Citizens' Oversight Maryland---Maryland Progressives
CINDY WALSH FOR MAYOR OF BALTIMORE----SOCIAL DEMOCRAT
Citizens Oversight Maryland.com
  • Home
  • Cindy Walsh for Mayor of Baltimore
    • Mayoral Election violations
    • Questionnaires from Community >
      • Education Questionnaire
      • Baltimore Housing Questionnaire
      • Emerging Youth Questionnaire
      • Health Care policy for Baltimore
      • Environmental Questionnaires
      • Livable Baltimore questionnaire
      • Labor Questionnnaire
      • Ending Food Deserts Questionnaire
      • Maryland Out of School Time Network
      • LBGTQ Questionnaire
      • Citizen Artist Baltimore Mayoral Forum on Arts & Culture Questionnaire
      • Baltimore Transit Choices Questionnaire
      • Baltimore Activating Solidarity Economies (BASE)
      • Downtown Partnership Questionnaire
      • The Northeast Baltimore Communities Of BelAir Edison Community Association (BECCA )and Frankford Improvement Association, Inc. (FIA)
      • Streets and Transportation/Neighbood Questionnaire
      • African American Tourism and business questionnaire
      • Baltimore Sun Questionnaire
      • City Paper Mayoral Questionnaire
      • Baltimore Technology Com Questionnaire
      • Baltimore Biker's Questionnair
      • Homewood Friends Meeting Questionnaire
      • Baltimore Historical Collaboration---Anthem Project
      • Tubman City News Mayoral Questionnaire
      • Maryland Public Policy Institute Questionnaire
      • AFRO questionnaire
      • WBAL Candidate's Survey
  • Blog
  • Trans Pacific Pact (TPP)
  • Progressive vs. Third Way Corporate Democrats
    • Third Way Think Tanks
  • Financial Reform/Wall Street Fraud
    • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau >
      • CFPB Actions
    • Voted to Repeal Glass-Steagall
    • Federal Reserve >
      • Federal Reserve Actions
    • Securities and Exchange Commission >
      • SEC Actions
    • Commodity Futures Trading Commission >
      • CFTC Actions
    • Office of the Comptroller of the Currency >
      • OCC Actions
    • Office of Treasury/ Inspector General for the Treasury
    • FINRA >
      • FINRA ACTIONS
  • Federal Healthcare Reform
    • Health Care Fraud in the US
    • Health and Human Services Actions
  • Social Security and Entitlement Reform
    • Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP Actions
  • Federal Education Reform
    • Education Advocates
  • Government Schedules
    • Baltimore City Council
    • Maryland State Assembly >
      • Budget and Taxation Committee
    • US Congress
  • State and Local Government
    • Baltimore City Government >
      • City Hall Actions
      • Baltimore City Council >
        • Baltimore City Council Actions
      • Baltimore Board of Estimates meeting >
        • Board of Estimates Actions
    • Governor's Office >
      • Telling the World about O'Malley
    • Lt. Governor Brown
    • Maryland General Assembly Committees >
      • Communications with Maryland Assembly
      • Budget and Taxation Committees >
        • Actions
        • Pension news
      • Finance Committees >
        • Schedule
      • Business Licensing and Regulation
      • Judicial, Rules, and Nominations Committee
      • Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee >
        • Committee Actions
    • Maryland State Attorney General >
      • Open Meetings Act
      • Maryland Courts >
        • Maryland Court System
    • States Attorney - Baltimore's Prosecutor
    • State Comptroller's Office >
      • Maryland Business Tax Reform >
        • Business Tax Reform Issues
  • Maryland Committee Actions
    • Board of Public Works >
      • Public Works Actions
    • Maryland Public Service Commission >
      • Public Meetings
    • Maryland Health Care Commission/Maryland Community Health Resources Commission >
      • MHCC/MCHRC Actions
    • Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition
  • Maryland and Baltimore Development Organizations
    • Baltimore/Maryland Development History
    • Committee Actions
    • Maryland Development Organizations
  • Maryland State Department of Education
    • Charter Schools
    • Public Schools
    • Algebra Project Award
  • Baltimore City School Board
    • Charter Schools >
      • Charter Schools---Performance
      • Charter School Issues
    • Public Schools >
      • Public School Issues
  • Progressive Issues
    • Fair and Balanced Elections
    • Labor Issues
    • Rule of Law Issues >
      • Rule of Law
    • Justice issues 2
    • Justice Issues
    • Progressive Tax Reform Issues >
      • Maryland Tax Reform Issues
      • Baltimore Tax Reform Issues
    • Strong Public Education >
      • Corporate education reform organizations
    • Healthcare for All Issues >
      • Universal Care Bill by state
  • Building Strong Media
    • Media with a Progressive Agenda (I'm still checking on that!) >
      • anotherangryvoice.blogspot.com
      • "Talk About It" Radio - WFBR 1590AM Baltimore
      • Promethius Radio Project
      • Clearing the Fog
      • Democracy Now
      • Black Agenda Radio
