All Purpose News and Politics Thread Part IV: The Center Cannot Hold

[PaulBullion]

This is one of those stories, just not from the US this time:

German investigators have revealed that a popular regional political leader found dead in his garden was killed by a bullet fired at close range.

They have launched a criminal inquiry into the death of Walter Lübcke, the 65-year-old head of the regional council in the city of Kassel.

Suicide has been ruled out but police say they have no motive.

...

He came to national prominence in October 2015 when he spoke out in favour of providing accommodation for refugees. Germany had decided to let in Syrians fleeing the civil war, and big numbers of asylum seekers were crossing Germany's borders on a daily basis.

He reportedly received death threats and was given personal protection after telling a rowdy town hall meeting they had to stand up for Christian values. "Whoever does not support these values can leave this country any time, if he doesn't agree. This is the freedom of every German," he said.

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[TriggerWarning]

I'm not really a fan of him getting charged. I get that it's his job, but it's a dangerous as **** precedent to say you are going to convict someone for not going into a dangerous situation. Fire him and strip of his pension for inability to due his duty. Convicting him of criminals acts is a step too far. Also I can see it causing an issue with certain trigger happy cops

This. He is a disgrace to the uniform and absolutely deserves to be fired. But going after him criminally is ridiculous.

[Tendrin]

JUST IN: The Trump administration is canceling English classes, recreational activities, including soccer, and legal aid for unaccompanied migrant children who are staying in federally-contracted migrant shelters.

\

So we really are just in the concentration camp business now.

[shooshoomanjoe]

The far right just keep getting crazier. How did we get to this point?

GOP Chair Claims D-Day Anniversary Should Be About 'Celebrating Our President'

[InformationGeek]

Cruelty is the point.

Border Patrol is confiscating migrant kids' medicine, U.S. doctors tell Yahoo News.

[Iron Maiden]

This. He is a disgrace to the uniform and absolutely deserves to be fired. But going after him criminally is ridiculous.

I agree about this security guard not getting charged with a crime. He probably had a gun with less firepower than that kid who committed murder was carrying. And just how much was his salary. I bet not that great. Was he cowardly, yeah. But I'm not so sure I would be very brave either. At the end of the day, you just want to get home alive. Just fire him and tell him to seek other employment.

[Tendrin]

Anything to avoid talking about the role of guns.

[jetengine]

One thing I find really interesting is when you go on social media you'll find that the left wing memes majority tend to target politicians and their policies whilst right wing memes do that but focus alot on attacking random individuals (often women) who dont fit the norm.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Conservative Icon George Will Shreds Republicans For Turning Into A Trump ‘Cult’

Columnist and commentator also has some surprising thoughts on which presidential candidates will better for conservatism. Regarding that cult, see: McDaniel, Ronna. What the **** are Republicans drinking?

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U.S. Abortion Laws Are ‘Torture,’ Says U.N. Commissioner For Human Rights

“It’s an assault on truth, science and universal values,” U.N. commissioner Kate Gilmore said. More importantly, it's an assault on women (figuratively speaking).

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Senator Tammy Duckworth Says Trump Has A ‘Yellow Streak Down His Back’

The military veteran called out the president for what he said to Piers Morgan about not serving in the Vietnam War. Well said, Sen. Duckworth! Well said! I wish more veterans, especially those who served in Vietnam would publicly call out Trump for being a draft dodger.

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Twitter Shreds Plans For A ‘Straight Pride’ Celebration In Boston

Chris Evans, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and even Axe products had a lot to say about a proposed heterosexual counterpart to the city’s LGBTQ-inclusive parade. Straight Pride. Sounds like something butthurt right wing/conservative snowflakes would dream up.

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Mike Huckabee’s ‘Awkward’ Nazi Joke Blows Up In His Face On Twitter

The former Arkansas governor gets hit with a history lesson on social media. Sadly, I suspect those lessons won't take. They never do with shitstains like Huckabee.

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2015, 2016, 2017, as well as 2018, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day posted profiles of the current U.S. House Representative for Indiana’s’ 8th Congressional District, Larry Bucshon, who since getting elected to Congress in 2010, has participated in the widespread campaign of Republican obstructionism, and making a name for himself as an exemplary climate change denialist. See, in September of 2014, he actually made the claim that climate change science is fraudulent because scientists are only producing studies that say it exists, and it is man-made, because if they didn’t, they would be out of a career. Never mind that scientists produce DATA to back up what they’re saying all the time, though. Bucshon is opposed to same-sex marriage to the extent that he has went on record to whine about how he felt the Justice Department wasn’t enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act and is so Pro-Life that he sponsored the “Life Begins at Conception Act”, which would have effectively not only criminalized abortion, but most forms of birth control. Bucshon also voted for the 2013 Government Shutdown, and at the vote to re-open the government, voted to keep it closed.

Bucshon, though, still gets to enjoy a +15 Republican lean that Indiana’s 8th Congressional District has, and was re-elected with 64% of the vote in 2018. He has returned to the capitol, and now in the minority party, remains a hyper-partisan twit.

• January 22nd, 2019: Bucshon cannot be arsed to bother to vote against HR 676, which would prevent Donald Trump from doing the unthinkable and walking away from our allies in NATO to appease the Russians.
• January 23rd, 2019: Rep. Bucshon voted against HR 648, because he was gleefully enjoying the longest government shutdown in history.
• February 28th, 2019: Larry Bucshon votes against HR 1112, a bill which would have required universal background checks on all firearm purchases, and close the gun show loophole.
• March 14th, 2019: Rep. Bucshon votes against HJR 46, which sane members of Congress voted for to reject Donald Trump’s “national emergency” regarding the U.S. border and his attempts to reallocate funds for a border wall without Congressional approval.
• April 4th, 2019: Larry Bucshon is one of 158 Republicans who choose to vote against the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act, likely because they feel the 2nd Amendment remaining absolute is more important than preventing people with a history of domestic abuse from owning a firearm (which statistics show, makes them more likely to use those firearms against women in their lives).
• June 4th, 2019: Bucshon votes against the Dreamers Act, because he’s too xenophobic and partisan to care about immigration reform.

Larry Bucshon has already announced he wants to run for a sixth term in office in 2020, and we have to wonder when the people of Indiana’s 8th realize that the guy has already been in office for a decade and has accomplished nothing in that time for their benefit. No major legislation passed, nothing of note except some dumbass empty quotes. (HINT: They can do better.)

[aja_christopher]

So we really are just in the concentration camp business now.

"Sheriff Joe Arpaio Brags His Tent City Jail Is A Concentration Camp"

[4saken1]

Yeah, I've always wondered about all of the climatologist who have retired and who's income no longer depends on this but haven't come forward exposing it as a hoax.

[David Walton]

These climatologists in their ivory towers.

[GOLGO 13]

One thing I find really interesting is when you go on social media you'll find that the left wing memes majority tend to target politicians and their policies whilst right wing memes do that but focus alot on attacking random individuals (often women) who dont fit the norm.

Republicans love their politicians like Mommy & Daddy--they can do no wrong...ever. Republicans just hate women. Minority women are even more hated by Republicans.

[JCAll]

Yeah, I've always wondered about all of the climatologist who have retired and who's income no longer depends on this but haven't come forward exposing it as a hoax.

If you really think about it, climate scientists are only getting constantly published because climate change is such a problem. If we were to fix those problems all those scientists would be out of a job. They're willing to make that sacrifice.