The death penalty is not a straight-forward democrat-republican or liberal-conservative issue. Bill Clinton supports the death penalty. Al Gore supports the death penalty.
I'm against the death penalty - unless a particular prisoner has committed a particularily serious crime AND cannot be controlled by the applicable prison system. I have no problem with a Ted Bundy (who was a frequent escapee) or a Saddam Hussein (a serious break-out threat) being put to death. OTOH, I wouldn't have had Timothy McVeigh executed (but I would have him put in a cell for life with nothing but a cot, a sink and a toilet).
I believe my view is in line with the view of the Catholic church as well.
Exactly right. The death penalty can be okay as long as there is no other alternative, at least in my view and that of the Catholic Church. But for your run of the mill murderer, there is a clear alternative that really is better punishment - hell on earth. Manual labor, absolutely no comforts at all, and a lack of human interaction.