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April 11, 2009 03:56 PM UTC

Easter Weekend Open Thread

  • 88 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

All bunnies and pastel.

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88 thoughts on “Easter Weekend Open Thread”

      1. Yes – I proudly celebrate Easter, as does the rest of my family

        The foundations of Islam are Judaism and Christianity, with all three religions sharing the same profits, and for the most part, the same beliefs — I’m proud to celebrate all Christian and Jewish holidays, in addition to Islamic ones

  4. Flash back to 2006.  Colorado Pols posted a seemingly endless series of accusations against then-candidate Rick O’Donnell for a potential fundraising violation.  Rick had held a fundraiser featuring a Bush appointee and the organizer of the event had invited companies regulated by that official, as I recall.  Day after day, this site questioned Rick’s fitness for office.  Flash forward to 2009.  Sitting Treasurer Cary Kennedy solicits money during the legislative session with lobbyists names on the invite, in direct violation of state law.  Meanwhile, sitting State Rep. Jack Pommer incurs massive fines to the tune of $20,000 for failing to file his public campaign finance reports.  Pols’ coverage?  Zilcho!  What’s the difference between candidate Rick on the one hand and sitting officials Kennedy and Pommer?  Well, Rick was accussed.  Kennedy and Pommer are downright guilty.  And Rick was just a candidate.  Kennedy and Pommer are sitting officials.  But the real difference?  The real motiviation for Pols’ double-standard?  Nothing more than party registration.  If you ever needed demonstrable proof of the selective moral outrage from the lefties who host this site, look no further.

    1. Might make it easier to read.

      Also, if you don’t like the content on this site, you don’t have to come here. It’s a sign of masochism if you view this site just to have something to be angry about.

      1. and a very good observation. Touche Karate Kid.

        I think your suggestion that he not come here is kind of contrary to the purpose of a blog isn’t it Cartesian Doubt? Masochism? What?

        1. It’s like someone joining a social gathering and spending the time complaining about the beliefs of the others gathered together. Well, just find a gathering where you feel more comfortable.

          Now, this isn’t an exclusive club, and no one tries to ostracize anyone else just on the basis of ideology: Almost all of the participants here like and respect Laughing Boy as a human being, due to his clearly expressed good will, but I, for one, don’t agree with much of his political ideology. We’re still friends, even after heated debates. Because we both can accept the company of those we disagree with, and who disagree with us.

          So, accept the company of those whose company you choose to keep, or don’t keep it. It’s the suggestion that you (meaning KK) have a choice, not which choice you should make.

          This isn’t a venue where you score any points for twisting around other people’s words.

        2. I was merely saying that what some people here do can be likened to coming to someone else’s BBQ and loudly complaining that they’re serving meat.

          They visit just to have something to be angry about, and make inflammatory statements for the sake of inviting angry responses.  

    2. with links to back it up. It will get front paged.

      I’ll agree that this site leans liberal and that Pols themselves have become more blatant in their biases. But an equally large part is you have liberals here writing solid diaries that get front paged while on the conservative side – not so much.

        2. Seriously, right-wingers are just lazy people on the whole. They fantasize about being rich tycoons while leeching off their parents and complaining that the government is holding them back.

          Just kidding, I know one or two with jobs.

    3. Or operating with a different handle.

      Something like Moonraker looks awefully close in ideology, to pick one I can remember.  Can’t recall if he used paragraphs or not.

      Kate, is that you?  

      1. Do those FPL coal fired plants leave a death plum on the Everglades? I yes, you can spin that into the fault of the GOP right? Bush Crist, or someone else…

        1. are oil and nuke.  So far, they don’t impact the sunsets.  Of course, there is that glow to the north……..

          Big story in today’s paper about new photovoltaic plants being planned and in the offing.  So what do they show as an example of one? Aerial view of DIA.  Ha ha!  I tell ya, the motto of FL should be “Always in catch up mode.”

  5. Bachus has a list, and he’s checked it twice.

    “Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) puts the number of socialists in the House at 17.”

