June 8, 2020

NYPD Commissioner '1,000 percent' behind plan to move some NYPD funds to youth and social services

Source: WPIX-TV

On the 11th day of protests in New York City, the “Justice for George Floyd” chants morphed into demands to take at least $1 billion out of the $6 billion NYPD budget and give it to communities of color, specifically youth social services programs.

It is something Mayor Bill de Blasio agreed with in principle on Sunday morning.

...snip...

And perhaps surprisingly, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea told PIX11 he supports the idea.

“I heard no dollar amount,” Shea told PIX11 News. “We know there were obviously some cuts to the youth. I think it is incumbent upon all of us to dig down and do anything that’s needed. So in terms of shifting some resources from the NYPD, we need the details on how much it is, but to help kids in the city, I’m 1,000 percent behind that, 1,000 percent."

Read more: https://www.pix11.com/news/local-news/nypd-commissioner-1-000-percent-behind-plan-to-move-some-nypd-funds-to-youth-and-social-services

June 8, 2020

Tuesday is another set of Primaries

Georgia

Presidential Primary

GA-SEN (1)
Sarah Riggs Amico (D) - Businesswoman & '18 Lt Gov Nominee
Marckeith DeJesus (D) - Financial Consultant, '16 St Rep Candidate & '17 St Sen Candidate
James Knox (D) - Retired USAF Officer, MIS Professional & Doctoral Candidate
Tricia Carpenter McCracken (D) - Freelance Journalist, '16 US Rep Nominee & '10 Lt Gov Candidate
Jon Ossoff (D) - Investigative Journalist & '17 US Rep Nominee
Maya Dillard Smith (D) - Attorney, Business Advisor & Ex-State ACLU Director
Teresa Tomlinson (D) - Ex-Columbus Mayor & Attorney

GA-01
Joyce Griggs (D) - Attorney, Retired Army Officer & '00 Nominee
Lisa Ring (D) - Bryan County Democratic Chair, Ex-Corrections Officer & '18 Nominee
Barbara Seidman (D) - Retired Businesswoman, '18 Candidate & '19 St Rep Candidate

GA-04
Hank Johnson (D) - (Incumbent)
William Haston (D) - Ministry Operations Manager & USAF Veteran

GA-05
John Lewis (D) - (Incumbent)
Barrington Martin II (D) - Writing Tutor & Paralegal

GA-07
Carolyn Bourdeaux (D) - Ex-State Senate Budget Director, College Professor & '18 Nominee
John Eaves (D) - Ex-Fulton County Commission Chair, Educator & '17 Atlanta Mayor Candidate
Nabilah Islam (D) - Political Consultant
Zahra Karinshak (D) - State Sen., Attorney, Ex-Gubernatorial Aide & USAF Veteran
Brenda Lopez (D) - State Rep., Attorney & Teacher
Rashid Malik (D) - Educator, Democratic Activist, '16 Nominee & '10 State Sen. Nominee

GA-09
Devin Pandy (D) - Limousine Contractor & Retired Army NCO
Brooke Siskin (D) - Businesswoman, Democratic Activist & '12 St Rep Candidate
Dan Wilson (D) - Retired Pastor

GA-12
Liz Johnson (D) - Ex-DNC Member, Retired Insurance Agent & Frequent Candidate
Dan Steiner (D) - Retired Attorney

GA-14
David Scott (D) - (Incumbent)
Michael Owens (D) - Ex-Cobb County Democratic Chair, Businessman & '14 Candidate
Jannquell Peters (D) - Ex-East Point Mayor & Attorney
Keisha Waites (D) - Ex-State Rep., Ex-FEMA Official & '18 Fulton Co Comm Chair Candidate

Nevada

NV-01
Dina Titus (D) - (Incumbent)
Allen Rheinhart (D) - Artist, Progressive Activist & Frequent Candidate

NV-02
Patricia Ackerman (D) - Retired Mountaineer, Ex-Actress & '18 State Assembly Nominee
Ed Cohen (D) - Communications Consultant
Reynaldo Hernandez (D) - Grocery Store Produce Clerk
Clint Koble (D) - Ex-USDA Official, Ex-Non-Profit Group Director & '18 Nominee
Ian Luetkehans (D) - '18 Candidate
Rick Shepherd (D) - Educator, Progressive Activist & '16/'18 Candidate
Steve Schiffman (D) - Ex-US Diplomat, Attorney & '16/'18 Candidate

NV-03
Susie Lee (D) - (Incumbent)
Gary Crispin (D) - Marketing Consultant & Sanders Campaign Activist
Dennis Sullivan (D) - Physician & Navy Veteran
Tiffany Ann Watson (D) - '18 St Sen Candidate

NV-04
Steven Horsford (D) - (Incumbent)
George Brucato (D) - Painting Contractor
Chris Colley (D) - Re-Recording Mixer
Gabrielle "Brie" D'Ayr (D) - Risk Manager, Navy Veteran & '18 State Assembly Candidate
Jennifer Eason (D) - Businesswoman & Progressive Activist
Gregory Kempton (D) - Teacher

