Every now and then, while Daddy is just trying to mind his own business, someone happens by his confessional, and just has to unburden himself. Thus it was this week, when a political professional (name withheld to protect the non-innocent) talked about his latest efforts for his Congressman.

Death Penalty 'Balance'

"Daddy, I know better than this, but of all the things I have done, this pays good and is so much fun! Finding soft spots in the sentimental electorate and moving them so predictably -- it has gotten so easy! Hustling for votes, for cash support. People are such easy marks... especially the "religious" crowd.

Take this recent "abolish the death penalty" thing we have got going. We toss it out there and watch it snowball -- the liberals always eat this stuff up. They will do the grunt work, bringing up a few hard cases and trying to get some tears flowing at public rallys -- they always reach a few folk that way. You can get some real diverse religious groups to join together on this!

The dupes, don't they realize that the "death penalty" can't be abolished? It is the most universally applied sanction in the whole world! It can only be transferred from one sector to the other. Know what I mean?

(Daddy) "Uh, what do you mean?"

(Pol)" Well, it's like this, you and I and everybody you know is so totally controlled by the fear of the death penalty being imposed, that we are virtual slaves. We buy locks and we lock them, we buy guns, we use peep holes in our doors, we don't pick up strangers on the street, we hire security services. We caution our children from an early age to do the same. We pay billions for police services.

Why? Because we believe in the application of the death penalty! We know enough about human nature, and have seen or heard of enough death penalties being applied, that we are all about as much true believers as any cult you could name! We justifiably believe that if we aren't careful, some clod will impose this penalty on us -- if we don't give him the cash in the drawer, the jewels from the safe, the keys to the car or a thousand other things! We have a reasonable concern that this penalty for disobedience could happen -- to us -- and look how we respond!

And these sentimentalists try to persuade others that if government would just totally stop its pitiful little attempt at death penalizing, things would get all better! How many times per day is the death penalty applied in the U.S.? What is the total number of homicides? Why the people aren't screaming for some balance -- say as many executions per year as we have in murder one convictions, beats me!

It would be a great experiment to see if murderers would respond to this threat as much as the rest of us do!

Oh, well, I am off to another fund raiser -- thanks for listening!"

(Daddy) "You're welcome."

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