Disqus - Latest Comments for wnorris

Re: Tancredo linked to Minuteman group accused of Arizona double-murder

wnorris — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:49:58 -0000

24AheadDotCom, According to the producer of the Everett, Wash., television show that Forde appeared on she was booked as a representative of FAIR because the local spokesman Bob Baker couldn't attend the taping.

That Baker may have been, in hindsight, unhappy with Forde's comments speaking on behalf of FAIR is incidental. She was booked by the local FAIR organization as his substitute.

What's also interesting to note is that FAIR's national media director Ira Mehlman is a resident of Seattle. Neither he nor Baker issued a clarification about Forde's involvement with FAIR at the time of the Washington State local television broadcast. Why didn't the group distance itself then?

Further, Forde was able to organize a local 2007 anti-immigration rally that attracted the participation of two Republican presidential primary candidates while she ran for city council and was involved in a state ballot initiative, that FAIR supported and Mehlman was quoted in the local press about. Yet, Mehlman claims no previous knowledge of Forde? Either he's a terrible outreach director who doesn't know his organization's primary base of supporters -- in his own backyard, no less -- or he's not being truthful.

It seems more than a bit suspicious that FAIR, a group that is no stranger to caustic anti-immigrant rhetoric that fuels the Minuteman vigilantes, would distance itself from Forde now that she is facing murder charges and is no longer of use to advance their goals.

Is FAIR merely engaging in free speech and free association? That's arguable but with those rights also come responsibilities.

Re: Polis ’shocked and disappointed’ over Obama’s defense of DOMA

wnorris — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:55:27 -0000

Interesting point.

It seems like folks are kind of missing a big issue here. Other than a few key top cabinet department positions, the DOJ and many other federal offices are stock full of "Bush holdovers" in civil service positions and deeply burrowed-in political appointments. It happens in every change of administration.

The problem here is why is AG Eric Holder even pursuing this suit and why did this memo get approved up the ladder when it is so antithetical to the president's publicly stated position?

Has Obama changed his position on DOMA or is he being undermined by his own Justice Dept by default or design?

Re: Blame Milton Bradley for your bankruptcy and economic ruin

wnorris — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:40:48 -0000

So, in your analogy, is the U.S. Treasury the kindly grandma who wants us all to succeed by slipping a couple of C-notes under the table?

Oh no! You broke the economy!

; )

Re: Right wing writer tabs Bush, Obama in Muslim Brotherhood

wnorris — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:19:42 -0000

And don't forget Tom Tancredo wants Grover Norquist jailed for introducing Muslim spies into the Bush White House.

Those guys burrow into the highest reaches of the federal government like Liberty University grads.

Re: Attorney: Electric co-ops legally need to disclose carbon risks of coal

wnorris — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:02:44 -0000

PBCerus, the National Association of Accountants for Cooperatives and several electric co-ops across the country disagree with your opinion on Sarbanes-Oxley applicability.

A Google search of "Sarbanes-Oxley" and electric co-op uncovers plenty of concerns about how to comply with the law and spirit of public accounting rules in the era of Enron, et al.

Re: Coffman slams Ritter as ‘terrorist sympathizer’ over Piñon Canyon law

wnorris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:31:02 -0000

Here are the 18 GOP "co-conspirators" on HB 1317 that voted for or sponsored the Piñon Canyon bill Gov. Ritter signed. Not sure if Rep. Coffman believes they're "terrorist sympathizers" too:

Colorado House
House Minority Whip Cory Gardner, R-Yuma (co-sponsor)
Rep. Cindy Acree, R-Colorado Springs
Rep. Randy Baumgartner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs
Rep. Laura Bradford, R-Grand Junction
Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton
Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction
Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs (co-sponsor)
Rep. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson
Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango
Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling (co-sponsor)
Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez (co-sponsor)
Rep. Glenn Vaad, R-Greeley

Colorado Senate
Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry
Sen. Ken Kester, R-Las Animas (co-sponsor)
Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray
Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch
Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley
Sen. Al White, R-Winter Park

Re: Print-your-own newspaper experiment underway in Denver

wnorris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:27:11 -0000

Hi Johne,

Yep, you have to use the proprietary MediaNews Group printer that apparently monitors paper and ink use so Denver Post readers are only reimbursed for charges incurred by printing the newspaper and not your favorite [insert name here] manifesto.

Re: Tancredo calls SCOTUS nominee Sotomayor a racist

wnorris — Wed, 27 May 2009 02:08:06 -0000

Bonny, may I suggest that you read Judge Sotomayor's speech in its entirety. What has been characterized as racist, sexist statements are nothing of the sort.

Here's the key paragraph, on page 5:

Let us not forget that wise men like Oliver Wendell Holmes and Justice Cardozo voted on cases which upheld both sex and race discrimination in our society. Until 1972, no Supreme Court case ever upheld the claim of a woman in a gender discrimination case. I, like Professor Carter, believe that we should not be so myopic as to believe that others of different experiences or backgrounds are incapable of understanding the values and needs of people from a different group. Many are so capable. As Judge Cedarbaum pointed out to me, nine white men on the Supreme Court in the past have done so on many occasions and on many issues including Brown.

Re: Tancredo calls SCOTUS nominee Sotomayor a racist

wnorris — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:38:38 -0000

It makes one wonder whether lobbing verbal firebombs (and the fiery-ier the better) has become a lucrative second career since Tancredo reportedly lost a good chunk of his retirement savings in a hedge fund Ponzi Scheme.

