Progress Now Action

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning participation in a labor organization as a condition of employment, and, in connection therewith, prohibiting an employer from requiring that a person be a member and pay any moneys to a labor organization or to any other third party in lieu of payment to a labor organization and creating a misdemeanor criminal penalty for a person who violates the provisions of the section?

We've done pontificating, pointed out the failed policies of the extreme right wing, mobilized voters, coordinated grassroots action, and even fundraised for federal races.  It's time to help those local candidates we want to see in office in our somewhat square state.  Let's show Dick Wadhams that this isn't the same state the last time he was here.  All the progress made in the last few years, we're just getting started.

Here's how it works.  Any citizen can contribute up to $50 per calendar year to a small donor committee.  The committee may then make contributions to local and state candidates at higher contribution limits than may any one person.  For example, for this year we can give $2125 to a state senate or state house candidate.   Read More »

Udall's Statement After President Bush Requests More Time In Iraq

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, made the following statement after President Bush addressed the nation tonight concerning Iraq:

"The fundamental question we face as a nation is whether our military presence in Iraq is making us safer. I do not believe that the President can credibly argue that we are safer. Not while our Army is stretched and the cost of the war in lives and treasure continues to mount. Tonight, the President wrapped himself tightly around General Petraeus' recommendations before the House Armed Services Committee earlier this week. As the lone Colorado Member of the committee, I heard the General deliver three messages: We are making military progress, but it will take more time to meet necessary political objectives in Iraq; meanwhile, our strategy won't change - we'll continue focusing on a counterinsurgency mission; and in the course of the next year, we'll cut troops back to the levels they were at the beginning of this year.

"Despite the skill of General Patraeus and the bravery of our troops, I do not believe this represents strategic progress. While the General and our troops have done their best, the President has failed to match their bravery with a diplomatic or political strategy. Nor can I agree that leaving as many as 130,000 troops i n Iraq until the end of the Bush presidency is in our country's best interest, particularly when it means losing more American lives, maiming many thousands more brave soldiers, spending further billions of dollars, and diverting limited resources from a more effective war on terror.

"In January, when President Bush last spoke to the nation to promote a 'surge' in U.S. troops, he vowed that 'America will hold the Iraqi government to the benchmarks it has announced.' Yet just last week, the General Accounting Office concluded that the Iraqi government has largely failed to meet Congressionally mandated benchmarks for political and military progress.

"The President has taken our country down a dark path that was tragically avoidable. His remarks tonight suggest he is still in denial about the need for a dramatic shift in strategy. I believe that we must shift strategy - not just tactics. And I continue to believe we need a bipartisan approach focused on a phased withdrawal of American forces, a responsible redeployment plan, and a 'diplomatic surge' that will help contain a wider regional war."

To recap, these would be the headlines Gunny Bob would expect me to write were his rantings actually true.  Following in Bill O'Reilly's footsteps Gunny attacked attendees of the YearlyKos Convention weeks ago here and here comparing us to Nazis, the KKK, and Muslim terrorists. 

  "Gunny" Bob Newman on his August 2 broadcast called the 2007 YearlyKos Convention a "convention of hatred and intolerance," adding, "If you want to see hate, urged violence, bigotry, racism, and intolerance in general, and anti-American speech, this is the event." Newman then called the convention, organized by the Daily Kos blog, "bigger than any KKK, Nazi, or Muslim terrorist gathering ... that has ever occurred"

Later in Gunny's August 6th show he claimed DailyKos founder Markos Moulistas "lamented" on the front page of his site about the hate speech there.  It's actually quite easy check that.  Here's everything Markos posted during that week and I found nothing of the sort.  In case Gunny got a little confused, I also looked through the diaries of the other front pagers and found no mention.   Read More »

"Gunny" Bob Newman on his August 2 broadcast called the 2007 YearlyKos Convention a "convention of hatred and intolerance," adding, "If you want to see hate, urged violence, bigotry, racism, and intolerance in general, and anti-American speech, this is the event." Newman then called the convention, organized by the Daily Kos blog, "bigger than any KKK, Nazi, or Muslim terrorist gathering ... that has ever occurred"

If we ignore these growing, this growing radical segment of our society, they could and likely will become a force of hatred, intolerance, and bigotry that helps one of their supporters seize the White House in 2008. And may God have mercy upon us if that happens.

