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Thursday, April 20, 2006
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McCain for president?
Political Wire: "The real barrier to John McCain's presidential ambitions 'may be his unswerving, unstinting and unnuanced support for an unpopular war in Iraq,' reports Bloomberg. 'With only 38 percent of Americans in the Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times poll saying the war is worth fighting, McCain's advisers are trying to make a virtue of his stance, saying it shows he is genuine, courageous and un-political.' Says McCain: "I do understand it could be a political liability.'"
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:34:25 PM 
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Out of Thin Air
Non-Prophet: "Plants are, if you ignore the water, roughly half carbon. Have you ever thought about where that carbon comes from? Half of the mass of a tree or a corn field came right out of thin air."
6:28:09 PM
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2008 Dem convention in Denver?
This is pretty cool. DemNotes blogging live from this weeks DNC meeting in New Orleans: "I am now sitting in the DNC's Rules and Bylaws meeting here in New Orleans. The Committee is hearing presentations from the ten (or eleven?) states that are bidding for cconsideration as 'pre-window' states during the 2008 Presidential nominating calendar.
"For those of you who haven't been following this too closely, let me explain. Over the past year, the DNC has had a 'Commission' exploring possibilities for adjusting the Presidential nominating calendar. As it stands now, Iowa is guaranteed the first position, with New Hampshire[base ']s 'first-in-the-nation' primary shortly thereafter. After New Hampshire, there is a 'window' during which states are not allowed to hold primaries or caucuses.
"The DNC's Commission recently recommended a significant change to this process. While Iowa's caucuses would still be first, the DNC is looking at putting one or two caucus states between Iowa and New Hampshire. In addition, they are looking at allowing one or two states to hold primaries during the 'window' after New Hampshire. One of the biggest reasons for this is to increase geographic and ethnic / racial diversity in the nominating process.
"The Rules and Bylaws Committee has invited state parties to submit proposals indicating interest in either of these windows. Ten states sent in proposals by the deadline (Nebraska has also sent a proposal this week). Those states have all been invited to make a presentation today to the Committee.
"Oh, and Colorado is bidding for the 'Second-in-the-Nation Caucuses'. From what I can tell, the other states bidding for the early caucus position between Iowa and New Hampshire are Arizona, Nevada, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Nebraska and Michigan have stated that they are flexible enough to be considered for either window. Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and South Carolina are bidding for the primary position.
"As many of you know, I have long been advocating bringing early caucuses and primaries out West, as part of a three-pronged plan to increase the West's national visibility. The West is well-represented here today. Nevada and Arizona are also giving presentations - Nevada is the early favorite to win one of the caucus spots. However, Colorado has a lot to offer, and Pat Waak and I made a compelling argument, I think, that Colorado has a long history and ability to put together caucuses at this level."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:18:58 PM
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Denver moving to vote centers this year
Wash Park Prophet: "Denver's election system will transition from the precinct system to the vote center system, where any voter in the City and County of Denver may vote at any of 47 vote centers rather than only at their local precinct, for the August primary in 2006. It hadn't been clear, until today, whether or not this would be implimented in the primary, or only in the general election. The move is a good one, as it allows the kinks to be worked out of the system when the stakes are lower and there are fewer voters involved."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:09:59 PM
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McCain for president?
RedState: "Most of you who follow my writing on RedState will know that I am an unabashed supporter of John McCain. While no candidate is 100% perfect, for me, there is no other figure in the running for the 2008 nomination who can build on the successes of the Bush administration while focusing the priorities of the White House on the continued challenges faced by the country as a whole: strengthening the economy and building long-term economic prosperity; working for a smaller, less intrusive, more streamlined federal government; delivering a strong national defense equipped for life in the 21st century that can guarantee our success in the War on Terror; addressing emerging concerns like the need to achieve energy independence for security and environmental reasons; reestablishing a robust foreign policy that traditional allies can support and that will deliver a safer, freer world more aligned to American objectives; ensuring the freedom of markets through the active pursuit of global and regional free trade initiatives; and uniting America behind a core set of values and ideas that we all share, instead of highlighting the differences among us that have the potential to divide us on ethnic, religious, or other social lines...
