Death Penalty

The Obama Administration has introduced a plan to interdict illegal wildlife trafficking.  U.S. Intelligence agencies, including presumably the CIA, will help to track and arrest the people involved in the trade, which is estimated to involve about $20 billion a year.

Today’s Times had a picture of some of the ivory and rhino horns seized by officials.  U.S. citizens are involved in this activity.

Unfortunately, we have about the same number of officers to track illegal animal trafficking as we had in the 70’s, and I doubt if the Republican Congress will be willing to increase funding.

I have thought long and hard about the death penalty.  On principle I’m opposed, but I have decided that people who kill endangered species for money should be executed.  Once a species is extinct, it is gone forever.  People who are killing endangered animals for simple greed do not deserve to live.

Note:

A friend told me today he heard that Linda and I were collecting money to sue PennEast Pipeline company.  That is ridiculous, and I have no idea where that rumor started.  I can assure you than neither Linda nor I plan to sue PennEast Pipeline Company, although we will continue to fight the proposed pipeline.