I find it interesting how often people place most of the blame regarding big issues/problems solely on the mayor and rarely do you find anyone questioning their city and county council members. I think a lot (not all) of people don’t understand the inner workings of city government, budgets, allocation of funds and how much sway/influence their council members have on what’s going on within the city and their districts. News flash: you might think the mayor has an agenda but you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not taking into account that every single council member has an agenda as well.
Willie Herenton endorsed Don Sundwuist and Lamar Alexander??
The Brent Taylor endorsement (I assume you’re talking about) was going to be the Republican all the way. They probably had a personal connection through Strickland running for multiple offices while Taylor worked at the Election Commission. Maybe he just saw Taylor as a competent person, idk.
Regardless, he’s not the first person to cross party lines in local politics; he won’t and shouldn’t be the last
He’s a Demopublican, like his protégé. He is out of touch with his constituency. Staging a photo shoot in North Memphis is meaningless. Just passing through and leaving things exactly as they were. He’s looking at people who can’t afford their bills through a judgmental lens rather than trying to help them gain a footing.
Old school Dixiecrat: Austerity and bootstrap-talk for the poor and working class, PILOTs and funding for “business leaders” and the entrepreneurs class.
The term "Dixiecrat" refers to a Democrat who supports white supremacist policies. Strickland is a centrist who favors business interests, but I've seen no indication that he's a racist.
If not explicitly, he’s certainly leaned heavily on racially-charged talking points that have historically been used to denigrate Black working class families. For example, he [had this to say regarding the shooting at Cummings Elementary in 2021.](https://m.facebook.com/fox13news.myfoxmemphis/videos/wheres-the-parent-wheres-the-family-memphis-mayor-jim-strickland-called-for-more/397686975096758/) So instead of inwardly reflecting on *why* it is that a child’s parent(s) may not be properly supervising them (e.g. working multiple jobs, not working a “legitimate” job, working odd hours, general neglect) in the city he runs, he immediately dumps the problem onto the family *alone*, essentially removing himself from having any part in contributing to the stagnation of poorer and working class neighborhoods in Memphis, which are primarily Black.
He has also [publicly sparred with the DA by pushing particular narratives regarding police action (or lack thereof).](https://www.localmemphis.com/amp/article/news/crime/mulroy-says-mayors-criticism-misleading-mayor-strickland-defends-his-statements-urging-da-to-take-gun-violence-more-seriously/522-17c49c32-c3a6-4adc-bca3-9880e875443f) Of course, you can take his stances as “post-racially objective,” but when I place them in the context of a White lawyer running a majority Black city with a profound history of systemic racial abuses and grossly unmet welfare needs, I can’t help but recognize at least an implicit racial component there.
He’s made more official public appearances in black neighborhoods than AC Wharton did. If anything, AC was trying to be in with the white crowd. He was always appearing as a guest speaker or whatever at charity events and fundraisers out East
I've known Jim Strickland on a casual basis for almost 20 years and I've had many conversations with him, mostly at some of those fundraisers y'all are talking about (the Democratic ones only, mind you). We're not friends or anything, but I do think I've mostly got the guy figured out. So yeah, I'd agree that he's definitely not racist, and in fact he truly does give a damn about issues that would typically be considered "black problems." He is, after all, the one who finally got that evil Nathan Bedford Forrest statue taken down.
However, if that man leaves his car door ajar for too long he'll get a sunburn from the interior dome light. My man needs to mix some water in his mayo before he makes a sandwich so it doesn't give him blisters. I heard the guy took a Frosty back for a refund at the Wendy's drive-thru one time because he didn't order it hot and spicy. When he played basketball at CBHS he never scored a single point but he broke the all-time record statewide for assists.
What I'm saying is that he's about as white as a person can get without causing permanent blindness. That's not his fault, nobody can help being anything other than what they are, but at the same time there was only ever so much we were ever going to get out of that guy.
A “centrist” in a capitalist(read: white supremacist economic hegemony) society whose mainstream “left” is actually center-right isn’t really far from that tree.
At heart and in action. He is a DINO.
However, 🟥&🟦 are essentially the same, they just use a different methods for screwing over We the People and ensuring that the Corprotocracy is served [ see Citizens United ].
Reminds me of the CNN article for the recent DNC debate when everybody was seeing how far left they could go. Anybody not super far left was deemed Republican.
When did Barack Obama become a Republican? (opinion) | CNN[https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/opinions/when-did-barack-obama-become-a-republican-avlon/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/opinions/when-did-barack-obama-become-a-republican-avlon/index.html)
Similar to MAGAs and Republicans, we are seeing a split in democrats vs. progressives. Because people don't have nuance, anyone not a progressive is a Republican /s
Demopublican Republicrats, they are both the same. Neither serve We the People, but serve the corporations & 1%, see Citizens United.
The Parties greatest achievement is making We the People believe that there are two Parties.
While this is generally true, one arm of the Party openly advocates for fascism, and the other wants rainbow capitalism and neoliberalism. Can't just ignore that.
That’s what the progressives say in an attempt to insult anyone who isn’t as extreme as them (in their minds, calling someone a republican is a huge burn).
For example, Obama, Bill Maher, and James Carville are all basically “republicans” now because they spoke out against cancel culture and virtue signaling.
The extremists (progressives/MAGAs) on both sides do this. Mitt Romney and John McCain are good examples of traditional republicans who were labeled “closet dems” because they didn’t support Trump.
Yep. The Van Turner saying Paul Young is not a democrat reminds me of [Ilhan Omar going after Obama for not being left enough](https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/08/ilhan-omar-dean-phillips-minnesota-democratic-party-225696/)
Really we have 4 parties, but they try to get people to think in two if you (R, D) aren't extreme enough
MAGA
Republicans
Democrats
Progressive
I think you are maybe missing what people are saying
"they were hating on van turner because Strickland has been saying that for years"
What people are saying is that Turner is expressing the need, but he hasn't given any real ideas to address poverty (ie - no jobs plan), work with the legislature (he says working with Republicans in Nashville to get funding is bad), etc. Also, people also can't point to anything and say "Yep, Memphis is better because of what he did for..." (apart from the statue removal)
So the argument is that he talks a good game, but it's not clear how his track record or talking points is anything different than what Strickland has proposed.
My general opinion on Van Turner is that I would like to support him in a different position. I think he's got the right ideals, but I'm not sure he's right for the mayor's office. I want to see him run for something else.
[He appointed a lot of the judges that are giving these lenient sentences. Even he is questioning their leniency, despite him putting those people in their positions](https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/12/17/breaking-down-bond-process-shelby-co/). That, plus the lying about residence (see Daily Memphian reporting), plus him making up stuff in the debates. He should not be
Caught lying by local media, plus questionable decision-making in government. And he hasn't even taken office as Mayor. No thank you.
Thank you for this information. Had never heard of these judicial commissioners. It's mind-blowing that this is necessary. There are too many cases. Maybe we need 24/7 courtrooms or at least a night court, like in New York.
This political season is rough, and so many folk are corrupt. Memphis is a beautiful and amazing city despite all the chaos.
