Topics in the News: Death Penalty
Roseanne Barr on Crime
: Sep 24, 2012
Opposes death penalty
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Death Penalty"?
Q: Oppose
Click for Roseanne Barr on other issues.
Source: Email interview on presidential race with OnTheIssues.org
Barack Obama on Crime
: Aug 27, 2012
FactCheck:Biden more conservative than Obama on crime issues
Vice President Biden does not agree with President Obama on all issues--their differences are especially stark on crime and punishment issues. Biden supports the death penalty while Obama opposes it; Biden supports the War on Drugs while
Obama opposes that too. You can read about all of their differences (and their agreements) in side-by-side form our summary of our book: Obama-Biden vs. Romney-Ryan on Domestic Issues:- Alternative Sentencing
-
Death Penalty
- Drugs in Society
- Marijuana Legalization
- Gun Rights
- Environment vs. Economy
- Nuclear Waste
- Infrastructure
Investment
- WikiLeaks and Secrecy
- Internet Policy
- Health Mandate
- Medicare
- ObamaCare
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Paperback: Obama-Biden vs. Romney-Ryan On The Issues
Gary Johnson on Crime
: Aug 1, 2012
DNA evidence shows many people are mistakenly convicted
When I was younger, I supported capital punishment. I changed my mind because I recognized that the risks and costs associated with the death penalty are too high.
I understand the eye-for-an-eye, tooth-for-a-tooth mentality but, realistically public policy should have room for mistakes. Killing one innocent person who was wrongly accused is not worth executing 99 guilty people.
DNA evidence and judicial appeals have shown many people are mistakenly convicted.
The death penalty is flawed public policy and its consequences are irreversible.
Plus, the financial cost of capital punishment (mostly legal fees) is several times greater for taxpayers than keeping someone in prison for life.
Click for Gary Johnson on other issues.
Source: Seven Principles, by Gary Johnson, p. 70-71
Virgil Goode on Crime
: May 16, 2012
Supports the Death Penalty
Q: Do you support the Death Penalty?A: Yes.
Click for Virgil Goode on other issues.
Source: Email interview on presidential race with OnTheIssues.org
Virgil Goode on Crime
: Apr 21, 2012
Capital punishment for certain murders
We need to maintain capital punishment for certain murders and to fully prosecute those who commit crimes with firearms.
I fully support the right of an individual to protect himself or herself against assault and violent attack.
Click for Virgil Goode on other issues.
Source: 2012 presidential campaign website goodeforpresident2012.com
Mitt Romney on Crime
: Mar 2, 2012
Romney side-by-side against Gingrich, Paul & Santorum
Q: Is there any issue where Romney differs from all three other GOP frontrunners?A: Yes, on gun control--Mitt is the odd man out from Gingrich, Paul, and Santorum calling for Second Amendment rights. Mitt does toe the conservative line on most
crime issues, including capital punishment and mandatory sentencing--and on "Three Strikes", he's more of a hard-line conservative than Gingrich and Santorum! See the details on crime, gun control, and numerous other related issues in a side-by-side
comparison:
Romney/Paul/Santorum/Gingrich side-by-side on Domestic Issues
- Gun Rights
- Alternative Sentencing
- Death Penalty
- Drugs in Society
- Marijuana Legalization
- Environment vs. Economy
- Environmentalism
- EPA Regulations
- Infrastructure Investment
- Outer Space Policy
- WikiLeaks
- Censorship Policy
- Hate Speech
- Health Mandate
- Medicare
- ObamaCare
- Tort Reform
Click for Mitt Romney on other issues.
Source: Paperback: Romney/Paul/Santorum/Gingrich side-by-side
Ron Paul on Jobs
: Mar 2, 2012
Ron Paul side-by-side against Gingrich, Romney & Santorum
Q: Ron Paul is the odd man out from the other three GOP frontrunners on foreign policy, the PATRIOT Act , the death penalty, and gay rights--but what happens with that long list of disagreements when talking about economic policy?
A: No, Paul is not the odd man out on economic policy. He agrees with the other three GOP frontrunners on just about all of the policy issues below, from corporate policy to union policy:
Romney/Paul/Santorum/Gingrich side-by-side on
Economic Issues
- Corporation Policy
- Wall Street Reform
- Automaker Bailout
- Financial Bailout
- Economic Stimulus
- Mortgage Crisis
- National Debt
- Balanced Budget
- Campaign Finance Reform
-
Growth of Government
- Union Policy
- Unemployment
- Social Security Privatization
- Death Tax
- Income Tax
Click for Ron Paul on other issues.
