Political Randomness

[Holman]

Jade Helm

[AWS260]

LoTR: RotK?

edit: This weird post is because I had the guess-the-movie thread open in another tab and got confused about where I was. Go me!

[Isgrimnur]

Dunkin Donuts employees do not care about cop people.

At a Dunkin’ Donuts in Providence, R.I., Friday, a local police officer was handed a cup with “#blacklivesmatter” written on the side. In Hartford, Conn., Saturday, a Dunkin’ employee reportedly told a police officer waiting in line, “We don’t serve cops here.”

Reactions to the two incidents – part of a number of individual acts of resistance in various food establishments across the country – once more highlighted the rift between law enforcement and the black community, and those who support each side. Similar incidents have occurred at a Whataburger in Texas, an Arby’s in Miami, and a Chipotle in New York.

Following the incident Saturday, dozens took to Twitter to call for a boycott of Dunkin’ Donuts and for the employee to be fired, The Hartford Courant reported. The company tweeted a response, saying, “The crew member exhibited poor judgement and the franchisee has apologized to the police officer on behalf of Dunkin' Donuts."

[Moliere]

[Isgrimnur]

• Assembly Bill 144 - Dumping
• Assembly Bill 849 - Arson
• Senate Bill 168 - Unmanned aircraft systems
• Senate Bill 170 - Unmanned aircraft systems: correctional facilities.
• Senate Bill 271 - Unmanned aircraft systems [public schools]
• Senate Bill 333 - Controlled substances [Ketamine, gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and flunitrazepam]
• Senate Bill 347 - Firearms: prohibited persons.
• Senate Bill 716 - Animal cruelty; elephants
• Senate Bill 722 - Sex offenders: GPS monitoring: removal.

"Soft on crime" attack ads in 3... 2...

[El Guapo]

He doesn't touch on what is probably the most problematic consequence of an endless criminal code. Specifically, that it essentially gives prosecutors almost unfettered discretion to punish individuals, given that: (1) they can pick between a variety of possible charges with different (often mandatory) sentences; (2) threatening longer-sentencing charges can effectively compel plea deals even in weak cases (while effectively avoiding judicial review of said weak cases); and (3) under well-established case law the prosecutor's decision as to which charges to bring out of available charges is essentially unreviewable by courts.

[Rip]

Stepping on Gun Control legislation seems like an odd choice.

But what the heck not like anyone is interested in decreasing the number of people allowed to purchase/possess firearms.

[Isgrimnur]

Existing law generally prohibits a person who has been convicted of certain specified misdemeanors from possessing a firearm within 10 years of the conviction. Under existing law, a violation of this prohibition is a crime, punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or in the state prison for 16 months, or 2 or 3 years, by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by both that imprisonment and fine.

This bill would add to the list of misdemeanors, the conviction for which is subject to the above prohibition on possessing a firearm within 10 years of the conviction, the petty theft of a firearm, and convictions on or after January 1, 2016, for the misdemeanor offenses of carrying ammunition onto school grounds and receiving stolen property consisting of a firearm. The bill would make other technical, nonsubstantive changes. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, and because this bill would expand the application of the crime to a larger class of potential offenders, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

[Isgrimnur]

Enjoy the scrutiny, Alabama:

Take a look at the 10 Alabama counties with the highest percentage of non-white registered voters. That's Macon, Greene, Sumter, Lowndes, Bullock, Perry, Wilcox, Dallas, Hale, and Montgomery, according to the Alabama Secretary of State's office. Alabama, thanks to its budgetary insanity and inanity, just opted to close driver license bureaus in eight of them. All but Dallas and Montgomery will be closed.

Closed. In a state in which driver licenses or special photo IDs are a requirement for voting.
...
Every single county in which blacks make up more than 75 percent of registered voters will see their driver license office closed. Every one.
...
So Alabama closes 31 driver license offices. And while the cuts come across Alabama, they are deepest in the Black Belt. The harm is inflicted disproportionately on voters who happen to be black, and poor, in sparsely populated areas.

