Before urging Pres. Obama to hop on Air Force One, fly to Oakland, and kick the ass of every cop ...

[11 Bravo]

in the OPD; I believe I would opt to allow the democratically elected Mayor of Oakland as well as the Governor of California their opportunity to deal with a local law enforcement issue. Of course, I don't spend my every waking hour searching for an issue with which to find fault with our President; so maybe that's just me.

[HopeHoops]

1. Just give Aahnold a gun and some sunglasses and tell him the cameras are rolling.

Just kidding. He's probably sitting on a couch watching sports and drinking a beer with no intention of getting up unless he really has to piss and there isn't a trash can nearby.

[11 Bravo]

2. Aahnold's toast. Jerry Brown is the current Governor of California.

[Cleita]

4. The Gropenator is no longer Governor. n/t

[HopeHoops]

8. I know that, but can you imagine Jerry Brown in sunglasses waving a gun around?

It just isn't a pretty sight.

[Cleita]

9. Jerry Brown used to date rock star Linda Ronstadt back in the day.

He's not the nerd you think he is.

[HopeHoops]

11. What an asshole - I wanted to date Linda back in the day!!

[Cleita]

3. Exactly and well said.

The problem is that apparently those two officials are going to need a pitchfork prod to get them to pay attention to the fact that they have a real and developing issue on their hands. How they handle it will be a either a plus or minus on their ability to do their jobs.

[BlueCaliDem]

5. Agreed

It's as if people are forgetting that Oakland HAS a Mayor. It's as if people are forgetting California HAS a governor. They just go straight to blaming Obama. It's not like he doesn't have enough crap on his plate to contend with as it is without having to override elected officials' powers and usurping their constitutional powers. Geeze.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

15. Under the law signed by Bush in 2007, taking Pres action would not be a usurpation of their powers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002238311

[BlueCaliDem]

20. I doubt Gov Brown and the Mayor of Oakland see it that way

and I'm sure President Obama doesn't need the governor of California to feel overridden this election year.

It's the Mayor's job and the citizens of Oakland need to tell her. If she won't listen, time to call the Gov.

Bombard their offices with calls, faxes, e-mails, and presence. They'll have to listen or face the angry mob.

Turning to Obama, even blaming him for inaction now, is premature. Unless, of course, it's for one's personal satisfaction.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

24. It does seem that he has other things on his plate to contend with.

On January 27th, for example, he attended a fundraiser at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel where the anticipated haul was $1,050,000. http://dyn.politico.com/politico44/sidecar-archive/2012-01-28 Then thereafter, he was Alfalfa Club joking it up with his 1%er contributor hopefuls. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002237990

Just too many things on his plate, I guess.

[BlueCaliDem]

40. I see

you're one of those who love to blame President Obama.

Again, Oakland has a Mayor and California has a governor. If they're not reacting to pressure then maybe there's not enough of it. Ever thought of that?

And that the president has to turn to fundraising, well, that's what we get for believing Michael Moore's tripe about Gore not being any different than Bush, and Leftists decided voting for an inexperienced man, Nader and Moore's personal friend, was a good idea. The election was close enough to steal, and that's what happened, and then we get Roberts and Scalito and Citizens United.

Elections have consequences. This is exactly what the American people wanted and it's what we get.

[A Simple Game]

36. Your argument would be a little stronger if it was just

Oakland, but it's not. It's also New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc. All of those cities and more have one thing in common, they all have the same President.

No one expects President Obama to go in single handed and disarm all of the police. He just needs to give a little mention calling for civility in handling the protests.

If I were President Obama, I would rather take the chance of getting the Republicans mad because I said something than getting my base mad because I said nothing. Or is his base now so right wing that it makes no difference?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

39. Absolutely right. It's not just Oakland.

[BlueCaliDem]

41. Here's another thing they have in common

they all have MAYORS, and each and every state has a GOVERNOR.

The greatest threat any Mayor or Governor can face is an angry electorate; an angry mob. President Obama can mention civility in handling the protests all he wants, but as we've seen in the GOP, too, it's the electorate that changes minds and policy.

[A Simple Game]

47. Yes they do all have MAYORS and GOVERNORS.

The protestors are also all AMERICANS for the most part. The mayor of Albany NY worked with the OWS protestors against the wishes of the governor. Which one would you say deserves our support the mayor or the governor?

What do you do when the mayor and governor are not controlling the situation? Do you just wait 2 or 3 years until the next election while your fellow AMERICAN citizens are being illegally beaten and arrested in the streets? Even a recall will take close to a year to affect change.