    I was wondering how this nutjob could ever get elected, but then I saw his party (R) and where he represents (Alabama), then I wondered no more.

    http://briefingroom.thehill.co…

    Here’s the punchline: “Bachus, the top Republican on the House Financial Services Committee, actually voted for last fall’s bank bailout that other Republicans had opposed and criticized as socialism.” Hypocrisy, anyone? And also, who are the 17 Socialists? He has a number, but no names? Why, that’s like a budget with no numbers!

    Be vewy vewy quiet. I’m hunting Socialists!

    Hahahaha!

    Between Rep. Bachus and Michelle Bachmann calling for a media Elmer Fudd-like investigation of Congress looking for wabbits, or Socialists, or Daffy Duck, the Republican party is in good hands. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

    RNC Chairman Steele: No Recession becuase the malls are full of people.

    http://thinkprogress.org/2009/…

    Let me get this straight. He sees a lot of people in the mall, can’t get a table at a restaraunt, so there’s no recession? That’s reassuring.

    Teabagging Party!

    Go ahead, Conservatives. Tea bag the government before they tea bag you!

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

    http://www.urbandictionary.com…

    Are there that many Conservative closet cases?

    As Dennis Miller used to say, “that’s the news, and I am out of here.”



    1. for the days when Joe McCarthy could wave his grocery list around, claim it contained names of Communists, and get on the front page of every newspaper in the country.

      Those were the days.

    3. Why pay for all the statistical information on the economy from Labor Dept, Commerce, Treasury, etc. when we can get all this information just by going to the mall !!!

      On the other hand, maybe all those people are at the mall because they got thrown out of their foreclosed homes and have nowhere else to go.

    4. most of the teabaggers will be getting a tax CUT and most of the bail outs they object to are left over from the Bush administration. Ditto the deficit and the crashing of the economy.  I guess they are all people who have opted for the alternate reality the Bush team bragged about creating. The one where Cheney and Rove live.

        1. How this constitutes a reply to my comment escapes me. Guess you couldn’t come up with anything addressing the main point.  The tea bag protesters are mainly all going to get a tax break so what are they protesting besides the mess the Rs they voted for created over the past 8 years?  

          1. The owner of the Flavour of Britain store keeps a stiff upper lip but can’t hide her dismay as bailouts flow to AIG and the like while struggling small businesses are left to sink or swim.

            David Lazarus

            April 12, 2009

            Diane Krup spent more than $200,000 four years ago to buy a small shop in San Juan Capistrano that sells British foods and knickknacks. Then the recession hit.

            Krup hasn’t taken a salary in over a year, and she has been steadily losing money for months.

            She expects to be out of business soon.

            “Where’s my bailout?” Krup, 49, wants to know. “I’m not asking for a golden handshake. I’m not asking for a lot of money. But there needs to be some way to help small businesses during times like this.”

            …

            “Maybe I’m just having a boo-hoo pity party,” Krup said in her tidy British accent. “But something isn’t right when AIG and the banks and the car companies are given all this money for doing such a terrible job, and the rest of us can’t get any help at all.”

            http://www.latimes.com/news/lo…

              1. You discuss tax cuts and bailouts in your posts, but fail to focus on the problem at hand for many Americans …. this woman [Diane Krup] who runs a business is wondering where her bailout is, where her tax cut is, when her business will be forced into bankruptcy?

                She has taken no salary for a year and is wondering why the government is foregoing her business … once she enters bankruptcy there will be no hope of squeezing any tax dollars from her company.

                Instead of fantasizing about teabag parties you’d be more productive if you could help reassure people like Ms Krup that these trillion dollar U.S. Treasury bailouts [some of which are her tax dollars] will trickle down to her at some point.



                I ask you to redouble your efforts to get this economy going, help your American brother and cease your primal fantasies on tea bagging.

                1. It was simply the subject I addressed so responses to something else are irrelevant. Speaking of “tea bagging” look it up on slang dictionary if you don’t know what it means.  I didn’t but you’re younger so maybe you do?  If not you’re in for a hoot.  

