U.S. West- Open Discussion

Posted by BooMan | Jan 11, 2008 | 83 |

Doolittle is retiring!! What’s up on the left coast?

About The Author

BooMan

Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.

83 Comments

BooMan on January 11, 2008 at 5:46 pm

New western thread.
mainsailset on January 15, 2008 at 12:05 am

Christine Gregoire (D) is giving her 4th State of the State address tomorrow…she started out with a $2.2 billion budget deficit and has turned it into a $1.2 billion surplus. If Rossi thinks it was a tough pull last time going up against her, he’s gonna go up in smoke this time. Wonder which party our ex-USA McKay will be voting with this go round.
- anarchronarchist on May 6, 2008 at 11:18 pm
  
  Why is she not mentioned in the Veepstakes?
  - mainsailset on June 29, 2008 at 5:36 pm
    
    She has been mentioned from time to time but she needs a bit more time in office I think. Good news is latest poll has her putting Rossi back in his cave
mainsailset on January 16, 2008 at 11:08 am

http://cliffschecter.bravenewfilms.org/

Sonar & Whales do not mix well Mr. Bush
fabooj on January 16, 2008 at 1:07 pm

John Edwards will be in LA tomorrow. Don’t know where, but it should be around 12:30pm. Hopefully, the Dem. twits here in LA can figure out something before tomorrow. But, I fully expect an email around noon tomorrow telling me where.

**

The Las Vegas caucus is on Sat. and the LV Dems need volunteers. From the email I received:

The Nevada State Democratic Party and Democratic National Committee are looking for volunteers to help with the “First in the West” Precinct Caucuses. The requested volunteer dates are Thursday, January 17th, Friday the 18th, and Saturday the 19th (Caucus Day). A mandatory volunteer training session will be held on the 17th at 8 a.m.

Volunteers will be expected to work “campaign hours” and duties would include helping manage at-large precincts, assisting NDSP staff with final preparations and project management, and assisting with reporting on Caucus Day. Most jobs will be headquartered near downtown Las Vegas, but based on need, volunteers might be asked to help out in Northern Nevada.

Each volunteer will be asked to provide for their own travel, and as of earlier this week, the NDSP was able to secure hotel rates of $55 per night for volunteers. Please contact Ana Mascareñas, who will be volunteering in Nevada, if you’re interested in helping out! ana.mascarenas@gmail.com, 323.715.1335 (cell)
- fabooj on January 16, 2008 at 1:09 pm
  
  Make that the Nevada Caucus is on Sat. and the state party needs volunteers. Sorry, the email was directed to LA people so Vegas was the initial focus.
- librarylil on January 16, 2008 at 2:21 pm
  
  sorry I read this so late but here it is in case you’re nearby and want to go —
  
  SEIU Local 721
  Office of Southern CA Public Service Workers
  1015 Wilshire Blvd
  Los Angeles, CA 90017
  - librarylil on January 16, 2008 at 2:24 pm
    
    oh yeah I was thinking it’s THursday alredy, when Edwards will be there.
  - fabooj on January 16, 2008 at 2:28 pm
    
    It’s just that the email I got yesterday said that was the tentative place and they were still looking. But it is the place they have up on the site.
    - librarylil on January 16, 2008 at 2:31 pm
      
      Yeah I got that one too from David Bonior and then he sent another one I sent straight to the trash thinking it was the same thing. I just looked and it’s a confirmation.
      - fabooj on January 16, 2008 at 2:58 pm
        
        I didn’t read today’s Edwards emails. I got like 5 of them this morning and they all looked to be donation or campaign ad emails. Thanks for the heads up.
      - librarylil on January 16, 2008 at 3:41 pm
mainsailset on January 22, 2008 at 6:28 pm

Just got a call from one of my favorite candidates running in WA state…if you haven’t met him yet, enjoy the experience, he’s great and we need more like him for the state

http://www.votepetergoldmark.com/

You may remember him from last go round on the east side where he ran against Kathy McMorris for Congress. Great candidate, out of touch voters.
mainsailset on January 23, 2008 at 11:42 am

Direct from the local Rep website, forwarded by the local chairwoman no less

http://www.horsesass.org/?p=4167#comments

Obama had better get on the dime to get after this shit.
Countdown ran a piece on Worst Person but it’s not enough.
Man Eegee on January 24, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Nezua a.k.a. The Unapologetic Mexican was selected as Oregon’s rep to MTV’s Street Crew to cover the ’08 Election. Here was his video for this week, covering Eugene’s MLK event: Because Dreaming is Not Enough
- fabooj on January 24, 2008 at 3:30 pm
  