How long do you recommend we wait if it is a friend or child being beaten by the police? How long should our President wait while his citizens are being abused?

[BlueCaliDem]

48. In your first question, the Mayor

no matter what party he's affiliated with. That goes for the governor, too.

If the Mayor and Gov aren't controlling the situation, it's because they are trying not to. MAKE THEM. The people of those mayors and governors elected them, and they have a right to be represented by them. If they feel they're not being adequately represented, warn them they won't be quiet and they won't stop.

Where is FireDogLake? Glenn Greenwald? DemocracyNOW? DailyKos? Michael Moore? Why aren't they putting out the rally call to march to the Mayor's and Governor's mansion and stop this insanity?

Remember, Michael Moore and others on the Left have told Obama and the Democrats, "Do NOT try to co-opt the OWS movement". Well, they aren't, are they? So the burden falls on those groups to rally and march alongside the people of the OWS and not only make profit off of them for the movies, books, and websites.

[A Simple Game]

49. So the answer to protestors getting beaten by the police

is to have more protests where the protestors can get beaten by the police?

No one is asking President Obama or the Democrats to co-opt the OWS movement, they are asking President Obama to ask the police to practice some restraint in their handling of the protests. It can be as simple as how they dress, if they go out in their everyday uniforms they will act differently than if they go out in riot gear. If you expect a riot, somehow you usually get one. Funny how that works isn't it.

Bringing up all of the other names just looks like a diversion to me. Why do you bring them into the conversation, they aren't elected officials and have no responsibility to the electorate?

[BlueCaliDem]

53. No. The answer is to have the constituents of those municipalities,

together with the self-proclaimed leaders of the OWS (the ones I've listed) to demand representation by their elected officials, but in any case, their sympathizers to STOP blaming Obama first. That's a good place to start.

Obama is the president, not the dictator. Until it becomes a federal matter, it's still a local and state matter.

And I name those because THEY have co-opted the OWS movement. So, what aren't they standing with them, marching with them, and rallying America to protect them?

[A Simple Game]

55. Now I see the problem. You think people are blaming President Obama.

Maybe some are, but most just want him to try to calm things down. Why would you come to the conclusion that people are blaming President Obama first? The violence has been going on for 6 or more months, people have just started asking for President Obama to intervene. President Obama didn't start OWS nor is he the head of a police department attacking protestors. He had nothing to do with the violence the police are using on the protestors, no one believes that.

But just how long does it have to go on before some one with a bully pulpit will say it needs to stop? No one is asking him to send in troops or to physically intervene. They just want him to say a few words to try and calm down the violence against the protestors. If a President can't set the tone for a nation, who can?

You expect more from Michael Moore than you do from your President? Between Moore and President Obama, which one swore to defend us? That is the Presidents job, not Moores.

[saras]

52. MAKE THEM? Torture, kidnapping, brainwashing, and coercion are ILLEGAL. Who are you kidding?

[BlueCaliDem]

54. You're correct. Now you've told me, tell the Mayors AND the Governors.

You'll get more results that way.

[randome]

50. 'A child'?

Really?

You forgot to include the possibility of puppies and bunny rabbits being tasered.

[ClassWarrior]

6. When one has to start out by distorting someone else's position...

...one probably should re-evaluate one's own position.



NGU.

[quakerboy]

7. Before spouting bologna

Perhaps inform yourself on the situation.

The mayor and the governor have had a year to deal with the local law enforcement issue. They have had 2 months since the situation was highlighted by the initial clash with Occupy.

What has been done to resolve the issue, other than the militarized police force becoming more indiscriminate about arrests, suppression tactics, and the use of violence?

[bornskeptic]

29. Then why aren't there threads demanding that Jerry Brown do something?

All President Obama could do if he decided to intervene, is to call out the California National Guard to attempt to pacify the situation. The governor can do that himself. If Obama has any role to play, it should be attempting Brown to deal with the situation.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

35. Brown should be doing something. Obama, however, is not limited to calling out the Nat Guard.

If he wanted, he could under Public Law 109-364, which Bush signed in 2007 with no known opposition from then-Senator Obama or any other Democratic Senator, call out the Army, the Navy, the Marines, and even the Air Force.

More details are provided at http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002238311

The plain language of the statue, in Sec. 1076 of that Act, and specifically § 333(a), provides: "&quot 1) The President may employ the armed forces, including the National Guard in Federal service, ..."

Under a plain reading of the statute, the phrase "armed forces" means the Army, the Navy, the Marines, and the Air Force.

