Speaking of the "debate", I tuned in at 3 minutes after 6:00 PM. and
tuned out at 6:56 PM. For once I felt that the commercials were a cut
above the program. It was not that the "debate" wasn't interesting.
I've become used to "Reality TV", so I expect off the cuff, rude and
idiotic remarks. But to call this Parade of the Clowns a debate?
Well, after all it is FOX TV.
It was clear that the fans had come out to be entertained. They
whooped and clapped each time one of the Presidential Candidates got
in a good dig or waved the flag with great gusto.
But lest someone think I am suggesting there were no lessons to be
learned from this evenings exchange, let me say this, and let me be
perfectly clear. There were two major lessons for us to ponder upon.
First, tonight's winner, walking away, hands down, is FOX TV. This
collection of nerds performed like seasoned stand up comics working a
tipsy Texas Vaudeville crowd. Obviously these folks were first class
fans, loving every confrontation and sneaky little dig. In fact, this
crowd made the show a success. They were open with their approval and
with their disapproval. They never worried about truth or facts, they
wanted confrontation and Blood.
Second, I learned that the campaign season is way far too long.
Friends, it's August 6...2015. The election isn't until late next
year! If tonight is any example...and it surely is...how will we be
able to maintain what's left of our sanity? How will we be able to
look our own political leaders in the eye without accusing them of
incompetency or thievery? According to these Bozos the only hard
working branch of government is the Military. The president's a
buffoon, congress is a bunch of sneaky bastards busy chopping up our
sacred Constitution...the parts these guys love, not the rest, and
standing around with their hands out looking for a lobbyist. By the
time these self proclaimed Leaders have cut down the government, one
of them will want to become its president. We wonder what is wrong
with our nation? Every time an election comes around we are drowned
in buckets of slop about how bad the guys in office have made things.
And we're supposed to respect our nation, our flag and our president?
Fat chance!
And then, after taking months to say absolutely nothing of substance,
these President Wannabees would bend over backward to limit who has
the right to vote. And they would limit the time polls could be open.
Better we should limit the time they can babble.
But the most important lesson of all is that after listening to the
Ten Top Republican Candidates, the United States of America is in bad,
bad trouble.
Inside my TV was a collection of huffing, puffing bulls, pawing the
ground and snorting. They don't care one whit about their nation or
the Republican Party. Each serious candidate has his own banker.
None of them care, despite their claims, for the American people.
They are strutting their stuff. Vying for the big contributions.
Well, except for Donald Trump who can bankroll himself.
Tonight was the first time Americans could see that our nation is on
the ropes. Might as well lean back and pop another beer and let the
bullshit flow. If this is the best America can put up for its leader,
we do need outside help. Can anyone invent a new God?
Carl Jarvis
On 8/6/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I guess I'm just old and cynical. But isn't it all just an exercise in
futility? After all, these guys are not going to provide reasonable answers
to reasonable questions. They are taking positions that they believe will
attract a far right base. I feel similarly when I hear Democrats gloat that
Hillary is moving to the left in some of her statements. Does what she says
have any relation to what she believes? Does what she believe have any
relation to what she'll do as President? And while everyone is getting
excited over this political show that is being put on for the benefit of
the
American public, the government just goes on doing what it's going to do.
Miriam
________________________________
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Hachey
Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2015 11:02 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] FW: #AskTrumpAboutHer
Hi all,
I've gotten a few of these request to pose a question to the Republican
candidate in tonight's debate. (yes, I know I'm nuts but as a political
junkie, I expect I'll be listening to at least some of it.)
I clicked the link and was taken to a facebook page. I could not figure out
how to submit a question. I read the section that talked about submitting
questions, but there was no edit field in which to enter the question. I
found only play buttons.
I'm thinking this page may be inaccessible for asking a question.
The email asked that we submit questions related to all the recent police
brutality against African-Americans.
My first question if I could get it in their would be:
"do you favor banning anyone who has a past record of use of excessive
force
from being hired by any American police departments?
My second would be, do you favor mandatory wearing of body cameras by all
American police officers?
