In my colleagues post "The power of time" he discusses the unlimited number of terms the Governor of Texas can stay in office and what effect this can have on the people. Compared to the President of the United States who may only be in office for two terms, then must step down, the Governor of Texas has the power to remain in office as long as possible with the exception of being impeached.
I do not believe that the power the Governor of Texas has could result in negative outcomes. After all, we are the ones who vote in the end, we have the final say. The Governor does not make any rash decisions that will upset the public because they know they need our support to remain in power. I see how the length of time in office such as Governor Perry's can prove success and invite favoritism, but change will happen eventually, whether it is trying to move up and become President, or an embarrassing fail in your campaign and eventually resigning.
I do not agree that there is any essential need for a change in the Governor of Texas's limit in office. I don't believe Governor Perry has, nor will he exceed and abuse his power as the Governor. The Governor is just a man looking for votes and support because in the end, that's what he relies on.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
DNA Testing Controversy
For almost seventeen long anxious years Hank Skinner has be a man on death row constantly testing the system, hoping to find a way out. In 1995 Skinner was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and her two children and sentenced to death. At the time of his conviction Texas "didn’t have a post-conviction DNA testing law" to aid Skinner; however since then a law has been established and has "loosened restrictions" multiple times. Skinner has previously requested for a post-conviction DNA testing on three occasions that he believes will prove his innocence, however all three of those requests were denied. Skinner stated that he could not have committed the murder do to the fact that he was intoxicated and unconscious.
Although Skinner meets all the requirements in order to be eligible for the DNA testing, it's hard to believe he will be granted the testing considering all the recent failed attempts. There is obviously a glitch in the system and the enforcing of this law considering the post-conviction DNA testing drama alone has been going on for over a decade. The man should have been executed or released by now, instead of this long drawn out process. I do however understand that this is a man's life at risk, and with the numerous accounts of convicts being proven innocent in the past through this method, they want to be extremely sure and careful. I'm sure the time and extra effort that would go into an extra DNA test would contribute to the denial as it did in past cases such as the Ricky McGinn conviction in 1995 where the evidence was not enough to save the defendant and he was still executed.
I cannot say whether I think he is innocent or not although his case seems rather weak, but I do believe some change needs to made so this process cannot be dragged out like this and innocent people are not put to death in our system.
Although Skinner meets all the requirements in order to be eligible for the DNA testing, it's hard to believe he will be granted the testing considering all the recent failed attempts. There is obviously a glitch in the system and the enforcing of this law considering the post-conviction DNA testing drama alone has been going on for over a decade. The man should have been executed or released by now, instead of this long drawn out process. I do however understand that this is a man's life at risk, and with the numerous accounts of convicts being proven innocent in the past through this method, they want to be extremely sure and careful. I'm sure the time and extra effort that would go into an extra DNA test would contribute to the denial as it did in past cases such as the Ricky McGinn conviction in 1995 where the evidence was not enough to save the defendant and he was still executed.
I cannot say whether I think he is innocent or not although his case seems rather weak, but I do believe some change needs to made so this process cannot be dragged out like this and innocent people are not put to death in our system.
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