Saturday, May 13, 2006

McCain for President? John McCain: "I had a friend once, who, a long time ago, in the passions and resentments of a tumultuous era in our history, I might have considered my enemy. He had come once to the capitol of the country that held me prisoner, that deprived me and my dearest friends of our most basic rights, and that murdered some of us. He came to that place to denounce our country's involvement in the war that had led us there. His speech was broadcast into our cells. I thought it a grievous wrong then, and I still do. "A few years later, he had moved temporarily to a kibbutz in Israel. He was there during the Yom Kippur War, when he witnessed the support America provided our beleaguered ally. He saw the huge cargo planes bearing the insignia of the United States Air Force rushing emergency supplies into that country. And he had an epiphany. He had believed America had made a tragic mistake by going to Vietnam, and he still did. He had seen what he believed were his country's faults, and he still saw them. But he realized he had let his criticism temporarily blind him to his country's generosity and the goodness that most Americans possess, and he regretted his failing deeply. When he returned to his country he became prominent in Democratic Party politics, and helped elect Bill Clinton President of the United States. He still criticized his government when he thought it wrong, but he never again lost sight of all that unites us. "We met some years later. He approached me and asked to apologize for the mistake he believed he had made as a young man. Many years had passed since then, and I bore little animosity for anyone because of what they had done or not done during the Vietnam War. It was an easy thing to accept such a decent act, and we moved beyond our old grievance. "We worked together in an organization dedicated to promoting human rights in the country where he and I had once come for different reasons. I came to admire him for his generosity, his passion for his ideals, for the largeness of his heart, and I realized he had not been my enemy, but my countryman ... my countryman ... and later my friend. His friendship honored me. We disagreed over much. Our politics were often opposed, and we argued those disagreements. But we worked together for our shared ideals. We were not always in the right, but we weren't always in the wrong either, and we defended our beliefs as we had each been given the wisdom to defend them. "David remained my countryman and my friend, until the day of his death, at the age of forty-seven, when he left a loving wife and three beautiful children, and legions of friends behind him. His country was a better place for his service to her, and I had become a better man for my friendship with him. God bless him." Bull Moose: "The Moose longs for leadership that can unite America. "Many ask the Moose why he has so much respect and admiration for John McCain. The simple answer is that Senator McCain has the unique ability to bring Americans together again. He is a profound patriot who puts country first. "Throughout his political carrier, he has reached across party and ideological lines to attempt to find solutions. And he has worked to reconcile differences that were thought to be impossible to heal." Andrew Sullivan: "McCain is telling us - showing us - that he is ready to bind up the wounds and lead America. That's what this speech suggests - and it may well become the theme of his presidential run. And, although I am less of a believer in government than McCain is, it may be what this country desperately needs, in a very perilous time. I know I'm a sap for McCain. Always have been. But he may soon be America's indispensable leader. And a critical part of that leadership will be undoing the divisions that have been allowed to deepen and calcify in the last five years. If he runs against Hillary, it will be as a healer against a figure who, fairly or unfairly, represents salt in America's ideological wounds. It's a winning message; and a necessary one." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 12:39:44 PM

Telephone record privacy Coyote Gulch's domain registrar, who also does telephony, includes this tidbit in their updated privacy policy: "... 2. Upon receipt of a warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, we may be required to provide any of the above information or more, or allow wiretaps by a law enforcement agency. Under no circumstances will we provide information to, or allow wiretaps by, any entity in the absence of a warrant issued by a court of competent jurisdiction." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 11:13:09 AM

EPA report on wadeable streams Here's the link to the EPA's Wadeable Streams Assessment: A Collaborative Survey of the Nation's Streams EPA 841-B-06-002 April 2006. From their fact sheet, "The Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA) is a first-ever, statistically-valid survey of the biological condition of streams throughout the U.S. Wadeable streams-streams and rivers that are shallow enough to sample without boats-were chosen for study because they are a critical natural resource, because we have a well-established set of methods for monitoring them, and because they are frequently under-sampled in traditional monitoring programs. This project was a collaborative effort involving states, EPA and other federal agencies, tribes, universities and other organizations." Thanks to beSpacific for the link. Category: Colorado Water 9:15:22 AM

Women in politics Tracy Velazquez (via New West): "Does gender matter? The answer to this question, it appears to me, is 'yes.' First, a little history on women in politics: Nineteen states - including Montana - have absolutely no female representation in Congress. Women make up over half the population, but hold only 15.2% of the seats in the U.S. House and Senate, 220 years after our country's independence. To gain equal representation by 2020, the hundredth anniversary of women's suffrage, women would need to win nineteen more seats every two years." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 8:52:40 AM