So roll out the welcome wagon to the Justice Department, and tell the world what it already so desperately wants to hear.

That Alabama is exactly what they always thought she was.

That Alabama refuses to pay for its own government, and used it as an excuse to keep black people from the polls. That Alabama hasn't changed a bit.

I'd say they have us all wrong. I'd love to say they have us all wrong.

But the numbers say they don't.

[naednek]

What did the pope say to him?

man up and quit crying would be my guess

[naednek]

Next time the gun topic comes up (and it should be ~22 days or so), I need to remember that I parked this story here when trying to make a point about NJ:

A Cumberland County man cannot keep his grandfather's World War II rifle because it is an illegal assault firearm, according to a Sept. 15 New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division decision.

...

The M1 carbine could not be returned to him because it falls under the definition of an assault firearm, which is illegal to possess per New Jersey law.

Awful.

Well, you were slightly off

[Jaymann]

Enjoy the scrutiny, Alabama:

Take a look at the 10 Alabama counties with the highest percentage of non-white registered voters. That's Macon, Greene, Sumter, Lowndes, Bullock, Perry, Wilcox, Dallas, Hale, and Montgomery, according to the Alabama Secretary of State's office. Alabama, thanks to its budgetary insanity and inanity, just opted to close driver license bureaus in eight of them. All but Dallas and Montgomery will be closed.

Closed. In a state in which driver licenses or special photo IDs are a requirement for voting.
...
Every single county in which blacks make up more than 75 percent of registered voters will see their driver license office closed. Every one.
...
So Alabama closes 31 driver license offices. And while the cuts come across Alabama, they are deepest in the Black Belt. The harm is inflicted disproportionately on voters who happen to be black, and poor, in sparsely populated areas.

So roll out the welcome wagon to the Justice Department, and tell the world what it already so desperately wants to hear.

That Alabama is exactly what they always thought she was.

That Alabama refuses to pay for its own government, and used it as an excuse to keep black people from the polls. That Alabama hasn't changed a bit.

I'd say they have us all wrong. I'd love to say they have us all wrong.

But the numbers say they don't.

Stay classy, Alabama. Not such a sweet home unless you are white.

[El Guapo]

There's a lot of buzz that Biden is leaning towards running for President, and will announce next week.

#ReadyForBiden.

[Moliere]

Rio 2016: 30% cutback on Games budget to avoid overspend

"The days of lavish spending are over," said Andrada. "We need to be creative in the way we find these savings."

Events across 50 Olympic and Paralympic sports featuring about 15,000 athletes will not be affected.

The BBC understands a crisis meeting has been held in the past few days.

The organising committee's budget is privately financed, with separate budgets for stadiums and infrastructure, but the Brazilian government would have to meet the cost of any overspend.

Ticket sales have been slow with only two million of the five million available sold so far.

Cutting your budget by almost a third with less than a year to go? Good luck with that plan.

[Moliere]

Tunisian groups wins Nobel Peace Prize

[Moliere]

Collector Gives Vladimir Putin Dodgy $2 Billion Collection of Works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Others

[AWS260]

Some blowhard with a blog blathers on about free speech.

Spoiler:

It's Fed!

[Rip]

Rip prediction of the month.

Watch for Charles Boustany to run for Senate.

[Defiant]

This is why understanding math is important:

Turkish Prime Minister: ‘There Is a 360-Degree Difference Between Turkish Islam and ISIS’

[GreenGoo]

I think he means 360 degrees of separation.

[Isgrimnur]

That's almost four boy-bands' worth!

[Max Peck]

This is why understanding math is important:

Turkish Prime Minister: ‘There Is a 360-Degree Difference Between Turkish Islam and ISIS’

I presume this was just his way of acknowledging that both groups enjoy exploding Kurds.

[GreenGoo]

This is why understanding math is important:

Turkish Prime Minister: ‘There Is a 360-Degree Difference Between Turkish Islam and ISIS’

I presume this was just his way of acknowledging that both groups enjoy exploding Kurds.