North Dakota

ND-AL
Zach Raknerud (D) - Retail Manager & '18 State Rep Nominee
Roland Riemers (D) - Ex-Libertarian State Chair, Property Manager, USAF Veteran & Frequent Candidate

South Carolina

SC-03
Hosea Cleveland (D) - Insurance Agent, Civil Engineer, Army Veteran & Frequent Candidate
Mark Welch (D) - Retired Teacher

SC-05
Moe Brown (D) - Ex-State Commerce Dept. Official & Ex-College Football Player
Sidney Moore (D) - Ex-York County Councilman, Retired Businessman & Frequent Candidate

SC-07
Melissa Watson (D) - Nonprofit Executive, Social Worker & Democratic Activist
Robert Williams (D) - State Rep., Business Consultant, Iraq War Veteran & '18 Nominee
William "Cowboy" Williams (D) - Retired US Postal Service Manager & Vietnam War Veteran

West Virginia

Presidential Primary

WV-GOV
Doug Hughes (D) - Retired State Employee, Ex-Mine Worker & Army Veteran
Jody Murphy (D) - Ex-Chamber of Commerce Official & Ex-Newspaper Journalist
Ben Salango (D) - Kanawha County Commissioner & Attorney
Stephen Smith (D) - Nonprofit Group Executive & Community Organizer
Ron Stollings (D) - State Sen., Physician & Ex-WV Medical Association President

WV-AG
Sam Petsonk (D) - Attorney & Ex-Congressional Aide
Isaac Sponaugle (D) - State Del. & Attorney

WV-SEN
Richard Ojeda (D) - Ex-State Sen., Iraq/Afghan War Veteran & '14/'18 US Rep Candidate
Richie Robb (D) - Ex-South Charleston Mayor, Attorney, Vietnam War Veteran & Frequent Candidate
Paula Jean Swearengin (D) - Environmental Activist & '18 Candidate

WV-01
Natalie Cline (D) - Computational Linguist
Tom Payne (D) - Attorney, Retired Army Officer & '16/'18 Candidate

WV-03
Paul Davis (D) - Tri-State Transit Authority CEO & '18 Candidate
Jeff Lewis (D) - CWA Local Labor Union President & Law School Graduate
Hilary Turner (D) - Yoga Instructor
Lacy Watson (D) - College Professor, Psychologist & '18 St Del Nominee

June 8, 2020

Kshama Sawant doubles down...(Seattle)

https://twitter.com/cmkshama/status/1269734804183871488

June 7, 2020

Let's be clear about what the Minneapolis "defund the police" story means...and what it doesn't.

The Minneapolis City Council can choose to replace the MPD with some other law enforcement structure and policies. They can replace the police chief and senior leadership. But they CANNOT get rid of police officers in one fell swoop.

The City of Minneapolis has labor contracts with the Police Unions. I guarantee that they can’t be arbitrarily laid off and forced to re-apply for their jobs. Whatever new law enforcement structure is implemented, it will be staffed by existing police officers and sergeants, absent cause for dismissal. One assumes however that they will have a new reporting structure and new assignments and policies for which they can be held responsible in the future.

Some people have pointed to Reagan firing the air traffic controllers as a model, but that doesn’t apply here. The PATCO union voted to go on strike, in violation of their contract and a Court injunction, and their members were fired on that basis.

June 7, 2020

Which behavior is less moral?

Bringing COVID-19 into a casino or bringing it into a Church?

June 7, 2020

James Bennet Resigns As Editorial Page Editor of The New York Times; Katie Kingsbury Named Acting Ed

Source: New York Times

The New York Times announced today that James Bennet, Editorial Page Editor since May, 2016, is resigning effective immediately. The Times also announced that the deputy editorial page editor Jim Dao is stepping off the masthead and being reassigned to the newsroom.

Katie Kingsbury, who joined The Times in 2017, has been named as acting Editorial Page Editor through the November election.

Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger said, “James is a journalist of enormous talent and integrity who believes deeply in the mission of The Times. He oversaw a significant transformation of the Opinion department, which broadened the range of voices we publish and pushed us into new formats like video, graphics and audio. I’m grateful for his many contributions.

Katie has been instrumental in reimagining Opinion since she joined The Times from the Boston Globe, where she served as managing editor for digital and won a Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. I look forward to working with her as she steps into this role at this important moment.”

Read more: https://www.nytco.com/press/james-bennet-resigns-as-editorial-page-editor-of-the-new-york-times-katie-kingsbury-named-acting-editorial-page-editor/

June 7, 2020

Minneapolis Mayor meets with protesters; it does not go well

https://twitter.com/lpdonovan/status/1269627919632080897

June 7, 2020

Progressives steamrolled across the Senate map

Politico

June 7, 2020

Trump decides to declare victory and stay home...

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1269628439457345538

June 7, 2020

To celebrate the lifting of curfew in NYC, I'm going to go out tonight and...

...not go to a restaurant, bar or theater...