Source: Paperback: Romney/Paul/Santorum/Gingrich side-by-side
Rocky Anderson on Crime
: Feb 10, 2012
Strongly opposes the death penalty
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Death Penalty"?
A: Strongly Oppose
Click for Rocky Anderson on other issues.
Source: Email interview on presidential race with OnTheIssues.org
Gary Johnson on Crime
: Jan 18, 2012
1994: Proponent of death penalty, but willing to debate it
In 1994 Gary Johnson was elected NM Governor, campaigning as a strong proponent of the death penalty. [Over the years], Johnson has altered his position [but here are his early views]:- 1996: Johnson said that he would favor the death penalty for
children as young as 13 and 14 in some circumstances.
- 1997: The House approves Johnson's bill to expand the death penalty to include child killers and multiple murders, and drive-by killings.
- 1998: Johnson again asks for a two-year cap on death row
appeals. He stated that be believed "when you have a certainty of punishment being given, that acts as a deterrent."
- 2000 : Johnson again voices his support for the death penalty saying that "if you have committed murder, I happen to believe that you
should pay for that with your own life."
- 2001: A Johnson aid states that the Governor will not impose a moratorium, but may be willing to take part in public debate on the issue of capital punishment stating that "his eyes are open."
Click for Gary Johnson on other issues.
Source: 2012 presidential campaign website, garyjohnson2012.com
Gary Johnson on Crime
: Jan 18, 2012
Death penalty as a public policy is flawed
Johnson has altered his position on the death penalty--this chronology attempts to understand why Johnson has become less supportive:- Oct. 2001: Johnson states, "Swift and sure punishment deters crime," Johnson wrote. "Currently, I do not believe
that New Mexico's death penalty serves as an effective preventative measure because it is neither swift or sure."
- Oct. 2001: Johnson writes, "Those opposed to the death penalty point out the disparities that exist with regard to individuals receiving
the death penalty sentence. They argue persuasively that these disparities are a result of several factors including prosecutorial discretion as well as racial and economic discrimination."
- Dec. 2001: Governor Johnson states that he will place the
repeal bill on the agenda if requested to do so. He also said that he was wrong to propose limits on death row appeals.
- Jan. 2002: Johnson states that he has "come to believe that the death penalty as a public policy is flawed."
Click for Gary Johnson on other issues.
Source: 2012 presidential campaign website, garyjohnson2012.com
Mitt Romney on Crime
: Jan 17, 2012
2002: Supported death penalty although it was long abolished
In an echo of his 1994 platform, Romney positioned himself as an agent of change, vowing to "clean up the mess on Beacon Hill," the seat of state government. And there was plenty to clean up: government was still rife with patronage and waste.
Romney debuted a sophisticated "microtargeting" program to drill deep into voter behavior, seeking to identify supporters through their coting history and other personal information.
He pitched himself squarely to independents, who made up half the Massachusetts electorate.
Unlike O'Brien, he supported the death penalty, which had long been abolished, and an initiative petition on that year's ballot to replace bilingual education with English immersion.
Click for Mitt Romney on other issues.
Source: The Real Romney, by Kranish & Helman, p.232
Ron Paul on Drugs
: Jan 16, 2012
Blacks disproportionately imprisoned for victimless crimes
Q: Blacks are jailed at four times the rate of whites in South Carolina, and are most often convicted on drug offenses. Do you see racial disparities in drug-related arrests and convictions as a problem?PAUL: Yes. Definitely. There is a disparity.
It's not that it is my opinion, it is very clear. Blacks and minorities who are involved with drugs, are arrested disproportionately. They are tried and imprisoned disproportionately. They suffer the consequence of the death penalty disproportionately.
Rich white people don't get the death penalty very often. And most of these are victimless crimes. Sometimes people can use drugs and arrested three times and never committed a violent act and they can go to prison for life.
I think there's discrimination in the system, but you have to address the drug war. I would say the judicial system is probably one of the worst places where prejudice and discrimination still exists in this country.
Click for Ron Paul on other issues.
Source: Fox News debate on MLK Day in Myrtle Beach, SC
Andre Barnett on Crime
: Jan 2, 2012
Supports the death penalty
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the statement, "Death Penalty"?