      • World Truth. TV Your Alternative News Network.
      • Daily Censured
      • Bill Moyers Journal
      • Center for Public Integrity
      • Public Radio International
      • Baltimore Brew
      • Free Press
    • Far Left/Socialist Media
    • Media with a Third Way Agenda >
      • MSNBC
      • Center for Media and Democracy
      • Public Radio and TV >
        • NPR and MPT News
      • TruthOut
  • Progressive Organizations
    • Political Organizations >
      • Progressives United
      • Democracy for America
    • Labor Organizations >
      • United Workers
      • Unite Here Local 7
      • ROC-NY works to build power and win justice
    • Justice Organizations >
      • APC Baltimore
      • Occupy Baltimore
    • Rule of Law Organizations >
      • Bill of Rights Defense Committee
      • National Lawyers Guild
      • National ACLU
    • Tax Reform Organizations
    • Healthcare for All Organizations >
      • Healthcare is a Human Right - Maryland
      • PNHP Physicians for a National Health Program
      • Healthcare NOW- Maryland
    • Public Education Organizations >
      • Parents Across America
      • Philadelphia Public School Notebook thenotebook.org
      • Chicago Teachers Union/Blog
      • Ed Wize Blog
      • Educators for a Democratic Union
      • Big Education Ape
    • Elections Organizations >
      • League of Women Voters
  • Progressive Actions
    • Labor Actions
    • Justice Actions
    • Tax Reform Actions >
      • Baltimore Tax Actions
      • Maryland Tax Reform Actions
    • Healthcare Actions
    • Public Education Actions
    • Rule of Law Actions >
      • Suing Federal and State government
    • Free and Fair Elections Actions
  • Maryland/Baltimore Voting Districts - your politicians and their votes
    • 2014 ELECTION OF STATE OFFICES
    • Maryland Assembly/Baltimore
  • Petitions, Complaints, and Freedom of Information Requests
    • Complaints - Government and Consumer >
      • Sample Complaints
    • Petitions >
      • Sample Petitions
    • Freedom of Information >
      • Sample Letters
  • State of the Democratic Party
  • Misc
    • WBFF TV
    • WBAL TV
    • WJZ TV
    • WMAR TV
    • WOLB Radio---Radio One
    • The Gazette
    • Baltimore Sun Media Group
  • Misc 2
    • Maryland Public Television
    • WYPR
    • WEAA
    • Maryland Reporter
  • Misc 3
    • University of Maryland
    • Morgan State University
  • Misc 4
    • Baltimore Education Coalition
    • BUILD Baltimore
    • Church of the Great Commission
    • Maryland Democratic Party
    • Pennsylvania Avenue AME Zion Church
    • Maryland Municipal League
    • Maryland League of Women Voters
  • Untitled
  • Untitled
  • Standard of Review
  • Untitled
  • WALSH FOR GOVERNOR - CANDIDATE INFORMATION AND PLATFORM
    • Campaign Finance/Campaign donations
    • Speaking Events
    • Why Heather Mizeur is NOT a progressive
    • Campaign responses to Community Organization Questionnaires
    • Cindy Walsh vs Maryland Board of Elections >
      • Leniency from court for self-representing plaintiffs
      • Amended Complaint
      • Plaintiff request for expedited trial date
      • Response to Motion to Dismiss--Brown, Gansler, Mackie, and Lamone
      • Injunction and Mandamus
      • DECISION/APPEAL TO SPECIAL COURT OF APPEALS---Baltimore City Circuit Court response to Cindy Walsh complaint >
        • Brief for Maryland Court of Special Appeals >
          • Cover Page ---yellow
          • Table of Contents
          • Table of Authorities
          • Leniency for Pro Se Representation
          • Statement of Case
          • Questions Presented
          • Statement of Facts
          • Argument
          • Conclusion/Font and Type Size
          • Record Extract
          • Appendix
          • Motion for Reconsideration
          • Response to Defendants Motion to Dismiss
          • Motion to Reconsider Dismissal
      • General Election fraud and recount complaints
    • Cindy Walsh goes to Federal Court for Maryland election violations >
      • Complaints filed with the FCC, the IRS, and the FBI
      • Zapple Doctrine---Media Time for Major Party candidates
      • Complaint filed with the US Justice Department for election fraud and court irregularities.
      • US Attorney General, Maryland Attorney General, and Maryland Board of Elections are charged with enforcing election law
      • Private media has a responsibility to allow access to all candidates in an election race. >
        • Print press accountable to false statement of facts
      • Polling should not determine a candidate's viability especially if the polling is arbitrary
      • Viability of a candidate
      • Public media violates election law regarding do no damage to candidate's campaign
      • 501c3 Organizations violate election law in doing no damage to a candidate in a race >
        • 501c3 violations of election law-----private capital
      • Voter apathy increases when elections are not free and fair
  • Maryland Board of Elections certifies election on July 10, 2014
  • Maryland Elections ---2016

