More Police BS

The injustice never ends with police thugs. In this case, an officer assaulted a college professor, but claimed the exact opposite. Unfortunately for him, there was videotape showing his thuggish beating of an older man who in no way menaced him.

But did the officer get reprimanded? No, of course not. You see, the officer has this strange disease that makes him think people are punching him. I am not making this up.

[The officer's lawyer] convinced the jury that his client suffers from a disability that causes a sensation of pressure if he moves his arm a certain way. According to the attorney, that's what made him feel like he was punched in the chest, and that's the reason he punched back.

"Justice" prevails again.

More Fun in Our Police State

New York City:

Careful what you pick up in the subway _ it could lead to your arrest.

Straphanger Carlos Alayo said he learned that lesson when he picked up what he thought was a derelict wallet laying on a subway platform bench.

He said he intended to find its owner and return it, but as he went to get on the G train, he said he was stopped by police.

The 32-year-old had been ensnared in Operation Lucky Bag, an initiative from the New York City Police Department to lay decoys _ shopping bags, purses, backpacks or wallets _ around the subway system under the watchful gaze of officers who wait to see what passersby will do.

The decoys often contain real credit cards issued under pseudonyms to the police department. Theft of a credit card is grand larceny, a felony that could lead to jail time.

I can guarantee you this, the twisted individual who created this entrapment scheme will see no consequences. Heck, they will probably get a nice plaque calling them a "hero".

RIP Pimp C

Pimp C, one half of the legendary UGK, has died at the age of 33. Its cold outside.

Speed Cameras

A terrible idea. Ehrlich, despite my problems with him, was against these state funded spying machines. They are simply revenue generators for the State, and have little to do with safety.

Shorter Mike Steele

"How dare Governor O'Malley clean up the mess I played a significant part in creating."

More whining from the perennial loser. Steele gushes about the Ehrlich Administration's "successes" and falsely claims that they never raised taxes. Of course, Ehrlich/Steele raised taxes, fees, and tolls by nearly $3 billion. None of the foaming-at-the-mouth anti-tax republicans mention this fact.

Here's a prediction. If we ever have a Governor Steele, he will raise taxes too.

Police BPD Commissioner Bealfeld

Check out this story on BPD Commissioner Bealfeld. At least he talks a good game. First, he agrees that the drug war is a failure:

"Can anyone in this country say the war on drugs has been a success? If they can, I really don't know who they are. ... We've had victories here and there. But have we solved the drug problem in America?"

He claims he would trade "drug arrests" for arrests of violent criminals. I figured there was probably some overlap, but I will defer to the expert.

As for his take on the cultural issues that create crime, I think he goes a bit off base.

"I can tell you this ... without trepidation: We need real investments - and there have been incremental investments - there needs to be real, real work on drug treatment in this city. That has to be done. And we need to come to grips with that. We need real treatment programs, and they have to be effective. That is as important as holding me accountable for arresting more drug offenders. It can't be one or the other

We can't lose sight of the single biggest thing affecting this city, and that is this culture of violence. We will do drug enforcement. We will look at murders. We will look at thefts. We will do that. But we have to move a comprehensive strategy on focusing on violent offenders. You have to admit there's a gang situation here, and then you have to develop strategies to move forward on that. You have to recognize there's a mindset about carrying guns in this city."

Emphasis mine. Yes, there is a gang situation, and a "culture of violence", but aren't these things all connected to something? Why is there a mindset about carrying guns in this city? What mindset permits such violence? I think that the commissioner should consider further how intrinsic the drug trade is to the current street mentality.

Either way, go and read the whole article. Mr. Bealfeld is certainly an improvement , and his willingness to address the overzealous arrests of his department is refreshing. Best of luck.

To My Conservative Readers: Have a Safe Trip

To all my conservative readers who will no doubt be leaving the state after our nominal tax increase passes, I wish you all the best. Safe travels.

To help with your transition, here is a chart of the tax burden by state. I hear Alaska is BEAUTIFUL this time of year (and so is their tax rate, lowest in the nation at 6.6%). Oklahoma also looks promising. From what I hear from friends who have lived there, its sort of a hellhole of ignorance, strip-malls, highways and mega-churches, but that is right up your alley (so is their nationwide low tax burden of only 27.8% after adding federal taxes)!

But really, who needs a federal tax that high anyway? I recommend you just leave this whole stinking liberal country for the beautiful shores of Greece (income tax of .6%) or Mexico (income tax of 3%) Two lovely places, and such great infrastructure and social institutions. We all know Mexico's citizens love it there.

