By Ramona Wang
October 1, 2029
With the whirlwind of activity from the U.S. Congress and the Ocasio-Cortez administration in the wake of secession, it’s truly impressive how much progressive policymaking they have managed to accomplish after decades of right-wing obstruction. But as the dust begins to clear and the easy targets are checked off the list, it’s time to talk about the more difficult topics.
One of those is abolishing the death penalty.
It’s true that functionally, very few executions will occur in the present United States. The New Confederacy was and will remain the predominant executioner at the state and federal levels.
Nevertheless, capital punishment still remains lawful in our own federal government and in several U.S. states. Even people who can agree broadly on climate change policy, healthcare, and immigration are divided when it comes to the government’s ability to take life as a form of punishment.
Currently, the proposed Death Penalty Abolition Act in Congress would formally categorize capital punishment as cruel and unusual, rendering it unconstitutional at all levels of government. Although the president said on the 2028 campaign trail that she supports ending the death penalty, she hasn’t publicly addressed the topic since taking office.
I would urge our national leaders to reflect on whether we want the existence of capital punishment to be a continued area of common ground between us and the New Confederacy. Let’s look in the mirror and ask ourselves if this is who we are.
Ramona Wang is a public defender in Dane County, Wis.
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