  7. Rockies won their home opener 10-3 yesterday beating the Phillies.

    Anytime the Rockies score 7 or more runs in a game, you can go to a any Taco Bell the next day and get 4 tacos for a buck between 4 and 6 pm.

    Taco tour resumes today….most welcome in the Bush recession.  

      1. OK, so after 4 pm I start out on the Taco Tour (this is hitting 2 stores so I get 8 tacos). I was floored when they told me I had to get a soda, at $ 1.20. What a RIP !!! I never drink soda, I always get water.  

        Man, I’ve been looking forward to this for months, thought it would pick me up from all the dismal news of the past few months……

  8. Who will succeed Peter Groff as Senate Leader?  It will be a nasty fight between Senators Tapia, Boyd and Shaffer.

    Who will succeed Peter Groff in the State Senate.  My pick would be Beth McCann who has impressed in the House.  

    My pick to succeed Jenn Veiga is Pat Steadman.  Pat was a leader in passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and will be a solid addition to the State Senate.

    2. It’s a contest between Morse, Schaffer and Boyd, in that order, for Senate president. And Good God, McCann isn’t even on the board to take Groff’s place in the Senate.

      You’re probably right Steadman’s in the lead for Veiga’s seat, but you’re way off base about the rest so we’ll have to take even that with a grain of salt.

      1. Are you referring to the same John Morse who was on the Joint Budget Committee gave it up to be number two in the Senate but got whooped handily instead by Betty Boyd. Why is he now the favorite after being beaten so badly three months ago for both the Number two position by Senator Boyd and the number four position by Senator Tochtrop?

        Beth McCann has loyal and dedicated friends. Don’t bet against her if she goes for the Groff seat.  Beth got over 50% of the vote against the candidates favored by Rep. Marshall and Senator Groff. Groff and Marshall worked very hard for their candidate even soliciting campaign dollars only to see him lose by over 20 points.  

        1. because all the Democratic women banded together. That’s not happening this time. Check your sources, Morse has the momentum (and I don’t say that as a Morse supporter).

          1. John Morse might be a good compromise choice.  He faces a very tough fight to stay in the Senate in 2010. It is tough to run the Senate and for reelection at the same time.

            Morse is a great Senator who has shown a lot of courage. I just don’t think anything has changed that would have Senators who voted against him in January vote for him now.  

        2. She lives in SD32, Romer’s Distirct

          Terrance Carroll is the only sitting State Rep in Groff’s district and I’m pretty sure he’s not giving up the Speaker gig.

          1. Thanks for the information.  

            I think it would be the smart move for Speaker Carroll.  He gives up being Speaker but in turn gets eight years in the State Senate.

            I am hearing that this is one nasty fight between Senators Morse, Tapia, Boyd and Shaffer to head the Senate.  

    3. if you really are a supporter of Pat Steadman, that I very strongly recommend that you follow Parsing’s advice, because you are doing Pat more harm than good. I wish I were enough of a conspiracy theorist to suspect that you might be a very clever opponent of Steadman, poisoning his chances by pretending to be him or a friend of his doing some horribly transparent and substanceless shilling, but that seems like too much of a stretch. Which is why you really should heed this advice: You are accomplishing the opposite of what you are intending to accomplish, and drumming up more doubts about than support for the candidate of your choice. Give it a rest, or give us some substance.

  9. The lickspittle liegeman lakey Lilliputian Gary Harmon reports on the lilly-livered lob.

    “Gov. Bill Ritter is pulling the strings in the legislative debate on the proposed $17.9 billion budget, which is predicated on large cuts to higher education, according to state Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction.”

      1. has to look like they are at least making the attempt to help repair Penry’s image.  You won’t find any lemming report in their pages.

          1. Just one part in that not-so-secret Tim Foster long range Penry stratagem?  Not sure if Faust is holding up his end of the bargain though.

  10. Salient points-

    Ritter is a communist socialist.

    Oil and gas regulations should be gutted.

