Dare Devils: Governor Rick Perry and the Texas Death Panel

I've chosen to ignore most of the health care rhetoric. I know what I believe -- the health care industry is so clearly broken that a thousand monkeys typing explanations of benefits could come up with that conclusion -- and I'm sick of hearing Republicans argue otherwise. But on the subject of death panels, which Sarah Palin dropped into her recent Wall Street Journal op-ed with a wink, like a twelve-year old flashing a passing car -- "Dare me, guys?" -- I find the conservative argument bordering on the edge of delusional. Republicans like Sarah Palin need to stop playing truth or dare with people's lives.

Since when do conservatives care about anyone dying? With the exception of their fetish for protecting a few eggs produced by women's ovaries every twenty-eight days, the Republican Party has historically shown zero regard for whether anyone lives or dies. People die every day, buried with medical bills and coughing blood from their graves. The slaughter of Iraqis is neither shocking nor awesome. Immigrants scrambling across the border are not deserving of a life in this country, legal or otherwise. Former Republican Party of Texas vice chairman David Barton, now enjoying an appointment by the Texas Board of Education, has so little regard for a human's life that he wants to strike Cesar Chavez from the history books. In Barton's "expert" review of Texas schools' social studies curriculum, he says Chavez "lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of others." He forgot to add, "Who are white" after that statement.

But the most disturbing representation of a life lost was the one sentenced to Cameron Todd Willingham, who in 1991 lost his three children in a house fire in Corsicana, Texas and was sentenced to death after refusing a plea-bargain for life in prison. The New Yorker recently took an in-depth look at the case, asking, "Did Texas execute an innocent man?"

Willingham, who maintained his innocence up to his death, spent twelve years in prison going through the government's appeals process. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, whose presiding judge is conservative Sharon "We Close at 5 O'Clock" Keller, "was known for upholding convictions when overwhelming exculpatory evidence came to light." The court denied Willingham of his writ of habeas corpus and a month before his execution, his file landed on the desk of Dr. Gerald Hurst, an Austin scientist and fire investigator who began reviewing the case. Hurst's report, which concluded there was "no evidence of arson," (a conclusion which has since been reached by three additional investigations) was sent to Governor Rick Perry and the Board of Pardons and Paroles along with Willingham's appeal for clemency. The board members are not required to review any submitted materials, and "usually don't debate a case in person." Instead, they cast their votes by fax -- a process which, the New Yorker article states, "has become known as 'death by fax.'" Even more troubling: "Between 1976 and 2004, when Willingham filed his petition, the State of Texas had approved only one application for clemency from a prisoner on death row."

It is, in fact, Texas' own death panel.

Health care reform at best will offer an alternative to the people who need it the most, stymie medical costs, and create change within an industry that has been allowed to run rampant. At worst, it would be symbolic proof that the option can be supported and improved from there.
In either case, it is not going to create a government panel to put people to death. We already have one.

"The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for twelve years for something I did not do. From God's dust I came and to dust I will return, so the Earth shall become my throne."

- Cameron Todd Willingham's final statement, February 17, 2004

Update: From the comments below -- if you would like to sign a petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was not arson, therefore no crime was committed, please click here.

 

 

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Comments

[KIVPossum]

“If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent Texas and live in Hell” (Philip Sheridan)

[Liberal Angel]

If states have the "right" to secceed, then states also have the "right" to vote the weakest link off the island. What has Texas done for the Union? Brought our IQ down, and our intolerance up. We should hold a "Union Convention", and vote to expell Texas, and the rest of the Confederacy out. Of course all federal propety would be seized, and our military bases on the Gulf Coast would remain in Union hands. But the rest ofit, just let it go. And Alaska too.

[sparkandy]

I'm thinking we should do that with New York, New Jersey, et al. I've worked with people from all over the country for the last 12 years, and believe me, that's where the seat of ignorance and provincialism lies. Then maybe we could sell Texas to Mexico. Get rid of the idiots in the Northeast and the crazies in Texas and we'd all benefit.

[Liberal Angel]

I'm a Pennsylvanian, so I couldn't vote states that have been loyal to the Union off. Although I'd like to maroon the racists and homophobes in Pittsburgh on Atlantis.

