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Rell Promises Veto of Death Penalty Ban

By TChris, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Mon May 25, 2009 at 06:01:00 AM EST
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Connecticut's Republican Gov. Jodi Rell promised to veto a bill that would eliminate capital punishment as a sentencing option. Overriding the veto would require a two-thirds majority vote in both legislative chambers. Since the state senate passed the bill by a 19-17 vote, an override is unlikely.

Rell says the veto is for the families of victims who believe there are crimes "so fundamentally revolting to our humanity" as to warrant death. What about the family members who believe that the death penalty is fundamentally revolting to human values? And given the haphazard application of the death penalty, does Rell seriously believe that only the worst offenders who commit the worst crimes will be executed?

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    Rell Promises Veto of Death Penalty Ban | 10 comments (10 topical)

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    I'm personally pretty ambivalent (5.00 / 0) (#4)
    by andgarden on Mon May 25, 2009 at 12:02:30 AM EST
    about the death penalty, as I think many Americans are. I doubt if I could sign a death warrant, though. And I'd probably vote to repeal it.

    Good decision by Rell if she wants to be a player (1.00 / 1) (#1)
    by ProudTroll on Sun May 24, 2009 at 11:08:33 PM EST
    on the national scene.  Chris, Americans overwhelmingly do not support your point of view on the death penalty.  Neither does Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.  Over half the members of your own party support the death penalty.

    Americans Hold Firm to Support for Death Penalty
    Only 21% say it is applied too often
    http://www.gallup.com/poll/111931/Americans-Hold-Firm-Support-Death-Penalty.aspx

    Whoop-de-doo (5.00 / 4) (#2)
    by TChris on Sun May 24, 2009 at 11:33:38 PM EST
    Is it my obligation to echo the opinions held by a majority of Americans, or even by a majority of Democrats?  A majority of Americans at one time supported slavery, and then segregation, and most now oppose equal marital rights for same sex couples.  The opinions I express about civil rights and the politics of crime are my opinions, not those of the nation's majority.

    Parent
    Well, (5.00 / 1) (#3)
    by eric on Sun May 24, 2009 at 11:56:01 PM EST
    the majority of elected representatives and senators in Connecticut voted this way, who is she to stand in the way of the majority?

    Its a silly argument to claim some kind of majority justifies this decision.

    Furthermore, there have been a lot of terrible things that were one time supported by the majority of the people in this country.  Her choice will be hers alone, and she has to live with it.  And people may die because of her decision.


    Parent

    there was a point in time (none / 0) (#5)
    by cpinva on Mon May 25, 2009 at 03:54:44 AM EST
    when the overwhelming majority of white americans believed that african americans were an inferior race. they were wrong.

    just because an "overwhelming majority" believes something doesn't, by definition, make them right.

    a brief history lesson: the reason the bill of rights exists is to protect the minority from the beliefs of the "overwhelming majority". the authors weren't stupid, they recognized that there will be times that the "overwhelming majority" will be however.

    There is a right and wrong (none / 0) (#14)
    by MrConservative on Tue May 26, 2009 at 01:10:17 AM EST
    Right: Human rights, death penalty abolition, me

    Wrong: You, the death penalty, and all other evil everywhere

    Parent

    To me it seems like (none / 0) (#6)
    by Mikeb302000 on Mon May 25, 2009 at 07:21:11 AM EST
    the governor is really going that extra mile to support the death penalty. I love the way TChris put it, "What about the family members who believe that the death penalty is fundamentally revolting to human values?"

    When I wrote about this story last week I expressed the hope that Gov. Rell will follow in the footsteps of her esteemed colleague from New Mexico.  Gov. Richardson was said to be in favor of capital punishment but signed for it's elimination in New Mexico mainly because of the costs involved in a capital case.

    I see now, it doesn't look good for Connecticut.

    What about the family members? (none / 0) (#11)
    by wagnert in atlanta on Mon May 25, 2009 at 04:58:15 PM EST
    The story link was to Fort Worth, TX.  That's a long trip from Connecticut to find a family member who didn't want a murderer fried.

    Parent
    hope a family member faces it (none / 0) (#9)
    by Dadler on Mon May 25, 2009 at 11:55:56 AM EST
    that seems the ONLY way these unrivaled morons come to any kind of logic or sanity.  there is not a bigger joke of a democracy on the planet right now than us.  period.

    democracy is a great thing... (none / 0) (#10)
    by of1000Kings on Mon May 25, 2009 at 01:38:22 PM EST
    but I think we're learning that it doesn't work on a large scale...

    Rell Promises Veto of Death Penalty Ban | 10 comments (10 topical)

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