    He has at least two votes (him and the wife)

    “What I hear from Republicans is enormous frustration, anxiety and anger about the way our lifestyles are under attack by Governor Ritter and President Obama. This is socialism!” declared Maes, who calls Ritter’s leadership, “Obama West.”

    …”It’s resulted in a loss of jobs because the oil and gas companies find that it’s much easier to bypass Colorado and do business in Utah and Wyoming,” Maes said. “People on the Western Slope will tell you the same thing.”

    The loss of jobs reduces tax revenue on the state and local levels, he said. The candidate would loosen regulations on exploration and drilling, encourage new energy sources and carefully balance the environmental impact.

    “Imagine an oil well with a wind turbine and solar panels in the same place!” Maes exclaimed.

    …Perhaps his biggest political fan is his wife of 19 years.

    “When I talked about running for governor, Karen flattered me for the first time in 20 years,” Maes recalled. “She said, ‘I’ve always known that you’d do this someday!'”

    http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/99942-newcomer-gop-maes-saddles-gov-race

    Note to Maes: Obama won Colorado, handily.

    2. So she insulted him the rest of the time?

      “Imagine an oil well with a wind turbine and solar panels in the same place!” Maes exclaimed.

      Way to impress the environmental vote, slappy.

      Good talking points, though. He stayed completely on the O&G/Penry/Wadhams script.

        1. sounds a lot like what happened to a friend’s husband. He was shot in some stupid accident in college and got a lucrative settlement out of it. I think these buddies are going to find themselves on the opposite sides of the court room aisle.

    1. Disruptive market shifts have been around for centuries, but are accelerating.

      For some more interesting reading, let me recommend this article about the originator of that theory — it might blow your mind — Joseph Schumpeter

      We’ve seen this in the computer industry that you and I are both in for at least 25 years.  The minicomputer ate the mainframe, and the commodity servers are eating the mid-range servers.

      The steam engine, the telegraph, the telephone, the automobile, the camera, etc. are all examples of sudden disruptive market shifts.

      Currently, electronic media and marketing are sucking all the money out of their print equivalents, even though the old media have had at least 15 years to adjust to the new technologies sweeping into their industry.  The tendency is to protect your markets, not destroy them.  As counter-intuitive as it may seem, destroying your own market is the best strategy —  or the competition will do it for you.

      That’s Rick Wagoner’s problem.  His 30+ years as a bean-counter at GM (he was always in corporate finance, never in one of the divisions, working with engineers) make him part of the problem, not the solution.

      As you say, he was doing his best to change a huge, hide-bound company, but after about 7 years, he was only just beginning to make a real difference.  Some of their newer products are actually pretty good (but ugly or at best forgettably styled).

      But unfortunately, 95% are mediocre at best.  The worst sin, even more than the crappy quality, is that their breadwinner – Chevy, has no style at all.

      Chrysler, ironically, has some of the best styled American cars, but their poor build quality just kept dragging them down.  Hopefully, Ford will learn, and hire some of the soon-to-be jobless stylists from Chrysler.

      I haven’t owned an American vehicle in nearly 20 years, but I’d love to give them at least one more chance, but only if they hold up their end of the bargain.

  13. from the WaPo – Marijuana is basically legal now in California

    Pot is now retailed over the counter in hundreds of storefronts across Los Angeles and is credited with reviving a section of downtown Oakland, where an entrepreneur sells out classes offering “quality training for the cannabis industry.” The tabloid LA Journal of Education for Medical Marijuana is fat with ads for Magic Purple, Strawberry Cough and other offerings in more than 400 “dispensaries” operating in the city.

    And not far behind of course comes the tax man.

    But in California, pot is such a booming growth industry that lawmakers are being asked to consider its potential as a salve to the state’s financial woes. Betty Yee, chairman of the California State Board of Equalization, endorsed a bill in February to regulate the estimated $14 billion marijuana market, citing the state’s budget problems. California currently collects $18 million in sales taxes from marijuana dispensaries, and Yee said a regulated pot trade would bring in $1.3 billion.