A: Agree.
Click for Andre Barnett on other issues.
Source: Email interview on presidential race with OnTheIssues.org
Jill Stein on Crime
: Dec 21, 2011
Death penalty is ineffective, and also barbaric
Q: What about capital punishment?A: It's barbaric. It's outlawed internationally in all but a few extremely repressive countries like Iran, China, and not many others. It's shameful that it continues to be performed. It's well established that mistakes
are made--yet half of our states practice pre-meditated state-sponsored murder. It's also known that it's not effective. So why is it done? Revenge & retribution? That's not what our justice system is supposed to be about. It's not an effective deterrent.
Click for Jill Stein on other issues.
Source: 2011 OnTheIssues interview with Jill Stein
Jill Stein on Crime
: Dec 21, 2011
Mandatory sentencing: ineffective & racially discriminatory
Q: What's your view on mandatory sentencing? A: This has caused an explosion of our prison population, most of which are there for non-violent drug offenses. Mandatory sentencing has not been effective as a deterrent to crime. We can't afford it.
The prison-industrial complex is making out like bandits, while very discriminatory injustice prevails. Vast number of African-American and Latinos are being locked up for minimal crimes. Lives and communities are being destroyed.
Click for Jill Stein on other issues.
Source: 2011 OnTheIssues interview with Jill Stein
Gary Johnson on Crime
: Aug 21, 2011
Don't risk putting innocent to death
Q: You oppose the death penalty. Why?A: As governor of New Mexico, I was a bit na‹ve and I did not think the government made mistakes with regard to the death penalty.
I came to realize that they do. I don't want to put one innocent person to death to punish 99 who are guilty.
Click for Gary Johnson on other issues.
Source: Interview by Scott Holleran on scottholleran.com blog
Ron Paul on Crime
: Apr 19, 2011
Too many capital convictions have been proven errors
There was a time I simply stated that I supported the death penalty. Now my views are not so clearly defined. I do not support the federal death penalty, but constitutionally I cannot, as a federal official, interfere with the individual states that
impose it. After years spent in Washington, I have become more aware than ever of the government's ineptness and the likelihood of its making mistakes. I no longer trust the U.S. government to invoke and carry out a death sentence under any condition.
Too many convictions, not necessarily federal, have been found to be in error, but only after years of incarcerating innocent people who later were released on DNA evidence. Rich people when guilty are rarely found guilty and sentenced to death.
For me it's much easier just to eliminate the ultimate penalty and incarcerate the guilty for life--in case later evidence proves a mistaken conviction.
Click for Ron Paul on other issues.
Source: Liberty Defined, by Rep. Ron Paul, p. 32-33
Ron Paul on Crime
: Apr 19, 2011
Eliminate ultimate penalty & incarcerate for life
I do not support the federal death penalty. For me it's much easier just to eliminate the ultimate penalty and incarcerate the guilty for life--in case later evidence proves a mistaken conviction.
The cost of incarceration is likely less than it is for death penalty appeals drawn out not for years but for decades. This issue is not only about mistakes that governments make. It is about the power they wield.
If the government can legally kill, it can do just about anything else short of that. I no longer believe this government should be trusted with this power. The death penalty does have an effect on the society that endorses it.
The more civilized the society is, the more likely it has moved away from a casual or careless administration of the death penalty. The more authoritarian a government becomes, the greater is the number of executions.
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Source: Liberty Defined, by Rep. Ron Paul, p. 33-34
Hillary Clinton on Homeland Security
: Mar 25, 2008
Long-held pro-defense spending stance; not a move to center
As long as she has been in public life, Clinton has held many positions that are ordinarily associated with Republicans, supporting the death penalty, numerous free-trade agreements, and high defense spending, to name a few. She was also a strong
and early supporter of the Iraq war (though she became a critic as the war dragged on). Yet these positions are not only not taken as evidence that she is in fact a centrist, they are used as evidence of insincere political calculation.
She has often been characterized as MOVING to the center in preparation for a presidential run, even when her position on the issue in question has remained unchanged.For Clinton, long-held positions, like a hawkish approach to military affairs,
are taken as evidence of a shift. And the prevailing assumption is that when she breaks with some in her party (or even when she sticks with her party) it is for crass political purposes and not an outgrowth of genuine conviction.
