American Politics

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

^ Amen.  Trigger happy cops are not an item of civilization.  It is a step towards anarchy and a police state.

 

Mind you, too many "Americans" take freedom as license.  Freedom is 1) not free; and 2) the responsibility of everyone.

 

LATER:  Good heavens!  I said responsibility.  Most "Americans" only know the blame game.

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

 

Additionally, comparing the military to police forces is mixing levels of government, and that is generally never a good idea.

No, I'm pointing out that the American military has much stricter rules of engagement. Do not fire unless fired upon. And in safe zones the safeties of the weapons are on and the fingers are not on the trigger. If the military can operate in foreign countries, generally in much more dangerous circumstances with such rules of engagements, why can't the American police, operating in much safer areas and situations adhere to similar rules of engagement? Why is it that the police does stuff like this? Why is it that they escalate to deadly force so quickly? 

 

I'm sorry, but it points to the American police system being fundamentally broken. 

 

 

Bring forth the MK Ultra and microwave radiation conspiracy theories!

 

Anyway: 1; this Brown fellow was stupid,he was a criminal and he attacked an officer (some say he was going for the officer's gun), you do that stuff and you will get shot, and 2; the cops in that linked video are so stupid- why drive up right next to a person who has a gun? Don't you engage from a distance or something?

 

Stupidity all around here folks.

[Compdude787 916]

^ Amen.  Trigger happy cops are not an item of civilization.  It is a step towards anarchy and a police state.

 

Mind you, too many "Americans" take freedom as license.  Freedom is 1) not free; and 2) the responsibility of everyone.

 

LATER:  Good heavens!  I said responsibility.  Most "Americans" only know the blame game.

Indeed! Too many of us forget that freedom comes with responsibility. Not only is there a responsibility to protect freedom for future generations, but now that you have freedom to make decisions, you alone have the responsibility to make wise decisions.

[Sabretooth78 808]

One of the "little things" that really gets me is when I see someone with a bumper sticker or otherwise espousing the jingoistic "Freedom isn't free" slogan.

 

I feel like pulling them aside and asking them, well, if it isn't free (and you're right, it isn't), what therefore is the price?

 

More often than not, I'm afraid I'd get a blank stare followed by some typical [faux-]patriotic military-worshiping talking point they just heard on Fox and Friends earlier in the morning or otherwise some ambiguous drivel that's been drilled into their brains by the education system and pop culture from an early age.  In the particular example dealing with bumper stickers, this cynical belief is often reinforced with other like bumper stickers boasting such claims as the driver's dog being a republican, etc.  Alright, buddy.  I'm sure even your dog was uninspired by Mittens "Meh" Romney.  People with the fewest original thoughts of their own often have the most to say.

 

Now, I've got nothing against soldiers as individuals (and I believe many of them realize they are not fighting for freedom), but to argue a military - any given government's single most efficient medium by which to enlarge itself - is somehow a harbinger of freedom is paradoxical at best and to advocate otherwise is one of several heights of idiocy.  At the very root, military is government and government cannot provide freedom.

 

Freedom bears responsibility.  Personal responsibility.  I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who quoted the price as eternal vigilance.  Inflation be damned.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Of course that is the right answer.  To be free means that you have to guard your freedom with everything you've got. 

 

Look at how freedom is being eroded by nervous-Nelly legislators.  Does the United States really need the Patriot Act?  Some of the provisions of that bit of knee-jerk law making allow what used to be called 'lettres de cachet'.  That is, imprisonment indefinitely without trial usually on secret information. 

 

For a perfectly horrible example, read 'The Count of Monte Cristo'.  Those who cast people into an oubliette had better be darned sure that the subject doesn't escape and become wealthy enough to get even.

[LexusInfernus 908]

Now, I've got nothing against soldiers as individuals (and I believe many of them realize they are not fighting for freedom), but to argue a military - any given government's single most efficient medium by which to enlarge itself - is somehow a harbinger of freedom is paradoxical at best and to advocate otherwise is one of several heights of idiocy.  At the very root, military is government and government cannot provide freedom.

 

Freedom bears responsibility.  Personal responsibility.  I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who quoted the price as eternal vigilance.  Inflation be damned.

