So this is obviously a hot topic of conversation lately, and it is something that really bothers me (along with many other people of course). With the recent release of all of the secret cables, along with the threat to release a "doomsday" file, WikiLeaks is causing havoc among the U.S. and its allies. It's hard to say at the moment what the long term effects of these leaks will be, but it should be obvious that there is no really good ending. Not to mention, if WikiLeaks does release the doomsday file, what could that mean for not only the U.S. but the world?
Now, I have no problem with unearthing government corruption or whistle blowers or anything like that. However, I don't believe that is what is going on here. This isn't really about Julian Assange wanting to keep America in check. This is about him wanting power, fame, and money. He has a personal vendetta against America, so he has no qualms with trying to knock us down a few pegs. But the reality is that this isn't necessarily just an embarrassment to the United States. This is could have very real, very serious global ramifications. Lives could be lost because of this leak. At the very least, it creates a lot more tension between both allies and enemies.
Best case scenario: Everyone understands that this is just the reality of diplomacy, and while they may make noise about it, most countries will just continue on as usual. The worst thing that happens is that trust in the U.S. decreases in other countries.
Worst case scenario: War. Not necessarily between the major global players, but this could set off issues in the Middle East or North Korea. Terrorist attacks are also a very real possibility. Assange could potentially hand over not just a hit list to the terrorists, but a battle cry to rally others to their cause. This is a possibility that needs to be considered, as it is unclear as to what WikiLeaks really knows and will release.
Who in their right mind would risk such a terrible outcome? And for what purpose? Is Assange really changing anything or liberating us from our government's shady way of doing business? No. Any reasonable person understands that sometimes the government has to act "shady" regarding foreign policy especially. I don't think that it is a good thing for people to know everything that the government is doing. It risks too many lives.
So that brings us to why is he doing this? Like I said, Julian Assange is at best a madman, and worst a cold-hearted killer. He only cares about himself and his own priorities. He wouldn't bat an eyelash at the possibility of innocent people dying because of his desire for power and fame. So is he an idiot or is he evil? I think he's both. And I pray that he doesn't do too much damage with his arrogant, selfish ways.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Death Penalty
Since one of the main reasons for this blog is to get an opportunity to talk about issues that are bothering me (politically speaking of course), I thought that the death penalty would be a good starting topic. In this blog, I want to address the main arguments against capital punishment, and explain why I believe that the death penalty should not only be used, but used more often than it is.
1. Argument: The costs of executing a man are higher than simply putting him away for life.
Response: I'm making the assumption that court costs for appeals are included in that figure. First of all, anyone convicted of murder should not be able to live for years on death row. If no new evidence is presented, the number of appeals should be limited. No one should grow old on death row. Second, why should we spend so much on chemicals, when bullets are cheap and rope is reusable? There are many cheaper alternatives to the expensive method we use now. I would even be willing to use substances to render the person unconscious or at least something to keep the person from feeling the pain. The point is that there are considerably cheaper options that would be just as effective, and still be humane.
2. Argument: We kill people to show people killing is wrong.
Response: Yes.... yes we do. Sadly, we don't do enough of it to be effective. When you were a kid, you were afraid to do something bad because you would get in trouble. If that punishment was to get scolded, then it meant it wasn't nearly as big of a deal to commit the action. But if you were spanked for it, then you wanted to avoid it like the plague. The same applies here. If people knew that the death penalty was a much more likely punishment, they would be less likely to commit a crime. Therefore, this would decrease the overall crime rate, which also would help out the cost issue.
3. Argument: Thanks to technological advancements, some people on death row have been found innocent.
Response: While this may be true, it is hardly a very big ratio of innocent to convicted. According to deathpenaltyinfo.org, there have been 138 people on death row who have been exonerated. As of January 1, 2010, there were 3,261 people on death row, while there have been 1,233 executions since 1976. (All of these numbers came from deathpenatlyinfo.org, which is against the death penalty). Essentially, 3% of all people convicted to die since 1976 have been exonerated. That's not a very large number, and I suspect that the number of people exonerated will continue to decrease.
Now don't get me wrong. I think it is a terrible thing for an innocent man to be punished. I don't think that we should just say "oh well" and execute people the moment they're on death row. But, like I said: with the increases in criminal investigation technology and reform in the appeal process, I think that we could essentially bring down that number to next to 0. This would also help to substantially decrease the costs of putting criminals on death row. And a more efficient system (as well as a potentially more liberal use of capital punishment) would help to deter crime and make our nation safer.
I think that the way that capital punishment is handled currently is a waste or taxpayer dollars and does little to punish the condemned or prevent future tragedy. But, if politicians and the people of this country are willing to stand up and work for a more efficient justice system, we could do wonders to decrease costs, alleviate the the problem of overcrowded prisons (by expediting and expanding the use of capital punishment), and to deter future crime. I believe Texas might be on the right track with this issue. Let's follow along America.