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: Free Ride, by David Brock and Paul Waldman, p.134-135
Hillary Clinton on Crime
: Jan 1, 2008
Longtime advocate of death penalty, with restrictions
Clinton has been a longtime advocate of the death penalty. Clinton cosponsored the Innocence Protection Act of 2003 which became law in 2004 as part of the Justice for All Act. The bill provides funding for post-conviction
DNA testing and establishes a DNA testing process for individuals sentenced to the death penalty under federal law. As first lady, she lobbied for President Clinton’s crime bill, which expanded the list of crimes subject to the federal death penalty.
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: Pew Forum on Religion and Politics 2008
Ron Paul on Crime
: Jan 1, 2008
Opposes death penalty at state and federal level
Paul opposes the death penalty and would vote against it in “any legislative body he was a member of,” according to campaign spokesman Jesse Benton.
In 2005, Paul praised the late Pope John Paul II for being an “eloquent and consistent advocate for an ethic of life, exemplified by his struggles against abortion, war, euthanasia and the death penalty.”
Click for Ron Paul on other issues.
Source: Pew Forum on Religion and Politics 2008
Joe Biden on Crime
: Nov 11, 2007
Biden Law of 1994 created several new capital offenses
Biden is credited for authoring several significant pieces of legislation in the area of federal law enforcement, including The Violent Crime Control & Law Enforcement Act of 1994, widely known as the Biden Law, which:- Banned the manufacture of 19
specific semiautomatic “assault weapons”
- Allocated more money to build prisons & set up bootcamps for delinquent minors
- Designated 50 new federal offenses, including gang membership, and created several new federal death penalty offenses, including
murders related to drug dealing, drive-by shooting murders, civil rights-related murders, murders of federal law enforcement officers, and death caused by acts of terrorism or weapons of mass destruction.
The law was passed shortly before the Oklahoma
City bombing, and its provisions were applied to execute Timothy McVeigh. The legislation received bipartisan support, but was reviled by death penalty opponents and civil libertarians. Some believe it broke ground for the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.
Click for Joe Biden on other issues.
Source: The Contenders, by Laura Flanders, p.179
Barack Obama on Crime
: Oct 30, 2007
No extra penalty for gang association
Most people like the idea of a politician who votes for individual rights, but the fact that Obama could do so and still maintain the respect of law enforcement shows his political skills. Obama voted against a proposal to criminalize contact with a gang
for any convicts on probation or out on bail. In 2001, Obama opposed making gang activity eligible for the death penalty. “There’s a strong overlap between gang affiliation and young men of color....
I think it’s problematic for them to be singled out as more likely to receive the death penalty for carrying out certain acts than are others who do the same thing.“ In 1999, Obama opposed mandatory adult prosecution for youth who discharge a firearm nea
a school, declaring, ”There is really no proof or indication that automatic transfers and increased penalties and adult penalties for juvenile offenses have, in fact, proven to be more effective in reducing juvenile crime or cutting back on recidivism.“
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.146
Mitt Romney on Principles & Values
: Oct 21, 2007
Proud of his accomplishments in fighting the Liberal Lion
Q: [to Romney]: Sen. McCain suggests that you’re conning people--he has used that phrase--with your conversions on a number of issues.ROMNEY: When I ran against Ted Kennedy in 1994, that was a big uphill climb. But let me tell you, I was fighting for
issues like making sure that we would have the death penalty in our state, fighting to keep our taxes down. I was fighting against the Liberal Lion in perhaps the toughest state in America. And I’m pretty proud of what I was able to accomplish in that
race, but nothing compares to the pride I have with the work that I was able to do as a governor.
McCAIN: Gov. Romney, you’ve been spending the last year trying to fool people about your record. I don’t want you to start fooling them about mine.
I stand on my record as a conservative, and I don’t think you can fool the American people. They may not agree with me on a couple of issues, but they’ll know I’m telling the truth, and my steadfast positions on these issues for more than 20 years.
Click for Mitt Romney on other issues.
Source: 2007 GOP primary debate in Orlando, Florida
Ron Paul on Crime
: Sep 27, 2007
Changed opinion to anti-death penalty due to many mistakes
Q: Is the death penalty is carried out justly?A: Over the years, I’ve held pretty rigid all my beliefs, but I’ve changed my opinion about the death penalty. For federal purposes, I no longer believe in the death penalty. I believe it has been issued
unjustly. If you’re rich, you get away with it; if you’re poor & you’re from the inner city, you’re more likely to be prosecuted & convicted. Today, with DNA evidence, there have been too many mistakes. So I am now opposed to the federal death penalty.