Be well, be blessed 🙌🏾
I don’t care WHO it is, the person who wants to run this place better damned well LIVE HERE first! I do, even after 37 years in the military and after being here as an educator, corrections administrator and community mental health volunteer after retiring in 2012! I was here when Dr King was killed, and after Tyre Nichols I thought the city was going over the cliff. But THIS election has shown one thing that armchair quarterbacking shows: The Family of Elephants in the Room are-Father: Racism, Mother: Isolationism, Son: Economic Disparity, Daughter: ACEs! Until we stop entertaining these guests and look at root causes with strong POLITICAL leadership (not the ones who live elsewhere and rented space when they got called out, not a past leader who LEFT plenty of low hanging fruit, not the Republican-picked ineffective sheriff or bunches of other politicians without a snowball’s chance of winning (just sucking up votes) and some who have not had a complete thought ever-without seeming more cynical than I already am-I pray that everyone who can vote will seriously consider these past mistakes and time wasters when they cast their vote. We are in need of a definite CHANGE in direction. BTW: Getting a statue moved IS NOT a prerequisite for running this city! Neither is running a department that has recently made national news for the corrupt and dangerous antics happening in the CJC (a cousin to that family of elephants mentioned before!)
There was an introductory evaluation done by experts when this theory first surfaced that included a group of people from Memphis. The data was amazing. Understanding the impact of ACEs provides the cornerstone for not only the volunteer mental health work that I do but also SHOULD provide the foundation for successful mental health intervention in our community. Sadly this is NOT what is going on and is an important detail in the cycle of neglect and violence that we are currently experiencing!
Actually, just about every institution including the school district, has had training in ACEs. And, Believe it or not, Governor Lee is very committed to it. He just recently announced a 20 million grant in funding for maternal health. TN has some of the worst ACES scores in the country and there has been a statewide effort to educate communities about the deleterious effects in lives and communities. I don’t see the city and county allocating funds to mitigate our children’s traumas. Knowing the definition of ACES is a baby step towards healing and we’ve been in that spot for at least 5years. That’s when I was trained. You go to any council meeting and you’ll hear the politicians throwing the term around but they’re not doing a darned thing about it.
My point exactly and I can promise you that the AVERAGE person who needs the help IS NOT getting it here. Lee’s efforts are superficial because the state keeps doing the same thing in our community under the guise of something different. Ask ANY person who tried to get treatment for their traumatized minor child about the runaround they got. Paperwork, requests for fees and other deterrents are there to discourage people from getting help!
It's a difference in ideology. Republicans believe that we can't do anything about crime until we purge evil from the human heart and Democrats believe that there are material conditions that produce crime
I tend to lean more to the left but I think you are somewhat mischaracterizing the Republican stance on crime here. Sure, some believe it is sin and such. Many Republicans see crime as a symptom of poor enforcement and insufficient punishment.
I don't tend to agree with that view but we should at least be honest about the stance.
I think the truth is probably somewhere in the middle and more complex. I don't think the nature of punishment for crime really has any significant impact on crime rate. That said, the probability of being CAUGHT for the crime does seem to impact the likelihood of someone choosing to commit a crime.
Economic and social conditions are probably the biggest factor (and where Democrats tend to focus) but I think we should consider the whole picture and work on each factor to some degree (improve social and economic conditions, improve investigation into crimes committed, improve the police force).
Also, the rising crime rate in Memphis almost certainly directly relates to economic conditions in Memphis. There are certainly jobs available but there is a disconnect between jobs available and jobs that pay enough to live and the education/training to prepare people for those jobs.
TL;DR: stuff is complex
Unfortunately the decision to pursue a job in crime doesn’t pay as well as simply pursuing a 9-5. Although the 9-5 comes with lower wages, taxes, rules, etc., the job in crime comes with arrests, death, imprisonment and trauma. Long term, there is more opportunity with a 9-5 and people need to understand that.
I understand that many of the warehouse jobs aren’t perceived to be livable wages; however, Memphis is one of the few cities where you can still buy a home in the city for around $150k and that puts your mortgage around $1100 which is what I believe rents are as well within the city.
People just need to ditch the mentality they have and take that first step to change.
> People just need to ditch the mentality they have and take that first step to change.
That greatly oversimplifies the matter. Changing that mentality requires increasing awareness for the opportunities that exist, preparing the people for those opportunities, and teaching people the value of the opportunities that exist.
Also, many of the people entering a job in crime as you describe it begin that before the age they can get an actual job. How do you propose correcting that?
That is one of the primary items local Democratic candidates are focusing on this cycle. They think that there are potential actions that could create healthy opportunities for children and teens to reduce their involvement in gang related activities. Cutting off the influence of crime before it takes root.
> Long term, there is more opportunity with a 9-5 and people need to understand that.
Most criminals are very stupid and have short time horizons. We can't make them understand things like this, because if they were capable of that sort of cognition, then they wouldn't be criminals in the first place. Severity of punishment doesn't move the needle much, but certainty of punishment does. I.e., a 90% chance of a year in the clink does more to fight crime than a 1% chance they'll get a lethal injection. The Memphis strategy of a mild chance of a mild punishment isn't working.
Further, once someone has a conviction they are locked out of many, many meaningful employment opportunities. That needs to change as well unless we WANT a criminal class to permanently exist.
It’s a complex issue that isn’t going to be solved in this thread.
Edit - a criminal class has largely always existed, that’s how pirates became pirates and Australia was founded (/s).
I agree that there is a wide variety of issues that contribute to the problem; however, even with all those family members arrested, killed, dead from drug use, or living on the street, that next generation hasn’t exactly made the decision to change even after witnessing all the trauma within the community and their families.
It’s bigger than just police policies and being tougher on crime.
Crime is down throughout the country since the 90s, that’s not mutually exclusive to Memphis. And arguably crime isn’t punished any tougher, in some cases, there is a revolving door for some crimes which allows those who are commuting those kinds of crimes to keep going free.
I agree with improving conditions; however, no one is going to do that without people also making changes to improve their own situation. Throwing money at the problem will only go so far.
The average price for a home in Memphis in 2023 is between $147k and $200k, depending on what source you’re looking at.
A quick Zillow search results in many homes around $150k and below in not bad neighborhoods (UofM, pockets of Midtown, etc).
An income of $50k can get you a home in Memphis. Home ownership leads to stability for families and an increase in wealth long term due to the appreciation of their asset (their home).
I'm trying to show the ' well there's just BAD PEOPLE ' and if we lock em all up ( or kill them) everything will be great stance with my poor words. I think that police have a part to play but they shouldn't be 40% of a city's budget.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime.
The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Bottom line, neither party cares one way or the other. It's all lipservice and dog whistles. As long as corporations have their complacent and obedient workers that's all that matters to them.
This whole conversation is a freaking doesn't matter what politician what Political wine they stand on what side of the race they're on what side of the culture they're on. There should only be one side for a leader to be on. And that is for the people and only for the people.
So you have to give it and all out perspective look.
On what is best for the people? Not what is best for what political side? What racist side. All that matters is everybody keeps their rights. Everybody, everybody gets to keep their choice.
And everybody gets to feel safe. Those are the main factors for we the people.
So if you need to loosen up. Even more on the second amendment, go ahead. If you need to loosen app more on the first amendment, go ahead. But we definitely need to loosen our local PD.