Thanks in advance to anyone who has the time and interest to look into this
for me.
Bob Hachey
From: Arisha Michelle Hatch, ColorOfChange.org
[mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2015 3:38 PM
To: Robert Hachey
Subject: #AskTrumpAboutHer
Dear Robert,
Tomorrow is the 1st Republican presidential debate, where the country's top
GOP candidates will come together to discuss America's most pressing
issues.
But there's a problem. Unless we raise our voices, candidates will ignore
the crisis of discriminatory police violence and mass incarceration. The
latest predictions of the most likely debate topics don't even include
criminal justice. 1
Last week, more than 1,000 ColorOfChange members donated to cover the costs
of 9 billboards calling attention to anti-Black policing around the debate
conference center in Cleveland. Now, we have 24 hours to turn up the
pressure and make sure moderators ask candidates to answer for the war on
Black communities. We need widespread public pressure to be heard.
Click here to submit a question to Fox moderators on Facebook (sample
questions below).
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5117?t=1&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
Click here to tweet these images and #GOPDebate questions to moderators
Megyn Kelly, Bret Bair and Chris Wallace.
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5118?t=2&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
* Does the GOP support responsible body camera policies?
* Will candidates support a national database documenting police
practices?
* Does the GOP support the federal government continuing to militarize
police?
* Does the GOP support greater police oversight?
* Should cops with a history of racism and abuse still have jobs?
Image removed by sender. Billboard artwork on Black women who inexplicably
died in police custody: Sandra Bland and Latandra Ellington, as well as
Black women killed by police: Kayla Moore and Nuwnah Laroche
For Black people in America, what presidential candidates discuss at
tomorrow's debates and the policies they create leading up to the 2016
election is a matter of life and death. Political apathy and the silence of
white communities have always been a key driver of systemic racism and the
oppression of Black people.2 And we cannot afford the status quo. If
candidates fail to address what many describe as the new Jim Crow - a
second
caste system - then the policies and practices they put into place once
elected are sure to marginalize, criminalize and kill our loved ones.3
The images above reference Nuwnah LaRoche, Sandra Bland, Kayla Moore and
Latandra Ellington - four Black women who unjustly died in police custody
or
were killed by police in the home states of presidential candidates Marco
Rubio, Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz and Chris Christie.4,5,6,7 In all of these cases,
not one officer has been held accountable. And despite the horrifying
circumstances of each of these tragedies, they are shockingly common place.
In July, 5 Black women were found dead in police custody.8
Tweet at debate moderators today and urge them to ask candidates about
Sandra, Kayla, Latandra and Nuwnah #BlackWomenMatter.
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5118?t=3&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
Debate moderators are accepting public questions online. Click here to send
your thoughts via Facebook.
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5117?t=4&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
Onward,
- Arisha, Rashad, Lyla, Shani and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
August 5th, 2015
References,
1. "Here are the questions most likely to be asked at next week's GOP
debate, " Washington Post 07-30-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5119?t=6&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5119?t=5&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD%20>
2. "Martin Luther King's 'Letter From Birmingham Jail', " The Atlantic
05-16-2013
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5120?t=8&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5120?t=7&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
3. "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, "
New
Press 2010
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4594?t=10&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4594?t=9&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
4. "2 pedestrians fatally struck by Washington Township police car on NJ
Turnpike," North Jersey.com 05-06-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5121?t=12&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5121?t=11&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
5. "Bland's mom: 'She should have never been in that jail'," KHOU.com
05-06-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5122?t=14&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5122?t=13&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
6. "Say Her Name: Resisting Police Brutality Against Black Women," African
American Policy Forum 05-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5123?t=16&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5123?t=15&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
7. See reference 6.
8. "At Least 5 Black Women Found Dead In Jail Since Mid-July," Think
Progress 07-28-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5124?t=18&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD
<http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5126?t=17&akid=4637.1462434.bVjcJD>
Image removed by sender.
________________________________
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building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies,
and
win real social and political change. Help keep our movement strong.
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