"Kansas should lead on repealing death penalty," is the OpEd by Chase Blasi, published in today's Wichita Eagle. Blasi is president of the Colwich City Council and on the board of the Kansas Young Republicans.
As a lifelong Republican, I am encouraged to see the progress that we are making in Kansas. This past legislative session, the Legislature passed important measures to make our state more competitive and protect basic constitutional rights.
Of course, there always is more work to do. I hope Republicans also will show leadership on an important issue likely to be debated next session – repeal of the death penalty.
There is an unfortunate misperception that if you are conservative you must favor the death penalty. Nothing could be further from the truth. When you truly study the death penalty, it becomes clear that there is nothing conservative about it.
Let’s be honest about what the death penalty is: an ineffective government program that wastes millions in taxpayer dollars. The death penalty is an awesome power to entrust to government, especially given its long track record of errors. If the death penalty actually reduced crime, perhaps there would be an argument for keeping it. But that isn’t the case. Year after year, states with the death penalty have higher murder rates than states without it.
We, the taxpayers, end up footing the bill for this ineffective system. Death penalty cases are a seemingly endless legal process involving lengthy trials and appeals, which prove incredibly costly. For instance, the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit found that capital cases ending in the death penalty are 70 percent more expensive than similar murder cases where the death penalty is not sought.
And:
If we, as conservatives, are serious about cutting costs and promoting a culture of life, then our position on the death penalty is a no-brainer. Repeal it.
Earlier coverage from Kansas begins at the link. More on conservative opposition to the death penalty is also available.
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