While punishment for crime certainly appeals to our instincts, should we not consider more "humane", and possibly more effective crime reduction measures (rehabilitation over punishment)?
The original discussion was about alternatives to three strikes (which explicitly both of us oppose). Notice the lack of value judgement of rehabilitation vs. punishment.
Secondly we were discussing the concept of proportionality. I expressed the rationality of society's need for proportional punishment. Notice how I did not present my personal views regarding rehabilitation vs. punishment.
So far we have only established that I believe that the punishment for a crime should have an upper bound which is proportional to the offense.
Now, whether the purpose of the prison system should be punitive or rehabilitative is another discussion.