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May 30, 2012 03:43 PM UTC

Wednesday Open Thread

  • 32 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“Jests that give pains are no jests.”

–Miguel de Cervantes

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32 thoughts on “Wednesday Open Thread”

  1. In this 2010 robo-call, the caller misled more than 120,000 households to believe Democrats had already won, so they did not need to go and vote. Why crimes against minority groups, such as this one, are not seen as hate crimes, is beyond me. A financial penalty is a slap on the wrist for a crime that assaults democracy at its core, IMHO. Shameful.  http://www.baltimoresun.com/ne…

    1. Cronk’s crank is

      “Why crimes against minority groups, such as this one, are not seen as hate crimes, is beyond me.”

      Maybe voter suppression isn’t a HATE crime perhaps because no one DIES.  Perhaps you should look up what defines hate crimes.  Here’s some help:

      – FBI:  A hate crime is a traditional offense like murder, arson, or vandalism with an added element of bias.

      – US Congress:  … criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.

      Come on & get a fucking grip.  Robocalls = hate crime?  Voting is a civil right and suppressing vote in a non-violent means is a crime against civil rights but a fucking HATE crime?  

      Seems your humble opinion shows some shameful ignorance.  You know better and you insult everyone who has worked hard within the legal & justice system to define and prosecute HATE in this country.  But maybe you just misspoke and you should apologize?  

      1. Get a fucking grip yourself, dude.

        The FBI definition cites “traditional” offenses including but not exclusively murder.  Unless you’re engaged in some extreme vandalism, the result is not usually someone’s death (and if that happens, its probably homicide, not vandalism).

        Congress’s definition likewise refers to “criminal” offenses. Surely you know that there are lots of criminal offenses that do not require a dead victim?

        Furthermore, where did you get the stupid idea that criminal offenses require violence?  Ever hear of fraud? Burglary?  Copyright infringement?

        If there is any “shameful ignorance” being displayed, it’s on your part. So go ahead and apologize.

      2. The broader concept (not definition) of crimes committed against an identity group, is what I am talking about.

        It is not my intent to diminish violent hate crimes, only to suggest that any crime committed against a group of people because they are members of a group, is especially disturbing. We should have some special designation for all crimes that single out people based on race, gender, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, etc. Attempting to take away the fundamental right to vote from an entire group of people is a special kind of ugly.  

      3. Look again at the definition you just provided under US Congress. You don’t think taking away a person’s right to vote based entirely on their race fits in with what you yourself just wrote?

        Just because someone disagrees with you, doesn’t give you the right to personally attack them, by the way, nor do you have the magical power of knowing another person’s intent. Have a good day, Van Dammer.

        1. and I know I’m going to regret this, I don’t think the vote was suppressed based on “race”, but by party affiliation. In other words, had Mr. Henson seen a reason to stop rich white folks, he would’ve tried that. He needed Democrats to not come out, which is how the group he targeted votes. Specifically, voters of Baltimore and Prince George’s County, there is nothing to suggest Mr. Henson targeted any race at all, seeing as how all Dems in the area received calls. While something like 65% of the county is black, Baltimore is overwhelmingly Democrat. So even if we assume that the voter statistics line up with overall demographics, odds wise, that’s a fair share of white folks getting calls.

          I agree with VD in this case, hate crime legislation was (and is) a hard fought battle. Using it inappropriately should be avoided, especially in cases that don’t fall under the definition. In this case no race bias existed.

          Also, a million dollars for a job you were paid $112k for doesn’t seem like a “slap on the wrist” to me at all.

          I’m happy that the system worked and the responsible parties are being punished in a way that will make most people think twice. Happier that the ploy was unsuccessful anyway. Hope it was worth it, Henson.

          Quick sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P…

          http://www.elections.state.md…. (This is just an example of Baltimore voting.)

    2. The Secretary of State in Florida just mandated to the local election supervisors that they MUST purge 180,000 voters from the rolls until or unless such voters can PROVE their citizenship within 30 days.  ….bring their “citizenship papers.” Targeted dispoportionally are presumptive democratic voters….they may even been on the rolls as registered democrats.

      I don’t have citizenship papers, do you?  I have a passport that cost over 100 dollars, today, to obtain and a “computerized birth certificate” that cost $15 ten years ago and six weeks to get….

      Now, where the hell are the democrats? One of the mild mannered members of the national DNC, a Representative from FLORIDA thought that “maybe” the Justice Department might do something.  

      Now, NC, do you sense my frustration?  Time way, back in the day, when all good men (and women) were going to law schools to fight for the right and the truth, Florida would have been crawling with legal teams….law students under the supervision of brilliant legal  minds…filing injunctions against enforcement and law suits and doing everything possible to stop this travesty….

      Today?  NADA, Nothing.

      1. This from AG today

        By JOSEPH WILLIAMS |

        5/30/12 11:28 AM EDT

        Attorney General Eric Holder told a council of African American church leaders Wednesday that the “sacred” right to vote is under assault nationwide, with federal lawsuits and at least a dozen state laws that could weaken – or block – minority access to the ballot box this fall.

        Forty-seven years after President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, “overt and subtle forms of discrimination still exists,” Holder said in a speech before the Council of Black Churches. The twin factors of lingering bias and systematic assaults from the right, he said, means that “for the first time in our [lifetimes], we are failing to live up to one of our most noble ideals” – the right to equal access to the vote.

        The brief speech was a call to arms for the black church, which since the days of the civil rights movement has been active in fighting for equal voting right for minorities. Holder, who was warmly received by the audience, told them his office is “aggressively” taking on the task of protecting that right, including challenging several state lawsuits that would overturn key provisions of the Voting Rights Act involving redistricting in Southern states and strict new voter I’d laws that could keep minorities, the elderly and young people of all races from casting ballots in the 2012 election – which analysts expect will be decided by a narrow margin.

        http://www.politico.com/politi…

        1. Meet Bill: The 91-Year-Old Decorated WWII Veteran Targeted By Florida Governor Rick Scott’s Voter Purge

          Bill Internicola is a 91-year-old, Brooklyn-born, World War II veteran. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge and received the Bronze Star for bravery. He’s voted in Florida for 14 years and never had a problem.

          Three weeks ago, Bill received a letter from Broward County Florida stating “[Y]ou are not a U.S. Citizen” and therefore, ineligible to vote. He was given the option of requesting “a hearing with the Supervisor of Elections, for the purpose of providing proof that you are a United States citizens” or forfeit his right to vote.

          http://thinkprogress.org/justi…

        2. However, Holder is enforcing the special provisions of the 1965 (or was it 1964?) Voter Rights Law. There are

          certain states mentioned that the Justice Department is

          mandated to  oversee their voting practices and to enforce the law.

          I don’t think Florida is one of those states.

            1. Thanks for the link.

              (Hell, if I have gone to law school in 2006….

              instead of blogging here, I could be in Florida now…..

              I realize that there is a small matter of LSATs; and classes and passing the bar…etc….but I am sure that they handicap old farts….)

  2. In a refreshing change from our usual first poster, I thought I’d start with those facty-thingies….

    Military campaign money favors President Obama



    While the military traditionally votes for Republicans, President Obama is ahead of GOP rival Mitt Romney in contributions from military personnel, new campaign-finance reports indicate.

    Obama has a more than 5-to-1 edge over Romney in political donations from individuals who list themselves as employees of the Defense Department or one of four military branches, a USA TODAY analysis of federal filings shows. Army employees are the biggest source of military contributions to each: $108,571 to Obama and $22,004 to Romney.

    http://content.usatoday.com/co…

    1. First off Danny, nancycronk beat you to the lead in and as usual (91.57% of the time), no one replied to your drivel…er ah….post.

      Second, Denver City County apparently bestowed the position of Trustee on Douggy Bruce. Imagine that, he’s apparently cream of the crop within the institutional confines of Denver City and County. Worse, he gets out tomorrow after only 104 days….good behavior.

      http://www.denverpost.com/brea…

      What a joke, I can hear the tortured confusion as Democrats consider hollering cries for stiffer sentences yet are gagged by the delivery of cash from the trial lawyers constituency.

  3. Saw something for first time ever this morning and it puts Mitt’s ass-wholeness in perspective.

    I was driving up the Diagonal this morning on my way to work and there’s a Critter carrier top in the road forcing everyone to swerve & avoid.  Half mile further there’s a GMC Jimmy pulled over with the carrier’s bottom half still strapped on the roof.

    Inside the Jimmy was a tank-topped dude thankfully alongside a tail wagging husky  riding shotgun.  So even tank-topped Jimmy wasn’t so dog gone stupid enough to torture his best bud with a rooftop ride along. Had Spike been in the carrier Jimmy dude would have lost his dog today.  

