On Monday, the Democrats approved their 2024 platform, which includes no mention of the death penalty. This year’s platform marks the first time since 2004 the platform has not mentioned the death penalty (the 2008 and 2012 platforms called for making the punishment less arbitrary).
Public support for the death penalty has been gradually declining. A Gallup poll last year found that 65% of Democrats oppose the punishment.
The Democratic National Committee did not respond to an email asking if the party still supports abolishing the death penalty.
Honestly, there’s bigger fish to fry (pun only moderately intended).
If we didn’t have war in Ukraine, and war AND genocide in Gaza and two African countries at the moment, and then whatever the hell is happening in Venezuela and ascertaining its ramifications, along with stupid inflation on just what we need to live, and multiple generations locked out of homeownership or possibly even retirement due to a corporate greed-created housing crisis and predatory student loans, and a SCOTUS that is bent on removing the rights of just about anyone who isn’t a straight, white “Christian” man…then yeah, death penalty talk should have been on the table.
But, Harris is a politician, and all politicians have to focus on whichever sound bites can bring over those who are - astonishingly - undecided at this point. It’s naive to think that any candidate who has it “all” will get the nomination. That’s how Hilary got the nomination over Bernie, and it’s how we got Biden as well.
It blows my mind that anyone could be undecided now, but clearly there are folks out there who simply do not in any way follow the news or put any effort into understanding the candidates or issues until the very last minute.
It’s a mindset I simply don’t get.
It’s insane. You think those people just wouldn’t vote if they’re that uninformed, but nope, there must really be people out there who will vote based on the vibes they’re feeling that week or something.
The only way I could see it is if you’re a Republican voter who’s getting worried about Trump’s increasingly unhinged tweeting and speeches. But even then, considering what he’s done before, it’s hard to believe someone hitting that point now, so late.
There are plenty of people out there who live by the “Never Vote Democrat” rule, regardless of not realizing that Democrat policies would probably help them, and Republican actions are why they are bad off now. Party line, do or die. How can you change that?
At least then you’re a dedicated Republican cult member by this point. But being an undecided voter, now? That’s hard for me to wrap my mind around lol.
I can’t say I understand it either. All I can do is try to suggest to them maybe there’s a reason to vote left, even on just a single issue, and perhaps break through the wall of sports politics and apathy. I don’t see that as taking a high road, but just trying to win the little battles where it’s feasible. Some people are lost, and you find that out really quickly if you can’t even have a discussion with them without it getting ugly.
One proposes to be “dictator on day one” while other wore a tan suit. Both the same
The President can blanket commute federal death penalty sentences. It’s been done in specific cases before:
https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/president-obama-commutes-two-death-sentences
Would just need the some White House lawyers to draw up the paperwork, and it’s done for at least one administration. Literally the minimum that could be done.
Most death penalty cases are at the state level, of course. Even if they have Democrats in the governor’s office, this power will depend on the individual state constitution.