[Rachel Farris - Huffpost Blogger]

Well, as stupid as Republicans in Texas can be, as CDarwin points out below, there are some "points of light." I'm a native Texan (I was born and live in Austin so that explains a lot about my political affiliations) and would hate to be voted off the island.
But, if we are voted off the island, could you at least put me on a nice island with a Corona and a palm tree?

[hippie chucker]

The irony is that your ancestors would still be enslaved if it weren't for the party of Lincoln, if you are indeed African American in looking at your avatar photo.

The party you swear allegiance to has a much longer and deeper affiliation with racism than you probably realize. Compare and contrast Dem and R votes on the civil rights bill, and the percentages of each party that voted to pass it.

Which party has a former Kleagle in Congress?

Why was Martin Luther King Republican?

[Liberal Angel]

I've sworn alegiance to nothing. I'm a Democrat. I was born in the '80s, and have only known Republicans to be racists and homophobes. The past is the past. The Democrats support many of the things I support. Republicans are dead set against both the black, and gay communities. Why would I belong to the party that would have me treated as untermensch? Democrats aren't standing in my way, but Republicans actively throw fire at me. White folks owned my ancestors, should I hold a grudge against them? I can't join a political party just because another man (no matter how great) belonged to. I think for myself, and have found the Democrats to be the only hope for the advancement of my political and social aspirations. Martin Luther King was one of the greatest people in history (at least for me), but he belongs to another era. I'm liberal first, Democrat second. I grew up knowing about Ted Kennedy, and why the Kennedys are so loved by the black community. It's really not hard to understand why I'm a Dem. What's hard for me to understand, is why anyone's in the GOP?

[offred]

Can states hold a tribal council and vote to eliminate Texas from the Union?

[CDarwin]

I was conceived in Texas, and have lived in Texas for 47 of my 54 years. In that time, I have learned that many Texans are guilty of a disease that could be termed "prideful stupidity" (I suppose my failure to relocate to a more progressive state could put me in this group as well). We've had a few "points of light": Molly Ivins, Ann Richards, Mark White, Jim Hightower, but recently , we've been buried under the manure heap of stupidity and Republicanism. In my own county, I hear people talking scripted Republican talking points on a daily basis. Most of these people don't even know the meanings of the words they are using, and the fact that their words are identical leads one to believe that, rather than the "Manchurian Candidate" they so love to talk about (not that one of them actually could point out Manchuria on a map), we are actually being plagued by the "Manchurian voter"-- Texans who were kidnapped by UFO's, and taught that liberals are the product of the devil. These people would vote against their own mothers if so instructed by the "mothership".

These people are content with the death penalty, because they know it will never affect them, except when it does, and then they whine about what good Christians they've become while on death row, only to realize as the chemicals steal the lives from their bodies, that Christianity is more about punishment than redemption. BUMMER!!

[Scott Cobb]

http://camerontoddwillingham.com/?page_id=6

A petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was not arson, therefore no crime was committed and on February 17, 2004, Texas executed an innocent man.

[Rachel Farris - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you Scott. I've updated the post to include a link to the petition at the end.

[Scott Cobb]

A petition to Governor Rick Perry and the State of Texas to acknowledge that the fire in the Cameron Todd Willingham case was not arson, therefore no crime was committed and on February 17, 2004, Texas executed an innocent man.

[BarryS]

now here are real death panels. GWBush didn't even bother to review them because they were always right. Whoops. wrong again. Lazy. I think God may have a look at this at the pearly gates...

[Rachel Farris - Huffpost Blogger]

Let's hope so. From the New Yorker article:
Willingham’s mother and father began to cry. “Don’t be sad, Momma,” Willingham said. “In fifty-five minutes, I’m a free man. I’m going home to see my kids.”

[mamalisa38]

The Republican party is morally bankrupt. They have no heart, no conscience, and clearly, no soul. What's really sad is that they call themselves Christians. I don't believe in God, but I have more love and caring in my heart than these people. If I'm wrong and there is a God, I'm pretty sure he would accept me in heaven and send these people straight to hell.