Nebraska,
We have several sources helping us from within the Capitol. No surprise that each has a slightly different take on what to say and where to say it. Below is an update for speaking out on the death penalty. I’m trying to verify a rumor of a press conference and rally at the Capitol – on Wednesday? No responses yet but I’ll forward as they become available. If it happens, visible numbers will make a statement as big as anything we can say. We’ll need you in Lincoln.
Here’s their advice:
“All activity matters but the best is within each senator’s district.”
“Use all methods: calls AND emails AND in person AND paper letters or postcards (courteous, clear, short, to the point).”
“Mail and call your senators. We need to get senators 20-30 emails and calls a day from within their district.”
“Recruit friends you know across the state to help.”
“Contact all the senators. We need to stop defections, especially when they are trading votes.”
“Reemphasize the all activity matters but the best is within each senator’s district.”
And here’s an excellent site put together by Susan Darst Williams http://www.oneminuteonmurder.com/. Great information to help you with the huge amount of disinformation out there.
We need to persuade 6 senators – quickly. Weak knees and vote trading seem to be increasing.
Bloomfield Dave
dbloomfield@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2716
Larson Tyson
tlarson@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2801
Rumor is that he has traded his vote. Ask if true – and WHY?
Smith Jim
jsmith@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2730
Trading his vote for support for his gas tax? ASK HIM!
Stinner John
jstinner@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2802
Ebke Laura
lebke@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2711
Hilkemann, Bob
rhilkemann@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2621
Kolterman Mark
mkolterman@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2756
Johnson Jerry
jjohnson@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2719
Lindstrom Brett
blindstrom@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2618
Murante John
jmurante@leg.ne.gov
(402) 471-2725
For help with your message, see the points below:
“Cruel and unusual” – No, it’s quick and based on several thousand years of proven usage.
“Natural life to natural death” – Again, with all due respect to our Catholic allies, those apply to abortion and euthanasia. And on those 2 issues, NEVER back away from that position. But murder intentionally takes life. Depriving another human of a natural death forfeits the murderer’s right to a natural death. The same Bible Catholics, Protestants and Jews use established that as one of the first commands to organized government. As pointed out previously, capital punishment is the ultimate statement on the value of life. Here’s an interesting blog that addresses many of the theological arguments http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/
Capital Punishment is revenge – A purely emotional argument. “Revenge” ignores the need for punishment, deterrence and justice. Justice fits the punishment to the crime. The “revenge” argument substitutes feelings for doing what is right – the classic liberal approach. We’re far enough down that slope as it is.
“Appeals make it too expensive” –
First, appeals are handled by the Department of Justice. Those are salaried positions, funded with or without the appeals. Cost of appeals is a bogus argument.
We spend somewhere around $30,000/year for the average prisoner – more for death row. Housing prisoners for life is more expensive than a just execution.
The real cost of appeals is not on death row. “Normal” prisoners generate 20-30X more appeals than death row inmates. Some are known to make it a hobby.
Replace the Death Penalty with life without parole (LWOP) –
The death penalty provides prosecutors with a formidable incentive. If the accused knows he is guilty, he has 2 choices: go to trial and risk the death penalty or plead guilty and accept LWOP. Take away the death penalty and Nebraska loses a valuable prosecutorial tool. There is nothing to lose by dragging out the court proceedings. It becomes easier for the murderer to now bargain for life with parole, paving the way to put them back on the streets.
The death penalty is truly a deterrent, as well as an important legal tool to prosecute crime.
The Death Penalty is racist –
There is no evidence to support this. African Americans commit 50% of the country’s murders, but constitute 40% of death row. Whites are actually twice as likely to be executed for committing murder as blacks.
We risk convicting innocent men –
The data says otherwise. Even using the questionable data quoted, the worst case scenario is that innocent men are convicted 4% of the time (96% accuracy). If you take out the bias for terminology the number is less than 1%. That means that death penalty convictions are so difficult to obtain that they are 99% accurate.
The Simple Message: The people of Nebraska want the death penalty. Ask the senators – firmly – to do the right thing: don’t use problems with the process as an excuse to override the will of the People.
