Colorado Dem Party HQ Vandalized

Yep, nothing like some good old fashioned political violence

Here's what was found at the scene that told police who was behind this attack:

Um, I think someone needs to tell these people what Kristallnacht was, who the Nazis really were, and how what they just did was by far the closest thing I've seen to Nazi behavior in this entire health care debate. This outrageous, and absolutely disgusting.

Hate speech begets hate begets violence.

H/T Morgan Carroll for the pic.

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 13:11:15 PM CDT

This photo won't load

I hope its not a photo of a servered cows head left by 'you know who'.

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by: Libertad @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 15:36:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Really? I can see it from a public computer right now

At any rate, a reputable source told me today that this flyer was not left at the scene. Mea culpa.

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 16:44:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Apparently it was somewhere

From the 7News story at http://www.thedenverchannel.co... :

"There is a poster up on the wall that is kind of anti-health care reform and I didn't see it yesterday, so it begs the question whether that was part of it," Waak said.

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by: RedGreen @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:06:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Looks rather worn

To have been stuck there last night.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:08:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

bet

I bet it was there.

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by: cd rates @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 17:49:14 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Chairwoman Waak's comments in today's 9/26 Post

Look absurd. She should have come clean and said I apologize for the acusation against the Republicans and move on but her comments only allow the Right to get more milage.

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by: Retired @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 08:26:52 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

ABC reports that a suspect is in custody.

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by: ohwilleke @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 13:26:20 PM CDT

Well wheres the post or link

This damage looks to be felony level

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by: Libertad @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 15:37:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'll bet the left is somehow behind this!

Everyone knows the right never engages in political violence. They probably did it to themselves to gain sympathy.

Bring back S[redacted]e H[redacted]y!

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by: sxp151 @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 14:27:42 PM CDT

Following the typical M.O. these days,

next thing we'll hear is that it was just a game of rocks-paper-scissors.

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by: The realist @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 14:47:20 PM CDT

Interesting...

http://twitter.com/DenverPolic...

BREAKING NEWS: DPD Offcrs arrested Maurice Schwenkler (24) for vandalizing the Colorado Democratic Party HQ at 777 Santa Fe

http://www.sos.state.co.us/cpf...

" Spending Detail

Name: COLORADO CITIZENS' COALITION
SOS ID: 20085621714
Type: 527 POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
Reporting Period: 10/23/2008 - 11/30/2008     Due: 12/04/2008

Date: 11/06/2008
Payee: MAURICE SCHWENKLER
1065 LIPAN
DENVER, CO 80204

Expenditure Type: Electioneering
Original Amount Reported: $0.00
Actual Amount: $500.00
Purpose: COMMUNICATION "

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by: curiousstranger @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 14:51:48 PM CDT

Maybe a check bounced?

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 15:30:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Overspending I guess

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by: Libertad @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 23:50:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!

To think that our right wingers might actually resort to violence!

Seen any lefties carrying their firearms around lately?  Storming the town halls with pictures of Hitler?  Nope, only the crazed rights.  (Acknowledging not all righties are crazy.)

I listened to about ten minutes of a Specter town hall meeting on Mike Malloy downloaded. I couldn't take any more.  The level of ignorance of these people was, well, probably typical of most Americans.  They spouted about the constitution, yet I'll bet most have never read it, at least since HS Civics.  Many of their voiced concerns Mike Malloy showed after how they were right out of the R. W. groups shilling for Big Pharma and Big Insurance.  

And of course, total effin' B.S.  

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd." -Bertrand Russell

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by: parsingreality @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 15:21:33 PM CDT

Uhh . . .

Are you being serious here parsingreality?  Put aside the fact that it appears this vandalism was done by someone on the Left.  PhRMA is spending tens of millions of dollars promoting Obamacare. Do you ever watch TV?

Perhaps your post was a poor attempt at sarcasm, but if not, get the facts.

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by: Karate Kid @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:25:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

No, I don't wastch TV, but I am well read.

Big Pharma just pulled billions of dollars of wool over the administration's eyes.  Oh, they are on board, and they'll give up 2% of their sales to, sniff, be good corporate citizens. Oh, we have been so judgmental of them, sniff.

Considering that the VA and foreign countries get discounts ranging from about 30-50%, please pardon my sarcasm.

And you have some evidence about this guy being from the left?

