What should you do with Bernie Madoff

[TheCoxwain]

I heard,on Brian Lehrer Show, a story of a old woman whose husband had invested nearly 100% of their savings with Madoff. The husband died last year. The poor lady is down to her last dollars and will be broke next month ( She currently lives in an assisted living facility ) - I know all we bleeding heart liberals are not for revenge - We back punishment only as a deterrent and not as a means to avenge wrongdoing..

But if you were the judge and had the unlimited sentencing powers - How would you punish Madoff?

[WinkyDink]

1. I happen to like just desserts.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I don't know...

But it needs to be severe, and permanent.

My anger at him is deep and long-lasting.

The dirty SOB...

:grr: :grr:

[closeupready]

3. First option is best, but with a condition that he may remain free as long as

he (and those others of whom may be found guilty) takes a vow of poverty, the fulfillment of which will be monitored by his victims. If he refuses to take a vow of poverty, to Leavenworth you go for the rest of your life.

[closeupready]

4. Second option won't be effective since he obviously doesn't give diddly squat about

those he victimized, and never will.

[atreides1]

5. I Picked the First Option

But to tell the truth I was leaning to number three. Number 1 seemed much more civilized.

[tridim]

6. Take all his cash and assets and make him live in tent city for the rest of his life.

[SammyWinstonJack]

7. .

:thumbsup:

[markbark]

8. Turn Him loose back on Wall Street

Put all compensation into an escrow fund. He gets the equivalent of a 40 hr/week minimum wage job, the rest goes to recompensating his victims

[Joe Fields]

9. In his case, death by a thousand cuts.

Give everyone who lost money in his ponzi scheme a razor blade. No large slices, just a thousand or so small ones.

[Stevenmarc]

10. Make him hand out towels in his old country club bathroom for the rest of his life

[Taverner]

11. Lock him in solitary for life. Throw away the key. Give him bread and water.

Seize all assets and pay off the victims with them.

[Merlot]

12. Since when don't liberals believe in punishment that fits the crime?

I'm not talking about revenge, which is emotionally driven. But if someone commits a crime and especially if that crime hurts many innocent people, why would I think they shouldn't pay a price because I'm a liberal?

Personally I don't back punishment as a deterrent. I Don't think punishment works as a deterrent, I think having more options works as a deterrent. For people like madd-off who had a lot of options, punishment wouldn't be a deterrent as he would assume he would never get caught.

And yes, I'm for taking all the money from him and his immediate family to pay restitution. I'd even investigate the family to see if they were aware of the illegal nature of the business. If they were, charges should be brought aginst them as well.

And I'm a liberal as they come!

[TheCoxwain]

13. Do you back death sentence ( let's assume you do) to avenge a murder or prevent other murders?

I dont support death sentence by the way.

[Merlot]

14. Since I don't believe in punishment as a deterrent, why would I back death penalty?

It's not a deterrent. But if someone murders, they should spend a long time in jail.

[LostInAnomie]

15. The same thing that happens to drug dealers.

A harsh sentence (possibly life) and seize any asset that could even remotely be connected to his ill gotten gains. That includes his house, clothes, cars, his wife's possessions, and anything that his children may have gained from it.

[Warpy]

16. Oh, I think the kids should be left alone

unless it can be demonstrated they were part of the scam.

His wife was neck deep in it, bring suckers to Bernie as they vacationed in the Catskills. She deserves to spend the rest of her days poor.

[norepubsin08]

17. He should be forced to work a menial minimum wage job

until the day he dies, with 25% of the net wages going to restitution along with a siezure of ALL his assets.

[FatDave]

18. Surely I'm not the only one...

...who's singing the answers to the tune of "What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor?"

C'mon, everybody!

Ooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... Shoot 'im in the head and be done with it
Shoot 'im in the head and be done with it
Shoot 'im in the head and be done with it
Ear-lye in the morning.

[Imagevision]

19. Make sure he has excellant medical care so as not to have a 'heart-attack' like Kenny_Boy...

[MilesColtrane]

20. Strip him and his family of any assets from his "business".

Then forced labor for 10 hours a day and confinement for the rest of his life

[FloridaJudy]

21. I'd favor #1

Except it seems a little harsh to punish his kids too, unless they colluded in the fraud. And whatever they manage to wrest from him should go directly to his victims.

#2 sounds good as well, though I suspect the guy's a real sociopath. Those are never swayed by guilt, nor moved by the sufferings of those they've exploited.

I say make him work at WallMart or a fast food joint for minimum wage for the rest of his life.

[Greyhound]

22. "It occurs to me that the best way to hurt rich people is to turn them into poor people"

Eddie Murphy in "Trading Places"

"You can't cheat an honest man" W.C. Fields