I never realised Kerry opposes the death penalty

[Endangered Specie]

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/issues/index.kerry.html


Another + for Kerry in my book... Will he do anything about it?

[Poseidon]

1. I doubt it

Even if he wanted to, the Congress solidly supports the death penalty. I support the death penalty, for people that were over age 18 at the time they committed the crime, and for people that are not mentally retarded.

[Endangered Specie]

2. you support capital punishment and are for Kucinich? interesting mix.

[JohnKleeb]

4. yep

I oppose it all the way. Kerry does seem to be more liberal on the death penalty which I like.

[Poseidon]

5. Yep

It's not really a defining issue for me. I prefer a candidate who supports it, but I realize that the federal death penalty is hardly ever used, and it's state death penalty statutes that matter. Those aren't going away anytime soon, so I say, what the heck, I'll vote for an anti death penalty candidate.

[Nicholas_J]

9. For Federal DeathPenalty though

He could require far more thorough requirements to impose them, as well as assert quite a good deal of influence on the states through funding to the states to make sure that their was an extremely fair trial, nad that unlike Texas, they couldnt run really bad trials and kill hundreds.

He could also cut off funding if the states do not make absolutely certain that a person gets an adequate trial, and extremely good lawyers, as well as requuiring states to massively raise their legal aid funding in order to get federal money for just about anything related to criminal justice.

He could also cut off the enormous funds that the states collect per day to keep prisoners in jail, and since the states and counite are allowed to utileze 40 percent of that for general fnd costs (putting peopl in jail is said to impact other government services) that he could bankrupt most local governments if he chose to to get them to rethink the death penalty.

AS an ex prosecutor, he knows how the funding situation works, and he could put a lot of pressure on local and state funding to get rid of pprosecutors who go for the death penalty for everything.

There is a lot of power in the funding to the states that a president has.

[sangh0]

27. And POTUS appoints the Atty General

who has a huge impact on how many people are charged with a capital offense in Federal cases.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

3. He does not oppose it 100%, he has some exceptions.

I'll have to look it up.


Death penalty is one of those issues where I am conficted -- I told someone the other day that my position is, I am glad I don't have to take a position on it.

[Poseidon]

6. Hmm

I think that he supports the death penalty for terrorists, and that this is the only exception. I could be wrong on that, though.

[THUNDER HANDS]

7. and people who kill cops

I think

[Poseidon]

11. No

I think that was Dean. Dean supports the DP for child killers and cop killers, iirc.

[THUNDER HANDS]

14. oh ok

I thought I saw one candidate say that on MTP. It was either him or Dean.

[blm]

17. No...just terrorists. You're confusing his stance with Dean's

which is death penalty for those whose victims are cops and children.

Kinda odd, because it seems to place different values on lives.

I understand the terrorist, though. Because they bring their battlefields with them wherever they go.

[waldenx]

8. Kerry supports the death penalty

for innocent Iraqis except they didn't get a trial.

[ulysses]

10. he opposes it flat out?

I'd be very surprised.

[Poseidon]

12. with only one exception, ulysses.

Kerry only supports the DP for terrorists. Kerry is the most progressive Democrat in the race besides Kucinich. He has a 6 acu rating, which is far below Gephardt's, Edwards's or Liebrman's ACU ratings.

[ulysses]

16. if so (and no offense to you, I just want to see a direct quote

or platform plank, and I haven't found such on his site yet) then that is a large plus, yes.

[jpgray]

13. You won't be surprised. Like Dean, he supports it for terrorism

Not sure on the cop-killer--I know Dean is for that. Hold on, I'll go check.

[Jacobin]

15. There's something I agree with him on.

That will also be used against him.

[youngred]

18. Good for him

Consistant life ethic at work

[elperromagico]

19. He claims it as a states' rights issue, I believe,

and that has worked pretty effectively for many years (some states have the death penalty, some don't). Presidents in recent years haven't had to deal much with death penalty cases.

[sangha]

20. Kerry scores again

.

[sangh0]

22. kick

.

[UTUSN]

21. Well, There You Go n/t

[Mobius]

23. Did you realize????

that Kerry is an active member of the SCULL AND BONES FRATERNITY of YALE, Just like Bush? Does this concern anyone else?

[molly]

24. It looks like it concerns you immensely

here is the best reply to your posts that I've seen....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=203539#203577

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. Most murderers are executed by the states, not the federal government

The federal government has only executed three people in the last 40 years.

[sangh0]

26. Kerry is also for gun control

.