Stupid week ?

[Nungali]

What ? Its stupid week or something is it ?

 

To many incidents to recount here ( a few to do with court ... but the stupidity is with the other side so thats good ... but mind numbing ) but last nights news two stories stood out ... just locally, (forgetting all the current international stupidity at the moment)

 

1. Joe Hocky (rich, 'lets smoke an expensive cigar and wear expensive suit while I deliver a horror budget' federal Treasurer ) wants to increase fuel tax but says it wont effect the poor as they either dont have a car or dont drive very far.

 

Aside from the effect he knows that we know higher fuel prices will spin off to ;

 

DUDE! The reason poor people dont drive far is because of the already high cost of fuel !

 

2) The 'Commonwealth' (yeah right! ) Bank had a recent problem, they were exposed for big rip offs and unfair dealings in certain areas of their business. They just posted amazing profits ... even in those same areas .... amazing how well they are doing, the report said, considering the bad press and publicity they got.

 

DUDE ! They made that money in those areas becasue they ripped people off with excessive charges - thats how they got all that money !

 

Do people really swallow this stuff.

 

Now with the new terrorist threat arriving ... we might have to instigate that good old Australian terrorist defence John Howard thought up (our current PM's 'mentor' and idol )

 

The terrorist fridge magnet.

 

Thats right folks ... last time we were under 'threat' the government made us feel better by sending every citizen in Australia a fridge magnet

 

God help us !

 

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/02/1044122263322.html

Edited August 13, 2014 by Nungali

[Nungali]

Clarke and Dawe

Reporter: John Clarke and Bryan Dawe

KERRY O'BRIEN: And, for the last word this week, John Clarke and Bryan Dawe examine the contents of the Government's new anti-terrorism package of advice to householders.

 

JOHN CLARKE AS JOHN HOWARD; BRYAN DAWE AS THE INTERVIEWER.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard, thanks for your time.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Good evening, Bryan, very good to be with you.

 

INTERVIEWER: I wonder if I could ask you about this terrorist package that you're sending out to Australian households.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Yes, by all means.

 

I'm not sure that everybody has received the package yet.

 

INTERVIEWER: Well, I got mine.

 

JOHN HOWARD: You've got yours, good.

 

INTERVIEWER: I've got it here.

 

I wonder if we can just go through it.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Certainly, yes.

 

INTERVIEWER: Could you tell me what this is?

 

JOHN HOWARD: This is just a letter, Bryan, to Australians explaining the geopolitical position and counselling them not to worry too much, not to panic.

 

INTERVIEWER: Not to worry unnecessarily.

 

JOHN HOWARD: No, don't be too alarmed.

 

INTERVIEWER: And what's it called again?

 

JOHN HOWARD: You can see what it's called.

 

It's called "Look out!

 

There's A Terrorist Behind You With An Axe".

 

INTERVIEWER: And this is a fridge magnet?

 

JOHN HOWARD: It's a fridge magnet, Bryan, yes.

 

INTERVIEWER: And what's it for?

 

JOHN HOWARD: For sticking on the fridge.

 

INTERVIEWER: But why?

 

JOHN HOWARD: So you don't get attacked by terrorists.

 

INTERVIEWER: What do terrorists look like?

 

JOHN HOWARD: See, that's the difficulty.

 

We don't know what terrorists look like.

 

This is the point.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard, how are we going to avoid terrorists if we don't know what they look like?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Well, they look like anyone else, Bryan.

 

This is one of the difficulties.

 

INTERVIEWER: And have you seen any?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Have I seen terrorists?

 

INTERVIEWER: Yeah.

 

JOHN HOWARD: No, I've got a fridge magnet.

 

INTERVIEWER: So these act like a garlic -

 

JOHN HOWARD: They won't come near you if you've got a fridge magnet.

 

INTERVIEWER: Really?

 

And what's this thing here?

 

JOHN HOWARD: That's just a whistle, Bryan.

 

INTERVIEWER: For attracting -

 

(Blows whistle) JOHN HOWARD: I beg your pardon?

 

INTERVIEWER: …attracting attention?

 

JOHN HOWARD: I don't need to attract attention, thanks, Bryan.

 

I've got the media where I want them.

 

It's going pretty well.

 

INTERVIEWER: What's this thing here?

 

JOHN HOWARD: That's a disguise - a very good one, in my view.

 

An excellent disguise.

 

Everyone will be getting one of these.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard, that's a Groucho Marx mask.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Yes, and a very good one, in my view, Bryan.