I used to think there was no easy solution to fixing our broken health care system.  After seeing this film and meeting one of the folks in the film, Donna Smith (she and her husband had to file bankruptcy and move in with her daughter due to bills their health insurance wouldn't cover) it's clear to me the only solution is a national health care plan that covers all Americans.  Moore put it best during the press conference:  the police don't make decisions on who to help based upon bottom line.  They're not going to say, "I'm sorry, I don't think we can help you out as the risk to come to your neighborhood is too high."  The fire department isn't run as a for profit business either.  So, why is something so fundamental to society as healthcare coverage allowed to operate for profit?  I'm no pinko, commie, liberal.  I'm not saying folks shouldn't be able to make a buck or two (or a billion) but not on the graves of Americans.  Spoiler alert:  There was a point in the movie where a doctor was interviewed who analyzed claims for approval or rejection.  The doctor with the most rejections was given a bonus for the year.  She was told this was okay as they weren't denying care, they were simply denying payment.  Ahh, moral relativism.

The attacks are already coming against Moore and this movie, often from those who haven't seen it and have no intention to do so.  I asked his opinion on that, the ad hominem attacks, never on the substance of his films.   He didn't really have an answer.  He said that 20% of this nation will never come around.  "However there is a big middle ground of voters who are simply misinformed."  Moore continued that they're the same folks who believed their commander in chief when they were told Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction.  They believed what they were told as it was hard to fathom at the time a president would lie to take us into war.

So, that's it, if we really do care about American's lives, if we're pro-life we really need to mean it.  A single payer plan simply allows one corporation to have a monopoly on health care coverage.  Let me remind you of the robber barons at the turn of the century in asking if that's what we really want.  Many are still going to swayed by scary words like socialized medicine.  Well, really what's so bad about it?  Would you rather have a system run by the government offering care to all, or the current system where many have no health care coverage and the many others that do find it's often completely inadequate when they actually have to use it.  Really, what price do we put on human life?

As for the comparison to the health care systems in Canada, France, and Great Britain, would it really be such a bad thing if you had to wait a week to see a doctor for something minor if that means everyone and I mean everyone with life threatening injuries gets seen as needed?  Heck, I already have to wait at least a week for doctor appointments as it is.    Read More »

There is the money. The Denver committee charged with raising $55 million in private donations to bring the 2008 Democratic National Convention to town needs a lot of money. But there are also the people. The newly installed top officer of Denver's host committee stressed Thursday that he wants to organize quickly enough to manage the thousands of volunteers asking to help. "It's a big task," said Mike Dino, who was formally announced as the host committee's chief executive at a news conference Thursday. "Everybody knows this is the biggest thing to come to town in a heck of a long time." The Denver native and longtime Democratic strategist said he wanted the expected 10,000 volunteers to find a place.

-will be building a 220k foot media complex next to the Pepsi center.

-only some of the volunteer position will actually get to work inside the event

-still don't anticipate closing any streets, but the Secret Service may have it's own ideas.

-the dirty, smelly hippies won't be fenced away like in NY.  Lhevine expects they will be given space to be heard and seen - hopefully not downwind.

BTW, the Denver Young Dems just elected two people to act as the liaison between DYD and the host committee.  Signing up as a volunteer through them might get one a better job - if you're under 35.

Bob Beauprez is back - the blogxygen is warranted in this case especially when you look at this on his events page:

Thursday, January 18, 9:00 am - 850 KOA. His co-hosting with Craig Silverman must have gone well, because Clear Channel has invited Bob back to the studio, this time to fill in for Mike Rosen on 850 KOA...

   Read More »

Cheers to pending union legislation.  HB1072 just passed out of committee.  Despite all the belly aching from "business leaders" this just puts Colorado on equal footing with many other states.  What, you don't want a happy competitive workforce?  I'm shocked.

Cheers to reusing our old slogans.  It seems Mark Paschall has a reputation for being mean to democrats.  It sounds like many won't really miss him.

Cheers to fund-raisers.  They've got a lot of work to do to now raise the millions of dollars necessary to put on a kick-ass convention in '08.  Don't forget ProgressCon and evening festivities brought to you by DrinkingLiberally.   Read More »