Biden Tells Democratic Voters to “Stop Whining” and “Buck Up”

We previously discussed the disconnect between Democratic leaders and liberal voters in the increasing complaints of leaders like Vice President Biden over Democratic “lethargy.” Democrats in Washington once again seemed shocked that voters are not eager to fight for their retention. Now, Biden has added the helpful advice to Democratic voters to “stop whining” about things that they did not get in Washington and to “buck up.”
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Maryland Court Rules Citizens Have Right to Videotape Officers in Public

We have been discussing the abusive trend across the country of police departments arresting citizens for videotaping them in public. Now, in Maryland, Circuit Court Judge Emory A Pitt Jr. has ruled that a Maryland State Trooper was wrong to arrest Anthony Graber for filming him brandishing his weapon at a traffic stop. The basis of the decision is precisely what many of us have been arguing for months (here and here and here and here): police officers have no expectation of privacy in public arrests and conduct.
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Tackle Me Elmo: Costumed Character Sends Alleged Attacker To Hospital

A Florida man was under arrest after assaulting customers in a guitar store and knocking over a display. His alleged rampage ended when he turned on the wrong guy: Elmo. The encounter ended with the man sustaining bruises and broken fingers after a beat down by the costumed character.
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Hello Dalai: Spiritual Leader Hands Out $50,000 To Study Happiness

Dalai Lama has given researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison a donation of $50,000 to study happiness. Once again, I remain unclear why I am not the recipient of such academic grants. I could show that giving me just $25,000 would produce considerable happiness.
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Operation Book Burn: Pentagon Buys Thousands of New Book To Destroy Them

Army Reserve Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer would normally feel honored that the Pentagon was so interested in his memoir “Operation Dark Heart” that it purchased thousands of copies. The problem is that the Pentagon bought the books to burn them. Now that must set a new low for a bad review.
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French Court Convicts Google and Schmidt of Defamation

Google and its chief executive Eric Schmidt have been convicted of defamation in France in a decision that, in my view, defies logic and legal principles. The company was convicted due to the results of its “suggest” function which lists words commonly used by users. In this case, the plaintiffs’ name produced automatic suggested words of “rapist” and “satanist.”
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North Carolina Race Leads To Defamation Lawsuit

There is an interesting defamation case coming out of a race in North Carolina. GOP candidate Eldon “Buck” Newton is claiming that Sen. A.B. Swindell (shown left) and the Democratic Party knowingly made misleading statements about him in a campaign mailer in the race for the 11th Senate District.
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DOJ Official: Black Panther Decision a “Travesty of Justice”

This week Congress held hearings on the controversial decision by the Obama Administration to drop charges against Black Panther members for voter intimidation in Philadelphia in 2008. I have previously criticized the decision since I fail to see how these pictures did not show intimidation and the Obama Administration has created a dangerous precedent (if not an invitation) for other groups to engage in the same practices at polling places. In the hearing, Christopher Coates, former voting chief for the department’s Civil Rights Division, called the decision a “travesty of justice” and deepened the controversy over the policies and practices in that division.

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