tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post942649140199177834..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: What Mattered This Week?Jonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-47397578986520851902013-07-22T14:48:28.248-05:002013-07-22T14:48:28.248-05:00Can any prog commenting on SYG tell me the broad d...Can <b>any</b> prog commenting on SYG tell me the broad difference between SYG and non-SYG self-defense?<br /><br />Anyprog? Anyprog?backyardfoundrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-13970976354288914782013-07-22T12:44:46.923-05:002013-07-22T12:44:46.923-05:00Anon, that was my first and only comment on the th...Anon, that was my first and only comment on the thread.<br /><br />I make no apologies for expressing my opinion.Couveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00926561539205771774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-71749913112618082712013-07-22T09:53:16.069-05:002013-07-22T09:53:16.069-05:00You got to give modern conservatives props. They m...You got to give modern conservatives props. They might never win an argument, but they always get the last word.<br /><br />Congrats, fellas!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-79339413901234861362013-07-22T09:46:59.394-05:002013-07-22T09:46:59.394-05:00It seems to me that race had nothing to do with th...It seems to me that race had nothing to do with the Zimmerman case. So I don't see any discussion based on that premise going anywhere.<br /><br />He is right about the disparities of the criminal justice system. On that front, reforming our drug laws makes the most sense.<br /><br />Couveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00926561539205771774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-11345614028253351822013-07-22T09:05:13.204-05:002013-07-22T09:05:13.204-05:00BackYard is right. The defence never invoked stan...BackYard is right. The defence never invoked stand your ground. The theory of the case, and what the juror describes to Anderson Cooper, is basic self defence law. Zimmerman's actions would have been justified in any state. <br /><br />It's things like this that make some of us suspect that liberals would go so far as to abolish any right to self defence.Couveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00926561539205771774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-73795033274102266892013-07-22T07:56:00.267-05:002013-07-22T07:56:00.267-05:00http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wiki...http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Wikipedia<br /><br />The modern conservative movement dedicates enormous energy to arguing that terrible policy consequences are either not terrible or somehow not consequences of conservative-preferred policies. Meanwhile terrible conservative policies allow (and sometimes encourage) terrible things to happen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-21342943867688994792013-07-22T04:58:39.462-05:002013-07-22T04:58:39.462-05:00Hey you guys!! There's this new site called wi...Hey you guys!! There's this new site called wikipedia (sounds weird, right?!)<br /><br />They actually have an entry for the Martin <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin" rel="nofollow">shooting</a> and it has a whole section on Stand Your Ground!! Cool, huh? It's great that after a year and a half, people finally have a place where they can learn how SYG applies to the case!backyardfoundrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-56868309297505374512013-07-22T00:34:08.810-05:002013-07-22T00:34:08.810-05:00JUROR: Right. Because of the heat of the moment an...<i>JUROR: Right. Because of the heat of the moment and the Stand Your Ground. <b>He had a right to defend himself. If he felt threatened that his life was going to be taken away from him or he was going to have bodily harm, he had a right</b></i><br /><br />This description describes a standard self-defense. It would be the same in any non-SYG state. All that this shows is that the average prog is as ignorant of the basics as the average juror. SYG does not mean "right to defend oneself from serious bodily harm or death." Freaking duh!! And the <b>entire case</b> was built on the idea that Zimmerman <b>could not flee</b>.backyardfoundrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-50361729218678487132013-07-21T18:16:29.531-05:002013-07-21T18:16:29.531-05:00What I'd like to see are laws mandating the co...What I'd like to see are laws mandating the collection of blood and urine samples from all individuals involved in a shooting, irrespective of whether it is deemed self defense. <br /><br />It was blatantly unfair that Zimmerman could have been hopped up on 'roids or meth, and the evidence was simply never taken.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-88317240460230439882013-07-21T12:07:30.752-05:002013-07-21T12:07:30.752-05:00I have to disagree that Obama's speech matters...I have to disagree that Obama's speech matters. Like Fig said, so many folks are reflexively tuning out, or going to their tribal bases, that it makes no difference, except to show how polarized the country is.