Trump and Pence Stand By Promise to Utilize Torture

If one wants to see a prime example of the hypocrisy and, in my view, evil that is emblematic of right wing Christians, look no farther than Vice-President elect Mike Pence.   Pence is vitriolic in his opposition to abortion and LGBT rights, but has no problem with slashing the social safety net and leaving millions without health care or other life saving assistance.  Worse yet, as he reaffirmed today, he's perfectly fine with the use of torture.  Never mind that it is a violation of both U.S. law and international law, including the Geneva Conventions, under which Nazi and Japanese military figures who authorized torture were tried and executed.  Think about it - Trump has promised to authorized torture and make himself worthy of a death sentence and execution under international law.  And 81% of evangelical Christians voted for this man.  I'm sorry, but Pence - and Trump - is a foul, hypocrisy ladened individual who ought to be a pariah among decent people.  Those who voted for him are no better in the final analysis.  The Washington Post looks at Pence's reaffirmation of the use of torture.  Here are excerpts:

In his first round of Sunday show interviews since the election, Vice President-elect Mike Pence did not rule out the possibility that President-elect Donald Trump could reinstate water boarding as an interrogation technique during his administration.

On CBS Sunday, “Face the Nation” host John Dickerson brought up Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and his comments Saturday at the Halifax International Security Forum. At a panel discussion there, McCain vehemently insisted that any attempt to bring back water boarding, which simulates drowning, would be quickly challenged in court, the Associated Press reported.

Dickerson pointed out to Pence that Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), whom Trump plans to nominate as director of the CIA, supports Trump's position that perhaps water boarding should be reinstated.

Dickerson then played a clip of McCain's remarks at the Halifax summit from Saturday.

“I don’t give a damn what the president of the United States wants to do or anybody else wants to do. We will not waterboard. We will not torture,” McCain said, emphasizing certain words with a point of his finger, to applause. “My God, what does it say about America if we're going to inflict torture on people?”

Pence seemed unfazed after he watched the video. . . . Trump said during the campaign that he would reinstate the use of waterboarding against terrorism suspects — a practice that Congress made illegal after its use during the George W. Bush administration.

Torture is banned under U.S. law and the Geneva Conventions. 

At a rally last November in Columbus, Ohio, Trump promised to reinstate waterboarding and perhaps other methods of torture beyond it.

“Would I approve waterboarding? You bet your ass I would — in a heartbeat,” Trump said as the crowd cheered. “And I would approve more than that. Don't kid yourself, folks. It works, okay? It works. Only a stupid person would say it doesn't work.”  Trump repeated “It works” multiple times.

Trump doubled down on his pledge to bring back waterboarding at another rally a few months later in South Carolina, as well as in several interviews throughout the campaign.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), one of Trump's many opponents during the Republican presidential primary race, followed Pence on “Face the Nation” and said he agreed with McCain.  “We should telegraph to the world that we're better than this,” Paul told Dickerson.