Yep, Nothing’s Changed

The Justice Department quietly released a report, Sunday, confirming once again what we minorities already know about law enforcement in this country. Echoing a 2002 report, the Just-us department determined that police are more likely to search, arrest or to use force against minority drivers than against whites.

The popular term for this today is “driving while black” or DWB, you’ve heard the term already, I’m sure. Supporters of the study were quick to point out that other things like “driver temperament” or behavior toward police were not taken into consideration. So, what are they saying....blacks and Hispanics are not polite enough or docile enough when approached by cops?

While recognizing the problem, Just-us doesn’t offer any solutions.

At least this time they issued a press release....back in 2002, they dropped it like it was hot and let it lay there until somebody noticed.

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Karma smackdown

The ruling party in DC gets another karma smackdown when a DC madam goes to court today to answer prostitution charges. Seems some of the names in her little black book are also listed on the employee log at the White House. At least one guy has already resigned. Another guy is said to be the one who came up with the term “shock and awe” for the invasion of Iraq.

Looks like the GOP moral compass is broken again.


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Veto

Did you know that when Dubya vetoes the Iraq spending bill, he will also veto the minimum wage hike? The wage hike is a part of that funding bill.


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Update on American Casualties

3350 since the “war” began
3211 since “mission accomplished”
24,912 official wounded
100,000 estimated actually wounded

No numbers on Iraqi civilians

Denying Guns to Terrorists

Overshadowed by the all of the info-tainment that passed as news yesterday was a little nugget about guns that had me doing a double take. Seems that it’s perfectly legal, as we speak, for people who are on this government’s terrorist watch list to buy guns in this country.

In fact, according to the GAO, gun permits were issued to 47 of 58 people who were listed on the watch list in a nine month period in 2005.

This insane action is coming to light because of a proposal introduced by New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg, yesterday, who wants to make it legal for the Attorney General to block these types of gun sales, http://www.nytimes.com.

Dubya’s just-us department has also jumped on the bandwagon with a similar proposal. I guess the White House doesn’t want to be caught looking bad again in light of the shootings at Virginia Tech.

Law enforcement officials have apparently been trying to get this loop hole closed since 9/11.
But former AG John Ashcroft blocked all FBI efforts to compare the watch list with gun applications citing the Brady Gun Law.

Lautenberg’s measure was apparently introduced some time ago, but has been stalled by the gun crazy GOP controlled congress. The Senator, his aides and the Justice Dept, now think a Democrat controlled congress might prove more receptive to change. I’m not so sure. The National Rifle Association also has most democrats on a leash as well as the GOP. Getting loop holes closed in gun laws is an uphill climb no matter who is in charge of congress.

So far, the NRA has not weighed in on this issue.

I would think denying guns to terrorists is a “no brainer.” To paraphrase Dubya, why fight them here when we’re already fighting them over there.

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And speaking of “over there” seems the shaky Iraqi government is taking a page out of this administration’s play book and is going on vacation in July and August. They’re just going to shut the doors and walk away for a while.

Well, why can’t we do that? Walk away? Their walking away seems to be an indication that they think it’s our mess and that we are the ones who should handle it.

I don’t think we can walk away, but I do think we can ease on down the road and out ASAP.

Ya listening Dubya?