MONTEGOBAY, St James — Jolted by a spate of killings, including two separate double murders on Good Friday in the St James Police Division, Commissioner of Police Dr Carl Williams vowed to launch a new attack on the area, which has the dubious distinction of topping the 19 police divisions in homicides.
“l am shocked and outraged at the senseless killings that have resumed in Montego Bay and the surrounding areas. And I am here today (Saturday) to visit the locations and sit with the police officers to see how well their strategies are working, and to work with them to devise even more efficient and effective strategies so that we can properly curtail murders in this division,” said a visibly troubled Commissioner Williams.
The normally quiet Good Friday, one of the holiest of the Christian holidays, turned out to be a bloody day in southern St James where the police recorded two unrelated double murders.
The deceased in the second double killing have been identified as Rose-Marie Green, 28, and Douglas Tinglin, a 41-year-old taxi operator, both of Blue Hole, Montpelier.
Victor Kerr
Reports are that about 3:30 pm, the two were heading home when they were pounced upon and shot dead by unidentified assailants in their community. Police did not immediately provide a motive for the homicide.
Earlier that day, 50-year-old vendor, Victor Kerr and 27-year-old Michael Thompson, both of Stone Mill, St James, addresses were gunned down in their community.
Police said Thompson, who was returning from a party about 7:00 am, stopped by Kerr’s roadside stall to purchase an item when he was pounced upon by men who alighted from a motor car. Kerr was shot multiple times by his assailants who then boarded the waiting motor vehicle and sped away.
But the car returned shortly after and this time the shooters turned their guns on Kerr before fleeing the scene. Police theorise that the gunmen returned to kill the vendor, whom they saw as a potential witness.
Another unidentified community member, who was shot and injured during the incident, was taken to hospital in a critical, but stable condition.
The number of people who lost their lives violently in St James climbed to 46 since the start of the year, four less than the number for the corresponding period last year.
Commissioner Williams, his face a mask of concern and anger, walked through the communities where the double killings took place, after a meeting with head of the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ealan Powell; head of Area One, ACP Winchroy Budhoo; commandeer of the St James Police Division Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Steve McGregor and other high ranking Jamaica Constabulary Force personnel at the Area One headquarters at Sewell Avenue, Montego Bay.
Michael Thompson
The top cop lamented the reversal of the gains the police were making up until the spate of murders started last Wednesday, saying: “Up to last week the police were recording fewer murders this year than last year. Then all of a sudden we had these senseless killings, starting about Wednesday and peaking yesterday (Good Friday) with two double murders.
“This is not something that we are going to sit idly by and see happen. St James has to return to once again being a peaceful division,” declared the police commissioner.
He noted that the police were following strong leads in the two double murders and called on residents of the south St James communities to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
“If you hear anybody saying they are going to defend it, let them know that the police will defend it better than them. It don’t make no sense a man go try a thing and then the police come after them as well,” Williams, who offered condolence to the family of the deceased, told residents of Stone Mill. Read more here : Commish vows new attack on blood-drenched St James Division
After the Black-Lives-Matter protests, the riots and other protest actions across America ‚Media houses grew tired packed up their cameras took down their satellite antennas and went home . While it was going on there was wide expectation and hope that much of it would stop. That finally this ugly , filthy part of America would finally go away but it hasn’t . It hasn’t subsided , the cameras are gone now, the wall to wall coverage has subsided but it goes on as if there was no outcry. There are far more important things to talk about . People are getting killed in Europe, important white people. So the incessant and unnecessary killings of unarmed people of color continue unabated by American police.
According to the [Tech insider] American Police kill more people in a single day than the country of Norway kill in nine (9) years. Now in all fairness Norway has a population of approximately 5.2 million as against the American Population of over 300 million. However it is instructive to note that the reason the comparison is made is that American cops continue to kill unarmed men women and children at a unconscionable clip at the slightest, or without any provocation. In other instances they kill people armed with small knives , sticks, screwdrivers, and other objects which places no police officer in danger if the officer stays a clear distance away.
American state laws give police unprecedented powers to use force on members of the public. What is happening now is that the very boundaries of whats allowed insofar as the legality of those killings are concerned are being exploited to the maximum. It is no longer a question of am “I justified in this killing”? There is literally no instance of police killing innocent citizens where the killing is not justifiable under states laws. However when the videos are replayed over and over in those killings which are recorded the stark reality of these murders become more and more nauseating.
No one is exempt , not the drug addicted , not the mentally disturbed, not the upset, not Black , not the Hispanic, not women and certainly not Black men or boys, the target of their murderous rage.
According to Rutgers University sociologist Paul Hirschfield The public has reached a boiling point in its tolerance of police violence, evidenced by national protests. But local governments and law enforcement groups look upon these mass responses as proof that firearms serve a justified need in society. To break that cycle, those in power must reevaluate their priorities, Hirschfield says.
Failing to enact reform puts more unarmed or lightly armed people at risk of being unnecessarily shot by the police. “Current policies in the United States are extremely effective at protecting police from civilians but woefully ineffective at protecting civilians from the police,” he said. “The public should be given a say in the relative valuation of police and civilian lives.”
Simple put American laws value police lives in ways they do not value the lives of civilians and in certain cases the laws places no value on the lives of some civilians. Alice Goffman a 33-year-old assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, In a terrific Book titled: On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City ‚documents how the expansion of America’s penal system is reshaping life for poor black families who exist under the watch of police, prison guards, and parole officers.
Goffman reports that Starting in the mid-1970s, the United States stiffened its laws on drugs and violent crime and ratcheted up the police presence on city streets. The number of people in American jails and prisons has risen five-fold over the past 40 years. There are now roughly seven million people under criminal-justice supervision. “In modern history,” Goffman writes, “only the forced labor camps of the former U.S.S.R. under Stalin approached these levels of penal confinement.”
In an April 2015 Article appearing in the Los-Angeles Times Timothy McGrath,of the GlobalPost writes : There’s so much we don’t know about why and how often people die during police encounters, and yet, we know enough to know that American police are killing far, far too many people compared to police in other developed countries. Yet in a shocking display of tone-deafness and political pandering Republican Candidates for President pay homage and cheer-lead on police praise while refusing to appropriately address an issue which is a dangerously simmering cauldron waiting to explode. McGrath points out that Police in peer nations like Germany, Denmark, the UK and other liberal democracies — meanwhile — rarely kill civilians. Even accounting for population size, the frequency with which American police kill civilians is shocking. Not twice as often, or three times as often. We’re talking factors of 20 to 70.
In case after case ‚after case American police escalate situations even when family members call them to help calm mentally unstable or irate individuals they end up escalating situations which ultimately result in them killing the individual. It’s gotten so bad that under no circumstance would I voluntarily call police to my home unless a serious incident occurred which demanded that they be notified be notified. If the police is called to speak to an Black man arguing with his wife, on their arrival the man is sweeping his front yard the broom automatically becomes a deadly weapon in their estimation.[sic] His color alone is seen as a dangerous weapon , let alone if he is above five feet tall he is automatically a beast worthy of death. On that basis they immediately demand the person drop the broom and if there isn’t instantaneous compliance he dies an instant death from a barrage of bullets.
As a police officer I was told to be doubly careful when I deal with citizens in their homes. This extra diligence and care was born from the principle that a man’s home is his castle. American cops bombard their way into people’s homes with brute force and lengthy-expletive laced tirades and any protest from residents are met with crushing and lethal force. This kind of behavior is reserved for Black and brown people but is also extended on occasions to poor whites for whom they have precious little to no respect either.
Since this issue took prominence the website the Guardian.com began a count of all the people who die at the hands of American Police . On it’s page titled The Counted is a veritable graveyard of faces of once breathing live human beings gunned down by police. It is extremely difficult to know exactly just how many people are killed as there are no Federal requirements to report to Federal Authorities when local or state police kill people. There are some reporting which are classified as justifiable, of course that designation is done by Law-enforcement making those determination that their actions are justifiable. Those reports do not include the many people who are killed without any justification. Or people who are beaten or suffocated by police who die later as a result of the abuse they take at the hands of police.
Despite these obstacles the Guardian came up with a total of 1134 people killed in 2015 at the hands of American police. The year 2016 began with a merry clip as police continue to kill and physically assault citizens of color at alarming rates. In many cases they openly threaten citizens in expletive laced tirades before they snuff out their lives and there are no consequences for these actions. In fact there are hardly any cases where any person shot by police survive being shot. Young black men were nine times more likely than other Americans to be killed by police officers in 2015, according to the findings of a Guardian study that recorded a final tally of 1,134 deaths at the hands of law enforcement officers this year. The story is always the same someone lunged at the police or made threatening moves in the direction of officers upon which officers open fire and the victim is stuck. In case after case it becomes evident with closer scrutiny that the deceased died from multiple gunshot wounds . Generally all kill shots. American people of color have become targets for assassination merely based on the color of their skin. They are told to shoot to kill . It is not out of the ordinary for persons to be viciously beaten or killed while their hands are cuffed behind their backs.
Yet American officials continue to perpetuate the nonsensical notion that the American system is the best. Despite these ridiculous statements hardly any cop gets prosecuted for murder no matter how blatantly obvious their crimes are. It lead to the logical conclusion then that police murder is sanctioned by the system, and is designed to keep the minority population in it’s place at the peril of death. Regardless of the barbarism of the killings white Prosecutors put together Grand Juries without presenting evidence of criminal conduct to the jury. These Kangaroo events are designed to placate the aggrieved segment of the public but has nothing to do with justice. The Grand Jury process is merely a process to clear cops of wrong-doing regardless of the crimes they commit.
Delroy Chuck has not even warmed the seat in the Justice Ministry and already he is acting like a Monarch . This is nothing new for Chuck who has a penchant for grandstanding and an over-sized impression of self.
Justice Minister Delroy Chuck
According to Jamaican Media Chuck was speaking at a forum on the Justice Undertakings for Social Transformation (JUST) programme, held recently, at the Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. Delroy Chuck, is calling on judges to move to dismiss cases that are in the system for five years and more by the end of 2016. He insists that cases must be dealt with within months, similar to procedures in other jurisdictions. According to Chuck, unless there are reasonable grounds for them continuing, he would urge that this year, those cases be dismissed for want of prosecution.Justice Minister Delroy Chuck says the constitution provides that a person charged should have their case dealt with by fair hearing within a reasonable time. He states that this cannot be years or decades. Chuck adds that it is not fair that any accused person, even if he is guilty, has to go to court for five years hoping that his innocence can be pronounced.
He is right regarding speedy trial but this is not an issue to be fixed by fiat. Delroy Chuck has no authority to make such demands. If he is desirous of seeing this issue addressed he should have his party which is in Government table a bill on it and allow the issue to be debated and voted on by the house ..The people should also be allowed a say as they are the ones aggrieved by these criminal actions , .They are also the ones accused of these crimes . Where does Chuck get the authority to make such demands?
Here’s the part that absolutely gets me with this guy, Quote : “It is not fair that any accused person, even if he is guilty, has to go to court for five years hoping that his innocence can be pronounced”. Not a thought for the victims of crime. “even if they are innocent”? Now does anyone wonder why I abhor this prick? The fact of the matter is that he has never been victimized by criminal action. He has never been robbed , raped , shot , and he is here so he was never murdered. Hence the reckless talk about even if they are guilty. Guilty people deserve no sympathy after they have committed crimes. Arguing that the constitution provides that a person charged should have their case dealt with by fair hearing within a reasonable time in this context is a red herring. Only in a criminal loving society would a Minister of Government be advocating for turning criminals lose and absolving them of the heinous crimes they have committed. This argument is disingenuous and patronizing at best and at worse a criminal coddling attempt to curry favor with criminal elements which he never shied from. It’s the letter of the constitution which speaks to a speedy trial based on the presumption of innocence. Arguing that even guilty parties should be absolved of culpability defies the intent or spirit of that segment of the constitution. One does not have to be a lawyer to know bullshit when he/she sees it. Chuck’s decree is exactly that, a load of horse manure.
If such a move is to be adopted the people’s representatives must be allowed to write that bill and vote it into law . Since these cases are already in the system, a formal legislative review would be in order. Even then, in a country like Jamaica I would not feel comfortable seeing this done without oversight, there are just far too many opportunities for corruption.. It’s inconceivable that a single Minister of Government would take it upon himself to make such a suggestion which sounds more like a command.
It’s 2016 and despite the rhetoric by Republicans , this is what they want for America. This is what happen in Republican states like Arizona where Republican Officials who control county and state apparatus , willfully use tactics like these to suppress the vote. This is Maricopa County, the very County which produced the infamous Sheriff Joe Arpio.
Police arrested an on-duty mailman last week in Crown Heights after he objected to their driving, according to Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. Adams held a press conference on Tuesday afternoon to decry the arrest of Glenn Grays, which took place on the afternoon of March 17th. Adams recounted that Grays, 27, stepped out of his mail truck on President Street at around 4 p.m. as officers in an unmarked car drove by and nearly clipped him. The plainclothes officers later recounted Grays being “loud and boisterous” and cursing at them. A video of the incident purportedly picks up at this point.
The cellphone footage shows the four undercover cops, one of whom Adams says is a lieutenant, surround Grays and demand to see his identification. When he doesn’t immediately run back to the mail truck to retrieve it, two officers close in on him, over the objections of gathered bystanders.“Stop resisting!” one officer repeats as Grays appears to hold his arms stiff while the cop tries to cuff him. “You’re going to get hurt if you don’t give me your fucking hands,” the other officer says.
After a tense moment, the four officers get Grays in cuffs and march him to their car. Adams said that from there, they drove him to the 71st Precinct station house, leaving his truck unsecured. Grays has no criminal history, and was released with a ticket for resisting arrest. Adams called that a way of the NYPD “sweeping the incident under the rug.” He is demanding that the officers be reprimanded for what he said is a bogus arrest emblematic of how they deal with predominately African-American and Caribbean residents of Crown Heights. “It is not against the law to voice outrage after almost being struck by a vehicle,” Adams told reporters. “This could have been another Eric Garner situation if Glenn hadn’t responded as calmly as he did. And if they would do that to Glenn in his uniform, they would do that to any person of color in that neighborhood.” Adams was joined at the podium by Grays’s mother, Sonya Sapp, and Michael Thomas, Grays’s longtime friend.
