keelansgrandad 6,679 Posted June 4, 2020 So McCarthy and John Wayne (tough guy called Marion) were obsessed about Communists and Socialists. Now the right are obsessed with Liberalism. Give them another 50 years and they will eat each other Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 4, 2020 There always was a strong thread of authoritarianism in America, counterpoint to the movie projected idealism and independence of the America spirit. What was a revelation to me was visiting the birthplace of President Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, who was V.P when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson The take way is the two parties have held these libertarian v authoritarian positions for a very long time, however the parties positions have flipped since the 1950's. Especially noticeable the argument for "States Rights" - something Republicans argued against then and will argue until they are blue in the face for now. Quite stunning really, but really a reflection of the flip in geographic support between the two parties, Democrats used to be southern rural, Republicans northern metro, now its the other way around, so in that sense the politics has stayed the same the badges used to reflect those positions switched over.  1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keelansgrandad 6,679 Posted June 4, 2020 George Floyd had coronavirus, a postmortem has found. The 20-page medical report shows he had the virus on 3 April, and although it's likely he was asymptomatic when he died, he showed a "persistent positivity from a previous infection". However, the report states clearly that the virus was unrelated to his death Well thats OK. Police can go ahead and knock around who they want. The guy was illegally outside. Trump aide says he deserved it no doubt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 4, 2020 (edited) For those that love a good conspiracy theory....... have a read. RTB ? https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1268535418137595905.html Longer version https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1261440345683836929.html Edited June 4, 2020 by Surfer 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 4, 2020 Meanwhile, further movement away from the President ... it's still glacial among Republican politicians but it's a start. The Vice President has still not been seen in public this week.   Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted June 4, 2020 As Trumps popularity continues to slump, it should be noted who are now not standing by him. Silence from senior fellow Republican, and the hill billies (toting rambo style armament) are nowhere to be seen. Have the all been told to stay at home by some Master redneck - or have the realisation that they are on the wrong side of history yet again, only more blatantly this time. What you are seeing across a wide spectrum of US society is a fair number now ;falling in line; with the pronounced sentiment - that race discrimination, and police brutality is wrong, and has been going on for far too long. This has found common agreement, not only across the UDS but across the world as others have joined in the protests and demonstrated a wish to show their agreement, This has been building up for a long while, and has only been sped towards this reaction by the bigotry expressed and the lies spouted on a daily basis by Trump. And it should come as no surprise that we see him as some mad nutter hidden away deep in a bunker issuing more and more bizarre instructions to the military to combat his enemies - in this case follow US citizens. He is now a man becoming more isolated from his supporters, as he is isolated from reality. His (political) days are numbered. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) The two Republicans to keep your eye on now, are Attorney General Barr, and Senate Majority Leader McConnell. Both are cynical hard nosed political animals, and Barr has pushed the boundaries of the law and will continue to do so. McConnell knows the political landscape, did he give Murkowski the green light to run a trial balloon of protest? At the back of my mind is Vice President Pence, keeping a low profile, but in a position to pardon President Trump if he resigns before Jan. If Trump dumps Pence as has been rumored for Nikki Haley, Pence holds all the cards as until Jan he'll still be V.P, with no need to maintain anything except a public display of loyalty until Nov, but as the only one who can issue a pardon to Trump after a defeat in Nov, he could signal that he would not to do that.... it's going to be very interesting. Edited June 5, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) And we can only hope that if Trump and his crew go down to defeat in November this organization - which markets itself as a news organization - is appropriately sanctioned / forced to reform as it's poison in the bloodstream of America. No "free speech" rights should be twisted in such a manner. it's just night after night after night of fact free propaganda, brought to you by Rupert Murdoch and his children. So very sad.  Edited June 5, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) I bet the Australians are going to have a field day with this lie. AG Barr's department again. It was witnessed on live TV.  And they didn't fire tear gas, except that "someone" did..... Edited June 5, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted June 5, 2020 More righty les exposed - then removed ps ignore the loony right spouting sh yte in the clip, the story is in the trext https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/white-house-deleted-tweets-antifa-trump-jewish-center-synagogue-a9550001.html#gsc.tab=0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kick it off 1,952 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) If they do this to an elderley White man on camera, imagine what they do to Black protesters off camera. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8390857/Two-Buffalo-police-officers-suspended-video-shows-shoving-elderly-man-ground.html Proud to see so much global unity with the BLM protests. Change needs to happen in the USA. Badly. Edited June 5, 2020 by kick it off Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted June 5, 2020 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/52921989/george-floyd-how-the-usa-s-history-has-shaped-today-s-police-brutality Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bill 1,788 Posted June 5, 2020 Police brutality https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/buffalo-police-riot-man-pushed-video-new-york-video-a9550171.html#gsc.tab=0 or and folk might wonder just how crazy it is in the US having police able to routinely pull out cuns though it doesn' a;ways go the way they want  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) For perspective, there has always been police brutality here, but also much more often police respect, so only a very few are saying that all cops are acting in bad faith. But the evidence is in front of everyone's eyes now and there is a very obvious initial caution in any interaction between police officer and citizen probably because of gun prevalence. And a definite culture of "us v them". The Obama administration was starting to address that (probably because it was headed up by a President and Attorney General who were both black), but the Trump administration very explicitly encouraged the police to act tougher and acted to remove the Federal oversight programs. That possibly may have happened under any Republican administration, but did under this.   What is equally concerning to the underlying violence of the few, is the consistent pattern of covering up (lying) about the facts. Even when the behavior is captured on video - body cameras were one of the policies that the last administration recommended and several forces have added to police equipment.  The cover up mentality beyond just protecting the job and pension of the offending police officer has deadly consequences for the population policed if the perpetrators feel that they can get away with that behavior scot free. And this is the same cover up pattern of "don't believe the evidence of your own eyes" that we are seeing in the US administration and UK government and why nobody should give them a pass for that behavior, because if we do they will only make choices for their own immediate benefit and not for the good of the people. Edited June 5, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) Here's another example. Note the multiple baton attacks on the first lady standing passively, after she breaks away from the first officer who accidentally grabs her breast, and the fact her friend is also violently pushed to the ground as she is standing there apparently holding the first lady's purse or phone. In too many of these examples the police are not "de-escalating" the situation. They may well be scared, but they are often creating the very street violence they are there to prevent / contain. Before the advent of cell phones this was all too easily swept under the rug. Now it can't be, but police unions and politicians have a very tight relationship (there is a background story on how local elections are financed here) so we too often get this constant coverup and denial of what happened.  Edited June 5, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 Cleverly done, I foresee a trend starting there 🙂 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 In Washington D.C today - painted overnight on the orders of Mayor Muriel Bowser.  1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 Meanwhile the President has been screaming about voter fraud ... well : people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones? Providing false information on a registration in Florida is a felony punishable by up to five years in state prison. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-maralago-illegal-residence_n_5eda78e6c5b66ef1a9246821?rmg As They Scream Voter Fraud, Trump And His Press Secretary May Have Voted Illegally Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 5, 2020 (edited) Meanwhile, if these polls hold up as vote margin in November, it's all done and dusted. Biden wins in a landslide.  Trump won all of these last time, and needs to win most , including Florida this time too. Or if Biden wind Texas (yes Texas - the last Democrat to win there was Lyndon Johnson) then Trump can win all these States and still lose. Latest poll: Texas : Biden 48 - 48 Trump  Edited June 6, 2020 by Surfer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 6, 2020 You know who can rant and rave, and issue Executive Orders that everyone will ignore, and Republican Senators can start BS investigations , and Fox will say everyone will be killed .... ... but you know a new day is dawning in America when this is your National Guard. 🙂  1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 6, 2020 So the marches to protest against police violence has been met too often by - police violence - as a result there is a strong move afoot to "defund" police departments. It's eye opening just how much money is spent on the police, so defunding is actually carries out this could turn out to be a huge own goal for the "we must maintain law and order at all costs" politicians who argue for ever more funding.  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SHRIMPER 328 Posted June 6, 2020 (edited) I just cannot understand how that despicable member of the GOP.. Rand Paul can hold up the Anti Lynching Bill in the senate. I first stated on here many years ago the the USA was the most racist country in the world..that statement still holds. Edited June 6, 2020 by SHRIMPER Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nevermind, neoliberalism has had it 159 Posted June 6, 2020 Us this and US that, election time nears and the medias itching navel rash spreads around the country called England as if this dangerous attachment had any value. We have broken diplomatic relations with country's for far less, but if we want to change our very own police brutality here, we have to challenge this behaviour everywhere. Trump is dividing the country and he needs help from a shrink. His intelligence is not much higher that president Zuma's. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS38viIgJxE Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keelansgrandad 6,679 Posted June 6, 2020 Two Buffalo Cops (go round the outside) suspended pending an inquiry and the other 57 drop batons in support. Wonder whether Trump's anti union feelings since taking office applies to these guys. Sorry about the singing in the middle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herman 9,767 Posted June 6, 2020 I don't know if you heard his show yesterday but this lady, a prosecutor from the US, rang and explained how and why it is so hard to punish the police for their bad and criminal acts. Well worth a few minutes of your time. https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/james-obrien/attorney-how-police-get-away-with-brutality/ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surfer 1,547 Posted June 6, 2020 And this article in TIME is a good summary of what has been happening here regarding (no) police department reforms. https://time.com/5848368/george-floyd-police-reform-failures/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_term=politics_justice&linkId=90208158  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites