to keep Glenn busy. I would hope that a major political convention being held in a city realtively close to the border would require increased and forceful security.

And Palin has more experience than the token dem pres candidate.

Do we actually know who is doing these raids? Oh, the nutjob sheriff of Ramsay County is claiming credit for breaking up an anarchist criminal conspiracy and all of that, but apparently the raiders themselves are from a number of jurisdictions, and none of the individuals involved has been identified (probably because they can't be, unmarked vehicles, unmarked uniforms, etc.) All we know is they're big and loud and they threaten people with big guns.

Could be anyone.

Who's the judge approving these blanket warrants? Where's his court? Why hasn't there been an attempt at injunction against these warrants and raids? Why hasn't anyone called for the sanctioning of the judge and whatever authority is being used in conducting these raids?

Bob Nestor is not a lot of help. He seems to be ok with the premise of the raids, doesn't seem to be aware of any outrageous violation of constitutional rights and protections. Defenses will be offered for those arrested; suits may be filed on behalf of those detained and harrassed. Confiscated items may or may not be returned. Carry on.

This business as usual demeanor is something those who conduct these raids -- and as others have pointed out, this sort of thing goes on every day all over the country -- count on. Nobody will get too upset if the lawyers play along, file their petty little suits, defend -- even get off -- the arrested, doesn't matter, because the point is to do the raids themselves, make a big splash, scare some folks, maybe shoot em up now and then, and keep the masses too terrified to get out of line.

Nobody cares too much as long as it is somebody else being "detained," having their stuff taken, houses broken into.

That's what comes from an individualist paradise.

And of course it could happen to you at any time.

The point should be to build so much outrage things like this couldn't happen any more because they are violations of the basic rights of citizens. Police would be too frightened of what would happen to them, instead of citizens being terrified they'll be targeted next. There should be so much outrage no judge -- not even a rightwing nutjob -- would dare approve warrants like the ones issued in these instances. There should be so much outrage, city, county, state and federal authorities would use discretion and judgement before daring to do something like this.

But there is no such outrage. Not even when innocent people are killed in raids like this -- as they are. There is typically no more than a shrug -- and sometimes a payout. And it's been like this for decades.

Where's the outrage?

It seems to me that the consensus is that what the police are doing, were it targeted at nonviolent protesters, would be clearly out-of-line and disgusting. Rutherford admit as much, and I think this probably goes without saying for many people. (Of course, some think this kind of police activity is justified because they think that protest of any kind is unacceptable; that protest is carried out to a large extent by carried out by people they dislike makes excessive force even more acceptable in their view. You can find such sentiments by looking at the Star-Tribune comment section for this story. But that's what what we're talking about here.) But I think you and Glenn are talking past each other. Glenn is focusing on the action taken against the nonviolent groups, but Rutherford focuses on the special case of the RNCWC. Concerning the RNCWC, Rutherford thinks this kind of police activity is understandable (though unacceptable), whereas Glenn would say that it's not understandable. Is that a fair assessment of the discussion?

Exist for one reason only ....... to make the wheels of commerce turn smoothly ......

Firebrands of the colonies replaced by corporate sycophants ....

Obama ??? Better than McCain perhaps but not even a progressive ......... Bush is so bad and extreme, he just makes Obama look "revolutionary" ....... talk about the perspectives of relativism.

let's ask Cass Sunstein to help get these raids stopped. After all, isn't this just criminalization of policy differences?

Seriously though, Glenn, I hope you are pursuing the jurisdiction issue aggressively. I think that may be a very interesting thread to pull. Also, since you have press credentials this week, it seems like you would be in a good position to pursue access to the actual search warrants. Any information in those warrants regarding how they came to target these individuals would be quite informative. Also, of course, it would be interesting to identify the judge involved and how they came into office. I'm betting on a recent appointment to state court by Pawlenty.

First Elephantman demonstrates he's barking mad, now shooter242 and tiberius both demonstrate they're delusional paranoids. Bloody hell.

to keep Glenn busy. I would hope that a major political convention being held in a city realtively close to the border would require increased and forceful security.

"Relatively close to the border"? I wasn't aware Canada was now considered such an existential threat to our national security that it drives Minnesotans mad with fear.

I mean, Canada is driving the Minneapolis PD to behave this way?

And Palin has more experience than the token dem pres candidate. -- tiberius

You really haven't examined Senator Obama's CV, have you? I mean, you can't have if you're spouting stuff like this. You'd have to be utterly psychotic to believe what you just wrote.

Are you psychotic, tiberius? Has the stress of keeping a prepubescent harem too much for you?

you're right. people coming over the canada border have never posed a threat to the USA.

Sarcasm included.

re: tiberius

He's angry and resentful about all that money he's wasted on Bratz dolls for aforementioned g-friends.

Bruce not Bob Nestor