White House: death penalty deters crime

[sabra]

http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/politics/13311991.htm

White House: death penalty deters crime

Associated Press


WASHINGTON - President Bush strongly supports the death penalty in the belief that "ultimately it helps save innocent lives," his spokesman said Friday as the United States marked its 1,000th execution since capital punishment resumed in 1977.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said it was important that the death penalty "be administered fairly and swiftly and surely, and that helps it serve as a deterrent." He noted that Bush promoted an initiative to expand the use of DNA evidence to prevent wrongful convictions.

As governor of Texas, a state that executes more inmates than any other, Bush commuted one death sentence and allowed 152 executions during his six years in office.

[displacedtexan]

1. Belief v Fact: Here we go again. (eom)

[Padme Amidala]

26. So why does the homicide rate go up with the use of the death penalty?

Bush needs to do a reality check. The homicide rate is always lower where the death penalty is abolished.


So what is the difference between Charles Manson and the supporters of the death penalty? Could it be that Manson is less of a threat to human life on the planet?

[Thor_MN]

45. Punishment for Treason is death, care to comment, George? Dick? Rummy?

Didn't think so....

[Orrex]

2. "helps save innocent lives"

Like Ruben Cantu, for example?

In Texas, no less. What a god damn surprise.

And what a surprise that the Whitehouse of the killingest President in 30 years should support capital punishment.

Ah, the Culture of Life so beloved by those Compasssionate Conservatives.


Capital punishment is murder.

[AlCzervik]

3. that is total bullshit, where has it ever been shown that the dp is a

deterrent to crime? Where are the credible studies on that?

[ninkasi]

37. Reality has never been a consideration

for Bush before, why should it start now? A man who was willing to lie to get his war, dooming thousands of Americans and ten thousands of Iraqis to death and mutilation, will not hesitate to let innocent people be executed.

Some who face the death penalty were teen-agers, some have been retarded, and none of that matters to Bush and the republicans. They delight in misery, glory in death...as long as it doesn't touch them or their families. They are nothing but a group of ghouls.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

41. Global Warming? Don't believe in it. Dwindling oil supplies? Nah....

I would really love to live in Bush's world. He thinks just by believing what he wants, he can change facts.

[Bill McBlueState]

4. well, add this to the list of lies. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

5. Strange

We have no capital punishment in Canada (haven't since 1962 or so) and our murder rate is far below America's.

So, what's our secret? How do we deter murders?

[raccoon]

12. Maybe it's so cold, people are thinking how to keep their

hands and feet warm instead of thinking about committing murder? :sarcasm:

[Kber]

29. Do you threaten to sent criminals to America?

[Captain Hilts]

6. Why's crime gone down in states without it? nt

[Moochy]

14. Demographics and Crime

The death penalty or lack of it doesn't affects crime rates. Pure demographics are the cause of variation. The growing and shrinking of cohorts of people who are most likely to behave in any particular way.

[Zynx]

31. Also, violent crime is far less likely among affluent societies.

Part of the problem with the U.S. is that while GDP per capita is higher than the majority of our European friends, income disparity is far greater and thus we have multitudes on the bottom who are desperate and turn to the drug trade among other things and that leads to violence.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

43. Which is odd because the affluent RARELY get the death penalty.

go figure...

[Botany]

7. OK what is the punishment for treason?

Karl and Scooter get your blindfolds and report to a brick wall.

[spindrifter]

8. They do not read. They do not want to

change their minds based on review of information. They are incompetent. This is another high crime and misdemeanor.

[raccoon]

13. Right.

I don't know which is more appropriate:

"There is none so blind as he who will not see."

or

"I've made up my mind; don't confuse me with the facts."

[emc]

9. crimes

didn't prevent bush and cheney from committing crimes, did it---

[liberal N proud]

10. Pro Life or Pro Death - Make up your mind bu$h

He is Pro Life when if comes to the Unborn
But he wants to kill them once they are born.

Either send to fight his war or death penalty.
These morons are not capable of rationalizing what they are saying.

[meow2u3]

24. That's what I think

If you're not pro-life across the board, you're not pro-life, period.

[kath]

32. The RR is not pro-life, only pro-fetus. Once the fetus is born, they

don't give a shit. Poor people be damned - "Let them die, then, and reduce the surplus population".

[MsKandice01]

34. I call them Pro-Birth

[liberal N proud]

38. I have used that term many times as well.

[goclark]

44. Pro Birth for people who look like Bush

I have never heard of them pushing Pro Birth in the African American community.

They are always bashing us for "babies(young mothers) having babies."

[SemiCharmedQuark]

42. They have never been pro-life. They don't care about the mother's life

Or of that of her 30 second old baby.

