EJ on Death Penalty

I neglected to link to an important op-ed yesterday in the Washington Post by E.J. Dionne about the politics of the death penalty and how it is shifting. Connecticut just became the 17th state to ban the dealth penalty. Dionne also notes some of the other happy political developments on my home state of Connecticut.

The GOP has been trying to claim that they, and they alone, understand the benefit of federalism, and Democrats have too often ceded this turf. But, states can experiment with social policies in ways the federal government can't, and Democratic governors and legislatures should be encouraged to try their hands in new and creative ways at addressing problems like income disparity, the failing educational system, etc. I suspect that as the Affordable Care Act, if it is still around after the Supreme Court decides its fate, will also offer innovative, progressive governors the opportunity to show how government can effectively deal with certain problems the market has failed to address. It is time for Dems to find an appreciation for federalism and its possibilities too.