General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The NYPD is disrespectful to our elected leaders and needs to be reined in [View all]starroute
(12,977 posts)For one thing, "The Commissioner is appointed by the Mayor, and serves at the Mayor's pleasure." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Police_Commissioner) So the mayor has every right to demand that the police commissioner keep his own forces in line as the price of retaining his position.
For another, this is hardly a case of free speech or of not offering "political support to the mayor." This is about a group of public servants abusing their uniforms to demand that a mayor elected with overwhelming popular support resign because they don't like his orders that they tone down stop and frisk and not smash in the heads of protesters.
Every government operates on a fine balance of legitimate authority and coercive force -- but it's not an even balance, because the coercive force becomes no better than mob rule without that authority to back it up. The NYPD is rejecting legitimate authority and attempting to institute rule by raw power in its place. And that is a threat to the very foundations of democratic government.