[VaYallaDawg]

11. "All the perfumes of Araby won't wash the blood off these hands"

[hobbit709]

15. Maybe that's what wrong in the WH

They're not facing the death penalty so they're not deterred one iota from their crimes.

[Benhurst]

16. Bush has changed my mind on the death penalty.

I still generally oppose it; but I now think it should be kept for treason. I became convinced of this on December 12, 2000.

[stepnw1f]

17. Ok... Explain Suicide Bombings Then.....

I'll be waiting....

[myrna minx]

18. Well I guess that Texas is crime free, right?

Oh wait...:eyes:

[Roland99]

19. Can we make illegal use of campaign funds a Capital crime?

[liberal N proud]

20. This thought just hit me.. Since the bu$h regime believes in

the death penalty, will they going willingly to the death chamber when convicted of war crimes and treason?

[Caesarmajestic]

21. George Bush presided over 155 of them. 155/1000 = a lot

Was it 1973 or 1977 that the Death Penalty was re-instated.

I forget. But I don't forgets basic math. Lets say it was 1977.

Year 2005 minus year 1977 = 28 years.

50 states times 28 years = 1400 "governor" years, from which our Simian friend can claim five.

Therefore with just five of the 1400 "governor" years, Bush allowed 155 of the 1000 executions.

Amazing. That's a pretty "liberal" cut of compassionate conservatism, as well as yet another obvious bit of info that, if he was playing for real, John Kerry could have used to ASSURE that it was his ass-cheeks wearing a pattern in the biggest chair in the Oval office.

Another being that he could have simply released the service records of all prominent Republicans vs Democrats (which shows that, besides McCain and Glenn, most Republicans sat out of Vietnam with ass pimples and deferrments.

But that's another rant. Excuse me while I vomit . . .

[Bluerthanblue]

22. ok, then abortion deters crime abuse murder rape theft assault...

suicide, death, etc.....what rubbish.

[KansDem]

23. Well, we need only to look to the White House to debunk this...

We have the "death penalty," and, at the same time, a White House full of thugs and cutthroats. Where is the deterrent?"

Case closed...

[54anickel]

25. So was McKibben a test ballon yesterday? He came right out and

blamed Dems.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1958141

[WhiteTara]

27. is the threat of punishment (death) for trason

slowed BFEE down one whit? I don't think so!

[demobrit]

28. State sponsered murder

[Zynx]

30. There is absolutely no evidence of that.

States without the death penalty on average have much lower murder rates than those that do. That's simply a fact.

[depakid]

40. There have been multiple studies done on this

and not one has shown a significant general deterrent effect (despite being funded in some cases by pro-death penalty advocates).

Not that evidence matters to the media. Krugman's column in the Times addressed that problem again today.

[Nevernose]

50. Studies? We can't trust scientists

They don't believe in the Bible, or oil company profits. They're out to get us.

[TheCowsCameHome]

33. Be careful what you wish for. You're certainly a criminal, George.

[Solly Mack]

35. Would it deter war criminals?

Just asking...

[VegasWolf]

36. WH: Iraq has Weapons of Mass Destruction. nuff said?

:sarcasm:

[depakid]

39. The media continues to report Republican lies

and they're never held accountable for them- so from their perspective, why should they stop?

It's been working for them (and padding the pockets of the corporate media giants) since the Reagan administration.

[leesa]

46. The Right Wing Death Cult...they simply LOVE death and vengence

[superconnected]

47. Pretty morbid of Bush to capitalize on the 1000th execution

to promote his image. What a thing to send out a press release on. I thought the 1000th execution was a BAD thing.

I wouldn't be surprised if he celebrated.

[pinniped]

48. This so-called Christian is not following the Ten Commandments again.

Maybe Moses of the NRA should give him a call.

[Hyernel]

49. Education deters crime....

Also, Abortion reduces crime, or I should rather say, intelligent family planning reduces the number of disfunctional people that might tend to turn to crime. (Not including white-collar, republican crime...that's just naked fucking greed, man!)

I might also add that TV shows like CSI reduces crime as it give the impression that recent technological advances make it a lot harder to get away with it. COPS might help too.

I mean really...how can you control every cell that might come off your body?

[raysr]

51. Where at?

On death row?

[thecai]

52. Another White House Lie

The fact is, the opposite is true. Countries that have no death-penalty have fewer violent crimes. Violent crime in the U.S. has increased since imposing the death-penalty. "Tough on Crime" laws have not decreased crime, either.
Just another sales-pitch to justify the need for more tax-dollars. Citizens pay higher taxes for death-row inmates, while prisons are completely self-sufficient... The Bush family is heavily invested in Privatized Prisons, by the way.
BOYCOTT CCA ... NYSE: CXW