Hobbes disagrees with you there. And I agree with Hobbes. Indeed, in a perfect world you wouldnt need a government to maintain freedom. But this isn't a perfect world. Without a government, you won't be free either. Without government, without its monopoly on violence, without its army and its police, the strongest rule. But thankfully we do have a government, an institution that is controlled by the people, but one that we have delegated the power to keep our more baser instincts in check. Who can ensure that people are treated equally, that not only the strong thrive while the weak suffer and that for as much as possible, people get a fair chance. Of course, that is the case if you live in Europe or Canada. 

 

If you are in America, you forgot about that whole vigilance bit. You guys are screwed. Though in the end, I can assure you that no government or even less government are not going to bring you more freedom. Less government is only going to mean less rules prohibiting the 1% from screwing you over. The problem isnt the government as an institution, its the people you voted to lead the government. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

^ Truth.  Someone said "The truth will make you free." but this is not the case where the sheeple are so apathetic as to vote for the same set of hoods and boodlers year after dreary year.

 

Here in Canada we are in the run up to an election campaign that should start next September for a vote in October, provided the PM doesn't get cold feet and ask the Governor General for a writ to go sooner when things look more favourable.  It doesn't matter.  IMHO people are boiling mad at the present government who seem only to open their mouths to change feet lately.  At best they might get a Conservative minority government and if the NDP loses their hold on Quebec, the Liberals with be either the official opposition or the government.  I think a large number of electors who deservedly deserted the Liberals the last time for various reasons will creep back this time.

[Sabretooth78 808]

If you are in America, you forgot about that whole vigilance bit. You guys are screwed. Though in the end, I can assure you that no government or even less government are not going to bring you more freedom. Less government is only going to mean less rules prohibiting the 1% from screwing you over. The problem isnt the government as an institution, its the people you voted to lead the government. 

 

Did you watch Dancing with the Stars last night?  What's K*** Kardashian wearing today?  Can you believe how badly the Nebrahoma Spudbuckets were screwed last night?  Travesty!

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

 

If you are in America, you forgot about that whole vigilance bit. You guys are screwed. Though in the end, I can assure you that no government or even less government are not going to bring you more freedom. Less government is only going to mean less rules prohibiting the 1% from screwing you over. The problem isnt the government as an institution, its the people you voted to lead the government. 

 

Did you watch Dancing with the Stars last night?  What's K*** Kardashian wearing today?  Can you believe how badly the Nebrahoma Spudbuckets were screwed last night?  Travesty!

 

Now that's a non sequitur if I ever saw one.  Who cares what happens in the vast wasteland of television.  Or were you pointing out that TV has replaced the Circus Romanorum?

[Compdude787 916]

 

 

If you are in America, you forgot about that whole vigilance bit. You guys are screwed. Though in the end, I can assure you that no government or even less government are not going to bring you more freedom. Less government is only going to mean less rules prohibiting the 1% from screwing you over. The problem isnt the government as an institution, its the people you voted to lead the government. 

 

Did you watch Dancing with the Stars last night?  What's K*** Kardashian wearing today?  Can you believe how badly the Nebrahoma Spudbuckets were screwed last night?  Travesty!

 

Now that's a non sequitur if I ever saw one.  Who cares what happens in the vast wasteland of television.  Or were you pointing out that TV has replaced the Circus Romanorum?

 

He has a point. Most Americans don't really follow politics and are more concerned and interested in pop culture and every bit of what their favorite celebrities are doing right this very moment.

 

Most people know every actor in movies and follow all the celebrities, but they don't know who their local representatives are in their state's legislature, neither do they know who their congressman is, or even who their state senators are. What's even more disturbing is that an increasing amount of people don't even know the Constitution all that well, and would probably fail a citizenship test.

[Sabretooth78 808]

I read an article recently (can't remember where, unfortunately) that discussed how the typical American can retain so much knowledge about pop culture items such as sporting statistics, etc.  It basically rationalized that the collective political inaction is possibly a result of disenfranchisement as opposed to lack of intelligence as this mental capacity is obviously being demonstrated in other forms.  I'm not sure I buy it 100% seeing as when you do encounter somebody that seems to think they know the issues and politics, it's usually the same BS you hear in the news and seems to be lacking critical thought.  But maybe the article's premise is the root of that as well.  It was an interesting read, regardless.

