Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

Have I been on ignore?

When did this become another way to say "2".

[Icky Thump]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Someone from NYC should weigh in, but I think the problems with the NYPD have been building for a long time.

Giuliani and Bloomberg seemed almost proud of how out of control their cops were. Bloomberg referred to them as his private army, and made jokes about how he had the 7th largest army in the world. During the occupy stuff, they were among the most aggressive police departments around, and were praised for it. The NY Times and the Wall Street Crowd have been cheerleaders for aggressive policing.

I think the mayor has a tough job. The NY City Army expects the city to be run for their benefit, and that they should have no controls on them or criticism of them. The Mayor has to reign them in.

The problem is that if you were picking kids from the short bus to be captain of the kickball team, DiBlasio would be the very last one picked. Slightly more articulate than Wendy the Slow Adult and not nearly as reliable.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Okay, so if I understand police criticism of DeBlasio and Obama stemming from the murder of the two officers over the weekend correctly, it is:

1. The Mayor criticized the killing of a man for selling cigarettes, an act even many conservatives defined as murder;
2. The Mayor raised concerns regarding a stop and frisk racial profiling program which is likely unconstitutional;
3. A grand jury inexplicably, in what appears to be a racist nullification, refused to indict the cop who murdered the guy selling smokes (which officer is being investigated for other abuse allegations involving minorities);
4. Following the non-indictment, the Mayor came out and plead for calm;
5. A clinically diagnosed psychopath murdered two police officers, allegedly in retaliation for the non-indictment (and because he's fucking crazy); and so...

This is all the Mayor's and Obama's fault?

Sounds more to me like entitled sorts who've finally had their power checked exploiting a tragedy to deflect criticism.

I figured the ugliest thing about the NYPD was the video of Garner being murdered. But this effort to capitalize on the murder of their own trumps it. This is the cops in Groupthink mode, showing their true colors -- that in the end, what they really want is unbridled power, as close to zero scrutiny as can be achieved.

Maybe I'm misreading it, but probably not. These guys are effectively demanding that no politician in the future criticize them. The temerity of this sort of statement is only outdone by its absurdity. The last people on earth who should be put beyond scrutiny are people carrying guns, licensed to deprive others of liberty.

This country's getting scary.

I agree with all of this, but I think Thurgreed would say it better.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Race you to the top of the mountain?

I said I look better naked, not that I was better.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Without unions, no one in Washington really cares if they are fed up. Low rates of voting, no money to contribute, no organized way to participate in the system.

Nothing to do but burn, baby, burn.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

When did this become another way to say "2".

I honoring Hank's memory.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

I honoring Hank's memory.

Did something happen to Hank?

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Did something happen to Hank?

He departed the PB forever, remember. Well, except for when he pops back in.

[ThurgreedMarshall]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty4uC2jiLWI

Couldn't have said it better myself.

TM

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

Nothing to do but burn, baby, burn.

Corey Robin sees it a little differently.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Corey Robin sees it a little differently.

Not here. People have too much of an independent streak and a lot of them are plain old ornery. Some cop comes for them I the middle of the night and they don't think did anything wrong, there will be conflict. Bottom line: this is the Nation of Fuck You.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Corey Robin sees it a little differently.

Nah, we're trying to become more like today's China than yesterday's Germany. There's more in it for the .000000001%.

[Not Bob]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Not Bob, I have not had you made out for a Benz driver. Take the American-made car over the prick-mobile any day.

I'm not a Benz driver, but I do have other vices.

My original point to Sebby (lost in the haze) was that a substantial number of people across all classes have the compulsion to ever so slightly overextend themselves to get a nicer house/car/booze collection, and saying that someone who has done so at a higher income/asset level is Not Rich because they are overextended is silly.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

Nah, we're trying to become more like today's China than yesterday's Germany. There's more in it for the .000000001%.

Huge 2. We've been for the last 100 years a mixed capitalist/socialist country. The balance has favored the capitalist side. Going forward, the balance necessarily favors socialism for a majority of the country, capitalism/oligarchy for the lucky top tiers. That's China.

[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Huge 2. We've been for the last 100 years a mixed capitalist/socialist country. The balance has favored the capitalist side. Going forward, the balance necessarily favors socialism for a majority of the country, capitalism/oligarchy for the lucky top tiers.

This is true. But it's been the push for super-capitalism that has made it necessary for basic services to be provided by the government for most people.

I say it again and again and again to people who say, "Taxing the rich isn't the answer to our problems." That's correct. But since they have all the money and keep getting a larger share of it combined with the fact that they don't want to provide the working class an income they can live on, that's who has to pay.

That Ford decision which basically said that a company's sole purpose is to create wealth for its shareholders was probably the worst (maybe tied with Citizens) thing that ever happened to this country. With that one decision, labor could no longer be viewed as a possible partner in a business enterprise, but an expense to be crushed. Since then, we have become an ownership society in which those who own are worshipped and any decision they make to maximize their wealth (especially at the expense of those who do the actual work) is revered as brilliance. We cater to them in all things--taxes, lies about job creation, political influence, etc.--at the expense of normal people.

They tell us that they are job creators while hoarding cash and shipping jobs overseas. And we buy that shit. They use the country's infrastructure, but refuse to pay for it. Their goal to crush small business owners to try to achieve the closest thing to a monopoly that our stagnant antitrust laws permit is supported because the new "middle" class made up of poor service providers can't afford to shop at small businesses for anything.

Capitalism is a good thing. Super-capitalism makes no sense for anyone but those at the absolute top.

TM