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May 04, 2020 06:25 AM UTC

Monday Open Thread

  • 39 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him.”

–Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

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39 thoughts on “Monday Open Thread”

  1. May 4, 1970

     

    13 students shot by the Ohio National Guard while peacefully assembled at Kent State University
     

    Killed

        Jeffrey Glenn Miller; age 20

        Allison B. Krause; age 19

        William Knox Schroeder; age 19

        Sandra Lee Scheuer; age 20

     

    Wounded 

     

        Joseph Lewis, Jr.

        John R. Cleary

        Thomas Mark Grace

        Alan Michael Canfora

        Dean R. Kahler

        Douglas Alan Wrentmore

        James Dennis Russell

        Robert Follis Stamps

        Donald Scott MacKenzie

    2. When I was in grad school at OU in Athens, Ohio the 'spring riots' were explained to me as being a recognition of the Kent State shootings. The students there fled to Athens and expressed their rage on  that campus.

      The 'observances' I was part of started with much drinking and then, when the bars closed an hour early due to the change in DST, a riot ensued.

      Townies (think Michigan Capitol lockdown protesters) enlisted by the local police assembled at the north end of Court St dressed in riot gear, a horse or two and equipped with kneeknocker wooden pellets that they fired at the students (I still have one) and pushed us all back onto campus. Sometimes an eye was lost.

      Not a great way to solemnize the event, IMHO, but you did get some sense of what it was like on the Kent State campus that day.  Total police state.

  3. $rump town hall with Fox at Lincoln Memorial on Sunday, May 3, 2020. He said that if 100,000 die from coronavirus, it still would have been worse under another administration. That’s the kind of head-spin you need an exorcist to cure. 
    UPI story and jarring image here.

    Why is he choosing Lincoln’s memorial for this travesty? 

    a. Lincoln was a Republican.

    b. Lincoln was photogenic, and still gets good ratings.

    c. More people died in the Civil War (~620,000 by latest historical estimates) when Lincoln was President. 
     

     

     

    2. “Most people don’t know this, but Abraham Lincoln was a great stock market President.  Not as great as me, obviously.  But, still, pretty great. I mean, his stock market was at what — 3, maybe 4?, and thanks to me, my stock market is at 23,500. 23,500 – nobody said that could ever be done. And we’re going to be at 30,000 soon. Very soon. Believe me.

      But, Lincoln was wrong with that, ‘This Civil War and preserving the Union will only kill 15 people, and then it will be over like a miracle’ thing that he said. But he probably didn’t. Just like I never did. Because you know the dishonest news media reporters never get it right!

      So, great President. Not as great as me, but he did put his name up on Rushmore. Maybe wrong about that thing he said, that he never said, but who really knows? So, pretty great.”

  4.  

    for your consideration…from Axios.

    Chinese embassy publishes 16-point coronavirus rebuttal

    The Chinese embassy in Germany has posted to its website a 4,600-word rebuttal of 16 common criticisms of China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak, depicting Beijing itself as a victim of disinformation.

    Why it matters: The rebuttal comes amid a "global battle of narratives" between China and western governments over blame for the pandemic.

    Written in a "true or false" fact-checking style, the German-language post seamlessly blends fact with propaganda in a sophisticated attempt to persuade German audiences that China's response to the coronavirus was blameless.

    What they're saying: The 16 statements — or as the post calls them, "myths" — include a mix of conspiracy theories about the virus's origins, racist stereotypes against Chinese people, and factual reporting that the Chinese government casts as flawed.

     

    Some examples:

    "Myth # 1: China created the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in a lab."

    • The embassy's take: "Fact: The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is of natural origin."
    • Axios fact-check: The list starts off with what is indeed a widely debunked conspiracy theory, citing the prestigious science journal Nature in its rebuttal.

    "Myth # 6: China arrested doctors who warned the world about the virus early on to cover up the outbreak."

    • The embassy's take: "Fact: No doctor in China has been arrested for warning of an epidemic. Doctors who have reported a possible outbreak have been recognized by the government."
    • Axios fact-check: Eight Chinese doctors were detained and interrogated by the Wuhan security bureau on Jan. 1 after they shared information about the new virus and warned colleagues of its dangers. It is technically true that detention and interrogation are not arrest.
    • Three months after this incident occurred — and after the coronavirus-related death of the one of the doctors, which spurred intense national anger and demands for freedom of speech — the central government changed course and recognized the doctor as a national hero.

