The unalienable "Right to Life" referenced in the Declaration of Independence quoted above, accrues to all human beings.

Currently, "We the People" of the United States of America appear rudderless in a sea of confusion regarding the issue of life. So many seemingly contradictory beliefs divide our society, and it needn’t be that way. Respect for life is at an all time low. These are sad times when the taking of life by acts of violence such as those in Waco, Oklahoma City, Columbine, etc. are becoming the norm.

In my own Libertarian Party, there are individuals who have strong opinions on both sides of the Death Penalty and Abortion issues. Libertarians agree that more government is not the solution. Taking that one step further, there is a case to be made that government is the problem.

The "cradle to grave" mentality of the welfare statists which permeates government policy, has decimated self-esteem and trampled on the rights of peaceful citizens seeking to provide for themselves and their families using the fruits of their labor. An otherwise self-sufficient citizenry has become dependent upon entitlements bestowed upon them by power hungry politicians.

Individual choice and the right to learn by one’s own mistakes, has been replaced by government choice (and mistakes). California government chose the additive MTBE to clean up emissions from our gasoline. BIG mistake!

Whether it is Child Protection Services interfering with homeschooling families, or meat inspectors inflicting the governments standards of sausage preparation on family businesses whose recipes span centuries, the result is the same. Instances of hostility are bound to surface. Government has become overintrusive.

Perhaps the biggest tragedy created by our "nanny" government is the carnage resulting from prohibition. Whatever was learned from the alcohol prohibition experiment seems to have been forgotten. Drug cartels and distribution networks, created as a result of government policies infringing on personal choices, make mobsters of the 1920’s look like boyscouts.

Is government in these cases providing a service to the citizenry which could not better be provided by businesses in the private sector, or families themselves? Are not insurance companies, with actuarial tables and safety research not better suited for dealing with safety issues? What about the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, the better Business Bureau, the Underwriter’s Lab, etc.?

The recent execution in Texas has put the national spotlight on the death penalty.

Is it possible for one to lose the "right to life"? In my opinion, the answer is yes. Abuse that right, and lose it. The death penalty, properly imposed, is one such situation.

Most would agree that those guilty in the eyes of humanity, of violating the right to life of others, should lose their right. While few would disagree that the justice system in our country is not infallible, there is general agreement that society must be protected from such predators. In extreme cases, the gut reaction is to permanently separate the predator from society. Execution under death penalty laws does that

Is there an alternative to the death penalty? Would the public be more willing to accept life imprisonment without possibility of parole if convicted killers had to pay their own way? And work to provide restitution to their victims? Certainly those found to be wrongfully incarcerated would have to be reimbursed for their slave labor.

Historically, incarceration was accepted as a means to repay a debt to society for an infraction of the rules. I personally experienced such incarceration in Long Beach California during my Navy days in the mid-60’s. Unable to pay a speeding fine, I chose a weekend in the slammer. The Executive Officer of my ship, happy to see me go to jail, signed my request for weekend liberty.

Today, a more reasonable way to repay such debts involves community service. Incarceration is now primarily used for those who pose a threat to society. One major exception is the large prison population of individuals convicted of victimless crimes. This is a result of the wrongheaded federal war on drugs policy.

Society’s cost for such incarceration is enormous, with more than 2 million individuals currently imprisoned. Release of those who have committed no crime against others, and pose no threat to society, would greatly reduce both the direct and indirect cost to society. Those whose actions justify incarceration should be required to pay their room and board, as well as pay restitution to their victims.

Wrongful executions, as suggested in the recent Texas incident, can be either accidental or deliberate. Deliberately wrongful executions, a heinous form of murder, demand that the perpetrators lose their "right to life". Accidental deaths, whether by gunshot, automobile, mistaken conviction leading to execution under the death penalty, are unfortunate.

Civilized societies are constantly seeking to reduce accidental deaths. Moratoriums on the death penalty in states where "accidental deaths" by execution appear likely are a step toward a more civilized society.