“I have six boys. Glenn is my oldest,” Sapp said. “As soon as I saw the video, I immediately started crying, because I worry about all my boys. Every minute, every day, every second.” “Glenn told me, ‘I thought if I got a job they would leave me alone,’ ” Thomas said. Grays attended the press conference, but did not speak because of the pending charge. Adams, a retired NYPD officer and co-founder of the group 100 Blacks In Law Enforcement Who Care, is scheduled to meet with police Commissioner Bill Bratton on Wednesday to discuss the case. “We must send a strong message that innocent people should not be put in handcuffs, taken to a precinct, and then attempted to cover it up,” he said. “That is unacceptable. This is one step away from Staten Island.” Story originated here: Brooklyn Cops Allegedly Arrest Mailman After He Criticizes Their Driving
Minister of National Security Robert Montague announced that the administration will be purchasing used cars for the Jamaica Constabulary Force. According to JAMAICAN media, Montague said used cars will be purchased in an effort to capitalize on the limited financial resources available to purchase vehicles for the force. He said instead of purchasing 100 new vehicles, the ministry will be able to buy 400 used cars for the same price. The Security Minister also said the used vehicles should be able to serve the force for at least three years.
I hope there is a certification process in place before these vehicles are secured. I wondered whether a better arrangement could’t be arrived at by having the cars made and retrofitted by General motors with a view to having access to more affordable spare parts . I understand that this process would require top level discussions , but it can be done on an annual basis .So instead of say 100 vehicles arriving each year there could be fifty well fitted vehicles arriving each year . This could be built into the budget. I think this would potentially be a better arrangement both financially and the department would have a fresher fleet of vehicles going forward.
The Jamaican terrain offers tremendous challenges as it relates to the longevity of the vehicles. On that basis I believe sourcing vehicles from an American company like General Motors would offer some benefits as it relates to the price of spare parts as well as ensuring a fresher newer fleet of vehicles. I fundamentally believe that having the vehicles on an annual draw-down basis, properly retrofitted in lesser quantities offers a better way forward. In the same breadth it is refreshing to see that the actions of the Administration insofar as massive expenditures are concerned are done in a transparent and open way. Even if the manufacturers are not responsible for properly retrofitting police department vehicles it is not out of Government’s reach to begin the process of retrofitting police vehicles professionally.
If the potential 400 used vehicles are not certified pre-owned the idea may amount to a nightmare rather than a potential bright idea. I trust this administration will have the good sense to ensure the Island is not acquiring 400 lemons, but certified used vehicles which will withstand the challenges of the Jamaican terrain. Going forward I believe the idea I offer here represent the best path forward over a 5 ‑10 year period. The police department stand to potentially be brought up to speed in terms of mobile strength, freshness of the fleet and a fleet which is representative of what a modern police force deserve.
Security Minister Robert Montague says the government will be importing used cars to boost the mobile capacity of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Westmoreland yesterday, Montague said the money to buy the used motor cars, popularly known as ‘deportees’ will be allocated in the next budget. Montague also said the used cars will be purchased in an effort to capitalise on the limited financial resources available to purchase vehicles for the force. He said instead of purchasing 100 new vehicles, the ministry will be able to buy 400 used cars for the same price. Montague also said the used vehicles should be able to serve the force for at least three years. http://jamaicagleaner.com/article/news/20160322/government-buy-used-cars-police
Like a thief in the night, the Dutchess County Legislature voted 19 to 6 to move ahead with building a new jail and facility to house the county Sheriff’s offices.
Early Tuesday morning, March 22, the Legislature approved moving forward with the $192 million bonds to fund the long-discussed project. According to estimates, the 30-year bond will see the county paying back an estimated $9.9 million annually with a total cost with interest amounting to $274 million. According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, at issue is the proposal for a new, 569-bed jail and sheriff’s office. This comes after decades of discussion of a permanent solution to the county jail overcrowding. Dutchess is under state pressure to permanently address the issue since the North Hamilton Street jail can only house 250 inmates. Nearly 200 additional inmates have been housed in out-of-county facilities, at the cost of about $8 million annually to Dutchess taxpayers. The county installed pods at the jail to house some inmates in mid-2015 to reduce costs, but that is only a temporary fix. Officials have argued that if the proposal didn’t pass the legislature, the state could pull the variance that allows the county to use the pods.
The Dutchess County Jail in the City of Poughkeepsie
Monday evening, residents opposed to the project demonstrated in front of the legislative building on Market street. They argued that Poughkeepsie’s city needs treatment centers for drug users and mentally ill people, not jails. The Republican-dominated legislature pushed back, arguing that drug offenders and mentally ill people will be given the necessary care once the facility is built. In other words, the drug-addicted and mentally ill will have to continue to wrack up arrest records to get the treatment they need, which makes no rational sense. In a chilling article titled “Portrait of an epidemic,” the Poughkeepsie Journal peeled back the frightening reality of what obtains in Dutchess County with people addicted to drugs.
This is the story of a list, thick with flawed heroes and tragedy, of 63 people, the lives they never got to finish, and the reasons they died. They were mothers and fathers, the gainfully employed and not, sports and dog lovers, addicts. They all died in 2013 when they accidentally overdosed on drugs. This is a story of Dutchess County because each one died there. But it is also a story of America, where it is being written from coast to coast, the outgrowth of painkillers dispensed for years in what governments now know was an uncontrolled and all-too laissez-faire manner. Portrait of an epidemic.
It’s difficult for anyone associated with Poughkeepsie not to know or know of someone who died from a drug overdose. Though not a resident of the city, this writer operates a business there. Consequently, my wife and I have seen far too many instances where people with whom we have interacted lose their lives as a result of drug addiction… We have also seen far too many instances where inadequate recreational outlets for city youth force them into the streets, where they often end up getting killed. Through her volunteer work with shelters and other projects, my wife Cheryl has also gained valuable insight into this problem which now drives her passion for seeing a non-incarceration solution. The solution to this problem is not to build more jail cells to warehouse non-violent offenders.
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro:
Monday night Cheryl and I were among the throngs of people who attended the public hearing on the proposed jail construction project. Ironically though, Black residents of the City of Poughkeepsie will likely be most negatively impacted by this massive expansion of the project; blacks in attendance could be counted on both hands with maybe a finger or two to spare. Cheryl and I got our turn to address the Legislature, making the case that what the county ought to be doing was not adding to the prison industrial complex but, in practical terms, should be invested in finding ways to decriminalize drug-addicted residents and those with mental disability. Cheryl and I knew that essentially what we were doing was tantamount to shouting in the wind. Cheryl had spoken at that very podium on a previous occasion as part of a program called “jobs, not jail” she was emotional as she reminded the legislature that on that occasion, she received nothing but blank stares. Last night was no different. The Legislature, which Republican white men dominate, already had their minds made up. Nothing that the long lists of people who spoke in opposition say would change the outcome of that vote.
The Republican response to the massive jail project is unanimous. Still, it may be summed up in the statement of county Legislator Angela Flesland, R‑Town of Poughkeepsie, who voted in favor of the proposal. “We are finally moving forward with a proposal to truly solve the problem of jail overcrowding in a way that respects taxpayers, staff, and inmates.” “Being able to build and staff the new facility and still save an estimated $5.3 million per year speaks to how inefficient our current facility is.” In other words, the only qualifying component worthy of Republicans’ consideration is “money”!!! None of the Republicans in the legislature spoke to the citizens’ concerns who spoke about not incarcerating drug users and the mentally ill. Their sole concern was the almighty dollar.
What Republicans did not speak to is the issue of Federal moves to reorganize the criminal justice system by President Obama. In my few minutes at the microphone, I pointed out that federal programs are actually releasing non-violent offenders from incarceration. Even without these federal releases, Jails have insufficient inmates in some quarters. In 2013 A private prison in Arizona recently sued the state for having a lack of prisoners. For the sake of saving over $16 million in back pay, the state settled by paying the private prison $3 million. Arizona essentially paid a company $3 million because few people are committing crimes. According to (Wonderprogressive.com).
