Left in the West - Recent Comments

Well I'm disgusted

jhwygirl — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:56:09 GMT

not shocked - because it's Denny - but I'm disgusted.

Cuba probably wants to drill. Or some of his buddies want to drill offshore down there. So he changed his mind.

Just a guess.

Nothing can be done domestically

Duncan Idaho — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:23:05 GMT

Internationally is another story. Pinochet is a better comparison than the Nuremberg Trials, in my opinion.

I'm pretty sure Bush can grant pardons to anyone he wants, for the whole gamut of crimes that they haven't even been charged with yet, except that he can't pardon himself.

Just because many of the criminals have been pardoned doesn't mean they can't be compelled by the next U.S. Congress to give evidence in ongoing investigations; I don't think Bush can pardon them for future contempt charges for investigations or trials that won't even get underway till after Bush leaves office. This makes a big assumption that some of our Congresscritters will magically grow back some balls and regenerate their spines once Obama's elected President. And in that unlikely event, then evidence gathered in those investigations could be used by the World Court or by other governments to hand down indictments enforceable outside of U.S. jurisdiction.

I'm cynical enough that I expect Congresscritters to take bribes

Duncan Idaho — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:10:45 GMT

but it's so f---in' embarrassing when they can be bought so cheaply! I seriously think that might have been a factor in Conrad's loss in his last Senate race--not that he was in bed with Abramoff, but that he switched his vote on the Marianas sweatshops for a measly $5,000 or something like that. And let's face it, Denny's a much less charismatic character than Conrad, so it stands to reason his going price would be lower.

I'm not really so cynical that I don't care about this--I'd support meaningful public financing and campaign finance reporting requirements to try to address this, but it's not a problem that's going to be solved anytime soon. So yes, Jay, please do dig up more background on this, but I hope you won't be too disappointed when very few Montana voters give a damn.

Since you're talking about an executive privilege, jaybird,

jed — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:29:39 GMT

Who do you think we should lobby about this..?

Everybody take a big black marker

jed — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:59:52 GMT

and cross out the word boys. Insert the word gang.
Our editor keeps insinuating there will be a new system soon...

That window of clarity is of very short duration.

jed — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:54:26 GMT

Enjoy it while you can...

Report's forest/fire section is pretty lame...sorry, but it's true

Matthew Koehler — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:10:02 GMT

I just took a look at the report and I have to say that the Forest and Fire section is - to be blunt - pretty lame and nowhere near scientifically accurate (the nice photo and text from buddy Wayne Williams not withstanding). Unfortunately, in my view, it just serves to perpetuate many of the myths and assumptions associated with fire, forests and climate change. Myths and assumptions that in the view of many seasoned forest activists just make our job harder because we're not giving the public the whole story. I expect better from a conservation group.

Below is a series of articles, reports, etc that may help shed some light on the issue.

- Logging Industry Misleads on Climate and Forest Fire
http://www.leftinthewest.com/s...

- Severely Burned Forests: One of Nature's Best-Kept Secrets
http://www.leftinthewest.com/s...

- Myths & Facts about Forests and Global Warming
http://www.oregonwild.org/oreg...

That's "MR" Tokarski to you, sir ...

Mark Tokarski — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:06:39 GMT

and I think very clearly between 6:00 AM and 6:30 AM. From there on out, it gets muddled.

good lord...

Jay Stevens — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:10:40 GMT

your obsequious (and inaccurate) apologies for the Bushies are truly revolting.

Aren't conservatives the ones supposedly repelled by moral relativism? Seriously, if you have no respect for human life or the rule of law...what's left?

You're just not thinking clearly, Tokarski

jed — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:24:32 GMT

Can't you remember?--"Government regulation is not the solution. Government regulation is the problem!"
Or words to that effect are responsible for the past quarter century of economic miracles...

For the record ...

