Economic Flashbacks

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlargePhil Gramm must be high: Many in the United States are concerned about the high prices of food and gasoline and the loss of almost a half million jobs. Senator McCain met with voters in parts of the Midwest. The region has been hit hard by the struggling economy. "People are hurting,” McCain said. “People are hurting badly." But one of McCain's top advisors, former Senator Phil Gramm, expressed a different point of view. "You've heard of mental depression? This is mental recession," Gramm said. I wonder what recreational pharmaceuticals Phil Gramm is on? I have been high and I have been drunk, but never in my experience with mind altering substances, has the a bad economy magically turned wonderful. Maybe I am not drinking the right kind of bourbon? Maybe I need to up my vodka game? Maybe I need to go bath in the steamy pot pools of Humboldt County, California? Dunno, but I think everyone knows Phil Gramm is either stoned, mentally disabled or a total liar. My money is on the latter.

Tased To Death While In Restraints

Killing of another black man by taser while he was in restraints. H/T Octavia Jackson for the information First cousin to Mychal Bell, of the Jena Six, killed after being tased nine times over the course of 30 minutes. He was in restraints- in police custody when he died. And the certificate labels the death a homicide. A News Broadcaster reports, "The two other Winnfield Officers who were involved in the incident: Alan Marsdin and Cargyle Junior Branch-- Both are still on the force. Neither one has been disciplined." What's up with the News Channel 5. Check out the report they make on the death of of a black man. They start of the report saying, " It’s been five and a half months since the death of 21 year old Barron Scooter Collins, a convicted drug dealer. News Channel 5 has learned Collins birth name is Barron Pikes. And he was first cousin to Mychal Bell, of the Jena Six. Scooter died after being in police custody and being tased. The incident prompted over 100 blacks in Winnfield to protest downtown. Video Photos Tasered While Black says: Why was it so important to say: "The 21 year old Barron Scooter Collins, a convicted drug dealer. " OK, so News Channel 5 says it has learned Collins birth name is Barron Pikes. And he was first cousin to Mychal Bell, of the Jena Six. Scooter died after being in police custody and being tased. The incident prompted over 100 blacks in Winnfield to protest downtown. The Winn Parish Coroner, Dr. Randolph Williams, actually concluded his report 3 weeks ago and for the past 3 weeks News Channel 5 has been trying to get a copy of the report. Dr. Williams has refused to release anything to the media. But Radio Talk Show Host Tony Brown has provided News Channel 5 a copy of the death certificate. Tony Brown has been in close contact with Scooters relatives. The Pikes gave Brown the death certificate—and permission for him to give it to us. Tasered While Black: big hat tip to Tony brown for standing in the gap with this family. That document explains Scooter died after being tased nine times over the course of 30 minutes. He went into cardiac arrest. The certificate also confirms Collins was in restraints- in police custody when he died. And the certificate labels the death a homicide. This is Scott Nugent, son of former Winnfield Chief of Police Gleason Nugent. Scott Nugent is the officer who tased Scooter after a foot chase. Nugent says Scooter was resisting arrest. But relatives of Scooter told NC5 that Nugent and Scooter went to high school together in Winnfield and had a bumpy personal history that they never liked each other. By the way, Nugent’s record with Winnfield PD also has a major bump. In 2007 Nugent arrested a man for DWI--while the man was in Nugent’s custody he somehow managed to steal Nugent’s police cruiser—he crashed the car and died in the wreck. Because the coroner was taking such a long time with his investigation, the Winnfield city council held an emergency meeting back in May. Nugent had been on paid suspension since the incident. But under an officer’s bill of rights, there’s only so much time that can pass until the officer is either allowed back to work or fired. The deadline was fast approaching so the city council voted 3 to 2 to terminate Nugent. Nugent can appeal his termination to the local civil services board to try to get his job back. But job aside, Nugent could be facing criminal charges for the death. State Police Investigators are reviewing the incident and will present a report to the Winn Parish District Attorney. After that the case could go before a grand jury and then possibly a trial. Meanwhile Scooter’s family is consulting with a lawyer about a lawsuit. Scooter had a 4 year old son named Kadarien. More Here Now the question is what are black folks going to do, just sit around and allow people to get tased to death - who is next? This is just another in the many cases (like the Deacon Williams case below) of men, women and children of our community being "Tasered While Black." Visit our new blog site at African American Political Pundit.com Also check out the blogs,Tasered While Black, Truth....not Tasers, Taser Times,Taser Watch, No More Tasers, Excited-Delirium and the Police Brutality Blog

Another Bush Knife In The Back

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlargeBush has broken his promise to the G8 Summit and has now rejected the regulation of greenhouse gases. The Bush administration on Friday rejected regulating greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, saying it would cause too many job losses. In a 588-page federal notice, the Environmental Protection made no finding on whether global warming poses a threat to people's health, reversing an earlier conclusion at the insistence of the White House and officially kicking any decision on a solution to the next president and Congress. The White House on Thursday rejected EPA's conclusion three weeks earlier that the 1970 Clean Air Act "can be both workable and effective for addressing global climate change." Instead, EPA said Friday that law is "ill-suited" for dealing with climate change. This contrasts sharply with the tone of statements President Bush made at the just-concluded G-8 summit of leading industrialized nations in Toyako, Japan. The United States at that meeting joined other summit partners in embracing a policy declaration to seek a 50 percent reduction in global greenhouse gases by 2050. Sure, let's just wait some more. The North Pole ice cap will always be there. Antarctica's ice shelfs won't float past Australia and Africa. We have all the time in the world... now, don't you feel more relaxed once you are wrapped in blankets of denial? It is so warm in there.

Submitted for your consideration...

I saw the most recent offering from the McCain Girls yesterday, thanks to a tweet (Twitter posting) from 23/6.com. And I've decided something. The McCain Girls are "supporting" John McCain in much the same way Stephen Colbert supported George Bush at the White House Correspondents' Dinner a few years back. Some of the lyrics: Just an Arizona senator Lookin' for the fight of his life The Democrats don't see him as strong They all say he's crazy Keep in mind now, that "they", presumably the Democrats, "say he's crazy". One would assume that McCain's supporters would beg to differ. Yet they go on to give us this... Purple Heart and Silver Star McCain can cut you with his knife Slice you up and slice and dice if you challenge his candidacy ...accompanied by this picture I rest my case.

Note To McCain: Viagra is not a weapons system

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlargeThat thing... that thing right there, by your foot, it is my jaw... "I certainly do not want to discuss that issue," the Arizona senator said aboard his "Straight Talk Express" bus in Ohio when asked about his views on health insurance covering the medication. But the off-message topic was raised from a member of McCain’s own team: national co-chairwoman Carly Fiorina, who had said earlier women often express frustration over the fact many health insurance plans cover Viagra but not birth control medication. "Let me give you a real, live example, which I've been hearing a lot about from women. There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won't cover birth control medication. Those women would like a choice," she said Monday. McCain shows his ignorance on the topic and from the video, he squirms and winces his way through the questioning and sums up that he does not know enough about the issue to give an informed answer. The list of things McCain admittedly doesn't know anything about is becoming impressively long - economics, computers, the internet and now health insurance. Evidently the Straight Talk Express bus is shorter than the others.