One body camera per cop. Why not?

One body camera per cop. Why not?

9 Comments
We can do this. It will not stop all incidences of undue and unlawful police violence, but it will make violent and unhinged cops think twice before they start blasting away. It will also provide future grand juries with some objective evidence with which to evaluate police claims of being in life or death situations. You can also make the case that is will help honest and decent police (and I'm sure there are some out there) defend themselves against spurious charges.
Tuesday Open Thread [12.2.14]

Tuesday Open Thread [12.2.14]

5 Comments
E. J. Dionne, Jr.: "Now, it will be a Republican Congress vs. a Democratic president. Voters will have a much easier time seeing who stands for what...Obama and progressives should spend the next two years accomplishing as many useful things as they can, blocking regressive actions by Congress, and clarifying the choices facing the nation's voters. And they'll get much further by doing all three at once."
Bob Stachnik, Delaware’s quiet lion of liberalism

Bob Stachnik, Delaware’s quiet lion of liberalism

4 Comments
Robert V. Stachnik, age 67, of Newark, DE, passed away on November 29, 2014. Bob was a founding member of the Howard Dean meetup in Newark. A member of the original core of 8 to 10, Bob saw early on that the Dean campaign was about more than simply promoting Howard Dean for the Democratic nomination. It was about reinvigorating and refocusing a political party around a simple ideal; that being a Democrat means you look out for the little guy. Later a founding member of Progressive Democrats for Delaware, Bob provided quiet but determined leadership as we attempted to get the Delaware Democratic Party to try and claw back some of its historic identity. This blog, in fact, is a testament to, and artifact of his leadership style. As the Dean campaign built momentum and the meetups grew from week to week, Bob spread the word, "If you have an idea, do it." We all did whatever suited our personalities and as spastic, loud and obnoxious as I was (am), Bob was diplomatic and calm. You could even say that he was thoughtful, scientific and plodding to a fault at times. I once made fun of him at a meeting by putting together a parody power point presentation called. "What to Have for Dinner." The comic pretense was that he used no fewer than 30 slides to convince his wife that roasted chicken and green beans would be a good choice for dinner. It was fun. Changing the Democratic Party seemed possible back then. We were insurgents. Now we are all scattered a bit. Demoralized, no doubt, by these times and this untimely loss. I miss him. His kind nature and full on nerdyness. I don't know now what I can do to honor this man whose loss will be felt by people who never knew him or never knew he ever lived. I'll have to think of something though.
Clueless Carper Courts Cajun Country Corpse

Clueless Carper Courts Cajun Country Corpse

7 Comments
What stupid shit did Senator for Life, Tom Carper, say today? Well, while campaigning for "dead woman walking" Mary Landrieu, a fake Republican about to lose to a real Republican, Carper said that he still expects his show of bipartisanship to be "reciprocated" by grateful Republicans. Also, the Keystone Pipeline is still the root cause of all DC dysfunction (in-case you were wondering).
We’re Back

We’re Back

4 Comments
Apologies to our loyal readers for the break we took over the past Thanksgiving week. Personally I had five days of real work packed into two and a half days, then we had thirty family members to visit and two Thanksgivings meals to attend and leaves to rake and Christmas decorations to put up and roofs to climb and lights to hang. Come to think of it, I need another week off. So since you did not have an Open Thread for some time, have this one....
The Darren Wilson Interview

The Darren Wilson Interview

107 Comments
I've watched the interview with Darren Wilson and George Stephanopoulos and all I got out of it was anger.  During the interview all I kept thinking was... Liar.  And while I get why he lied (Hello?  Ongoing Federal Investigation), what I don't understand is why he gave the interview so soon.  Why not wait?  Did ABC pay him?  Payment is the only excuse I can think of for doing this interview so quickly. Here's why I think he's lying in the interview.  I also think he lied to the Grand Jury, and I'll get to that later.  Okay, here's the big lie....
I’m Thankful for You F*ckers

I’m Thankful for You F*ckers

12 Comments
Happy Thanksgiving and peace out for a while from your buddy Jason330. Blogging is 50% commenting, so we wouldn't be here without you guys. Even though I've been pretty pissed off this year, you all are keeping the spark of liberalism alive in your own way. When we are at our best, our comments and posts are poignant, thought provoking and well argued. When we are at our worst, we are basically full of it. And yet, it is always heartfelt, so thank you (in no particular order) Andy, puck, SussexAnon, All you Anonymous SOBs, LeBay, Unintended Consequences, Tom Hawk,bamboozer, teddy, ben, Another Mike, Geezer, Dorian Gray, Bane, Pine View Farm, rustydils, Aint’s Taking it Any More, AQC, Nuttingham, Walt, John Manifold, Plexing, Russ, Dave, Tom Kline. Republican David, stan merriman, fightingbluehen, Joanne Christian, Steve Newton auntiedem, Kavips, and MikeM2784. Also, all you regular lurkers who read everyday, but don't jump in. We see you in the stats and it is meaningful to us that you stop by. Thank you. Have a great Holiday. Fight with your crazy racist father-in-law and GO EAGLES!
The DNC Needs A Dean Redux