 

INTERVIEWER: And what about this item?

 

JOHN HOWARD: That is a thing for finding studs in a wall, Bryan, and that is obviously a rubber band and that is two tickets to a Frank Ifield concert.

 

INTERVIEWER: 1963.

 

JOHN HOWARD: It hasn't happened yet, but hang on to them.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard, you've spoken to President Bush many times.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Yes, I have.

 

INTERVIEWER: And what does he say to you?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Hang on a minute, I haven't finished yet.

 

INTERVIEWER: Oh, sorry, go ahead.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Go ahead what?

 

INTERVIEWER: When you talk to the President, what does he say to you?

 

JOHN HOWARD: I just told you what he says to me.

 

INTERVIEWER: I haven't finished yet?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Yep.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard have you asked him how you deal with someone you suspect of using weapons of mass destruction when you're using weapons of mass destruction -

 

JOHN HOWARD: No, Bryan, it didn't come up.

 

We're discussing things of considerable moment.

 

INTERVIEWER: Have you also asked him how the UN can act as the ultimate authority if someone's telling them what to do?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Listen to this.

 

This is not bad.

 

You'll enjoy this.

 

Did you hear the one about the woman who backed into an aircraft propeller?

 

INTERVIEWER: No.

 

What happened?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Disaster!

 

That's quite good, isn't it?

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard -

 

JOHN HOWARD: It's very good, Peter.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard, has President Bush said anything logical about the war yet?

 

JOHN HOWARD: I don't know, Bryan.

 

INTERVIEWER: Why not?

 

JOHN HOWARD: I've got a fridge magnet.

 

INTERVIEWER: It keeps logic away as well?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Why do you think we're sending them out to Australians, Bryan?

 

That's the last thing we want - a bit of logic in the community.

 

INTERVIEWER: Mr Howard, thanks for your time.

 

JOHN HOWARD: Don't thank me, son.

 

No, put the funny party hat on and we'll sing the song together.

 

INTERVIEWER: The song?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Yep.

 

INTERVIEWER: 'Yankee Doodle Dandy'?

 

JOHN HOWARD: Yep, come on, you're an Australian, aren't you?

 

(Sings) * Yankee McDoodle went to town, riding on a - * what's that word?

 

INTERVIEWER: Pony.

 

JOHN HOWARD: *..pony, he stuck his head up - * Oh!

 

INTERVIEWER: Thank you

[idiot_stimpy]

Much easier to control a population when they're in fear.

 

Make no mistake its all psychological warfare against the everyday citizen.

[silent thunder]

It seems to run in cycles.

[GrandmasterP]

What ? Its stupid week or something is it ?

 

To many incidents to recount here ( a few to do with court ... but the stupidity is with the other side so thats good ... but mind numbing ) but last nights news two stories stood out ... just locally, (forgetting all the current international stupidity at the moment)

 

1. Joe Hocky (rich, 'lets smoke an expensive cigar and wear expensive suit while I deliver a horror budget' federal Treasurer ) wants to increase fuel tax but says it wont effect the poor as they either dont have a car or dont drive very far.

 

Aside from the effect he knows that we know higher fuel prices will spin off to ;

 

DUDE! The reason poor people dont drive far is because of the already high cost of fuel !

 

2) The 'Commonwealth' (yeah right! ) Bank had a recent problem, they were exposed for big rip offs and unfair dealings in certain areas of their business. They just posted amazing profits ... even in those same areas .... amazing how well they are doing, the report said, considering the bad press and publicity they got.

 

DUDE ! They made that money in those areas becasue they ripped people off with excessive charges - thats how they got all that money !

 

Do people really swallow this stuff.

 

Now with the new terrorist threat arriving ... we might have to instigate that good old Australian terrorist defence John Howard thought up (our current PM's 'mentor' and idol )

 

The terrorist fridge magnet.

 

Thats right folks ... last time we were under 'threat' the government made us feel better by sending every citizen in Australia a fridge magnet

 

God help us !

 

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/02/1044122263322.html

 

I'd quite like a fridge magnet from our government here.

Ideally it would say...

" We're really sorry."

[Brian]

Ours would say, "Heh, heh, heh..."

[joeblast]

So long as the government has a black check with the implicit collection of teh Pleebz signatures on the line, its going to act as if it has no boundary. But then again, when the interests it serves "have no boundary" e.g. "country"...

[GrandmasterP]

Do you not think that, by and large; we get the politicians we deserve?

[Stosh]

Do you not think that, by and large; we get the politicians we deserve?