January 23rd, 2014

1/23/2014

0 Comments

 
I listened to my local corporate NPR/APM outlet WYPR give political commentary that does all it can to support the crony political system we have in Maryland.  As you read below, what got my ire going this morning requires remembering that progressive politics and neo-liberalism are at polar opposites in political spectrum.   A candidate cannot be a neo-liberal supporting a few progressive policies because global corporate rule will not allow any of these progressive stances to exist in the end.  Fraser Smith and his enthusiasm for Maryland's political machines cannot be outdone and WYPR makes sure that commentary like mine......a counterpoint is never heard.  I bet that my website and blog has more people visiting than WYPR!!!!!

IF YOU HEAR 'NEW ECONOMY' OR '21ST CENTURY ECONOMY' THAT MEANS THE WORLD UNDER TPP----GLOBAL NEO-LIBERALISM.
  The Brookings Institute and Johns Hopkins are leaders in these policies!

I so not know if this group is a real progressive economics group or a poser as is the case with most groups calling themselves progressive but this statement on their website hits at the definition of economic progressivism.  What we have in the US are neo-liberals-----global corporate pols using a few progressive issues to get votes and then they kill us with policy like TPP.  WE MUST DO OUR HOMEWORK WHEN WE CHOOSE MEDIA OR PUNDITS FOR OUR INFORMATION!!!!

Maryland has only neo-liberals in the democratic party.....as Fraser says......it is the political machines that choose the candidates.  So, when Heather Mizeur says she is 'progressive' and uses a few progressive issues to label her as such.....she makes her economic platform clearly neo-liberal.......tying the state to Wall Street leveraging, public private partnerships, and building global markets.  MIZEUR IS NOT THE PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE----SHE IS THE NEO-LIBERAL TRYING TO WIN WITH PROGRESSIVE ISSUES!  Montgomery County is the wealthiest in the nation because it is from here (and the Virginia suburbs) that all of the fraud and corruption bringing trillions to corporations originate.....and that includes state fraud and corruption.  We would not go to Montgomery County for a democratic candidate!


NEO-LIBERALISM = GLOBAL CORPORATE TRIBUNAL RULE = TOTALITARIANISM = THE END OF DEMOCRACY AND WE THE PEOPLE  US CONSTITUTION


Progressive Economics – Everyone Makes Progress
Monday, Dec. 24, 2012 - by Diane Alter

Progressive economics is chiefly concerned with advancing human commerce for the betterment of all – so that all can make progress. The aim is to make certain that greater stability exists in tandem with balanced growth in the economy, to keep money flowing – preventing it from accruing solely in one place or to one small group – in order to better reach universal goals. This is where the Center for Progressive Economics (CPE) comes in. The Encino, California-based non-profit company’s mission is “to promote the correct macroeconomic understanding, mainly through economic validation, that joins business with government, educators, environmentalists, civic and philanthropic leaders to create a quality global economy and community.”

At the helm is founder and Chairman Mark Pash, a Certified Financial Planner, who boasts the kind of lengthy and impressive resume that comes from 40 years of working in finance and politics. He was even a Congressional candidate in 1996. Pash founded CPE with the goal of making the world a better place for current and future generations.

Totally committed and passionate to this cause, Pash promised to fund all the expenses of CPE’s website, with its plethora of valuable information, for the next several years, encouraging everyone to become a member. Tax deductible donations are accepted, but CPE’s primary goal is to grow its member base rather than to increase the amount of dollars pledged.

CPE strives to educate individuals about, and be the advocate for, progressive economics. Members recognize progressive economic principles as being the most favorable way to safeguard the checks and balances between fair markets and community interests. As the backbone of our society, the economy has a monumental impact on the quality of life for everyone. In order for individuals to prosper and provide for their families, the economy must function properly. With proper policies, the economy can stabilize our society.

One of CPE's basic tenets is this: “We cannot have a politically democratic society without economic democracy.” CPE’s underlying philosophy is designed to facilitate the advancement of human commerce for the benefit of all, while also protecting the business environment from its own zealous hands and those of a meddlesome government. Acknowledging the myriad flaws of commerce and capitalism, the government has a role to play in countering these imperfections. But it must do so without hampering the marketplace, allowing for free enterprise and competition.