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd." -Bertrand Russell

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by: parsingreality @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:50:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Democrat False Flag Operations!

Dem operative paid by Dems trashes Dem Party HQ.  This shows some serious ethical lapses and a clear lack of discipline.  

Next we'll hear this guy was a paid SEIU or CEA organizer.

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by: Libertad @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 23:57:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Your wet dream....

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd." -Bertrand Russell

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by: parsingreality @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 07:04:58 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Wow!

So this guy was paid by a Democrat 527?  Either a disaffected Democrat who didn't get treated very well or someone trying to frame Republicans.  Either way, Pols original speculation is turned on its head.

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by: Karate Kid @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 16:19:21 PM CDT

Pols didn't author this diary.

Just thought I'd clarify your error in your comment since we all know how dedicated you are to accuracy.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 16:24:43 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Though we did

Update it with the details he's gloating about before they were reported anywhere else. You can't please everybody.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 16:54:43 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Strictly speaking...

They were reported by me in your comments before anywhere else ;)

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by: curiousstranger @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:01:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

We'll share it, sure

You got the filing and we got the anarchist angle. Let's hug.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:07:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Kisses!

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by: curiousstranger @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:11:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe its time the Dems do some house cleaning

Once paid, always paid ... there's some serious ethics smoke now hanging over 777 Santa Fe.  

Its amazing that an organization would enable its agents to conduct false flag ops ... on itself no less.  

The Guv needs to instruct the party Chair to treat this cancerous growth before it spreads.

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by: Libertad @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 00:04:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Damn you for including facts.

You know how that confuses some folks around here.

"The only way you could be worse is if you were Wade Norris." Ralphie

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by: Middle of the Road @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:05:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

KK(K?)

apparently just took the rightie default position (those lefties always blame us) before actually reading anything posted here.

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by: BlueCat @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:18:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Denver Republican Party Response

Denver Republican Party officials condemn vandalism of State Democratic Party Headquarters.

According to a press release issued by the Denver Police Department on the afternoon of August 25th, and a Denver Post article by Jessica Fender, 24-year old Maurice Schwenkler was arrested on suspicion of smashing a number of windows at the Denver headquarters of the Colorado Democratic Party on Santa Fe Drive early Tuesday morning, August 25th.

In response, Ryan Call, Chairman of the Denver Republican Party, issued the following statement:

The Denver Republican Party condemns without reservation this cowardly and destructive act of vandalism.

While disagreements in terms of policy or position are to be expected in the course of political discourse, wanton destruction of property is not an appropriate substitute for political speech.  The Denver Republican Party hopes that actions of this kind would not be condoned or tolerated by any Denver citizen--regardless of their political affiliation.  The Denver Republican Party believes that thoughtful, respectful discussion and debate concerning matters of public policy, and participation in the democratic process are how meaningful change is brought about in our nation, our state, and our community.

We applaud the efforts of the Denver Police Department in connection with this matter, and trust and have the utmost confidence that local law enforcement and the Denver District Attorney's office will prosecute this individual and his co-conspirators to the fullest extent of the law.

The statement is available at www.denvergop.org.

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by: Denver Republican @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 16:50:23 PM CDT

Thank you

While I am sure we still have a lot to learn, I want to thank the Denver GOP for clearly condemning this criminal conduct.  Was this just the Denver GOP or is that the State GOP too?

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by: morgancarroll @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 18:07:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hippie Hammers HQ Ho Hum

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by: ohwilleke @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 16:58:46 PM CDT

If there is anything more constructive than refusing to vote

(like a good pseudo-anarchist), that would be vandalizing the Dem's HQ.


This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 17:39:00 PM CDT

I wish to apologize to KK and any right leaners for my error.

"Collective fear stimulates herd instinct and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd." -Bertrand Russell

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by: parsingreality @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 19:22:29 PM CDT

It's OK

It's natural to assume that when bullshit like this happens that it was done by someone from the other side.  It is weird though that persons from the left did this.  Were they trying to gin up a "false flag" incident, or are they pissed that the Democrats aren't going hard enough left for their taste.  Hopefully we'll get some answers.

BTW, has anyone heard from MJD on whether the police have gotten around to investigating the vandalism on his car?

Proudly being investigated by Nancy Pelosi!

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by: cologeek @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 19:35:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Sorry,

But this whole diary is a giant burn.  