Click for Ron Paul on other issues.
Source: 2007 GOP Presidential Forum at Morgan State University
Hillary Clinton on Principles & Values
: Jul 18, 2007
Sought pastoral guidance on doubts about capital punishment
Hillary consulted her pastor, Don Jones, when she found herself grappling with the issue of capital punishment. Hillary had long had spiritual doubts about the Christianity behind supporting such a policy. The topic had long provided
Bill with a good issue to help position himself a moderate. Jones discussed this issue with Hillary when Gov. Clinton was once considering whether to commute a capital sentence. Hillary “agonized” over the decision, and consulted Jones.
Jones told her, “I believe there is such a thing as punitive justice; that’s part of the whole concept of justice. And I think some people have forfeited their right to life because of the heinous deed that they’ve committed.” In response, says Jones,
Hillary told him, “Well, I think I agree with you.”
However, says Jones, it was evident that Hillary “was struggling with the question of could she conscientiously as a Christian say that. There was uncertainty. I attribute that to her faith.”
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: God and Hillary Clinton, by Paul Kengor, p. 81-82
Mitt Romney on Education
: May 15, 2007
Supports English immersion & abstinence education
In the toughest of blue states I’ve had to stand up for life, and I have. I’ve had to stand up for traditional marriage, and I have. I stood to make sure that we could have English immersion in our schools, because I think kids should be taught in
English. I fought for the death penalty. I fought for abstinence education. I have the kind of leadership that will allow America to build upon the same kind of reputation and heritage that we got from our conservative founders in this party.
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Source: 2007 Republican Debate in South Carolina
Barack Obama on Crime
: Feb 10, 2007
Reformed death penalty by listening & compromising
I arrived in this capital city as a state Senator. It was here, in Springfield, where I saw all that is America converge--farmers and teachers, businessmen and laborers, all of them with a story to tell, all of them seeking a seat at the
table, all of them clamoring to be heard. I made lasting friendships here--friends that I see in the audience today. It was here we learned to disagree without being disagreeable--that it’s possible to compromise so long as you know those principles
that can never be compromised; and that so long as we’re willing to listen to each other, we can assume the best in people instead of the worst.
That’s why we were able to reform a death penalty system that was broken.
That’s why we were able to give health insurance to children in need. That’s why we made the tax system more fair and just for working families, and that’s why we passed ethics reforms that the cynics said could never, ever be passed.
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Source: Speech in Springfield, in Change We Can Believe In, p.194-5
Ron Paul on Crime
: Jan 22, 2007
Opposes the death penalty
He opposes the death penalty and abortion, and is strongly opposed to a military draft. He has voted against amending the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage and also against an amendment to prohibit flag-burning.
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Source: SourceWatch.org
Ron Paul on Homeland Security
: Jan 22, 2007
Criticizes use of war on terror to curtail civil liberties
He criticizes the United States’ intervention in Iraq and what he charges is the use of the war on terror to curtail civil liberties. He also endorses a non-interventionist foreign policy and defederalization
of the healthcare system, opposes the death penalty and abortion, and is strongly opposed to a military draft. He has also broken with his party by voting against the Patriot Act in 2001 and again in 2005. He is strongly opposed to a military draft.
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Source: SourceWatch.org
Sarah Palin on Crime
: Nov 7, 2006
If legislature passed death penalty law, I would sign it
I support adequate funding for a strong public safety presence in Alaska. Feeling safe in our communities is something we cannot accept any compromise on. This includes policing in all its forms, the court system, prosecutors and corrections.
If the legislature passed a death penalty law, I would sign it. We have a right to know that someone who rapes and murders a child or kills an innocent person in a drive by shooting will never be able to do that again.
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Source: 2006 Gubernatorial website, palinforgovernor.com, “Issues”
Sarah Palin on Crime
: Nov 3, 2006
Strong public safety presence, via police, courts & prisons
PUBLIC SAFETY: I support adequate funding for a strong public safety presence in Alaska. Feeling safe in our communities is something we cannot accept any compromise on. This includes policing in all its forms, the court system, prosecutors and
corrections. If the legislature passed a death penalty law, I would sign it. We have a right to know that someone who rapes and murders a child or kills an innocent person in a drive by shooting will never be able to do that again.
