tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post4733087160997564532..comments2024-03-25T20:06:39.794-05:00Comments on Grits for Breakfast: On expanding the death penalty, budgets, and unfunded mandatesGritsforbreakfasthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-89939908289396253112011-03-24T09:11:38.172-05:002011-03-24T09:11:38.172-05:00I've always been a supporter of the death pena...I've always been a supporter of the death penalty until this year. As a political conservative I no longer find it compatable with my conservative thinking. Limited government beliefs and cases of altered evidence were enough to push me to the 'other side'. On the other hand, should anyone ever murder one of my children....Johnny Exchangehttp://www.jailexchange.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1075656943054269492011-03-22T10:38:27.070-05:002011-03-22T10:38:27.070-05:00Doran, if they said it was "zero" it'...Doran, if they said it was "zero" it'd be falsifying. By saying it's "insignificant," they acknowledge there's a cost but just pretend they need not account for it.<br /><br />In 2009, e.g., the Lege <a href="http://gritsforbreakfast.blogspot.com/2009/12/parole-board-texas-created-59-new.html" rel="nofollow">created 59 new felonies</a>, each deemed "insignificant" in and of itself by LBB, but which collectively become quite significant indeed, especially over time when they repeat the process every two years.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-23409545841407744102011-03-22T06:05:54.092-05:002011-03-22T06:05:54.092-05:00Why shouldn't the LBB's behavior regarding...Why shouldn't the LBB's behavior regarding fraudulent fiscal notes be considered a crime? Falsifying a government record, maybe?dorannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-68991150129944445542011-03-21T22:30:33.446-05:002011-03-21T22:30:33.446-05:00Scott, i see what you're saying, but it seems ...Scott, i see what you're saying, but it seems to me that they're not fulfilling their constitutional mandate if they're being influenced by partisan politics, Democrat or Republican. If they're not going to be honest and unbiased, then it seems to me that they have outlived their purpose.A Texas POnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-21158772263131309072011-03-21T20:31:10.765-05:002011-03-21T20:31:10.765-05:00Isn't this the time to be finding places to tr...Isn't this the time to be finding places to trim the fat? Do we really need the death penalty? Time for fiscal responsibility to carry the day. Rid the state of the death penalty and continue to fund intensive treatment to probationers and parolees to prevent even greater criminal justice spending.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-5031141479929213082011-03-21T18:31:29.831-05:002011-03-21T18:31:29.831-05:00Four of the people whom Anthony Graves was wrongfu...Four of the people whom Anthony Graves was wrongfully convicted of killing, even though he was completely innocent, were under ten years old. Expanding the death penalty will increase the chances of other innocent people being sentenced to death.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-4737561511663591272011-03-21T18:26:34.653-05:002011-03-21T18:26:34.653-05:00I suppose it might still have a fiscal impact, but...I suppose it might still have a fiscal impact, but just because the punishment is enhanced for these offenders doesn't mean the death penalty would always be sought, does it? Couldn't the new life without parole option also be pursued without all the capital punishment costs involved?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-73502255820151917222011-03-21T18:25:05.864-05:002011-03-21T18:25:05.864-05:00I'm a death penalty supporter, but the combina...I'm a death penalty supporter, but the combination of costs and interminable appeals, plus the innocence issue, makes it appear to be a practice we should learn to do without.Prison Dochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03651611135066437902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-35123833287601155372011-03-21T15:10:10.261-05:002011-03-21T15:10:10.261-05:00LBB is nonpartisan. The deal is, increasing crimin...LBB <i>is</i> nonpartisan. The deal is, increasing criminal penalties is a bipartisan pastime, so most legislators from both parties want all enhancements to have "insignificant" fiscal notes. It's an area of longstanding bipartisan agreement. <br /><br />Ironically, as a practical matter, Democrats carry more enhancements, by volume, than Republicans, so if there was any partisan spin to the practice it would actually favor them. Really they all do it, though. It's a rare legislator indeed whose bill portfolio does't include at least one "enhancement" each session, and there are virtually never bills ratcheting old enhancements down.Gritsforbreakfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10152152869466958902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8597101.post-1503177105086724132011-03-21T14:54:48.319-05:002011-03-21T14:54:48.319-05:00Am I missing something? Isn't the LBB supposed...Am I missing something? Isn't the LBB supposed to be non-partisan and unbiased? What a shame.A Texas POnoreply@blogger.com