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Thursday, May 15, 2008
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Roy Romer (via New West): "I think Obama would make the best president and has the best chance of being elected...He makes tough, clear decisions [like his approach to the gas tax]...He's cool under fire. He's had a lot of attacks recently and it shows that he can handle that and he has been cool in that regard...I think he has the proper vision of where this nation needs to go. He says he's going to be a change agent and I believe that. There are many, many practices in Washington that need to be changed, particularly special interests...I think he will be an independent actor, and I think the people of the West[sigma]know that we need to have a different kind of a government representing us than what we got now, and I think that that's an attractive feature."
Talking Points Memo: "On a conference call with conservative bloggers this afternoon, John McCain launched what may be his most direct attack yet on Barack Obama's national security credentials, saying flat out that Obama is incapable of protecting America and lacks the necessary traits to keep it secure from foreign threats."
Josh Marshall: "On balance I'd say that each time President Bush shames his office by transgressing the unwritten rules of the American polity, it's incumbent on everyone to rebuke him. As a political matter, though, it doesn't amount to that much. Every time the president does something like this, the Democratic nominee needs to point out again that President Bush bungled the country into a disastrous war that has damaged America, failed to find Osama bin Laden, funded it all but driving us further into debt to China and various Gulf sheikdoms. And McCain supports it all 100%.
"Always stay on the offensive."
Rachel Maddow said tonight on MSNBC that the President's speech to Knesset was, "exactly the fight," the Obama campaign wants.
Andrew Sullivan: "Without McCain-Feingold and without the Internet, Clinton would have crushed the opposition. But she didn't. And Obama caught the next generation's wave. Josh Green has a great article in the June Atlantic on Obama's fundraising."
"2008 pres"
6:03:32 PM 
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Here's a look at efforts to list the Rio Grande cutthroat as endangered, from The Environmental News Service. From the article:
The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is declining and its conservation status is "cause for concern" the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said today. After a review of this native fish's situation, the Service is recommending that the subspecies be formally proposed for protection under the Endangered Species Act. But the agency will not provide federal safeguards at this time. Instead, the trout has been added to the list of candidate species for protection under the Act. It is number 281 on the candidate list...
The Rio Grande cutthroat trout occupies the southern-most habitat of all the cutthroat trout, and the Service acknowledged today that the cold, high elevation streams preferred by this subspecies make it vulnerable to global warming. "The threats it faces are exacerbated by the effects of climate change," the Service said. While the extent to which climate change will affect the trout's cold water habitat is not fully understood, the Service said, but warmer water temperatures, decreased stream flow, and a change in the timing of runoff could, singly, or in combination, have a negative effect on the subspecies. The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is one of 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout and is found in high elevation streams in the Rio Grande, Pecos and the Canadian river basins in New Mexico and Colorado. The species currently occupies a little less than 10 percent of its historical habitat in Colorado and a little more than 10 percent in New Mexico. The Service found several changes had occurred to Rio Grande cutthroat trout populations since its last review in 2002. In 2002, there were 13 core populations of the Rio Grande cutthroat trout considered sufficiently secure so that federal protection was not considered necessary. This latest review shows only five core populations still meet that definition. Of the 120 "conservation populations" of Rio Grande cutthroat trout range-wide, 112 exist as isolated fragments with no genetic mixing between populations. The majority of populations, 71 percent, are in short stream segments of five miles or less, which support a limited number of fish.Although barriers protect most Rio Grande cutthroat trout populations from downstream populations of nonnative trout, 38 percent of Rio Grande cutthroat trout conservation populations share habitat with nonnative trout...
As a candidate species, the Rio Grande cutthroat trout receives no statutory protection under the Endangered Species Act, but its inclusion on the candidate list promotes cooperative conservation efforts. For example, the Service provides technical assistance and competitive matching grants to states, private landowners, tribes and pueblos undertaking conservation efforts on behalf of candidate species. The Service also works with landowners to develop Candidate Conservation Agreements. These voluntary agreements allow people to manage their property in ways that benefit candidate species. The Service uses five factors to determine if a species merits Endangered Species Act protection. If the species meets one of the factors it is eligible for inclusion on the list of threatened and endangered species. The factors are: the present or threatened destruction, modification, or curtailment of its habitat or range; overutilization for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes; disease or predation; the inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms; or other natural or manmade factors affecting its continued existence.
"colorado water"
6:01:57 PM
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The Gavel: "The House has just passed two of three amendments constituting the emergency supplemental bill. Amendment #1, which contained the funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, failed after 132 Republicans voted present, refusing to take a position for or against. Amendment #2 placing restrictions on the Iraq policy, and Amendment #3 funding domestic priorities including an expanded GI Bill and unemployment insurance, both passed."
"2008 pres"
5:58:15 PM
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Oliver Willis: "California overturns gay marriage ban: In the future, we're going to think this entire 'controversy' was as stupid as anti-miscegenation laws."
Here's a short roundup of the gay marriage news out of California from The Moderate Voice.
"2008 pres"
5:57:34 PM
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From The Rocky Mountain News: "Gov. Bill Ritter will testify before a U.S. Senate committee today to urge a slowdown of plans to lease 2 million acres of public land for oil-shale development. Ritter accepted the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's invitation to speak about the future of oil-shale development in Colorado, spokesman Evan Dreyer said. 'He is supportive of continuing with the oil-shale R&D process, as there are many unanswered questions,' Dreyer said, referring to ongoing research. 'He does not see a need for the federal government to rush ahead at this time with the commercial development of oil shale.'"
More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.
"2008 pres"
6:55:54 AM
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One of our favorite blogs Left in the West will be the Montana representative for the 2008 Democratic National Convention Blogger Corps. Congratulations Matt and Jay and everyone else. Make sure you look us up when you're in town.
"2008 pres"
6:52:15 AM
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© Copyright 2009 John Orr.
Last update: 3/15/09; 2:25:36 PM.
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