    "Myth No. 9: China is preventing Taiwan from joining the WHO, which endangers the health of the people of Taiwan."

    • The embassy's take: "Fact: Taiwan is part of China and not a member of the United Nations. It is therefore not legally permitted to join the WHO."
    • Axios fact-check: This equates a Chinese foreign policy position with fact. It also fails to mention that Taiwan lost its membership in the UN, and thus its membership in the WHO, only because of Beijing's lobbying.

    Context: China is currently waging a major diplomatic campaign to refute western government attempts to hold the country accountable for the coronavirus's global spread. 

    https://www.axios.com/china-embassy-coronavirus-disinformation-propaganda-c50db506-d84e-4418-bdcd-537bdff17615.html

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    1. Rs are going to blame China and Obam, and also her emails.

      They will claim Obama’s deficit wwas gone before the virus
       

      Oddly, they will clamor for release of liability while also telling the rest of us there is no real risk

  5. What I find so ironic about this push to choose the economy over the elderly is that the elderly have been a core Republican bastion of reliable voters and now 1) Republicans want to kill them off as parasites on society and 2) the elderly might not be so keen on voting for assholes who want to kill them.  By the time the Trump regime is done, it will have alienated every voting bloc in it's constituency except for the crazy extremists.  Fitting that it is the one voting bloc that will never forsake Mr. Potatohead.

    1. You noticed that, too? Some of these Congresscritters who aren’t interested in helping to save their elderly constituents are about the same ages. The only difference? Being a Congressperson/Senator comes with free gold-plated healthcare.

  6. Journalist Allen Best does (another) great piece on issues involving a transitioning rural and green energy landscape in Colorado:

    Upheaval & Tension in Colorado

    The breakaway of Delta-Montrose provides a microcosm of the tensions and upheavals in the energy world in the 21st century. The century began with mostly large, central coal plants, but they are rapidly being replaced by renewable generation that is far more dispersed. That shift poses major challenges to the business model of not just Tri-State but other utilities as well, both those privately owned that serve primarily urban areas and those like Tri-State created to supply electrical cooperatives in mostly rural areas.

    The upheaval is far from over. In addition to Delta-Montrose, Tri-State lost another member in 2016 and now has two of its three largest members banging on the door, trying to get out. After Delta-Montrose leaves, these two large members will between them represent close to 30% of total electricity delivered to Tri-State’s 42 remaining members. Tri-State has been steering a sharply altered course, but it’s an open question whether it can survive. It clung to coal, and it’s true that at one point coal kept the lights on. Whether it clung on just a little too long is a question still unanswered.

     

    1. Excellent article.

      I've been significantly involved in Pueblo's attempts to "off ramp" from their 20-year franchise with Black Hills Energy (they're in the 10th year of the franchise and the law allows them to exit). Black Hills is one of Colorado's two IOUs (investor-owned utilities). The Pueblo City Council voted to put the issue on the ballot, though NOW 4 of the 7 Council members are openly fighting the break away. Pueblo voters will have their chance at local control of their electric utility at the election tomorrow. But Black Hills has secretly funneled at least $1.5 million to a committee fighting the YES on 2A effort. They have set up two committees – one receives the money from Black Hills, then donates it to the issues committee which reports that most of their donations are from the first committee (in other words, Black Hills' contributions are hidden from public view). Meanwhile the grassroots campaign to oust Black Hills has been able to raise only a tiny fraction of what Black Hills has contributed to defeat the ballot measure.

      Black Hills management folks will not discuss the issue in public, and were no-shows at a League of Women Voters forum some weeks ago. They just spend their millions on radio, TV, and newspaper ads full of lies about themselves and the proposal to break away (and one wonders how money is being funneled to the 4 on Council who now oppose the break away).

      Folks who live in the six counties in southern Colorado who are served by Black Hills electric pay about the highest rates in Colorado. I have a home in the Black Hills area and a home served by Xcel. Over a two year period my cash out-of-pocket to Black Hills was 77% more per kilowatt hour than to Xcel. The high cost of electricity for residents and businesses is tough in an area of the state with a much higher poverty rate than the statewide average, and has clearly had a negative impact on economic development.

      There's no question there need to be changes in Colorado law re: IOUs – communities have little power to determine what will best serve them.

       

      1. That’s so great you’re involved.  I don’t know if you remember, but in late 2006/early 2007 (just after Ritter was elected) we had put together a group of leaders and financial people (led by Frederico Pena)  to extract Pueblo from the old Aquila contract.  

