Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

No one could have predicted…

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Let’s finish the job.

In my day, never was longer.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires republicans to act in good faith.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

You are here: Home / Politics / Open Thread: Obama Foundation’s Reimagining Policing Town Hall Tomorrow

Open Thread: Obama Foundation’s Reimagining Policing Town Hall Tomorrow

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There are frequent discussions in the comments about how badly policing changes are needed.  Not to mention the discussions of what the efforts to make those changes should be called!

Find out what Barack Obama has set in motion to help make policing changes more than something we just talk about.

In June 2020, President Obama and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance challenged mayors and city leaders to amplify their communities’ calls for policing reform and accountability. More than 300 local jurisdictions have taken the Reimagining Policing Pledge to review and reform use-of-force policies and combat systemic racism within law enforcement. This report documents the pledge’s inspiration, shares highlights of the participating cities’ progress, and offers next steps for building on the momentum of the pledge.

If you’re interested, read the report and attend the town hall tomorrow.

Our Reimagining Policing town hall, “Spotlighting Reforms and Progress,” will be streaming here live this Thursday, March 4 at 1:30 pm EST.

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

45Comments

  1. 1.

    Edmund Dantes

    Can’t believe we lost income limits argument to the moderate Dems but we had to actively talk them out of limiting the unemployment benefit too.

    way to play the politics stupid Dem moderates.

  3. 3.

    Benw

    I cannot say enough about what an amazing job so many young, POC activists did organizing and leading the protests in 2020

  5. 5.

    WaterGirl

    @Benw: It really was impressive!

    With all the discussions here about defunding the police, I thought there would be interest in this town hall.  I hope it’s not the case that people would rather complain about the slogan choice than learn more about what’s happening to solve a very complicated problem.

  6. 6.

    Benw

    @WaterGirl:

    I hope it’s not the case that people would rather complain about the slogan choice than learn more about what’s happening

    Wow are you new to the internet!

    :)

  9. 9.

    different-church-lady

    Reimagining Policing

    Wait, I was told it was UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE for any police reform slogan other than “DEFUND!” to be even conceived! How has Obama accomplished this miracle of language?!?

  10. 10.

    Old School

    Here’s the pledge mentioned in the post:

    THE FOUR STEPS OF THE REIMAGINING POLICING PLEDGE:
    Review.
    Cities will review their police use of force policies and/or ways to redefine public safety and combat systemic racism within law enforcement

    Engage.
    Cities will engage with their communities and include diverse input, experiences, and stories in the process.

    Report.
    After the review, cities will share the findings with their community and seek feedback.

    Reform.
    Cities will change their use of force policies to determine ways to redefine public safety and combat systemic racism within law enforcement.

  11. 11.

    different-church-lady

    @Old School: None of those things make it overt that police are the enemy and must be done away with entirely. Once again, Obama sells us out.

  12. 12.

    Old School

    Here’s what they’d like government leaders to commit to:

    xxx

    • Commit to truth-telling and accountability,
    • Continue to learn about the history of policing and police violence,
    • Explore what types of reform have worked,
    • Push yourself and your leaders to keep fighting when progress stalls,
    • Unite with unlikely allies,
    • Advocate for equitable solutions,
    • Engage with likely allies and community organizations.

    xxx

  14. 14.

    taumaturgo

    “Centrist Senate Democrats had initially pushed for even more aggressive restrictions on the stimulus payments. Senior Democratic officials had at one point considered dropping the full benefit for those making more than $50,000 per year, a change they ultimately abandoned after a backlash led by Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).” WP today.

    Centrist neoliberals looking out for the wallets of the Chamber of Commerce and big donors, not the party or the working man and women. Why are they called Democrats?

  15. 15.

    mrmoshpotato

    @different-church-lady:

    Wait, I was told it was UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE for any police reform slogan other than “DEFUND!” to be even conceived! 

    Hey now!  Show some love hate for the stupidity of “ABOLISH THE POLICE!” too!

  18. 18.

    gwangung

    @taumaturgo:

    So. Who are these Senators? Why did this creep up on progressives, seemingly unaware (shouldn’t this be something progressive activists should be aware of?) Why isn’t there pressure, in state, on moderate Senators?

  19. 19.

    UncleEbeneezer

    Thanks for posting this.  I will try to check it out though it actually overlaps my local police reform meeting by a bit.