No, I and everyone else overall deserve better,

we just cant out-vote ourselves

folks overall have been trained that we are supposed to vote independently

rather than as a voting block.

The parties act as a 'block' which is more effective

so we just bounce back and forth between politicians

who are presented to us as viable , at the major parties discretion.

The seats generally just oscillate back and forth between the two major parties.

Those two parties manage to exclude smaller parties ,,

and so , secure themselves half of the seats at the table perpetually.

 

When the candidates are presented on mass before an election , doesnt the voting public say to themselves...

" Is this really the entire group that we could choose from , out of the whole country? This is the cream of the crop?"

The answer is no , its not, but thats all we are presented with to choose from.

[silent thunder]

No, I and everyone else overall deserve better,

we just cant out-vote ourselves

folks overall have been trained that we are supposed to vote independently

rather than as a voting block.

The parties act as a 'block' which is more effective

so we just bounce back and forth between politicians

who are presented to us as viable , at the major parties discretion.

The seats generally just oscillate back and forth between the two major parties.

Those two parties manage to exclude smaller parties ,,

and so , secure themselves half of the seats at the table perpetually.

 

When the candidates are presented on mass before an election , doesnt the voting public say to themselves...

" Is this really the entire group that we could choose from , out of the whole country? This is the cream of the crop?"

The answer is no , its not, but thats all we are presented with to choose from.

well said.

 

the game, as we all know, is fixed to the degree it can be.

[joeblast]

As Michael Snyder asks - How is it possible that our once very peaceful nation has fallen apart so dramatically?

Let’s be honest – Ferguson, Missouri is under military occupation right now, and the entire world is watching in horror as militarized police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at unarmed protesters. Yes, the rioting and looting in Ferguson needed to be stopped. If order had not been restored, more stores and businesses would have been destroyed. However, there is no excuse for the brutal tactics now being employed. At one point, police snipers were even using laser scopes to target protesters that were obviously unarmed. Sadly, this is just a preview of what is coming to America in the years ahead. As the economy falls apart and people become even more angry and even more frustrated, there will be a lot more incidents of civil unrest like we have just witnessed in Ferguson. And in response, the federal government and our overly militarized police will seek to crush those uprisings with overwhelming force. ...
when police get all of this equipment, it is inevitable that they are going to use it. One result of this has been the astounding increase in the number of SWAT team raids in America. The following numbers come from my previous article entitled “10 Facts About The SWATification Of America That Everyone Should Know“…

#1 In 1980, there were approximately 3,000 SWAT raids in the United States. Now, there are more than 80,000 SWAT raids per year in this country.
#2 79 percent of the time, SWAT teams are deployed to private homes.
#3 50 percent of the victims of SWAT raids are either black or Latino.
#4 In 65 percent of SWAT deployments, “a battering ram, boot, or some sort of explosive device” is used to gain forced entry to a home.
#5 62 percent of all SWAT raids involve a search for drugs.
#6 In at least 36 percent of all SWAT raids, “no contraband of any kind” is found by the police.
#7 In cases where it is suspected that there is a weapon in the home, police only find a weapon 35 percent of the time.
#8 More than 100 American families have their homes raided by SWAT teams every single day.
#9 Only 7 percent of all SWAT deployments are for “hostage, barricade or active-shooter scenarios”.
#10 Even small towns are getting SWAT teams now. 30 years ago, only 25.6 percent of communities with populations between 25,000 and 50,000 people had a SWAT team. Now, that number has increased to 80 percent.

And of course African-American communities receive a greatly disproportionate amount of attention from our militarized police. Just imagine how you would feel if every time you saw a police officer you cringed in fear because you might be about to get searched again. The following is how author Michelle Alexander put it in her book “The New Jim Crow“…

Ultimately, these stop-and-frisk operations amount to much more than humiliating, demeaning rituals for young men of color, who must raise their arms and spread their legs, always careful not to make a sudden move or gesture that could provide an excuse for brutal - even lethal - force.

Like the days when black men were expected to step off the sidewalk and cast their eyes downward when a white woman passed, young black men know the drill when they see the police crossing the street toward them; it is a ritual of dominance and submission played out hundreds of thousands of times each year.

So what can we do about this?
How can we change the system?
How can we reverse this alarming militarization of our police?
Unfortunately, our system has become so corrupt that there is very little that we can do. In fact, one newly released study discovered that average Americans have a “near-zero” statistical impact on public policy…

A startling new political science study concludes that corporate interests and mega wealthy individuals control U.S. policy to such a degree that “the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.”