NSA Conducting Massive Data Collecting of Americans' Phone Calls Bull Moose: "The Moose weighs in on the latest NSA flap. "Once again the battle lines are drawn on another controversy over liberty vs. security in the war against terrorism. Cries of Big Brother and fascism are being heard. "It is time for some reasoned clarity. "This is not a program intended to deprive us of our liberty, but rather one that attempts to employ twenty-first century technology to stop seventh century theocratic killer fascists. Here is the key point in the USA Today story, 'The government is collecting 'external' data on domestic phone calls but is not intercepting internals,' a term for the actual content of the communication, according to a U.S. intelligence official familiar with the program. This kind of data collection from phone companies is not uncommon; it's been done before, though never on this large a scale, the official said.' "As of yet, there is no evidence that the government was eavesdropping on private conversations of innocent citizens. What we know is that it is a collection of phone numbers that were put into super computers to detect patterns of suspect activity. The Bushies were not using information to destroy their political opponents. The NSA is legitimately obtaining data to thwart terrorists." Captains Quarters: "Richard Falkenrath, the former deputy Homeland Security advisor to the President and now a fellow at the center-left Brookings Institute, writes a passionate defense of the NSA phone-call database in today's Washington Post. He also pushes back against the notion that the involvement of General Michael Hayden in the two controversial NSA surveillance programs disqualify him to lead the CIA. In fact, as Falkenrath explains, it underscores his potential value at Langley." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 8:48:37 AM

Immigration Colorado's native son U.S. Senator Ken Salazar has been given a seat at the table to craft the compromise immigration bill between the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate if a bill passes the Senate, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "It's an unusual opportunity for a freshman senator, one that will put him in what's likely to be a near war-room. Many House Republicans oppose any legislation that would grant legal status to illegal immigrants. Salazar has not yet sat on a conference committee. Members are normally appointed by seniority... "Reid asked Salazar as he was putting together a deal with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. that allows the bill to come up for debate. Immigration legislation languished for more than a month because the two leaders couldn't agree on the parameters for debating the legislation, and what would happen to it once it's passed. Reid wanted to protect provisions Democrats support, such as a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He believed the best way to do that would be to have a say in who shapes the final legislation that goes to the president, said Reid spokesman Jim Manley... "Salazar said he wants to make sure the final package deals with border security, enforcement of current laws, and what he calls 'the reality' of the '11 million undocumented workers in this country...' "If the Senate passes legislation with guest worker and citizenship for illegal immigrants, Tancredo said he doubts the conference committee will be able to unify the disparate House and Senate immigration bills. Too many Republicans in the House would reject he Senate version, he said... "President Bush's planned speech Monday night is an effort to influence the legislation, [U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo] said. Bush is expected to talk about putting military troops at the border. Tancredo said, to assuage critics who say border security needs to be beefed up before a guest worker plan can be considered." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 8:34:08 AM

Gay rights Here's an in-depth analysis of political involvement by both sides of the gay rights issue, from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "The passage of Amendment 2 - the 1992 measure that banned anti-discrimination laws for homosexuals - shocked Colorado gays and lesbians, and then propelled them into politics as never before. It also galvanized their opponents, and proved to the be the first battle of a Colorado political war that continues through dueling ballot initiatives to this day. The lesson learned, leading gay activists say, was both bitter and profoundly instructive: Fight or be trounced." Here's another article on the subject from the Rocky Mountain News, focusing on Colorado Springs. They write, "Ten years ago Jerry Albrent never would have imagined himself singing show tunes in a gay men's chorus featuring a bald, middle-aged trio performing I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair. In 1996, Amendment 2, which was started by an evangelical Christian group, was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. But the bitter fight over gay rights had hardly come to end. Resentments lingered. This picturesque city [Colorado Springs] became known among gay and lesbian activists as the birthplace of Amendment 2 and the 'epicenter of hate.' Meanwhile, Focus on the Family and other locally based religious organizations stepped up their efforts to fight same-sex marriage, gay adoption and other 'special rights' for gays and lesbians. A decade later, despite such events as this year's debut of the city's first gay men's choir, the cultural war rages on." We missed this article about the dueling initiatives and amendments from Thursday's Rocky. From the article, "Elections usually settle things. But possibly not in the case of two apparently conflicting measures related to same-sex couples that may end up on the November ballot. If voters approved both, the election would likely be settled in the courts. One measure seeks to prohibit any official recognition of a same- sex union that resembles marriage. The other seeks to exempt same- sex "domestic partnerships" from that prohibition. So what happens if both pass? 'This is a peculiar question,' said Richard Collins, a law professor at the University of Colorado. In that case, he said, both would end up in the state constitution. The one that gets the most yes votes would have an edge on the other but only on the provisions that are in conflict, he said... "The proposed No Legal Status Amendment would prohibit the state from creating any legal status similar to marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal is an attempt to trump the domestic partnership measure that will be on the ballot. Yet a third measure is meant to counter the No Legal Status proposal. It would make a same-sex domestic partnership "a unique and valued relationship" that is not similar to marriage. The intent is to allow voters to say domestic partnerships don't violate the one-man, one-woman marriage definition. Reconciling that proposal with the No Legal Status Amendment would take an outside force, assuming they make the ballot and are both approved." Read all three articles before they scroll behind the Rocky paywall. Ed Quillen weighs in on the issues. He writes, "So we have 1344, a referred domestic-partnership law. We may see the anti-1344 constitutional amendment, the protect-1344 constitutional amendment, and the one-man one-woman constitutional amendment. The simplest solution to all this is one I proposed several years ago: Enact a domestic-partnership law that applies to all couples, and remove 'marriage' from all state laws. Why? As the right-thinkers often remind us, 'marriage is a sacrament.' Consider other sacraments, like baptism, confirmation and penance. Thanks to certain enlightened provisions in the state and federal bills of rights, the government does not tell churches how to perform these sacraments, nor who may receive them. It's entirely up to the church, as it should be. So it should also be with marriage. Get your civil union certified at the courthouse, and then visit your church, mosque, temple or ashram if you want a marriage." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 8:14:43 AM