  I was just going to check in on his site to see if he heard anything back on that.
  - Man Eegee on January 24, 2008 at 4:20 pm
    
    He’s already doing an awesome job. They are required to submit content each week through November. Another blog buddy of mine, Kyle, is representing Massachusetts. Pretty cool stuff happening on the citizen journalist front.
Man Eegee on January 30, 2008 at 4:25 pm

Bay Area BooTribbers:

Beach Impeach 5 is happening on April 26, at Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Helicopter(s) overhead at 11 a.m. sharp. Details being arranged. Stay tuned.

More at Brad’s website
- dada on January 30, 2008 at 6:22 pm
  
  manny, thought you’d be interested in this:
  
  Latino voters helped to propel George W. Bush to re-election in 2004, giving him 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in a tight election and setting a record for Latino support of a GOP candidate.
  But after seven years of Bush’s leadership, some leaders in the Latino community claim Hispanic people have suffered disproportionately under the Bush administration and many are now worse off in many respects than they were before he took office.
  
  “When President Bush came into office there was a lot of hope. He came in saying he would be a friend to the Latino community,” said Vanessa Cardenas of the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank in Washington D.C. “He promised that he would broker an immigration accord, but he couldn’t bring his party together. And what’s worse, his administration in the past year has focused on enforcing a broken immigration system.”
  
  In an article that appeared on the CAP website Monday, Cardenas compiled a list of statistics that collectively paint a bleak picture of the overall well-being of the Latino population in the United States. The State of Latinos in the Union includes no commentary. Cardenas says the figures on immigration, housing, education, health care and employment speak for themselves.
  
  colorado confidential
  
  lTMF’sA
  - Man Eegee on January 30, 2008 at 8:38 pm
    
    thanks for the heads up, dada
fabooj on January 31, 2008 at 10:57 am

If you’re in LA then you must attend the rally before the debates tonight:

Los Angeles: Debate Visibility Rally (Official Event)
If you’re in the Los Angeles area, please come out and support Senator Obama at our debate visibility prior to the Democratic Presidential Debate on Thursday, January 31st.

Look for the Obama signs and supporters, we’ll be in front of the Kodak Theater starting at 2:00 pm.

Wear your Obama gear or if you don’t have any wear red and join us!

Let’s show California and the country that we are organized, fired up, and ready to go!

Mass Transit Info:

Park&Ride Locations-
Find your closest one on the Metro Red
Union Station, Hollywood & Vine, Universal City, North Hollywood

Take the Red Line to Hollywood & Highland and head for the Kodak theater.

Parking can be found at the Hollywood and Highland Center Structure. Enter on Highland Avenue next to the Rennaisance Hollywood Hotel, north of Hollywood Blvd. Please note: the campaign does not have access to tickets into the debate.

I’m going to try to make it, though it looks like that means taking two babies on the bus/train by myself (yikes!) and trying to get home before the debates start.
fabooj on January 31, 2008 at 6:02 pm

Please join Senator Ted Kennedy at a rally in Los Angeles, where he’ll talk about his support for Senator Barack Obama and why he is the one candidate who can bring about the kind of change we can believe in.

Rally with Senator Ted Kennedy

Technology Center Building
East Los Angeles Community College
1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez
Monterey Park, CA 91754

Friday, February 1, 2008
Doors Open: 9:15 a.m.

Directions & RSVP:
http://ca.barackobama.com/cakennedyrally

The event is free and open to the public.

It says that Sen. Obama will be discussing education and healthcare.
Man Eegee on February 5, 2008 at 1:19 pm

Arizona BooTribbers – the state legislature is taking up four bills on Thursday targeting citizenship of children of undocumented migrant workers. Please call and urge them to vote no on the measures. Talking points and bill information can be found here.
dada on February 11, 2008 at 5:46 pm

fisa is coming up for a critical vote in the senate tomorrow…tuesday 12 feb…and sen. salazar, sen. allard, as well as majority leader reid need to hear from you, as well.

it appears increasingly likely that teleCON immunity will be part of the bill passed out of the senate, which means it will fall to the house to make the last stand for the rule of law. so while you’re encouraging your senators, take an extra moment and contact your representatives, as well.

it ain’t over till it’s over…make sure they know what you think and that you’re watching.

thanks.

lTMF’sA
dada on February 12, 2008 at 6:45 pm

via wapo: [Rep. Shadegg [AZ] to Retire http://blog.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2008/02/rep_shadegg_to_retire.html]

Shadegg will be the 22nd House Republican to announce his retirement this cycle.