In the State of Texas in 2011 ( able2know.org ) reported that Texas has too many prison beds not enough prisoners. A complex occupying almost an entire block at 4700 Blue Mound Road is now vacant largely due to reforms aimed at reducing the state’s penal system costs. Starting in the early 1990s, Texas ignited an almost $3 billion prison building spree, turning to private prison operators to house inmates as the prison population swelled beyond the capacity of state facilities. Now, state, county, and city budget cuts, a decline in crime rates, an older population, and penal and court reforms have all contributed to what some call a glut of inmate beds. Those factors have resulted in closed and half-empty prisons and jails, able2know.org reports.
Even though there are instances where prison overcrowding is rampant, there is a general trend toward a lessening of prison populations across America. As has been the case in Texas and other parts of the country, common-sense measures to reduce prison populations are bearing fruits. Why, then is this rush to build a multi-million prison facility smack-dab in the center of the city of Poughkeepsie without any care or consideration for the objections of city residents?
Cost aside; this project is a County project which can be constructed anywhere in the county. Why are there no suggestions to place the proposed mammoth facility anywhere else but in the city’s center? Could it be that the environmental impact would not be tolerated elsewhere? Could it be that white Dutchess County residents would not tolerate a mammoth jail facility near their homes? What about traffic, the impact on groundwater, air quality, and a host of other environmental issues? Democratic Legislator Joel Tyner Rhinebeck/Clinton raised the issue of the potential for serious negative environmental consequences without a top-to-bottom review done before construction. Tyner pointed out that some assurances were given that the project would have negligible environmental fallout. Still, he was wary of the source of those assurances because of the chummy relationship between the firm and County Executive Marc Molinaro and County Sheriff Butch Anderson.
Republicans control the Dutchess County Legislature, so the measure would pass. I believe everyone attuned to this issue knew quite well that regardless of what was said, regardless of the protesting, Republicans are generally interested in mass incarceration and money, people be damned. What surprised this writer was the vote Democratic Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson cast in favor of the measure. Jeter-Jackson, a Democrat from the City of Poughkeepsie, voted to build the behemoth of a jail complex smack-dab in the middle of the city. She also voted to declare the project will have no negative environmental impacts. Jeter-Jackson cast these two votes even though a comprehensive study has not been done on the full environmental impact such a construction project will have on staff, inmates, and even the larger community.
Barbara Jeter-Jackson, D‑Poughkeepsie,
Republicans did not need Jeter-Jackson’s vote for the measure to pass. The 19 – 6 vote would have been an 18 – 7 vote, an almost 3 – 1 margin. What Jeter-Jackson’s vote did was to accord the draconian measure some semblance of bipartisanship that is not worth the paper the bill is written on. In trying to justify her vote, Jeter-Jackson said, “Ever since I’ve been here as a legislator, I’ve been dealing with the (Commission of Correction),” she said. “Do I believe they will pull the third (variance)? Yes, I do.”
In other words, she believes that the State of New York will cut off its proverbial foot to spite its body without any further delay, according to her reasoning. I heard nothing from her regarding the salient points Joel Tyner and other Democrats raised or the public’s concerns. She did not speak to the serious mass incarceration of our young people who are criminalized before they have a chance to materialize. She did not speak to the chemical risks Tyner said would form part of the everyday life of the facility, particularly to pregnant women and staff working in the facility, particularly on the first floor.
In an unprecedented stroke of illogical reasoning, Jeter-Jackson said she doesn’t believe the 569 beds outlined in the proposal will be needed once the county begins construction on the new jail itself. If it’s probably not going to be needed, why vote to build it? Furthermore, what is the rationale behind giving Republicans the veneer of cover they needed to create the impression of bi-partisan support and to the detriment and chagrin of the people who voted her into office?
For County Executive Marcus Molinaro and Republicans in the Legislature, the lives of Drug addicts, poor and indigent minority youth, and the mentally ill are disposable. However, Barbara Jeter-Jackson ought to know better. She must know that no person suffering from mental illness and drug addiction should have to commit offenses giving themselves massive rap sheets in order to get treatment. She knows it’s a bunch of baloney, yet she voted for it even though her vote was not needed.
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Mike Beckles is a former Police Detective, businessman, freelance writer, black achiever honoree, and creator of the blog mikebeckles.com. Also see Mikebeckles on Youtube
Cuban President Castro on human rights: We have right to health, right to education, women get equal pay; let us work so that we can all comply with all human rights.
In Cuba, US President Obama says he believes embargo will end; ‘what we did for 50 years did not serve our interests or the interest of the Cuban people’.
President Raul Casto: If Cuba is holding political prisoners, give him names and he will release them -
President Obama says he welcomes criticism from President Castro on areas US is falling short ‘because we should not be immune or afraid of criticism;’ he adds that the issue of human rights is likely to still be an ‘irritant.’
President Obama
US President Obama thanks Cuban President Castro; says despite the difficulties, we will continue toRaul Castro…
move forward.
President Obama says moving ahead with more opportunities for Americans to travel to Cuba, assisting with more internet access for Cubans.
President Obama, in Cuba, says US will continue to speak up on democracy, human rights; says he welcomes constructive dialogue from President Castro as well.
President Obama says it is ‘a new day’ between US, Cuba; tells President Castro, ‘we have a half of century of work to catch up on’.
President Castro says Cuba defends human rights; says willing to continue dialogue on topic.
President Obama’s historic trip to Cuba comes with all the trappings of an official visit. There’s the meeting with a country’s leader (President Raúl Castro), a friendly chat with a high-ranking religious official (Cardinal Jaime Ortega), a photo op at a historic location (historic Havana) and even a state dinner. But for the White House, the really important work of the trip, which begins Sunday, will take place in between, in those moments when Obama has a chance to interact with everyday Cubans. This is a country where the media is strictly controlled by the government. So when Obama meets with a select group of Cuban entrepreneurs, talks with human rights activists and gives a broad address to the Cuban people, he’ll have a rare opportunity to send his message directly to the country’s citizens.
“We see this speech as a unique moment obviously in the history between our countries,” Senior Advisor Ben Rhodes said ahead of the trip. “This is the first visit of a U.S. President in nearly 90 years, certainly the first speech given by a President on Cuban soil in nearly 90 years and an opportunity for the President to engage the Cuban people with his vision for the future.” The Cuba trip is also aimed at an audience back home. The rapprochement has only just begun, but many Republicans hope to delay or even reverse it, and there is little support in Congress for ending the Cuban embargo, which dates back to the 1960s. House Speaker Paul Ryan said last week that the embargo remains the law despite Obama’s executive actions on Cuba. (Current GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who is supportive of re-establishing relations, nonethelesssaid at the last debate that he would close the embassy until a better deal could be made.) “Part of the reason for going on the trip and for going on the trip earlier in the year is to utilize it to accelerate the process of normalization, to speak directly to the Cuban people about what the President’s vision for normalization is, and to continue to create openings for greater engagement between the American and Cuban people,” Rhodes said.