CPE, with its vibrant vision of future possibilities, explains that an understanding of progressive economic understanding along with wise application of its principles could be the conduit to future financial success for everyone – underscoring that we are all in this together. Progressive economic principles, CPE maintains, can insulate America and the entire world from the defects of capitalism, and is capable of escorting us into a future where wealth can be created and relished by all in a quality economy.




As we watch law enforcement become tightened and cruel on citizens of the US at the same time Rule of Law is suspended on white collar and government crime, we see what Germany and Fascism looked like as it was building in Europe pre-WW2.  Hitler took over all of a nation's businesses and used them for his goal of taking over the world.  Neo-liberals have as their goal taking over the world with global markets leading to colonialism.

SAME THING.  TRANS PACIFIC PACT-----TPP TRADE DEALS MOVE FURTHER TOWARDS THAT.

Let's look at some of the facts happening across the country to show what the goal looks like and how NOW IS THE TIME TO ENERGIZE AGAINST THIS.  In Hitler's time people ask......how did these citizens allow a grip on society take hold?  WELL, IT IS HAPPENING NOW IN AMERICA AND EUROPE.

I'm listening to my corporate 'public' media station WYPR giving its typical political coverage that has no counterpoint and always pushes the political machine agenda in Maryland.  Fraser Smith tells us that a newcomer to the state elections in June would not have a chance now because all of the campaign money and war chests and alignment of labor and justice has already taken place.  The candidate getting Fraser's ire didn't have any political experience for goodness sake and it seems he must have intentions of promoting his own business.  This is LOL as all Maryland politics is about promoting and moving money to connected business.  I was at an election event where a few candidates came to the podium to give their canned speaking points with the selected progressive issues of the election but the people were not able to ask any questions on policy.......neither are they at any event and the media certainly doesn't allow general questions.  So, what happens in Maryland are not elections.......THEY ARE FIXES.  The need for political experience to run for state office?  REALLY??????

WHEN THE US WAS NUMBER 1 IN THE WORLD WITH A THRIVING ECONOMY AND FIRST WORLD STANDARDS........THE GOVERNMENT WAS FILLED WITH TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, TRADES PEOPLE, CLERKS AND THE MANTRA------

SEND MR AND MS SMITH TO WASHINGTON, THE STATE HOUSE, AND CITY HALL!!!!!  AS IT IS TODAY. 


We try to help our local media be sharing with them what the Maryland citizens really think.  For example, did you know that Maryland has one of the strongest Expanded and Improved Medicare for All?  See why the private health system reform is trying to dismantle public health as fast as possible.  Not one word from media about this Universal Care movement!

Well, from Occupy, to labor and justice movements, to seniors and professionals------EVERYBODY WANT CORPORATIONS AND THEIR MONEY OUT OF GOVERNMENT AND THESE SAME PEOPLE SEE TODAYS NEO-CONS AND NEO-LIBERALS AS SIMPLY CORPORATE EXECUTIVES, NOT POLITICIANS.  So, why does Fraser Smith speak about the very system people do not want as the status quo that will stand? Oh, that's right ------corporate 'public' media working to keep corporate pols and their machines cranking!


LET'S SEE WHAT TOTALITARIANISM LOOKS LIKE IN AMERICA:



So, as Fraser tells us that having a campaign war chest will decide the Maryland elections in June-----(don't  forget FEBRUARY 25TH DEADLINE FOR FILING FOR ALL PRIMARIES),  you see the entire electorate wanting big money out of politics.  Even small business, which is an endangered species with global corporate rule, is on the bandwagon.  Here in Maryland we hear nothing of this mass movement!
  Rather, war chests are touted as what is needed to win-----GO GLOBAL CORPORATE POLS!!!!

A CAPTURED POLITICAL SYSTEM IS A MUST TO WEAN PEOPLE FROM THE IDEA OF FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS THAT DO NOT HAPPEN IN A TOTALITARIAN SOCIETY! 


About Us

We are a community of citizens who believe passionately that public funding is the single most critical long-term public policy issue our nation faces. What’s at stake are nothing less than the health of our democracy, the quality of our leadership, and our government’s ability to tackle the serious problems that affect us all: health care, energy policy, education, the environment and the economy.

Clearly, incumbents have an interest in keeping the current system in place — because it keeps them in place. It will take a powerful, non-partisan, grassroots movement to demand their support for a new kind of politics in America.

Vision

We have a vision of a better America, and a return to a more responsive, participatory democracy. It’s a nation whose leaders are accountable to the voters, and elected according to their abilities, their qualifications and their character. A nation whose citizens once more have confidence in their leaders and in the integrity of the political system. A nation where cynicism and apathy are replaced by the true American ideals of optimism and activism.




