BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

Antonin Scalia weighs in on waterboardings.  Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment does not apply to waterboarding as a means of getting information.  Waterboarding would be illegal as a punishment.

Of course, would we have expected anything other than that from Scalia? 

From the interview with BBC:

In a wide-ranging discussion, he defends his often controversial positions on issues like Guantanamo Bay, argues that torture may be legal and attacks the “sick” practice of televising trials.

On the subject of torture Scalia said:

Justice Scalia says that it is far from clear that torture is unconstitutional and says that it may be legal to “smack [a suspect] in the face” if the suspect is concealing information which could endanger the public.

And, in closing, let’s just say we are glad no one appointed Scalia as king….

He has made many decisions in favour of the rights of criminal defendants, and has ruled that burning the US flag is legal, although he adds that if he were king, he would “throw flag burners in jail”.

While no one wants to see our flag burned, it makes one wonder what other reasons Scalia would come up with for jailing citizens.