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
7:05:24 AM
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Not one more drop
Ken Neubecker (via the Vail Trail): "..while I am no supporter of trans-basin diversions, the cities on the east slope are not always 'the big enemy' Roger claims they are. The demand of the Front Range cities and the lower basin states isn't for 'our water.' Like it or not, it's for their water. Trans-basin rights from Eagle County and the Colorado River were acquired years ago through Colorado's prior appropriation system and interstate compacts. Often the system itself is as much an 'enemy' of streams as any particular diversion might be...
"I agree strongly that the Colorado River from Kremmling to Dotsero needs established and enforced minimum in-stream flows. Even better would be a serious and effective flow management plan incorporating both flows and the hydrographic variation that a healthy river needs. Such a plan might allow existing rights, diversions and storage to co-exist with a healthy river system...
"We are trying to move past the water wars. Hopefully, negotiation can resolve the water needs of Colorado as a whole, as opposed to warring fiefdoms divided by politics and mountains. The cry of 'not one more drop' makes great political rhetoric, but raising it now does not help. Water wars are long and costly, creating only greater divisiveness and wealthier lawyers. If we do return to a stance of 'not one more drop,' add Gypsum Creek to the mix. It would be a great thing if the Piney River were given Wild and Scenic status. The entire upper Colorado, from Rocky Mountain Park and Berthoud Pass to Glenwood Springs should be Wild and Scenic. Wild and Scenic designation doesn't mean that diversions would be stopped. Wild and Scenic is very different from wilderness, allowing current and historic uses to continue. Such designation wouldn't necessarily prevent a Wolcott reservoir filing with water from the Piney. Even RICD's (Recreational In Channel Diversions), while keeping water in a stream, are not for environmental needs. Any benefit to the environment from RICDs is simply a bonus. The rub is that only human use of water is considered valid. Nature, rivers, trees and wildlife have no real standing in our culture. Natural systems are second-class citizens with little recognition of a right to exist for their own sake. Rivers simply don[base ']t have the right to 'use' their own water, especially in Colorado. To suggest otherwise is blasphemy. It took a monumental court battle for Native Americans on reservations to be recognized as having 'senior rights' by being there first (Winters, 1908). At least Native Americans were finally accorded some standing as humans. Recognizing the rights of nature will take more than a court case or catchy political slogans."
Category: Colorado Water
7:02:18 AM
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Preferred Storage Options Plan
The Preferred Options Storage Plan (PSOP) for the Arkansas Valley is the subject of this article from the Pueblo Chieftain. They write, "The PSOP proposal, sponsored by the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, already is embroiled in controversy after five years of attempts to come up with a bill that satisfies all Arkansas River water interests, as well as Western Slope concerns. A committee trying to craft a bill acceptable to everyone last week wrestled with concerns from U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo. The committee will look at the latest version of the law nextTuesday. The committee still must decide how to address concerns raised last month by Lake County Commissioners and a proposal by Southeastern President Wally Stealey to restructure funding of the study...
"In late 2004, the Lower Ark District blocked an 11th-hour attempt to pass PSOP legislation, and in early 2005 enlisted the aid of Salazar and his brother, Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., to have their concerns drafted into legislation. Negotiations on a potential agreement related to PSOP have continued for the past 15 months, and have stalled again. Attorneys and representatives for nine parties in the negotiations will meet again next week to continue talks, Singletary said...
"The Preferred Storage Options Plan was proposed in 2001 by the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District to increase storage in the Arkansas Valley. Among its elements: Enlargement of Lake Pueblo and Turquoise Lake. Current legislation would authorize a $4 million feasibility study; Lake Pueblo could be enlarged by as much as 75,000 acre-feet; Cities west of Pueblo eventually would benefit from more storage in Turquoise; Long-term excess capacity contracts of up to 36,000 acre-feet in Lake Pueblo would provide a more firm source of supply for cities up and down the valley; PSOP legislation would formalize the Bureau of Reclamation's authority to contract for storage and exchanges with Aurora, even though the Denver suburb is not part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project; PSOP participants are Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security, Salida, Florence, Canon City, La Junta, Lamar, Poncha Springs, Pueblo West, Otero County, Pueblo Board of Water Works, Crowley County, the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District and the Southeastern District."
Category: Colorado Water
6:37:27 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/14/09; 8:09:33 PM.
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