Business groups call for campaign finance reform
By Amanda Conto

March 01, 2013

Business leaders are calling for full disclosure and small-donor citizen-funded elections that will restore power to the voters.

Americans for Campaign Reform, along with several other groups, will host a free event discussing why campaign finance reform matters to New York's business leaders at noon on Tuesday, March 5 at the Albany Institute of History and Art.

The coalition formed by the American Sustainable Business Council, the Business and Labor Coalition of New York, Citizens Union of the City of New York, the Committee for Economic Development, the New York State Sustainable Business Council and New York Leadership for Accountable Government, will present an overview of business benefits related to campaign finance reform and discuss how small-donor citizen-funded elections can strengthen democracy.

According to Americans for Campaign Reform's website public funding is the "single most critical long-term public policy issue" facing the nation.

"We have a vision of a better America, and a return to a more responsive, participatory democracy. It's a nation whose leaders are accountable to the voters, and elected according to their abilities, their qualifications and their character—a nation whose citizens once more have confidence in their leaders and in the integrity of the political system, a nation where cynicism and apathy are replaced by the true American ideals of optimism and activism," the website states.

Campaign finance reformers say the current system promotes a pay-to-play mentality that encourages political giving as a means of influencing legislative decision-making and increases the risk of sacrificing long-term interests for short-term gains. They also said donor influence can serve to undermine market forces by the pursuit of policies and regulations that diminish competition or unduly benefit particular firms or industries.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo outlined plans for campaign reform during his Jan 4, 2012 State of the State Address. Rob Werner, national field director for Americans for Campaign Reform, said with Cuomo's support, now is the time for campaign reform.

The governor's plan includes a voluntary "multiple match" public financing system that will encourage candidates to fund their campaigns through a broad base of small donors. His plan also includes lower contribution limits and the closure of contribution loopholes as well as lower contribution limits for corporations and individuals who do business with New York state. (Sounds the same as public media requirements----wait, they have nothing but businesses supporting them now)  Note that Maryland has done just the opposite in raising campaign donation levels and no election oversight.  Would seeing no corporate fraud for Gansler equate to a campaign war chest?  THE ASSOCIATION IS EASY-PEASY!!!!

A new enforcement unit in the New York State Board of Elections, with the independence and authority to investigate alleged violations, is also a part of Cuomo's plan.

"New York is very important and beneficial. The people of New York provide a beacon for the nation," said Werner.

______________________________________________
Maryland is acting as though TPP has already been passed as all of Maryland Assembly works towards installing these policies in the state.  I spoke at length about this VEOLA Super Shuttle incident so I won't go further than to say it embraces the idea that a global corporation can act any way it chooses inside the US as laws that inhibit profits are not enforced.  So, this French global corporation with headquarters in Africa brings African immigrants to Maryland and indentures them with contracts that have them working but not earning any money. 


THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN BECAUSE OF MARYLAND CAPTURED POLITICAL SYSTEM THAT ONLY ALLOWS PEOPLE PROVEN TO WORK FOR THESE SITUATIONS RISE IN THE POLITICAL MACHINES......SEE WHY FRASER IS SO ADAMANT THAT POLITICAL MACHINE POLITICIANS BE THE ONES THAT RUN.......GROOM THEM AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND IF THEY HAND ALL THAT IS PUBLIC TO MARYLAND'S 1%, THEN THEY CAN MOVE UP TO THE MARYLAND ASSEMBLY AND STATE POLITICS!  Just running MR AND MS SMITH in state elections????!!!!!  ARE YOU CRAZY SAYS FRASER!


BELOW YOU SEE A SURE SIGN OF TOTALITARIANISM.....CORPORATE SLAVERY RIGHT HERE IN MARYLAND!

Veolia Draws Labor Protest at its Headquarters in Baltimore


Oh, let's vote for more Maryland political machine candidates to fix this!!!!!!!  RUN AND VOTE FOR LABOR AND JUSTICE AND DO NOT ALLOW THE DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL MACHINES CHOOSE YOUR CANDIDATES AS THEY ARE ALL NEO-LIBERALS!

Baltimore PostExaminer·25 videos
  Published on Jan 20, 2014

Veolia is a billion dollar international corporation with transportation companies operating along the East Coast of the U.S. It hires SuperShuttle workers at both BWI and Dulles airports. Many of the SuperShuttle workers at the airports are very unhappy with the conditions of their employment. On Monday, January 20, 2014, some of the workers, and their allies in the Social Justice and Union Movements, stage a rally at Veolia's main office in Baltimore, MD. The action was organized by activists Sharon Black and Amy Millar of UFCW, Local 1994. To learn more, go to: https://www.facebook.com/events/20568...


