The Coming Collapse of the Middle Class
This video runs long, but is worth it if you’ve the time. Watch it and tell me that any of the candidates has EVER spoken to these issues.
More here.
Thoughts on the Obama-Wright flare-up from Adolph Reed
I think partly because of the sort of racial narratives that are likely to attach within rightwing circles in the Democratic Party of an Obama defeat, as well as the subsequent role that he’d be likely to play in public life, that from the standpoint of progressive interests, we will ultimately be worse off with Obama as a defeated candidate than with Clinton as a defeated candidate.
I have to think about this. But I just wanted to throw this out there for folks to ruminate on. Pay particular attention to the differences between Reed and Harris-Lacewell with regards to politics. More here.
The National Black Police Association weighs in on the Sean Bell case
THE NATIONAL BLACK POLICE ASSOCIATION:
THE SEAN BELL VERDICT EMBOLDENS LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN JUDGES
© April 26, 2008. All rights reserved to NBPA
By Christopher C. Cooper
Saint Xavier University
Chicago, IL
cooper@sxu.edu
The acquittals of the three New York City Policeman who killed unarmed Sean Bell further damages the psyche and perception of the justice system by people of color. There was blatant disregard by Judge Cooperman, the Bell trial’s presiding judge, of the compelling evidence of recklessness. His verdict represents the highest level of judicial abuse. Sadly, his verdict is consistent with outrageous, decision-making by judges throughout America when people-of-color are victims. On the Civil side, it is the power of judges to prevent people of-color, victimized by the police, from ever getting their civil lawsuits against police before a jury. Judges nix a jury by routinely dismissing cases via what is called Summary Judgment. It is a judge deciding that allegations of a black man or woman are not credible enough to go to a jury. Read the rest of this entry →