1. Argument: The costs of executing a man are higher than simply putting him away for life.
Response: I'm making the assumption that court costs for appeals are included in that figure. First of all, anyone convicted of murder should not be able to live for years on death row. If no new evidence is presented, the number of appeals should be limited. No one should grow old on death row. Second, why should we spend so much on chemicals, when bullets are cheap and rope is reusable? There are many cheaper alternatives to the expensive method we use now. I would even be willing to use substances to render the person unconscious or at least something to keep the person from feeling the pain. The point is that there are considerably cheaper options that would be just as effective, and still be humane.
2. Argument: We kill people to show people killing is wrong.
Response: Yes.... yes we do. Sadly, we don't do enough of it to be effective. When you were a kid, you were afraid to do something bad because you would get in trouble. If that punishment was to get scolded, then it meant it wasn't nearly as big of a deal to commit the action. But if you were spanked for it, then you wanted to avoid it like the plague. The same applies here. If people knew that the death penalty was a much more likely punishment, they would be less likely to commit a crime. Therefore, this would decrease the overall crime rate, which also would help out the cost issue.
3. Argument: Thanks to technological advancements, some people on death row have been found innocent.
Response: While this may be true, it is hardly a very big ratio of innocent to convicted. According to deathpenaltyinfo.org, there have been 138 people on death row who have been exonerated. As of January 1, 2010, there were 3,261 people on death row, while there have been 1,233 executions since 1976. (All of these numbers came from deathpenatlyinfo.org, which is against the death penalty). Essentially, 3% of all people convicted to die since 1976 have been exonerated. That's not a very large number, and I suspect that the number of people exonerated will continue to decrease.
Now don't get me wrong. I think it is a terrible thing for an innocent man to be punished. I don't think that we should just say "oh well" and execute people the moment they're on death row. But, like I said: with the increases in criminal investigation technology and reform in the appeal process, I think that we could essentially bring down that number to next to 0. This would also help to substantially decrease the costs of putting criminals on death row. And a more efficient system (as well as a potentially more liberal use of capital punishment) would help to deter crime and make our nation safer.
I think that the way that capital punishment is handled currently is a waste or taxpayer dollars and does little to punish the condemned or prevent future tragedy. But, if politicians and the people of this country are willing to stand up and work for a more efficient justice system, we could do wonders to decrease costs, alleviate the the problem of overcrowded prisons (by expediting and expanding the use of capital punishment), and to deter future crime. I believe Texas might be on the right track with this issue. Let's follow along America.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The First
So anyone who knows me would understand why I might be inclined to start a blog. I have strong opinions, and I love to share them. I find that a week hardly goes by without me witnessing something either in the news or in my life that doesn't get me worked up. Therefore, I have decided to start this blog. And even though I doubt that anyone will ever really read this, I do it for my own sanity. At least this way, I can read my thoughts and actually agree with someone.
Being a Conservative Republican in college is a tough life. This is the age where many kids are letting feelings (and inhibitions) run wild. Partying, drinking, flings, and saving the world from the big, bad Republicans seems to be a staple of the college experience. So it is interesting to observe my fellow classmates from a different point of view. I spend much of my time trying to keep my opinions to myself, as many students tend to lean left (while some have practically fallen over from leaning so far). But I'm tired of trying to downplay my ideas. I'm a Conservative, both financially and socially. I'm proud of that fact. I let my religious beliefs guide me on some issues, while common sense leads me the rest of the time. And I find that both have served me well so far.
My goal with this blog is not to cause controversy or offense. I do not hate people, whether I agree with them and their actions or not. I simply want to express my own opinions. In doing so, I hope to either give people a different way to view an issue, or to give them someone to agree with. I think that many people out there, especially college students may hold the same beliefs. But because most people are afraid to be ridiculed for having these right-wing beliefs, they do not speak up. Well, I'm here to provide a voice. One tiny stone can cause giant ripples. Conservatives unite! I believe that there are more out there than people realize. They just need a ripple...
Being a Conservative Republican in college is a tough life. This is the age where many kids are letting feelings (and inhibitions) run wild. Partying, drinking, flings, and saving the world from the big, bad Republicans seems to be a staple of the college experience. So it is interesting to observe my fellow classmates from a different point of view. I spend much of my time trying to keep my opinions to myself, as many students tend to lean left (while some have practically fallen over from leaning so far). But I'm tired of trying to downplay my ideas. I'm a Conservative, both financially and socially. I'm proud of that fact. I let my religious beliefs guide me on some issues, while common sense leads me the rest of the time. And I find that both have served me well so far.
My goal with this blog is not to cause controversy or offense. I do not hate people, whether I agree with them and their actions or not. I simply want to express my own opinions. In doing so, I hope to either give people a different way to view an issue, or to give them someone to agree with. I think that many people out there, especially college students may hold the same beliefs. But because most people are afraid to be ridiculed for having these right-wing beliefs, they do not speak up. Well, I'm here to provide a voice. One tiny stone can cause giant ripples. Conservatives unite! I believe that there are more out there than people realize. They just need a ripple...
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