    So just a little perspective for AGOP and some other Mitt apologists.  But hey Seamus was just a dog and it’s not like Mitt’s actions should really be any insight as to his decisions regarding living things in his care.

       

  4. Perhaps Trump’s time would be better spent checking the birth certificates of the undocumented workers at his casinos.

    But then why would he want to cut into his bottom line? He might even have to reduce his trips to his stylist for his comb overs.

      1. As long as the “media” is concentrating on making fun of Trump, they are not focusing on Romney….

        This is how you take over companies…

          1. and makes Romney look much less like presidential material for hanging out with the guy.  I just don’t understand how you all think this is some sort of brilliant orchestrated strategy.  Its just Trump being a stupid asshole.

  5. Mitt Romney’s New App Misspells America, Twitter Goes Wild

    The app

    … lets you customize photos with a variety of Mitt-inspired artistic frames.

    Slogans like “Believe in America,” “Obama Isn’t Working,” and “I’m a Mom for Mitt” are just a few of the Mitt-tastic phrases that can be slapped on your iPhone photos, proudly pronouncing your support of the GOP candidate.

    And don’t forget Mitt’s fan favorite:  “A Better Amercia” That’s A-M-E-R-C-I-A for all you Romneybots.

  6. http://www.washingtonpost.com/…

    Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) was ousted in Tuesday’s primary to former El Paso City Council member Robert “Beto” O’Rourke…

    President Obama endorsed Reyes, and former president Bill Clinton campaigned for him…

    The El Paso Times endorsed O’Rourke, saying Reyes made an issue out of O’Rourke’s support for marijuana legalization, which the congressman opposes. In one Reyes ad, a group of children say “no” to drugs while “Beto O’Rourke wants to legalize drugs” flashed across the screen. O’Rourke also criticized Reyes for directing campaign funds to family members.

    1. The Post said 500.  200 of which were miners bussed in for the event (whom the company acknowledged would be paid for the missed time at work).

      2. reported there was a crowd of 3,000 at Saturday’s Moffat County H.S. graduation

        http://www.craigdailypress.com…

        I guess folks can conclude what they want from the difference in attendance —

        * 3,000 at an event that occurs each year

        * 500 at an event that had not occurred in more than 100 years of Moffat County history (i.e. no Presidential candidate had visited

        You decide.

  8. Ex-Rep. Artur Davis Embraces GOP, Possible Run for Office

    By Shane Goldmacher in The National Journal

    Wednesday, May 30, 2012 | 11:36 a.m.

    The slow but steady metamorphosis of Artur Davis from Democrat to Republican is now complete.

    The former Democratic congressman from Alabama, an early and enthusiastic endorser of Barack Obama, announced this week that he is formally leaving the party to become a Republican–and is considering a bid for office in Virginia.

    “Wearing a Democratic label no longer matches what I know about my country and its possibilities,” Davis wrote on his website.

    Less than four years earlier, Davis had given one of the nominating speeches for Obama at the 2008 Democratic convention.

    His remarkable transformation, however, has not been sudden. For months, the onetime rising Democratic star–who lost a bid to be Alabama’s governor as a Democrat–has been talking and acting more like a Republican, writing for the conservative National Review, including one January column that called on the GOP to draft former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush into the presidential field.

    Davis has steadily refused to shoot down rumors that he aspires to run for office again, in Virginia and as a Republican. But this week, he admitted that, “If I were to run, it would be as a Republican,” although he was uncertain he would take the plunge.

    He was more tentative about whether or where he would run, suggesting that he has looked at “one of the Northern Virginia congressional districts in 2014 or 2016, or alternatively, for a seat in the Virginia legislature in 2015.”

    “If that sounds imprecise,” he wrote, “it’s a function of how uncertain political opportunities can be-and if that sounds expedient, never lose sight of the fact that politics is not wishfulness, it’s the execution of a long, draining process to win votes and help and relationships while your adversaries are working just as hard to tear down the ground you build.”

     

  9. BARBER DODGES QUESTION ON VOTE FOR OBAMA. First, Democrat Ron Barber, the former aide to now-retired Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., running for his old boss’s seat, wouldn’t say whether he planned to vote for President Obama. He later said he would. Now he won’t say if he’ll back House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to lead his caucus if he’s elected. It’s an awkward stance for a candidate who has seen hundreds of thousands of dollars from national Democrats poured into his race. He faces Republican Jesse Kelly in a June 12 special election.

    It’s getting tough for local Dems to run with the millstone of Obama, Pelosi, and Reid around their necks.

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