 

If I can remember where I saw it I'll post a link.  I think it was off a Facebook link, which would explain why I can't remember the source.  Clearly I was bored at the moment.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

It is really too bad that most U.S. citizens have been so numbed by the media and other distractions that they no longer pay much attention to government.  The sheeple are only interested in being entertained, having a full belly and someone warm to sleep with.

[Duke87 1,070]

I read an article recently (can't remember where, unfortunately) that discussed how the typical American can retain so much knowledge about pop culture items such as sporting statistics, etc.  It basically rationalized that the collective political inaction is possibly a result of disenfranchisement as opposed to lack of intelligence as this mental capacity is obviously being demonstrated in other forms.

 

As I see it there is more political action in the US than is commonly acknowledged. But because of the disenfranchisement you mention, much of this political action is simply people voting with their feet. In a world where political change comes hard but travel comes easy, moving to a place where the prevalent views match yours is often a path of less resistance than fighting for your views in a place where they may be unpopular. This "political centrifuge effect" is part of what is polarizing the country.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Yes, but all you are getting is two sets of sheeple: blue; red.  The apathy is still there or some of these perennial senators and congresspersons would get the old heave-ho.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Some people in the U.S. are just a little disturbed about policing and justice in America.

 

Recent changes in the overall enforcement credo (real or not) seem to be turning up a dichotomy in the policing/justice system.  Are blacks still second class citizens in America?

[Duke87 1,070]

I think DeBlasio has the right idea on this one. Punishing the cop who killed the guy would be a purely symbolic gesture and wouldn't really solve anything. Especially since it's not a clear cut case - Eric Garner was not killed intentionally, and while putting him in a chokehold was a bad idea, that most likely is NOT what killed him, so you can't say it's negligent homicide on account of that.

But making sure police officers are properly trained not to use excessive force and to be more engaged with the community, that is meaningful and is how we prevent future cases like this.

 

Now whether the "training" proposed is actually going to say anything meaninful is an open question, but he's got the right idea.

 

Obama's little "let's make the cops wear cameras" program is also great since that does wonders for public accountability. If there is one fundamental thing that needs to change it is the attitude that sometimes cops have to violate protocol in order to do their jobs and can do so with impunity. 

 

 

As with many things in the US, though, this is a very partisan issue and that makes it difficult to tackle. A lot of people will defend the police every time, and a lot of people will criticize the police every time, because politics.

[LexusInfernus 908]

That chokehold was not proper police procedure and the pathologist said thats what caused him to die. 

 

The real problem here is that the police are impossible to hold accountable. The screw up so incredibly often, but the system pretty much always protects them. 

 

Cops beat up two innocent people for no apparent reason and they get away with it. Even though there is video evidence that clearly shows what happened to the victims and which by all accounts should damn the police officers involved. 

 

Or they hire emotionally unstable incompetent idiots and give them a gun and the license to shoot and kill. The police didnt even bother to check the records of the people applying for a position. And thanks to that, a child who waved a toy gun around is dead. 

 

That should come at no surprise though. The Cleveland police department is filled with incompetent idiots who have created a culture where incompetence and brutality get swapped under the rug. 

 

And all of this disproportionately affects black people and other minorities in the US. However, is this because the police system is failing? No, the police system is functioning just fine. Its intended purpose is simply to do this. The deaths caused by police violence are not aberrations or mistakes, they are simply the result of standard police operating procedures. If you want to change this, some investigative committee or new training program is not gonna help. It needs to be redone from scratch, the entire police culture must be dismantled and rebuild. Which of course, is never going to happen, so better get used to living in a country with a repressive police system. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Duke of Cambridge to be received at White House.

 

Prince William will meet with Obama in the Oval Office.

[Larks2242 251]

Yesterdays runoff election in Lousiana saw Mary Landreu loose her seat to Bill Cassidy, becoming the first republican to hold the seat since 1883, a total of 132 years!

 

A cool breakdown of party holds in the senate.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/12/07/mary-landrieus-seat-will-be-held-by-a-republican-for-the-first-time-in-132-years/

 

Cassidy who in congress authored the bill for the keystone pipeline is expected to have a leadership position on the energy committee once the senate switches over in January. 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The interesting parts in that chart are the areas that are not red or blue, including a contemporary or two.  Independent seats I suppose, which shows there are some possibilities to avoid the herd of elephants and the dingle of donkeys.