“It is time to seek a new challenge in a different venue.”

buh bye

lTMF’sA
dada on February 16, 2008 at 4:10 pm

heads up hightower fans:

JIM HIGHTOWER TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF KGNU RADIO

Sunday March 30th Central Presbyterian Church 1600 Sherman St Denver 4pm

Monday March 31st 1st United Methodist Church 1421 Pine St
Boulder 7pm

The New York Times bestselling author and America’s funniest activist gives the lowdown on how to put up-not shut up-in the fight for our future.

Hightower, the country’s #1 populist, has picked up some useful advice over the years, from “never eat at a cafe featuring ‘bargain kebobs'” to “never hit a man with glasses; hit him with something much heavier.” As he and his longtime co-conspirator Susan DeMarco have rambled through grassroots America, however, they’ve also come up with more serious words of wisdom to share here, namely: question authority, trust your values, seek alternatives, break away, stand up for your beliefs, and swim against the current!

Their book introduces readers to people across the country who have actually done this-people in business, politics, health care, farming, religion, and other areas who are taking charge, living their values, doing good, and doing well. Hightower and DeMarco show how they are doing precisely what the elites want us to believe can’t be done: changing their lives and making a difference. He tells the stories of these people and offers inspiration and information that will help readers tap into their own maverick potential in order to navigate a different, more satisfying course of their own.

Whether they are young and just starting out or older and searching for a different path, the commonsense folks in this book have escaped the corporate tentacles to find their own way toward a richer life and a better American future. They are creating a new, deeply democratic model for the country, edging it back onto the long road toward egalitarianism and the common good.

Hightower and DeMarco are at their contrarian, sharp-witted, and straight-shooting best as they celebrate the triumph of grassroots gumption over the tight-fisted grip of corporate control.

Admission for both fundraising lectures will be $10 for KGNU Listener Members (and students) and $15 for the General Public/day of show. Jim will be available to sign books after each lecture in Boulder and Denver. Please call 303-449-4885 or 800-737-3030 to reserve your tickets.

see you there
dada on February 24, 2008 at 9:51 pm

allard sent his chief of staff out with the latest fisa fear factor missive this week:

Summary: During a February 22 discussion about the U.S. Congress’ “agenda for next week,” 1310 KFKA’s Amy Oliver failed to correct the false statement by her guest, Sean Conway, that “House Democrats allowed” the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) “to expire.” Conway, who is chief of staff for Sen. Wayne Allard (R) and appears frequently on KFKA, later added that “if I’m a Democrat out there, you’d better hope that something does not happen in this country while this bill lapses.” In fact, FISA did not expire, a separate measure amending the act did…

colorado media matters

perhaps sen allard would appreciate a refresher course in the 4th amendment, as well as reality…not that he’ll heed it, short-timer that he is.
mainsailset on February 27, 2008 at 10:47 am

Laura Bush headed to Seattle to fund raise for Dave Reichardt…locals are putting together an online fundraised for challenger Darcy Burner.

http://www.darcyburner.com/?gclid=CICMgvPa5JECFQy7iQod1lXfiw

Last summer they did this and outraised Bush’s fundraiser for Dave. Give ’em a hand if you feel so inclined
Man Eegee on February 28, 2008 at 12:22 am

Janet calls on Renzi to resign:

PHOENIX — Gov. Janet Napolitano believes Congressman Rick Renzi should resign — and sooner rather than later. The governor said Wednesday the 35-count indictment against Renzi probably makes it impossible for him to do the job he was sent to Washington to do. – linkage

The pressure continues to build…
BooMan on March 7, 2008 at 4:57 pm

nice.
- mainsailset on March 7, 2008 at 6:45 pm
  
  ohforchristsake
dada on March 11, 2008 at 1:41 pm

Bob Schaffer’s reichwing rating:

…analysis of Schaffer’s three-term congressional record places him as the 14th most conservative out of more than 3,400 lawmakers to go to Washington since 1937. Udall, though less extreme, falls squarely within his party’s liberal wing — and based on his votes is more liberal than Clinton and Obama.

squarestate

there’s more. and it’s an interesting read.
- dada on March 11, 2008 at 1:43 pm
mainsailset on March 20, 2008 at 3:42 pm

Oregon looks like it’s pulling out the welcome wagons

http://www.katu.com/news/16835011.html
BooMan on April 2, 2008 at 1:21 pm

Gov. Freudenthal of Wyoming, endorses Obama.
BooMan on April 2, 2008 at 5:26 pm

Another superdelegate for Obama. This one is from Montana.
mainsailset on April 2, 2008 at 6:34 pm

I ran across this interesting diary over at Kos about the caucus system, and Wash state.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/2/81632/44247
BooMan on April 7, 2008 at 2:21 pm

real insignifance.
- mainsailset on April 7, 2008 at 4:07 pm
  
  Good for Guam.
  After Iniki hit Kauai back in ’92 I remember poor Guam was set up as the destination of choice for “Iniki residue”. Iniki residue was likely not the first garbage we have tossed Guam’s way.
BooMan on April 7, 2008 at 2:27 pm

whoops…another superdelegate for Obama.
mainsailset on April 10, 2008 at 11:35 am

Longshoremen on west coast to strike to support end of war.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/04/09/ED8L101F5U.DTL
Man Eegee on April 10, 2008 at 4:47 pm

Film opening in Los Angeles this weekend – The Visitor

In The Visitor, an American college professor and a young immigrant couple grapple with the treatment of immigrants and the legal process post-9/11. After that tragedy, authorities arrested and detained over 1,200 people in connection with terrorism. But their identities, whereabouts and the actual charges brought against them were withheld from their families, the media and the public. For a nation built by immigrants on the guiding principle of justice for all, the questions of due process, detention and deportation of refugees and immigrants has become a hotly-debated topic. Are we willing to restrict due process for non-Americans to keep America’s borders safe–and how far are we willing to go?

Start Time: Friday, April 11, 2008 at 7:00pm
End Time: Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 11:00pm
TWO LOCATIONS: Landmark 12 & the Arclight Hollywood
Street: 10850 W. Pico Blvd (@ Westwood) & 6360 W. Sunset Blvd (@ Vine)
City/Town: Los Angeles, CA

More info at Facebook
- Man Eegee on April 10, 2008 at 4:52 pm
  
  here’s the link to the main site with a trailer, more info, and a list of endorsements: Take Part | Social Action Network | The Visitor
Man Eegee on April 22, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Oakland event this week:

TOWN HALL MEETING at GRAND LAKE THEATER, OAKLAND, Thurs, APRIL 24, 7-9 p.m.

David Swanson, the founder of afterdowningstreet.org, will be joined by a host of other impeachment movement leaders:

Daniel Ellsberg, Cindy Sheehan, Medea Benjamin, Debra Sweet, Norman Solomon, Shirley Golub, Phil Burk, Max Anderson, Shahid Buttar at the Grand Lake Theater in Oakland.

Won’t you please come join in this special event — “Are Peace and Impeachment Possible?”

(via Brad and the Beach Impeach 5 Crew)
dada on April 23, 2008 at 12:15 pm

following in tancredo’s footsteps

Bruce barred from speaking after ‘illiterate’ remark

Disparaging remarks aimed at migrant workers got resident House rabble-rouser Douglas Bruce banned from speaking on a temporary-worker bill today.

“We don’t need 5,000 more illiterate peasants in the state of Colorado,”

Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, told the chamber to an audible gasp.

Rep. Kathleen Curry, leading the House at the time, immediately barred Bruce from speaking at the podium, an uncommon maneuver.

“How dare you?” she asked Bruce, before House members moved back to discussion of a bill aimed at helping seasonal farm workers from other countries enter the state legally on a temporary basis.
.
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“He clearly violated the decorum of the House,” said Carroll, the assistant majority leader. “It was premeditated bigotry. Doug Bruce is not a stupid man. He thinks about what he’s going to say.”

If an investigation takes form, it would be the second of Bruce’s short statehouse career. The freshman lawmaker faced censure earlier this year for kicking a news photographer.

