The death penalty is for retail killers only. Wholesale killing isn't illegal.

[Jackpine Radical]

Case in Point #1: The Ford Pinto Memo.

In the 1970's, Ford put out the Pinto with a defect that caused the car to explode in a ball of flame if rear-ended. They then ran a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether or not to modify the car to eliminate the defect. Here is their calculation (from Wikipedia):

==================================================================
Fatalities Associated with Crash-Induced Fuel Leakage and Fires



Expected Costs of producing the Pinto with fuel tank modifications:

* Expected unit sales: 11 million vehicles (includes utility vehicles built on same chassis)
* Modification costs per unit: $11.00
* Total Cost: $121 million
<= 11,000,000 vehicles x $11.00 per unit>



Expected Costs of producing the Pinto without fuel tank modifications:

* Expected accident results (assuming 2100 accidents):
180 burn deaths
180 serious burn injuries
2100 burned out vehicles
* Unit costs of accident results (assuming out of court settlements):
$200,000 per burn death*
$67,000 per serious injury
$700 per burned out vehicle
* Total Costs: $49.53 million
<= (180 deaths x $200k) + (180 injuries x $67k) + (2100 vehicles x $700 per vehicle)>

Thus, the costs for fixing the Pinto was $121 million, while settling cases where injuries occur was only $50 million. With such a difference in costs, Ford decided to manufacture and market the Pinto without fuel tank modifications.

Nobody was ever held criminally responsible for this decision.

*By the way, the $200k and $67k figures for the average value of a lost or injured adult life is drawn from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) calculation of the estimated costs to society of automobile accidents. It is not a low-ball figure fabricated by Ford. (For example, the $200k for death was calculated by adding estimated direct costs of $163k -- such as loss of future earnings, plus $37k of indirect costs -- such as hospital and insurance costs, legal and court costs, victim pain and suffering, funeral costs, and property damage.)

Case # 2:

The Bush Administration prevaricated their way into an elective war using supposed intelligence information that they knew to be bogus. Total cost, at least 1 million lives, and the ruin of the cultural artifacts of an ancient civilization.

Penalty? None.

[The Magistrate]

1. There You Go, Sir

"Poor man. You stole bread so they put you in jail. If you had stolen a rail-road, they would have put you in the Senate."

[Jackpine Radical]

3. Anatole France:

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

[The Magistrate]

12. Another Of My Favorites, Sir

[ulysses]

2. and some wondered why I posted the "worth of a human life" thread...

[Wapsie B]

4. For those who believe the death penalty is truly a deterrant,

why not put the Ford execs in this case on death row?

[JuniperLea]

7. If it were a deterrant...

There would be no more killing, no rape, no war...

[Hydra]

8. I'd rather be executed than spend life in prison

And I suspect the Execs would too.

Really, the worst thing you could do to bush and his cronies would be to take all their money and make them work for a living.

:evilgrin:

[Hydra]

5. Laws are for poor people

"It's not illegal if the President does it."

So much for rule of law in America.

[JuniperLea]

6. Thanks for posting this...

These are the kinds of things that linger in the back of one's mind for a long time... then some bright DUer puts it all down in black and white... scary as hell to see it all together like this... but very necessary.

Thanks again.

[Jackpine Radical]

9. You're welcome.

This board is an amazing place.

[JuniperLea]

10. Sure is...

I'm amazed daily when I find more and more people who articulate my thoughts... many better than I can! LOL!

The information we can share is worth the occasional primary election freak-out:)

[yankeeinlouisiana]

11. Couldn't Ford have just raised the price

of a Pinto by $11.00? No expense to them, whatsoever! I've really never understood why they simply don't raise the price. All these "fixes" to cars always seems to be under $20.

[unblock]

13. murder by numbers, 1-2-3 / it's as easy to learn as your a-b-c

http://www.sting.com/discog/?v=so&a=1&id=194

Once that you've decided on a killing
First you make a stone of your heart
And if you find that your hands are still willing
Then you can turn a murder into art

There really isn't any need for bloodshed
You just do it with a little more finesse
If you can slip a tablet into someone's coffee
Then it avoids an awful lot of mess

It's murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC

Now if you have a taste for this experience
And you're flushed with your very first success
Then you must try a twosome or a threesome
And you'll find your conscience bothers you much less

Because murder is like anything you take to
It's a habit-forming need for more and more
You can bump off every member of your family
And anybody else you find a bore

Because it's murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC

Now you can join the ranks of the illustrious
In history's great dark hall of fame
All our greatest killers were industrious
At least the ones that we all know by name

But you can reach the top of your profession
If you become the leader of the land
For murder is the sport of the elected
And you don't need to lift a finger of your hand

Because it's murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your A, B, C, D, E

[The Magistrate]

14. That Is a Good Song, Sir

[mrreowwr_kittty]

15. I don't support the DP for live persons, but I do for corporate "persons" nt

[Jackpine Radical]

18. Yes, I agree.

Corporations ought to have their charters periodically reviewed and renewed only contingent on good "citizenship."

[spanone]

16. k&r

[indepat]

17. If recollection is correct, the judge in this case suppressed this damning internal

cost analysis of how it would be cheaper to just pay the victims/their estates than to fix the damned tanks.
:mad: :D