Ron Paul Comes Out Against Capital Punishment
'Support for the death penalty is inconsistent with libertarianism and traditional conservatism'
Ron Paul is bucking the stereotype of what it means to be a Republican by coming out against the death penalty, Reason reports.
The retired congressman has declared his support for the group Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, a group critical of a system it claims is rife with "inefficiency, inequity, and inaccuracy," and at odds with conservative principles.
"I believe that support for the death penalty is inconsistent with libertarianism and traditional conservatism," said Paul. "So I am pleased with Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty's efforts to form a coalition of libertarians and conservatives to work to end capital punishment."
As Reason's Zenon Evans points out, Paul's views on the death penalty have shifted over time. A former supporter of the practice, he now says that "believers in the omnipotence of state military power are enthusiastic supporters of the death penalty." Anything they support is of course suspicious for someone of Paul's political persuasion, though he also claims the death penalty is unfairly used against minorities and the poor.
"Rich people when guilty are rarely found guilty and sentenced to death," states Paul on his 2012 presidential website. "This leads to a situation where innocent people without enough money are more likely to get the death penalty."
Via Reason.
http://politix.topix.com/homepage/73...tal-punishment
Bookmarks