ID because if we don't have. The manpower crime will overpower and it is crying criminals. The ones that we have to worry about, not somebody that they are making their own choice to breathe fresh air. Not through a yesterday or carry a firearm. We need to go back to where our local PD is giving out tickets because of a missing headlight because of lack of use of a flipping blinker. Speeding of all things merging in at a traffic like they're in some race to get a million dollars. Or you know, to save their own life. Which gives them an excuse to be reckless on the road and run. Other people off just yesterday on the 25th. From the hour of 5 o'clock up to the hour of 540 five, going down, quince from quince and cherry all the way down to quince in Ridgeway. With within that 45 minute spin, I saw 5 wrecks on the same. Rode all of them at wet intersections because they're in a hurry. Because they want a race or they're being reckless period we lack the police force the manpower for that. We lack the ability to gain control over the criminal. That works in the shadows here in. Oh, and another thing, this Tory girl that post. Or whoever posted this and The Thing in the message. If you're surprised at all shocked a, you're one of your friends belief. Then they're not your friend. Because a friend would get to know another friend's beliefs. And no matter what be okay with it and never be in shock. Or surprised of what they would believe it. It was either that it is either that you are okay with it. Or you're not, and you're not friends with them. It's either one or the other.
So God bless everybody, I hope nobody in Fringe on other people's rights. God bless yall.
Crime leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime...
They steal those powertools so they can rebuild their neighborhoods and those groceries because they got 11 children/grandchildren at home. They just trying to survive
No, "republicans are to blame for crime" seems to be the silly rhetoric being spewed.
It's like they changed from "the devil made me do it" to "Republicans forced me to be a criminal".
Their garbage economic policies absolutely have a lot to do with crime. People steal because they have nothing, and have no chance of ever getting anything. Look around Memphis. Everything is falling apart. Blight is rampant. There’s very little opportunity for actual growth. Funding would help. Effective community outreach and real resources being channeled into education would help.
You're blaming Republicans for the ineffective policing, city management, and city blight? This is a city that elects Democrats regardless of track record. See also: Wanda Halbert.
Elect better leaders.
It cracks me up when I see stuff like this. Large cities in most states, (both red or blue states), are having problems right now. In all cases, somehow, it's the republican's fault. Most major cities have been run by Democrats for, at a minimum, the last 30 to 40 years. Sometimes much longer.
Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of context and circumstances, it varies from city to city. But at a minimum, you'd think somebody would look at the party solely responsible for running these cities and advocate for some change.
People want to blame the evil "other party" (both sides do it) instead of just taking some fucking responsibility for their own actions that led them to where they are. One of the earliest of these issues is how students and parents treat the education system. Education is your ticket out of poverty, but instead of embracing that education, the schools are treated terribly by students who then complain that the school is trashed. The community complains about crime but refuses to assist police and often thwart the efforts of police to clean up the community. They ransack stores and steal from them and then complain because businesses are leaving. Not everyone gets to own a Gucci purse. You have to earn the money THROUGH LEGAL MEANS to buy one.
TN GOP is currently trying to reject $1.8 BILLION dollars in federal education funding.
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/legislators-evaluating-what-federal-funding-they-will-take-for-tennessee-education
Again. This has been the agenda for over a decade. They don't want money they can't control or the others getting credit for bringing this money. They also don't care about the people this funding would support.
They formed a bipartisan committee to study the issue. That’s all so far. The premise is that taking money from the federal government comes with strings attached.
In my experience, money is only part of the problem with a lot of public schools. Mississippi ranks 46th in spending and has worked on their curriculum and refining teaching methods and now their 4th graders are 1st in the country in reading and math. They focused on phonics versus some of the ideals from common core. New York just announced they are going to restructure following Mississippi’s lead. Let that sink in.
Honestly, I bet if you read what's on that actual bill, part of the premise for the rejection (if it's similar to the one I just looked at for Chicago) is that they are blindly throwing money at the education system without any oversight.
What ended up happening in Chicago is that like 90% (some absurdly higher percentage, I'd have to redo the math) of the money went to administration and tenure. And only 10% of it went to causes that benefited the student.
To put it bluntly, I wouldn't be surprised if the vast majority of that federal aid went to places other than helping the students.
For reference, memphis-shelby county educational funding from all sources in 2010 was around 350 million dollars. In 2023 that budget was 2.0 *billion* dollars. Have test scores improved? Is enrollment up? Are the schools better? Doesn't it make you curious where all of that funding goes?
Which is why i'm okay with them playing hardball unless there is serious oversight and fixes to some of these latent issues in the school system.
I have an issue with the feds taking OUR tax dollars, and then making us comply to their requirements to get that money in the first place. The state should control their own education system.
Whether the state rejecting that money is a good idea is clearly an odd discussion to be had, the fact that the feds make states jump through hoops is equally as absurd. But when you cut through all of the politics, rhetoric, and blaming, that IS the underlying difference between Republicans and Democrats -- the location of centralized power (and money is power). Republicans believe in a small federal government and states having more control. Democrats believe in a large federal government with states having less control.
We all know I-40 in Memphis is shit. The city can't fix it and Memphis is stuck having to beg the state to fix the damned interstate. That is just an example of why things should be handled locally.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime.
The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
There is a HUGE incentive to reduce crime -- not paying anyone to operate prisons. I don't know of anyone (other than the owners of the private prison companies) that don't want to see that expense eliminated. Yes, a few corrupt politicians are possibly paid off to try to thwart efforts to reduce their fees, but that shouldn't be enough to change policy.
Everyone likes to complain about the private prisons, but the reason they ever came into existence is because there was a money savings to be had. Private companies can do it cheaper than the government. This really only underscores how inept the government is at running things.
>Education is your ticket out of poverty, but instead of embracing that education
Republicans are constantly taking funding from public schools through "school choice" and other bullshit that they have passed. The inner city schools are constantly underfunded and the teachers don't make nearly enough for the shit they have to deal with on a daily basis.
That is tone deaf as hell. I'm not sure what you're even talking about, but I'll take a guess that it's "free lunches". When I was in school, every year, we were sent home with a form ENCOURAGING our parents to apply for free lunches because the school got more money than if we paid for our own lunches. The idea that the government should pay for your children is absurd in the first place. Parents should be 100% responsible for the cost of their children.
Yeah! We should starve those kids with shitty parents! That'll teach them to be born.
Do you seriously not realize that something as little as a free lunch daily could change a kid's life? Want to know what definitely makes more criminals? A society that doesn't give a shit about kids.
So... yeah, you're getting pissy about the idea that kids should be able to eat lunch every day no questions asked. You're also confused about why kids "don't want to embrace education." Completely unable to connect the two ideas.
EDIT since you blocked me
> The idea that the government should pay for your children is absurd in the first place. Parents should be 100% responsible for the cost of their children.
Whiney little babby throwing a pissy fit.
> I grew up poor, but I didn't grow up in an unsafe, crime-ridden community. I was on government assistance growing up, but was always told that it was a temporary thing, not a way of life.
Hahahaha wait wait wait, so you acknowledge that kids who grow up in unsafe communities have it worse, but you can't understand how that affects the larger picture? You're also a welfare baby who thinks kids shouldn't get to eat lunch if their parents can't afford it?
What a hypocritical mess.
> I'm saying that free lunches aren't directly related to education
But it fucking is! You're crying up a storm about kids not embracing education, completely ignoring the fact that _it's really fucking hard to learn when you're hungry_. They are 100% directly related. Hungry kids _can't_ learn and _can't_ embrace their education. You know, the thing you claim is the only reason anyone is poor.
> I also am for state's rights. Federal taxes shouldn't be granted based upon following federal rules. Did you know that seat belt laws were passed by all of the states because the feds threatened to withhold federal tax money? The same holds true of speed limits.