[Larks2242 251]

The interesting parts in that chart are the areas that are not red or blue, including a contemporary or two.  Independent seats I suppose, which shows there are some possibilities to avoid the herd of elephants and the dingle of donkeys.

 

Most of which is pre civil war, In the last decade however we have seen Bernie Sanders (Socialist Party) Joe Lieberman (Lieberman for Connecticut Party) and Angus King (Relatively unknown former governor and probably the biggest wildcard in the senate).

 

Of the three Joe Lieberman was essentially a democrat, the party started due to Ned Lamont defeating him in the primaries, however after falling out of favor in his party Connecticut for Lieberman announced they would run a candidate in his party against him, however he announced his retirement not long after.

[Duke87 1,070]

I remember that Lieberman/Lamont race well. Was the first election I was old enough to vote in and I was registered in the state where it was happening.

 

The sticking point is that Lieberman had been in favor of the Iraq War and a few other things that went against the prevailing opinion of his party. This got him accused of being a DINO and so the Dems ran a primary figuring they could easliy unseat him and replace him with someone more liberal. This then royally backfired against them when Lieberman after losing the primary decided to run as an independent, and being the incumbent who the state as a whole was not particularly dissatisfied with, was able to win.

 

This therefore is somewhat of a special case - he didn't get into office as an independent. He won reelection as one after his party tried to hang him out to dry. And it is worth noting that even with Lieberman running as an independent, the race was essentially still only between two people. There was a republican candidate but no one paid attention to his campaign (it was overshadowed by the Lieberman drama) and he didn't get very many votes.

 

This story I think goes to show just how self-sustaining the two party system is. Americans are incredibly accustomed to seeing elections and politics as a dichotomy. The idea of having more than two serious choices is strange and foreign, even if the two choices are not Democrat and Republican. The rise of a third party candidate to prominence must bump one of the existing first parties off its pedestal. Like the Sith, there can only be two.

[Larks2242 251]

 

 

This story I think goes to show just how self-sustaining the two party system is. Americans are incredibly accustomed to seeing elections and politics as a dichotomy. The idea of having more than two serious choices is strange and foreign, even if the two choices are not Democrat and Republican. The rise of a third party candidate to prominence must bump one of the existing first parties off its pedestal. Like the Sith, there can only be two.

 

I don't know what a sith is but in some states, like California and Louisiana they have the jungle primary which can lead to two democrats or two republicans vying for the same seat in the general.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

IMHO primary elections are a waste of both time and money.  Only the conventions really count.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Who was in charge?  Sniveley Whiplash?  Or maybe it was Rodney Rottenheart!

 

Power corrupts.  Unsupervised power really does the job, eh?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Re-establishing the Cuban Market.

 

Politics makes strange bedfellows.  In my lifetime Cuba went from a great place to go and have fun, to a dirty commie outfit, to general personna non grata, to cool relations and now back to business as usual?  Joe McCarthy will be spinning in his grave and tricky Dick will be laughing, wherever he is.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The Political Justice System.

 

The principal cause of the erosion of the justice system in the U.S. is the idea that the judiciary and the legal representatives of the state are elected.  This makes them politicians first and servants of justice second.  No man can server two masters.

 

Electing low level judges and district attorneys must stop.  These employees of the state must become exactly that.  Hired through exploration of their qualifications, not picked in a popularity contest.  Whatever are the American people thinking.  They even elect dog catchers, and at great expense to the body public.  Nonsense!

[Sabretooth78 808]

Stuff like this has been pissing me off for at least the last 5 years during which it seems to have escalated dramatically.  Incidents ranging from Ferguson to one around here several years ago where some kind of public housing security guard or something shot a litter of kittens and their mother for "fear of being attacked".  It's about time people finally started waking up, and I will say I'm enjoying watching it develop.  Maybe an American Spring is forthcoming, though I'm not holding my breath (pun not intended).

 

We do, however, have to continue to elect dog catchers.  Without it, we can't kick a politician out of office and say "I wouldn't vote him in for town dogcatcher" and then promptly elect him to a higher office.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The problem with our systems is that heads tend to roll uphill as noted in SC4 when you go broke.

 

Too many people have to run for their jobs, and that takes energy that could otherwise go into doing a better job once hired.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

A matter of national security?

 

Now the fox is considering an action against the chicken house.  The problem is finding the right chickens.