The Agonizing Inaction and Deadly Incompetence of our safely Gerrymandered Wisconsin Republicans!

Republicans have proven again and again they will do nothing to solve growing social problems like reforming law enforcement and common sense gun control. Now both problems are reeling out of control and needlessly killing Wisconsinites with no signs of legislative help.

Where Police Accountability went off the Rails: I actually didn't even know about this until yesterday. Thanks Dems for being on top of this. Maybe repeal could be part of the "conversation:" 

The Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (1973) has been one of the biggest obstructions to police accountability, hindering investigations and shielding misconduct from public scrutiny. Fifteen other states followed Maryland in adopting a police bill of rights, including Wisconsin, where the police shooting of Jacob Blake this month has sparked protests, during which two more people were shot. After the bill was approved, police unions continued pushing quietly for amendments that strengthened it. 

Law Enforcement digs in to protect power and systemic racism by attacking Gov. Evers and Lt. Gov. Barnes: Initially law enforcement through a tantrum, revealing the deep state conservativism and swirling racism now being threatened by reformist. Here a list: WI Badger State Sheriff’s Association, WI Chiefs of Police Association, WI Sheriff's and Deputy Sheriff's Association, WI Police Executive Group:

Let's have a Conversation BS: The unmovable vacationing GOP authority are not coming back to work again this year. And yet they're feeling pretty let down that no one wants to "have a conversation" with them about police reform, which they're completely against. That's why what State Rep. Sally Kerkmen said in the clip below is so laughably ridiculous and insulting. From Upfront:

GOP using Protests to Scare Rural and Suburban Voters: It's all starts with Trump. I can't believe the media didn't think Trump's revealing comment in Kenosha didn't point out how backwards Republican thinking is about the protests: 

The mayor of Kenosha and Lt. Governor Barnes have the order, reform= the end of protests, just right...

State Sen. Letonya Johnson bottomed lined the whole GOP problem. But will voters listen?

What's all this talk about systemic racism?

Trump Republicans scared shi**ess of ANTIFA and Black Lives Matter, panic over Seattle "occupation!"

ANTIFA provocateurs? Anarchist takeover of Seattle? Fox News seems to thinks so, imagining the worst...

…and this was fun speculation and conspiracy base on the right wing's favorite source of research, "anecdotes:"

The Seattle Police Department warned business owners located in the so-called Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone to call 911 if protesters occupying the area demand money from them … “We have heard, anecdotally, reports of citizens and businesses being asked to pay a fee to operate within this area. This is the crime of extortion. If anyone has been subjected to this, we need them to call 911.”

Seattle's Takeover Anarchy, Chaos, ANTIFA occupation, Violence...meditation demonstration? 

As CNN reported, it's all amazingly similar to the late 60's love in demonstrations: 

TRUMP: “Domestic Terrorists have taken over Seattle.” — tweet Wednesday.

THE FACTS: No they haven’t.

This weekend the six-block zone in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood resembled more festival than protest. Thousands packed the area known as CHAZ for Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone or CHOP for the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest. Some meditated or painted. Others listened to speakers. The zone is stocked with granola bars, water, toilet paper and toothpaste.

Fear and anarchy came and went too...

Hacker releases not so damaging Democratic Party Black Lives Matter "tactics"

Hackers, internal Democratic memos...looks really bad this. Or is it? 

When Republicans get hooked on meme, they just go nuts. Like hacking and internal private memos and emails. Only in this case, the Democratic Party"secrets" make the party look really good. This is weird.

Still, it's all in how you frame the issue. International Business Times: 

Democratic Party tactics for 'dealing' with Black Lives Matter leaked by hacker: An internal memo reportedly hacked from the personal computer of Nancy Pelosi, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, shows how officials were briefed on how to respond to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement – including "tactics" on how to answer questions by activists.

Wow, this looks really bad, right? Wrong, unless the following secrets and "personal" list of responsible planning involving Black Lives Matter scares you:

1. Democratic Party candidates and members should never use the phrases "all lives matter." 

2. Nor mention "black on black crime" as they are "viewed as red herring attacks" and "will garner additional media scrutiny and only anger BLM activists."

Ouch, stop it. Outraged yet? Looks like Democrats stepped in it again. Damn those hackers...making the Democrats look like they actually care about something. Read on if you dare:

3. Democratic Party candidates and members should never use the phrases "all lives matter" nor mention "black on black crime" as they are "viewed as red herring attacks" and "will garner additional media scrutiny and only anger BLM activists."

4. Under a section marked "tactics", Perry instructs Democratic Party officials to "meet with local activists". He wrote: "If approached by BLM activists, campaign staff should offer to meet with local activists. Invited BLM attendees should be limited. Please aim for personal or small group meetings." He advised to "listen to their concerns" but "don't offer support for concrete policy positions."