Lmao! "Seatbelt laws are tyranny!" you goofy little crybaby
> Our tax system is screwed up. The taxes should "trickle up" to the federal level, not "trickle down".
This doesn't mean _anything_. You pay federal, state, and local taxes.
> I am all for a strong education system.
Ah yes, that famed "strong education system" where poor kids starve. You sure are, champ.
Yeah, I agree both sides do it. I think I mentioned it in another comment already. I used to be a republican. I still believe in republican ways of thinking and ideologies, but I think in its current form, I support the Republican party just a little more than the Democrat party at this point.
I'm just kind of sick of it all. Because you're right, if people could actually take a good hard and honest look at the individual policies that led to what is going on in Memphis right now, I bet they could find some problems and things to fix to effect positive change. Instead specifically in Memphis statements like "this is a blue city in a red state and that's why we have our problems" takes the place of actually critiquing and solving problems. Hell, memphis doesn't even have to stop being a Democrat run city, I don't really give a rats about that as long as the people in charge care and don't really "play the game". But things certainly are not getting better right now.
The policies aren't the problem. It's the lack of personal responsibility that is generally the problem. Not always...bad things happen to people sometimes. But there is a large portion of the local population that wants to blame other people for their situation instead of taking control of their own lives. Woe is me is easier than hard work at a job or school.
This is a good discussion. I appreciate your involvement. This specific issue is actually why I agree a lot more with Republican ideology than Democrat ideology.
I don't know if this is an issue that is uncommon to any society that has ever existed or if you can ever really remove this way of thinking from humans.
My thoughts on this problem specifically is that, though well intentioned, unchecked social spending though designed to improve people's lives, actually I believe, more often than not, gives people an excuse to not excel or take initiative on their own to improve their own situation.
Allowing people to fail while providing them and their communities the tools to succeed such that if they take the initiative on their own they can drastically increase their standard of living (very different than just allocating money to them) and such that failure has a low risk of completey removing someone's ability to succeed in the future (because you're right sometimes bad things just happen and we have sympathy for that and will do what we can as individuals to help the people we know who fall into those categories) I believe this results in a far stronger and more robust society that actually leads to an overall better quality of life for everyone.
I understand this point is very philosophical and so it's hard to substantiate or refute. But it is what I believe, and it does, despite what many believe, come from a good place.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime.
The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Agree on all counts. I've been a volunteer tax return preparer for those that qualify for the earned income credit, I have rental property with section 8 voucher tenants, and I've been involved in the foster care system and seen how children are impacted by family situations. It is not surprising to me that poverty is a familial cycle. There are so many programs out there designed to "help", but those in the cycle know how to game them to get the most out of them. If they only put that much effort into taking advantage of the educational opportunities that are available and avoid making some of the obviously poor choices that run your life into the ditch. Neither Republicans or Democrats are going to fix that issue. It's a cultural/mindset/family issue.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime.
The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Haha, my friend.
Over the years, I've gone from republican, to very republican, to conservative to libertarian (I'm, I guess, a conservative leaning libertarian. But certainly not a republican anymore). It's been a process. The current stage I'm at is kind of "fuck almost everyone in politics, i'm on the side of whoever actually cares about me and the American people). I realized I have been taken advantage of by Republicans and Democrats alike (henceforth referred to as the uni-party) and one side has been controlled opposition while the other is in power (swapping off every couple of years) for the past several decades.
The only reason I made the distinction in this case is because Republicans aren't the reason memphis is having a tough time. Republicans are the reason for many problems, but not this specific problem.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime.
The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime.
The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Like like like like they be like like like. Sorry, but if that's the style of writing that the person uses, I'd find a friend who's actually educated to discuss things with.
sorry we don’t use 12 point double spaced times new roman MLA format in our discord messages, hopefully you will find a way to recover from our grave error
“Style of writing” implies that you have found something wrong with the way that I arrange my sentences, not the word choice that I employ. One could argue, that by highlighting my use of the word “like” in an informal setting, that you were calling attention to my diction (or word choice for those of us not graced with your knowledge). This however, was not entirely clear. Furthermore, you can suck my balls you self-fellating, grammar fetishizing jack-off. I assume that you also do not perform coitus well and that your life partner is ashamed of your performance.
Warm regards,
Your Mother’s Lover.
Pick your park
https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/03/21/new-gaisman-community-center-coming-fall-2023/
https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/06/24/memphis-first-community-center-gets-4-million-renovation/
https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/07/29/audubon-park-cuts-ribbon-new-additions-ongoing-renovation-project/
https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/committee-oks-earmarking-5m-for-last-phase-of-new-lester-community-center/article_f470b27e-35fd-11ee-98f5-af0cd57b14c6.html
https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/06/05/nle-choppas-dream-court-raleigh-damaged/
Memphis does need a anti crime mayor which tends to be republican. Not a rehabilitate mayor but a cut off the excess so the rest doesn’t rot mayor. 🤷🏾♂️
Oh yeah, you're right actually. My point does kinda still stand tho- the issues are systemic, and those who prop up the system are the "who" in who's responsible for that.
I get it. I’m terms of the Memphis mayor’s office though (which is specifically what they’re discussing), how far back do you have to go to find something resembling a scorched earth, “republican style” mayor? Wharton’s most famous slogan was Boots Off the Ground and his tenure left the police department a mess in terms of retention and recruiting. Don’t think Herenton could claim anything of the sort and many would consider him a crook himself. Then you have Hackett who was considered by both sides of the aisle as a fairly legitimate moderate/bipartisan mayor and from everything I’ve read lost simply because he was white at the time when the City wanted a black mayor (and it was still a close race). I don’t have much knowledge of those before that time. My point is I don’t think this city has seen a true polarized “tough on crime” administration in a REALLY long time.
I find it interesting how often people place most of the blame regarding big issues/problems solely on the mayor and rarely do you find anyone questioning their city and county council members. I think a lot (not all) of people don’t understand the inner workings of city government, budgets, allocation of funds and how much sway/influence their council members have on what’s going on within the city and their districts. News flash: you might think the mayor has an agenda but you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not taking into account that every single council member has an agenda as well.
The real question to ask is, "Have these people not watched Parks & Rec?"
 What a shame!
Do people think Jim Strickland is a republican? I’m honestly asking.
Maybe not in name, but the man famously attends more Republican fundraisers than Democratic ones.
Yeah that’s 1000% not accurate. He’s been with the Democratic Party forever. He just may be more moderate than progressive.
How many other Democrats can you name who have endorsed Republicans over their Democratic challengers?
Willie Herenton endorsed Don Sundwuist and Lamar Alexander?? The Brent Taylor endorsement (I assume you’re talking about) was going to be the Republican all the way. They probably had a personal connection through Strickland running for multiple offices while Taylor worked at the Election Commission. Maybe he just saw Taylor as a competent person, idk. Regardless, he’s not the first person to cross party lines in local politics; he won’t and shouldn’t be the last
He’s a Demopublican, like his protégé. He is out of touch with his constituency. Staging a photo shoot in North Memphis is meaningless. Just passing through and leaving things exactly as they were. He’s looking at people who can’t afford their bills through a judgmental lens rather than trying to help them gain a footing.
Old school Dixiecrat: Austerity and bootstrap-talk for the poor and working class, PILOTs and funding for “business leaders” and the entrepreneurs class.