The startling study, titled “Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens,” is slated to appear in an upcoming issue of Perspectives on Politics and was authored by Princeton University Professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Professor Benjamin Page. An early draft can be found here.

Noted American University Historian Allan J. Lichtman, who highlighted the piece in a Tuesday article published in The Hill, calls Gilens and Page’s research “shattering” and says their scholarship “should be a loud wake-up call to the vast majority of Americans who are bypassed by their government.

 

 

-------------------------------

So what I want to know is, why does the "police" feel the need to prevent media reports of what's going on, why are they tear gassing reporters, have closed off the airspace above and wont let any news helicopters over the area.

 

whatcha hiding, folks?

[idiot_stimpy]

The game will be up when people realize that the left and the right are controlled by the same shadow government behind the scenes.

 

Its a big club, carefully rigged to never fail and you're not invited.

[Stosh]

As Michael Snyder asks - How is it possible that our once very peaceful nation has fallen apart so dramatically?

 

Opinion is expressed here , its a very non specific statement , it may be that this nation has never been very peaceful.

 

Let’s be honest –

Im already honest

 

Ferguson, Missouri is under military occupation right now, and the entire world is watching in horror as militarized police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at unarmed protesters. Yes, the rioting and looting in Ferguson needed to be stopped. If order had not been restored, more stores and businesses would have been destroyed. However, there is no excuse for the brutal tactics now being employed. At one point, police snipers were even using laser scopes to target protesters that were obviously unarmed. Sadly, this is just a preview of what is coming to America in the years ahead. As the economy falls apart and people become even more angry and even more frustrated, there will be a lot more incidents of civil unrest like we have just witnessed in Ferguson. And in response, the federal government and our overly militarized police will seek to crush those uprisings with overwhelming force. ...

when police get all of this equipment, it is inevitable that they are going to use it. One result of this has been the astounding increase in the number of SWAT team raids in America. The following numbers come from my previous article entitled “10 Facts About The SWATification Of America That Everyone Should Know“…

 

#1 In 1980, there were approximately 3,000 SWAT raids in the United States. Now, there are more than 80,000 SWAT raids per year in this country.

#2 79 percent of the time, SWAT teams are deployed to private homes.

#3 50 percent of the victims of SWAT raids are either black or Latino.

#4 In 65 percent of SWAT deployments, “a battering ram, boot, or some sort of explosive device” is used to gain forced entry to a home.

#5 62 percent of all SWAT raids involve a search for drugs.

#6 In at least 36 percent of all SWAT raids, “no contraband of any kind” is found by the police.

#7 In cases where it is suspected that there is a weapon in the home, police only find a weapon 35 percent of the time.

#8 More than 100 American families have their homes raided by SWAT teams every single day.

#9 Only 7 percent of all SWAT deployments are for “hostage, barricade or active-shooter scenarios”.

#10 Even small towns are getting SWAT teams now. 30 years ago, only 25.6 percent of communities with populations between 25,000 and 50,000 people had a SWAT team. Now, that number has increased to 80 percent.

 

Even if these stats are true , each one would have to be looked at to see whether any of them are improper

 

 

And of course African-American communities receive a greatly disproportionate amount of attention from our militarized police.

I dont know that , 'disproportionate' alone just says someone thinks something is unfair..

but if crime is more prevalent in certain states or communities , one could make an association between police activities and a race , but that doesnt mean that they do not have justifiable cause for their actions. I think there was a stat that one in four black men in detroit will spend time in prison ,, did one in four commit crimes that warrant prison? if they did , then theres nothing racist about the prison stat, but it also shouldnt be construed that the other three guys did anything criminal either!

 

Just imagine how you would feel if every time you saw a police officer you cringed in fear because you might be about to get searched again. The following is how author Michelle Alexander put it in her book “The New Jim Crow“…

I had my shoes checked for explosive residue at several airports , that would be very serious if they came up with a positive result due to exposures I was never aware of .

I didnt cringe in fear.. but I can understand the indignity and concerns one addresses.

I dont support these stop and frisk events on the street though, either

So what can we do about this?

How can we change the system?

How can we reverse this alarming militarization of our police?

 

Questions , without answers are pointless if you are trying to make a point.

 

 

Unfortunately, our system has become so corrupt that there is very little that we can do. In fact, one newly released study discovered that average Americans have a “near-zero” statistical impact on public policy…

A startling new political science study concludes that corporate interests and mega wealthy individuals control U.S. policy to such a degree that “the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.”