Republicans later removed him the powerful State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee because he refused to co-sponsor a resolution honoring military veterans.

denver post

what a piece of work this clown is…even the RATpubs are pissed.
dada on April 23, 2008 at 6:59 pm

ken…you can call me joe…salazar continues to play games as a SD:

…comfortable on the fence

“There are many voters in America who have not yet spoken and they need to be given an opportunity to do so,” Salazar said. “When it’s ready for some of us to make a decision we’ll make a decision.”

politics west

just who might “us” be kenny? perhaps the fact that colorado went overwhelming for obama over hillary, 67% – 33% that maybe it’d be a good idea to pay attention to your constituents?

too damn bad he’s not up for re-election.

you can contact him HERE, l do, frequently.
BooMan on April 24, 2008 at 12:16 pm

Rep. David Wu goes for Obama.
dada on April 29, 2008 at 2:28 pm

tommy ~~“two tone”~~ “one colour” tancredo’s still fomenting hatred. this time in south tejas:

Rep. Tom Tancredo discussed the border wall yesterday with a group of Brownsville, Texas, landowners and said:

“I suggest that you build this fence around the northern part of your city…” implying that all of Brownsville should be on the Mexican side of the wall.

coloradopols

he’s a festering boil that should be excised from any, and all, public discussions of emigration.
dada on May 1, 2008 at 10:29 pm

the timing of this is certainly interesting, what w/ ski season over and cinco de mayo approaching…

Stepped up illegal immigration enforcement in the Vail Valley, including a raid of an Avon trailer park last week by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fugitive operations team, has touched off a vitriolic debate in the local paper and sparked renewed community concern about the social and economic impacts of such raids.

“The recent raids that are taking place in our community are having a greater impact than we realize on the social fabric of the community,” Eagle County Commissioner Arn Menconi told Colorado Confidential. “Quite often young children who are American citizens are being violently separated from their parents and from their community. Rather than trying to take an approach of changing the laws, this drastic approach of raids is having a very traumatic effect on families and neighbors.”
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Debbie Marquez, an Edwards restaurateur and one of the first Latinos elected to the Democratic National Committee, isn’t surprised by the anti-immigration backlash in the local and statewide media.

“We don’t have any leadership in our state on the immigration issue except on the ‘anti-‘ side,” Marquez said. “What do you expect from the citizens with how they respond except hate when that’s what our Legislature has moved forward.”

Marquez said Colorado’s anti-illegal-immigration law of 2006, which requires thousands of state residents to prove they’re here legally to get certain government benefits, coupled with stepped-up ICE raids, is creating an environment of intolerance and fear.

CC

not likely to elicit much sympathy from the haves and have more’s in vail.
BooMan on May 8, 2008 at 6:41 pm

Rep. Rick Larson (D-WA) has endorsed Obama.
- Omir the Storyteller on May 8, 2008 at 7:04 pm
  
  Now if Jay Inslee would just get the message and switch over from Hillary. In general I like the guy and he’s supported some legislation that I really like, but I’m really disappointed that he didn’t go along with his district (which was like 2-1 for Obama).
  - BooMan on May 8, 2008 at 7:20 pm
    
    hey, Omir, I have a feedburner challenge. You have any time to give me some advice on it?
    - Omir the Storyteller on May 8, 2008 at 7:44 pm
      
      I’ll try and make some time, but it might be a day or two. Got a concert to go to tonight, and this weekend is going to be kinda busy.
      
      But yeah, I’m usually up to a challenge.
    - dada on May 12, 2008 at 2:19 pm
      
      ot…sorta…is there a problem w/ the archives?
      
      the past few times l’ve tried to search them, l get a “server stopped responding” notice, and then have to log back in to get to the home page.
      
      it’s a mystery to me. btw, l generally use safari w/ osx4.11, if that makes a diff.
      - BooMan on May 14, 2008 at 11:27 pm
        
        are you still having the problem?
      - dada on May 14, 2008 at 11:49 pm
        
        yep. keep getting this message. every thing else works fine except archive.
        
        it makes search a lot less helpful for me. anybody else using mac’s experiencing it?
BooMan on May 15, 2008 at 12:25 pm

