Among the 2 million inmates crowding our prisons of the United States today, 3,035 will soon no longer be contributing to the cramped conditions (“Facts” par 5). This is because 3,035 inmates are scheduled and waiting to be killed, humanely, by the officials of the prisons. We are prepared and awaiting the deaths of each inmate on Death Row, because our tax dollars will no longer be wasted supporting the lives of countless murderers who no longer deserve the gift of life. It is important for us to prove to people that unlawful actions will not go without punishment. Murder is never acceptable. All lives matter. Except, of course, the lives of those dreadful human beings who can bring themselves to murder another human. Remember to vote “NO” on the abolishment of Capital Punishment; we must continue killing people to show other people that killing people is wrong.

In 1999, Clayton Locket was charged with kidnapping, raping, and murdering 19 year old Stephanie Neiman. To ensure the punishment of our clearly sane Mr. Clayton Lockett, he was sentence to death row, to be killed by lethal injection on April 29, 2014 (“Murderpedia” par. 12-14). After the unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the drugs necessary to create the lethal injection, Oklahoma combined “...midazolam (a sedative) in combination with vecuronium bromide (which paralyzes the respiratory system) and potassium chloride (which stops the heart)...” in order to create the lovely concoction that would send Mr. Lockett into a forty-three minute long struggle between life and death (Williams par. 6). Ultimately, Lockett died of a heart attack. Admittedly, this was not the most humane capital punishment death. However, Lockett clearly was given what he deserved. It is important for states to show their citizens the repercussions of of their actions. With the South having the highest murder rate and being accountable for over 80% of the United States’ executions, we know that capital punishment is the most effective way in showing people that murder is unacceptable. Whereas the Northeast, which has less than 1% of all executions, had the lowest murder rate (“Facts” par. 9). The Northeast must not take the importance of life seriously. Keep this in mind when voting whether or not to abolish the death penalty, because even though “ A 2010 poll by Lake Research Partners found that a clear majority of voters (61%) would choose a punishment other than the death penalty for murder,” we know that we are doing our civil duty of protecting and teaching our citizens by voting “NO” (“Facts” par. 12).

However, there is always the mere factor of mental disability. “In 2002, the Supreme Court held in Atkins v. Virginia that it is unconstitutional to execute defendants with “'mental retardation,'” which is a wonderful thing (“Facts” par. 8). Sometimes, a human can be excused for their behavior when mental illness plays a factor. This does not threaten the case that capital punishment should continue, because a completely sane human has the ability to rape and kill a human without feeling remorse. Yang Xinhai, known as the “Monster Killer,” had the ability to beat sixty-seven victims to death before being executed in 2004 because he was completely sane (“Murderpedia” par. 1). We care about the mental stability of our citizens, but we just do not have the money to fund mental illness research and rehabilitation facilities for our inmates.        

There is a limited amount of funds in the United States. Citizens and government officials alike have been contemplating the best use of our funds when it comes to the prison situation. It has been decided by many that the best way to ensure the money goes to the right places is by murdering the murderers. Why should our tax dollars be wasted keeping these criminals alive? Our tax dollars should be put to better use: killing. It costs about $47,102, in California, of taxpayers hard-earned money to keep these human beings alive, which is just too much of an investment (Legislative Analyst’s Office par. 1). Instead, we should spend $400,000 per death penalty case, as opposed to the $100,000 when death penalty is not the motive, and use over $4 billion for each murder (“Facts” par. 11). Clearly, we should direct our federal and state budget towards the killing of these terrible murders, and not towards the rehabilitation and aid for these completely sane individuals. Our money matters.

Between the need to prove our power over these murderers and the importance of our money, we know voting “NO” on the abolishment of the death penalty is just the American thing to do. Prison is a form of punishment, not rehabilitation. These prisoners will stay in prison, without the intention of ever being released because they will have no ability to rejoin society after their experience. Otherwise, they will be sent to death row, because they do not deserve to be a member of society. These serial killers and rapists are beyond our help; no rehabilitation or mental aid will cure them of their sickness. Of course, we thought the same thing about patients with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, and we have found ways to help them - but, these are murderers. They do not deserve our time or money. The only viable option is to take their lives. It is important that our funding continues going to the death penalty, and not directed towards mental illness research and the rehabilitation of all prisoners. Remember, it is your money and your power: Vote “NO” on the abolition of the death penalty.