The DNC Needs A Dean Redux

11 Comments
A couple of commentaries appeared in the media this week from two divergent factions in the party, both in agreement.  Governor Terry McAuliffe and Howard Dean both went public with rather extensive statements that the DNC needs rebuilding.  We must have messaging on our accomplishments and what we stand for. McAuliffe spoke quite critically of the failure of our National Party to address the challenges of our struggling middle class and the need for major economic reforms.  This from a guy who I always viewed as a brilliant fund raiser but shallow thinker.   He did leave our party in great financial shape. Maybe I was wrong about the shallowness. I think he really understands the failed leadership of our Party here in a time of our most desperate need for economic reform.  He also spoke of our President's brilliant record on so many fronts which were ignored by the DNC's non-existent messaging program. Adding insult to injury, the clueless  but very well insured Democratic leader Chuck Schumer came this week with absurd commentary that it was a huge mistake for Congressional Democrats to undertake healthcare reform  in Obama's first term.  In a clearly uncoordinated messaging effort of his own without collaboration with the White House or DNC, he said we should have focused on the economy and not done the Affordable Care Act.  Is our Federal Government a one trick pony, incapable of multi-tasking?
Power vs. Authority

Power vs. Authority

31 Comments
I teach my organizational behavior students that, in their relationships, there is a difference between power and authority. Power is the ability to influence behavior, while authority is the right to influence behavior. Authority is derived from some level of mutual agreement within the relationship. In America we give police departments the authority to pull us over if we appear to be speeding. We grant that lifeguards on the beach, and cops on the highways enforcing the rules that we've established redounds to the general benefit of society. Social scientists call the extent to which we accept authority as legitimate as the "zone of indifference." When a cop, a lifeguard, or even our fast food managers go beyond what we perceive as their authority, we seem to know it intuitively. We all have a highly tuned sense of our personal zone of indifference. Unlike authority, power does not depend on a relationship. The lunchroom bully can influence behavior, but there is no consent given or implied when he takes the weaker kid's lunch money. Power is as power does. The bully has the ability to take the lunch money based on his strength, so he takes it. Now we have a class of citizens, police, who have abused their authority and have only power left. One cop murdering an unarmed kid and getting away with it doesn't simply diminish his own authority. That injustice drains authority out of the entire system. And once gone - authority does not come back. Once the mutual agreement that we've entered into in order to establish lines of civil authority has been broken, power is the tool remaining in the state's tool box. We call that a police state.
If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns, and those outlaws will be cops

If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns, and those outlaws will be cops

12 Comments
Statistically speaking, the biggest murders in Utah are cops.
There have been more deaths caused by police shootings than by gang members, drug dealers or from child abuse in the past five years in Utah, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. This year alone, the Tribune reported, police shootings have claimed more lives than violence between spouses or partners, for a total of 13 deaths. A toll, which includes 22-year-old Darrien Hunt who was fatally shot by police in September.
Governor Markell’s Weekly Message

Governor Markell’s Weekly Message

4 Comments
The Governor was a little late in posting his video to YouTube yesterday, so he missed out on the Weekly Addresses column. But hey, that's smart. Now he gets the spotlight to himself and he doesn't have to share it with that glory hog Obama. LOL.

Sunday Open Thread [11.23.14]

6 Comments
Bill Maher, at the top of his New Rules segment on his HBO show Friday night, accurately described the current political situation. Maher said: “Now that they’ve wrestled his approval rating down to the basement, and grabbed control of both houses of Congress, Republicans must explain why this guy (Obama) keeps kicking your ass. It’s like one of those action movies where you tie the hero up, chain him to a chair, then he headbutts you unconscious, gets up, and leaves a note signed Django.” Come inside for the video... I love that President Obama is now the sole Democratic agenda setter in Washington. The bipartisanship-seeking cowards that call themselves Democrats, namely Tom Carper, can learn from Obama's example. Let's have more of it. If the Republicans even attempt to touch Obamacare, Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, the President vetos and every Democrat .... every Democrat.... shuts the fuck up and supports the President. I am looking directly at you, Tom. As a side note, does Tom Carper retire in 2018? I suspect not, but there is a backlog of Democrats piling up waiting for him to move on (Biden, Markell, Carney).