McDermott endorses Obama.
- mainsailset on May 19, 2008 at 11:57 am
  
  WA is starting to break loose. Dwight told me to my face that he wouldn’t endorse until Convention. Now if Cantwell & Murray will just come on board.
dada on May 21, 2008 at 11:52 am

mark udall has finally opened up a small lead in the race, after months of stalemate:

udall 47% v schaffer 41% moe: 4.5%

Virtually all recent polling data for Senate races has carried a consistent theme–more bad news for the Republican Party. That’s the case in Colorado as well as Democrat Mark Udall has opened a six-point lead over Republican Bob Schaffer.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows Udall attracting 47% of the vote while Schaffer earns 41%. For Udall, that’s an improvement from a three-point lead a month ago and two months ago….

rassmussen

while obama leads mccain 48% – 42% up 3% from last month.

while hrc trails mccain 47% t0 44%

and here’s what coloradan’s think of the bo/hrc primary situation:

Fifty-three percent (53%) of Colorado Democrats say it’s time for Clinton to drop out of the race. Just 13% say Obama should withdraw. Most Colorado Republicans would like Clinton to remain in the race.

looks like the fat lady’s already warbling in co.
dada on May 22, 2008 at 12:57 pm

by Coloradans for Obama: “we will sink your swift boats”

h/t peter b
BooMan on May 25, 2008 at 8:19 pm

Tony Knowles endorses Obama.
BooMan on May 28, 2008 at 10:10 am

Another Oregon superdelegate for Obama.
BooMan on May 28, 2008 at 6:52 pm

Obama now has a full 200 delegate lead on Clinton.
BooMan on May 29, 2008 at 9:57 am

Blam! Another Oregon superdelegate for Obama.
dada on June 1, 2008 at 4:04 pm

buried in todays nyt article No Road Map for Democrats as Race Ends:

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who endorsed Mr. Obama nearly two months ago, recently called Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. of Colorado, who has yet to endorse a candidate. “Hey, Ritter!” Mr. Richardson said. “After June 3, it means nothing. Those who take a little bit of a risk, he’ll remember you.”

On the other end of the line, Mr. Ritter demurred, saying he had pledged to remain neutral until the primary season ends…

richardson’s well respected here and in the west in general…maybe the gov will break after tuesday…rumour has it he and udall both are leaning…

also, colorado democratic chairwoman and super d, endorsed obama last week…via colorado independent [formerly colorado confidential]
dada on June 4, 2008 at 3:29 pm

from tpm election central:

Bloc Of Neutral Senators Says It’s Time To Get Behind Obama

This morning we already got such statements from DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen and Nancy Pelosi. Now a group of Senators who remained neutral in the race — Tom Harkin, Barbara Boxer, Tom Carper, Ken Salazar, Ron Wyden, Mary Landrieu, Frank Lautenberg, and Ben Cardin — have just come out with their own…

and gov. ritter announced his support last night; reps mark udall, and john salazar followed suit, as expected.
eeblet on June 11, 2008 at 1:53 am

I’m searching for some Alaskans with cameras – if this applies to you, please check out my diary post and post a link there. Thanks! -Beth
Man Eegee on June 11, 2008 at 12:30 pm

An update from my diary last week on Arthur Mkoyan, the valedictorian who was facing deportation in California. Senator Feinstein filed a private bill on his behalf. Thanks to everyone who called her offices last week.
dada on June 13, 2008 at 3:33 pm

from the wtf desk

an public hearing on the ongoing controversy regarding a major expansion of an ICE prison facility suddenly cancelled:

A public hearing to decide on the expansion of a privatized immigration lockup in Aurora was canceled after it was revealed that an individual challenging the prison proposal had suddenly dropped his appeal.

The Aurora City Council was set to vote and hear testimony on the plan during a council meeting Monday, but the hearing was canceled during the meeting after Anthony Paradiso, who had formally appealed the city planning department’s approval of the expansion, thus bringing the issue before council members, dropped his appeal on Saturday–two days before the hearing.
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Bill Davidson, a city official with the planning department who has been handling the GEO Group’s prison plan, said that a written compromise had been reached between Paradiso and the corrections company, although a document of the agreement was not readily available.

via colorado independent

curious, no?
mainsailset on June 19, 2008 at 1:10 pm

Bush declares Salmonella to be on Endangered List…

http://kinetic.seattle.wa.us/nxtlevel/etcdocs/blogs/blog55.html#salmonella
dada on June 27, 2008 at 1:29 pm

via the colorado independent:

Round one of Poll-a-Palooza from Quinnipiac University [moa: ± 2.7%]

Presidential race:

All: Obama 49 percent, McCain 44.
Independent: Obama 51 percent, McCain 39.
Female: Obama 53 percent, McCain 39.
Male: McCain 50 percent, Obama 45.
White: McCain 47 percent, Obama 46.
Hispanic: Obama 62 percent, McCain 36.
18- to 34-year-old: Obama 53 percent, McCain 45.
35- to 54-year-old: Obama 49 percent, McCain 42.
55 and older: Obama 55 percent, McCain 45.

