We'll try to ignore the fact that with all the important issues confronting the United States at home and abroad, Meet The Press decided to not only begin the program with discussion of the White House Correspondents Dinner, but also end the program with that same topic. How out of touch do you have to be?
Before we get to the interview with Texas Governor Rick Perry (R), we'll comment again (following up last week) on the controversial owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, just to say we agree with Sacramento mayor and former NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson that it was great to see everyone in the NBA, particularly the players, come down strong with condemnation and action in sanctioning the owner for his racist comments. However, at the end of the season, the Clippers players (we'll give them a pass right now as their in the midst of doing their jobs in the playoffs) have to act by refusing to play for the team called the Clippers as long as Mr. Sterling is owner. Now having the knowledge that they do, there's no justification for playing for an owner with such views.
As round table guest, will.i.am noted, most of the inmates in our prisons are African American and Latino, which speaks to an element of institutional racism in this country, something that billionaires like Mr. Sterling do nothing to combat.
This leads us to the 'botched' execution that occurred this week in Oklahoma and Governor Perry's comments about it. Mr. Perry said that he didn't know if what happened was inhumane, but it was definitely 'botched.' And yes, it was disturbing that he also used the word 'botched' to describe his presidential run. Clayton Lockett, with an accomplice, sexually assaulted and murdered two women before burying them alive. He received a multi-chemical lethal injection this week for that heinous crime, but something went wrong. Instead of a painless death, Mr. Lockett died of a very painful heart attack.
Given his crime, some would say, "So what if it was painful," and we totally understand that view. Mr. Perry said that in Texas there was a less likely chance that something like that would happen as they only use one chemical, but he also said that in the case of such heinous crimes, the people of Texas decided that the death penalty was appropriate. The further explained the he, unlike President Obama, doesn't believe that one size fits all decision making works well in America and that states should decide for themselves what to do for it's citizens - one of those decisions being whether to administer the death penalty or not.
However, if you agree with all of that, here are a few things to think about.
We have evolved as a society in how we execute people becoming technically better at doing it - lethal injection seems more reasonable than say the guillotine, but one would wonder why we haven't evolved in our thinking on whether or not it's humane to still carry them out. It's human nature for our species to evolve in our thinking confronting issues, and to not do so on whether we should execute people or not, goes against our nature, hence inhumane.
One could say that even the Bible has evolved on this issue - Old Testament vs. New Testament; eye for an eye vs. turn the other check.
And as far as leaving most major decisions to the states, as both Republican politicians advocated on today's program, what that does is erode America's national identity, which affects the country's ability to speak to the rest of the world with one unified voice of strength. Republican politicians continually complaining that Mr. Obama is weak on foreign policy, and it's because part of the infrastructure of America's political thinking is damaged, so they can not have it both ways.
And in the case of executions, America lecturing the rest of the world about human rights doesn't wash anymore. It's the hard truth, and Mr. Perry doesn't acknowledge that truth.
He mentioned healthcare as another instance whether it should be left up to the states. Well, as it stands right now, the states that have decided not to participate in the Affordable Care Act are denying their citizens health insurance through Medicaid. Where's the humanity in that? will.i.am, who despite being invited on the program for the wrong reason (he attended the W.H.C.D.), discussed the topics in the right way. He talked about education and the overall effect that it has in terms of America's overall common welfare. In American politics, the conversation 'devolves into the parties,' as Anita Dunn said, once the topic gets to Washington.
The devolution is evidenced by the fact that 80 percent of Americans feel the minimum wage should be raised, yet many politicians voted against it. Mr. Perry said that we shouldn't be talking about a minimum wage but instead a maximum wage, explaining the we have to give people the opportunity to earn a maximum wage, but where is that opportunity in his state with Mr. Gregory pointing out that Texas' poverty rate two points higher than the national average.
His explanation was utter nonsense, and it makes us think, given what he said, why Mr. Perry would seek the office of President of the United States. It's evident that he believes more in states' individual identities than a unified national one. In terms of America, the concept and country in the ideal, Congressman Chaffetz said he believed in American exceptionalism, but how is that real if there is no sense of collective progress, or even advocacy for it?
Round Table: will.i.am; Chuck Todd, NBC News Political Director & Chief White
House Correspondent; Kathleen Parker, Washington Post columnist; Rep.
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT); Anita Dunn, former Obama White House
Communications Director
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