Is this article trying to create a sense of powerlessness, I think so , its listing all sorts of horrible things and saying you cant do anything about it ,,,So whats the point of reading it?

 

Noted American University Historian Allan J. Lichtman, who highlighted the piece in a Tuesday article published in The Hill, calls Gilens and Page’s research “shattering” and says their scholarship “should be a loud wake-up call to the vast majority of Americans who are bypassed by their government.

-------------------------------

 

What is the point of a wake up call if you think nobody can do anything about it?

 

So what I want to know is, why does the "police" feel the need to prevent media reports of what's going on, why are they tear gassing reporters, have closed off the airspace above and wont let any news helicopters over the area.

 

whatcha hiding, folks?

 

The public reacts to things without investigating or considering what has been presented , the media has more interest in playing up to fears instead of making rational explanations or showing the police properly enforcing law. IMO

 

I dont see cause for the drama , you can make your point calmly and Ill try to be objective, but Im not crazy about this authors scare tactics and inuendo.

Sorry

[Nungali]

Last night the news said we are now up to 9 state Liberal party ministers sacked or quit due the current enquiry ... they named the police minister as a bribery broker.

 

(I had another thread explaining how the separation of powers is now defunct and the Attorney general and Justice Department have been put in control of the Police Minister.)

 

Soon it will spread into the Federal (in power) ,Liberal party ... as its all connected.

 

--------------

 

And after the state 'shutdown' on fracking , now another company has popped up saying they are going to do the same thing in the same area and opened offices in the town (and whole area) they plan on environmentally destroying for $$$$

 

Really, it would just be simpler to go around there at night and **** their offices.

 

An interesting dynamic has evolved; in investigating these corrupt people they realise many have been fine moral people until they entered politics .... they still havent caught the instigators of it yet. ...... the established guys that convince the new incoming politicians that corruption is just a part of it (of course its the new guys that get busted.)

[joeblast]

Opinion is expressed here , its a very non specific statement , it may be that this nation has never been very peaceful.

 

Im already honest

 

 

Even if these stats are true , each one would have to be looked at to see whether any of them are improper

 

I dont know that , 'disproportionate' alone just says someone thinks something is unfair..

but if crime is more prevalent in certain states or communities , one could make an association between police activities and a race , but that doesnt mean that they do not have justifiable cause for their actions. I think there was a stat that one in four black men in detroit will spend time in prison ,, did one in four commit crimes that warrant prison? if they did , then theres nothing racist about the prison stat, but it also shouldnt be construed that the other three guys did anything criminal either!

I had my shoes checked for explosive residue at several airports , that would be very serious if they came up with a positive result due to exposures I was never aware of .

I didnt cringe in fear.. but I can understand the indignity and concerns one addresses.

I dont support these stop and frisk events on the street though, either

 

Questions , without answers are pointless if you are trying to make a point.

 

Is this article trying to create a sense of powerlessness, I think so , its listing all sorts of horrible things and saying you cant do anything about it ,,,So whats the point of reading it?

 

What is the point of a wake up call if you think nobody can do anything about it?

 

 

The public reacts to things without investigating or considering what has been presented , the media has more interest in playing up to fears instead of making rational explanations or showing the police properly enforcing law. IMO

 

I dont see cause for the drama , you can make your point calmly and Ill try to be objective, but Im not crazy about this authors scare tactics and inuendo.

Sorry

put in the context of executive orders that do things like declare all state guard to be de facto national guard and following from that, the president can call them all federal troops and use them as he pleases, hell with what the governors think of it...

 

yeah, probably missed that one too.

 

this history of our law here since the founding times is one of the cerntral government beating back any state's "right" it feels infringes on whatever the federal (you can probably drop the D) government feels like doing at the time.

 

there's so much little crap like this that people dont know about, its not even funny.

 

why else is federal largesse turning local cops into paramilitary organizations.

 

cripes, Iraq vets are remarking that these swat teams have more armor on them than THEY did going into a WARZONE...

 

nothing to see here, I hear there's a great show on TV later

[Nungali]

1. Joe Hocky (rich, 'lets smoke an expensive cigar and wear expensive suit while I deliver a horror budget' federal Treasurer ) wants to increase fuel tax but says it wont effect the poor as they either dont have a car or dont drive very far.

 

Aside from the effect he knows that we know higher fuel prices will spin off to ;

 

DUDE! The reason poor people dont drive far is because of the already high cost of fuel !

 

 

Haaa HAAAR!

