Wednesday, June 25, 2008

The vice of moderate legislation

Justice Kennedy's opinion for the majority in Kennedy v. Louisiana might inspire some legislators (like the ones we read about from Virginia and Tennessee) to reject moderation in matters governed by the Eighth Amendment.

The legislators might say to themselves, we all need to take the extreme view on this, otherwise the Supreme Court will get the wrong idea the next time it surveys the views of "society."

2 comments:

James Young said...

I suspect it's the same unintended consequence, Steve, of the habeas decision. Were I on the battlefield in a position to take a terror suspect into custody, I might believe it more efficient simply to find an excuse to shoot him in self-defense.

Cargosquid said...

I think that scum bag deserves a long life in prison.

And the rapist too. Except lets beat him awake EVERY morning with steel clubs. And make sure he has lots of friends in the general population. We wouldn't want him to get lonely....

Sometimes, Killing is too good for some people.....