A stupid, but unsurprising, move

A committee of the Maryland State Senate has approved a bill to repeal the death penalty in the state. And it is expected to pass the full Senate, and given Gov. Martin O'Malley's support, ultimately become law. It makes it clear that in Maryland, anyway, the life of a murder victim is worthless. A killer can take a life in an act of murder, and his own life will be spared.

I must say that I cannot see any justification for the repeal of the death penalty. A murderer who is allowed to live, even if found guilty, has been judged by the state as worth more than his victim, who was deprived of the rest of his life. But death penalty opponents are on a roll. I think they are stupid, but I can't reverse their gains.

Ben Carson, President Obama, and the National Prayer Breakfast

In today's Washington Examiner, I saw a column by Cal Thomas that really took me by surprise. It seems that at the National Prayer Breakfast, neurosurgeon Ben Carson said some things that were critical of President Obama. Now I think it is nice to see a prominent person of African-American origin willing to buck the Obama worship of most of his co-ethnics. And I would have thought that someone like Cal Thomas would feel the same, as Mr. Thomas is someone who likes Pres. Obama's policies, if anything, even less than I do. But Thomas's column was critical of Dr. Carson!

Apparently, Cal Thomas feels that the time and place were inappropriate for Dr. Carson to make his comments. I don't agree. Dr. Carson is a medical doctor. The practice of medicine has been complicated by “Obamacare.” If Dr. Carson feels as strongly about the effect Pres. Obama's policies have had on his profession, a time when the media are present is the best time to make this known — National Prayer Breakfast or not.