Military police officially charged sleeper jihadist Nadal “Saddam” Hasan with 13 counts of premeditated murder yesterday for his terrorist attack on Ft. Hood, leaving many Americans wondering if he will get the death penalty.  I generally think that the death penalty should be limited to “beyond a shadow of a doubt” cases given its historic problems of accuracy, and I am all for it in this case.  A public hanging would probably be best, followed closely by a firing squad, then electric chair, then lethal injection, and finally, vigilante justice as a last resort.  The military performed their last execution on April 13, 1961 on Army private John Bennet for rape and attempted murder.  Method of execution?  Hanging.  The military currently uses lethal injection as the method of execution now, and the execution chamber is located at U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  Death Penalty Info reports that 8 people are on military death row: Kenneth Parker, Wade L. Walker, Jessie Quintanilla, James T. Murphy, Ronald Gray, Dwight J. Loving, Asan Akbar, and Andrew Witt.  No executions are currently scheduled.  The President of the United States must sign the execution order for a military prisoner to be executed as a result of a court martial trial.  Note to my Republican friends: your hero George W. Bush didn’t sign any.

In the heart of Republican country, in the middle of the teabag of America, a small group of dedicated, patriotic Americans is still committed to positive change.  They have persevered through racism and threats of violence, doing the most American of political activities–talking to their friends to support ideas that move America forward.  Kayla Mallett, the head of Greenville for Obama told Daily Palmetto, “It all starts right here, with a few volunteers.  We’re fired up.  We had one of the largest turnouts at our meetings earlier this week.  I think people are really fed up with all the teabaggers waving racist signs and shouting profanities.  Most people know that we need healthcare reform, and that’s what we’re focused on right now.”  All across America, Organizing for America has held 28,000 events and sent 1 million healthcare declarations to Congress just since the August recess.  Just in upstate South Carolina, friends, neighbors, and regular joes and janes have made 29,042 calls and hosted 2,728 events.  Still fired up!

The Charleston County GOP voted Monday night to censure Senator Lindsay Graham for “believing in” climate change.  As a sidebar, I have a serious problem with the term “believe in” climate change.  The science of climate change is utterly overwhelming.  You do not “believe in” it.  You either accept it, or reject it.  If you reject it, you might as well also reject the entire science of particle physics.  County chairwoman Lin Bennett claimed that the vote was unanimous, but the resolution was voice-voted…weak.  If you’re going to censure a sitting Senator for “believing in” climate change, at least have the guts to vote on the record.  Bennet claimed that she pursued the resolution to “get his attention. They (party leaders) are just fed up, and they want him to know they’re fed up.”  The Republican purge continues.