2020 American Political Scene

[Officer of Engineers]

1.Sir,with respect,the video I posted is from a bodycam,a lot longer version of what was shown initially.It shows Floyd as resisting arrest,being very agitated,claiming that he could not breathe minutes before being held down.
The only thing one can object is knee on neck stuff,but let me tell you from training experience you can breathe.It sucks completely being held this way,but breathing you can.If one is intent on killing in that position,that happens a lot quicker.Floyd was a walking heart attack,but :A.his death was an accident lacking intent and B. it was an isolated case.
Everything else is purebred BS.

The Medical Examiner had already determined the COD.

From Medical Examiner's Autopsy Reveals George Floyd Had Positive Test For Coronavirus : Live Updates: Protests For Racial Justice : NPR

The autopsy report from Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office concludes the cause of death was "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression."

[Mihais]

That doesn't make it less of an accident.Besides,a random felon dying should not be the cause of all the ruckus that followed.It's only a pretext.The bigger picture shows only more radicalization.

https://twitter.com/FromKalen/status...85470146908161

[Albany Rifles]

Suicides isn't counted. If it did, it only adds to the point that policing in the US is far more hazardise than that of the UK.

1. So per TBM's post in 2018 the total was 55, roughly half the 100 number. Yup, too high, and I hope every single person who did that goes to the chair.

In that same year 998 people in the US were killed by police:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/...olice-by-race/

Not saying they were all unwarranted but I would bet on just empirical data over the last year you would have to say some were.

FYI in 2018 82 firefighters died in the line of duty.

https://www.firerescue1.com/firefigh...CAuhWqrN39S1J/

2. Sir, you and I both know 1987 to 1997 was a much more violent time in our country than today. That's like my pulling out Crimean War deaths by disease as a metric for NATO forces today.

If you look at Page 5 of the following report LODD's by police in North America is on a steady downward trend, just like most violent crime, over the past 20 years.



https://www.joinipsa.org/resources/D...D%20Report.pdf

[Officer of Engineers]

2. Sir, you and I both know 1987 to 1997 was a much more violent time in our country than today. That's like my pulling out Crimean War deaths by disease as a metric for NATO forces today.

That was not my point. My point was and is that Eric CANNOT compare UK police to US police BECAUSE we CANNOT compare UK criminals to US criminals. US criminals DO NOT have qualms about shooting at police.

[Albany Rifles]

That was not my point. My point was and is that Eric CANNOT compare UK police to US police BECAUSE we CANNOT compare UK criminals to US criminals. US criminals DO NOT have qualms about shooting at police.

Okay, Sir. Fair point.

Cheers

[astralis]

US criminals DO NOT have qualms about shooting at police.

it's not an issue of qualms or the US being "more violent" -- it's an issue of firearms availability. that's why both the number of police killed AND the number of people killed by police in the US far exceed that of the UK's.

that means several things can be true at once:

1. US police resort to shootings more because criminals in the US have more firearms.
2. US police resort to killings/shootings even when they don't need to.

but, for the overall comparison -- yes, you're right. apples to oranges. but, i'd sure like the US apple to take some lessons from the UK orange.

[Officer of Engineers]

it's not an issue of qualms or the US being "more violent" -- it's an issue of firearms availability. that's why both the number of police killed AND the number of people killed by police in the US far exceed that of the UK's.

that means several things can be true at once:

1. US police resort to shootings more because criminals in the US have more firearms.
2. US police resort to killings/shootings even when they don't need to.

2 plays directly from 1. Most of 2 can be derived from one thing - threat perception. The more you've been exposed to threat or even threat to your comrades, your threat perception changes. How often did our soldiers walked down the streets of Kabul looking at every little girl as a potential suicide bomber?

but, for the overall comparison -- yes, you're right. apples to oranges. but, i'd sure like the US apple to take some lessons from the UK orange.

I cannot see you yanks drinking room temperature beer.

[GVChamp]

There's no need to take lessons from the UK when you can take lessons from the NYC. Some cities do much better than other cities. And police killings in larger cities are falling. Slowly, depending on the city, but falling.

Also, beer should definitely not be room temperature. On the other hand, West Coast style IPAs are just lame, and I have no idea what the hell is going on with these Session Sours.