Tancredo has never been a water-carrier for the GOP. Parrotting the talking points — when they are so easily reputed if one actually reads Judge Sotomayor's Berkeley Law speech — just isn't his style.

Re: Maureen Dowd: parasitic blogger

wnorris — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:54:33 -0000

Quick! Somebody convene a blogger ethics conference!

Re: Federal government botches DNA crime lab backlog crisis

wnorris — Thu, 14 May 2009 00:29:06 -0000

Very good questions and the same ones posed by the political odd-couple Sens. Morgan Carroll and Kevin Lundberg during a committee hearing.

Ernest reported on it here.

Re: Bennet, Udall split on cramdown protection for homeowners

wnorris — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:30:05 -0000

I'm terribly sorry to hear about your situation, zemba2009. You're exactly right that the TARP bailout funds were to provide temporary assistance to the banks to keep the credit markets open.

Have you contacted your Congressional or state lawmaker? They may be able to provide you with resources to help you and your husband remain in your home.

Perhaps the free Colorado Foreclosure Hotline can be of help?

Re: No clones allowed. Religious groups back new NIH stem cell rules

wnorris — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:00:49 -0000

Sorry, Martin1313, I'm not following your reasoning.

An embryo is not a fetus and is not viable until implanted in a woman's uterus.

The mother's life is also not in question here.

The stem cells would be derived from frozen embryos donated with consent of the mother (if it was fertilized with donor sperm) and/or couple for scientific research purposes only.

Re: Blaspheming MLK? It’s all part of the ‘Tea Party’

wnorris — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:02:09 -0000

No zinger intended. Folks have a right to know what Jon Caldara said and the context in which he said it.

When an Independence Institute front group spends tens of thousands of dollars attempting to dismantle state civil rights protections by lying to petition signatories and deceiving the public on the ballot measure's true intent, Caldara has no credibility co-opting Dr. King's life work for a partisan speech loaded with conservative code words.

It's repugnant, it's the height of hypocrisy and it needs to be called out.

Re: Ayn Rand stars at Denver stimulus ‘tea party’ protest

wnorris — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:56:56 -0000

ProudVet and debhr2, you're commenting on a story about the first "Tea Party" protest that was published on Feb. 28 which attracted about 100 people.

The story on the April 15 protest can be found here.

Re: Sen. Carroll to defend immigrant tuition bill vote on AM760 today

wnorris — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:09:18 -0000

If you missed the show's original broadcast, here's a podcast of Mario Solis-Marich and Morgan Carroll debating SB 170.

Re: Is Bennet using EFCA as wedge for health care reform?

wnorris — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:27:12 -0000

I think you're right that it's a browser issue. There are no pages denoted in Mac Firefox.

While the Complaint Department is open, I also can't access comments -- to read or leave one even as a logged on, registered user.

Re: Is Bennet using EFCA as wedge for health care reform?

wnorris — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:58:38 -0000

Thanks for confirming that the quote remains in your story, Bob.

For future reference, how does one read the material beyond the jump online? I couldn't find a page 2.

Re: With veto override, Vermont legalizes same-sex marriage

wnorris — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:35:46 -0000

The Washington, DC city council voted unanimously this morning to legally recognize in the District any same-sex marriages performed in other states.

h/t Pam's House Blend

Re: Focus on the Family narrator charged with luring teenage girl for sex on Net

wnorris — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 17:35:57 -0000

I'd be more inclined to say that some very troubled people are attracted to conservative religion in some feeble attempt to qwell their bleak minds and souls instead of getting the mental health counseling they desperately need.

Your mileage may vary.

Re: Where does the Colorado GOP go from here? Ask Dick and friends

wnorris — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 10:31:43 -0000

And don't forget to mention that you're a Colorado Independent reader when you submit your question(s).

Re: ‘Sick Around America’ documentary slammed for pro-insurance slant

wnorris — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 11:46:58 -0000

Thanks for the kind words.

The Columbia Journalism Review also provides a sharp criticism of "Sick Around the World" that scratches at another serious deficit in the Frontline program -- the lack of journalistic ethics by inserting known false information into a reported story.

It's well worth the read.

Re: The fourth estate goes gangsta

wnorris — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:05:20 -0000

I think their gang color is a lovely shade of violet.

‘Real’ Colorado Journalists Wear Purple

Re: Math doesn’t add up in progressives’ complaints against Udall

wnorris — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:10:20 -0000

I think we're talking about two sides of the same coin.

I talk to Udall and Bennet's staff (and the entire Colorado congressional delegation) quite frequently. I ask everyone of them tough questions that the folks back home want to know and deserve to know. Politicos don't always like that approach (well... they never do) but they respect my need to ask and get answers.

That's not to say it's acceptable for the media or electorate to capitulate to the darker angels of political life that pushes elected officials to obfuscate their positions, pander to the base or demagogue on controversial issues.

But calling politicians out publicly or calling them names, as Sirota and other progressive bloggers have done and continue to do is, in my view, unproductive, at best, and damaging to the progressive point of view, at worst.

Calling for party purges and demanding litmus tests has gotten the conservatives into the out-of-power pickle they find themselves in these days. Do progressives really want to follow that losing strategy?

STFU? Nope, I'm not saying that at all. But screaming into the wind (or typing oneself into a frenzy) doesn't accomplish anything. There are other options. And that's what I'm interested in exploring with TCI readers.

Re: Math doesn’t add up in progressives’ complaints against Udall

wnorris — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:19:13 -0000

Not suggesting to anybody to sit down, shut up or sell out.

So the nut of the question is: what does one hope to accomplish with critical remarks? Catharsis is great but is that really what the critics are aiming for?