Reclaim Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream -
END POVERTY & INJUSTICE! SUPPORT SUPERSHUTTLE DRIVERS!



PROTEST VEOLIA’S SYSTEM OF WORKER SLAVERY
Monday, January 20, 3 P.M. to 4 P.M. at Veolia’s Baltimore transportation HQ, 2100 Huntington Ave, Baltimore, MD (21st St. & Huntington Ave. right off of Howard Street near the car wash and Jiffy Lube)

____________________________________________


Below you see Bill Bratton, the NYC police chief put into place by a supposed 'progressive' de Blasio calling a citizen's beating for almost nothing anything but excessive force.  We all know in Baltimore it is militaristic policing that has police acting like this and the SWAT TEAM mentally is directed at WE THE PEOPLE and not terrorist.

Truthout
Kang Wong was attacked as he crossed a busy street in Manhattan. He was thrown against a wall and left with cuts on his face that required metal staples. But it was Wong who was subsequently arrested and charged at the nearest police station - because his attackers were New York City cops.


Why Did Police Beat an Elderly Man for Jaywalking?
Wednesday, 22 January 2014 15:12 By The Daily Take, The Thom Hartmann Program

(Image: Don't walk via Shutterstock)84-year-old Kang Wong is recovering today from a brutal attack on the streets of New York City.

Wong’s attackers jumped him as he jaywalked across a busy street in Manhattan, threw him up against a wall, and left him with cuts all across his face that have since been sealed up with four metal staples.

The attackers then brought Wong to the nearest police station, where he was booked on charges of jaywalking and resisting arrest.

Kang Wong’s attackers, you see, were New York City cops.

That city’s police commissioner, Bill Bratton, has said that excessive force wasn’t used in his arrest, but that statement doesn’t really face up to much muster. It’s pretty clear that the cops overreacted.

Wong doesn’t speak any English, and if it looked like he was resisting the officers in question, that’s almost certainly because he didn’t understand a word they were saying.

Understandably, his family now plans on pressing charges.

Wong’s brutal arrest is outrageous in its own right, but it also speaks to the broader problem of police brutality in this country. In some places, police culture is very professional; in others it’s just plain militaristic.

I know this from personal experience.

Back in 1996, the Olympics were coming to Atlanta. Just like right now, with Sochi trying to ramp up their security, Atlanta needed more security for the Olympics than was available from just the local police.

At the time, I was writing a novel about a private detective, and shadowing an Atlanta PI, a now-longtime friend named DeWitt Wannamaker, who has held a variety of jobs in law enforcement.

The Georgia Police Academy had opened their doors to civilians that year with an “executive protection” training course for people who’d work for Olympic athletes and visiting VIPs, and DeWitt got me into the course. I ended up not only completing the course but getting licensed for two years as a private detective in the state of Georgia.

Most of the guys going through the course were small-town cops who’d never had any professional training at all, and what I discovered was that there are a lot of really good, really dedicated, and really smart people who aspire to or work in law enforcement.

I also discovered that there are a small number of yahoos who are just really, really excited about the chance to get a gun and a billy club and have the legal authority to kick the stuffing out of people. I encountered one of those guys in the “hand to hand” part of the Academy’s course, and still remember the bruises.

It’s cops like that who do things like beat up an 84-year-old man for jaywalking and it’s cops like that who crack open a protestor’s head at an Occupy Wall Street protest.

Part of this, I believe, has to do with how we talk about law enforcement in the United States. We don’t solve crime, we “fight” it; we don’t have a campaign to stop drug addiction, we have a “War on Drugs.”

We tell cops that they’re in a battle with crime, and then they act accordingly: like soldiers, not public servants.


It shouldn’t be any surprise, then, that the number of SWAT team deployments - something unheard of when I was growing up - jumped from around one hundred in the 1970s to over 50,000 in 2005.

While we’ve turned our public servants into warriors, we’ve started to give up - at the federal level, at least - on the whole idea of community policing.

The federal Community Oriented Policing Services program, or COPS, which provides resources for local police forces around the country was initiated in 1994 during the Clinton administration as part of an effort to put 100,000 police officers on America’s streets.

The idea was to get officers out into the community where they could form relationships with everyday people and act more like teachers than soldiers.

Madison, Wisconsin Police Officer Katie Adler is a great example of the kind of person the COPS program was meant to create.

She is a neighborhood officer in the crime-ridden North Side area of Madison. Unlike regular patrol cops in Madison, neighborhood officers are put in at-risk communities to help make a difference and build relationships with citizens in the hopes preventing future crime.

