Should we (the U.S.) increase the number executions?

[KeeptheChange]

CJK, Office Park....good ownage! 

(And yes...I'd support dramatically increasing the use of the death penalty and making it a lot quicker.  Lethal injection is too expensive.  Wouldn't a simple bullet to the back of the head be cheaper and actually a lot quicker?)

[SPC]

CJK, Office Park....good ownage! 

(And yes...I'd support dramatically increasing the use of the death penalty and making it a lot quicker.  Lethal injection is too expensive.  Wouldn't a simple bullet to the back of the head be cheaper and actually a lot quicker?)

And what happens if you accidentally get the wrong guy?

[k-onmmunist]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

And I addressed why that reason was utter garbage. Nobody would choose death over prison if push came to shove.

How would you know? You've never been faced with that situation as far as I know. And if given that choice, I'd rather die than spend decades in a cramped cell living a meaningless life and in constant risk of being raped by other prisoners.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

CJK, Office Park....good ownage! 

(And yes...I'd support dramatically increasing the use of the death penalty and making it a lot quicker.  Lethal injection is too expensive.  Wouldn't a simple bullet to the back of the head be cheaper and actually a lot quicker?)

And what happens if you accidentally get the wrong guy?

That's a red-herring in my view, spc, because you can get the wrong guy and stick him in jail for 50 years.  I have heard more stories of guys being locked up nearly forever in error than I ever have of innocent people being executed.  Does it happen, it's inevitable and horrible, sure.  The death penalty system is not as effective as it could be in the deterence area if it weren't for the layers and layers of appeals to make sure they don't execute an innocent person.

But to say we might get the wrong guy should not be a part of the argument, in my view.

[#CriminalizeSobriety]

No! The death penalty should be abolished.

Do you any of you have a single legitimate reason for wanting it abolished, or do you just want to pretend that you are morally superior to others?

I don't think I'm 'morally superior' to anyone.

I simply have an opposing viewpoint that if we're truly a benevolent nation, we can't murder people.

[CJK]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

And I addressed why that reason was utter garbage. Nobody would choose death over prison if push came to shove.

How would you know? You've never been faced with that situation as far as I know. And if given that choice, I'd rather die than spend decades in a cramped cell living a meaningless life and in constant risk of being raped by other prisoners.

How would I know? If death was so much better then prisoners would trying to commit suicide left and right. You are simply being dishonest in asserting otherwise.

[CJK]

No! The death penalty should be abolished.

Do you any of you have a single legitimate reason for wanting it abolished, or do you just want to pretend that you are morally superior to others?

I don't think I'm 'morally superior' to anyone.

I simply have an opposing viewpoint that if we're truly a benevolent nation, we can't murder people.

I don't care if we are a benevolent nation. Only a fool would equate killing the murderer with the actual murder.

[k-onmmunist]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

And I addressed why that reason was utter garbage. Nobody would choose death over prison if push came to shove.

How would you know? You've never been faced with that situation as far as I know. And if given that choice, I'd rather die than spend decades in a cramped cell living a meaningless life and in constant risk of being raped by other prisoners.

How would I know? If death was so much better then prisoners would trying to commit suicide left and right. You are simply being dishonest in asserting otherwise.

Plenty of prisoners do commit suicide if they get the chance. Many don't get the chance. It's not like they have easy access to a bottle of cyanide you know.

[CJK]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

And I addressed why that reason was utter garbage. Nobody would choose death over prison if push came to shove.

How would you know? You've never been faced with that situation as far as I know. And if given that choice, I'd rather die than spend decades in a cramped cell living a meaningless life and in constant risk of being raped by other prisoners.

How would I know? If death was so much better then prisoners would trying to commit suicide left and right. You are simply being dishonest in asserting otherwise.

Plenty of prisoners do commit suicide if they get the chance. Many don't get the chance. It's not like they have easy access to a bottle of cyanide you know.

How many is "plenty"? Do you know the percentage of prisoners with life sentences that have tried to commit suicide? It is probably very small, due to the fact that humans prefer death over life even if the life is sub-optimal. There are millions of people in the world who live worse lives than prisoners, yet they rarely commit suicide.

[k-onmmunist]

Alot of people commit suicide for whatever reason. I don't know what rock you've been under, but clinical depression is on the increase and so is suicide as a result. People do not prefer a life of pain over death.

[CJK]

Alot of people commit suicide for whatever reason. I don't know what rock you've been under, but clinical depression is on the increase and so is suicide as a result. People do not prefer a life of pain over death.

And what does that fallacy have to do with this discussion? The fact that some people commit suicide does not mean that all prisoners want to commit suicide.

[k-onmmunist]

Alot of people commit suicide for whatever reason. I don't know what rock you've been under, but clinical depression is on the increase and so is suicide as a result. People do not prefer a life of pain over death.

And what does that fallacy have to do with this discussion? The fact that some people commit suicide does not mean that all prisoners want to commit suicide.

