RNC demonstration route
From:
Charley Underwood
Date:
May 16 18:19 UTC
Short link
I'm wondering: Is it too late to have Tampa host this convention instead of St
Paul?
It seems like the cost/benefit ratio for this event is extremely high. I am
still guessing that the lawsuit cost to St Paul well be in the tens of millions
range. (Although we may never find out, since silence about the awards is
usually part of the post-brutality agreements, as I have found out by spending
hours and hours trying to google the question.) Sadly, we are already seeing
the more enduring costs of a massive rupture of confidence with the peace
protesters (and sometimes citizens at large) on one side and the the police on
the other. The long and painful process of permit application has already sewn
mistrust. The testing of new pain-compliance weapons against protesters (and a
few innocent bystanders) will probably be the icing on the cake. I am afraid
this entire event will be setting back police/community relations in St Paul by
at least decades.
Not only fellow list-member Dave Thune likely bear a political cost. I imagine
that the entire city council will have a hard time in the aftermath. Whoever
thought it would be a good idea to host the political party convention for the
folks behind the Iraq war, the Katrina mess, the current recession and the
assault on the middle class, the deficit boondoogle and the massive
underfunding of our national infrastructure? In retrospect, what were they
thinking and how in the world did they expect hosting such a convention could
possibly be a benefit to St Paul?
Couldn't we send these people to Tampa? Please, please!
.