Just as states with progressive lawmakers and activists have themselves initiated innovative programs over a wide range of issues, state-based progressive blogs have helped provide us with a point of view, inside information and often an edgy voice that we just don’t get from the traditional media. This week in progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should be watching. Inclusion of a diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement or endorsement of its contents.
At Eclectablog of Michigan, Eclectablog writes—Man who shot an un-armed man over road rage to use Michigan’s “Stand Your Ground” defense:
On September 2nd, Derek Flemming, a 43-year old married father of two young children was driving with his wife in Livingston County to pick up their kids when a pick-up truck nearly t-boned them as they drove down Grand River Avenue. Instead, the truck swerved and cut them off. The truck driver then slammed on his brakes and was clearly messing with Flemming. When they arrived at a stoplight, Flemming got out of his car and approached the truck which was being driven by Martin Edward Zale.
Zale then rolled down his window, pulled out a pistol, and shot Flemming, who was unarmed, in the face, murdering him in front of his wife.
We now learn that Zale will be hiding behind Michigan’s “stand your ground” law. Our law has been found to be almost identical to the Florida law that allowed George Zimmerman, the murderer of Trayvon Martin, to evade a murder conviction.
At Delaware Liberal, Progressive Populist writes—I’m Tired Of People Like Panetta:
Apparently he’s got another tell all book about to come out. Timely, Leon, given that we’ve got a hugely important election next month with your “fellow” Democrats in the cross hairs of the party of hate.
I say “fellow” Democrats because Leon has always been a guy of the safe establishment who never had a reformist idea overtake his pandering to the current order of things.
I can speak with some limited contact; Leon was a fellow Santa Claran (think Jesuits, think northern California) in the 50′s a couple of years behind me undergraduate. I didn’t like him then because he had the reputation of an ass kissing pet of some of the key clerics running that show at the time.
Always in their pocket, always held up as a model of the way people should be. I knew he’d ascend to the northern Calif. political establishment and sure enough, after Congress, onto Presidential staffs and leading our intelligence and defense establishments.
Now, in a most untimely way, like Hillary. who at least had a early youthful flirtation with radical thought, he’s finding fault with President Obama. For a while our President was not easily falling for the neo-con, neo-liberal impulse to kick the shit out of our perceived enemies, asking questions later.
Below the orange gerrymander, you can read more excerpts from progressive state blogs
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