The First Family has a full schedule in Cuba, which kicks off a week-long trip to Latin America. After landing on Sunday afternoon, they’ll tour Old Havana and meet with Cardinal Ortega, a Catholic leader who worked with Pope Francis on the effort to bring the two countries to the negotiating table. On Monday, the president will attend a bilateral meeting with President Raúl Castro to discuss the normalization process and strife in Colombia. Later that evening, the Obamas will attend a state dinner. Before leaving the country, Obama will watch a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban national team. President Obama Makes Historic Trip to Cuba
With the greatest of intentions and the support of Jamaicans of good faith and will, Jamaica’s new Prime Minister and his Administration will have a difficult time in carrying out it’s task of transforming the Island from Poverty to prosperity.
All Jamaicans have a vested interest in the success of our country yet at this point our country is positioned as a barrel at the edge of a cliff’s being rolled uphill by the governing administration and Jamaicans hoping for a better nation. Unfortunately there is the little issue of huge swaths of people who support the losing party who are on the other side of the barrel who are pushing back hard, hoping to push the country over the cliff to prove their party is better. Pushing the barrel down-hill is always going to be an easier task and therein lies the challenge for our country.
It pains me to say it but there are Jamaicans who are actively cheering for the failure of the new administration. They do so without an consideration that failure of the Administration means failure of their country. Is it fair to say that these Jamaicans favor party over country? If we answer yes we must examine the reason why these people are so endued with their party at the peril of country.
Like many Jamaicans living in the diaspora I hope and pray for a new Jamaica which will offer the Jamaican people opportunities to take care of their families and educate their children without having to struggle against impoverishment. It is fair to say that most Jamaicans in the diaspora want a Jamaica not inundated with crime. They see crime as the deal-breaker as it pertains to their return and participation in the economy, I share that sentiment.
In 2008 Barack Obama made history when he was elected to the presidency of the United States of America. In a scintillating book author Robert Draper detailed that on the night of January 20th 2009 a group of Republicans gathered at the Caucus Room in Washington, an upscale restaurant where a New York strip steak costs $51. The purpose of the dinner/meeting was to discuss ways in which Republicans would obstruct the new president and bring him down , the idea was to obstruct on every bill.
They would take back the House in November 2010, which they did, and use it as a spear to mortally wound Obama in 2011 and take back the Senate and White House in 2012, Draper writes. According to Draper Congressman Kevin McCarthy told the group, “If you act like you’re the minority, you’re going to stay in the minority,” “We’ve gotta challenge them on every single bill and challenge them on every single campaign.” On the more immediate future, they discussed targets such as Charlie Rangel, chairman of the House ways and means committee, who Gingrich said was vulnerable over his personal taxes. They would also target Treasury secretary Tim Geithner, demonstrate united and unyielding opposition to the president’s economic policies, and release negative ads against vulnerable Democratic members of Congress.
Attending the dinner were House members Eric Cantor, Jeb Hensarling, Pete Hoekstra, Dan Lungren, Kevin McCarthy, Paul Ryan and Pete Sessions. From the Senate were Tom Coburn, Bob Corker, Jim DeMint, John Ensign and Jon Kyl. Others present were former House Speaker and future – and failed – presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and the Republican strategist Frank Luntz, who organised the dinner and sent out the invitations. Democrats condemn GOP’s plot to obstruct Obama as ‘appalling and sad’.
One of the negatives which arose from the strategy meeting is the total gridlock in the Nation’s capital and the rise of Donald J Trump. People’s National Party supporters are not the only political animals who are more invested in the success of their party over the success of their country. Neither are the Republicans in the United States. In twisted ways many people I have spoken to , including PNP and Republican supporters , argue that they hope that the party in power fail so their party can take the reins and succeed. It’s a convoluted reasoning which defies rational thought or reason. If the party in power succeeds , isn’t that a good thing, isn’t that the end game? Obviously not so for Republicans or many PNP supporters .
If success , regardless of which party’s policies ensures it is not the endgame then obviously success of the nation is not paramount to Republicans and it certainly is not to PNP supporters. Which brings us to the real issue which seem to be control and power over state resources. Over the last two or three election cycles less and less Jamaicans have lost their lives to political violence. In fact political killings has dropped precipitously when compared to preceding cycles.
Some analysts have contended that this may be due to diminished clout of politicians over traditional enforcers. They argue that members of parliament has less and less tax-payers funds to dole out to constituents for their support. Some have also contended that many young men who would normally be out committing violent acts on behalf of their parties are engaged in more lucrative criminal activities like scamming and robberies. I am inclined to believe overall that there are simply not enough slush money in the hands of parliamentarians to inspire the kind of loyalty that once existed. That’s a good thing .
Shockingly though not surprisingly it appears that the general consensus of the losing party’s supporters is a fervent desire to see the new administration in Kingston fail. How does this young new leader assure and convince those people that if he and the government fail they fail? How does he convince them contrary to what they were reared to believe, that political parties are tools to nation-building and not the ultimate goal. Could it be that the past ungracious behavior of the losing party’s leadership has poisoned the well of goodwill which ought to exist when one party leaves office and another take over?
If leaders lead the people will follow. Yet what appears to be happening is a sense of nit-picking at the new administration which hasn’t yet fully warmed the seats on the government side of Gordon House. I understand the Labor Party has always been held to a higher standard but the party deserves the opportunity to settle into office and a chance to execute it’s agenda. The party campaigned on a platform of “from poverty to prosperity” , it must have a chance to execute. If the people believe they can continue business as usual with the sense of chaos which exist then that battle is already lost.
One of the lure of the People’s National Party to the masses is it’s anything goes style of Governance. That governance style which has been in place and controlled power for 32 of the last 44 years has seen a massive rise in urban sprawl. Massive increase in poverty. A massive increase in squatter communities which have encircled once pristine communities. Potentially most damaging is the mass proliferation of vending stalls which take over entire streets preventing the free-flow of traffic placing the lives of entire communities at risk.
There is a general sense on the part of many Jamaicans that the rule of law is not important or at best it’s secondary to their means of making a living. The People’s National Party maintained a form of quasi governance amidst the chaos which never addressed the rot but allowed it to metastasize. No higgler believe he/she should be removed from the streets, or in front of traditional businesses where they sell the same things inside the stores but pay no taxes. No squatter believes the auto-repair shop he illegally cobbled together beside someone’s home which depreciates that property owners home is a problem. Moving him away is a major problem, it demonstrates that the Government is against poor people. Such is the Jamaican mentality and the PNP thrives in that chaos.
Republican obstruction precipitated the rise of a fascist called Donald J Trump. The party is now stuck in a quandary unsure how it will handle the threat Trump poses to it’s legitimacy. Many argue the establishment has already lost control of the party to the unstable bigot. The Leader of the Opposition party has created a so-called Council of advisers which has turned some heads , this is a departure from the role the opposition party traditionally plays in monitoring the activities of Government and reporting to the people. We will be keeping an eye on this council to point out to the people whether or not we believe it is an organ of obstruction instead of a legitimate opposition as is provided for in the constitution.
At about 8:pm on Tuesday December 22nd 2015 Corporal Kenneth Davis of the Protective Services Division and Constable Craig Palmer both had their lives snuffed out by criminals as they engaged in a friendly game of dominoes in the community of Poor-Man’s-Corner.. Constable Palmer who hails from the community only days earlier had gathered with friends and well-wishers to honor the life of his sister who had passed a mere year before he was taken away in a hail of bullets.
At the time of the assassination of the two officers residents of the community reported that members of the St Thomas Police were receiving threats against their lives . The story on the streets is that criminals in the community wanted revenge against the 35 year-old Palmer because he was involved in the death of one of two gunmen in the community, whom he disarmed during an attempted robbery a few years ago. The other man allegedly escaped on that occasion.