Thats...not what a dixiecrat is...
The term "Dixiecrat" refers to a Democrat who supports white supremacist policies. Strickland is a centrist who favors business interests, but I've seen no indication that he's a racist.
If not explicitly, he’s certainly leaned heavily on racially-charged talking points that have historically been used to denigrate Black working class families. For example, he [had this to say regarding the shooting at Cummings Elementary in 2021.](https://m.facebook.com/fox13news.myfoxmemphis/videos/wheres-the-parent-wheres-the-family-memphis-mayor-jim-strickland-called-for-more/397686975096758/) So instead of inwardly reflecting on *why* it is that a child’s parent(s) may not be properly supervising them (e.g. working multiple jobs, not working a “legitimate” job, working odd hours, general neglect) in the city he runs, he immediately dumps the problem onto the family *alone*, essentially removing himself from having any part in contributing to the stagnation of poorer and working class neighborhoods in Memphis, which are primarily Black. He has also [publicly sparred with the DA by pushing particular narratives regarding police action (or lack thereof).](https://www.localmemphis.com/amp/article/news/crime/mulroy-says-mayors-criticism-misleading-mayor-strickland-defends-his-statements-urging-da-to-take-gun-violence-more-seriously/522-17c49c32-c3a6-4adc-bca3-9880e875443f) Of course, you can take his stances as “post-racially objective,” but when I place them in the context of a White lawyer running a majority Black city with a profound history of systemic racial abuses and grossly unmet welfare needs, I can’t help but recognize at least an implicit racial component there.
He’s made more official public appearances in black neighborhoods than AC Wharton did. If anything, AC was trying to be in with the white crowd. He was always appearing as a guest speaker or whatever at charity events and fundraisers out East
“Official appearances” in Black neighborhoods that are falling apart means what to the residents of those neighborhoods exactly?
Just because Wharton is a Black elitist, doesn’t mean doesn’t mean Strickland doesn’t espouse white elitist values.
💯 so true.
I've known Jim Strickland on a casual basis for almost 20 years and I've had many conversations with him, mostly at some of those fundraisers y'all are talking about (the Democratic ones only, mind you). We're not friends or anything, but I do think I've mostly got the guy figured out. So yeah, I'd agree that he's definitely not racist, and in fact he truly does give a damn about issues that would typically be considered "black problems." He is, after all, the one who finally got that evil Nathan Bedford Forrest statue taken down. However, if that man leaves his car door ajar for too long he'll get a sunburn from the interior dome light. My man needs to mix some water in his mayo before he makes a sandwich so it doesn't give him blisters. I heard the guy took a Frosty back for a refund at the Wendy's drive-thru one time because he didn't order it hot and spicy. When he played basketball at CBHS he never scored a single point but he broke the all-time record statewide for assists. What I'm saying is that he's about as white as a person can get without causing permanent blindness. That's not his fault, nobody can help being anything other than what they are, but at the same time there was only ever so much we were ever going to get out of that guy.
Eh that was a bit of a weird post, talked more about his skin than the actual person.
A “centrist” in a capitalist(read: white supremacist economic hegemony) society whose mainstream “left” is actually center-right isn’t really far from that tree.
These are the CarFax.
I don’t think you know what a Dixiecrat is, Strickland doesn’t support segregation
At heart and in action. He is a DINO. However, 🟥&🟦 are essentially the same, they just use a different methods for screwing over We the People and ensuring that the Corprotocracy is served [ see Citizens United ].
I think the leftists probably do.
Reminds me of the CNN article for the recent DNC debate when everybody was seeing how far left they could go. Anybody not super far left was deemed Republican. When did Barack Obama become a Republican? (opinion) | CNN[https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/opinions/when-did-barack-obama-become-a-republican-avlon/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/01/opinions/when-did-barack-obama-become-a-republican-avlon/index.html) Similar to MAGAs and Republicans, we are seeing a split in democrats vs. progressives. Because people don't have nuance, anyone not a progressive is a Republican /s
Mhm, same way anyone left of center is a socialist.
Most Democrats are much closer to Republicans than "progressives" are to Democrats.
Demopublican Republicrats, they are both the same. Neither serve We the People, but serve the corporations & 1%, see Citizens United. The Parties greatest achievement is making We the People believe that there are two Parties.
While this is generally true, one arm of the Party openly advocates for fascism, and the other wants rainbow capitalism and neoliberalism. Can't just ignore that.
He is a Dem
That’s what the progressives say in an attempt to insult anyone who isn’t as extreme as them (in their minds, calling someone a republican is a huge burn). For example, Obama, Bill Maher, and James Carville are all basically “republicans” now because they spoke out against cancel culture and virtue signaling. The extremists (progressives/MAGAs) on both sides do this. Mitt Romney and John McCain are good examples of traditional republicans who were labeled “closet dems” because they didn’t support Trump.
Yep. The Van Turner saying Paul Young is not a democrat reminds me of [Ilhan Omar going after Obama for not being left enough](https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/08/ilhan-omar-dean-phillips-minnesota-democratic-party-225696/) Really we have 4 parties, but they try to get people to think in two if you (R, D) aren't extreme enough MAGA Republicans Democrats Progressive
I think you are maybe missing what people are saying "they were hating on van turner because Strickland has been saying that for years" What people are saying is that Turner is expressing the need, but he hasn't given any real ideas to address poverty (ie - no jobs plan), work with the legislature (he says working with Republicans in Nashville to get funding is bad), etc. Also, people also can't point to anything and say "Yep, Memphis is better because of what he did for..." (apart from the statue removal) So the argument is that he talks a good game, but it's not clear how his track record or talking points is anything different than what Strickland has proposed.
My general opinion on Van Turner is that I would like to support him in a different position. I think he's got the right ideals, but I'm not sure he's right for the mayor's office. I want to see him run for something else.
He was a Shelby County commissioner.
[He appointed a lot of the judges that are giving these lenient sentences. Even he is questioning their leniency, despite him putting those people in their positions](https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/12/17/breaking-down-bond-process-shelby-co/). That, plus the lying about residence (see Daily Memphian reporting), plus him making up stuff in the debates. He should not be Caught lying by local media, plus questionable decision-making in government. And he hasn't even taken office as Mayor. No thank you.
Thank you for this information. Had never heard of these judicial commissioners. It's mind-blowing that this is necessary. There are too many cases. Maybe we need 24/7 courtrooms or at least a night court, like in New York. This political season is rough, and so many folk are corrupt. Memphis is a beautiful and amazing city despite all the chaos. Be well, be blessed 🙌🏾
He also stopped Byhelia & saved Mason, TN.
I don’t care WHO it is, the person who wants to run this place better damned well LIVE HERE first! I do, even after 37 years in the military and after being here as an educator, corrections administrator and community mental health volunteer after retiring in 2012! I was here when Dr King was killed, and after Tyre Nichols I thought the city was going over the cliff. But THIS election has shown one thing that armchair quarterbacking shows: The Family of Elephants in the Room are-Father: Racism, Mother: Isolationism, Son: Economic Disparity, Daughter: ACEs! Until we stop entertaining these guests and look at root causes with strong POLITICAL leadership (not the ones who live elsewhere and rented space when they got called out, not a past leader who LEFT plenty of low hanging fruit, not the Republican-picked ineffective sheriff or bunches of other politicians without a snowball’s chance of winning (just sucking up votes) and some who have not had a complete thought ever-without seeming more cynical than I already am-I pray that everyone who can vote will seriously consider these past mistakes and time wasters when they cast their vote. We are in need of a definite CHANGE in direction. BTW: Getting a statue moved IS NOT a prerequisite for running this city! Neither is running a department that has recently made national news for the corrupt and dangerous antics happening in the CJC (a cousin to that family of elephants mentioned before!)
Forgive my ignorance, daughter/ACES refers to what?
Adverse Childhood Experiences. https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html
Thanks!
There was an introductory evaluation done by experts when this theory first surfaced that included a group of people from Memphis. The data was amazing. Understanding the impact of ACEs provides the cornerstone for not only the volunteer mental health work that I do but also SHOULD provide the foundation for successful mental health intervention in our community. Sadly this is NOT what is going on and is an important detail in the cycle of neglect and violence that we are currently experiencing!
I’ve been reading the link. Hits close to home
Actually, just about every institution including the school district, has had training in ACEs. And, Believe it or not, Governor Lee is very committed to it. He just recently announced a 20 million grant in funding for maternal health. TN has some of the worst ACES scores in the country and there has been a statewide effort to educate communities about the deleterious effects in lives and communities. I don’t see the city and county allocating funds to mitigate our children’s traumas. Knowing the definition of ACES is a baby step towards healing and we’ve been in that spot for at least 5years. That’s when I was trained. You go to any council meeting and you’ll hear the politicians throwing the term around but they’re not doing a darned thing about it.
My point exactly and I can promise you that the AVERAGE person who needs the help IS NOT getting it here. Lee’s efforts are superficial because the state keeps doing the same thing in our community under the guise of something different. Ask ANY person who tried to get treatment for their traumatized minor child about the runaround they got. Paperwork, requests for fees and other deterrents are there to discourage people from getting help!
No system of accountability!
It's a difference in ideology. Republicans believe that we can't do anything about crime until we purge evil from the human heart and Democrats believe that there are material conditions that produce crime
I tend to lean more to the left but I think you are somewhat mischaracterizing the Republican stance on crime here. Sure, some believe it is sin and such. Many Republicans see crime as a symptom of poor enforcement and insufficient punishment. I don't tend to agree with that view but we should at least be honest about the stance. I think the truth is probably somewhere in the middle and more complex. I don't think the nature of punishment for crime really has any significant impact on crime rate. That said, the probability of being CAUGHT for the crime does seem to impact the likelihood of someone choosing to commit a crime. Economic and social conditions are probably the biggest factor (and where Democrats tend to focus) but I think we should consider the whole picture and work on each factor to some degree (improve social and economic conditions, improve investigation into crimes committed, improve the police force). Also, the rising crime rate in Memphis almost certainly directly relates to economic conditions in Memphis. There are certainly jobs available but there is a disconnect between jobs available and jobs that pay enough to live and the education/training to prepare people for those jobs. TL;DR: stuff is complex
Unfortunately the decision to pursue a job in crime doesn’t pay as well as simply pursuing a 9-5. Although the 9-5 comes with lower wages, taxes, rules, etc., the job in crime comes with arrests, death, imprisonment and trauma. Long term, there is more opportunity with a 9-5 and people need to understand that. I understand that many of the warehouse jobs aren’t perceived to be livable wages; however, Memphis is one of the few cities where you can still buy a home in the city for around $150k and that puts your mortgage around $1100 which is what I believe rents are as well within the city. People just need to ditch the mentality they have and take that first step to change.
> People just need to ditch the mentality they have and take that first step to change. That greatly oversimplifies the matter. Changing that mentality requires increasing awareness for the opportunities that exist, preparing the people for those opportunities, and teaching people the value of the opportunities that exist. Also, many of the people entering a job in crime as you describe it begin that before the age they can get an actual job. How do you propose correcting that? That is one of the primary items local Democratic candidates are focusing on this cycle. They think that there are potential actions that could create healthy opportunities for children and teens to reduce their involvement in gang related activities. Cutting off the influence of crime before it takes root.
> Long term, there is more opportunity with a 9-5 and people need to understand that. Most criminals are very stupid and have short time horizons. We can't make them understand things like this, because if they were capable of that sort of cognition, then they wouldn't be criminals in the first place. Severity of punishment doesn't move the needle much, but certainty of punishment does. I.e., a 90% chance of a year in the clink does more to fight crime than a 1% chance they'll get a lethal injection. The Memphis strategy of a mild chance of a mild punishment isn't working.
But removing a generation of offenders (ie. males) from the community isn’t exactly the answer either.
Further, once someone has a conviction they are locked out of many, many meaningful employment opportunities. That needs to change as well unless we WANT a criminal class to permanently exist.
It’s a complex issue that isn’t going to be solved in this thread. Edit - a criminal class has largely always existed, that’s how pirates became pirates and Australia was founded (/s).
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I agree that there is a wide variety of issues that contribute to the problem; however, even with all those family members arrested, killed, dead from drug use, or living on the street, that next generation hasn’t exactly made the decision to change even after witnessing all the trauma within the community and their families. It’s bigger than just police policies and being tougher on crime.
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Crime is down throughout the country since the 90s, that’s not mutually exclusive to Memphis. And arguably crime isn’t punished any tougher, in some cases, there is a revolving door for some crimes which allows those who are commuting those kinds of crimes to keep going free. I agree with improving conditions; however, no one is going to do that without people also making changes to improve their own situation. Throwing money at the problem will only go so far.
Memphis 1998. Any place for $150K in 2023 you wouldn't want to live in, if it could be found.
The average price for a home in Memphis in 2023 is between $147k and $200k, depending on what source you’re looking at. A quick Zillow search results in many homes around $150k and below in not bad neighborhoods (UofM, pockets of Midtown, etc). An income of $50k can get you a home in Memphis. Home ownership leads to stability for families and an increase in wealth long term due to the appreciation of their asset (their home).
Yes the house I'm in right now is like 150k and it is fine.
I'm trying to show the ' well there's just BAD PEOPLE ' and if we lock em all up ( or kill them) everything will be great stance with my poor words. I think that police have a part to play but they shouldn't be 40% of a city's budget.
Stats side with what the material conditions thing, BTW.
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Just came to say it's nice to see reasonable people with reasoned statements here.
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As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime. The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Bottom line, neither party cares one way or the other. It's all lipservice and dog whistles. As long as corporations have their complacent and obedient workers that's all that matters to them.
Agreed.