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 19:48:02 PM CDT

Define "giant burn"

This diary was worthwhile because 1) the event that happened was news, 2) it illustrated that some on the left are too quick to condemn some on the right, and 3) it was those on the left who dug up and published the political affiliations of the alleged (and he's still alleged) perpetrator.

I think this thread has been very educational.  Nobody circled the wagons around this asshole.  With the exception of early, uninformed condemnations, the posters here have simply let the facts speak for themselves.

Best to kill them early instead of letting them possibly need food stamps.
--marilou, 2010

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by: Ralphie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 20:01:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I concur completely. n/t

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by: gertie97 @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 20:26:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Oh COME ON, PEOPLE!

All this left v right crap is so out of touch with what is really going on. To put this guy in the same "left" as the Democratic Party is completely laughable. NEWSFLASH If this kid is left, the Democratic Party is not left.

If this kid is really so left, he would be pissed that the Dems aren't acting enough. He could see the main barrier to health care as being the Dems which, he's got a case and a whole lot of history to back it up. Dems are the biggest obstacles to other Dems. It's frustrating as hell to see it. All the anarchist kids I know who hate the system, hate Dems much more than they hate Republicans because the Dems aren't as different from the Rs as they should be given how insane Rs are.

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 20:44:44 PM CDT

Or the vandals

were just a couple of kids looking to smash something after the bars closed, and the big windows at 8th and Santa Fe were an inviting target.  

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by: RedGreen @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 20:51:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

They were well prepared then,

since they had hammers and clothing camo.  

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 20:53:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"clothing camo"?

They were apparently wearing hoodies and had their T-shirts pulled up over their mouths. It was cold out last night and they were on their bikes -- it would have been strange if they hadn't been dressed that way.

Sure, it's possible they're anarchist revolutionaries angry at the DLC-style Democrats wavering on the public option, or even some sophisticated 3 a.m. false flag operation meant to smear Tea Partiers. Those things are possible.

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by: RedGreen @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 21:05:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

My vision of the t-shirt over-the-face-description

was that they had extra gear for the gig. You're probably right, it was a spur of the moment thing for them to pull their shirts over their faces.  

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 21:17:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

More than possible

Like LB below, I'll withdraw my suggestion the suspect was more likely a drunken kid than a politically motivated vandal. The latex gloves and the fact (reported in the Post) that he was arrested in St. Paul protesting the Republican convention pretty much put an end to that speculation.

Since I'm not someone who can "accidentally" delete what I wrote "while updating," I'll just say I was wrong and it looks like sufimarie had it pegged. Sorry.

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by: RedGreen @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 10:41:18 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

A lot of the "Obama as Hitler" posters are from guys on the loonie left too

Larouch-ies.

Defend the 1st, 10th, 14th and 17th Amendments - and Social Security! Vote Democratic!

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by: Half Glass Full @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 23:09:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks

you got it just right, especially in those last lines.

Weakness of will is simply not an easy sell, because NOBODY respects it.  Strength of will is an easy sell.  To almost quote Nietzsche, everyone respects a strong will because nobody has one.  

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by: Dr B @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 15:02:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And one other thing,

If this kid gets $500.00 a week for the Citizens Coalition in Communications, I'm in the wrong industry.

...wait. nevermind

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 20:55:52 PM CDT

If I understand your premise correctly...

...as demonstrating that idiocy like this has zero to do with party policy, then I completely concur.

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 21:02:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

My guess, and it's just a guess,

is that this kid was not trying to make Rs take the hit. I think he's pissed at Dems for not doing enough, or maybe he really is against paying for everyone's health care, I don't know. Because he has worked for the Citizen's Coalition and the address he used is the Derailer Collective's, (which, the Derailers have a really good thing going btw) I would think he doesn't feel too much of a sense of ownership on his money so he isn't against HC but, who knows.

I think he is rogue. His actions are not representative of any organization or long-standing affiliation.  

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 21:14:36 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I agree.

My guess is that he was a drunk idiot kid.

Just a guess.

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 21:46:42 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Gotta agree with you on that one

Tom Tancredo Interview

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by: DavidThi808 @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 22:49:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Drunk idiot kid?

One window, maybe two. Not eleven.

Defend the 1st, 10th, 14th and 17th Amendments - and Social Security! Vote Democratic!

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by: Half Glass Full @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 23:09:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thorough drunk idiot kid ?

