Journal Bill Dog's Journal: de-militarize the police 8
One good idea from the Dem debate tonight, from Bernie, was to de-militarize the police. I don't recall there being much in the way of specifics, beyond something about them not looking like an occupying force. But it got me thinking, thusly:
1) Make it illegal for the federal government to sell military gear to non-military entities, and make it illegal for civilian police forces purchase surplus military gear. (Whatever private individuals are allowed to buy would be unaltered.)
2) Remove SWAT teams from police forces and transfer them to each state's National Guard. Police would request SWAT assistance from them, with the idea that deployments would require more justification.
3) Remove military gear from non-military federal government agencies such as the DEA, ATF, and whichever others have them. I would include in this the overstocking of bullets; massive stockpiling of ammunition is quasi-military to me.
In short, no military-style operations on US soil. I don't care if it's under the guise of the WOT or the War on Drugs or any other war. All law enforcement business should be conducted as civilians dealing with (fellow) civilians.
An explicit, strict "Separation of Military and Police" doctrine. A separation between the two needs to become one of our national values. Maybe such a consciousness would change mindsets in police forces and cut down on brutality and lethality.
p.s. I think it was in a George Will column around Christmas where it was said that more monetary value was stolen by law enforcement in the country in 2015 than by criminals. So asset forfeiture laws are also obviously corrupting influences on police/policing forces and deserve to be looked at.
p.p.s. From the I-Told-You-So Dept.: "The Democratic [sic] Party in the United States worked since Harry Truman to get the Affordable Care Act passed. We finally have a path to universal healthcare." -- Hillary Clinton tonight
p.p.p.s. Currently playing in my head these days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOrXKiSy8ZY
Well, how very "liberal" of you (Score:1)
Good to see you coming around... You know, ending prohibition will go a long way towards demilitarization... If you are a true believer, you would work for that goal.
Try playing this [streamlicensing.com] in your head...
WTF??? (Score:2)
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Yeah, she said it in the debate, but like with Obama, it's just campaign stuff. She can drop it after Sanders is out.
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Despite the fact that the entire house of representatives could be voted out, 95% of congress will be reelected.. Trump, Sanders, Clinton... it won't matter much. I expect a bit more market stability and "growth" under Clinton, but not much else.
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"If so..."?
Yes, it was said by candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton during that night's Democrat's debate between candidates for their party's nomination to run next for the U.S. Presidency. I had recorded the debate from earlier, so was able to replay this part as necessary to get the quote exact.
Its significance to me (while only incidental to this JE) is that I've been saying here that the ACA, AKA "Obamacare", is indeed obviously a path to single-payer in the U.S., and that the American Left's expressed di
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I know exactly how you feel, having been through it myself. It's funny, I've had serious health problems every decade or so, but was always able to bounce back. But as you get older, the bounce gets harder. And then at one point you've taken enough damage that ... well, you can figure out the rest. YMMV.
I'm just glad that I live in a single-payer system with pharmacare. At least it makes it easy to get rid of life insurance salesmen - "Sorry, I'm uninsurable."
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Very small-minded.