politics
Grouchy Kitties, Forgotten Electorate
Submitted by Anonymous on July 27, 2011 - 5:29amWith so much urgently needing to be addressed in America right now why are our leaders in Washington so seemingly centered on reelection? We have two wars that need sorting out and an economy that was slowly recovering as of a month ago, now maybe sputtering. The wars themselves drain economic resources to protect the “interests” of companies that have no interest in everyday Americans at all many of which aren't even American. Yet in Washington once again we are subjected to another long drawn out piece of “hey look at me I'm doing nothing signifying I'm important to you, so you better remember that come election time or you'll be even worse off” drama being played out and for what?
The same thing happened over health care in 2009 and 2010 and really didn't sit well with people. It is perhaps hard for people to see how petulant they can seem from the inside of things when they believe their behaviors as seen by the public to be more important than meaningful actions. They believe the nation seeing them tussling and fighting it out after hanging loose and joking like they had a hundred inside jokes just a short time ago is going to reinforce the idea they stand for separate things.
Both sides of the political machine are threatened now. A poll taken in 2008 showed, “the proportion of voters who identify with the Democratic Party outright has not increased in recent years. Currently, 36% say they think of themselves as a Democrat, virtually unchanged from 2004 (35%) and 2000 (35%). Instead, as the proportion of self-identified Republicans has decreased, the percentage of independents has grown substantially, from 32% in 2004 to 37% [as of 2008].” (http://pewresearch.org/pubs/773/...)
Our DA's Are All on the Take? By Phillip Reynes
Submitted by phil on August 15, 2009 - 2:38amDistrict attorneys across the Colorado summarily rejected a legislative proposal to lower the degree of penalty for most non-violent crime. They do this in spite of empirical evidence that such legislation would augment public safety and lower costs sustained by the Department of Corrections. They do this because they are fundamentally not public servants with the publics beast interest at heart but rather politicians who care more for re-election then the public they falsely serve.
Their rejection of science begs a larger number of questions. Are Colorado’s district attorneys working for the long-term good of the state as a whole? Do they fear the reprisal of their right wing conservative base more then doing whats right for the State and its citizens? Or do they simply work for the Department of Corrections, helping perpetuate the “revolving door” and supplying free labor for the DOC? Not to mention those who profit from prisons--like our former Govener, Bill Owens who had a direct financial stake in prison services.
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Anger, Remorse, and Health-Care Reform
Submitted by Nathan Acks on August 10, 2009 - 4:34pmDenver, CO (Thursday August 6, 2009) — I'm two blocks away and ten minutes early, and I can already tell that the corner of Broadway and Stout is chaos. Scores of people stand on either side of street. Most hold signs. Some carry balloons. There's even a few strollers and small children mixed in with the crowd, but the atmosphere is anything but family friendly. People are chanting and yelling at each other, sometimes across the street, but just as often at their neighbors. The hot, dusty intersection feels a bit like a room on the verge of a brawl.
The focus of all this commotion is inside a low, nondescript building on the north corner of the intersection, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless's Stout Street Clinic. The clinic received funding earlier this year from the federal stimulus package, which it used in part to build an electronic record keeping system intended to cut down on duplicate paperwork. Today two of Colorado's representatives, Diana DeGette and Jared Polis, as well as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are visiting to learn more about this effort. Afterwards they're scheduled to give a press conference about the health-care reform bill recently passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which DeGette vice-chairs.
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RED STATE ROAD TRIP 2 - New Political Documentary
Submitted by Anonymous on August 28, 2008 - 1:15amCheck out the link for this ultra-current new political documentary about the state of the nation and the upcoming election in the United States:
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Two Arrested; The Procession for the Future and March Harassed by Fundamentalist Christians By Phillip Reynes
Submitted by phil on August 26, 2008 - 2:56pmIt was 10:09 am and I had just arrived at the Civic Center Park for the Procession for the Future Street Puppet March. It was hot and like many there in the park I could not help but gravitate to the shade which was in short supply. On the stage was a folk singer singing protest songs as people prepared for the march. Signs where being worked on, and floats readied; the atmosphere was relaxed.
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Low Turnout But High Spirits dominate the Prisoners Rights Freedom March to the Federal Courthouse by Phillip Reynes
Submitted by phil on August 25, 2008 - 3:04pmThe day was hot, hotter then yesterday with not a cloud in the sky when I arrived at the endpoint of the Prisoners Rights and Freedom March. The march had gotten off to a late start and I found that it was only just about to leaving the Civic Center Park, its starting point. Only a few people where here at the Federal courthouse as I waited.