I was going to go with "well, that's refreshingly honest for a change" but decided against it.

[LordMortis]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/28/opinion/n ... lawmakers/

78 members of Congress can count federally registered lobbyists as family members. Those lobbyists number 100, and according to congressional watchdog Legistorm, they have worked on lobbying contracts worth $2 billion.

Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is married to a lobbyist for Kraft Foods, a company that lobbied in 2013 on farm and agriculture bills. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's son and son-in-law have lobbied Congress on a variety of issues. And this week, Reid faced questions about a payment to his granddaughter for "gifts" for his campaign donors -- but he since said he was returning the money to his campaign.

[Unagi]

This is why understanding math is important:

Turkish Prime Minister: ‘There Is a 360-Degree Difference Between Turkish Islam and ISIS’

Unrelated... My first detention was earned in 6th grade gym class... I was sitting on the floor,turned around and talking to this cute girl I liked. The teacher called out my name and directed me to "turn around!". I did a 360 on my butt, and ended up looking back at the girl and continued to talk to her.

[LawBeefaroni]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/28/opinion/n ... lawmakers/

78 members of Congress can count federally registered lobbyists as family members. Those lobbyists number 100, and according to congressional watchdog Legistorm, they have worked on lobbying contracts worth $2 billion.

Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is married to a lobbyist for Kraft Foods, a company that lobbied in 2013 on farm and agriculture bills. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's son and son-in-law have lobbied Congress on a variety of issues. And this week, Reid faced questions about a payment to his granddaughter for "gifts" for his campaign donors -- but he since said he was returning the money to his campaign.

Why put in the time if your family can't reap their rewards?

[Pyperkub]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/28/opinion/n ... lawmakers/

78 members of Congress can count federally registered lobbyists as family members. Those lobbyists number 100, and according to congressional watchdog Legistorm, they have worked on lobbying contracts worth $2 billion.

Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Agriculture Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is married to a lobbyist for Kraft Foods, a company that lobbied in 2013 on farm and agriculture bills. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's son and son-in-law have lobbied Congress on a variety of issues. And this week, Reid faced questions about a payment to his granddaughter for "gifts" for his campaign donors -- but he since said he was returning the money to his campaign.

More from the article:

Two bills recently introduced in Congress show us the path forward.

In the House of Representatives, Democrat Rep. John Sarbanes of Maryland has introduced the Government by the People Act, and in the Senate, Democrat Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois has introduced the Fair Elections Now Act.

Both bills would use a refundable tax credit and matching funds on small donations to help lessen the influence of big money in our elections and empower everyday people.

Candidates for Congress could forgo the constant fundraising from wealthy donors and special interest lobbyists, avoid the perception of being in their pockets and focus on representing the interests of their constituents. In other words, to do the jobs that they're elected to do in the first place. In New York, a campaign to win similar legislation in that scandal-ridden state is just a handful of votes from passage.

Uh, I don't see how those bills stop this behavior. Sure they could do something about campaign finance (per the article), but it doesn't sound like they actually do anything about the nepotism or other lobbyist connections other than maybe limit the bribery potential. The family members would still be on the dole payroll.

[Kraken]

Are you smarter than a 4th grader?

Analysis of each candidate's campaign announcement vocabulary and sentence length shows each one's level of communication. At the bottom, just as you'd expect:

The Republican candidates — like Trump — who are speaking at a level easily understood by people at the lower end of the education spectrum are outperforming their highfalutin opponents in the polls. Simpler language resonates with a broader swath of voters in an era of 140-character Twitter tweets and 10-second television sound bites, say specialists on political speech.

Random thoughts: Clearly, talking down to the lowest common denominator is the way to go. Surprised to see Huck at the top of the scale. I don't even know who Gilmore is. And I'll bet Bernie would drop several grades if he stopped saying "oligarchy."

