GOP leaders plan to raise death penalty debate

[Judi Lynn]

October 22, 2005

GOP leaders plan to raise death penalty debate

DES MOINES, Iowa There's more talk about bringing back the death penalty in Iowa.

Republican legislative leaders say they plan to renew the debate.

Senator Jeff Angelo says it'll start next week with a meeting of a legislative task force to review the state's sex offender law.
(snip)
The death penalty was banned in Iowa in 1965.
(snip)

Senate Democratic Leader Michael Gronstal has accused Republicans of "purely playing politics." He says the tactic will fail.
(snip/...)

http://www.kwqc.com/Global/story.asp?S=4006948&nav=7k7NJ1IJ

[aquart]

1. I'm with Franken.

I don't believe we should EVER EXECUTE a sitting president.

[tanyev]

7. Yes, I have mixed feelings about the upcoming Rove and Libby

executions. :+

[Not Me]

2. So much for the "Culture of :Life"

such fucking hypocrites.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Risky politics

An increasing number of Americans are turning against the death penalty. DNA evidence, which was originally hailed as a perfect way of "getting the goods" on bad guys, has shown that an unacceptable number of the murder convictions with death penalty orders to be erroneous or fraudulent.

There's also the fact that many people are growing wise to having their outrage manipulated by DJs, political thugs, junior prosecutors, and religious mountebanks screaming "Pedo!"

It looks more like desperation to me.

--p!

[rodeodance]

4. push push push. I so tire of their pushing.

[salin]

5. they are looking for a wedge that might work - given that their

political integrity is now so in question. Have to find a fear card that will still work says the GOP strategists - it is a sign that they don't think they can still win elections on just the issues.

Hey Iowan repubs - just make sure that wedgie you are attempting to give - doesn't end up giving you the wedgie.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Exactly

Getting tired of gay marriage and abortion, are we?

[goforit]

6. With abortion issue overplayed..."let's go to the death penalty".

Whatever!!!

[leesa]

8. Ahh...the culture of life strikes again.

[cantstandbush]

9. The GOP is the party of death and destruction and deceit. n/t

[Zynx]

16. I like that slogan.

Someone could make a good poster to the theme of that slogan.

[Red State Lib]

11. Background noise

I don't think the cocksuckers will be able to get through all of what Bushler called "background noise" yesterday. They'd do well to be able to even pass the various budgets and spending bills. Circumstances has almost made this a virtual lame duck congress which is about as good as we can hope for given the current hand we are holding.....

[Neil Lisst]

12. the pukes are big on distractive hot button issues

Got indictments coming?!!

Let's talk about TERROR.

Let's talk about heinous crimes and how they justify executions!

Anything to get the public off the main topics and onto the distractions.

[Zynx]

13. They better not. I like Iowa in part because it doesn't have the death

penalty. This is a disgusting wedge issue on the part of the Republicans. "Hey! Let's kill some people! We haven't killed anyone for a long time."

[Red State Lib]

15. Not killed since....

yesterday?

[Judi Lynn]

21. Iowa should not be willing to part with that acheivement.

It looked as if the entire country was moving toward a level of enlightenment during the brief time the death penalty was put aside.

What a shame reactionary idiots dragged us back in so many states. That ground will need to be regained before we begin to approach any level of civilization.

Hope Iowans won't allow the dirtballs to take charge again through emotional coercion.

[Akoto]

14. Gee. This is certainly a curious decision.

"No abortions! Of course, after that, feel free to do whatever the hell you can to kill them."

[AlCzervik]

17. Is that all the GOP has left in Iowa? Clearly this is a hot button wedge

issue to get republicans out to the polls.

[FlashHarry]

18. You cannot mete out ANY irreversible punishment. Period.

Sorry -- unless there is one hundred percent certainty of a person's guilt, any irreversible punishment -- be it death or castration or whatever -- is immoral and illogical. And our current judicial system doesn't require that standard of guilt. Case closed.

Unless, of course, a crime is committed in full view of a judge and jury in real-time. :)

[gratuitous]

19. Has Iowa suddenly become a hotbed of violent crimes?

Sheesh, I guess it's easier to scare folks than run on any actual issues. And if I had the Republicans' record of the last few years to run on, I'd stay away from issues like they were plutonium.

[politicat]

20. Gee, I didn't know Iowa was the spree murder capital of the nation....

:sarcasm:

They don't wanna open this can of worms... their fearless leader had some really heartless things to say about capital punishment, and They really don't want to dig up those bones...

[Name removed]

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