Mark Tokarski — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:11:49 GMT

I did not think the sellout to BBI was a good thing - I thought rates would go up, but objected to knee-jerk demonization. They were just smart people playing the market - ordinary people are often hurt by people like that, but they are not devils. Just people. That's why markets often need regulation - people being people.

squeals

Jay Stevens — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:36:28 GMT

Mark Racicot! Oh man! I'm somebody! Mark Racicot posted here!

Hey there Mr. Wulfgar...

Mark Racicot — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:57:39 GMT

Hi Mark Racicot here,

Wulfgar, I really have to object to the way you've characterized my relationship with Fred Thomas.

You've hurt my feelings Mr. Wulfgar.

Me totally selling out the people that I grew up with so a bunch of industrialist tycoons could poison them to make money is something of the past. Making such criticisms of my selling-out all the working class people of this state for energy profiteers and even just a chance to someday taste GW's Balls is equally unreasonable.

Seriously, wouldn't you sell your mother for a bunch of money and political power? C'mon.

In any event, why is everyone so negative towards the Forest Service? Their job is to keep the forests pumping out big old trees for good old local jobs, and that's good the economy. Gas prices are really hitting us you know. So jobs could be good.

Digging up examples like Fred Thomas and connecting them with these complicated streams of logic is really just a bunch of sillieness don't you think?

seems like a fun post to jump in on...

msu-11 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:51:27 GMT

So a new Gallup poll has congressional approval at 14%, and yet the controlling party still is held in pretty high regards. Its like the Presidents approval rating being at an all time low but with the American people still thinking that the party in power is doing well.

Also, "disasters of the Bush administration." Inflation, that is a multi-layered measure of an aspect of the economy that depends a lot on the devaluation of the American dollar in relation to other currencies...hardly a disaster that the President alone can be blamed for. Economic stagnation, on this occasion...appears to have stemmed from a lack of consumer confidence, spending, and investment. Rising gas prices, take a look at the laws of supply and demand...worldwide demand for oil is at about 86 billion barrels and production is about at 83 billion barrels. But yeah, cronies and corporations and the President are to blame for high gas prices world wide. Define "lost" in the context of this war. War started on false pretenses..."The removal of 550 metric tons of "yellowcake" - the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment - was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam's nuclear legacy (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080706/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_yellowcake_mission)."

Torture...has been around a lot longer than George Bush.

Suspension of Habeus Corpus...The Constitution says (I.9): "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it." A privilege...not a right...and it was suspended for those in rebellion and since public safety deemed in necessary. Thus, not a disaster.

Loss of a major American city. I assume you mean New Orleans with this one. Too easy.

POUT

Wulfgar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:18:04 GMT

Quite messing with Mittens!!!

We needs our Mittens ...

My sympathies n/t

Wulfgar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:15:25 GMT

Um, I don't know who the "Clark Fork" boys are,

JC — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:49:49 GMT

but I do know who the Clark Fork Coalition's 5-woman staff is. And a very fine staff they are.

And global warming is not synonymous with climate change. Climate change is observed on a local and regional level, and isn't necessarily tied in with global warming. Hence, all the hoopla from the Okie Senator and his group of yes-boy deny-ers is really meaningless.

But then again, I think you have a big ole tongue in cheek italics thing going here.

Where do the Clark Fork boys keep coming up with all of their experts?

jed — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:01:22 GMT

I've been reading almost everywhere that most of the real scientists agree with that Oklahoma Senator who claims global warming is just about the biggest con ever perpetrated on the people of this earth..?

Licentiousness of any type is difficult to prosecute when your jury pool

jed — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:53:10 GMT

is composed of good ol' boys who admire Sagebrush Rebels a whole lot more than feds.

The business of America is business

jed — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:34:55 GMT

according to Cal Coolidge.
Paul Tsongas, Bill Clinton, and Joe Lieberman seemed to agree with Silent Cal in 1989--as still does Romney--most Republicans--and Brian Schweitzer--along with (apparently) a majority of the activist progressives of Left in the West...