protectionist
Mayor
On Feb. 16, dramatic change for Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that he would ask the state legislature to abolish capital punishment. He promised not to sign any execution warrants as governor, and to grant a reprieve to any inmate whose execution already is scheduled. This is a dramatic change for dramatic change for Pennsylvania. .
For a long time, Pennsylvania has been one of the top states for capital punishment executions, so this represents a significant change. Currently there are 101 inmates on Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections death row.
Pennsylvania has become what political scientist Daniel Hopkins calls the “perennial battleground state.” It’s a central place to understand U.S. politics, Hopkins contends, because “the main currents in the nation are present here.”
In this context, Gov, Shapiro’s announcement is a strong signal for some, that it is "safe" for officials in other battleground states and in neighboring states like Ohio to oppose the death penalty.
Shapiro maintains that this is a right vs wrong, and that executing people is just wrong. There is also the long-time argument that there is risk in execution, that innocent people may be executed.
On the other hand, there is risk also that innocent people may be imprisoned for years or decades, but no one is calling for an end to imprisonment (at least not any sane people). Then there is also the risk (a gamble) that killers not executed, might kill again. A problem that can only be erased by execution.
Why Pennsylvania governor’s call to end state’s death penalty may be a game changer | The Hill
For a long time, Pennsylvania has been one of the top states for capital punishment executions, so this represents a significant change. Currently there are 101 inmates on Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections death row.
Pennsylvania has become what political scientist Daniel Hopkins calls the “perennial battleground state.” It’s a central place to understand U.S. politics, Hopkins contends, because “the main currents in the nation are present here.”
In this context, Gov, Shapiro’s announcement is a strong signal for some, that it is "safe" for officials in other battleground states and in neighboring states like Ohio to oppose the death penalty.
Shapiro maintains that this is a right vs wrong, and that executing people is just wrong. There is also the long-time argument that there is risk in execution, that innocent people may be executed.
On the other hand, there is risk also that innocent people may be imprisoned for years or decades, but no one is calling for an end to imprisonment (at least not any sane people). Then there is also the risk (a gamble) that killers not executed, might kill again. A problem that can only be erased by execution.
Why Pennsylvania governor’s call to end state’s death penalty may be a game changer | The Hill