Coal-bed methane water production Durango Herald: "A 6th District water court judge in Durango has refused the state's request to throw out a lawsuit by area landowners against gas-extracting companies. The lawsuit was filed in November 2005 by Jim and Terry Fitzgerald in La Plata County and Bill and Beth Vance in Archuleta County. The couples, whose ranches are in the heart of a coal-bed methane gas region, allege that gas extraction should be subject to the same state Division of Water Resources regulations as agriculture and sand/gravel operations. Judge Gregory Lyman's order was issued April 25." Category: Colorado Water 7:43:38 AM

Roy Roath: If I could make it rain I would Drought conditions are settling on Colorado again, here in the summer of 2006. Here's an article from the Pueblo Chieftain about the moisture problems in eastern Colorado. From the article, "Rangeland specialists told a group of farmers and ranchers this week that Eastern Colorado remains locked in a serious drought and conditions aren't going to get much better... "Rangeland specialists say that an estimated 7,000 Southeastern Colorado farms and ranches valued at an estimated $89 million are in jeopardy as a result of the current drought. Roath said managing water is critical to recovering from a drought. 'Precipitation in and of itself is pretty helpful, but how you manage that precipitation when it comes, is critical,' he said. The onset of the drought began in 2000 when dry weather caused many rangeland areas to have appreciably less forage, placing stress on perennial plants. Roath said the worst year was 2002 when a dry winter caused many range plants to greatly reduce the number of new buds for forage material to be produced in the spring... "The current dry spell has caused a decrease in the production from cool season grasses, such as western wheatgrass and green needlegrass. Roath said several plants on loamy plains ecological sites in Eastern Colorado have been lost. He told ranchers that the most important objective in managing land in a drought situation is to increase ground cover with plants...Roath said that the period from Oct. 10, 2005, to May 1 was the driest period of time on record in the state - exceeding the winter of 2002." Coyote Gulch is asking Denver Water and the other water utilities that have lifted watering restrictions to reconsider. Let's all acknowledge that the state is in drought and that the streams need as much water as we can send down them. We live in the desert, let's use water wisely. It's past time to adopt a permanent conservation attitude. Category: Colorado Water 7:17:49 AM

Fort Lyons water to Lowry a water grab? Pure Cycle's proposed pipeline and their plans to deliver Arkansas River water to the old Lowry Bombing Range in the Denver Metro area was the talk of southeastern Colorado yesterday, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "A Thornton company's plans to pipe as much as 60,000 acre-feet of water a year out of the Lower Arkansas Valley to serve a future development in the Denver area has sent shock waves across the valley's small farming communities... "The 113-mile long Fort Lyon Canal is the largest in the valley. It starts about 4 miles west of Colorado 109 near La Junta and snakes across the valley where it drains northeast of Lamar near Thurston Lake. Its storage canal, which runs to the north of the main canal, is 53 miles long... "Bent County Commissioner Frank Wallace said Pure Cycle's plan is just a way to get through water court. Last year, High Plains lost a Colorado Supreme Court appeal of Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes' 2004 dismissal of a change of use for its Fort Lyon's shares. Maes ruled High Plains did not have an end user for the water, as required by Colorado water law's anti-speculation doctrine." Category: Colorado Water 7:01:21 AM