 

He had to apologise (but dont think we will get a 'sorry' fridge magnet about it )

 

 

 

 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/one-of-the-big-clangers-joe-hockey-had-no-choice-but-to-apologise-for-comments-about-poor-and-cars-20140815-3ds5r.html

[Nungali]

This weeks stupid prize in Australian politics goes to 'Palm myself Palmer"

 

(He has large mining assets and has lucrative contracts with the Chinese to develop them)

 

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/clive-palmer-blasts-china-on-qa-20140819-3dx15.html

 

 

( Of course this has nothing to do with all the Chinese funds he channelled into his election campaign )

[joeblast]

 

Federal grants drive police militarization.

 

http://www.cato.org/blog/police-militarization-ferguson-nationwide

 

 

And Balko notes:

SWAT teams today are overwhelmingly used to

investigate

people who are still

only suspected

of committing

nonviolent consensual

crimes.

 

 

 

 

And Ellen Brown argues that the police are being militarized to protect of the financial elites:

When depositors cannot access their bank accounts to get money for food for the kids, they could well start breaking store windows and helping themselves. Worse, they might plot to overthrow the financier-controlled government. Witness Greece, where increasing disillusionment with the ability of the government to rescue the citizens from the worst depression since 1929 has precipitated riots and threats of violent overthrow.

 

Fear of that result could explain the massive, government-authorized spying on American citizens, the domestic use of drones, and the elimination of due process and of “posse comitatus” (the federal law prohibiting the military from enforcing “law and order” on non-federal property).

 

 

 

 

The Founding Fathers also fought the Revolutionary War for other reasons, such as stopping:

• The type of spying which the NSA is doing
• The type of banking which the giant banks are practicing
• The type of crony capitalism which the government and Wall Street are engaging in

 

 

 

Maplight reports that congress critters opposing Congressman Grayson’s bill to demilitarize police receive 73% more money than those voting for it:

 

International Business Times explains:

The group’s new report looked at a June congressional vote on

legislation

, offered by U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., that would have blocked the Pentagon from spending resources on transferring military hardware to local police agencies. The bill was defeated 62-355.

 

According to data compiled by Maplight, the lawmakers “voting to continue funding the 1033 Program have received, on average, 73 percent more money from the defense industry than representatives voting to defund it.” In all, the average lawmaker voting against the bill received more than $50,000 in campaign donations from the defense industry in the last two years. The report also found that of the 59 lawmakers who received more than $100,000 from defense contractors in the last two years, only four voted for Grayson’s legislation.

 

 

 

 

TruthDig reported last year:

“Did the FBI ignore, or even abet, a plot to assassinate Occupy Houston leaders?” asks investigative reporter Dave Lindorff at WhoWhatWhy. “What did the Feds know? Whom did they warn? And what did the Houston Police know?”

 

A Freedom of Information Act request filed by the Washington, D.C.-based Partnership for Civil Justice Fund yielded an FBI document containing knowledge of a plot by an unnamed group or individual to kill “leaders” of the Houston chapter of the nonviolent Occupy Wall Street movement.

 

Here’s what the document said, according to WhoWhatWhy:

An identified [DELETED] as of October planned to

engage in sniper attacks against protestors

(sic) in Houston, Texas

if deemed necessary

. An identified [DELETED] had received intelligence that indicated the

protesters in New York and Seattle planned similar protests in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, Texas

. [DELETED]

planned to gather intelligence against the leaders of the protest groups and obtain photographs, then formulate a plan to kill the leadership via suppressed sniper rifles

. (Note: protests continued throughout the weekend with approximately 6000 persons in NYC. ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests have spread to about half of all states in the US, over a dozen European and Asian cities, including protests in Cleveland (10/6-8/11) at Willard Park which was initially attended by hundreds of protesters.)

Paul Kennedy of the National Lawyers Guild in Houston and an attorney for a number of Occupy Houston activists arrested during the protests said he did not hear of the sniper plot and expressed discontent with the FBI’s failure to share knowledge of the plan with the public. He believed that the bureau would have acted if a “right-wing group” plotted the assassinations, implying that the plan could have originated with law enforcement.

 

“f it is something law enforcement was planning,” Kennedy said, “then nothing would have been done. It might seem hard to believe that a law enforcement agency would do such a thing, but I wouldn’t put it past them.”

 

He added that the phrase “if deemed necessary,” which appeared in the bureau’s report, further suggests the possibility that some kind of official organization was involved in the plan.

Edited August 20, 2014 by joeblast