ecstatic
ecstatic's JournalThe 22.5 year prison sentence for George Floyd's murderer is a victory. IMO
When viewed in the context of what usually happens in these cases, this is a huge victory.
I fully understand why George Floyd's family, Al Sharpton and the family attorneys are somewhat disappointed. It's very personal for them, and it is true--there are HUGE double standards in the way black defendants are sentenced versus white defendants. However, for my own mental sanity, I have to view things in a more positive light today. I think a 22.5 year prison sentence for a white cop sends a strong message to corrupt, violent/abusive and/or racist cops. All we need now is consistency--every bad cop must be held accountable for their crimes. The next step is to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act!
NYT: HR1 voting bill doesn't fully address the counting of votes, just the casting of votes
I just assumed the 'For the People' / HR1 bill addressed everything. As a resident of Georgia, my ability to cast a vote hasn't changed. The problem here is that QOP partisans have the ability to commandeer local election boards and toss out just enough votes to overturn the election results in blue/purple counties.
In the face of these threats, Democrats in Congress have crafted an election bill, H.R. 1, that is poorly matched to the moment. The legislation attempts to accomplish more than is currently feasible, while failing to address some of the clearest threats to democracy, especially the prospect that state officials will seek to overturn the will of voters.
But the bill needs to go further. Congress also should establish uniform rules for vote counting, certification and challenges. It should also clarify its own role in certifying the results of presidential elections to prevent the possibility that a future Congress would overturn a state’s popular vote.
A new election law in Georgia highlights the shortcomings of H.R. 1. The Georgia law, passed in March, imposes a host of restrictions on voter registration and on voting, most of which would be reversed by the federal legislation. It also changes the rules of vote counting in ways that are not addressed by the federal legislation. It facilitates third-party challenges to the legitimacy of votes and arrogates to the state legislature, the General Assembly, the power to appoint most members of the state board of elections, who in turn have the power to replace county boards of elections. The legislature removed Georgia’s secretary of state from the State Election Board after the incumbent, Brad Raffensperger, refused to help Mr. Trump stake an illegitimate claim on the state’s electoral votes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/opinion/voting-law-rights-congress.html
TX mom charged after shooting her 5-year-old son while trying to shoot a dog
According to neighbors, Vargas, her son, and another family member were riding bikes down the street when a dog ran out. That dog, named Bruno, is a 6-month-old boxer puppy. Bruno's owner did not want to appear on camera, but told us what happened.
In Ring doorbell video obtained by ABC13, you can see Bruno running out with the owner following immediately behind. The owner can be seen telling the dog to come back in the house. The dog roams out onto the street, and less than a second later, multiple shots rang out. Gunshots were then followed by extended screaming by the little boy's parents.
From the video, you can tell only a few seconds elapsed from the dog running out to gunfire. Bruno was grazed on one leg, but otherwise fine. Bruno's owner was given a Class C misdemeanor citation for having a loose dog.
https://abc13.com/amp/mom-accidentally-shoots-her-son-trying-to-shoot-dog-5-year-old-shot-by-angelia-mia-vargas-deadly-conduct-of-a-firearm/10728726/
Should Pres Biden appoint a republican senator to something
so that the democratic governor can appoint his/her replacement? Obviously, MoscowMitch or RandPutin would need to be fired shortly after being hired, but thankfully there's precedent for that. Ask drump.
Just looking for ideas and solutions here. 
Kansas – Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran
Kentucky – Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul
Louisiana – John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy
Maine – Susan Collins
Pennsylvania – Pat Toomey
I have conflicting thoughts
When you really think about it, unless you're wearing an N95, is your mask really doing much?
My point is, the masks kind of feel like a security blanket and now the CDC has abruptly snatched them away like a used Band-Aid. But maybe it is time to rip the masks off and move forward. To get on with life. Maybe it will be okay. I never once donned a mask during the swine flu outbreak. Hell, I went on a cruise that year.
Maybe the unspoken part of the CDC's announcement is that the risk level now is similar to what it usually is with regard to flus and other outbreaks. Some people are more vulnerable than others, obviously.
If or when I decide to go maskless, I will feel pretty vulnerable at first. It will take some getting used to, just like it took time to get used to going out with the mask on. I will miss the ability to walk around almost completely incognito. The masks make it easier to make quick trips to the store without getting dolled up.
What a lot of people here don't seem to get
It's not just about the wildly disproportionate killing of unarmed black people, it's the entire dynamic of how policing is done in this country. The goal of many police departments appears to be the systematic dehumanization, monetization and criminalization of people of color. The tools for accomplishing the mission are frequent police stops featuring excessive force and public humiliation, which may eventually lead to an argument, assault, arrest (or spontaneous execution), incarceration, excessive fines, license suspension, criminal record, etc.
When every white man has multiple stories of how they've been stopped, searched, profiled, humiliated, treated like trash, had a gun pointed at them and was nearly killed by the police, then change could theoretically come, but I happen to think that at that point it would be too late for the entire country. It's the whole "first they came for..." thing.
Why is infrastructure next when our democracy is in jeopardy?
Am I missing something?
47 states are trying to make it harder to vote and/or pointless to vote.
Now the QOP is attempting to penalize companies who speak out against the Jim Crow 2 laws. This will likely cause many companies to stay silent on this issue. How is this OK?
This is a 20 alarm fire!
Right now, we have the WH, Senate, and House. The Democratic majority we have in the Senate could be lost at any moment due to a death or unexpected retirement! Move on this NOW!! No more excuses!
What if Gaetz's so called extortioner is working on trump's behalf?
Let me be clear, I think it's likely that Gaetz is a pedophile sex trafficker (along with Tucker).
But it could also be true that tRump or one of his stooges had inside knowledge of the situation, perhaps he even arranged the double date, and then he used it as leverage for various votes, TV coverage, etc (just like he uses leverage on others like Lindsey, Ron Johnson, etc).
Now that tRump is out of a job and his golf club got shut down due to covid, he might be trying to cash in.
Judge Cahill needs to be replaced
I've only seen a small part of the trial so far, but on the part I did see, I feel that the judge behaved in a biased and disrespectful manner. He called the EMT witness Genevieve Hansen "argumentative."
Really? These are regular people doing their duty and testifying in front of a worldwide audience. It takes guts and courage to do so.
The last thing a judge should be doing is berating these brave individuals! 
This is the 2nd time Mike Lee has loudly interrupted the proceedings
Seriously, lock his ass up. So sick of these QOPers breaking rules and laws.
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Gender: FemaleMember since: Wed Oct 29, 2003, 10:22 AM
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