As of August 8, 2014, however, life in Ferguson was far from idyllic. Looking at the Wikipedia page about the little city, we find that it only occupies 6.4 square miles of real estate, north and west of St.Louis proper.
Turnout at the last mayoral election was twelve percent. 12%. That's two percent more than 10 percent.
Karl Denninger, a fire-breathing Libertarian, vociferously points to years of management of the city that resembles an organized crime operation. Almost every household in the city was involved in some way with the court system. Traffic violations fines and fees comprise an outsized proportion of the city's revenues. This smells very very bad. The police were being used to exact tribute instead of serve-and-protect, and the city invested into a lot of military-style gear to ride herd on the citizenry. This is a recipe for tragedy.
OS can relate, because the Southern county in which he resides was operated in that manner from about 1945 until 2010, when the family that controlled the 'plantation' was swept from office. The little town down the road still is, complete with its new tricked-out RoboCop black SUV that followed OS from the village gas station to his driveway six miles away, five feet off his bumper the entire journey, late one evening. He was looking for a ticket to write, and lost the battle.
But there is something else to discuss here.
Missouri voted for Romney in 2010, except for three or four counties, including the county where Ferguson is located. The vote there was a Democrat landslide, down the ticket.
St. Louis City 100.0% Reporting
|
B. Obama (i)
|
Dem
|
82.7%
|
116,654
|
M. Romney
|
GOP
|
16.0%
|
22,617
|
|
G. Johnson
|
Lib
|
1.2%
|
1,660
|
|
V. Goode
|
CST
|
0.1%
|
204
|
|
St. Louis County 100.0% Reporting
|
B. Obama (i)
|
Dem
|
56.2%
|
294,735
|
M. Romney
|
GOP
|
42.5%
|
223,102
|
|
G. Johnson
|
Lib
|
1.1%
|
5,705
|
|
V. Goode
|
CST
|
0.2%
|
1,086
|
The Congressman for the District is a Democrat. His words in the wake of the tragedy were, let us say, rather provocative. Nothing about the rule of law, protection of the innocent, protection of private property from looting--nothing.
Since the tragedy occurred this past weekend, I have been in regular contact with Governor Nixon regarding the troubling situation in Ferguson.
I expressed my absolute commitment to pursue justice for Michael Brown and his family, and to restore safety and order for citizens and media who should be free to exercise their constitutional rights, without fear of police repression.
I look forward to working closely with the Governor to ensure the viability and complete independence of the criminal investigation.”
Anything here calling for calm, due process, presumption of innocence, protection of innocents, protection of businesses--anything? He did use the word 'police repression' prominently. And, granted, the militarized police force of Ferguson does not inspire confidence. But...there is a time to speak, and a time to refrain, in the words of King Solomon.
Governor Nixon is a Democrat, by the way.
OS is not a conspiracy theorist. This was not some plot hatched in evil minds to set off some race war. But, look at what life was like on August 8! Can anyone claim with a straight face that decades of Democrat Party rule of Ferguson Missouri have succeeded? It's as if this place was a tragedy waiting to happen.
Now, ponder Memphis, TN, who voluntarily abandoned their own school district to the county and state. The GOP counties around it thrive. Why doesn't Memphis thrive?
Ponder Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, the entire State of Illinois for that matter.
Ponder what life looks like under long-term Democrat rule. And yet we are assured, day after day, that this is the only way forward.
And the media seem to be silent as to who was in charge of Ferguson, Missouri that fateful day of August 9, 2014.
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