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Source: Palin-Parnell campaign booklet: New Energy for Alaska
Marco Rubio on Crime
: Nov 1, 2006
Endless death row appeals hinder justice
Problem: Endless appeals by convicted felons postpone a sense of finality and erode public confidence in the judicial system. Even in the simplest of criminal cases, post-conviction litigation frequently continues for a minimum of 3 years.
In death penalty cases the post-conviction process averages 12 years, but in some cases it has consumed up to 20 years before a warrant is signed. With over 370 inmates on death row in Florida, delays of this nature hinder justice for the victims and
erode public confidence in Florida's criminal justice system. Very few inmates receive actual relief from the current cumbersome, time-consuming, and expensive process. Solution: Streamline the appeals process in criminal cases. Florida should create
a new, more efficient, less expensive process for reviewing criminal cases that instills more public confidence in the criminal justice system. This could be accomplished by limiting the time convicted felons have to appeal their sentences.
Click for Marco Rubio on other issues.
Source: 100 Innovative Ideas, by Marco Rubio, p. 74-75
Sarah Palin on Crime
: Oct 22, 2006
Death penalty for adults who murder children
Q: Would you introduce--or, if introduced by a legislator, would you support--a bill to adopt the death penalty in Alaska? If yes, which crimes should it apply to?
A: If the Legislature were to pass a bill that established a death penalty on adults who murder children, I would sign it.
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Source: Anchorage Daily News: 2006 gubernatorial candidate profile
Barack Obama on Crime
: Oct 1, 2006
Some heinous crimes justify the ultimate punishment
While the evidence tells me that the death penalty does little to deter crime, I believe there are some crimes--mass murder, the rape and murder of a child--so heinous that the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage by
meting out the ultimate punishment. On the other hand, the way capital cases were tried in Illinois at the time was so rife with error, questionable police tactics, racial bias, and shoddy lawyering, that 13 death row inmates had been exonerated
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p. 58
Barack Obama on Crime
: Oct 1, 2006
Videotape all capital punishment interrogations
In the Illinois Senate, I sponsored a bill to require videotaping of interrogations and confessions in capital cases [after the] governor had instituted a moratorium on al executions.In negotiating the bill, I talked about the common value that
I believed everyone shared--that no innocent person should end up on death row, abd that no person guilty of a capital offense should go free. At the end of the process, the bill had the support of all the parties involved, and it passed unanimously.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: The Audacity of Hope, by Barack Obama, p. 57-59
Paul Ryan on Crime
: Jan 21, 2006
Death penalty only for lethal crimes against minors
Ryan co-sponsored these bills which included death penalty provisions:- H.R.4127 (2009): To provide that alien unprivileged enemy belligerents may only be tried by military commissions if tried for alleged conduct for which a term of incarceration
or the death penalty may be sought.
- H.R.3132 (2005-2006): Prevention and Deterrence of Crimes Against Children Act: Requires a person convicted of a federal crime of violence against an individual under age 18 to be sentenced to:
- death or life
imprisonment if the crime results in the death of a person under age 18;
- life or at least 30 years' imprisonment if the crime is a kidnaping, sexual abuse, or maiming;
- life or at least 15 years' imprisonment if a dangerous weapon was used during
and in relation to the crime.
- H.R.1997 (2003) Unborn Victims of Violence Act: Allows charging a separate offense against unborn children, but prohibits imposition of the death penalty for such an offense.
Click for Paul Ryan on other issues.
Source: Library of Congress bill sponsorship records
Barack Obama on Abortion
: Oct 21, 2004
Moral accusations from pro-lifers are counterproductive
Q: [to Keyes]: Doesn’t your pro-life stance conflict with your support of the death penalty?KEYES: It doesn’t conflict at all. Abortion and capital punishment are at different level of moral concern. Abortion is intrinsically, objectively wrong and
sinful whereas capital punishment is a matter of judgment, which is not in and of itself a violation of moral right. The question of whether or not you should apply capital punishment depends on circumstances and it’s an area where Catholics have a right
to debate and disagree.