[Enough]

Y’all, Norwegians Use The Word “Texas” As Slang To Mean “Crazy”

[El Guapo]

Paul Ryan Says He Will Serve As House Speaker, Maybe.

Basically Paul Ryan has partially relented, and is open to becoming Speaker. He has some conditions, though, notably rule changes that would neuter the Freedom Caucus' ability to depose the Speaker (which seems reasonable enough). I have mixed feelings, though overall this is probably positive (if the Freedom Caucus agrees to his terms). Paul Ryan is (IMO) dangerous because he's an extremist radical who is good at posing as a moderate (especially with the media), so he's particularly well suited to carry out a radical agenda. However, it seems like this stuff would significantly reduce the leverage of the Freedom Caucus, which would in turn help the House become more functional again.

So ultimately I think the House would be about as hard right as it is now, but would be more capable of carrying out the basic functions of government (such as paying for the government and paying our debts).

[Pyperkub]

Many of the pundit class are loving to excoriate Hilary on her comment that the enemies she's most proud of are the Republicans. Comments such as how can she say that and all sorts of other gibes.

However - a look at the record indicates that Republicans have:

Accused her of murder and a coverup
Tried to break up her marriage and destroy her husband, smearing it all over the world
Accused her of stealing from the White House
Tried to destroy her career with multiple political witch hunts
Harassed her daughter
Anonymously slandered her all over the internet in all sorts of fashions.

To sum up, Republicans have used every trick in the book and a lot outside the book to destroy her and her family. Enemies indeed.

Of course, the question is whether this would make her a better president or not, currently.

[Kraken]

So...since taking over the House the Republicans have created one job, and nobody wants it.

[Jaymann]

So...since taking over the House the Republicans have created one job, and nobody wants it.

[Isgrimnur]

FCC cuts prison phone call rates:

The 3-2 vote in Washington comes two years after the FCC voted to restrict rates on inmate calls made from one state to another. The new changes go further, capping rates on all local, in-state long distance, interstate and international calls. The vast majority of inmate calls will cost no more than $1.65 for 15 minutes, although slightly higher rates will be allowed in some smaller institutions. And fees and other costs, which in some cases have boosted calls to $17 to $25 for 15 minutes, also would be limited. The changes will take effect in prisons early next year and in jails by midyear.

FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn, a Democrat, said before the vote that the cost of the calls have placed "incredible burdens" on the families of the more than 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S.

Over the years, defense attorneys also have joined in the fight for lower rates. But phone companies have defended the costs, saying some of the money generated is used for things like activities for the incarcerated and that the calls require costly security features. The FCC has countered that the cost of security features was built into the rate structure.

Commissioners Ajit Pai and Michael O'Rielly, both Republicans, dissented, saying they believed they didn't have the authority to take such action.

Jonathan Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs' Association, said the group is "very disappointed" and that "the record reflects that the costs sheriffs do have warrant a much higher rate."
...
The petition asking the FCC to regulate inmate phone call rates was filed in 2003 after a judge dismissed a lawsuit that Martha Wright-Reed of Washington brought against a private prison company. She had struggled to keep up with phone bills while her grandson was incarcerated. The judge directed her to the commission.

Wright has since died, but Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said "there is no better way to honor her legacy than to finally fix the criminal costs too many families face just to stay in touch."

[El Guapo]

This is a great move - it's immoral the rates that have been charged to prisoners and their families.

Also, this is an amazing justification:

But phone companies have defended the costs, saying some of the money generated is used for things like activities for the incarcerated and that the calls require costly security features.

Because it's a justification that implicitly admits that they're gouging prisoners above what their costs are.

[Isgrimnur]

5th veto

President Obama exercised his veto power Thursday for just the fifth time in his presidency, rejecting a defense authorization bill because of the way it would sidestep budget limitations for the military and because it would restrict the transfer of detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay.

The White House said that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) would tap an overseas contingency operations account designed for emergencies and war costs and use it as a “slush fund” to avoid budget restrictions. Those restrictions — known as sequestration — would impose offsetting across-the-board cuts if spending passed certain levels.