Member of Parliament for Western St Thomas James Robertson confirmed that Palmer had been receiving death threats. There is much to be mad about in this story. It is inconceivable that members of a police department could have been receiving death threats and are unable to terminate the source/s of those threats. I say that with the greatest of humility. I say that against the background of the job the police is asked to do. If the Police cannot protect it’s own how can the police be trusted with anyone else’s security. I am not particularly mindful of the paper-cops who are predisposed to pushing back against my comments. I frankly don’t give a rat’s ass about them . When criminals threaten the lives of law-enforcement officers they are to be hunted down and brought to justice. If they chose to fight then justice must be delivered to them, it’s that simple. MISTERCOMMISHMYSOURCESCAN’T RECALLSEEINGTHEPOLICELOOKINGUNDERANYROCK……….
Two assassinated officers corporal Kenneth Davis ad Constable Craig Palmer..
At the time the two officers were brutally assassinated Commissioner of Police Dr. Carl Williams promised the families of the slain officers that no stones would be left un-turned in bringing those responsible to justice. The police department simultaneously announced the name of Marlon Perry, otherwise called ‘Duppy Film’, as a person of interest in the shooting. They encouraged Perry to turn himself in to the Police. Being the skeptic I did not place any weight on the statement of the police then. I did not believe they had the clout to demand this alleged accused turn himself in and if he did I did not believe they had evidence to substantiate a charge of capital murder. I believed then as I do now that the statements were made to appear tough and to make themselves look like they knew what they were doing. I believed the police hoped time would pass, things would get back to normal as the officers deaths fade into oblivion as that of countless other Jamaicans.
Let me state categorically that I support the Police wholeheartedly . As a former member myself I know all too well the challenges the police face in doing their jobs. Many of my former colleagues believe and contend I am too harsh in my criticism of police ineptitude. I take their criticisms in stride even as I take into account the negative impact the (indecom) Act is having on the ability of the police to do their jobs. I also understand the departmental challenges they face in getting the job done. Many of the junior officers want to work but they are saddled with commanding officers who know little or absolutely nothing about crime fighting. To borrow a term from these rank and file officers their commanders are (moddlers) . The term moddler is a colloquial term for people who have form but no substance. I refer to them as window dressing.
I have precious little sympathy for non-performers, the police department is not exempt from that in my view , it is rather easy to blame one’s lack of performance on what one doesn’t have. I much rather doing what I must exploiting what I have to the max . I have repeatedly pointed to the fact that if the Police department was a business it would have failed long ago. I say this against the backgound of the data provided by the police department itself. You cannot clear up 30% of homicides and remain relevant. There is a disconnect between the performance of the Police department , despite it’s best efforts and solvency in a real sense.
Marlon-Perry
To date there is no word on the whereabouts of Marlon Perry despite the fact that Jamaica is a small country 4411 square miles and does not offer much in the way of where someone can sustain himself without being noticed. Lets be clear , this is exactly how the Police Department has operated for decades. On this principle criminals are allowed to remain on the lam and continue committing serious crimes while the police is supposedly looking for them>. I addressed this nonsensical notion in a previous article in which I detailed a scenario in which I arrested a supposed wanted criminal and took a loaded weapon from him on my very first day at the CIB .
Nowadays police departments use a cornucopia of different methodologies to brink pressure to bear on wanted suspects. These methods includes but are not confined to sweeps, dragnets, applying pressure to family members and friends, maintaining pressure on places where shady characters convene along with the traditional money offering for information. These are some of the means by which the police can have an impact . Of course real cops worth their salt know there are lots of other unconventional tools police have at their disposal to bring pressure to bear,which invariably lead police to suspects or bring suspects out of hiding.
Despite the Commissioner’s promise and bluster it has been three months and still there is no word on the suspect Marlon Perry and no one has been charged in the death of these two officers. Once again this medium call on the police department to bring the killers of these two heroes to justice. For far too long the Police department has allowed criminals to live lives of luxury while pretending the department is actively engaged in efforts to bring them in to answer for the heinous crimes they commit. Donnovan(bulbie) Bennett, remained on the lam for years living a life of luxury while he continued to direct the operations of his criminal empire from his mansion in Clarendon. It’s time the police department stop being an embarrassment to itself and the nation. If it cannot bring criminals who assassinate cops to justice how can it be trusted to protect the population?
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid ripped Republican leaders Thursday for setting the conditions for Donald Trump to thrive — and called on them to reject him.
“The Republican Party has become without question the party of Trump,” Reid said. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should now say “enough” and “do it now,” the Nevada Democrat said. Trump’s rise has unsettled many Republican leaders, particularly on Capitol Hill, who remain deeply leery of the real-estate billionaire’s potential for divisive and inflammatory statements. But they have been unable to unify behind an alternative, which has left many Republicans in Congress trying to distance themselves from Trump while saying they will support whoever wins the nomination. Reid used his fiery speech at the Center for American Progress Action Fund in Washington to make the case that Republicans need to own up to their role in Trump’s success. “If Senator McConnell wonders from where Donald Trump came from — he should look in the mirror,” said Reid.
Both Ways
Reid said that if McConnell disagrees with Trump’s “racist” statements, he should say so and reject him outright. The Nevada Democrat accused Republican leaders of wanting to have it both ways for too long. Reid argued that Republicans, with seven years of obstructing President Barack Obama and refusing to reject the more extreme elements of their party, set the stage for Trump. “Republican leaders created the drought conditions,” he said. “Trump simply struck the match.” Reid said Republican leaders chose obstruction and “scorched-Earth” tactics even before Obama took office. “What thrived in the wasteland Republican leaders created? Resentment, hatred,” Reid said.
Pattern Continues
He said that pattern continues, as evidenced by the Republican treatment of Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. Republican leaders have said they will not consider any nominee for the high court from Obama. “That’s how they’ve treated him for his entire presidency,” Reid said. Republicans also have rejected science and other evidence that supported Democratic policies, such as on climate change and gun violence, he said. “Even basic facts about the state of the economy,” he said. “It’s no wonder Americans feel powerless.” Reid added that he believes this all helped to foster the rise of the Tea Party — a wave he said is driven by “some of the darkest forces in our culture.”
Birther Movement
And there have been other byproducts of Senate Republican actions, said Reid, that have helped kick off what he called “the Donald Trump movement.” Those included, he said, pushing the idea that Obama’s presidency was somehow illegitimate, including through the birther movement, which promoted the false story that Obama was born in Kenya. “And who was the most prominent Republican in the birther movement? Yeah, Donald Trump,” said Reid. “The Republican Party has become without question the party of Donald Trump.” “If McConnell and Ryan think that Donald Trump’s racist, xenophobic demagoguery is wrong, they should not support him — period,” Reid said. “If they refuse to revoke their support for Trump, they should both put on ‘Make America Great Again’ hats, and stand behind Trump at his next press conference.” But they haven’t rejected Trump, he said. “This is precisely the type of moral cowardice” that led to Trump’s rise, he added. See more her : Reid Says Republican Party Begat Trump and Should Reject Him
There is talk that despite directives given by Prime Minister elect Andrew Holness that vehicles assigned to outgoing Ministers not be sold to them, that some vehicles were indeed sold .