U.S. Senate race:

All voters: Democrat Mark Udall 48 percent, Republican Bob Schaffer 38.
Independent voters: Udall 54 percent, Schaffer 27.

unfortunately, the ballot initiative, amendment 46, barring affirmative action, has rather striking numbers:

All voters: For 66 percent, against 15.
mainsailset on July 2, 2008 at 12:21 pm

Darcy Burner’s house burns. Son saves the family
dada on July 2, 2008 at 12:44 pm

feeling safer? this cnn poll would seem to indicate so:

a new CNN poll finds Americans’ concerns about terrorism have hit an all-time low for the post-September 11 era.

but you wouldn’t know it from this:

The 181 TLOs in Colorado were deployed without any announcement over the past year and are posted widely from Durango in the mountains to metro Denver to La Junta on the eastern prairie.
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Major city police chiefs are participating.

“You can’t profile. So you have to have behavior-based indicators of criminal activity where it’s terrorism or activity that supports terrorism,” said Tom Frazier, executive director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

Civil libertarians questioned why firefighters, paramedics and corporate employees — such as Xcel Energy and railroad officials in Colorado — are drafted into the effort. They say public trust in emergency responders will suffer.

The emerging TLO system “empowers the police officer to poke his nose into your business when you’re doing absolutely nothing wrong. It moves the police officer away from his core function, to enforce the law, into being an intelligence officer gathering information about people,” said Mike German, a 16-year FBI agent now advising the American Civil Liberties Union.

“Where are we going to draw the line?”

denver post

where indeed. fisa’s just the tip of the iceberg.
dada on July 7, 2008 at 5:04 pm

make sure, there’s a primary coming up on august 12th,. if not, DO IT!

this makes it easy…all state forms available, btw.
mainsailset on July 9, 2008 at 11:16 am

Terrific new ScienceBlog
dada on July 10, 2008 at 7:11 pm

bob,/ l’m not a crook,/ schaffer, udall’s RAT opponent is also a war profiteer. via TPM:

Schaffer Helped Out With Kurdish Oil Deal Opposed By US State Department

Bob Schaffer voted for the war in Iraq in 2002, then left Congress and went to work for the oil men hoping to profit from it.

We recently learned that the energy company that the Colorado Republican went to work for in 2003, Aspect Energy, is among the handful of companies who signed deals with Iraq’s Kurdish Regional Government last year.

Those oil deals were officially opposed by the Bush administration, but maybe tacilty endorsed behind closed doors.

:::

State Department officials say those oil deals have threatened security in Iraq by undermining the federal government in Baghdad, which about 150,000 U.S. troops are now helping to prop up.

Schaffer said he had no idea that U.S. officials formally opposed to such deals.

more from coloradopols

if udall can’t beat this clown like a drum…there’s no justice.
eeblet on July 12, 2008 at 5:24 pm

Join the Begich group on MyBO
dada on July 21, 2008 at 8:35 pm

first this interesting poll via zogby:

Summary:

Obama – 40%
McCain – 38%
Barr – 8%
Nader – 2%
Someone else – 4%
Undecided – 8%

Barr at 8%. Obama over McCain by 17% with Independents.

barr’s going to hurt st. john here….even dobson can’t save him

second, musgrave continues to lag behind markey in cd4 fundraising

Between April 1 and June 30 Musgrave raised a total of $279,630 — or $110,101 less than her Democratic opponent Betsy Markey, who collected $389,730 during the same period.

Musgrave still has nearly double the cash on hand as Markey though, with $1,155,899 in her campaign war chest compared to Markey’s $575,835 bankroll.

The Q2 totals don’t include independent expenditures from outside groups, which have historically have been a factor in 4th Congressional District elections.

The environmental group Defenders of Wildlife has already spent $230,000 for a negative advertising blitz against Musgrave and has promised to kick in another $270,000 by November.