Officer Katie, as everyone calls her, is beloved in the communities that she patrols, so much so that kids follow her wherever she goes. She’s even inspiring children in the communities to become police officers when they grow up.

But the promise of every neighborhood having an Officer Katie is becoming increasingly unlikely.

That’s because ever since the Bush administration, funding for the COPS program has been continually slashed by hundreds of millions of dollars.

In 2010, $792 million was allotted in the form of federal grants under the COPS program for local police forces across the country; by 2012, that number shrank to just $199 million.

We need to reverse this trend and ramp up funding for community policing.

Programs like COPS encourage law enforcement agencies to do more than just catch criminals. They encourage them to work with communities to create a culture of trust that breaks down the barrier between cops and civilians. They also encourage police officers, police officers like Katie Adler, to work towards solving the root causes of crime as opposed to just trying to stop its symptoms.

Not all police officers are bad guys. The vast majority, in my experience, actually want to do good by their community. But it’s clear that by turning our law enforcement agencies into battalions, we’ve created an environment where violence is both more acceptable and more likely.

If we really want to prevent people like Kang Wong from being brutalized at the hands of the people who are supposed to protect them, then we need to totally rethink what it means to be a police officer in America.

Part of this means drawing down wasteful and ineffective initiatives like Nixon’s War on Drugs that do nothing but alienate already vulnerable communities from law enforcement.

But we need to go bigger than that. We need to make a commitment to funding the COPS program so that police work is seen not just as a way to catch the bad guys, but as a way to serve communities all across the country.

We also need to pay police as professionals and hold them to professional standards just like we do other professions.

This won’t stop all police brutality, but it will definitely go a long way towards making sure that our streets become less of a battle zone and more of a place where we can all learn to live with each other in peace.


______________________________________


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Cindy Walsh is a lifelong political activist and academic living in Baltimore, Maryland.

