The 118th United States Congress

[Mr.TaterSalad]

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

well, don't over read it. It's the overall context. Johnson doesn't need to be any kind of saint to be a far more trustworthy opponent than McCarthy - who was a total scumbag, lying to and crossing friend and foe alike with the wind direction, or even worse a diaboli like Gym Jordan whose name would be sure to come up again as potential successor.

I don't know, wouldn't Gym Jordan be a better lighting rod to campaign against than Johnson? I get that Johnson is MAGA Mike and is himself a Trump-loving Congressman. But I think Johnson comes across as far more presentable and far less crazy to average voters versus a guy like Jordan who comes across as out of touch with reality. There's also the fact that he was apart of covering up sexual abuse of athletes at Ohio State when he was the wrestling coach. That seems like a better lightning rod to attack and go after to me.

One of the things the Republicans have always effectively done in the past is to nationalize elections and make Democratic leaders toxic lightning rods in the eyes of voters in races across the country. They run ads showcasing Candidate X with the like of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and bait voters into believing Democratic leadership are bad, maniacal people. Democrats have done some of that with Mitch McConnell in the past in their ads, but it doesn't feel like they have to the extent the Republicans have. Jordan seems like a far scarier person to present and sell to the voters than Johnson.

 

Edited May 1, 2024 by Mr.TaterSalad

[Motown Bombers]

2 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I don't know, wouldn't Gym Jordan be a better lighting rod to campaign against than Johnson? I get that Johnson is MAGA Mike and is himself a Trump-loving Congressman. But I think Johnson comes across as far more presentable and far less crazy to average voters versus a guy like Jordan who comes across as out of touch with reality. There's also the fact that he was apart of covering up sexual abuse of athletes at Ohio State when he was the wrestling coach. That seems like a better lightning rod to attack and go after to me.

One of the things the Republicans have always effectively done in the past is to nationalize elections and make Democratic leaders toxic lightning rods in the eyes of voters in races across the country. They run ads showcasing Candidate X with the like of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer and bait voters into believing Democratic leadership are bad, maniacal people. Democrats have done some of that with Mitch McConnell in the past in their ads, but it doesn't feel like they have to the extent the Republicans have. Jordan seems like a far scarier person to present and sell to the voters than Johnson.

 

Or the Democrats were interested in governing. 

[gehringer_2]

53 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Or the Democrats were interested in governing. 

yeah - one way to look at the current overall party positioning is the Dem have the most to win with the 'but they're all the same' voter, and to do that maybe you give up a few short term chances to score social media points to try and change your narrative. IDK if it works, time will tell, but Jeffries seems like that type of straight ahead kind of guy so I can believe it's what he wants to have work.

[romad1]

They sound like a fun bunch of self-righteous, low-IQ, pipe-bombing, anti-Semitic, racist, deeply-closeted, puppy murderers.

[romad1]

part 2 of the above

Bannon calling out the liars on behalf of the Father of Lies (John 8:44)

[pfife]

Ruh roh!

Rep. Henry Cuellar accused of taking bribes from Azerbaijan, Mexican bank 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/05/03/henry-cuellar-indicted-bribery-azerbaijan-mexico/

[chasfh]

What a compete and utter bozo. 

 

[CMRivdogs]

Once again Jaime Raskin schools a Republican who fell asleep during seventh grade government class. 
 

 

 

[gehringer_2]

10 minutes ago, CMRivdogs said:

Once again Jaime Raskin schools a Republican who fell asleep during seventh grade government class. 
 

 

 

Raskin is a gem. I hope his health holds and he's around for many years.

[CMRivdogs]

 

[CMRivdogs]

I want someone to propose a bill that any candidate for public office pass the standard citizenship test required of foreign residents to become citizens. State and local offices should also include a current events test
 

 

[chasfh]

11 hours ago, CMRivdogs said:

I want someone to propose a bill that any candidate for public office pass the standard citizenship test required of foreign residents to become citizens. State and local offices should also include a current events test
 

 

Maybe Mike Johnson should just enforce the laws that are already on the books.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

Maybe Mike Johnson should just enforce the laws that are already on the books.

Now don't go giving the GOP any ideas about how to violate the Constitution in yet new ways!  

Edited May 9, 2024 by gehringer_2

[chasfh]

3 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Now don't go giving the GOP any ideas about how to violate the Constitution in yet new ways!  

It was a dig at what Republicans always say whenever anyone asks for new gun legislation.

[gehringer_2]

46 minutes ago, chasfh said:

It was a dig at what Republicans always say whenever anyone asks for new gun legislation.

speaking of which - another terrible story in WaPo out of FLA about incompetent deputies who charged into the wrong apartment and killed a USAF airman. Resident had a gun, cops apparently did not identify, so another case of trigger happy cops (the young man was Black, of course) but another case of a someone buying a gun for their protection and it being the direct cause of their death.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/09/florida-police-shoot-black-airman-roger-fortson/

Edited May 9, 2024 by gehringer_2

[oblong]

34 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

speaking of which - another terrible story in WaPo out of FLA about incompetent deputies who charged into the wrong apartment and killed a USAF airman. Resident had a gun, cops apparently did not identify, so another case of trigger happy cops (the young man was Black, of course) but another case of a someone buying a gun for their protection and it being the direct cause of their death.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/09/florida-police-shoot-black-airman-roger-fortson/

and I'm sure some law will protect the murderers.  It was murder.  No accountability.  I have zero faith that anything under Ron DeSantis will prosecute and convict a cop from shooting a black man.

