To put it simply, I believe that George Ryan’s sentence should not be commuted, and that he should serve his prison sentence just like all of the non-politically-connected people who are in federal prison.  Ryan was sentenced to 6.5 years in Federal prison for a wide range of corruption-related crimes, including ones that led to innocent children’s death in the licenses-for-bribes scandal.  He has served about 1 year in prison so far.  Releasing him now, while leaving many other ordinary people in jail, would send the message that corrupt IL politicians are above the law.  It would be a slap in the face to the families of those who died due to Ryan’s corruption, and would generally be a miscarriage of justice.

Although I agree with many of the changes that labor unions brought about during the the last century, I am generally opposed to the labor unions of today.  This is because of the way that many unions extract substantial dues from their members, while often failing to provide benefits commensurate with those dues.  Additionally, the way in which union management is often corrupt or disingenuous further makes me belief that unions are generally a bad thing these days.

Labor unions once served an important purpose
During the previous century, labor unions and their supporters brought about important changes to the plight of working people.  A 40 hour work week, overtime, compensation for injury on the job, medical leave, and other similar advances can be credited to labor unions and related labor rights supporters.  I applaud those changes.

Nowadays labor unions are a net loss for workers and society as a whole
Sadly, today I see little real benefit in labor unions – but I do see many drawbacks.  I have friends who belong to unions, and end up paying a good percentage of their income in union dues.  In exchange, the union negotiates for rather trivial benefits, such as a pop machine.  In other cases, I’ve seen unions arrange a “two tiered” system for pay and benefits, whereby longstanding employees are treated considerably better than newer employees who do the exact same work.  Worse yet, I have seen unions make a point of defending some of the worst employees, forcing management to keep lazy and ineffective workers on the payroll – which hurts the company and all of its employees.  The net results have been loss of productivity, lower pay for the hard working employees, and money wasted on union dues with no real benefit for the employees.  I am also troubled by the competitive disadvantage that unions impose upon American companies, compared to their foreign competitors.

1. It is morally wrong to kill a human, except in self defense
First and foremost, i believe it is wrong to kill a human except for in self defense. Given that belief, it seems to me that capital punishment is the pinnacle of wrongful killing, since it is by definition the killing of a person who is physically restrained and not an imminent threat to anyone, and already convicted and removed from society, therefore not a likely threat in the future. Making matters worse, the condemned is not being killed by a single, emotional human who “snapped,” but by the deliberate, cold, and calculating machinery of the State. That cold blooded killing on the part of the Governmental strikes me as particularly wrong, give the fact that our legal system sees murders committed in cold blood to be worse than murders committed in the “heat of passion.”

2. Capital punishment sets a bad example for all of society, including the children
It seems hypocritical for the State to prohibit its citizens from killing except in self defense, and then to simultaneously authorize the killing of people who pose no imminent threat, and who can be imprisoned for life to prevent any future threat. That sends a double message, that I believe can lead to violence on the parts of children and even adults. On the part of children, it may cause them to believe that physical violence is warranted in any situation other than self defense. On the part of adults, it may lead to that similar belief, or perhaps worse, a subconscious belief that violence is somehow morally right, given the fact that it is sanctioned by our Government.

3. Capital punishment is racist in its application
Study after study has shown that the death penalty is applied in a racist manner. Minorities are more likely to be sentenced to die than white people, even when the other factors are accounted for. Given this fact, and the limited to non-existent benefits of capital punishment, I don’t think that we as a society can justify continuing this racist practice.

4. Capital punishment can’t be justified the way other punishments can be justified
Other punishment, such as imprisonment, can generally be justified as a means to prevent future crimes. A criminal who is imprisoned is generally prevented from committing another crime during his incarceration. Capital punishment does not do a better job of either punishing a criminal, or of stopping them from committing a crime in the future. From the punishment perspective, a criminal who is dead can no longer be punished, and is not able to come to the conclusion that their crime was a wrong they should regret. A criminal who is held in a secure prison for life is stopped from committing crimes just as well as an executed criminal. The death penalty just doesn’t do a better job of either punishing or preventing crime, than could be accomplished with lifetime imprisonment.

5. Those later found to be innocent can’t be brought back to life
Perhaps most tragic are the cases of people proven to be innocent, after they have already been executed. For these innocent people and their families, there is no way of even beginning to make things right. At least an innocent person who was wrongfully jailed can be released, apologized to, compensated financially, and given a chance to try and resume their life. An executed person cannot, and their family is left with the realization that the state has killed a loved one, while the true criminal walks free. Even the prosecution witnesses may be emotionally scared for life, knowing that their testimony helped to kill an innocent person. Given this horrible outcome, I am again unable to find a justification for the capital punishment, given the limited if non-existent benefits to society of executing people.
Also, for those who think this is not a frequent event: Sadly, it is not that rare for the innocent to be convicted of horrendous murders, as one county in Texas has freed 26 death row inmates after they were exonerated. Even more horrific is the realization that many murders don’t have DNA evidence that could be tested to exonerate the condemned, or that this evidence has since been thrown away.

6. Capital punishment is too expensive
The fact is, the death penalty costs more than imprisoning a criminal for life. This is primarily due to the more rigorous appeals process. Given the limited to non-existent benefits of capital punishment, I don’t see how the death penalty can be justified from a financial standpoint.

7. Capital punishment doesn’t deter crime
Data indicates that capital punishment does not deter crime, and crime rates in the US are higher than most countries that have abolished the death penalty. Simply put, criminals commit crimes because they think they will get away with the crime. Worse yet are the criminals who are addicted to and using drugs, who are not in the state of mind that they are amenable to reason or concern over being caught. Then there are the criminals who simply don’t care if they are caught, often the ones who will commit murder and then suicide in a mass shooting.

We Can Build and Fund Schools or Jails

Empirical data collected over many years, from around the world, shows that low education is strongly correlated with higher likelihood that an individual will become a criminal. This shouldn’t be too surprising, given the fact that a lot of crime is committed by people who believe that crime is the only way they can get ahead in life. This does not excuse their intentional violations of the law, or mean that we can stop all crime, but does indicate that we as a society have ways of reducing the number of criminals in our midsts.

It is Better to Educate Children than to be Robbed by Them Later

Even those people who don’t feel that they have any duty or obligation to help educate the children in our society should still support a good, free, public education system out of pure self interest. The reason for that is their own personal safety and peace of mind. As many people who have been robbed will attest, the worst part is usually not the loss of money. It is the fear that one’s life is about to end or change forever due to permanent injury. It is the way the robbery or other crime is not soon forgotten, and how that shakes one’s confidence. If funding schools will reduce the likelihood of being robbed or suffering other crimes, then it may very well be better to pay the money in taxes for education, than to pay it to a criminal at gunpoint.

Altruism and Decency

It has been said that one can measure a society by the manner in which it treats it lowest member. Applying this to the question of education, I think that it is sad that some children are “punished” with a substandard education due to the poor financial and life choices their parents have made. Don’t think that this is my primary reason for supporting free public education, since I’m far from a bleeding heart type person, and believe in personal responsibility.

Note: I have had a reader suggest that my support of a free public education system cannot be reconciled with my dislike of unions, as teachers unions tend to dominate public schools.  I don’t find there to be a conflict here, and I still believe that well funded public schools are essential to ensuring a well educated populace that can grow up to be responsible citizens. The issues within public education certainly need to be addressed, however I don’t see defunding public schools as the answer.

My General Thoughts on the Right to Abortion

I believe the right to abortion during the early phases of pregnancy is a fundamental right possessed by all women, regardless of marital status. I reach this conclusion using reasoning that is similar to the United State Supreme Court’s reasoning in the Roe v. Wade case. But the purpose of this article is not to restate longstanding jurisprudence; it is to state my views, so here goes:

Why I Support Abortion Rights:

1. I believe the Government has no right to invade the privacy of a woman’s uterus. There are few things more sacred, and more fundamentally private, than the right to have one’s internal organs not searched, seized, or controlled by the Government. This is not just my reasoning, but a central part of the Roe v. Wade reasoning. Basically, I believe that this right to privacy trumps the Government’s interest preventing abortions. Similarly, since the Government does not have the right to invade the privacy of a woman’s uterus, they cannot give this right to the woman’s spouse/parents/etc. In fact, I believe so strongly in this right to privacy, that I would be satisfied to resolve the abortion question without considering any further reasoning, but I’ll still list my other reasons below.

2. I believe that the Government should not be able to compel a woman to be an incubator for 9 months, and then to experience the life changing events of childbirth and child rearing. To be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy would be similar to involuntary servitude. It would ride roughshod over the woman’s right to self determination, and the right to do as she wishes with her body. It would open the flood gates for further infringement on everyone’s right to be secure in their own body.

3. I believe that abortion is somewhere between a social good, and a very necessary evil, but either way, something that is needed. The right to abortion has allowed women the ability to enter the workplace, if they so choose. They are free to pursue education and careers, without having to worry that an unwanted pregnancy would affect such plans. A woman can choose to be sexually active, and know that if her birth control method(s) fail, she will not be forced to continue an unwanted pregnancy. A woman now need not worry that a rapist could cause her to become a mother against her wishes. Abortion also allows a woman to avoid bringing a child into the world that she does not feel she is able to support or raise properly. Indeed, many have credited abortion rights to a reduction in crime, as the unwanted children would often receive a poor upbringing, predisposing them to criminality.

4. I believe that a fetus in the early stages of pregnancy is not a “life,” and is therefore not something that the Government can protect at the expense of the woman’s wishes. I say this because a fetus in the early stages of pregnancy lacks the cognition, though processes, and even the physical characteristics of a human. It does not yet have a mind. Indeed, a dog, cat, cow, or pig has a more developed brain. Were we to declare such a fetus protectable, then I don’t see how we could continue to allow the killing of animals for food.

Basically, when I weigh the interests in the woman’s privacy, the woman’s autonomy, and the social need, against the interest in protecting a fetus, I reach the conclusion that the woman’s interest should prevail.

When I *Personally* Feel Abortion is Warranted

The above discussion of why I support abortion rights should not be confused with my personal beliefs about when abortion is the right choice. I *personally* believe abortion is proper only when reliable birth control method(s) have failed, or in the case of incest/rape. But those are my personal beliefs, and I would not dream of trying to impose them upon a woman, for the reasons listed above.

I personally feel that abortion is only warranted in those cases because of ease at which birth control can be acquired. It strikes me an negligent or reckless to not use reliable birth control methods, given the higher monetary, emotional, and medical costs which can accompany an abortion. It also strikes me as a moral wrong to be so callous with potential life, when birth control is such an easy alternative to abortions in most cases. But, I want to reiterate that my personal beliefs here do not trump the privacy and other interests of the woman, which is why I support abortion rights for all women, even if I personally feel they should have been more careful.

Conclusion

I support abortion rights for the various reasons above, with the most important reason being the woman’s right to privacy insofar as her uterus is concerned. I personally think that abortion is over used by many women, and that often they should have just used birth control to avoid the need for an abortion. However, my personal beliefs here do not trump the privacy and other interests of the woman, which is why I support abortion rights for all women, even if I personally feel they should have been more careful.