Ferguson

My grandfather, a Socialist, always warned me to never trust the Democratic Party as a real alternative to the fascists (which is how he referred to Nazis, Republicans, Southern Democrats and any other parties on the right). In the last week, we've been looking at how the Democratic Establishment and the Republican Establishment banded together to defeat Alan Grayson's amendment against militarization of local police departments.

“I’m growing increasingly skeptical of the ability of electoral politics to bring about the kind of social change that not only African-Americans need but that working and poor people in general need,” he said. “We made the most progress when we were in the streets in the ’60s. There were more than a thousand urban uprisings. And that is what we need to do most—put people in the streets.”
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A questionable infringement justified in the name of safety to all-out tyranny
“I thought I was losing my capacity to be shocked — but events in Missouri over just the last couple of hours have crossed a frightening line, one that makes me pray that this assault on fundamental American values is just the aberration of one rudderless Heartland community, and not the first symptoms of nation gone mad with high-tech weaponry to keep its own citizens in line.”—Journalist Will Bunch

We have become blasé about fearsome media images. One such image is police in SWAT gear, assault weapons trained on peaceful demonstrators, and huge armored vehicles with gun turrets at the ready, pointed toward activists. In tiny Ferguson, Missouri, peaceful citizens reacting to the alleged killing of a young, unarmed black teenager by a local police officer, are the enemies, the apparent target of militarized weapons.
What is the outgrowth of such scenes? Most likely, further polarization and thick tension among citizens.

What is clear about the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri is that the cop murdered Michael Brown pretty much in cold blood. What is also clear is that if Michael Brown was a suspect in this shoplifting case and regular procedures were followed, then he should have been arrested and gone to court. What is less clear is whether or not this killer cop will ever see justice. Indeed, whether he will even go to court. I bet many people reading this have shoplifted. I bet some have even been arrested for shoplifting.

Iowa, a swing state, has swung light blue in recent years. Bill Clinton won both times. Al Gore beat Bush in 2000. Obama won both times as well, 54-44% against McCain and 52-46% against Romney. The Democats control the state Senate and the GOP holds the state House. Party registration shows 689,794 Democrats (32.0%), 672,308 Republicans (31.2%) and 792,363 (36.8%) independents and others.The only really conservative congressional district in the state, is IA-04, home to one of Congress' most outspoken racists, Steve King.

I saw a lot of coverage of Ferguson, Missouri in the last few days. But I didn't see any photos of Georgia Republican congressional candidate Jody Hice. Hice never showed up-- or maybe he was hiding under something.