So really, I ask my conservative readers to kindly "grow a pair" and leave the state and possibly the country. You have numerous options that are better than your horrible existence (can we even call it EXISTENCE!?) in the tyrannical state of Maryland.

Update: Yeah Michelle, you can leave too.

A Pit of Vipers

AKA, the Examiner Reader Commentary section.

Its really a hateful little party over there. Lets see, poor people who use government services are "parasites". These "parasites" are the reason we have to raise taxes. Lots of talk about "leaving" Maryland. Sounds like a plan. Accusations of "communism", "socialism" and "liberalism" abound. Its amazing how many of the commenters DESPISE the poor, who they for some reason believe are destined to live in luxury under this tax plan, while they, the rich, will be bled completely dry, forced into the streets.

Remember, when someone wants to raise taxes, the only proper response is to call them a communist and claim the sky is falling. For some quality examples, check the comments here.

10:19 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 12, 2007 re: "House passes $1.4 billion in tax increases"

BG said:
It's funny to see holier than thou liberal Dems lecture the rest of us. They tell us we have less right to KEEP OUR MONEY than gov't has to SIEZE IT. "Gov't needs it" they say. Yes- to pander to the ever-growing underclass their policies grew in the first place. And to grow GOV'T ITSELF, which they see as the efficient, just provider of a solution to every known human condition, if only enough $ were available. History will eventually see them for what they are- arrogant "vote farmers" who cultivate power by spreading pseudo-intellectual manure across an expanding wasteland of neighborhoods that their policies have worked since the 1960s to destroy. They care not, however, because being a progressive lets them see themselves as they wish- morally superior, enlightened, selfless benefactors of society. It's all BS though, and here's the proof- If the social result (not power & gov't growth) is the goal, why don't they simply donate themselves, and encourage others to do the sa

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How nice. AAANNNND:

8:01 AM MST on Mon., Nov. 12, 2007 re: "House passes $1.4 billion in tax increases"

Examiner Reader said:
Wow! Methinks Stuart M. Davies is a bit misguided. I, for one, am educated enough to recognize an ad hominem attack when I see one. (for you stu,that means making a personal attack against your detractors because you have no other means to argue your point) These tax hikes are clearly NOT in the best interest of ALL. They ARE in the interest the welfare/nanny state that maryland is becoming. They are in the interest of fat, bloated, inefficient govt bureaucracies, and they are in the interest of the lazy, uneducated, unmotivated, unwilling to work and support themselves government-teet-suckers who comprise more and more of the maryland voting electorate as hard working, self-supporting folks (like myself) make a run for the border. Give me a break - "people oriented"??? You are right about one thing: MD is a Dem state. Losing population, setting murder records, leading in teen preg, syphilis cases... And now record high taxes. All things for a good liberal democrat to be proud of.

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So classy. And of course, it wouldn't be complete without some good liberal feminization:

1:49 PM MST on Thu., Nov. 8, 2007 re: "O�Malley: Most will pay more"

Examiner Reader said:
I love how liberals are now suddenly "progressives". Funny how they choose to change names after they have created such a negative association with the word liberal in the minds of voters. Why not be bold and honest and call yourselves by your true name - socialists. From each according to his ability to each according to his need. Sounding more and more like the rhetoric from the "progressives". I'd choose self-reliance over governmental interference any day of the week. Guess that makes me a knuckle dragging neanderthal. Maybe that explains why I don't appreciate that she-male statue infront of Penn Station. Gosh, if I could only get that surgery to help me be more progressive. What's is called? Oh yeah, it's a lobotomy...

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And one last one for good measure:

12:37 PM MST on Thu., Nov. 8, 2007 re: "O�Malley: Most will pay more"

25 M Who works hard! said:
600k Home? I wish. SUV? Hell no! Don't be such an IDIOT! If i made that much i wouldn't be making this. I'm married and her and I work. We save our money for only what is needed. She has a '92 saturn that needs to be replaced. I have a old used car im still trying to pay off. I work hard for my money. I condsider my self Middleclass/Upper Lower class. You are the type of person who is saying i need to be payed more to sit on my but, you give reasons for the poor to stay poor and not work to become something. Why should they try to improve themselves when we have IDIOTS like you willing to take from the ppl that have worked hard to make the money they have and give it to someone who knows if they are paid to be useless. All i know is that I'm not going to Hell like most of the Democrats.

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Your tax package opponents, in their own words.