:::

There have also been rumblings that Tim Gill and Pat Stryker, two deep-pocket Democrats who have gone after Musgrave in previous cycles for her strong and public stances against gay marriage could potentially dump millions into the race against Musgrave through organized 527 efforts and advertising blitzes.

:::

“If Musgrave’s (numbers) continue to go down and she fails to win or activate partisans in the district, that can have the knock-on effect of reducing McCain’s chances in this state come November as well,” Saunders said. “I think of the 4th district as the `purple’ district in Colorado and if it goes for the Democrats, then the state is more likely to go for the Dems. Just like if the purple states go one way or another, so goes the presidential election.”

via coloradoindependent

and the fight in cd2 for udall’s seat is getting very interesting. for those unfamiliar with the race, there is no RAT challenger, so the winner of the primary on aug 12 will, for all intents and purposes, be the new rep.

here’s the coloradopols latest line:

pre convention fun.
mainsailset on August 1, 2008 at 1:46 pm

The Canadians Know How To Get It Right – “BEAR ALERT”
(from an actual wildlife message board in BC)

“Due to the frequency of human/bear encounters, the BC Fish & Wildlife Branch is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen and any persons that use the out of doors in a recreations or work related function to take extra precautions while in the field.

We advise the outdoorsman to wear little noisy bells on clothing so as to give advance warning to any bears that might be close by so you don’t take them by surprise.

We also advise anyone using the out of doors to carry Pepper Spray in case of an encounter with a bear.

Outdoorsmen should also be on the watch for fresh bear activity and be able to tell the difference between black bear feces and grizzly bear feces. Black bear feces is smaller and contains lots of berries and squirrel fur. Grizzly bear shit has bells in it and smells like pepper…”
dada on August 11, 2008 at 4:06 pm

in the presidential, and senate races:

A new survey of Colorado by Public Policy Polling (D) [pdf] shows Barack Obama’s lead holding steady in this Western swing state, a historically Republican area that Barack Obama is making a major play for thanks to its own Democratic shift in recent years.

…Obama 48%, McCain 44%, with a margin of error of ±3.2%. This is essentially unchanged from the 47%-43% lead that Obama had in PPP’s last poll from a month ago. The internals show the two candidates tied at 47% each among male voters, and Obama taking the lead thanks to a 49%-42% edge with women.

Also, the poll gives Dem candidate Mark Udall a 47%-41% lead over Republican Bob Schaffer in this state’s open Senate race, in which the two candidates are competing to succeed retiring GOPer Wayne Allard.

h/t tpm electioncentral

from coloradopols:

the western strategy is alive and well.
dada on August 13, 2008 at 12:13 pm

jared polis won the hotly contested, expensive…the most expensive primary in the nation…primary in CD2 last night:

US House Dist. 2 (Democrat)

452 of 457 precincts reporting (98%)

Jared Polis 19,942 42%

Joan Fitz-Gerald 18,181 38%

Will Shafroth 9,708 20%

Polis is a favorite to succeed U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, because the seat is considered safe for Democrats. Udall is the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

denver post

good news for the incoming freshman class, imo…he’s a strong progressive.
dada on August 20, 2008 at 2:07 pm

“…water’s for fightin’.”

or j-mac put’s both feet in his mouth at once:

McCain suggests raiding Colorado’s water

Yes, fellow citizens of the state whose official motto is “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting,” John McCain has thunk the unthinkable — and proposed renegotiating the 1922 Colorado River Compact.

:::

“In a telephone interview with The Pueblo Chieftain, the presumptive GOP candidate for president said the water sharing agreement reached in 1922 between seven Western states doesn’t take into account increases in population and changing water needs.”

:::

The problem, from Colorado’s perspective, is that in the 76 years since the compact was signed, California, Nevada and Arizona have grown much more rapidly in population — and political power — than the upper basin states. So when the lower basin states talk about “renegotiating” the compact, that’s their code for a process of give and take — in which Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming give and California, Arizona and Nevada take.

Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, an expert on water law, sprang at McCain’s blunder like a mongoose throttling a cobra.

The compact would be reopened “over my dead body,” the normally mild-mannered Salazar roared.

Bob Ewegen, deputy editorial page editor of The Denver Post.

for more on the reactions, see coloradopols:
.

his handlers aren’t do a very good job. he comes across more like a madman than a maverick.

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