[HopeHoops]

10. He'd do it for Randolph Scott

(8 seconds)

[meaculpa2011]

12. I suppose Eisenhower...

should have let local officials sort out that tiny problem in Little Rock.

[jberryhill]

13. Those local officials were in violation of a federal court order

[AnotherMcIntosh]

16. No court order is required because of a law signed by Bush in 2007

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002238311

Incidentally, there is no publicly known information to show that the then-Senator Obama or any other Democratic Senator opposed the enactment of the law.

If Obama wants to do so, he could apply the law and take action.

[jberryhill]

18. A civil disturbance in one part of one city is not going to do it

&quot i) domestic violence has occurred to such an extent that the constituted authorities of the State or possession are incapable of maintaining public order"

There is no Constitutional right to take over a vacant building.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

25. Agent provocateurs do not have a Constitutional right to incite violence with a vacant building,

or to throw firecrackers at the cops.

Doing so is at odds with the repeated efforts of the OWS to protest peacefully. It is, however, consistent with the ongoing efforts of the Oakland police to brutalize peaceful protestors who don't know their place.

[BlueCaliDem]

44. You already know this Bush fascist law was repealed

Why are you acting like you haven't debated this before? Why are you for partial martial law? Why are you littering other threads with this tripe when you darn well know it has been repealed and no longer in effect?

[11 Bravo]

14. The Mayor of Little Rock specifically asked Ike to intervene. (No charge for the history lesson.)

[AnotherMcIntosh]

17. Right. And of course, with the 2007 law signed by Bush, that is no longer at issue.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002238311

[11 Bravo]

19. Bush did a lot of shit that I would prefer for President Obama not to emulate.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

23. Agreed. But Obama is not taking any action to repeal the 2007 law signed by Bush.

If he was doing so, that might excuse his nonaction for those who believe that a court order or a mayorial request is required before Presidential action can be taken to protect citizens and their First Amendment rights.

[11 Bravo]

32. Yeah, because God knows that any issue President Obama initiates will absolutely FLY through ...

the House of Representatives; and will then promptly NOT be filibustered in the Senate.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

33. The "Free-Trade" agreements with So Korea, Columbia, and Panama seemed to sail through.

[11 Bravo]

37. Oh, my bad. Because the Repukes allowed a few bills with which they agreed, to pass ...

I must have imagined all that other obstruction shit.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

38. Like when they obstructed him from appointing Geithner? Or obstructed him from giving

his share of the TARP funds ($350 billion out of $700 billion) to those who really needed it?

It's the fault of the obstructionist Republicans?

But things will get better when he's re-elected?

[msanthrope]

51. You do realize that Congress repeals laws, not the President? That's a feature of the Constitution,

not a bug.


Where were the resolutions repealing this from Kucinich, Sanders, or Paul(2)?????

Edited to add--apparently, this law has been repealed.

[meaculpa2011]

21. Right...

and Gov. Faubus welcomed the 101st Airborne with a smile and handshake.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

22. The Establishment speaks.

I support your right to toe the line.

[11 Bravo]

26. Cool! I'm the Establishment! I guess I need to reciprocate by supporting your right ...

to the title of absolute hippest, righteous, internet lefty dude of all time.

[Number23]

31. !

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

57. Aw, shucks!

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. It's not just you. It's a made up issue. Let's not forget Senators Feinstein & Boxer, and.....

Reps Lee & Peters all represent the good citizens of Oakland. The venom is misdirected, and it's done for very calculated reasons.

[CakeGrrl]

28. Rec.

[got root]

30. yeah, lets not forget about those leaders as well!

somebody needs to speak up

[BumRushDaShow]

34. K&R

[lamp_shade]

42. Bravo! K&R

[GeorgeGist]

43. That is very ...

big of you. But I doubt you spend every waking hour searching for an issue to disagree with.

[WI_DEM]

45. Bravo! to Bravo for telling it like it is...

[Bluenorthwest]

46. Oakland promised to clean up their Police Department 9 years ago and did not do so

(01-25) 14:21 PST San Francisco (AP) --

Mayor Jean Quan vowed Wednesday to quickly reform the scandal-plagued Oakland Police Department after a frustrated judge threatened a federal takeover if it fails to quickly make good on changes agreed to nine years ago.

U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson said he "remains in disbelief" that the department has failed to adopt the reforms.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/25/state/n142121S65.DTL#ixzz1kx9tblSu

[T S Justly]

56. So, you want people to fly to Oakland and "kick the ass of every cop..."?

And, you don't want Obama held responsible? Got it.