Watching Obama's talk on Castile+ other police related murders...

[joshcryer]

...and I conclude that he is the greatest President in my lifetime. Such an articulate, genuine, brilliant mind. It's a damn shame we couldn't give him the congress he deserves. So much greatness lost. I can't even imagine the greatness this man could have done had he a Democratic congress which could pass legislation that he wanted. I'm not exaggerating here, this guy is so good. I'm so angry that we lost so many congressional seats over pettiness.

[ciaobaby]

1. I too watched Obama's speech.

I wish I could say I was proud. This speech left me cold. When will we ever get to the fact that our police departments around the country all full of bullies with guns, most are racist, many are power hungry, and many are afraid of blacks. None of them should be in the police department. None of them should carry weapons. And most of them should have been arrested long ago.
I am tired of hearing the same old tired comments about community, training, task forces, planned crime bills, and how there are so many good policemen.
This, like the gun epidemic, has gone on much too long and all we get is talk - all of it said before, and yet we see NO change.

[joshcryer]

3. He explicitly pointed out the disproportionate use of force on AA people.

That's the whole point of my post. This is an AA President fully recognizing the disproportionate use of force. But his hands are tied due to this completely incompetent congress.

They won't even pass legislation to study these issues, much less do something about it.

I actually agreed with him about the police. Yes, there are bad apples out there, but the vast, overwhelming majority of them are not bad. And I'm someone who has argued against the police, and I think that the anti-IQ tests that some police forces employ is deplorable (a highly intelligent guy was barred from being an officer, because the turnaround for high-IQ people is low, and the department didn't want to have to deal with him quitting after a short stint; totally wrong in every way).

[Tarheel_Dem]

4. Whoa! As President, Obama is always expected to speak out on these things. Just because he...

hasn't incorporated your exact language, I think his message is loud & clear. Perhaps you're so angry that you didn't read the o.p.'s sadness at the fact that because certain folk were "disillusioned" after Obama didn't reverse 200 years of oppression in a year & a half, we wound up with a do nothing Congress in 2010, and he's had to deal with that for the past 7 years. I'm not sure what you were expecting from the president, but with three co-equal branches of government, there are constitutional limits on his executive power.

[loyalsister]

5. I would like to hear someone talk about personal responsibility in relation to police

They voluntarily seek employment that carries some danger. I would hope that their training involves learning to manage their own fear responsibly.

[bettyellen]

6. You realize that the change needs to happen locally and that is largely beyond his reach?

[ciaobaby]

7. Perhaps you are correct, however

Could he not direct the DOJ to review all shootings by police officers resulting in death.

http://filmingcops.com/new-study-americans-58-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-cops-than-by-terrorists/

[bettyellen]

8. How would the DOJ have time for that many additional investigations? It's also a budget issue.

[ciaobaby]

9. So you're implying there is not enough money to save american lives from being killed by police

Yet we have tons of money to throw at Isis. I trust you looked at the link I sent.
We currently have more to fear from police than Isis.

Again:http://filmingcops.com/new-study-americans-58-times-more-likely-to-be-killed-by-cops-than-by-terrorists/

[Tarheel_Dem]

10. You do realize that it's Congress that controls the purse strings, right?

[ciaobaby]

12. Ok - then let's not do anything. We can't, we won't, we don't have the will.

God this country has become one big moaning group of people with excuses.
so everything stays the same.
More cop killings, more gun crimes, more corporate greed, more war, more shit.

Obama wanted to do something for the Dreamers and he found a way.

Where there is the will, there is a way. Apparently we have lost our way.

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. Do you think the Dreamer situation is settled law? For some reason, you've dropped this issue...

firmly on the doorsteps of the White House, with no acknowledgement that there are 3 constitutional co-equal branches of government. And no one is saying that nothing should be done, but forming another commission or another special group of investigators inside the DOJ probably won't bring about the change you seek. And other than disbanding every police force in the country, and deprogramming & disabusing every white officer of the implicit bias they've been taught their entire lives, I'm not sure what the answer is. But what I do know is that this problem is a job for all of government....local, state & federal.

[ciaobaby]

16. oh stop.

Of course I know The Dreamer situation is not settled law.
I used it as an example of doing something when it seems nothing can be done, or nothing can get through congress.
I can say I agree with your last sentence.
My frustration at the reoccurrence of these brutal murders by police is at a fever pitch.
To that I plead guilty.
I am so sick of politicians giving speeches that amount to nothing. It seems to be the only thing our government can do.

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. Got it. No more speeches. Not even when the press demands a statement. Got it.

Obama can't win. If he had said nothing, there'd be outrage of a different sort.

[ciaobaby]

18. You are exceptionally good at twisting everything I say.

I never said no more speeches. I am looking for concrete action. If you are happy listening to speeches, if that satisfies you, so be it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

19. Got it!

[bettyellen]

11. Those are two different line items in the budget, unfortunately..,

What I am saying is that the Feds are fairly limited, even reacting to investigate is likely beyond their current budget. We need congressional action and community involvement more that we need Potus to do something.

[ciaobaby]

13. Community involvement. Sure let's wait for that to happen.

How about we get rid of bad cops. That somehow didn't come up in Obama's speech.

[morningfog]

2. I agree.

[Rex]

14. Greatest in my lifetime too. nt

nt

[mcar]

20. In my lifetime too

The things he's had to deal with would have flattened a lesser person.

[alcibiades_mystery]

21. It's not even a close contest for me

Greatest of my lifetime. Easily.