NEWS:people leaving their political parties

During my days at The Black Reign News I would on occasionally write an op-ed column.
It was basically a Centrist piece called On the Fence and it ran opposite of our conservative piece On the Right Side, written by CJ Anderson.

Anderson would call me a liberal, primarily in person, because I never agreed with much he stood for.  I am actually in fact a moderate Democrat, only because there is no Independent Party in New York.  But I have more centrist views.  I am not a liberal.

Anderson and I would often discuss why a person should commit being republican OR democrat.  I basically feel that you should vote for the PERSON who closely feels the way you do
 about issues.  You may be a republican but as president or senator you still represent people who are not affiliated with your party.  We would argue that life is not about politics, but about people. CJ felt life was all about politics and that it is issues that matter and not people.  He would get irritated when I connected the rise in the homeless during the 1980s to Ronald Reagan.  To him if you cannot make it then whatever happens happens.  I would call Anderson an idiot.   I still do.

I read part of an article today from USA Today telling how people are leaving BOTH the republican and democratic parties for independent parties.  The idiot (who doesn't have the Internet OR a computer OR television for that matter) was obviously wrong (as I suspected years ago) and people are capable of thinking on their feet independently.

courtesy of USA Today:

WASHINGTON – More than 2.5 million voters have left the Democratic and Republican parties since the 2008 elections, while the number of independent voters continues to grow.

A USA TODAY analysis of state voter registration statistics shows registered Democrats declined in 25 of the 28 states that register voters by party. Republicans dipped in 21 states, while independents increased in 18 states.

The trend is acute in states that are key to next year's presidential race. In the eight swing states that register voters by party, Democrats' registration is down by 800,000 and Republicans' by 350,000. Independents have gained 325,000.

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The pattern continues a decades-long trend that has seen a diminution in the power of political parties, giving rise to independents as Ross Perot and Ralph Nader and the popularity this year of libertarian Republican Ron Paul.

"The strident voices of both the left and the right have sort of soured people from saying willingly that they belong to one party or the other," says Doug Lewis, who represents state elections officials. "If both sides call each other scurrilous dogs, then the public believes that both sides are probably scurrilous dogs."

Registered Democrats still dominate the political playing field with more than 42 million voters, compared to 30 million Republicans and 24 million independents. But Democrats have lost the most — 1.7 million, or 3.9%, from 2008.

Democratic registration has fared worse than Republicans in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Pennsylvania — the eight swing states with party registration. Republican losses are biggest in Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

The decline is due to a variety of factors. People move, people die, people revolt in disgust. Many are stripped from registration rolls by states seeking to remove inactive voters.

By contrast, the number of independents has grown for years and is up more than 400,000 since 2008, or 1.7%. States with big gains: Colorado, Florida, North Carolina — and Arizona, a possible target for President Obama in 2012.

The 2012 winner, says North Carolina elections director Gary Bartlett, will be "whoever is attractive to the unaffiliated voter."

Crime and the death penalty

I just finished a research paper for my Civil Rights class that was harder than I expected and I chose the topic.  I wrote it on "Civil Rights and the death penalty" and if the death penalty in fact violates our civil rights.  Hard ass topic to write on especially in 10-12 pages.  To sum it up I actually feel that the death penalty is a violation of our civil rights especially when you consider the disproportionate amount of people of color and poor people who die from it.  If you have money chances are you can avoid being sentenced to death.

Additionally I think in general the death penalty is the wrong approach to punishment.  It is more of a tool of revenge.  If our system is a system of laws and justice then it should be about incarcerating the offender for an appropriate amount of time.  When you consider the fact that as humans we make mistakes that can take away a life it is more the reason why we should choose incarceration as the method of punishment.  At least this way you can amend the mistake. 

Currently I am in Florida on parent business (my parents) and I came across an article regarding a hideous crime in New York that comes right after I did my paper.  Apparently a lady was torched to death in the elevator in her building by a 47 year old man with no apparent criminal past.  The guy allegedly accused the victim of owing her money so he lit her up with lighter fluid and set her on fire, then according to other reports set his brother's apartment ablaze.  He was allegedly caught on camera doing this.

On first thought I wanted to say that this guy deserves the death penalty.  And in all honesty if he is convicted he deserves to die.  However after giving the situation some thought, something the family of the victim generally has no time to do, I realize that at this early stage of just reading the information and limited amount of the facts, this guy has no criminal past on record.  Not that history matters but this sounds like a very evil act and the act of a person not in their right mind.  Similar to the case a half year ago in Borough Park where a Jewish man allegedly killed a seven year old and dismembered him. 
In this case the guy also supposedly burned the left side of his face either during the act of burning his victim or while torching his brother's apartment.  If I am on the jury that so far sounds like an unstable man who probably shouldn't even be on trial.  However if he is on camera he validates an argument I had where the only time a person should actually face the death penalty is if he is caught on camera.  It should be a case where the evidence cannot be questioned.  This would be the only situation where I might consider the death penalty.  But, a sane person would not torch another human being over a few dollars.  So I have to question this man's sanity.  And since he should face a punishment for his actions I would say that he should be institutionalized for the rest of his life if found guilty.  He should never be allowed to walk the streets again.