“The president believes that the men and women who serve in our armed forces deserve adequate and responsible funding, not through a gimmick or not through a slush fund but one that would — could withstand scrutiny,” said White House spokesman Eric Schultz.

The veto is a shot across the bow of Congress, which differs with Obama over the outlines of a budget for fiscal 2016. And Obama made an extra point by publicly signing the veto statement before a pool of White House press. The fiscal year ended Oct. 1 and a continuing resolution will temporarily keep the government open through Dec. 11.

Of Obama’s other four vetoes, two were made to block Congress from approving the Keystone XL crude-oil pipeline. One blocked Congress from changing a National Labor Relations Board rule on representation case procedures, and one put aside a measure about the recognition of notarization from one state to another.

[Max Peck]

A pro-gun politician puts his money (or the taxpayer's money, I guess) where his mouth is by offering a municipal subsidy to those wishing to purchase a firearm for home defense.

[Max Peck]

I can't find a thread for all things Sudan so I'll just drop this here. It's an interesting, albeit depressing, story.

Malakal: The city that vanished in South Sudan

The roads of central Juba, the capital of South Sudan, bear witness to the British colonial town it once was: They are lined with neem trees, tall and narrow-leafed, their seeds transported from India. In their broad shade, there is another familiar sight: Lines of men, in plastic chairs, most of them jobless. They wait and talk, scouring the thin pickings of the local newspapers.

Victor Lajar is one of them. He is 51 - his purple-striped shirt is perfectly pressed; his grey trousers have crisp vertical creases. Over a cup of clove-laced tea, he tells me he used to be a local government official. He was from the northern city of Malakal. He fled, during the civil war. He has a family to support and no job.

I ask my first guileless question: "The war's over; why don't you return?"

Mr Lajar answers with his own question: "You don't know about Malakal?" he asks. "It's ashes," he tells me.

This is the main street through Malakal, which used to a be a bustling city

In the morning, I get a rare tour of the city, in a UN military patrol, with an SPLA escort. It is unlike any place I have ever visited.

Malakal is - was - South Sudan's second city. In the decades of war with the north, it thrived. Now it is empty. Parts have been razed to the ground in the rage of warfare. But much has been wrecked simply by looting and vandalism, as rival forces allied to rival ethnic groups swept back and forth.

Malakal has changed hands 12 times during this civil war.

The children's hospital was built as a prize of independence. Now it is a shell, scorched, roofless, slowly strangled by the returning bush. But I could see no bullet holes, no splashes of shrapnel. It, like the Red Cross headquarters, had been wrecked and pillaged by fighters not battling for a front line, but drunk on ownership.

And I ask my second guileless question. It is addressed to one of the UN workers - he is a local, from Malakal. Is he going to watch the football that afternoon on TV? South Sudan is playing its first World Cup qualification match.

"How can I cheer for this country?" he asks. "We were so happy at independence. I remember the moment. My father - he'd been an agricultural scientist, who'd joined the struggle, and been killed in the struggle. But what was it for? Now, I only feel shame. We are so much worse off now."

[Max Peck]

The current discussion over in the Ben Carson thread reminded me of this segment from The Daily Show: Not So Pro-Life After All.

The point is, if pro-lifers would just redirect their powers towards gun violence, the amount of lives they could save would reach superhero levels. They just need to have a superhero's total dedication to life. Because right now they're more like comic book collectors. Human life only holds value until you take it out of the package, and then it's worth nothing.

[Holman]

The current discussion over in the Ben Carson thread reminded me of this segment from The Daily Show: Not So Pro-Life After All.

The point is, if pro-lifers would just redirect their powers towards gun violence, the amount of lives they could save would reach superhero levels. They just need to have a superhero's total dedication to life. Because right now they're more like comic book collectors. Human life only holds value until you take it out of the package, and then it's worth nothing.

The usual joke is that liberals support human rights only after birth while conservatives support human rights only until then.