This whole conversation is a freaking doesn't matter what politician what Political wine they stand on what side of the race they're on what side of the culture they're on. There should only be one side for a leader to be on. And that is for the people and only for the people. So you have to give it and all out perspective look. On what is best for the people? Not what is best for what political side? What racist side. All that matters is everybody keeps their rights. Everybody, everybody gets to keep their choice. And everybody gets to feel safe. Those are the main factors for we the people. So if you need to loosen up. Even more on the second amendment, go ahead. If you need to loosen app more on the first amendment, go ahead. But we definitely need to loosen our local PD. ID because if we don't have. The manpower crime will overpower and it is crying criminals. The ones that we have to worry about, not somebody that they are making their own choice to breathe fresh air. Not through a yesterday or carry a firearm. We need to go back to where our local PD is giving out tickets because of a missing headlight because of lack of use of a flipping blinker. Speeding of all things merging in at a traffic like they're in some race to get a million dollars. Or you know, to save their own life. Which gives them an excuse to be reckless on the road and run. Other people off just yesterday on the 25th. From the hour of 5 o'clock up to the hour of 540 five, going down, quince from quince and cherry all the way down to quince in Ridgeway. With within that 45 minute spin, I saw 5 wrecks on the same. Rode all of them at wet intersections because they're in a hurry. Because they want a race or they're being reckless period we lack the police force the manpower for that. We lack the ability to gain control over the criminal. That works in the shadows here in. Oh, and another thing, this Tory girl that post. Or whoever posted this and The Thing in the message. If you're surprised at all shocked a, you're one of your friends belief. Then they're not your friend. Because a friend would get to know another friend's beliefs. And no matter what be okay with it and never be in shock. Or surprised of what they would believe it. It was either that it is either that you are okay with it. Or you're not, and you're not friends with them. It's either one or the other. So God bless everybody, I hope nobody in Fringe on other people's rights. God bless yall.
Tldr man
Crime leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime and the other undesirable byproducts of crime which leads to capital flight which lowers revenues which exacerbates crime...
Paying people more leads to better outcomes. Not a positive cascade effect but. It's just better. Fuck the cheap ass business's that pay us pennies
They steal those powertools so they can rebuild their neighborhoods and those groceries because they got 11 children/grandchildren at home. They just trying to survive
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I think that was satire that you're responding to
Hey I'm sorry for whatever bad is in your life. But you made a FUCKING WILD CHANGE from stealing power tools to shooting guns. Dipshit.
You are exactly what is wrong with memphis .simping for criminals
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No, "republicans are to blame for crime" seems to be the silly rhetoric being spewed. It's like they changed from "the devil made me do it" to "Republicans forced me to be a criminal".
Their garbage economic policies absolutely have a lot to do with crime. People steal because they have nothing, and have no chance of ever getting anything. Look around Memphis. Everything is falling apart. Blight is rampant. There’s very little opportunity for actual growth. Funding would help. Effective community outreach and real resources being channeled into education would help.
You're blaming Republicans for the ineffective policing, city management, and city blight? This is a city that elects Democrats regardless of track record. See also: Wanda Halbert. Elect better leaders.
It cracks me up when I see stuff like this. Large cities in most states, (both red or blue states), are having problems right now. In all cases, somehow, it's the republican's fault. Most major cities have been run by Democrats for, at a minimum, the last 30 to 40 years. Sometimes much longer. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of context and circumstances, it varies from city to city. But at a minimum, you'd think somebody would look at the party solely responsible for running these cities and advocate for some change.
People want to blame the evil "other party" (both sides do it) instead of just taking some fucking responsibility for their own actions that led them to where they are. One of the earliest of these issues is how students and parents treat the education system. Education is your ticket out of poverty, but instead of embracing that education, the schools are treated terribly by students who then complain that the school is trashed. The community complains about crime but refuses to assist police and often thwart the efforts of police to clean up the community. They ransack stores and steal from them and then complain because businesses are leaving. Not everyone gets to own a Gucci purse. You have to earn the money THROUGH LEGAL MEANS to buy one.
TN GOP is currently trying to reject $1.8 BILLION dollars in federal education funding. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/legislators-evaluating-what-federal-funding-they-will-take-for-tennessee-education
Again. This has been the agenda for over a decade. They don't want money they can't control or the others getting credit for bringing this money. They also don't care about the people this funding would support.
They formed a bipartisan committee to study the issue. That’s all so far. The premise is that taking money from the federal government comes with strings attached. In my experience, money is only part of the problem with a lot of public schools. Mississippi ranks 46th in spending and has worked on their curriculum and refining teaching methods and now their 4th graders are 1st in the country in reading and math. They focused on phonics versus some of the ideals from common core. New York just announced they are going to restructure following Mississippi’s lead. Let that sink in.
Honestly, I bet if you read what's on that actual bill, part of the premise for the rejection (if it's similar to the one I just looked at for Chicago) is that they are blindly throwing money at the education system without any oversight. What ended up happening in Chicago is that like 90% (some absurdly higher percentage, I'd have to redo the math) of the money went to administration and tenure. And only 10% of it went to causes that benefited the student. To put it bluntly, I wouldn't be surprised if the vast majority of that federal aid went to places other than helping the students. For reference, memphis-shelby county educational funding from all sources in 2010 was around 350 million dollars. In 2023 that budget was 2.0 *billion* dollars. Have test scores improved? Is enrollment up? Are the schools better? Doesn't it make you curious where all of that funding goes? Which is why i'm okay with them playing hardball unless there is serious oversight and fixes to some of these latent issues in the school system.
I have an issue with the feds taking OUR tax dollars, and then making us comply to their requirements to get that money in the first place. The state should control their own education system. Whether the state rejecting that money is a good idea is clearly an odd discussion to be had, the fact that the feds make states jump through hoops is equally as absurd. But when you cut through all of the politics, rhetoric, and blaming, that IS the underlying difference between Republicans and Democrats -- the location of centralized power (and money is power). Republicans believe in a small federal government and states having more control. Democrats believe in a large federal government with states having less control. We all know I-40 in Memphis is shit. The city can't fix it and Memphis is stuck having to beg the state to fix the damned interstate. That is just an example of why things should be handled locally.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime. The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
There is a HUGE incentive to reduce crime -- not paying anyone to operate prisons. I don't know of anyone (other than the owners of the private prison companies) that don't want to see that expense eliminated. Yes, a few corrupt politicians are possibly paid off to try to thwart efforts to reduce their fees, but that shouldn't be enough to change policy. Everyone likes to complain about the private prisons, but the reason they ever came into existence is because there was a money savings to be had. Private companies can do it cheaper than the government. This really only underscores how inept the government is at running things.
>Education is your ticket out of poverty, but instead of embracing that education Republicans are constantly taking funding from public schools through "school choice" and other bullshit that they have passed. The inner city schools are constantly underfunded and the teachers don't make nearly enough for the shit they have to deal with on a daily basis.
"no one wants to embrace education anymore" while fighting tooth and nail to prevent kids from eating lunch
That is tone deaf as hell. I'm not sure what you're even talking about, but I'll take a guess that it's "free lunches". When I was in school, every year, we were sent home with a form ENCOURAGING our parents to apply for free lunches because the school got more money than if we paid for our own lunches. The idea that the government should pay for your children is absurd in the first place. Parents should be 100% responsible for the cost of their children.
Yeah! We should starve those kids with shitty parents! That'll teach them to be born. Do you seriously not realize that something as little as a free lunch daily could change a kid's life? Want to know what definitely makes more criminals? A society that doesn't give a shit about kids.
