differences do not lie in our our misplaced sympathies. I hope because I look for ways to reduce crime I am not sympathizing with the criminal over the victim. It’s the criminal who,sees himself as a victim more often then not prior to committing the crime. When you provide opportunity for those in need, the majority will see them selves differently and become productive citizens, lowering the crime inflicted on the real innocent, the ones I have the most sympathy for. You stop crime with programs that encourage education and provide other opportunities. That’s what saves lives. That is the accepted scientific approach in dealing with chronic criminality. Hannity, Beck et al…are proponents of the "hole is deeper…keep digging " approach. They support all of the legitimate industries making a fortune on crime…the gun industry and prison systems that are now becoming more privatized at th tax payers expense.You are promoting what as gotten us to where we are…
Most conservatives, with all due respect, look at one size fits all solutions, easily defineable in 25 words or less and think it costs less when actually it costs more and do all this while relying on fear instead of education. Case in point, the cost of execution…you would have change the constitution to give fewer rights to the potential death row prisoner.
Remember…I opened this discussion with the most relevant factor in changing human behavior…opportunity. If you both give and restrict opportunities in appropriate ways, you most efficiently alter human behavior for the good. In behavioral science it’s one of the most fundamental and proven successful ways of encouraging human behavior in a way that most benefits society.
Meanwhile, while we’re remodeling society, let’s get the violent criminals off the streets. Permanently.
The vast majority of those who live in the culture of poverty in the US were robbed before they were born. And the robbers were quite thorough. They took everything including opportunity.
Maybe knowing people who have choked on bitterness all their lives gives some insight. I’m certainly no bleeding heart liberal, but derision poured on the poor is misplaced. For any who are concerned and curious just look at the pay-day loan sharks and cash-for-title thieves when utility bills are due. But poverty is on the increase. It will be much easier to witness it as it draws closer and closer to each of US.
Well soon we’re all going to be pushed down to the poverty level. What the heck is the Financial Responsibility Fee??? Sounds like the same thing as Cyprus. I thought it would take 30 years for them to try but guess not. What’s with this crazy administration? What did I do? They can spend a million dollars for a bus stop in DC, but can’t find any way to trim the budget. Sorry folks but thank heavens there are some Republicans in congress. I swore I’d never vote republican again but now, man I can’t vote Democrat either? They’re all nuts.
The 1% tax on market trades seems a much fairer source of funding, @Bing. Who could argue against a meager 1%?
I could. Because the real problem is not lack of revenue.
Only if it’s someone else’s ox that’s being gored, @tsm.
“Who could argue against a meager 1%?”
Isn’t that what was said about the temporary income tax to fund the war?
Prior to the income tax I believe that it was import duties that funded the federal gov’t, @Bing. We might try that again. 100% tax on Chinese imports might cover the budget.
And our resident “not reallyLiberal” and chief, Obama has started negotiations by offering to cut Social Security benefits…for ALL which was instituted to keep the poor elderly off the streets. It seems that it was embarrassing at one time for the upper class to step over their bodies on the way to the opera. It looks like the upper class is getting a stronger stomach.
Now, we have a so called socialist president by the conservatives, negotiating cutting benefits in order to balance a budget on a program that creates a SURPLUS. That just means one thing. Both the Democrats and the republican’s are officially going to rob the so called SS surplus even more.
20 years ago I dropped out of the Democratic party because they were not only getting too conservative , but they were lying weiners about it as well, the worst of both worlds for my long haired ways. A least with the republicans as an independent I knew they would never change their mind on anything. They stabbed and gutted you from the front while looking you in the eye. The Democrats will stab you in the back when you turn away after you have a polite and cordial conversation with them while they agreed with everything you said.
But, that happens when both parties are bought and paid for. I expect Obama sponsored campaign ads to appear on Faux News in mid terms…probably for free after both parties gut Medicare and SS. He may even become an O’Reilly regular.
So, What do you think about US Defense Intelligence Agency believing NK has a deliverable nuke?
Hopefully our navy will send someone to the peninsula who can read a map…
So. Korea had asked for tactical nuclear weapons to be positioned on their territory. I read a story that the US refused, saying they flew a B2 bomber from the US to No. Korea , to demonstrate that So. Korea was under the US nuclear umbrella regardless. Sorry, no need.
Folks seem to think that stocks are owned by the rich few, and that taxing trades would only affect them. Wrong, they’re part of millions of folks pensions and retirement plans.
And I’ve heard no explanation of how taking, say, $100B from one group of folks and giving it to the government would solve anything.
20 years ago, when tax drops were started, many of the folks who had previously favored government intervention and spending agreed that the government had done very little good with the money, better to see what it would do in peoples hands.
If the budget can’t be funded with taxes then let 100% of the Fed’s newly printed liquidity go to cover the entitlements and let the Pentagon root hog or die.
WE, have allowed inflation to push the cost of living up while keeping wages down. The economic situation is outrageous and it continues to decline for the vast majority of Americans.
@rod
Are you saying that our military which spends nearly half of the total spent on defense world wide should learn to get by with less ? War is a business. The US military has spent $100 billion on private contractors alone since 2003…
http://www.military-world.net/Iraq/592.html
Maybe 50% less, @dagosa. Many bases need closing here and abroad. Several weapons systems cancelled and a lot of troops sent home to repair the highways and bridges. The Pentagon is the entitlement office for the friends of Senators and Representatives.
What inflation?