[astralis]

there's nothing wrong with a delicious West Coast IPA.

tho when I was in Texas, people looked at me funny when I asked for an IPA (I wasn't dumb enough to ask for a WEST COAST IPA, either). I had no idea what Shiner Bock was.

anyways, today I saw an interesting interview in Politico: Stuart Stevens, the guy who has renounced his former massive role in the GOP. he outlines a truly horrifying scenario-- and very, very possible.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazi...t-trump-397918

STEVENS: Look, in July, Trump was already talking about suspending the elections. What do you think he’s going to do in October? Tell me what’s wrong with this scenario: It’s November 1, he’s losing, there are reports of voter irregularities in Florida, like there always are, and he sends those guys in camouflage into Miami-Dade County to seize the ballot boxes. Who’s going to stop him? The county security guards? They’re not going to phone ahead. What are the courts going to do? Order another election? Throw out Dade County? I don’t know. Who would object? [Attorney General William] Barr would go right along with it. The inability to imagine Trump has always been his greatest advantage. Normal people expect people who are acting abnormally to revert to normality. Trump understands that and he’s not a normal person. With the United States government, you’ve given Tony Soprano the paving contract and you’re acting shocked that he doesn’t seem interested in getting the road paved.

[tbm3fan]

I see another far right candidate got the nod in Florida's 21st Congressional District where Mar-a-Lago is and Trump backed her. Her name is Laura Loomer, (aka Laura the Loon), and she is way out there. A couple of more of these types of GOP candidates, not that she will win, and the GOP might just have to come up with a new name.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...-house-primary

[DOR]

2 plays directly from 1. Most of 2 can be derived from one thing - threat perception. The more you've been exposed to threat or even threat to your comrades, your threat perception changes. How often did our soldiers walked down the streets of Kabul looking at every little girl as a potential suicide bomber?

I cannot see you yanks drinking room temperature beer.

I lived in London for nearly five years, and I discovered that Brits actually like to drink cold beer.
In the winter.

Summertime?
"Room temperature," in a city that ignores the concept of air conditioning.

[astralis]

BF,

interesting article for you on how thoroughly Trump has re-made the down ballot in the GOP.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/0...ongress-398559

[Albany Rifles]

2 plays directly from 1. Most of 2 can be derived from one thing - threat perception. The more you've been exposed to threat or even threat to your comrades, your threat perception changes. How often did our soldiers walked down the streets of Kabul looking at every little girl as a potential suicide bomber?

I cannot see you yanks drinking room temperature beer.

I lived in London for nearly five years, and I discovered that Brits actually like to drink cold beer.
In the winter.

Summertime?
"Room temperature," in a city that ignores the concept of air conditioning.

Having made multiple trips to the UK over the years I have definitely seen a difference in the temperature of a beer depending on the type. Lagers are served cold...not as cold as in North America but still pretty cold...think Germany cold. Ales & Bitters a little warmer but that seems to work the best for those. Porters and Stouts a little warmer.

All are good.


And with very few exceptions, IPAs suck.

[TopHatter]

Ex-White House adviser Steve Bannon arrested in fraud scam

NEW YORK (AP) — Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was arrested Thursday on charges that he and three others ripped off donors to an online fundraising scheme “We Build The Wall.”

The charges were contained in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Bannon and three others “orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors” in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $25 million to build a wall along the southern border of the United States.

A phone at the office of Bannon's lawyer went unanswered Thursday morning. A spokeswoman for Bannon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
__________
MAGA idiots and their money are soon parted

Who's surprised? Anybody surprised?

Instead of Build The Wall, it should've been called Feather My Nest.

The only mystery now is, How much was Trump's cut?

[GVChamp]

Steve Bannon was dismissed from the White House over 3 years ago. Kolfage is not on the campaign and never has been, and ranks below Alex Jones in terms of notoriety. There is no evidence that Trump submitted fake invoices to this particular non-profit.

Meanwhile Bloomberg is busy busting a Montana-sized loophole into campaign finance laws by effectively eliminating contribution limits: just run a failed campaign, donate to said campaign, and then have the campaign send the money to the Party Committee!