Ritter or Holtzman or Beauprez for governor? Bill Ritter, Bob Beauprez and Marc Holtzman took part in a debate in Fort Collins yesterday, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. From the article, "In their first appearance together, Colorado's three gubernatorial candidates remained civil Friday while passionately addressing Referendum C, higher education and their visions for the future of the state. Democrat Bill Ritter joined Republicans Bob Beauprez and Marc Holtzman in a forum at the Fort Collins Board of Realtors' 23rd Annual Government Affairs Luncheon. The three began with 10 minutes each to speak in general and then took on specific questions from the audience. The most divisive topic seemed to be the passage of Referendum C... "Ritter's campaign message is based on investing in the future by supporting people, infrastructure and institutions. Holtzman hails Ronald Reagan Republican values and said the government must create an environment in which people can achieve and prosper, then quickly get out of their way. Beauprez discussed four areas of infrastructure he said must be strengthened: transportation, water, education and health care... "Beauprez argued that his ties to Washington make him a stronger candidate than his opponents. All three emphasized the importance of funding higher education and developing partnerships between private and public entities for the sake of improved economic development... "Holtzman talked about increasing the number of lanes on Interstate 70 and Interstate 25, expanding the state's airports and building incentives for alternative energy sources. He said as governor he would present the voters with a detailed package of improvements, including a specific timetable for the projects to take place. Transportation improvements need to be done in a way that align with the 21st century, Ritter said. This includes looking at commuter trains from Fort Collins to Pueblo and how transit can help highway commuters. Beauprez called the gas tax out of date and said the state needs to seek a new funding source, which could come in part from creative private-public partnerships." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 6:51:41 AM

Help for South Platte farmers The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the city of Fort Collins have promised some trans-mountain water to help out the farmers on the South Platte whose wells in the river's alluvial aquifer were shut down this week, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. From the article, "After a lengthy board meeting Friday morning and a two-hour conference call with district water-right owners in the afternoon, the water district agreed to lease 10,000 acre-feet of water to well users. While promising, it was unclear whether the development would solve a problem that threatens to wipe out $1 million in crops, including those of some of the state's most prominent farmers. That's because cities that worry their water rights could be harmed by well-pumping this year would have to sign off on the plan, as would the state. The deal was approved Friday by several cities and irrigation ditch owners, but the plan still required approval from the state and other irrigation ditch owners who had sued the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District to shut down the wells... "It's 'possible' the 10,000 acre-feet, which would come from the Northern water district's Windy Gap Project on the Western Slope, would be enough to cover this year's well use, which is still just 15 percent of normal, Hertzke said.. "Under the plan, Northern water district would lease Windy Gap water to the Central water district for about $600,000. The Central water district also reserved 2,000 acre-feet of rental water from Fort Collins on Friday, said Dennis Bode, the city's water resources manager. The city made the water available about two weeks ago at $28 an acre-foot. Fort Collins already has leased about 16,000 acre-feet to area farmers this year, Bode said." Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "Without water, more than $1 million of crops are likely to die within 10 days, said Jim Reasoner, president of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. The deal reached Friday, which officials caution still has not been approved by all parties, calls for moving 10,000 acre-feet of water from the Western Slope, enough for this summer's crops on the affected farms. The water would come from the Windy Gap Project through the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District and might allow farmers to restart their pumps as early as next week, said Greg Hertzke, water acquisitions manager for the district. Several cities and irrigation ditch owners participating in the Windy Gap Project agreed to the proposal. But the cities of Boulder, Highlands Ranch and Sterling, which have been sharply critical of the well owners, had not approved the agreement. State Engineer Hal Simpson also must approve any plan..." "Aurora, too, has said it will free up water for the farmers. Late Friday, Aurora Utilities Director Peter Binney said 500 to 1,000 acre- feet might be available but that the technical calculations aren't finished. To restart the wells would likely require an emergency trip back to water court, where those who have objected to the irrigation wells would have to approve any new plan to pump this year, Reasoner said." Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "It is not clear whether the 10,000 acre-feet will be enough to help the farmers. Some are completely well-dependent, while others also irrigate their crops with river water... "In addition to Windy Gap water, the central district may have access to more water from the city of Aurora. The district already has a lease from the city for about 8,800 acre-feet of water, and there may be a way to extend that supply, said Peter Binney, Aurora's utility director...Both Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave and Sen. Wayne Allard have asked President Bush to declare a national disaster for Weld, Morgan and Adams counties." Category: Colorado Water 6:45:52 AM

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