President’s Day Open Thread [2.17.14]

President’s Day Open Thread [2.17.14]

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Late on Friday, Michael Dunn (the middle-aged white man who shot a black teenager who wouldn't comply with his demand to turn down his music) was convicted on 4 of the five charges:
Dunn, who is white, fired 10 shots into an SUV, killing Jordan Davis, 17, who was black. The shooting in a convenience store parking lot in Jacksonville erupted after Dunn asked the teenagers in the vehicle to turn down their music. Dunn was charged with first-degree murder, three counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of firing into a vehicle in the Nov. 23, 2012, shooting. The jury couldn’t reach a decision on the first-degree murder charge, but convicted on the other four.
The General Assembly is Back to Work and It Is Open Bamboozlement Season for the DE GOP

The General Assembly is Back to Work and It Is Open Bamboozlement Season for the DE GOP

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In the past couple of days, the DE GOP (almost extinct) has taken to the NJ editorial pages to push more of their innumerate BS -- going back to their message of having all The Government You Can Eat for free. Even though that is not true, they've decided that no one will get the math -- apparently taking their cue from Colin Bonnini. Both are taking aim at the .10/gallon gas tax proposal, and neither grapple with the fact that there are 1) real costs to getting road improvements and repairs done, 2) there have to be revenues to pay for those costs, or 3) be very clear about what improvements, repairs and programs they would be willing to see die on the vine in order to get the budget in shape: