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May 20, 2008 03:27 PM UTC

Tuesday Open Thread

  • 42 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“That’s right, Mr. Garrison. Christopher Columbus discovered America and was the Indians’ best friend. He helped the Indians win their war against Frederick Douglass and freed the Hebrews from Napoleon and discovered France.”

–Mister Hat, from South Park

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42 thoughts on “Tuesday Open Thread”

    1. All they talked about were people running for National Delegate. I would think if there was a surprise Congress candidate they would have mentioned that.

      1. I just had it confirmed – Ed Perlmutter’s opponent will be newcomer John Lerew, a financial planner from Aurora. Lerew got 75% of the delegate vote at yesterday’s assembly, keeping Tom Janich off the ballot. (Janich could petition on, but won’t.)

  2. House Conservatives to Offer Ideas for G.O.P. Message

    Conservative Republicans in the House plan to urge their colleagues to rally behind a new manifesto that mixes antispending initiatives and tighter restrictions on government benefits as the party seeks a fresh message after a string of election defeats.

    Leaders of the Republican Study Committee intend to use a closed-door party meeting on Tuesday to present a seven-point proposal calling for a constitutional limit on federal spending, a new simplified income tax alternative and a proposal to require recipients of food stamps or housing aid to meet work requirements.

    The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Does this sound familiar?

    A draft of the conservative agenda calls for the endorsement of a constitutional amendment to prohibit federal spending from growing faster than the economy except in times of war or national emergency. The plan seeks support for an income tax overhaul that would provide a simplified flat tax and allow people to choose between it and the current system.

    The conservative proposal seeks tax credits for buying health insurance, more domestic energy production and a streamlined terrorist surveillance program. The draft also said that House Republicans should extend existing welfare work requirements to food stamps and housing assistance “so that those who are not old, young or disabled are either working in the private sector or serving in their community.”

    Their economic agenda worked so well in Colorado with TABOR they plan to take it national!

    1. I expect that their proposal would be the same sort of destroy government thing as TABOR, but the rhetoric of the proposal sounds a lot better than TABOR.  Thing of how much better off we’d be if there was just an upper limit on what percentage of the gross state income (all the incomes of all the citizens and corporations in Colorado, just like GNP for nations) of some percentage.  And requiring either a majority vote of the people to raise it or a super majority of legislators.  No ratchet effect, no need to have a ballot proposal just to tinker with the formula, etc, etc.

      The thing is that the Republicans will probably include some sort of time bomb or poison pill somewhere in the national proposal.  Which would need some other mechanism than a national vote to raise cap on the percentage of GNP the Feds could collect anyway, since I think a national referendum would be a bit unwieldy.  

      But, bottom line is that it sounds like a good idea but I’ve heard plenty of bad ideas from Republicans gussied up to sound good.  So I rather skeptical.

      Matthew

    2. unless they add one key budget constraint that Colorado has: Must have a balanced budget each year — cannot borrow and spend as the Bush Administration has done.

  3.    This time, it’s Vito Fosella (R/Adulterer-NY).  Presumably, his press release will cite his desire to spend more time with his various families as the reason for his retirement.

      Given what has been going on in La. and Miss. recently, this Staten Island seat should be another oppotunity for a Dem pickup in Nov., if the Dems run the right candidate.  

          1. As Josh Marshall pointed out, Fosella wasn’t just keeping a mistress and love child from his wife and family, he was keeping his wife and family from his mistress and love child. (Virginia wife believed Fosella when he told her he and New York wife were separated. Apparently she hadn’t seen his campaign brochures.)

            1.    Ouch….I hadn’t heard about that part of the story.  So he was being bilaterally dishonest.  At least he was even-handed and lied to mistress as much as to his wife.

                Has anyone reported him to “Promise Keepers” yet?  Fosella’s decision to retire to spend time with his Staten Island family only flies in the face what Promise Keepers (not to mention James Dobson) advocates:  that Dads are important, and every child should have a mother and a father active in his or her lives.

                Is this just another example of GOP hypocrisy?

    3. The way you phrased it, I thought you had missed the real reason for his leaving.  Then I re-read it – nevermind…

      It was only a matter of time before Vito dropped out.

      This district leans slightly Dem, so it’s a good pickup chance, but as of today the only Dem in the race is from Brooklyn, while the major part of the district is in Staten Island, and SI residence is seen as important to winning the race.  The DCCC is actively trying to recruit someone from the Island according to rumors.

      1. Dems can’t make any money either.

        I’m not sure what the point is here. Warren Buffet, perhaps the most accomplished businessman in the world, believes that the Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama will be a better steward of the economy than the lobbyist-in-chief John McCain. Where’s the beef?

        1. We hear republicans talk about how we should run government more like a business – and then we get highly successful businessmen like Buffet who see republicans have lost all credibility clinging to this mantra.  This is partly the result of getting an MBA president who ran our government into the ground with crippling debt, much like he ran Arbusto into insolvency until he was rescued by his father’s friends.

  5. Will Shafroth and Will “My Daddy is Bill Armstrong” Armstrong are so dumb that Doug Lamborn makes “how dumb are they…” jokes about them.  

      1. The two Wills are just so dumb.  Two dumb blondes vying to go to Congress.  Watch any of the debates these guys have been in and tell me they aren’t just plain dumb. Read the Shafroth press release accusing Polis of stealing his e-mail list and tell me a dumb guy is not behind that? Sorry Steve, but who can resist taking a swipe or three at those guys?  

        1. Look in the mirror.

          I’ve talked to Will Shafroth multiple times and the guy is very smart and thoughtful. Repeating something that is false doesn;t make it true, it just makes you look stupid.

  7. A good piece on this in Slate today with the link posted below.  It compares McCains’ plan for deregulation of healthcare to the deregulation of the credit card industry a few years back, whereby companies can file as a corporation located in whichever of the 50 states has the most lenient and favorable policies for them, and still offer plans in all 50 states.

    Good for insurers ?  check

    Bad for the insured ? check

    Bad for the uninsured ? check

    http://www.slate.com/id/2191699/

    1. Well, at least you can give McCain credit for developing a plan that takes everyone into consideration!  What other presidential candidate is looking out for the insurance companies like he is?

    2. It would create disinsentives for companies to provide health insurance.

      It would destroy the concept of risk pooling and risk spreading.

      It would force every american to become an attorney to negotiate the complexity of insurance contracting.

      It would expand litigation: without large actors on the buyside (employers) to enforce discipline on large insurance companies, as each claim would have to be negotiated in the courts by individuals.

      It would expand the range of policies, which on its face sounds good, but would increase administrative costs for doctors.

      And as the slate piece mentions, it would cause a race to the bottom on the financing of the healthcare.

      A shockingly naive view of american healthcare for a man who has had cancer.

      1. The the only time John McCain III might not have been covered by the government for his health care was from April 1, 1981 when he officially retired from the Navy until January 3, 1983 when he joined the 98th congress.

        1. He earned them, but McCain has benefited from government run socialized medicine from the day he was born, with nary a day living with the financial fear of illness.

  8. And, I thought my comments were stupid. That is an insulting post and a good reason why McCain may win in November: The arrogance of Democrats.  Yes, those in uniform get free health care.  Your point being?

    1. McCain hasn’t had to worry about health care coverage for his entire life, ever. No one begrudges him the health care — he was raised in an admiral’s house, went on to join up himself, and then went into Congress, all of which justifiably provide medical coverage.

      But for McCain to claim he has any idea what regular Americans go through is an insult to regular Americans. The man’s never lost a night’s sleep worrying whether he can see a doctor. One in three Americans worry about that every year.

    2. Now you just proved that you can’t think rationally.

      No one is knocking people in uniform getting health care.  But YOU read that into the posts.

      EVERY American should have the same access JM has had.  And has.  He’s also on Medicare, too. Damn socialists.

  9. I have posted a diary with the CD3, 4 and 5 results. The State ballots are still being counted and are expectged to be done and announced late in the day tomorrow.

  10. I’ll probably finish it in a couple of days. He seems to be a man with a strong sense of duty who’s still awed by the responsibility of his position.

    I’ve been impressed with him for awhile. He seems to me to be a man moved more by a sense of fairness than political ideology.  

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