<br /><br /><b><a href="http://moderatepoli.blogspot.com/2012/03/reflexive-tribalism.html" rel="nofollow">Gingrich's reaction</a></b> to Obama's first comments on the issue in March 2012 were a negative turning point last year. Too many people have a knee-jerk reaction to anything Obama says, but especially race-related issues.ModeratePolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01721945380057992971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-45849499683602940582013-07-21T11:22:44.564-05:002013-07-21T11:22:44.564-05:00And possibly, to touch on another Plain Blog post,...And possibly, to touch on another Plain Blog post, it matters for an even greater mainstreaming of SABR-consciousness. The median fantasy baseball manager of 2017 is going to be much more likely to understand and use various advanced metrics than his/her counterpart today.Drewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-7537344091253952602013-07-21T09:37:31.759-05:002013-07-21T09:37:31.759-05:00Nate Silver's departure from the *New York Tim...Nate Silver's departure from the *New York Times* does matter for the *Times* (and for Disney).David Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09260587086663631888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-10267518257400604052013-07-21T09:30:15.449-05:002013-07-21T09:30:15.449-05:00I would add that there is no reason to assume that...I would add that there is no reason to assume that equal numbers of Tea Party and Progressive groups were applying for tax-exempt status. This was the breakout and growth period of the Tea Party, and there may have been more of those groups being formed. Also, Tea Party groups might have been more likely than progressives to take cues from Rove's Crossroads GPS, which was the model for using 501(c)(4) groups as political organizations.Scott Monjenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-81975736753811026732013-07-21T01:12:28.297-05:002013-07-21T01:12:28.297-05:00But it wasn't a big, bold rhetorical address--...But it wasn't a big, bold rhetorical address--that's partly why it is so important. It was its informal quality, the way he combined the personal and policy as in conversation. Important to different constituencies in different ways right now, but eventually I think a landmark moment. Captain Futurehttp://dreamingup.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-13359094060736552822013-07-21T00:49:05.044-05:002013-07-21T00:49:05.044-05:00What Fig said, if you want a good survey of how SY...What Fig said, if you want a good survey of how SYG affected the verdict Ta-Nehisi Coates did a good one at his blog: http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/07/how-stand-your-ground-relates-to-george-zimmerman/277829/ <br /><br />Also a quote from the Juror that did that interview with Anderson Cooper: <br /><br />COOPER: Because of the two options you had, second degree murder or manslaughter, you felt neither applied?<br /><br />JUROR: Right. Because of the heat of the moment and the Stand Your Ground. He had a right to defend himself. If he felt threatened that his life was going to be taken away from him or he was going to have bodily harm, he had a right<br /><br />So yeah Stand Your Ground was a huge part of the trial.longwalkdownlyndalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13173899547449318257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-52385669446686367562013-07-21T00:21:09.241-05:002013-07-21T00:21:09.241-05:00I often wonder how his big, bold rhetorical addres...I often wonder how his big, bold rhetorical addresses will be remembered. I think you're right that 50 years or 100 years his rhetoric will be much more appreciated through the lens of history than it is through the crowd that covers news now. And more than almost any other time in his Presidency, I'd be surprised if he gave a flying fig about the absurd way the media covered this presser.Jamie Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08579007138576584958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-58259127373009408512013-07-21T00:11:51.582-05:002013-07-21T00:11:51.582-05:00PLus 1 on this.PLus 1 on this.Jamie Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08579007138576584958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-54006865087748282232013-07-20T23:33:43.269-05:002013-07-20T23:33:43.269-05:00"Well when you explain what these tax-exempt ..."Well when you explain what these tax-exempt groups are doing, most people say why the hell are political organizational groups getting tax exempt status?!!!"<br /><br />I have to say the most frustrating thing about the IRS non-scandal scandal is how the idea that tax exempt nonprofits being subject to scrutiny is being treated as some Orwellian nightmare. Of course nonprofits should have be subject to being scrutinized if they are claiming tax exempt status! A nonprofit shouldn't be a hobby you run in your spare time, at least if you want people to be able to write off hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes. And yes having to fill out a form with 50 questions is totally normal.longwalkdownlyndalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13173899547449318257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-29437159324221611242013-07-20T23:14:12.230-05:002013-07-20T23:14:12.230-05:00It's a shame so many folks just tuned it out r...It's a shame so many folks just tuned it out reflexively. The President's words go a long way towards a kind of empathy, to understanding where people are coming from.The Bitter Fignoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-71280179148436216762013-07-20T22:58:03.451-05:002013-07-20T22:58:03.451-05:00From the jury instructions:
If George Zimmerman wa...From the jury instructions:<br /><i>If George Zimmerman was not engaged in an unlawful activity and was attacked in any place where he had a right to be, he had no duty to retreat and <b>had the right to stand his ground</b> and meet force with force, including deadly force if he reasonably believed that it was necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.</i><br /><br />It's also worth noting that a case does not begin at the trial. SYG may well have had an impact on evidence collection as well as delays in charging Zimmerman. We know from other cases that SYG, often improperly understood by police and prosecutors (red flag right there...), has sometimes had a chilling effect, whereby they feel unable to fully investigate and prosecute. It's a law which confuses police, prosecutors, and judges, leading to inconsistent application, from a fatal gunfight between suspected gang members to people shot in the back. Tampa Bay Times has had a lot of reporting on it.<br /><br />Just doesn't seem to be good law. However the ball gets rolling, reconsideration is wise.The Bitter Fignoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-62466649370355373812013-07-20T22:29:47.993-05:002013-07-20T22:29:47.993-05:00Supreme court nominees are pretty high profile, so...Supreme court nominees are pretty high profile, so it'd take a lot of public relations work to justify the filibuster of a SCOTUS justice. Folks bring up Bork, but seem to forget the context. He was very conservative, Democrats controlled the Senate 55-45, and ultimately six Republicans crossed lines in order to vote against him (two democrats voted in favor).<br /><br />Maybe this is naive, but I think it'd take a massive level of public (not just political) opposition to a candidate specifically to give the GOP cover for an outright filibuster of a qualified nominee, particularly if it was in attempt to push things beyond an election.<br /><br />It's a lot easier to continue massive obstruction on an appeals or circuit judge who is eventually confirmed 97-0 or such when no one is watching. Everyone is watching the Supreme Court.The Bitter Fignoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-5407789393208958192013-07-20T21:50:49.745-05:002013-07-20T21:50:49.745-05:00One of the problems with the initial investigation...One of the problems with the initial investigations is that Bush appointee J Russell George juked the stats at first. He wasn't interested in investigating whether or not there was excessive scrutiny, except as it related to conservative groups.<br /><br />Currently, the IRS is reopening the investigations to get a better picture on how liberal/progressive/occupy and other groups were handled. This doesn't mean that things were equal, or that they weren't, but rather that we'll have better stats for comparison before too long, now that the investigations aren't plainly partisan.<br /><br />That's if a reasonable comparison is even possible. In the lists used for initial categorisation of groups seeking tax exempt status (sometimes referred to as the BOLO lists, but the term isn't specifically used), "Progressive" and "Tea Party" are indeed in two separate categories. "Historical" and Emerging," respectively. Newness may have featured more into this than ideology.<br /><br />Again, this isn't to say that there's nothing, but so far, we've seen a lot of grand pronouncements of "Worse than Watergate" on incomplete data assembled by partisans. It's just good to keep that in perspective.The Bitter Fignoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-75639295864196832592013-07-20T21:02:10.613-05:002013-07-20T21:02:10.613-05:00What mattered most this week will turn out to be P...What mattered most this week will turn out to be President Obama's surprise statement in the White House press room. It's potentially the most important statement on racial issues since MLK in 1963. Time will tell if this is true, but that's my informed guess. Captain Futurehttp://dreamingup.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-77571421294700719592013-07-20T19:56:53.355-05:002013-07-20T19:56:53.355-05:00William Saletan wrote a detailed and embarrassed p...William Saletan wrote a detailed and embarrassed prog mea culpa about his ignorant rush to judgement regarding Zimmerman. A brief excerpt:<br /><br /><i>New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is using the verdict to attack Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, <b>which wasn’t invoked in this case.</b></i><br /><br />There! Another prog educated!backyardfoundrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-81030216953959230942013-07-20T19:24:02.408-05:002013-07-20T19:24:02.408-05:00Their position is already clear, although you won&...Their position is already clear, although you won't catch the GOP coming right out and saying it -- yet. "You need to nominate Americans, and not Democrats, to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Nominate an American, by which we mean a Republican, and then we'll talk."<br /><br />When the argument becomes one not of which direction to take the country in, but who even counts as 'the country' in the first place, you're looking at a cold civil war, one with no shooting, yet.William F. Glennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557342274820875239noreply@blogger.com