After the new PNP Administration took office in 2011 ‚Jamaica House responded to queries surrounding the purchase of new Sport Utility Vehicles for Ministers of Government to the tune of US$694.000 or J$60 million. According to published reports the vehicles purchased were a shade below or at the level of the maximum allowable spend on government vehicles. The maximum amount allowed is US$35,000 per vehicle. The cheapest vehicle purchased for new government ministers was a 2012 Audi for Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips. The car cost US$32,327.96. The other vehicles, all SUVs, were a shade under from the US$35,000 upper limit.
I am not in a position to say one way or the other whether the sell-off was good policy or whether the new administration over spent on purchasing new vehicles.
On the face of it there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the decision to purchase new vehicles for ministers of Government. Practically speaking the prices quoted seemed conservative insofar as the cost of vehicles go in today’s market. Neither would I challenge the decision of the then Government to purchase Sport Utility Vehicles when the quality of the Island’s roads and terrain is considered. It would be speculative and probably disingenuous to litigate those expenditures then and could easily be brushed aside as partisan. Government Minister should have vehicles as one of the tools in their tool-boxes in order to do the jobs they are asked to do.
In the same breadth it is also within the purview and right of the newly elected Administration to say even though we have benefited from this practice in the past we are going to discontinue this practice. In light of this it is important that if true the Jamaican people are made aware of what former Ministers was allowed to purchase the vehicles, and on whose authority the sales were carried out? The JLP campaigned on it’s core principles of fiscal conservatism, good stewardship of the public’s trust under the slogan “from poverty to prosperity”. On that basis the Prime Minister elect was within his right to ask that no vehicle be sold as was customary. This was particularly important when the critical state of the Island’s economy is considered. One of the failures of the previous Administration was it’s refusal/inability to communicate with the Jamaican people. It is critically important that Prime Minister Holness acquit himself and his administration of that baggage before it becomes his and his administration’s criticism as well.
The People’s National Party is masterful at creating illusions and smear using lies and innuendos. It is important that the new Administration speak with maximum clarity and due dispatch on the true state of the Jamaican economy> With each passing day the chance that the new administration can lay blame for problems left by the PNP at the feet of the PNP becomes less doable, less credible. That is why this medium suggested a quick audit of each ministry and a a full disclosure to the people as soon as the new administration takes office. The new Government must have an open line of communication with the Jamaican people, failing which it must prepare itself to be deluged with lies and claims that all of the failures of the past administration are it’s own. It’s not good enough to have good intentions and be working for the common good alone. It’s important that the people be made aware of the true situation the new administration inherited.
There are rumblings as well that monies available to Ministries were depleted rapidly as soon as it became clear that there would be a change in Government. We have heard no word from the new administration on whether there is any truth to these stories or whether there was anything criminal or unethical about this. The JLP did a great job of communicating with Jamaicans at home and abroad while it was in campaign mode. It makes a critical error if it fail to continue to apprise the people of the facts now that it is in Government. The people must feel this new administration is their administration or it won’t be long before it finds itself on the outside looking in again. The PNP is masterful at reassigning blame for it’s incompetence and corruption.
On April 16, 2011, Mike Henry (right), who was minister of transport and works at the time, launched the return of the railway system. The moment was shared with fellow government ministers Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange and Andrew Holness, along with chairman of the Jamaica Railway Corporation, Barry Bonitto (left).
Among his first tasks as the newly appointed minister of transport and mining, Mike Henry said he was exploring a public-private partnership for the rehabilitation of the railway service. Minister Henry said that Jamaica, in adopting a modern-day integrated multi-modal transport system, of which the railway is a key component, would be embracing the reality of the changing and fast-paced world in which we live. “The railway is the most important element of transport anywhere in the world, and Jamaica has the second oldest railway in the world, connecting every port in Jamaica. We exist in a just-in-time world where you need to deliver goods and services as early as possible, in order to be on top of the niche markets and be able to grow your economy,” he explained. “This means that if the economy must grow, it must get its goods and services right there. We are, therefore, going to connect rail, sea and air,” the minister added.
FAST-PACEDWORLD
Henry said the railway currently runs from Pechon Street in downtown Kingston to Vernamfield in Clarendon, but not into any of the international airports, and this would facilitate the movement of cargo into the proposed Vernamfield development. He said that a distinguishing feature of many modern countries, as they embrace the fast-paced world, is the building of underground railways to facilitate the necessary elements of connectivity. “You must move from rail to sea to air, so the railway must be re-established,” he emphasised. The minister said that the numerous housing developments in the Old Harbour area that are not linked to the highway present an opportunity for passenger trains. “We should not be afraid of integrating these services to the economic development of the people and the country, so I am now exploring a railway development very urgently,” he said. In 2011, as the minister of transport and works, Henry was instrumental in the rehabilitation and return of the train service to Jamaica, which had been dormant for 19 years.: http://jamaicagleaner.com/article/news/20160317/public-private-partnership-being-explored-expand-train-service
The Constitution of the United States places into the hand of the President of the United States the responsibility to pick Supreme Court nominees . It also places the same responsibility in the Senate to advise and consent on the President’s pick. This means senators on the Judiciary committee meet with nominees have a chance to personally interview them and form an opinion on individual appointees. The Judiciary committee is required to hold public hearings on nominees then vote in committee on said nominees . If the Nominee survives the Judiciary committee vote the full Senate then vote on that nominee.
A President of the United States is elected to a four year term . His/her duties are for the full four years, after which there is a handover of power when a new President is inaugurated. The President of the United States has a responsibility to do the job and to execute the mandate on which he campaigned., The senate has a responsibility to do it’s job as well. Much of the narrative around Republican political philosophy is it’s lip service to the Constitution. Republican commitment to the Constitution is conditional. Their commitment is contingent on what serves their narrow political interests. They lie incessantly and unashamedly. Republicans operate as a monolithic entity in their opposition and obstruction of President Obama agenda. They also speak with the same monolithic lying tongue when it suits their interest.
It was no surprise that when the highly partisan Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia died that Republicans would immediately indicate that Senators wouldn’t even meet with any replacement of the President, regardless of the nominee’s qualification. Republican party officials across the board immediately concocted a narrative which suggested that the decision of who replaces the bigoted Scalia should be left up to voters. The Constitution has absolutely no requirement for the people to appoint Supreme Court Justices through the process of elections or otherwise. That function is reserved solely for the President and the Senate to advise and consent.
Ted Cruz one of the Republican Candidates running for president was among the first to suggest that the people should decide who the next justice is. Cruz argues someone an iconic right-wing luminary as Scalia should be decided on by voters. Cruz who fancies himself the ultimate authority on constitutional law knows the people does not decide on Supreme Court nominees. What he is hoping for is a Republican President who will pick a right-wing ideologue to replace Scalia.
Ted Cruz incidentally mentions the American Constitution more than any living breathing human being. Yet when it comes to narrow partisan politics Cruz indiscriminately and expeditiously ditches the constitution in favor of radical right-wing partisan ideology. So too has Marco Rubio, Chuck Grassley who heads the Judiciary Committee, Orrin Hatch, and even Donald Trump the circus clown who now seem likely to head that party.
On Wednesday March 16th President Barack Obama announced in the rose Garden his decision to nominate Judge Merrick Garland to be the next Justice to serve on the Supreme Court.
Merrick Garland
Garland, a graduate of Harvard Law School, is the chief judge of the D.C. circuit court. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton. Garland was previously considered for the Supreme Court seat that Justice Sonia Sotomayor was selected for in 2010. At the time, Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah told Reuters that Garland was “a consensus nominee” who would win Senate confirmation with bipartisan support without a problem.“He would be very well supported by all sides” as a Supreme Court nominee, Hatch said in 2010, according to Reuters, “and the president knows that.”.
