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April 16, 2007 03:58 PM UTC

Monday Open Thread

  • 104 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Sadly, yes it is.

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104 thoughts on “Monday Open Thread”

  1. To keep Gecko Happy- No National Enquirer this:

    Let’s look at Thomas Jefferson’s crowning achievement, the Declaration of Independence, and what a magnificent document it is too.  Despite the popular misconception that the Declaration specifically mentions “God-given rights,” it does not: it first refers to “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” sounding distinctly more Wiccan than Christian, and then to “unalienable rights” with which men have been endowed by their “Creator.”  Here, too, the mis-named “fundamentalists” assume too much when they point to the capitalized “C” in “creator” as proof of Jefferson’s Christian sympathies; read the whole document, and you will find nearly every proper noun capitalized, as was the custom in official documents in Jefferson’s day.  And, other than a final brief mention of “Divine Providence,” there are no other references to God or Christianity in the Declaration.

    What the Declaration does say, quite clearly, is, “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”  It then states “that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”  Once can only wonder what Jefferson would think of a president and vice-president who continue to drag the nation through a costly and pointless war that the vast majority of Americans do not support; of a president who vetoes legislation, such as that for funding of stem-cell research, that both the Congress and people desperately want; and of a president who embraces religious extremism over the Constitutional rule of law that he has sworn to uphold.  Would Jefferson not say that it was the right and duty of the people to remove  a chief executive whose rule has become so destructive and so counter to the will of the governed?

    Can you spell “Impeachment” – with a capital “I?”

    h/t Dragon-Minder

    On another note…here’s a quote to contemplate:

    “When the bumblebees disappear, mankind will have about four years left on the planet”…Albert Einstein

      1. given the stiff competition for the title, but Tom certainly got some things wrong (Disclaimer: I was a staunch Jeffersonian in my youth, and have gravitated in the direction of Hamilton since). As much as I admire Jefferson, I think his vision, had it prevailed, would have led to the country being swallowed by more urbanized, industrialized, and centralized fish in the course of time.

      1. President John F. Kennedy welcomed forty-nine Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962, saying, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House-with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

          1. Jefferson is brilliant and an amazing historical figure. That said I don’t think he was that great of a President nor do I even think we would be a Democrat today (much like Lincoln and the Republican Party).

            I actually find Hamilton to be much more progressive, as it were, than Jefferson.

              1. and, while less liberal, more prescient. As I already said, without Hamilton’s influence, counterbalancing Jefferson (Urban over rural, industrialization over agrarianism, centralization over decentralization), I don’t believe there would be any United States of America today. The experiment would have dissolved into a bunch of feuding little republics suffering much the same fate that the smaller latin american republics have suffered over the years (a succession of juntas, dictators, and so on). And there would have been no power in the hemisphere large enough to enforce a Monroe Doctrine: the European powers would have been all over this hemisphere, and the history of the past 200 years would have been completely different (not, I think, for the better).

                1. Yes Hamilton – and this is coming from a labor Dem.

                  If you haven’t read Chernow’s biography of Hamilton I highly suggest that you do. Suffice it to say I think it will change your mind. Jefferson has won the PR battle over the last 2 centuries but Hamilton understood the power of the Government to serve the interests of the People all the while Jefferson was pushing for the smallest federal government possible.

                  1. And it makes sense.  Every person and their philosophies have points that turn out to be right or wrong (execept me, of course, LOL)  Hamilton would have been right at home with modern Republicans who believe in a privileged class.

                    1. do you know anything about Hamilton and where he came from? He was a bastard immigrant from St. Croix who quite literally pulled himself up by his bootstraps.

                      To say he believed in a “privileged class” is an oversimplification at best. Also, I think you can make that same argument for a vast majority of the Founders, hence no direct election of anyone but the house, a republic and not a democracy etc.

                      Read Chernow’s book and enlighten yourself a bit. With Hamilton dying at such a young age Jefferson and his supporters had decades to pad Jefferson’s reputation by denigrating Hamilton.

                      I think Hamilton is very much a modern Democrat. The battle over the national bank really shows Hamilton to be the progressive in terms of the good the government can do. Jefferson fought that tooth and nail. Jefferson’s political philosophy revolved around small, limited government.

                    2. and I thank you for that information.  I wish I had time to read said book.

                      I especially appreciate your observation about Jefferson having time to pad his CV w/o Hamilton around!  Ha ha, and a good insight.

                    3. is to transcend such platitudes. Besides, current Republicans are Jeffersonian in their belief that “the least government is the best government,” and current Democrats are a bit Hamiltonian in their reliance on government to provide certain public goods.

                      I haven’t read any biographies of Hamilton, though my impression is of a person who was very civic minded, and who believed that his vision was in the best interests of the republic. If those beliefs have the appearance of being elitist, that does not in and of itself discredit them.

                      If the goal of political systems is to serve the interests of the human beings organized within those systems, we have to recognize the complexity and subtlety of the world we live in, and not try to reduce it to a few overly simple axioms. I disagree with Jefferson, for instance, that the best government is the least government, though I think there is wisdom in the sentiment. The more precise truth is that the best government is that which is finely honed to perform precisely the tasks that government alone can most effectively perform.

                      As far as the benefits of government by plebiscite go, I think they are highly overrated. I don’t want people to vote on what surgical procedure I should be subjected to, or how it should be performed: Why should I want them to vote on policies far more consequential (because they affect far more people) that require similar levels of expertise and analysis? The trick is to combine the mobilization of expertise and highly talented people who are paid to spend all of their analyzing complex issues, with a system for holding those people accountable to the public that employs them to act on that public’s behalf. The problem is a principal-agent problem, and not one that is best solved by simply eliminating the agent, leaving a cumbersome and confused principal to disintegrate into a Hobbesian war of all against all.

                      Reducing the political challenges of our world to a moral battle between the good masses and the evil elites really misses the nature of the real challenges we face. And, by the way, any effective argument against elite privilege would mean that all of us participating on this blog would be indicted as elites, if you think globally. I would defend that position (and to some extent do), if it actually would do anything to raise the standard of living of the masses. The problem is, that’s just not the way it works.

                      One of the things that galls me about the democratic party is its willingness to invoke the rhetoric of elites v. masses, while at the same time stridently defending the elite privilege of American labor vis-a-vis the laborers of the rest of the world. If the american left were truly dedicated to defending the masses against predatory elites, they would be staunchly in favor of globalization! Instead, they protect the wealthy workers of america against the “horrible” exportation of jobs to impoverished countries! That has always struck me as the most disgusting hypocracy.

                    4. …but I’ll only point out that the role of organized American labor is to protect American labor.  No different than we care about our family memmbers more than the folks down the street.  Very human.  Organized labor has also fought a largely losing battle to have labor and environmental standards made part of the trade agreements.  Somehow they always either get tossed or ignored if written in. 

                    5. that organized labor in america is organized to protect american labor. But, given that american labor, in a global context, is part of the wealthy elite of the world, how is the role of american labor any different from any other organization of the wealthy elite protecting their own wealth and privilege? And what right do advocates of organized labor then have to criticize other groups that protect the privilege of other sectors of the wealthy (or wealthier) elite of the world? The fact that it’s human, etc., doesn’t change the hypocricy of it.

                    7. the sun is shining, it’s a good day to be alive. By the way (and this is to everybody on the blog), never mistake my arguing a point for personal animosity. Friendly disagreement is a healthy thing, and not something I shy away from. If i feel strongly about something, I’ll phrase my argument strongly, but the passion is directed at the idea I’m addressing, not the holder of the idea (except on very rare ocassion, when I direct my response to personal insults to the person making them).

  3. that Citibank was going to lay off thousands of employees?  Or is my Alzheimer’s kicking in again?  Cuz today I get a mail,  “Citigroup’s adjusted profit exceeds Street average; revenue tops $25 billion” Poor, poor Citibank!  Must be pulling that same crap that Circuit City did.

    Correct me if I am wrong, please.

      1. Same umbrella, obviously.

        Same Circuit City bullshit.

        $25 BILLION isn’t enough profit, I guess.  After all, I think it’s about $10 BILLION behind Exxon-Mobil.

          1. My figure is annual. 

            God forbid that a company should make less money in one quarter than another, 11 percent in this case.  Many families go through gyrations at least as big.

            Big Business often seems to think that if their profits don’t go up each quarter something needs to be changed. 

  4. The following personal account/update by Stanley’s wife has been reported on a couple of sites, including KnowYourCOURTS.com and VictimsOfLaw.net:

    “At about 11:30am Denver time, as Rick and I were exiting our bank, a dozen or so swat team decended upon us. They fired stun grenades in order to disorientus and screamed at us to get down on the ground. They proceeded to tie our arms behind our backs, then handcuff us. As they were doing this we were asking “what is going on?” They merely told us that Rick’s bond had been revoked by a judge. They took him away, impounded our vehicle then they released me, having a female detective give me a ride home since I had no vehicle.

    “I just got off the phone with the booking department of Denver County Jail. I was toldRick is there on a “fugitive hold” from Adams County for bribery, 2 counts. Neither I, nor our attorney have any clue what this is all about! I assume this is all steming from the orig-inal “Influencing Public Officials” charges that he was convicted of and the Colorado Court ofAppeals just upheld the week before last.

    “When I called Denver County Jail they also told me that I can go down there at 7:00pm thisevening to see Rick. I plan to do so. I have been in contact with our attorney, Jim Bull, but unfortunately he is up in the mountains and unable to get down here until Monday morning.He is going to request a hearing in front of a judge as soon as possible on Monday to determinewhat is going on and to see if we can get Rick out on a new bond.

    “I will keep everyone informed as to what is going on as I get more information.

    Pam Stanley”

    1. another example of how everything is overkill.  I would guess that they had a discussion if they should just arrest him w/o drama, but went for the full Hollywod effects, also scaring the bejesus out of innocents near by. 

      Common sense seems to have become a casualty of our society.

      1.   I’ll call this what it is  –we live in a Gestapo Police State. Period. Anyone who denies that is probably the same person proclaiming that Iraq is not at civil war.
          If this report is true, why was his wife arrested (I’m well aware the case law regarding the “right” of police to detain and arrest individuals in proximity of a warrant-arrest for the officer’s purported safety)?  Why was their vehicle impounded? Why will his wife have to pay the City of Denver $150+ at the impound lot to retrive her personal property (the car)?
          When are we are going to say, “Enough is enough,” or should we all just go on about our busy lives and not concern ourselves with such matters, unless it happens to us or one of our own?
          To be honest, I’m actually *shocked* that a detective gave her a ride home.  Based on the stories I’ve heard about our Gestapo, they would’ve released her from the holding cell and told her to walk home or catch a cab, “Don’t call us; we’ll call you.”

            1. I saw accounts on both the sites you listed, but they were from years ago.  Mr. Stanley seems to be making a habit out of somehow needing to be arrested by well armed law enforcement officers of different agencies. 

              Did he bring any of that on himself?

              1. You know, there’s no question that this guy showed poor judgment in sending out these two memoranda to the two judges (see the Colo.App. opinion released about ten days ago: http://www.courts.st…).  However, it seems that the obscure charge of “attempting to influence a public servant” has been used on numerous occasions to prosecute ordinary Joes for rather benign or bizzare facts.  See, e.g., People v. Schupper, Colorado Court of Appeals Case No. 04CA1224, decided May 18, 2006 (full text opinion: http://www.knowyourc…_(ColoApp).pdf).  However, when an ordinary Joe presents uncontroverted evidence of a Denver attorney attempting to(and succeeding) influence a public servant, the Denver D.A. refuses to investigate, let alone prosecute.  (See, e.g., complaints posted at: http://www.knowyourc…).
                  Despite the Denver D.A.’s protestations to the contrary (see, e.g., Lynn Kimbrough, Denver DA’s Office response re: stolen laptop fiasco at http://blogs.rockymo…), this is another example of lawyers protecting lawyers and no one is protecting the public.

            2. I don’t think it’s funny.  You’re making it sound like the DPD is running around town, throwing grenades at nice couples doing errands.

              Those guys risk their lives every time they go to work for very little money – they don’t deserve fake stories about abuse and comparisons to Nazis.  If you ever needed them, they’d be there for you, just like anyone else.

              1.   Look, I’m not making this sound like anything.  All I’ve done is forward along a second-hand account containing a verbatim-quoted email purportedly from Stanley’s wife.
                  As far as your defense of “Denver’s Finest,” our “public servants” —- Pleeeeez.  No one made any of these guys take jobs as cops, so I don’t want to hear about how they risk their lives at every traffic stop.  Most cops, no doubt, are honorable people, but if only 5% are bad (that’s a ridiculously conservative number), then, in a city like Atlanta (with 5,000+ cops), that means you have 250 people running around at any given moment with a gun and badge. That should scare anyone. The fact is, many cops are cops because they like to see heads roll and they actively look for trouble.  Some got bullied in school and this is their chance to get back; others were bullied and want to make a lifestyle out of it.
                  I salute those, who work a job that has to be crappy much of the time but, who have faith in humanity, who have compassion and, who discharge the duties of their office with honor and integrity.  The rest of them are petty tyrants and should, instead, enroll in the Marines, where they can exercise their desires to bully and, yet, they’re confined to the base and have to check in their arms at the armory at the end of a day of training.

                  1. . . . and who’s a good officer?  I’m the same as you, who says that they, “risk their lives every time they go to work for very little money,” and if I, “ever needed them, they’d be there for [me], just like anyone else.”
                      Don’t think there are any bad police officers in Denver?  Don’t think there could be more than 5%?  Pick up the paper some time or go visit the Dept’ of Justice civil section Web site or Amnesty International or any number of a dozen or more watchdog groups that maintain statistical information and track police brutality in Denver and other cities.  Mind you, these are only the incidents that get reported and tracked  –we never hear about the myriad other incidents, which probably vastly outnumber the reported/verified ones.
                      The point is, I/we have a right to expect the police to act with integrity and honor every day they put on the uniform, gun and badge and take to the streets.  If you’re arguing against that or in support of so-called street justice, then there’s really no point to this discussion, because you’re arguing for the police state.
                      Listen, don’t confuse me with Rick Stanley. I don’t know the guy; I wouldn’t have brought a loaded pistol to a public event (regardless of my beliefs about the Amendment II); and I’m not a member of the NRA, citizen militia or any other group.  And I don’t listen to G. Gordon Liddy.

                    1. There are bad cops.  They’re just people. They’re also held to a much higher standard than anyone else in society. Take 100 of any profession, and you’re going to have bad apples.  Because of their authority, it’s much more egregious to have a bad cop than a bad, say, hairstylist.
                      I agree with you in some ways, but you apply your hatred of law enforcement too broadly, and your initial post had few details, and no background on the scumbag that you now claim “not to support” even though you posted a news bulletin-style post about him.

                  2. Going up to your first comment, this post started off with the caveats of this is what I heard and if it is true.  That’s a hell of a lot more honest than the right’s methodoly of stating a smear as fact, then when proven false, they just say nothing and move onto the next smear.

                    Second, IF THIS IS TRUE, the issues are not what you bring up, how brave the PD is (it’s easier when you have a badge, a gun, and the culture), it’s IF there was an abuse of power.  Using a sledge hammer when you can use a fly swatter.

                    It is not only the right, but the duty of every American to protest excessive power IF used.  America is in far greater danger of succombing to authoritarianism (can you handle 7 syllables?) than anarchy.

                    1. “If” is the lynchpin.  This story has a giant “if”, and I think it’s unfair to walk around thinking the DPD is a “Gestapo”.  It’s offensive to me.

                    2. I’m sure that dead Mexican they killed a few years ago would disagree if he could. 

                    3. A fiasco.  The bottom line, though, is that they shouted “Police” three times in english and spanish, and he still fired on them.  It’s generally not a good idea to shoot at the SWAT team.

                    4. But that’s another story.

                      The guy is dead asleep when the percusion bombs start going off. 

                      An easy one to Monday morning quarterback.  It was still over the top.

                      And if you are a lying cop, you get to keep your job.  And life.

                2. The following rate higher:

                  Driver, sales workers,
                  Farmers
                  Construction
                  Misc. Ag
                  Groundsworkers (!!)
                  Laborers, freight, stock handlers
                  Carpenters

                  Finaly, Cops.

                  Another huge cultural myth.  I’ll grant you that when an officer dies in the line of duty, he or she is doing it for me, the taxpayer.  But that doesn’t change the stats.

                  Another eye opener is that a man is about 11 times more likely to die on the job than a woman. But once a year we hear all this garbage about income inequality using the annual incomes and not the hourly or salary to compare, which is what it should be.

              2. . . . from the Rocky Mountain News, by columnist Bill Johnson: “Already I can hear . . . ‘These are police officers who go out every night and risk their lives to keep us safe! We should thank them!’ I have heard this so often. But the funny thing is, I only hear it when yet another unarmed or defenseless person is swarmed, badly beaten or even shot and killed, and after I’ve had the temerity to call attention to it.” http://www.rockymoun…

                    1. I’m sorry, can you elaborate? Is there a specific case of DPD police brutality that you’re referring to?

      2. This story as told has to be total BS. 

        DPD has to account for things like flashbangs, and the SWAT team wouldn’t even be called unless the possibility of a suspect being armed exists.

        I have a feeling there is a major component missing from the account… I’m checking into it.

          1. Cuervo, after reading the factual background in the CoA opinion, I agree with you. Obviously, the guy was fuming at what he perceived to be judicial tyranny and his decision to write those two letters containing (what he probably thought was non-criminal language) was poor judgment, to say the least.  Now, he’ll get to spend six years in a state correctional institute at your expense and my expense for those letters.  I assume Stanley’s business will go under and, when he gets out of prison, I think it’s unlikely he’ll easily return to being a productive taxpayer.
              So, in the end, what was accomplished?  Perhaps, that a message was sent that, if you’re going to challenge the judiciary in Colorado, you better be more clever about it.  See, e.g., http://www.gazette.c… (Chris Bass jailed for nearly 3 years for insulting Judge Rob’t Lowrey); http://www.villagevo… (story of activist woman, who runs judicial watchdog Web site, jailed for requesting permission to speak at a judicial confirmation hearing).

            1. And he’ll likely not have to serve the full 3 months.  From the article to which you linked (and whicb you read?):

              You just can’t call a state district court judge a “dirty son of a bitch” and not expect to spend some time in jail.
              Christopher M. Bass, 41, found that out the hard way.

              Bass was acquitted by a jury late last year of felony drug possession charges, but has spent the past six weeks in jail for contempt of court.

              Fourth Judicial District Judge Robert Lowrey sentenced him to 33 months in jail on seven contempt charges after Bass called him an SOB three times, then added insult to injury by telling Lowrey to be quiet, refusing to answer Lowrey’s questions and refusing an order to shut up.

              . . .

              Local attorneys and judges can’t remember the last time anyone has been hit with a nearly three-year sentence for contempt.

              “That was a mistake,” Bass said last month from jail of his outbursts in court. “My actions were out of frustration and anger and in not knowing what to do.”

              For starters, he could have obeyed Lowrey’s orders.

              . . .

              Lowrey, who has been a district judge since January 2004, said he would reconsider the sentence if Bass successfully completes an anger-management class.

              . . .

              Court records, however, show Bass has consistently flouted the law – he failed to appear, or was late, to at least four court hearings last year in four felony cases. He faces trial in April for allegedly violating bond conditions last year.

              . . .

              Bass – whose criminal record dates to a 1998 theft case and includes arrests on charges he was driving drunk, escaped and committed forgery – is scheduled for trial Monday on a felony menacing charge. He allegedly fired a high-powered rifle in his apartment to scare his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend away, an arrest affidavit shows.

              1. The story says thirty-three (33) months, Cuervo, not three months.  Thirty-three months is a bit closer to three years than is three months.  The story also says  -quote- Local attorneys and judges can’t remember the last time anyone has been hit with a NEARLY THREE-YEAR SENTENCE for contempt -unquote- (emphasis supplied).
                  Note that the guy sat in jail for months and months (at our expense) on charges that were later dropped and other that he was acquitted of.  I suppose I’d be angry, too.  Now, he gets to spend thirty-three (33) mos. in jail, despite being found not-guilty on whatever the charges were, and how much you wanna bet that he doesn’t get “time served” for all those months he was awaiting trial.  Nosiree, those were freebies.

    2. Is this the guy who makes Jim Congrove, Pat Miller and Charlie Duke look downright stable and lucid?  He ran for U.S. Senator a few years back?

          1. What, I have to support Rick Stanley, find him credible and propose that you join his fan club in order to post a report regarding an email (purportedly from his wife) regardin an incident that apparently occured on Friday or Saturday?  You’re not making any sense.  Must I also be a supporter of Bill Bennett if I post a story or comment about Bill Bennett?

                1. LB could take any fact in the universe and connect it to another. Because you post a possibly disturbing story, you support the guy. ?????  I guess every journalist who wrote about Hitler supported him.  That’s LB’s “thinking,” careening wildly about, hitting lucid bystanders.  Everything you did and said is just fine. 

                  1. Lighten up, PR. I didn’t say he was Satan’s spawn, I just found his post to be ridiculous (like you undoubtedly find most of mine).  I’m sure he/she’s very nice.

                    It’s the third rule of Coloradopols:

                    I disagree with a leftie, therefore, I must be stupid or incapable of thought.

    3. and all kinds of information you wanted to know and never wanted to know about Rick Stanley found here: http://www.quatloos….

      . . .  including this latest email, purportedly from his wife:

      “RELEASE: Update on Rick Stanley

      I just got back from Denver County Jail a few minutes ago. I was able to visit with Rick for about 10 minutes after waiting aproximately [sic.] 2-1/2 hours. My sister-in-law and her husband were kind enough to take me down there and wait with me, although only 1 of us was allowed up to see him. We got there at about 6:40pm and they allow 3 groups of 10 in, starting at 7:00pm. I was in the 3rd group. He seems to be holding up well under the circumstances. He was allowed a shower this morning and he is still in the clothes he had on yesterday when they took him into custody. There is a large hole in the back of his shirt and a large bandage on his back from where they bean bagged him when they ambushed us yesterday. Apparently he was burned pretty bad by that. Needless to say, I am pretty upset about that! You know him though, he seens [sic.] to be taking all this in stride. I think he feels the worst that I was subjected to their abuse as well.

      We expect that he will be moved to Adams County tomorrow. Then he will hopefully get a hearing as soon as possible and a new bond set. I will advise everyone as soon as I get more information.”

    1. That certainly makes sense according to my experience in talking to fellow Dems and the latest poll results on this site, both of which reveal a preference for Obama OR Edwards over Hillary.  I bet it’s the same story in other interior west and midwestern states

    2. It’s scary.

      What does BO stand for besides BO?  Not much. 

      One of his aides told David Sirota that his whole campaign will be built on personality and not issues.  The fact that his is of mixed race, is articulate, and has momentum does not mean he would be a good president. This is as bad as GW; let’s face it, he was elected on personality, not issues.

      Every week that goes by makes me distrust this egoist more and more.

      I never thought I would say or possibly do this:  If BO is the Dem candidate, I would look at the R’s with new interest. And you all know how I feel about R’s. Or write in Al Gore. 

      1. in nearly every policy detail he’s let slip thusfar.

        He just looks a lot better saying it.

        I won’t be voting for either of those two no matter what happens.

        1. My point is that he generally has not talked about policy except in some broad concept, you know, like “justice” or something. I should hasten to add that’s AFAIK. 

          And how, specifically, does that equate to Clinton.

          To loosen up a bit, it IS a long way to the conventions, and here we are talking like it’s THIS August.

          1. and when you can pin them down, you realize they both want to just kind of tinker with health care through “private accounts” and “incentives” rather than anything that would work, and that they both intend to have the U.S. build permanent bases in Iraq and to leave an unspecified number of troops there forever regardless of how or when we exit this debacle.

            Obama talks in vagaries because he doesn’t (yet) have specific policies for very much…and Hillary is vague because she does.

            I agree completely with your point that electing a “feelgood” candidate is particularly dangerous this time, and that Obama is so far one of those.

        1. But it sounds like more of the cult of personality.

          Does he outline specific programs or brave stances whereby he would alter this mess that is known as the White House?  That’s what I’m looking for.

          1. belief he does.  It is a very specific book, that details his time in politics, projects and legislation that he has worked on, and many suggestions for further actions to take.

      3. http://www.workingfo…

        “Same thing for Obama, and not just because he has a magnetic personality. Though he was a community organizer, Obama’s Senate M.O. has been to avoid confrontation at all costs – and in my interview with him, he insinuated that such a posture is a deliberate goal.”

        People vote for Dems when Dems confront the abuse of power, not when they avoid it.

  6. He is shown in a photo in today’s Rocky Mountain News, talking on a cell phone and flipping through (and presumably reading from) a notebook all the while driving 55 mph.

    Great example for the DPS students, Michael.

      1. He’s reading mapquest, while driving. What was he thinking? How inefficient of him not to get lost while out trying to improve the quality of education across the state.

  8.   I have a question for our conservative friends who post here and who are so protective of their interpretation of the Second Amendment:  why do we never hear of shooting such as today’s in Virginia (as well as the past shootings at Columbine, Paduca (Ky.), and the shooting in Oregon by Kip Kinkle) in Europe? 
      As much as our wing nut friends like to trash the Europeans, and the French in particular, why does this stuff never happen over there?  Is it something in our drinking water?  Are the Europeans truly God’s chosen people and we are being punished?
      And in particular, I’d like to hear from Gecko, Liberalism is a Sickness, Rizzo and Blah with some enlightenment.  D.D.H.G.L.Q. could address the theological issue of whether the Europeans are God’s chosen people.
     

    1. . . . Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.  And, boy, when people want to kill a bunch of people, it sure helps to have good firepower!

      Deadliest shooting in U.S. history.  Tragic. 

        1. From the AP story on Virginia Tech shooting:

          “The president believes that there is a right for people to bear arms, but that all laws must be followed,” spokeswoman Dana Perino said

    2. I’m no gun nut, but in 2002, 16 were killed in a school shooting in Erfurt, Germany.  There was also the Dunblane, Scotland, massacre in 1996 that killed 16.  I don’t think it’s particularly helpful to try to make political hay out of tragedies like this.

      2. ….by not reporting on the routine gun carnage in Portugal or the Czech Republic. 
          I could understand CNN, CBS or the N.Y. Times not wanting to embarass the Europeans with too much coverage about all the gun violence in the Old World, but where are Faux News, the Drudge Report and the Washington Times when we need such investigative journalism?

    3. here and not turn this tragedy into a political football.  There will be time for that but right now let’s show a little respect to the victims.

  9. Can’t wait to hear Jim Welker’s heirs claim this has something to do with gay marriage, but it’s a funny story anyway:

    http://news.bbc.co.u…

    A Sudanese man has been forced to take a goat as his “wife”, after he was caught having sex with the animal.

    The goat’s owner, Mr Alifi, said he surprised the man with his goat and took him to a council of elders.

    They ordered the man, Mr Tombe, to pay a dowry of 15,000 Sudanese dinars ($50) to Mr Alifi.

    “We have given him the goat, and as far as we know they are still together,” Mr Alifi said.

    2. Her worst nightmare is coming true.  BTW, you refer to the goat as the man’s “wife.”  I take it this is a case of heterosexual beastiality. 

  10. McCain says today that if elected, he’ll make the Bush tax cuts permanent, balance the budget by the end of his first term, fix Medicare and Social Security, and eliminate all pork barrel spending. He doesn’t say how he’ll do this and continue the Iraq (off-budget-borrow from China) war’s $125 billion/year drain on the treasury. In other words, he’s spewing BS fucking wingnuts (ie., LB, Gecko’s, that Dobson dreamer, et.al.) knowing they’ll believe every word.

    Time to kick ass, blogosphere.

  11. I was considering writing a rant on gun control, but instead I’ll just reprint the healing words of Senator Edwards. We should all be so wise in moments of grief. Here is his statement, from his campaign blog:

    “We are simply heartbroken by the deaths and injuries suffered at Virginia Tech. We know what an unspeakable, life-changing moment this is for these families and how, in this moment, it is hard to feel anything but overwhelming grief, much less the love and support around you. But the love and support is there. We pray that these families, these students, and the entire Virginia Tech community know that they are being embraced by a nation. There is a Methodist hymn that gave us solace in such a moment as this, and we repeat its final verse here, in hopes it will help these families, as it helped us:

    ‘In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
    In our doubt there is believing, in our life, eternity,
    In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
    Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.’

    Our dearest wish is that this day could start again, with the promise of these young people alive. Knowing that cannot be, our prayer is for God’s grace and whatever measure of peace can be reached on this terrible day.”

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    I don’t want to make this event political, I’m just posting what was a gracious response.

    Robin

  13. It’s always a GREAT…. Monday!

    Then ther’s this:

    Global warming emissions up again; Bush team celebrates!
    It’s a sad state of affairs when global warming emissions go up, yet the Bush administration tries to spin it as a victory.

    That’s exactly what’s happened with the latest report on emission trends by the U.S. EPA. http://www.epa.gov/c…

    The EPA found that U.S. greenhouse gases overall increased by about a percent in 2005 from the previous year, continuing a long-term trend of increasing emissions.

    Even so, the EPA issued a self-congratulatory press release (below) noting the administration’s “unparalleled financial, international and domestic commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

    Sometimes you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

  14. It’s not often a remote event makes my so distressed, but this mass murder at VA Tech has me so.

    How many people died today to be sacrificed to that fucking almighty second amendment?  You know, the one the bazooka strokers keep telling us we need to keep our freedoms? 

    Well, part of freedom is being able to walk onto a campus on a beautiful spring day and not be shot. 

    As outraged as our country is and will be, we just ignore the approximately 22 people a day who die in handgun violence. In America, the land of the shorter lifespan.

    The only valid reason to have a handgun is that everyone else does, so “I” do, too.  Mexico outlawed firearms almost a hundred years ago, and until recently, citizens did not have to worry about being shot to death.  Yes, it’s the drug and crime rings in Mexico that have guns, but they weren’t used on Jose Seispack.

    And where do you think those guns come from?  Yes, our export to Mexico. 

    The City on the Hill has become the Valley of Moloch.

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