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Ted Cruz

7 (6.5%)

Rick Santorum

16 (14.8%)

Michelle Bachmann

13 (12%)

Chris Christie

23 (21.3%)

Rand Paul

49 (45.4%)

Total Members Voted: 107

[misko27]

Don't firing squads traditionally shoot through the heart?

They do. They make a big show of it and have several men with rifles, sometimes all of them except 1 shoot blanks. The idea is that they won't know which one of them killed the fellow. I think though if they're alright with someone pulling the switch to electrocute a prisoner then that's all a bit silly, just shoot them in the head and make it quick and comparatively humane.

I'm reminded of a story about a Texas electric chair, where there was one switch, two dummy-switches, and the executors.

People are rarely executed, but that's comparing across the states. In the counties where they do execute, they execute a fair number. Personally, I'd prefer firing squad. It seems just, well, better. More dignified. Certainly better then the guy who spent 15 minutes struggling from the drugs.

[Owlbread]

I think it should be every prisoner's right to take their own life if they so desire, regardless of their sentence. Maybe have doctors on site who can help them on their way in the Swiss fashion. People should try to convince them not to of course but it should always be a person's right to opt out whenever they wish.

Hunter S. Thompson said that he would feel trapped if he couldn't commit suicide at any moment. I think I agree with that. There's some people though in British prisons/institutions for the criminally insane right now who really, really want to die (I'm thinking of a few of our serial killers) but we're doing our best to keep them alive. It's just unnecessary.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Given the social status that prisoners have, I would expect that to lead to them being "encouraged" to stop being a drain on the system.

[Dutchling]

Given the social status that prisoners have, I would expect that to lead to them being "encouraged" to stop being a drain on the system.

Not if it's a private prison.

[SalmonGod]

Oh, come on.  This is America!  We like things bigger and better, and we like a good show!  Why stop at firing squads?  I say we make grenade strapped to the base of the skull an option.  Instant humane death, and everyone loves explosions.  Witnesses wouldn't be subjected to some macabre spectacle, and then go generate bad PR.  It would be more like a snippet of a Michael Bay film.

[wierd]

No, This is America, where when European drug companies refuse to sell us phenobarbital, we proceed with the execution anyway, using a mix of drugs that causes 15 minutes of terror before the condemned actually dies.

Then blithely state that it taking so long was a "failed experiment."

Dont get me wrong-- I do honestly feel that some people cannot be reformed by any kind of penal system, short of one that brutally reprograms their brains or something.  As such, I think capital punishment should be on the table-- but I think it should be quick and without any suffering whatsoever, and that the state should LISTEN when lawyers and experts tell them that a method will cause prolonged suffering. (Yes, the man recently executed with the experimental pharmaceutical cocktail had lawyers that spent days arguing with state prosecutors that this is exactly what would happen if they used this method.)

[Mictlantecuhtli]

Consider it also takes 1200$ a pop just to setup the injector. I think shooting someone in the back of the head is a might bit more humane then strapping them down, poisoning them, and hoping they die prettily with family and onlookers. It all seems very self-centered to make a 'cleaner' execution because it bothers some people how it happens. Either do it or outlaw it, we shouldn't be playing the state's rights card on this.

The fact that there's a decade+ wait on the death row lists doesn't make a very strong argument that 'executions prevent capital crimes' since we literally take twenty years to punish people for heinous crimes for which they get convicted by a jury.

It all seems like some sick twisted joke that we advocate murdering people with unproven and likely more painful methods because its nicer on the conscience.

[Leafsnail]

As such, I think capital punishment should be on the table-- but I think it should be quick and without any suffering whatsoever, and that the state should LISTEN when lawyers and experts tell them that a method will cause prolonged suffering.

They did listen, they just decided that having someone die slowly in agony was acceptable.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/ohio-judge-rules-death-row-inmate-is-not-entitled-to-a-pain-free-execution-9059842.html

[Owlbread]

Dont get me wrong-- I do honestly feel that some people cannot be reformed by any kind of penal system, short of one that brutally reprograms their brains or something.  As such, I think capital punishment should be on the table-- but I think it should be quick and without any suffering whatsoever, and that the state should LISTEN when lawyers and experts tell them that a method will cause prolonged suffering. (Yes, the man recently executed with the experimental pharmaceutical cocktail had lawyers that spent days arguing with state prosecutors that this is exactly what would happen if they used this method.)

I agree with this. There are some people who are twisted on levels that go way beyond the level that any kind of individual work could remedy. My parents have done such work with certain sex offenders (pedophiles mostly) who they have said they wanted to just quietly put out of their misery because they were broken beyond repair.

[LordSlowpoke]

Dont get me wrong-- I do honestly feel that some people cannot be reformed by any kind of penal system, short of one that brutally reprograms their brains or something.  As such, I think capital punishment should be on the table-- but I think it should be quick and without any suffering whatsoever, and that the state should LISTEN when lawyers and experts tell them that a method will cause prolonged suffering. (Yes, the man recently executed with the experimental pharmaceutical cocktail had lawyers that spent days arguing with state prosecutors that this is exactly what would happen if they used this method.)

I agree with this. There are some people who are twisted on levels that go way beyond the level that any kind of individual work could remedy. My parents have done such work with certain sex offenders (pedophiles mostly) who they have said they wanted to just quietly put out of their misery because they were broken beyond repair.

Capital punishment was abolished for murder in the UK in the year 1965 and supposedly "not used since" until it was abolished in all circumstances in 1998. This puts me in a position where I must ask you what exactly the work your parents have done entailed.

[Owlbread]

When I was referring to "that sort of work" I was referring to "individual work" with prisoners and offenders. You know, you could call it therapy of sorts.

[GreatJustice]

In other pork related news, murdering the homeless is okay when wearing a blue uniform and balls can literally be busted by a pat down

[Helgoland]

To the guys arguing for a right to die: How would you prevent depressives from offing themselves on a whim?

[Dutchling]

To the guys arguing for a right to die: How would you prevent depressives from offing themselves on a whim?

Psychological test.

[LordSlowpoke]

To the guys arguing for a right to die: How would you prevent depressives from offing themselves on a whim?

Psychiatric evaluation? Would need to dispense with the "everybody wants to live, those who want to die are inherently ill" attitude.

It'd cause a little bit of a mishap as the bureaucracy might turn people away from the state's assistance with taking their lives away and just hang themselves in a semi-random place as it happens now, but it would be better than the attitude we have now. :v