Republicans argue that a figure as consequential (my characterization) as Antonin Scalia should be replaced by a decision of the voters. This is a most absurd theory , to begin with Antonin Scalia was consequential to the right only. Scalia represented narrow right-wing interest. He valued corporations over people, the powerful over the powerless and the Oligarchical structure over the rights of individuals. What they are saying is that the are unwilling to consider the President’s pick for the court because they want to play out their hand hoping for a Republican Presidential win in the fall, upon which they can place another radical right-wing ideologue on the court. This kind of blatant politicizing of the process creates a situation in which judges do legislate from the bench.
What makes this stance most hypocritical is that Republicans consistently squeal about judges overstepping their constitutional responsibility by legislating from the bench. Ironically this is exactly what they espouse by adopting this intransigent obstructionism . They are hoping for a Republican win in November so they can stack the Court with right-wing ideologues like Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas.
They argue that Democrats have advocated for exactly the same thing, conveniently citing the abstract Biden rule. The supposed Biden rule emanated in 1992 when then Delaware Senator Joe Biden said .…
“Were there a vacancy, Biden argued, Bush should “not name a nominee until after the November election is completed,” and if he did, “the Senate Judiciary Committee should seriously consider not scheduling confirmation hearings on the nomination until after the political campaign season is over.” “Senate consideration of a nominee under these circumstances is not fair to the president, to the nominee, or to the Senate itself,” he continued. “Where the nation should be treated to a consideration of constitutional philosophy, all it will get in such circumstances is partisan bickering and political posturing from both parties and from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.”
According to the Washington post Biden defended his comments by saying he was speaking about a hypothetical (there was no court vacancy at the time). He was also speaking in June of an election year — not February — which is around the time something called the Thurmond Rule has traditionally kicked in. (Though congressional experts say the Thurmond Rule is less an actual rule and more of a guideline that both parties call on when politically expedient on when the Senate can shut down the judicial confirmation process.)
Whatever happens voters with the ability to sift through hyperbole and bull should hold Republicans accountable come November . Many Republican Senators , Governors and Congressional Representatives are up for re-election in November . There are far more voters who identify as Democrats than there are voters who identify as Republicans. The Republican party should be penalized for this blatant obstructionism for political expediency. Voters elect a President to do a job , the senate is also elected to it’s job, the job of the senate is not to obstruct a popular twice elected president. Insisting that the people should be allowed to determine which nominee is placed on the supreme court is right in one sense. The people spoke decisively and unequivocally when they elected Barack Obama to the Presidency of the United States, not once but twice. The people have already spoken. Decisively !!!
Marco Rubio the son of Cuban Immigrants could have used his talents and education to be a champion for disadvantaged people across America and across the Globe even. He could have used his perch to stand for the values of a country which took his parents in and made them a success so that he could become speaker of the Florida State House , a US Senator and Presidential candidate. Rubio did not do that, he chose instead to take the most hawkish path toward the presidency. He advocated for wars across the globe and a build-up of the military which is already vastly superior to all of the other top Milatary combined. According to (Politifact.com) In 2014, the most recent year available, the United States led the world in military spending at $610 billion, marking 34 percent of the world total, SIPRI found. U.S. expenditures were nearly three times higher than China, the second-highest nation with an estimated $216 billion in military spending. Russia was in third place at $84.5 billion. But counting together military spending from the eight countries after the United States comes out to $646.4 billion, surpassing the United States’ $610. Omitting No. 9 on the list, Japan, the calculation comes out to about $601 billion.
Marco Rubio never missed an opportunity to tell those would listen that his mother was a maid and his father a bartender.Yet Rubio’s every action seemed
Marco Rubio
to suggest he has a disdain for immigrants who come to this country in search of a better life for their families the way his parents did. He never advocated for immigrants, the poor, nor the oppressed. Marco Rubio instead paid lip-service to the working class while maintaining a hell-bent rapacious desire to attain the highest elected office tearing down all in his quest to do so. In a rapacious pursuit for ultimate power Rubio never bothered to do the job he was elected to do, he never bothered showing up to cast votes in the senate. He was too busy seeking the other office. That may have been his mistake , he had no record to run on , . Rick Santorum a perennial Presidential contender who dropped out of the Republican presidential contest and endorsed Rubio could not name a single legislative accomplishment of Rubio . This despite the fact that Rubio served in the Florida state house and is a sitting member of the United States Senate. Marco Rubio is still a US Senator a powerful and enviable job , he may yet have a bright future , however as soon as Rubio got to Washington DC he started running for President. Many argue that Barack Obama did the very same thing . The fact is that Barack Obama is a twice elected successful president. Marco Rubio is no Barack Obama , never was , never will be.
He disrespected the holder of the officer he craved the most , saying he has no class. Marco Rubio has no idea who he is and the party he chose to represent chewed him up and spat him out ., . Now Marco Rubio invokes God after losing his home state of Florida. I have never been more thrilled to see someone fail as I am tonight at seeing Marco Rubio exit the republican race.Disrespect, selfishness, and arrogance are not Godly virtues Marco Rubio they are vices. God is always looking down , bye bye, Marco Rubio. Barack Obama has a lot of class.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The security detail for former National Security Minister, Dwight Nelson, remained intact yesterday, after he took to social media to complain about its removal without prior warning.Minister of State for National Security, Senator Pearnel Charles Jnr, confirmed yesterday that police security was still assigned to the former minister.
Nelson, who served as Minister of National Security during the 2007 – 2011 Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration, posted the loss of his security detail on Facebook on Sunday, complaining that he had been withdrawn without notice. However, Charles said yesterday that the action would have been taken by the police, and that he and Minister of National Security, Robert Montague, were unaware of the issue until Nelson made it public. He said that since then the matter has been discussed with the Commissioner and the ministry made aware that the security was reassigned yesterday morning. Nelson had stated on his Facebook page that he still gets death threats from high profile prisoners imprisoned while he was Minister, and that a Superintendent of Police had warned him that of the possibility of criminals invading his home. See more here: Dwight Nelson’s security detail still intact
Montague Defends Police Commissioner
National Security Minister Robert Montague urged those who do not wish the commissioner to succeed in the fight against crime to come and see him.
National Security Minister Robert Montague says there appears to be an attempt to embarrass Police Commissioner Dr Carl Williams.
He was speaking in relation to a post on former security minister Dwight Nelson’s Facebook page yesterday. In that post, Nelson named a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, who he alleges to be a Labourite, and blamed him for the removal of his security detail.
In responding to the post, Montague said he had made checks in relation to the matter. He assured the former minister that the officer in question was not responsible for the removal of the security detail. According to Montague, the handling of Nelson’s security detail and the opening of Parliament last week point to a possible attempt to shame Dr Williams.
He said barriers for crowd control were placed right alongside Gordon House at last week’s opening of Parliament. However, the minister said there should be no gathering within 200 yards of Gordon House. There were several reports of raucous supporters who hurled insults at several members of parliament and at least one journalist was reportedly threatened with physical violence. The Security Minister used the medium to commend the police commissioner and the Police High Command for their professionalism. He urged those who do not wish the commissioner to succeed in the fight against crime to come and see him. He said he is willing to discuss any issues or problems. : story originated here. Montague Defends Police Commissioner
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