Quote: Wikipedia The Eighth Amendment forbids some punishments entirely, and forbids some punishments that are excessive when compared to the crime.
In Furman v. Georgia (1972), Justice Brennan wrote, "There are, then, four principles by which we may determine whether a particular punishment is 'cruel and unusual'."
The "essential predicate" is "that a punishment must not by its severity be degrading to human dignity", especially torture. "A severe punishment that is obviously inflicted in wholly arbitrary fashion". "A severe punishment that is clearly and totally rejected throughout society". "A severe punishment that is patently unnecessary".
Wasn't Bush's whole point about people goig shopping for Christmas in 2001 because if the economy suffered "the terrorists win"? Does that only apply to the economy or does it apply to us pissing on the constitutional Bill of Rights while we're fighting "terror" (which, like the "War on Drugs" seems to be winding down )?
G-man, don't you see that these prison abuses and the fact that we're even arguing over torture is destroying the way the world sees us? How long before we push it too far and we're declared terrorists? How long before there's nothing left of the constitution?
)?