OBAMA: Now I agree with Mr. Keyes that the death penalty and abortion are separate cases. It’s unfortunate that with the death penalty Mr. Keyes respects that people may have a different point of view but with the issue of
abortion he has labeled people everything as terrorists to slaveholders to being consistent with Nazism for holding an opposing point of view. That kind of rhetoric is not helpful in resolving a deeply emotional subject.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes
Barack Obama on Crime
: Oct 21, 2004
Death penalty should be enforced fairly and with caution
Q: [to Keyes]: Doesn’t your pro-life stance conflict with your support of the death penalty?KEYES: It doesn’t conflict at all. Abortion and capital punishment are at different level of moral concern. Abortion is intrinsically, objectively wrong and
sinful whereas capital punishment is a matter of judgment.
OBAMA: I think that the death penalty is appropriate in certain circumstances. There are especially heinous crimes: terrorism, the harm of children.
Obviously, we’ve had some problems in this state in the application of the death penalty. That’s why a moratorium was put in place and that’s why I was so proud to be one of the leaders in overhauling a death penalty system that was broken.
We became the first in the nation requiring the video taping of capital interrogations and confessions. We have to have this ultimate sanction in certain circumstances where the whole community says “this is beyond the pale.”
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes
Barack Obama on Crime
: Oct 21, 2004
Death penalty should not discriminate by gang membership
Q: On mandatory death sentences for gang members who kill cops you voted no. Would you explain?OBAMA: [The proposed legislation] was entirely unnecessary and unconstitutional. It suggested that
I could kill a police officer but because I’m not a gang member, I would be treated differently. I think both cases should be death penalty eligible.
KEYES:
Senator Obama does not think it superfluous to have hate crimes legislation that adds a special animus to certain acts of violence already penalized against the law.
But in order to convey against those certain acts a special category of deviation from society. The law provides a special message aimed at discouraging things considered especially harmful to a society and a community.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes
Barack Obama on Principles & Values
: Oct 21, 2004
Seek common ground, not a moral crusade
I came to Chicago 20 years ago to help communities that had been damaged by steel plants that had closed. I’ve worked 20 years to bring jobs to the unemployed. After law school, I worked as a civil rights attorney, helping to bring affordable housing and
for the last 8 years I’ve worked as a state Senator. I’ve provided tax relief to those who needed it, health care to those who didn’t have it and helped to reform a death penalty system badly in need of repair. I accomplished these things by setting
partisanship aside and seeking common ground. That’s what you, the people of Illinois have told me you want, someone who can reach out and find practical solutions. Now my opponent has a different track record. He is on a moral crusade and labels those
who disagree with him as sinners. I don’t think that kind of talk is helpful. I think government works best when we focus on practical solutions for affordable health care and jobs, and working together, I’m certain we can accomplish all of these tasks.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes
Barack Obama on Crime
: Jul 15, 2004
Battles legislatively against the death penalty
Obama’s most significant contribution has been his legislative battles against the death penalty, and against in the criminal justice system.
In Illinois, it’s been a series of shocking exonerations of innocent people who are on death row.
He was involved very intimately in drafting and passing legislation that requires the video taping of police interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
And he also was one of the co-sponsors of this very comprehensive reform or the death penalty system in Illinois, which many people say may trigger the retreat on the death penalty in many other states.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Salim Muwakkil and Amy Goodman, Democracy Now
Mitt Romney on Crime
: Sep 17, 2002
Supports death penalty in heinous murders
Romney pushes for a death penalty law for murderers convicted of heinous first-degree homicides. “The ultimate penalty should be available in Massachusetts for criminals who commit the most egregious murders,” Romney said.
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Source: Campaign web site, www.romney2002.com, “Issues”
Mitt Romney on Crime
: Mar 21, 2002
Favored mandatory sentencing and three strikes
- Supported death penalty
- Wanted to abolish parole, limit probation, and end furloughs and release programs for violent or repeat offenders
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Favored mandatory sentencing and three strikes and you’re out
- Supported restrictions on plea bargaining
- His crime prevention efforts also focused on instilling family values.
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Source: Boston Globe review of 1994 campaign issues
Mitt Romney on Crime
: Oct 24, 1994
Supports death penalty and “three strikes” sentencing
Romney’s crime platform contains little that is radical or new - pro-death penalty, tough sentencing for violent offenders, support for “three strikes,” and support for judges who are tough on crime.
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Source: Anthony Flint in Boston Globe
Page last updated: Apr 30, 2013