 

 

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, oblong said:

and I'm sure some law will protect the murderers.  It was murder.  No accountability.  I have zero faith that anything under Ron DeSantis will prosecute and convict a cop from shooting a black man.

 

 

They stood their ground.

[ewsieg]

Police released the cop cam.  The cop on scene was told it was apartment 1401 that had the disturbance and he goes to 1401.  Very loudly knocks on the door and identifies himself as police, the kid opens the door with a gun in his hand (in a relaxed position pointing down) and the cop immediately pulls his gun and shoots.  

It's clear the cop didn't go looking to kill a young black man like the story that is being painted, but also clear the cop shouldn't be a cop.  I don't see how legally you can view it as a justifiable shooting.

 

[chasfh]

27 minutes ago, ewsieg said:

Police released the cop cam.  The cop on scene was told it was apartment 1401 that had the disturbance and he goes to 1401.  Very loudly knocks on the door and identifies himself as police, the kid opens the door with a gun in his hand (in a relaxed position pointing down) and the cop immediately pulls his gun and shoots.  

It's clear the cop didn't go looking to kill a young black man like the story that is being painted, but also clear the cop shouldn't be a cop.  I don't see how legally you can view it as a justifiable shooting.

 

You may not be implying this, but speaking for myself, I don’t think the bar has to be as high as “went looking to kill a young black man” before the book can be thrown at the cop. This was a criminal act by him, and he needs to pay with a criminal conviction.

[oblong]

Whether he went looking to kill a young black man or not is irrelevant.  He did.

We give cops way too many excuses and outs.  They are the ones with the guns and firearms 101 is you are responsible for the bullets that come out and who they hit.  This idea that all they have to do is say "police" and they are absolved of any kind of guilt because "well we were scared". is absurd.

You want to go rob or kill someone?  Go to their door and start pounding on it, then say the word "police".   At that point anybody inside should put their guns down and do whatever they say, otherwise they will shoot you.

 

[oblong]

1 minute ago, chasfh said:

You may not be implying this, but speaking for myself, I don’t think the bar has to be as high as “went looking to kill a young black man” before the book can be thrown at the cop. This was a criminal act by him, and he needs to pay with a criminal conviction.

the guy having the gun in is hand will be all that's required for him to get away with it.  Anything at all in the situation where an officer can say "Well I was scared" and that's all it takes.  

They are grooming us to live in a police state where cops are not public servants but authority figures who can order us around at any time to do what they demand and if we don't then they can shoot us.

If you don't like your neighbor just call the cops and say there's a disturbance over there.  Then they can just show up and blast him. 

[ewsieg]

8 minutes ago, chasfh said:

You may not be implying this, but speaking for myself, I don’t think the bar has to be as high as “went looking to kill a young black man” before the book can be thrown at the cop. This was a criminal act by him, and he needs to pay with a criminal conviction.

I agree completely, my point is that the narrative was that police swarmed into the wrong apartment without identifying which we can see was absolutely false, but it helps drive a narrative to make it worse than it already is (which with an innocent young man dead, is absolutely horrible).

People like Crump do nothing to help and putting out narratives like this only gets the pro-cop folks defenses up, which actually lowers the chances that the family gets criminal justice.  But Crump will get a nice pay day from the cops eventually, so he's happy to move along to the next questionable death he can find.

[ewsieg]

13 minutes ago, oblong said:

the guy having the gun in is hand will be all that's required for him to get away with it.  Anything at all in the situation where an officer can say "Well I was scared" and that's all it takes.  

There will be pro-cop folks saying this, but legally "I'm scared" is not justifiable.   The cop doesn't need to wait for a gun to be pointed at him, just an upward movement can potentially give him justification, but that simply didn't happen here.  I can't say he will be convicted, but the Feds need to step in if Florida refuses to pursue criminal charges.

[chasfh]

16 minutes ago, ewsieg said:

I agree completely, my point is that the narrative was that police swarmed into the wrong apartment without identifying which we can see was absolutely false, but it helps drive a narrative to make it worse than it already is (which with an innocent young man dead, is absolutely horrible).

People like Crump do nothing to help and putting out narratives like this only gets the pro-cop folks defenses up, which actually lowers the chances that the family gets criminal justice.  But Crump will get a nice pay day from the cops eventually, so he's happy to move along to the next questionable death he can find.

I don't see how any narrative can make it any worse than a cop broke in and shot an innocent guy dead in his own house.

Although I do agree that even reporting the story empowers "copoligists" when it comes to public discourse, and that relates to Oblong's police state grooming theory, but I don't agree with your attempt to shift the focus of the story to some civil rights attorney.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, oblong said:

the guy having the gun in is hand will be all that's required for him to get away with it. 

This. It won't be hard to find a jury to acquit - all they have to do in FLA is find a white one which should be easy in an area that is >90% white.

Edited May 10, 2024 by gehringer_2