    So here in Colorado we would see what, maybe 130 million/year? Gee, if only we had a need for that level of additional tax revenue somewhere in the budget…

      1. Now that I got that off my chest… back on point:

        We are spending way too much on locking up non-violent pot users.  Legalizing it and taxing it just like cigarettes would help our state deficit and start to lower our prison population in one fell swoop.

        With fewer drug dealers due to a sudden drop in clientele, there would be less violent crime and less need for automatic weapons to guard their stashes.

        Then our police could focus on the really bad guys.

        Definitely a win-win solution. Prohibition for drugs is working about as well as it did for alcohol in the ’20s.  And back to my pet peeve: prohibiting guns appears to be problematic.  But taxation seems to be a pretty straightforward and effective solution to a couple of otherwise intractable problems.

    2. The US spends $13 BILLION a year on Mexican pot.

      1. Screw the Mexicans, we grow our own and put Coloradans to work with a real cash crop. I’m not not just talking about smoking it, there are a lot of commercial and industrial uses for hemp. George Washington grew hemp.

      2. State taxes it, funding goes to “higher” ed.

      3. Mexican drug wars end, because nobody needs their product anymore.

      4. End the war on drugs, pot tax also funds treatment programs for those addicted to hard drugs. Treatment, not incarceration saves taxpayers $38,000 per year per bed. Also frees up more bed space for corporate criminals.    

      1. My daughter who goes to CSU is down this weekend. I asked her about availability and she said it’s a piece of cake to get both drugs and alcohol. All we do is raise the price, encourage crime, and make it a forbidden fruit.

    1. or purely socialist countries for that matter.  Most modern economies are blended.  I find this poll =question stupid.  “Do you prefer ‘good’ or ‘evil’? ” Is it’s basic gist–it’s asking people to pick abstract absolutes that have no real corollaries in the concrete world.

  17. Worthwhile article on a group in Colorado Springs trying to do good, and trying to get noticed so that they’ll be in line to receive the funds to do good with:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04…

    The nonprofit group, a mental health counseling center with a growing number of military veteran clients and patients, wants to buy a half-built foreclosed apartment project near the Fort Carson Army base. Using military veterans to complete the construction project, the group would sell the buildings and use the proceeds to buy another property, and repeat the process.

    The group also wants to hire veterans as “peer navigators” in a buddy system to guide wounded and troubled veterans into civilian life, helping them with things like job applications and the fine print at the department of motor vehicles.

    All of this, of course, would take money – at least $4 million, though the group hopes for more. The startup cost of the peer navigator program might vary widely. With money from the $787 billion federal stimulus package beginning to filter down through state and local governments, Pikes sees its main challenge now as getting a piece of it.

     

  18. I believe in free speech, but this is indefensible.

    Tea Party Insanity: “Burn The Books!”

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…

    Which books, you ask?  “The ones in college, the brainwashing books, like the evolution crap.”

    I heard stuff like this before. Newsreels from Germany in the mid to late ’30s.

    Speak up, Conservative patriots! Defend these genepool poisoning pseudo-fascists!

    Oh, and by the way, the whole Tea Party Movement is a marketing tool, created and promoted by and for other tools.

    http://www.foxnews.com/politic…

    1. Good thing those folks managed to avoid having their brains washed with all of that conspiratorially commie pinko world literature and natural science! Where would we be without them?

      (Answer: More rational, better informed, and more able to address the challenges that face us as a nation and a world).

      As for free speech: By all means, let them speak. It is just incumbent on us to speak more compellingly. In an even remotely rational world, that we be a very low bar to clear.

    2. I haven’t seen the site in years, so my last memory of it was when it was full of “turn the Middle East to glass”-type stuff, at the beginning of the Iraq war.

      But Charles Johnson had a good post on Beck’s lunacy in general and this book-burning stuff in particular. And the real nuts like Atlas Shrugged seem to hate him. But he’s still conservative.

      Unlike John Cole, he doesn’t seem to have actually turned into a liberal, but he seems to have improved. When did this happen?

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