Friday, May 19, 2006

Gore for president? Bull Moose: "The Moose feels a draft. The Moose has longed believed that Al Gore will run for President. Despite his denials, he may be engaged in a Nixon-style comeback. Gore's recent appearance on Saturday Night Live was straight out of the RMN playbook when he appeared on Laugh-In. His global warming flick opening in Hollywood was playing directly to his base. Maybe, Gore has not yet decided to run. He has issued repeated denials. But, as Moe Udall once said the only cure for Presidential ambition is embalming fluid... "The Moose also believes that a potential Clinton-Gore race will significantly strengthen Hillary if she prevails. She will reinforce her centrist credentials and deliver a blow to the left." Here's the link to Draft Gore 2008. Category: 2008 Presidential Election 6:30:55 AM

Dem convention in Denver? Yesterday the City of Denver formally submitted the bid to become the location for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Denver officials submitted a formal bid to attract the 2008 Democratic National Convention on Thursday, while labor leaders vowed to continue to fight the effort unless Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper meets their demands. Labor leaders want Hickenlooper and City Council members to actively encourage workers at the new Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center to join a union. They also want to raise the salaries of those who clean streets and facilities downtown and make sure that any jobs created by Denver's historic Union Station renovation project will meet certain wage conditions... "Denver is one of six U.S. cities in the running to host the August 2008 convention, which would draw an estimated 35,000 people to town and would have an estimated economic impact of at least $160 million. Also vying for the 2008 convention are Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New Orleans and New York City. Denver was one of three finalists for the 2000 convention. The city bid again in 2004, but then- Mayor Wellington Webb pulled Denver out of contention because of security concerns. The Democratic National Committee will pick the finalists, and then Howard Dean, the DNC chairman, will make a final choice after the November mid-term elections." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 6:15:12 AM

Constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage Wayne Allard's same-sex marriage amendment is back on the U.S. Senate radar. Critics say the amendment has little chance of getting the two-thirds majority necessary and that it's just an election year ploy to rally the base. Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "The U.S. Senate has set the stage to renew the battle over Sen. Wayne Allard's proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday voted along strict party lines to advance Allard's amendment for a Senate floor vote, expected for the week of June 5. The amendment would define marriage in the United States as the union of a man and a woman and is a reaction to a Massachusetts Supreme Court decision that allowed same-sex marriages in that state. Allard hopes to have more success than he did in 2004, when the amendment won only 48 votes on a procedural vote and was shelved for the year. Because the measure is a proposed constitutional amendment, it would take a two-thirds majority vote for Senate passage. If it passes the House, the measure would then require ratification by 38 states. Allard believes he has a better chance in the Senate this year, because he has added 10 new co-sponsors, including five first-term senators who replaced lawmakers who voted against the amendment in 2004. Allard does not dispute critics who say he appears to have locked in only 52 votes so far. But he said it's important to keep moving forward." Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "A dormant attempt to ban gay marriage through a constitutional amendment sprang back to life Thursday in the Senate. By a 10-8 party-line vote, the Senate's Judiciary Committee approved a resolution from Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., that would limit marriage to the union of one man and one woman. A vote on the bill by the full Senate is planned for early June. Allard and groups for and against the amendment concede there's almost no chance it will garner the two-thirds vote needed to pass the Senate. The same measure in 2004 failed to overcome a procedural hurdle and move to a full Senate vote. But Allard and Colorado Springs- based Focus on the Family Action, which lobbies for social conservatives, said they want to keep the issue in front of Congress... "Social conservatives applauded the Senate's action, calling it long overdue. Many such voters believe that they kept President Bush in office in the 2004 elections and that Congress has ignored their top issue for two years... "Allard denied that the timing of his amendment is aimed at influencing the November election, saying he wanted to bring it to a vote last year but couldn't get it on the calendar. Seven states have November ballot measures limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. Groups in Colorado and Arizona are working to put similar propositions on their ballots. Meanwhile, Colorado voters will be asked in November whether domestic partnerships for same- sex couples should be recognized. With that background, activist groups representing social conservatives believe it's crucial to have the gay-marriage issue in front of voters, saying 2004 proved it helps Republicans." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 5:46:22 AM

Immigration Coyote Gulch observes that immigration continues to be a wedge issue across the nation. Instead of looking for common ground and seeking to govern well the U.S. Senate chose to bring the English language only argument back again in the form of an amendment to the immigration bill that they are working on. From the Boston Globe: "The Senate voted yesterday to make English the 'national language' of the United States, declaring that no one has a right to federal communications or services in a language other than English except for those already guaranteed by law. The measure, approved by a vote of 63 to 34, directs the government to ''preserve and enhance' the role of English, without altering current laws that require some government documents and services to be provided in other languages. Opponents, however, said it could negate executive orders, regulations, civil service guidances, and other multilingual ordinances not officially sanctioned by acts of Congress. Only nine Senate Democrats voted for the amendment; one Republican, Senator Pete V. Domenici of New Mexico, voted against it... "The impact of the new Senate language amendment was unclear even after its passage. The language negating claims to multilingual services appears straightforward. It also sets requirements that immigrants seeking US citizenship know the English language and US history. The amendment would require more thorough testing to demonstrate English-language proficiency and knowledge of US history and customs like the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem. But its author, Senator James Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma, made two last-minute changes that some opponents said would water down its effect significantly. By stipulating that the English-only mandates could not negate existing laws, Inhofe spared current ordinances that allow bilingual education or multilingual ballots. And by changing the amendment to label English the 'national language' rather than the 'official language' of the country, Inhofe may have lessened its symbolic power... "But proimmigration groups and some Democrats said the amendment would obliterate executive orders issued by President Clinton that mandated the provision of multilingual services and communications by a variety of federal agencies, and could undermine court orders, agency regulations, civil service guidances, and state and local ordinances that provide multilingual services. Further complicating the picture, moments after approving the Inhofe amendment, the Senate voted 58 to 39 to approve a competing amendment by Senator Ken Salazar, Democrat of Colorado, declaring English the 'common unifying language of the United States' but mandating that nothing in that declaration 'shall diminish or expand any existing rights' regarding multilingual services." Category: Colorado Water 5:13:51 AM

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