Below is an article courtesy of TIME:




Crime

A Particularly Cruel Crime in Brooklyn Leaves Neighbors Cringing

By Madison Gray | @madisonjgray | December 20, 2011 | 10

Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/12/20/a-particularly-cruel-crime-in-brooklyn-leaves-neighbors-cringing/#ixzz1hSqpV4S6

New York Police Department / AP

A day after the arraignment of a man in Brooklyn deliberately set a fire that killed a 73-year-old woman who he said owed him money, people are asking who would do something this heinous, particularly to a woman who never harmed anyone.

Police say Jerome Isaac, 47, was caught on surveillance video waiting for Deloris Gillespie to step off of the elevator to her apartment in the borough’s Prospect Heights neighborhood. Disguised as an exterminator, he doused her with flammable liquid, used a barbecue lighter to set her aflame, then threw a Molotov cocktail at her. Finally, he sprayed more of the liquid on the suffering woman to complete his barbarous crime.

(LIST: Top 10 News Stories of 2011)

Running from the scene, having charred his own face in the process, he tried to burn a nearby apartment where he once lived with his brother, but only managed to set the doorway aflame. Eventually, after hiding out, he went to the local police precinct and turned himself in, telling them he killed the woman because she owed him $2,000 for work he had done for her.

The crime horrified Gillespie’s neighbors, two of whom work for the local media, and wrote of their shock and dismay at what happened to the woman who was popular among the people in the building. “The suspect, Jerome Isaac, is someone I’ve seen many times. He did work for Delores. She was petite and needed help moving furniture. We talked about the weather. He didn’t seem like a psycho who would later murder her in our elevator,” said Lauren Johnston, a deputy editor for the New York Daily News.

“…When I was permitted to re-enter my Prospect Heights building, I was overwhelmed by the weight and horror of the events and I sobbed in the vestibule.”

(PHOTOS: Crime in Middle America)

Jaime Holguin, a news development manager at the Associated Press

But Isaac does not necessarily fit the profile of a murderer. He has no jail record and no prior arrests. Despite his clean background, prosecutors are making it clear that this crime is unique in its cruelty. “I know this is the defendant’s first offense, but the depravity of this one single act is beyond my description,” Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Taub said as Issac was being charged.

Isaac was charged with murder and arson and is being held without bail. His lawyer has not requested psychiatric evaluation.


Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/12/20/a-particularly-cruel-crime-in-brooklyn-leaves-neighbors-cringing/#ixzz1hSoTydhL

Repost

This is the interview I did with my friend Daisy. Still on the topic of homelessness she and Mike spent time on the streets of New York and even had to sleep in Prospect Park.  This is part of the interview. 

REPOST: Lisa

This is one of my first videos done about a year ago.  I interviewed my friend Lisa for my class assignment.  She had been homeless for a while since she moved back to New York from Maryland.  She recently moved into a room ($240 a week!!!!!).  Since I revamped the blog (the previous one can be found in my profile) I thought I would repost the original interview.  It was about 25 degrees when we did this.  I still thank her for talking t me as it opened my eyes a bit more to a huge problem in America that is getting immense.  The Occupy people may be annoying to some (not me)  but they are tackling a problem that needs to be addressed.

I am 47 years old and I have been aware of the homeless situation since the early 1980s.  I thought it was odd that since Reagan took office there were more people living in the street.  Worse, politicians take light of the situation.  My personal feelings on homelessness is that it is every one's responsibility to look out for those less fortunate.  I personally don't trust a lot of people who ask for money claiming to advocate for the homeless and I am cautious of folks who panhandle.  I will buy a person food in a heartbeat though.  I also think that the government has a responsibility to look out for those who cannot look out for themselves.  They take care of other countries that despise the United States so why not take care of the folks in this country.  I don't buy into the theory that people living on the streets are lazy or on drugs.  Granted ,some are, but that doesn't mean they should not be helped.  You will hear in the interview what Lisa had to endure just to get food stamps.  In a nation that bails out companies that then grant themselves thousand dollar bonuses, giving a person $200 in food stamps should not take an act of congress

Personal rant: 12/7/2011

I've been tied up for a while so I haven't been able to do any blog entries.  Add to the mix that I just had oral surgery I hardly feel like writing. I had a toothache off and on for the past few weeks.  The pain was centered at my lower left molar.  The pain would come at night, but not every night and even Ambesol wouldn't help.  So I went to the dentist last Friday thinking that I had insurance.  Come to find out I didn't  Since I am going to Florida this weekend I knew I had to get that tooth taken care of.  The dentist told me the thing had to come out along with the wisdom tooth so this past Monday I paid over $600 and got two teeth extracted.  I still don't feel quite correct but at least I am not on the 600 mg Motrin like I was the day I had the surgery.  I had the surgery Monday at 4PM and used three Mortin tablets.  The doctor also prescribed Vicadin.  I have not used the high dose Motrin or the Vicadin from yesterday (Tuesday) on.  I have used regular strength Motrin sparingly.  Just the same I am prepared to switch from the plane to the train this Sunday if necessary.

I lied when I said that this surgery had me not feeling like writing.  I am going through another depression.  December 20 will be the day that I call the beginning of the end.  That's the day Dad fell and broke his arm and that started his downfall.  He never went home after that.  Granted he did make a slight recovery and wasn't as out of it mentally but ultimately he died in a nursing home.  I haven't stopped missing him.