By Steve Rossiter ——Bio and Archives--April 29, 2024
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In 1787, this was no problem. These few words were easily understood, and there was little room for any confusion. For the following 225 years, this provision held up remarkably well. Clearly, this provision was designed to protect those convicted of one sort or another crime. Good, humane treatment of convicts is an obligation of any civilized moral society.
Since 2021, and spectacularly in 2024, now that lawfare is the order of the day in certain quadrants of America’s judicial system, the 8th Amendment seems to be forgotten. These abusers of the United States Constitution and the legal process have converted the legal process itself into a form of cruel and unusual punishment.
What have we seen in the last few years?
The impeachment of a private citizen who once was President. I see no way the Founding Fathers would find that acceptable.
The pre-trial imprisonment of political prisoners that simply opposed the sitting President. I don’t think the Founding Fathers had that in mind when they ratified the Bill of Rights.
The trial and conviction of an individual for fraud when no fraud actually occurred and with a subsequent fine of 454 million dollars. Excessive, maybe!
Criminal charges brought for doing nothing more than challenging the results of an election. The Founding Father are spinning in their graves.
Federal bureaucrats declaring some Catholics as extremists. Although the founding generation was not enthusiastic about the Catholic religion, the Founding Fathers would likely find this repulsive.
I think I have made my point. The 8th Amendment has not fared well over time. This is one more example of the American voter not riding herd closely enough on our elected officials and unelected corruptocrats. If these kinds of things can happen to the high profile people who oppose the current government, it can happen to any of us and will if we fail to take action to get control back where it belongs. Control belongs in the hands of the people, not unresponsive, elected legislators or, worse yet, unelected government bureaucrats.
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After a 55 year career as a professional pilot in the military, in law enforcement, in the private sector, and in federal civil service, I am now retired.
In many of these positions I repeatedly took an oath to defend the United States Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.