Another Bush Failure? - Why Did AP Leave Out The Dates?

It's bizarre, but a few key dates are missing from this AP piece and I didn't take them out. Bottom line, executions peaked ... under Clinton. Come on, George, you're embarrassing us blood-thirsty Right-wingers, especially now that we allegedly control the SCOTUS and all. Just sayin'.

WASHINGTON (AP) - With an inmate spared execution Wednesday in Virginia, the United States is headed for the fewest executions in a year since the mid- because of concerns over lethal injections and the Supreme Court's pending review of the issue.

Fewer than 50 executions will take place this year, even if several states pushing ahead with lethal injections defeat legal efforts to stop them. The last time executions numbered fewer than 50 was in when there were 45.

Comments

[LifeTrek]

Oh sure, now they hold off on a story to fact check. Thing is they just couldn't believe there are less this year then in the 90's. After all, those were the years of shangrala!
DKK

[Phoenix]

"...mid-because..." Is that the state of stopping in the middle of offering a lame excuse? How appropos....

[seekeronos]

Too bad the prison industry got so entrenched... groups like Mara Salvatrucha, Aryan Brotherhood, Bloods, Crips, etc. could be thinned down to a much more manageable level if we were able to lower the bar on what makes a capital crime, to say nothing of speeding up the process.

Giving someone a "life sentence" is nothing more than a free ride on the government dollar. Why not just save everyone the hassle and invest $0.10 for a .22 deposited at high velocity into the back of the head of such a grievous offender.

[tyree]

"Why Did AP Leave Out The Dates?"
Because we can't be trusted with facts?
Because it would make Clinton look bad?
Because telling part of the story encourages us to do a little research on our own?
Because is would make Bush look wimpy compared to Clinton and they wanted to protect the Presidents image?
Because the facts didn't fit the narrative?
Because everyone knows Americans hate Bush and want him impeached, now, now now?
Because they are allergic to them?

This happens so often that it seems to be something they teach in journalism school.

[chris]

"Giving someone a "life sentence" is nothing more than a free ride on the government dollar. Why not just save everyone the hassle and invest $0.10 for a .22 deposited at high velocity into the back of the head of such a grievous offender."

What a COMPASSIONATE CHRISTIAN. Jeebus will reward you in HEAVEN.

[seekeronos]

Capital punishment IS compassion:

Compassion for the taxpayers, and also for the convict... if the convict choose to follow Christ before he meets his Maker, compassion for him because he will be saved from Hell.

Yet, Jesus did not deal with a slack hand concerning justice when it was due. Consider His judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah, or His judgment against Babylon.

[seekeronos]

Furthermore, God also COMMANDS governments to carry out His judgment upon the wicked and reprobate:

"---
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
---"

(Romans 13:1-4, KJV)

[chris]

Why do bible kooks use the word 'wicked' so much? What a bunch of nutjobs...

[seekeronos]

"--- Why do bible kooks use the word 'wicked' so much? What a bunch of nutjobs... ---"

Because God has much to say about His indignation at the wicked:

"God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies." (Nahum 1:2, KJV)

"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." (Psalm 7:11, KJV)

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36, KJV)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

HOWEVER: There is a way of escape, which God has made for those who will trust in Him:

"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him." (Nahum 1:7, KJV)

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. " (Romans 5:8-10, KJV)

This is the hope we who trust in Jesus Christ have.

It is also the only hope for you, "chris" - and the only hope for rapists, and serial killers, and all other wicked people, guilty of all manner of sins -- even one of the thieves who were crucified alongside Jesus - if ye shall repent, ye shall have forgiveness and eternal life!

Only a true fool would reject that gift.

[jj]

"Only a true fool would reject that gift."

Bingo, seek, I do believe chris/Boob fits your true fool description. It is perhaps time to kick the dust off your feet, and move on to the next village.

[dumbblonde]

"Furthermore, God also COMMANDS governments to carry out His judgment upon the wicked and reprobate"

Perhaps so. However, in the U.S. there is *supposed* to be a separation of church and state.

I hope I'm not alone in not wanting the laws of our government to be based upon religious writings.

[dumbblonde]

That's not to say, however, that I am against capital punishment.

[seekeronos]

"--- Perhaps so. However, in the U.S. there is *supposed* to be a separation of church and state. ---"

Indeed there is such a separation.

However, regardless of politics, God is still the Sovereign God: human governments are an institution which God has permitted (and I will go as far as to say, ordained) to serve as rulers and mediators of matters between members of humankind.

The Church (speaking of the _ekklesia_ or fellowship of all true believers in Jesus, not the building or particular sects) on the other hand, is ordained by God, and is an institution built by and upon Christ. Its dealings are primarily of the things of God, and it mediates matters between its members.

While I believe that there could be a better interweaving of the things of God and the matters of Government, I think that such a thing will only be adequately addressed when Jesus Christ Himself has returned to set up His Divine Kingdom at Jerusalem.

Until then, I am content to submit myself to laws and government of this great nation, which by the grace of God, I was born a citizen of.

Yet even this government, that of the Republic of these united states, is something which God has allowed (by His Sovereign will) to exist. And exist it shall, until He sees fit to dispose of it. There is nothing and no higher court of appeal than the High Court of which the Supreme Authority and Divine Majesty, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; it is for this reason I say that all other governments which exist and have existed, have done so only at the pleasure and will of the Most High God.

Consider this scripture:

"...Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:

And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. "

(Daniel 2:20b-22)

[Daniel in Brookline]

"Why did AP leave out the dates?"

I don't know about you folks, but I'd rather not attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence. (The Powerline guys call this "Krauthammer's Razor".)

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2007/10/018796.php

I can easily see a journalist writing the article, not having the exact dates readily at hand, planning to fill them in later... and then forgetting to do it. (I've done that before. haven't you?)

Sure, that assumes that his/her editors missed it too, but we're assuming that already, aren't we? (Nor would this be the only recent case of proofreaders asleep at the switch.)

Maybe there's an underlying left-wing bias at work here. But I don't think it's been proven yet.

respectfully,
Daniel in Brookline