  21. 21.

    Hoppie

    It’s really great to see meaningful discussion about these issues.

    The town I grew up in (Yellow Springs, OH) had an African-American police chief.  It was where all the black Air Force officers stationed at Wright-Patt lived.  The town used to advertise for police applicants in the want ads of the Saturday Review of Literature.  You CAN do it differently.

    I entered a completely strange world when I went to University in Baltimore.  Ho boy!

  22. 22.

    Brachiator

    @Edmund Dantes:

    Can’t believe we lost income limits argument to the moderate Dems

    This is not a moderate Dems issue. I have not seen so-called progressives Dems consistently speak coherently on this.

  25. 25.

    Mary G

    Good. I donate to the Obama Foundation, and they do a lot with young people without making a lot of noise about it. And O/T:

    In the UK right now a train is delayed as a cat is sitting on the roof and refusing to come down. pic.twitter.com/I4WAC681TeG— RS Archer (@archer_rs) March 3, 2021

  26. 26.

    Brachiator

    @different-church-lady:

    Wait, I was told it was UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE for any police reform slogan other than “DEFUND!” to be even conceived! How has Obama accomplished this miracle of language?!?

    I remember some of those conversations. It was never about keeping any particular message.

    It was about listening to the people whose lives are shattered by improper police procedures.

    I am so glad to see Obama hosting this. I hope that people listen.

  28. 28.

    tokyokie

    I’ve gotten my vaccinations already because after I was laid off from the newspaper business a few years ago, I went back to school and became a nurse. Sorta doubt that’s a viable option at this juncture.

  31. 31.

    piratedan

    hearing that Congress will not be in session tomorrow due to credible threats against the body on the 4th

  32. 32.

    raven

    @piratedan: The House scrapped plans for a Thursday session after security officials warned of a possible plot by an unnamed militant group to breach the Capitol. The decision to move up votes on legislation to Wednesday night came after officials warned of credible threats of violence circulated by right-wing extremists that March 4 is the “true Inauguration Day” when former president Donald Trump will be sworn in for a second term. The Senate plans to be in session Thursday.

  34. 34.

    Brachiator

    @piratedan:

    hearing that Congress will not be in session tomorrow due to credible threats against the body on the 4th

    This is insane.

    It is also domestic terrorism.

  35. 35.

    jeffreyw

    Serious people talking loudly out in the open about this very serious threat means that Dems will have to treat it very seriously, indeed.  And republicans will tremble in fear that there may be a just god

  36. 36.

    Skepticat

    @mrmoshpotato:

    Wait, I was told it was UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE for any police reform slogan other than “DEFUND!” to be even conceived!

    Hey now!  Show some love hate for the stupidity of “ABOLISH THE POLICE!” too!

    I’m so pleased to see an intelligent, rational, positive approach to this positioning. As a copywriter, I gave some thought to offering a suggestion, but this is spot on.

  40. 40.

    WaterGirl

    Maybe it’s just me, but I would love to stop talking about the DEFUND the Police slogan, and start talking about what real people are actually doing to hold police accountable and make it so that police can’t kill black people with impunity.

    If we actually think Black Lives Matter, I would love to talk more about black lives mattering and less about whether people chose the right slogan or not.

  42. 42.

    WaterGirl

    @rikyrah: I shudder to think what would have happened if they had not shot the woman who was coming in through the window.  I think that if they had not done that, a lot more blood would have been shed on Jan 6.

  45. 45.

    IbnBob

    I’ve got some cardiac stuff going on today, but I’ve got some suggestions. Long term brainstorming; I already know they’re impossible in the immediacy.
    I suggest looking to a military model; I DO NOT mean more guns. The military has learned a great deal about putting specialists together for a common task, so I suggest:
    Some sort Police Specialty Certificate (kinda like an MOS), earned thriugh training. Patrol, dealing with domestic disputes, dealing with emotional/mental issues, and many others. All trained by certified police academies, using federal/national standards for certification programs. Local non-cop specialists can also be trained.
    And dispatchers/supervisors can out together teams suited either for routine or event/emergency assignments.
    Can even still have SWAT teams; but SWAT certificate (gun safety and gun use certs first). NOT permanently assigned. Just refresher training in non-permanent teams a couple times a year. Don’t let them think they’re The Elite. And stop letting local cops be their own arbiters.

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