5. BLM needs partners to achieve their agenda and they want to be a part of the conversation," Perry wrote in the memo last November. "However, BLM activists don't want their movement co-opted by the Democrat Party. They are leary of politicians who hijack their message to win campaigns."

6. Under the title "What to say to media", Perry noted that officials should aim to "rebuild the relationship" between police and community and "explore reforms" to ensure officers are properly trained and don't infringe on citizens' rights.

Sheriff Clarke on law abiding Black Lives Matter members openly carrying guns: "...those are the people I fear most. I do not fear law abiding gun owners."

The Republican talk of the "Blue Lives Matter" movement, begs the question; what about our lives mattering? That's the argument conservatives were making about "Black Lives Matter." No consistency, no "pricibles."

The Scalia misinterpret the 2nd Amendment started all of this, and we're now seeing the inevitable results and quick unraveling of what used to be a civil society. The overreach of gun drooling anti-government conservatives has given us a kind of freedom and liberty loving chaos.

Desperate to blame someone else for the now out of control gun carnage, and not the elimination of gun laws, Republicans focused in on one video of marchers chanting "What do we want? Dead Cops! When do we want it? Now." Republicans blamed Black Lives Matter and Millions March NYC. Wrong again:

The New York chapter of the Trayvon Martin Organizing Committee (TMOC), who were unauthorized by the Martin family to use Trayvon's name or likeness, were the sole faction of marchers using the chant.

But does that matter to Fox News' Sean Hannity and "purveyor of hate" Sheriff David Clarke? Nope.

Clarke: "Look, Black Lives Matter is a...they're purveyors of hate. It is a hateful, violent ideology. It's not an organization. It is not a movement, it is an ideology I said has to wiped off the face of the earth." 

So says the 1st and 2nd Amendment freedom fighter. Even worse, Clarke is afraid of Black Lives Matter group members carrying guns. I'm having Black Panther Party flashbacks now.

Hannity: "Ohio has an open carry law. Black Lives Matter, the new Black Panther Party, they have said they're going to be carrying guns sheriff. What do we do?"

Sheriff Clarke: "Well I'll tell you what, those are the people I fear most. I do not fear the law abiding gun owner."

Like the Cliven Bundy's of the new West? Geraldo Rivera pointed out the obvious:

"The problem with the 2nd Amendment for everybody is that are plenty of dysfunctional people...I don't want Black Panther Party members carrying weapons, I don't want patriot party members carrying weapons..."

Cleveland Police Detective Steve Loomis blamed President Obama, I guess because he's black, for saying we do have a race problem, even in law enforcement. Oh wait, we're not supposed to say that:

If guns make us so much safer, then why did the Cleveland Police Union ask open carry be suspended during the Republican convention?

“We are sending a letter to Gov. Kasich requesting assistance from him. He could very easily do some kind of executive order or something — I don’t care if it’s constitutional or not at this point,” Cleveland Police Union president Stephen Loomis told CNN.

(Loomis also blamed Obama for those shootings, saying he had “blood on his hands.”)In general Republicans argue that open-carry laws are an important party of the right to bear arms and improve public safety. The research does not support this argument.

Sheriff Clarke tramples Constitution just so he could beat up on Black Lives Matter.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is a true rightwing authoritarian. And liar. 

Clarke's own career is a lie; he's a Republican who says he's a Democrat, winning elections by keeping real Democrats out, and sweeping the counties festering conservative suburbs. 

Crazy doesn't even begin to describe this dangerous gun toting loon. Check out Clarke's adventures!

What put him over the top nationally was his criticism of Black Lives Matter, describing them as "ignorant in its purest form," "advocate for the overthrow of our legally constituted government," "Sub-human creeps," "it's a subversive movement." Here's the video, transcript below:

But Black Lives Matter provided an opening for Republicans to exploit their base voters deepest fears, by suggesting the movement is at fault for recently reported attacks on police officers.

Republicans went national, and Black Lives Matter responded. It was at an earlier protest in late October that gave Clarke and others the red meat for their voters to chew on.

Director Quentin Tarantino appeared on 'All In' to clarify his controversial comments about police brutality, which caused police unions around the country to call for a boycott of his new film.

In Tarantino's explanation, he brought up the crazy rantings of Sheriff Clarke (1:55). MSNBC:



What Milwaukee County voters were thinking when they voted for Clarke is still a mystery, and may be forever, if no one ever drills down in local polling.

Transcript: 

BRIAN KILMEADE: Sheriff, your reaction to some of the sentiments you heard on the streets on Saturday?

DAVID CLARKE: Well, it's just crazy talk. It's ignorance in its purest form ... I don't know why the police even bother policing those demonstrations. They're not protests. Those people advocate for the overthrow of our legally constituted government.

KILMEADE: But the president says they have a point, Sheriff.

