BREAKING NEWS: Jack Billion's two positions on the death penalty
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I was perusing the Rapid City Journal this AM when I read the story about Jack Billion and the Death Penalty in the story titled: Billion says questions about execution remain by Kevin Woster:
And I found it. Check this statement out from an article in the Black Hills Pioneer this past April:
What? "Because state money is spent on the death penalty, he is against it?" He is against it? Now wait a minute? Isn't he now saying it's "an acceptable alternative?"
Pardon me, but that seems a bit "contradictory."
Speaking of contradiction, oddly enough, in today's edition of the Black Hills Pioneer, the exact same newspaper he stated his opposition to the death penalty in, Billion criticizes Rounds with ironic words:
I can understand being conflicted on the death penalty, but stating you're against it, and now being for it, that seems a bit more than conflicted. And certainly much less than being "clearer and better thought out."
I was perusing the Rapid City Journal this AM when I read the story about Jack Billion and the Death Penalty in the story titled: Billion says questions about execution remain by Kevin Woster:
Jack Billion said Thursday that he believes the death penalty is “an acceptable alternative” in South Dakota but stopped short of saying he would have allowed confessed murderer Elijah Page to be executed in August.Wait a minute. I KNOW I've read something from him with an opinion to the contrary. It took me a while for the rusty wheels in my head to click.
and..
Billion also said he didn’t have enough information to say whether he would have allowed Page to die in August. Billion said he doesn’t believe that the death penalty is a deterrent against crime but would honor the wishes of the majority of South Dakotans who support capital punishment.
Asked if he believes in capital punishment, Billion said: “In my heart, I believe the death penalty is an acceptable alternative. But I also think it needs to be re-visited.”
And I found it. Check this statement out from an article in the Black Hills Pioneer this past April:
With two young men currently on death row in South Dakota, one member inquired about Billion's thoughts on the death penalty. Billion said because state money is spent on the appeal process, he is against it. After several appeals, the money can add up. "States with a life only policy do fairly well economically," Billion said.Read it all here.
What? "Because state money is spent on the death penalty, he is against it?" He is against it? Now wait a minute? Isn't he now saying it's "an acceptable alternative?"
Pardon me, but that seems a bit "contradictory."
Speaking of contradiction, oddly enough, in today's edition of the Black Hills Pioneer, the exact same newspaper he stated his opposition to the death penalty in, Billion criticizes Rounds with ironic words:
As a doctor, Jack Billion took a pledge to do no harm. As governor, Billion said he would be willing to allow the execution of a prisoner to go forward, despite his personal feelings on the effectiveness of the death penalty. He said his views are clearer and better thought out than those of Gov. Mike Rounds.So, his views are clearer and better though out than those of the Governor. Despite the fact the same newspaper reports him in April being against the death penalty, but now today, he's for it.
I can understand being conflicted on the death penalty, but stating you're against it, and now being for it, that seems a bit more than conflicted. And certainly much less than being "clearer and better thought out."
Comments
I think the death penalty costs a ton of money. I think the death penalty does not deter crime and the statistics support that. There are many cases where people were executed or on death row for years and later found innocent. I am not saying I would oppose every execution either. I'm not taking two positions on the death penalty. I see it as a complex issue that can't be jammed into one black or white stance. I don't fault Billion for this either.
What I want to know is why Rounds and Long bungled the entire process so horribly.
Jack Billion scares me because he wants to use a cost basis system to determine whether or not a judicially ordered sentence should be carried out.
That means he beleives money is the biggest driver behind what is right and wrong on issues of life and death and violent crime.
What's next? Cost counting the number of hours a State's attorney or attorney general is spending on prosecuting dangerous felons.
By the way, I think Jack's off in his comments about the appeals process. Prisoners serving life sentences also appeal their convictions over and over and over....
Tomorrow, he'll be opposed to life sentences. The next day? Who knows?
So what.
As Governor, he'd not be practicing medicine so lose the Hypocrates crap unless you hold Frist to the fire on the same line.
PP, spinning makes you dizzy.
1) Death is expensive. It's a do-or-die appeal to the end, and the state has to go all 12 rounds. The investment is iffy, because ...
2) He's not sure that it is a significant deterrent. His opinion mirrors the evidence, which is sketchy.
3) If the people (and the governor DOES work for the people) want some proven turd killed, he'd do it.
There are NO PHILOSOPHICAL INCONSISTANCIES in the above statements. Just a tendency toward thinking ... rare.
Beats the Hell out of (read like Igor)
"Death GOOOOD! Death BAAAAD!"
"The people of South Dakota now deserve straight answers from Mike Rounds."
I agree. But it also seems we could use some straight answers from Billion. Is he for the death penalty or not?
What separates the sterotypical conservative vs. liberal is a conservative will do the right thing and damn the cost. The liberal will do the right thing only when it's inevitable or politically beneficial. I'll give you another example; the abortion debate. It's not should abortion be allowed but it's too expensive or we might be boycotted as a state. The pro-life people (Republicans and Democrats) have values that transend money which liberals are incapable of understanding.
This is a clear example of the pot calling the kettle black even though Rounds has said 100 times he supports the death penalty.