War as Republican celebration

The chickenhawks and dumb-as-a-monkey trolls supporting this president's stupid non-security policies have got to go. Just read this at TPM Cafe:

I got a letter from The Heritage Foundation. It asked me if am “fed up” with the anti war left, anti war media, …and the other anti war people, groups and institutions? If yes, I can send them a check. I wonder. Are not all decent human beings anti war?You can believe that there were WMD in Iraq, that when we had no choice toprevent an attack we had to invade Iraq or some other such poppycock—but still fed up with war. I bet that the person who wrote this send-me-your-bucks letter was never in combat. I was for 2 and half years.

That reminded me of this incredibly stupid comment Marilyn Musgrave made at the Boulder County Republican Assembly:

Musgrave charged that state Rep. Angie Paccione, the Fort Collins Democrat also seeking the 4th CD seat, "is anti-war" and would join congressional Democrats who consider the U.S. servicemen and women in Iraq to be "occupiers" of that country.

Demagogue.

Paccione passes meth bill

If Marilyn Musgrave is so wretched, who is the alternative?

Rhetorical question, of course. It's Angie Paccione, silly! Thus, we will promote her quite shamelessly.

Angie's got an op-ed in the Coloradoan today on some sensible legislation she's getting passed in Denver.

A recent in-depth article on meth use in Northern Colorado told the traumatic story of "Ashli," a 16-year-old whose father was a meth addict. By age 5, she had been forced into the role of caregiver for her younger brother because her parents couldn't change diapers. From there, a life of instability, drug abuse and neglect followed for Ashli. Fortunately, Ashli has now been able to escape this cycle after finding a safe and stable environment. Not all children will get this second chance. When we consider that admissions to meth treatment centers in Colorado have increased 200 percent between 1997 and 2004, we begin to get an idea of the scope of this challenge.

Whatever the power of addiction, there can be no excuse when it comes to endangering children. Society cannot accept or tolerate the exposure of children to this life. Growing up in a meth household exposes children to violence, weapons, dangerous chemicals and sexual predators. Having an addict for a parent increases the likelihood that a child will later use drugs. Having your childhood robbed in this way is an act of cruelty and neglect - this robbery should not be permissible.

With state Rep. Judy Solano of Thornton, I have sponsored House Bill 1145 in the Colorado state House of Representatives to help address meth addiction and the dangers to children. House Bill 1145 broadens the legal definition of "felony child abuse" to include the exposure of a child to meth production. Ashli's story has stuck in my mind, and knowing she is not alone is a direct challenge to elected leaders. I know that my legislative colleagues share similar anxieties and are putting politics aside to find creative solutions.

Meth is bad news. This page talks about how lab seizures in Colorado have tripled over the past three years.

On her "Serbian militia"

Holy Crap! This is a funny comment at Colorado Pols:

What did Musgrave spend $208,000 on this quarter? The same as every quarter. Full-time staffers to do nothing but play "Serbian Militia" in party politics. Did it get her anything? A bunch of pissed off Bosnians.

. . . sittin' in a tree

Washington Post:

Intense and widespread opposition to President Bush is likely to be a sharp spur driving voters to the polls in this fall's midterm elections, according to strategists in both parties, a phenomenon that could give Democrats a turnout advantage over Republicans for the first time in recent years.

Polls have reflected voter discontent with Bush for many months, but as the election nears, operatives are paying special attention to one subset of the numbers. It is the wide disparity between the number of people who are passionate in their dislike of Bush vs. those who support him with equal fervor.