CLARKE: What I would do is let them fend for themselves. Let the good law abiding people of New York clash with them for disrupting their lives, disrupting their businesses. Then the police can show up and arrest these sub-human creeps for creating a disturbance. That we can do.

Nothing like the First Amendment, right? But vilification and reducing protesters to something less than human is so rightwing authoritarian.

Scott Walker takes lead from Clarke: In a story at the appropriately titled rightwing site “Hot Air,” Scott Walker penned this fine piece of opportunistic fear mongering:

Story here!

We Need a Uniter-in-Chief, Not a Divider-in-Chief:  Over the last week, we’ve seen a disturbing trend of police officers being murdered on the job. Texas Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth was killed Friday, gunned down while pumping gas for no apparent reason other than the uniform on his back. And just yesterday, in my neighboring state of Illinois, police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz was assassinated by three men, who are still on the run.

This isn’t the America I grew up in or that I want my children to grow up in. When the very people responsible for keeping us safe are targeted because they are law enforcement officials, we have a serious problem. In the last six years under President Obama, we’ve seen a rise in anti-police rhetoric. 

Story here

As is the always the case now with Republicans, when they're wrong, the always "double down" on their wrongness:

"I wouldn't back down at all, not at all," Walker said Friday in Milwaukee. "The bottom line is the president and many others have not done enough to stand up and defend law enforcement in this country." "Obviously, the situation just south of the border is tragic," Walker said. "But in no way does it diminish my argument that the president and others need to point that law enforcement overwhelmingly -- the men and women who wear the uniform in this country -- are doing the right thing every single day. And they need leaders who are going to stand up and defend them, and I for one am going to continue to do that."

Yes, turning a blind eye to the festering problem, and then brag about law enforcement they often criticize for not responding fast enough as they promote concealed carry.

But broad ridiculous sweeping generalizations fit that profile, and Clarke is only just getting started:

CLARKE: Well first of all, there is no police brutality in America. We ended that back in the sixties. So I don't know where they're coming from. You look at the data and the research, and there's a new Harvard study out that shows that there is no racism in the hearts of police officers. They go about their daily duty, if you will, to keep communities safe. The president of the United States knows better. He's playing the race game. He's playing race politics. Shame on him. He's been very divisive for this country. He has been a nightmare, and I cannot wait until January 2017 so that America's nightmare can be over.

KILMEADE: Black Lives Matter, does it play an important role? First you, Sheriff.

CLARKE: No, it's garbage. It's a subversive movement. Like I said, they advocate the overthrow of our legally constituted government. It is not a protest movement.

ROD WHEELER: I think yes it does matter...

CLARKE: It isn't valid, knock it off. You're contributing to the problem here. It is not valid, there is no research ... And I'm not going to let anybody come on TV and advocate that.

WHEELER: Well yeah Sheriff, but you have to be, you have to be fair Sheriff ...

CLARKE: I don't have to be fair. What I have to be is factual ... There are no valid arguments. There is no police brutality in the United States.

Daily Show in Madison for "Are all cops Racist?"

Loved this bit on the Daily Show, especially the idea of a "black Twitter."

In a segment "Are All Cops Racist," Madison Police Chief Mike Koval is interviewed on Comedy Central. The portion with Koval begins at about the 4:40 mark.

Get More: Comedy Central,Funny Videos,Funny TV Shows

Walker on the Black Lives Matter movement: "Who knows who that is?"

Since when does a career politician have time to spend on solving the nations race relation problems?

Remember, just talking about police shootings and the mounting number of black victims will only make things worse:

"One, I think in general if anyone focuses on racial discord we’re going to get more. If we focus on unity we’re going to get more of that. The families of the massacre in Charleston showed us the way. I think it’s a prime example if we focus on things that unite us, ways to share the American dream." 

Even after all the press and interrupting a Bernie Sanders event, Walker never heard of the Black Lives Matter movement:

CNN: Gov. Scott Walker stumbled through a question Friday about whether he would meet with representatives of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I meet with voters. Who knows who that is," Walker said, apparently referring to Black Lives Matter activists. "I'm going to talk to American voters, period."

"It's the same way as saying we meet with the tea party. Who is the tea party? There's hundreds of thousands of people ... It's a ridiculous question. I'm going to talk to voters. This is a ridiculous question."

These are the kinds of disjointed answers Walker is known to give when presented with something he hasn't already rehearsed for weeks. The comments section offered up these insights:

1. It's "rudiculous" to expect Walker to answer intelligently.

2. oh no, someone asked him questions he was not prepared to answer. Didn't have that one in the script. He gave a totally off the wall answer - I'd call it more than stumbling. Followed up by the tea party reference?? incoherent. Bet he was received real well. No wonder he is dropping in the polls.

3. should be; walker stated " I meet with campaign donors"