" And there are no Christian terrorists."

The Beej, circa 8/26/2010

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Tue Aug 25, 2009 at 23:18:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Although...

His address is registered around the corner from DNC headquarters.

He was wearing latex gloves, and used a hammer to break the windows, along with an accomplice.

I withdraw my drunk kid theory.

When is Pat Waak going to apologize to the anti-this-particular-healthcare-bill folks for immediately blaming them for what looks like an orchestrated act of vandalism meant to smear them?

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 06:52:19 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

As soon

as Dick Wadhams apologizes for tea party people calling the President a Nazi.

Seriously LB, your insinuation that this was somehow orchestrated by the CDP is utterly asinine.

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 07:38:50 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It was orchestrated by at least two people.

Hopefully Waak is smarter than that (I suspect she is).  She was awfully quick to blame for the vandalism.  Hopefully she'll be equally as quick to apologize for what she said.  Wadhams has plenty of things he could apologize for, but something someone else said or did isn't one of them.

How about your invocation of Kristallnacht?  Is it still appropriate?

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 08:05:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Obviously not

But even Cologeek admitted that it's natural to blame the other side. I already said my bad on that anyway.

Even the Denver Republicans thought it was one of theirs, hence the quick press release condemning it.

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 09:48:40 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Why not?

Isn't it equally an outrage that they were broken by a Dem as it would have been if they'd been broken by an R?

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 09:58:59 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It is

But if it was obvious from the outset that it was a far-lefty (definitely not a Dem, though he worked for them LB, I thought we'd been over this already) then the Republicans would never have issued a condemnation.

For every time Dick Wadhams has ever said something that deserved an apology later, and he's laughed that off, I don't see why the same standard shouldn't be applied to Pat Waak.

But for the sake of this thread, I will agree that Waak should probably apologize for jumping to the same conclusion that every single other person including Republicans did.

"I'll take incompetence over a business model incentivised to kill me any day." -- DtR(H)

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by: redstateblues @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 10:03:34 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I was listening to Sirota this morning.

He didn't have much more on the "outrage".  

Not that I heard, anyway.  Shocker.

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 10:05:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not only natural,

but obvious.

Nobody, not even the Republicans, had an initial inclination that this wasn't another not-so-rogue Republican fighting for his white privilege.  

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 11:37:42 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

In retrospect it should have been obvious

that Republicans had nothing to do with it since nobody was shot.

Smashing windows is a lefty thing to do anyway. I used to be involved with the World Bank/IMF/WTO protests until some asshole kids smashed a Burger King window while I was there.

Bring back S[redacted]e H[redacted]y!

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by: sxp151 @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 11:42:12 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good call

I was once much more in the habit of running with kids like the ones you mention. I couldn't take it anymore when I heard them refuse to participate on the first Tuesday of November because each one of them would say "it doesn't make a difference, you can't make a difference, there is no difference between the two parties" all of which are incorrect. I struggle to forgive someone who consciously thinks but demonstrates otherwise through their actions, that the only political action the system affords is voting.  

This blog is your blog, this blog is my blog

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by: sufimarie @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 11:47:39 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Where in your link...

Does it say anything about the killer's political party?

"Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys."

P.J. O'Rourke

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by: Laughing Boy @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 22:44:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

--

This person was a paid contract status door to door canvasser who helped with the CCC's efforts during the final 4 days to promote dem candidate state congress and senate races in targeted districts.

There were a handful of Denver Derailer volunteers who were hired for canvassing the final four days before November elections. Most of the Derailer volunteers had previous canvassing experience as I recall and seemed like pretty earnest young people who were excited to earn a paycheck doing something they believed in.

This story is indeed surprising because it is definitely fair to say that all of the volunteers at the Derailer are ultra liberal in their beliefs...er, well...maybe leaning closer towards anarchist beliefs.

No matter what the motivations were for this vandalism, if this person is found guilty they should face the appropriate punishment. This healthcare stuff is getting more and more divisive :(

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by: sloanslake @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 03:03:20 AM CDT

Is this GOTV?

Generic GOTV is okay under a 527, I think.  Candidate advocacy not so much.

"I have come to the conclusion that the making of laws is like the making of sausages-the less you know about the process the more you respect the result."  -- Anonymous IL State Rep. circa 1878

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Wed Aug 26, 2009 at 15:50:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]