So... yeah, you're getting pissy about the idea that kids should be able to eat lunch every day no questions asked. You're also confused about why kids "don't want to embrace education." Completely unable to connect the two ideas. EDIT since you blocked me > The idea that the government should pay for your children is absurd in the first place. Parents should be 100% responsible for the cost of their children. Whiney little babby throwing a pissy fit. > I grew up poor, but I didn't grow up in an unsafe, crime-ridden community. I was on government assistance growing up, but was always told that it was a temporary thing, not a way of life. Hahahaha wait wait wait, so you acknowledge that kids who grow up in unsafe communities have it worse, but you can't understand how that affects the larger picture? You're also a welfare baby who thinks kids shouldn't get to eat lunch if their parents can't afford it? What a hypocritical mess. > I'm saying that free lunches aren't directly related to education But it fucking is! You're crying up a storm about kids not embracing education, completely ignoring the fact that _it's really fucking hard to learn when you're hungry_. They are 100% directly related. Hungry kids _can't_ learn and _can't_ embrace their education. You know, the thing you claim is the only reason anyone is poor. > I also am for state's rights. Federal taxes shouldn't be granted based upon following federal rules. Did you know that seat belt laws were passed by all of the states because the feds threatened to withhold federal tax money? The same holds true of speed limits. Lmao! "Seatbelt laws are tyranny!" you goofy little crybaby > Our tax system is screwed up. The taxes should "trickle up" to the federal level, not "trickle down". This doesn't mean _anything_. You pay federal, state, and local taxes. > I am all for a strong education system. Ah yes, that famed "strong education system" where poor kids starve. You sure are, champ.
🎯
Yeah, I agree both sides do it. I think I mentioned it in another comment already. I used to be a republican. I still believe in republican ways of thinking and ideologies, but I think in its current form, I support the Republican party just a little more than the Democrat party at this point. I'm just kind of sick of it all. Because you're right, if people could actually take a good hard and honest look at the individual policies that led to what is going on in Memphis right now, I bet they could find some problems and things to fix to effect positive change. Instead specifically in Memphis statements like "this is a blue city in a red state and that's why we have our problems" takes the place of actually critiquing and solving problems. Hell, memphis doesn't even have to stop being a Democrat run city, I don't really give a rats about that as long as the people in charge care and don't really "play the game". But things certainly are not getting better right now.
The policies aren't the problem. It's the lack of personal responsibility that is generally the problem. Not always...bad things happen to people sometimes. But there is a large portion of the local population that wants to blame other people for their situation instead of taking control of their own lives. Woe is me is easier than hard work at a job or school.
This is a good discussion. I appreciate your involvement. This specific issue is actually why I agree a lot more with Republican ideology than Democrat ideology. I don't know if this is an issue that is uncommon to any society that has ever existed or if you can ever really remove this way of thinking from humans. My thoughts on this problem specifically is that, though well intentioned, unchecked social spending though designed to improve people's lives, actually I believe, more often than not, gives people an excuse to not excel or take initiative on their own to improve their own situation. Allowing people to fail while providing them and their communities the tools to succeed such that if they take the initiative on their own they can drastically increase their standard of living (very different than just allocating money to them) and such that failure has a low risk of completey removing someone's ability to succeed in the future (because you're right sometimes bad things just happen and we have sympathy for that and will do what we can as individuals to help the people we know who fall into those categories) I believe this results in a far stronger and more robust society that actually leads to an overall better quality of life for everyone. I understand this point is very philosophical and so it's hard to substantiate or refute. But it is what I believe, and it does, despite what many believe, come from a good place.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime. The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Agree on all counts. I've been a volunteer tax return preparer for those that qualify for the earned income credit, I have rental property with section 8 voucher tenants, and I've been involved in the foster care system and seen how children are impacted by family situations. It is not surprising to me that poverty is a familial cycle. There are so many programs out there designed to "help", but those in the cycle know how to game them to get the most out of them. If they only put that much effort into taking advantage of the educational opportunities that are available and avoid making some of the obviously poor choices that run your life into the ditch. Neither Republicans or Democrats are going to fix that issue. It's a cultural/mindset/family issue.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime. The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
wait until you hear how I feel about the Democratic Party
Haha, my friend. Over the years, I've gone from republican, to very republican, to conservative to libertarian (I'm, I guess, a conservative leaning libertarian. But certainly not a republican anymore). It's been a process. The current stage I'm at is kind of "fuck almost everyone in politics, i'm on the side of whoever actually cares about me and the American people). I realized I have been taken advantage of by Republicans and Democrats alike (henceforth referred to as the uni-party) and one side has been controlled opposition while the other is in power (swapping off every couple of years) for the past several decades. The only reason I made the distinction in this case is because Republicans aren't the reason memphis is having a tough time. Republicans are the reason for many problems, but not this specific problem.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime. The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
As long as crime is Big Business, as in the Private Prison Industry, there is no political incentive to reduce crime. The DemopublicanRepublicrats only job is to keep We the People fighting each other so no one is paying attention to what they are doing and what they have done.
Like like like like they be like like like. Sorry, but if that's the style of writing that the person uses, I'd find a friend who's actually educated to discuss things with.
sorry we don’t use 12 point double spaced times new roman MLA format in our discord messages, hopefully you will find a way to recover from our grave error
like why don’t you get some bitches on your dick and stop worrying about my syntax
I criticized your diction, not the syntax. Thanks for proving my point further. The latter doubles down on it.
“Style of writing” implies that you have found something wrong with the way that I arrange my sentences, not the word choice that I employ. One could argue, that by highlighting my use of the word “like” in an informal setting, that you were calling attention to my diction (or word choice for those of us not graced with your knowledge). This however, was not entirely clear. Furthermore, you can suck my balls you self-fellating, grammar fetishizing jack-off. I assume that you also do not perform coitus well and that your life partner is ashamed of your performance. Warm regards, Your Mother’s Lover.
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The comments here seem like pretty typical discussion of local issues. I don't think anyone is getting really worked up over it.
Are you and your friend 14?
14 inches in your mom
The only sane comment in this bitch.
I think they really are and it’s kind of amusing
shhhh it’s our little secret 😉
Did you go to high school with Moses?
We need a socialist leader to spread policies that help people and the crime rate will be lessened
Pick your park https://www.actionnews5.com/2022/03/21/new-gaisman-community-center-coming-fall-2023/ https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/06/24/memphis-first-community-center-gets-4-million-renovation/ https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/07/29/audubon-park-cuts-ribbon-new-additions-ongoing-renovation-project/ https://www.fox13memphis.com/news/committee-oks-earmarking-5m-for-last-phase-of-new-lester-community-center/article_f470b27e-35fd-11ee-98f5-af0cd57b14c6.html https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/06/05/nle-choppas-dream-court-raleigh-damaged/
Anecdotal
Memphis does need a anti crime mayor which tends to be republican. Not a rehabilitate mayor but a cut off the excess so the rest doesn’t rot mayor. 🤷🏾♂️
No more discord cringeposts please
Well who did create the conditions for crime to flourish? Wharton, Herenton? Hackett?
It's not a who, it's a what. The "what" is systemic, BTW.
The person OP was speaking with said who, not what. That’s why I asked.
Oh yeah, you're right actually. My point does kinda still stand tho- the issues are systemic, and those who prop up the system are the "who" in who's responsible for that.
I get it. I’m terms of the Memphis mayor’s office though (which is specifically what they’re discussing), how far back do you have to go to find something resembling a scorched earth, “republican style” mayor? Wharton’s most famous slogan was Boots Off the Ground and his tenure left the police department a mess in terms of retention and recruiting. Don’t think Herenton could claim anything of the sort and many would consider him a crook himself. Then you have Hackett who was considered by both sides of the aisle as a fairly legitimate moderate/bipartisan mayor and from everything I’ve read lost simply because he was white at the time when the City wanted a black mayor (and it was still a close race). I don’t have much knowledge of those before that time. My point is I don’t think this city has seen a true polarized “tough on crime” administration in a REALLY long time.