I didn't say ALL prisoners do. You're denying that people commit suicide because apparently most people would prefer to live a life of pain and despair rather than kill themselves.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I simply have an opposing viewpoint that if we're truly a benevolent nation, we can't murder people.

I take it then that you do not agree with the argument that some capital punishment opponents make that life without parole is a harsher sentence than death.  After all logic would call for people who believe that and who wish us to be a benevolent nation to support capital punishment.

[Joe Republic]

This discussion has beautifully diverted itself into a sidetrack about prison suicide.  It's a dead end, though.

The ideal situation with the prison system is that it needs to be far, far harsher than it is currently.  Thus making it a fate worse than death; thereby instilling a desire among prisoners to seek death rather than continue living under those circumstances.

Just executing them is giving them an easy way out instead.

[k-onmmunist]

This discussion has beautifully diverted itself into a sidetrack about prison suicide.  It's a dead end, though.

The ideal situation with the prison system is that it needs to be far, far harsher than it is currently.  Thus making it a fate worse than death; thereby instilling a desire among prisoners to seek death rather than continue living under those circumstances.

Just executing them is giving them an easy way out instead.

I agree with this more or less. No more PlayStations or phones in gaols and other ridiculous luxuries. Prisons ought to be hell.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The idea of prison as some type of pleasant relaxing resort is largely a myth. Can anyone cite an actual example of a prison that allows PlayStations?

Does this sound like a fun getaway?

[k-onmmunist]

The idea of prison as some type of pleasant relaxing resort is largely a myth. Can anyone cite an actual example of a prison that allows PlayStations?

Does this sound like a fun getaway?

http://news.spong.com/article/10249/PS2s-Banned-from-UK-Prison

Welcome to Britain!

[Bono]

This discussion has beautifully diverted itself into a sidetrack about prison suicide.  It's a dead end, though.

The ideal situation with the prison system is that it needs to be far, far harsher than it is currently.  Thus making it a fate worse than death; thereby instilling a desire among prisoners to seek death rather than continue living under those circumstances.

Just executing them is giving them an easy way out instead.

Well, that's a pretty useful way of separating the rational people from the sadists, I suppose.  Fairly disturbing at the same time, of course, given the opportunity the sadists will then find themselves in.

In any case, let's continue this scenario as a hypothetical.  Let's say that the option to recuse oneself for this reason is denied.

Consistency? What's that?

[Joe Republic]

You're a very strange person, Bono.  I hope you're aware of that.

I won't hold your misinterpretation of my posts against you, though.  A native English speaker, perhaps, but not you.

[Joe Republic]

Bono, this harassment is tiresome and unnecessary.  I literally have no idea what you're talking about, and I don't appreciate you insinuating things about me like this.

My apparent hostility towards you is only because your opinions and debate skills are of chronic poor quality; it's certainly not any kind of personal dislike.  I don't even know you!  I've probably interacted with you about half a dozen times in total.

[Bono]

Joe, they say power corrupts. The more time a person serves in the legislature, the more power they yield.

This is true, although again, a lot of that power (and reason for their constituents to re-elect them) would be limited by stricter rules on pork spending.  Still, for somebody who earlier today criticized another poster for not trusting people with guns, you seem to have a major problem trusting people not to vote for somebody because they've been in office a little too long.

I think if you don't see the problem here, then there is nothing I can do to help you, because your naivete will only go away when it's confronted by harsh reality--probably that day of reckoning isn't too far away, given the expectations you deposit on the Dear Leader.

Less of the patronizing tone please, as well as the presumption that I expect much from Barack Obama.  It's very unbecoming of you.

I judge your hostility based on the vitriol with which you attack me, not from the fact that you do so. You might also consider that that is the reason I do not reply to your attacks, rather than inability.

The presumption that you're unbeatable in argument is very... unbecoming.

[Joe Republic]

Wow, you found that offensive?  If I'd known you had such thin skin and a long memory, I might have moderated the tone a little.  Maybe then I wouldn't still have to be putting up with this shit.

[Bono]

Wow, you found that offensive?  If I'd known you had such thin skin and a long memory, I might have moderated the tone a little.  Maybe then I wouldn't still have to be putting up with this shit.

It wouldn't be if you weren't obviously referencing this exchange:

But whether the Bible is infallible or not is exactly the crux of the argument.

And as usual, the argument is meandering all over the place, so I really don't think it matters.

Please, get off your high horse and consider that such a thing is not obviously true as you make it out to be, and that many people wiser than jmfcst, you and me have weighted in in this debate, so please do not be so presumptuous, it's unbecoming.

You're attacking me for using almost exactly the same debate tactic as jmfcst uses all the time?  Nice double standard.

And you may wish to be careful in accusing others of being on a high horse while at the same time describing their "presumptuous" behavior as "unbecoming".

after which your hostility toward me started.

[Joe Republic]

Good grief.  You're digging up posts from over two years ago that I don't even remember typing, and I'm supposedly the one with the grudge against you?  Give it a rest, please.  I don't appreciate being harassed like this.

[Хahar 🤔]

wtf?