BAKERSFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT-COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Since July 2020, I’ve served as a co-chair - with colleagues Traco Matthews, Dr. Michael Burroughs, and NaTesha Kindred Johnson - of the Bakersfield Police Department's (BPD) reform initiative. Over the past six months we've been working with a dedicated team of 26 community-minded individuals, broken up into four committees.

Made up of four committees and a team of 26 dedicated community-minded individuals, we officially submitted our report and its recommendations to the Bakersfield (California's 7th largest city) City Council and the BPD this past Friday (March 19). The reform and trust-building process is just beginning.

The Bakersfield Police Department-Community Collaborative report-recommendations can be found by clicking here.

- Mark

WHEN HYPOCRISY & RACISM FIND COMMON GROUND...

 

- Mark

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Leadership matters... 

- Mark

FOR THE PEOPLE ACT

 You can access and read "For the People Act" (H.R.1) by clicking here, but this is what the bill does in a nutshell...

- Mark

WEHN DYSFUNCTION IS YOUR DRUG

- Mark

WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS...

 

- Mark

THE ECONOMICS OF POVERTY; YEAH, IT'S A CHOICE

The economics of poverty. It's not rocket science. It's a choice.

Walmart has chosen to dump the survivability of its workers on to the American taxpayer. In the past it was called "poor relief" in the name of parish serfdom; today it's called "food stamps" in the name of corporate welfare.

- Mark

FOR OUR CONSERVATIVE SNOWFLAKE FRIENDS...

- Mark

GIVE THE FLYNN BROTHER(S) THE ROSENBERG TREATMENT?

___________________________________

___________________________________

Selling state secrets and contributing to an attempted overthrow of our democracy seem oddly similar on the traitor scale, wouldn't you say? If it's true that the Flynn brothers contributed in any way to the events of January 6th we need to make an example of them. 

I say we should give them the Rosenberg treatment. Traitors.  

For those of you unfamiliar with the Rosenbergs, click here. 

___________________________________

___________________________________

- Mark

CONCEPTUAL CONFUSION IN THE GOP

 

- Mark

FROM "MYKEVIN" TO "MYINSURRECTIONIST"?

This is what desperate servitude looks like... 

In his continuing attempt to stay in Donald Trump's good graces, "MyKevin" (R-Qanon) is now suggesting that Democrats control corporate publication decision-making surrounding Dr. Seuss books. Then, without evidence, he irresponsibly claims that "...future voters could be dead, or illegal immigrants, or maybe even registered two or three times." 

Channeling his inner apologista for Trump's role in the January 6th insurrectionist, MyKevin®️ deflects from what the rest of the world understands is reality with "...I guess Democrats just don't care as long as they get reelected."

Ignoring what happened January 6th, to float make-believe lies about Republican electoral fantasies, is doing real damage to American democracy. MyKevin®️  is fast becoming the next level "MyInsurrectionist" - he plays make believe that January 6th didn't happen by trying to suffocate the truth with an avalanche of lies. 

MyKevin®️ may not have stormed the Capitol with the insurrectionists, but he's doing his level best to make sure the rest of us forget that it happened.

This is embarrassing, even by the standards of traditional suck ups. Unfortunately, it passes for the Republican playbook today.

- Mark

NO, IT'S NOT JUST A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION...

 It's not just a difference of opinion. These people are nuts...

- Mark

NOT A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO UNDERSTAND...

 
- Mark

HOME INSECURITY IN AMERICA

From the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which was created after Wall Street almost collapsed the economy in 2008, we learn that over 11 million people – nearly 10 percent of U.S. households – may be at risk of losing their homes unless immediate action is taken. More homeowners are behind on their mortgages now than at any time since 2010, which was the peak of the Great Recession.

What's worse, with the pandemic, communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted. Indeed, Black and Hispanic families are more than twice as likely to report being behind on their housing payments than white families. Specifically,

* The number of homeowners behind on their mortgage has doubled since the beginning of the pandemic—6 percent of mortgages were delinquent as of December 2020.

* 2.1 million homeowners are more than 90 days behind on payments - which is 5 times larger than when the pandemic began - making them “seriously delinquent”. 

* Nearly 10 percent of renters reported that they’re likely to be evicted in the next two months, with the rates highest among Black and Hispanic households.

You can read the CFPB report by clicking here.

- Mark

SEATTLE AT NIGHT

Just a cool picture. Courtesy of Sigma Sreedharan Fine Art Photography.

- Mark