    Archives

    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    2014 Economic Crash
    21st Century Economy
    Affordable Care Act
    Affordable Care Act
    Alec
    Americorp/VISTA
    Anthony Brown
    Anthony Brown
    Anti Incumbant
    Anti-incumbant
    Anti Incumbent
    Anti Incumbent
    Attacking The Post Office Union
    Baltimore And Cronyism
    Baltimore Board Of Estimates
    Baltimore Board Of Estimates
    Baltimore Development Corp
    Baltimore Development Corp
    Baltimore Recall/Retroactive Term Limits
    Bank Fraud
    Bank Fraud
    Bank Of America
    Bank Settlement
    Bank-settlement
    B Corporations
    Bgeexelon Mergerf59060c411
    Brookings Institution
    Business Tax Credits
    California Charter Expansion
    Cardin
    Career Colleges
    Career Colleges Replacing Union Apprenticeships
    Charters
    Charter School
    Collection Agencies
    Common Core
    Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
    Consumer-financial-protection-bureau
    Corporate Media
    Corporate-media
    Corporate Oversight
    Corporate-oversight
    Corporate Politicians
    Corporate-politicians
    Corporate Rule
    Corporate-rule
    Corporate Taxes
    Corporate-taxes
    Corporate Tax Reform
    Corporatizing Us Universities
    Cost-benefit-analysis
    Credit Crisis
    Credit-crisis
    Cummings
    Department Of Education
    Department Of Justice
    Department-of-justice
    Derivatives Reform
    Development
    Dismantling Public Justice
    Dodd Frank
    Doddfrankbba4ff090a
    Doug Gansler
    Doug-gansler
    Ebdi
    Education Funding
    Education Reform
    Edwards
    Election Reform
    Election-reform
    Elections
    Emigration
    Energy-sector-consolidation-in-maryland
    Enterprise Zones
    Equal Access
    Estate Taxes
    European Crisis
    Expanded And Improved Medicare For All
    Expanded-and-improved-medicare-for-all
    Failure To Prosecute
    Failure-to-prosecute
    Fair
    Fair And Balanced Elections
    Fair-and-balanced-elections
    Farm Bill
    Federal Election Commissionelection Violationsmaryland
    Federal Election Commissionelection Violationsmarylandd20a348918
    Federal-emergency-management-agency-fema
    Federal Reserve
    Financial Reform Bill
    Food Safety Not In Tpp
    For Profit Education
    Forprofit-education
    Fracking
    Fraud
    Freedom Of Press And Speech
    Frosh
    Gambling In Marylandbaltimore8dbce1f7d2
    Granting Agencies
    Greening Fraud
    Gun Control Policy
    Healthcare For All
    Healthcare-for-all
    Health Enterprise Zones
    High Speed Rail
    Hoyer
    Imf
    Immigration
    Incarceration Bubble
    Incumbent
    Incumbents
    Innovation Centers
    Insurance Industry Leverage And Fraud
    International Criminal Court
    International Trade Deals
    International-trade-deals
    Jack Young
    Jack-young
    Johns Hopkins
    Johns-hopkins
    Johns Hopkins Medical Systems
    Johns-hopkins-medical-systems
    Kaliope Parthemos
    Labor And Justice Law Under Attack
    Labor And Wages
    Lehmann Brothers
    Living Wageunionspolitical Action0e39f5c885
    Maggie McIntosh
    Maggie-mcintosh
    Martin O'Malley
    Martin O'Malley
    Martin-omalley
    Martin-omalley8ecd6b6eb0
    Maryland Health Co Ops
    Maryland-health-co-ops
    Maryland-health-co-ops1f77692967
    Maryland Health Coopsccd73554da
    Maryland Judiciary
    Marylandnonprofits
    Maryland Non Profits
    Maryland Nonprofits2509c2ca2c
    Maryland Public Service Commission
    Maryland State Bar Association
    Md Credit Bondleverage Debt441d7f3605
    Media
    Media Bias
    Media-bias
    Medicaremedicaid
    Medicaremedicaid8416fd8754
    Mental Health Issues
    Mental-health-issues
    Mers Fraud
    Mikulski
    Military Privatization
    Minority Unemploymentunion And Labor Wagebaltimore Board Of Estimates4acb15e7fa
    Municipal Debt Fraud
    Ndaa-indefinite-detention
    Ndaaindefinite Detentiond65cc4283d
    Net Neutrality
    New Economy
    New-economy
    Ngo
    Non Profit To Profit
    Nonprofit To Profitb2d6cb4b41
    Nsa
    O'Malley
    Odette Ramos
    Omalley
    O'Malley
    Open Meetings
    Osha
    Patronage
    Pension-benefit-guaranty-corp
    Pension Funds
    Pension-funds
    Police Abuse
    Private-and-public-pension-fraud
    Private Health Systemsentitlementsprofits Over People
    Private Health Systemsentitlementsprofits Over People6541f468ae
    Private Non Profits
    Private-non-profits
    Private Nonprofits50b33fd8c2
    Privatizing Education
    Privatizing Government Assets
    Privatizing-the-veterans-admin-va
    Privitizing Public Education
    Progressive Policy
    Progressive Taxes Replace Regressive Policy
    Protections Of The People
    Protections-of-the-people
    Public Education
    Public Funding Of Private Universities
    Public Housing Privatization
    Public-libraries-privatized-or-closed
    Public Private Partnerships
    Public-private-partnerships
    Public Transportation Privatization
    Public Utilities
    Rapid Bus Network
    Rawlings Blake
    Rawlings-blake
    Rawlingsblake1640055471
    Real Progressives
    Reit-real-estate-investment-trusts
    Reitreal Estate Investment Trustsa1a18ad402
    Repatriation Taxes
    Rule Of Law
    Rule-of-law
    Ruppersberger
    SAIC AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
    Sarbanes
    S Corp Taxes
    Selling Public Datapersonal Privacy
    Smart Meters
    Snowden
    Social Security
    Sovereign Debt Fraudsubprime Mortgage Fraudmortgage Fraud Settlement
    Sovereign Debt Fraudsubprime Mortgage Fraudmortgage Fraud Settlement0d62c56e69
    Statistics As Spin
    Statistics-as-spin
    Student-corps
    Subprime Mortgage Fraud
    Subprime-mortgage-fraud
    Surveillance And Security
    Sustainability
    Teachers
    Teachers Unions2bc448afc8
    Teach For America
    Teach For America
    Technology Parks
    Third Way Democrats/new Economy/public Union Employees/public Private Patnerships/government Fraud And Corruption
    Third Way Democratsnew Economypublic Union Employeespublic Private Patnershipsgovernment Fraud And Corruption
    Third-way-democratsnew-economypublic-union-employeespublic-private-patnershipsgovernment-fraud-and-corruptionc10a007aee
    Third Way/neo Liberals
    Third-wayneo-liberals
    Third-wayneo-liberals5e1e6d4716
    Third Wayneoliberals7286dda6aa
    Tifcorporate Tax Breaks2d87bba974
    Tpp
    Transportation Inequity In Maryland
    Union Busting
    Unionbusting0858fddb8b
    Unions
    Unionsthird Waypost Officealec3c887e7815
    Universities
    Unreliable Polling
    Unreliable-polling
    Van Hollen
    Van-hollen
    VEOLA Environment -privatization Of Public Water
    Veterans
    War Against Women And Children
    War-against-women-and-children
    Youth Works

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.