        Early on we discovered Pueblo had an exit scenario in their franchise agreement – they could have rejected the Aquila sale and taken their infrastructure back.  We held meetings at CSU-Pueblo and on at least two occasions met with the Pueblo City Council.  The idea was to transition from a coal-fired power steel town to the first city in the United States to be powered by renewable energy.  There just wasn’t enough horsepower on the (then) city council to take this on.  They were getting blasted by a shadow group (funded by the utility) that they couldn’t even manage the water utility, how in the world could they be trusted with your electrons? 

        To complicate things, Aquila bought most of their wholesale electric power under contract from Xcel at the time; Xcel had hoped to use that expiring contract as a sledge hammer to pick Pueblo up as a customer – and wasn’t happy about getting outmaneuvered by Black Hills. Their next move (Xcel) was to cancel the wholesale contract (one might describe that as ‘spite’) forcing Black Hills to build those horrendously expensive natural gas units to make up for the grave Xcel was digging for Black Hills – and the pillaging of the Pueblo customer base commenced.  

        Round-and-round they went. Pueblo residents were thrown under the bus.  Black Hills isn’t the only one to blame.  Xcel has dirt on their hands, as well as the PUC (at that time). 

        It makes me ill to think of the money that’s been unnecessarily bled from Pueblo over the last 13 years. 

      2. Realist, we probably met when I lived in Pueblo about 7 years ago. If not, we should have. Black Hills was definitely one of the worst utilities I’ve ever had. They cut off my power at some point- I remember cutting a lot of wood for heat. Then they charged me some outrageous reconnect fee. They also consistently lied to consumers about their costs and profits, and it sounds as if they still do. Hick’s PUC Chair nominee, Glenn Vaad, enabled them to continue their gouging.
        Frances Koncilja fought for Pueblo against Black Hills for three years on the PUC, and the BH energy  whores attacked her nonstop for it. When her term expired, Polis didn’t reappoint her, which was disappointing. 
         

        You should consider writing a diary on the ongoing struggle to curtail BHE greed. Best wishes for the election tomorrow- May the good people win!

        1. Thanks, kwtree and Michael – I don't live in Pueblo but I have a small home (now a second home) in the BHE service territory, and have been actively involved in this battle for more than two years. I've heard a lot of the history from Pueblo folks – it really is a mess. The gas-fired power plants that BHE built – one of them is used two days per year I'm told – but of course BHE (under current law) can recoup all their costs from customers through predatory rates. A former manager with Xcel says BHE was TOLD that Xcel was ending the supply of power to the service territory BHE acquired from Aquila. I'm guessing BHE saw an opportunity to make money by building power generation which can be charged to ratepayers. 

          Some day I'd love to hear the inside story re: why Polis didn't reappoint Koncilja – my guess is the answer is obvious (and Koncilja recently alluded to this) – Black Hills put pressure on the Governor to get her out of there. In recent years (during the time Koncilja was on the PUC), Black Hills was forced to change some of their draconian policies such as requiring the equivalent of 3 mos of charges to be paid as a deposit when someone's electricity was turned back on, in addition to any arrearages. For many years local charities helped people get the power back on – in other words, they made sure BHE's revenue flows didn't suffer!

          I hope the YES on 2A folks win tomorrow – but it would be a miracle in a David vs. Goliath battle. Either way the battle is far from over. I've spent a number of hours phonebanking for the last 1 1/2 weeks for the effort – of course talking to voters is always a reminder of how ill-informed many of them are . . . 

           

  7. I got pulled into a CIVIQS poll this morning, asking the usual favorable/unfavorable questions about Trump, and now Biden.  The shift was the addition of Gardner & Hickenlooper. 

    Could be a new published poll on their site sometime soon.

      1. Probably the kiwi bird will be unhappy as well.  Her last announced fave, Lorena Garcia, fell way short in her petition drive but was asking a court to put her on the ballot.  The primary was already complicated when another court put michelle warren on the ballot because why not?

        Sec State has to certify ballot May 7.  We'll see how many left outriders will drain off support from Romo as he tries to derail Hick. 

        What say you, kiwi?  Any updates on standing of your faves?

        1. You talking to your imaginary friends again, V? If you want a serious reply from me, address it to the alias I use on here (kwtree), or to my real first name, which you know. I’ll write a diary / interview with Lorena Garcia, when I get to it. 

          As of now, Lorena Garcia will be on the ballot. The judge decided in her favor, as she met signature requirements , turning in over 14,000 before CV curtailed all in person activity.

          Unless the Secretary of State successfully appeals the Judge’s decision, Lorena Garcia will be on the primary ballot.

          Michelle Warren will not be on the ballot, having collected very few sigs, and using the Senate run as a book publicity stunt.

          Eric Underwood, also not on the ballot, for similar reasons 

          1. Love the tartness KW.  Just the right mix of sweet and Fuck You.

            Garcia should be running for something a little more in her ability range like a city council or state legislature seat.  She's not going to win but maybe the exposure will help her with some other public service opportunity.  I wasn't that impressed with her when I met her.  She was always running other folks down to build herself up.  Classic warning signs of a scapegoater.

          2. your account is contradicted by the stories that have been on pols and that are summarized in the big line, flightless bird,  The judge put  warren and later garcia, on the ballot, though the colorado supreme court may yet change that. Did you mean to say Diana Bray didn’t”t make it? She did not.

              1. I don't think either Garcia or Warren has a serious chance, but they could hurt Romo by splitting the anti-Hickenlooper faction.  I'll vote for Hick as the more electable of two fine candidates.

                1. Oka y, Colorado Sun reports Colorado Supreme Court tossed warren off the ballot today on a unanimous vote.  That strongly implies the court will also toss Garcia off if and when sec state appeals the denver judge’s ruling that pot her on.

                  That would mean two well qualified candidates facing off head to head, Romo vs. Hick, with no complications.

                  Some d ays the good folks win.

            2. I stand by the statement that Romanoff, Garcia, and Hickenlooper (in that order) will be on the Senate primary ballot in June. Warren, Underwood, Zornio. Bray, Spaulding, and all the other impressive candidates who dropped out earlier will not.  Spaulding has endorsed Garcia. 
               

              Secretary Griswold is challenging Warren’s attempt to get onto the ballot, but so far she has not chosen to challenge Judge Baumann’s decision regarding Garcia. The CO Supreme Court, therefore, will not be ruling on Garcia’s ballot access unless Secretary Griswold challenges it. Hence, Lorena Garcia is on the ballot.

              The Big Line is not infallible.

              1. You is.not infallible either, flightless bird.  Read my above post.  Colorado Supreme Court just tossed warren off the ballot 7-O, and will almost certainly do the same to the other wannabe, Garcia.

                The same denver judge, baumann, put both wannabes on the ballot though neither was close to qualifying.

  8. Just the right mix of incompetence and corruption we've come to expect from this administration.  Reeks of Trumpstink

    Before the pandemic, Trump’s stockpile chief put the focus on biodefense. An old client of his benefited.

    Robert Kadlec’s office made a deal to buy up to $2.8 billion of a smallpox vaccine from a company that once paid him as a consultant, a connection he did not disclose on a Senate questionnaire when he was nominated for his post at the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the contract with Emergent BioSolutions, Kadlec’s office is paying more than double the price per dose it had previously paid for the drug.
    The contract is part of an effort by Kadlec to bolster the nation’s stockpile of defenses against biological and chemical weapons, a focus he made a priority over preparing for a natural pandemic, an examination by The Washington Post found.

  9. So, the denial  lying  blaming Obama unfounded magical thinking miracle hydroxichloriquone. sunlight  blaming China  warmer weather  lysol  tweeting  my favorite pillow  latest corporate bail-out isn’t working??? . . . 

    As States Move to Reopen, Trump Administration Privately Predicts Deaths Will Rise

    As President Trump presses for states to reopen their economies, his administration is privately projecting a steady rise in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths over the next several weeks. The daily death toll will reach about 3,000 on June 1, according to an internal document obtained by The New York Times, nearly double the current number of about 1,750.

    The projections, based on government modeling pulled together in chart form by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, forecast about 200,000 new cases each day by the end of the month, up from about 25,000 cases a day currently.

    The numbers underscore a sobering reality: While the United States has been hunkered down for the past seven weeks, significant risks remain. And reopening the economy will make matters worse.

    “There remains a large number of counties whose burden continues to grow,” the Centers for Disease Control warned.

    The projections confirm the primary fear of public health experts: that a reopening of the economy will put the nation back where it was in mid-March, when cases were rising so rapidly in some parts of the country that patients were dying on gurneys in hospital hallways as the health care system was overloaded.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/04/us/coronavirus-live-updates.html

    . . . clearly then, this can only be some kind of messaging problem??

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