Open Thread

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[Duke]

Any word on who will manage Holtzman? I heard he was getting a D.C guy

[Shelley Peetz]

I would back McInnis for Governor.

[Hank]

Jim Polsfut is hiring staff.

[George]

Teri Shaivo Poll, ABC News

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/PollVault/story?id=599622&page=1

The public, by 63 percent-28 percent, supports the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube, and by a 25-point margin opposes a law mandating federal review of her case. Congress passed such legislation and President Bush signed it early today.

That legislative action is distinctly unpopular: Not only do 60 percent oppose it, more — 70 percent — call it inappropriate for Congress to get involved in this way. And by a lopsided 67 percent-19 percent, most think the elected officials trying to keep Schiavo alive are doing so more for political advantage than out of concern for her or for the principles involved.

This ABC News poll also finds that the Schiavo case has prompted an enormous level of personal discussion: Half of Americans say that as a direct result of hearing about this case, they've spoken with friends or family members about what they'd want done if they were in a similar condition. Nearly eight in 10 would not want to be kept alive.

Intensity

In addition to the majority, the intensity of public sentiment is also on the side of Schiavo's husband, who has fought successfully in the Florida courts to remove her feeding tube. And intensity runs especially strongly against congressional involvement.

Included among the 63 percent who support removing the feeding tube are 42 percent who "strongly" support it — twice as many as strongly oppose it. And among the 70 percent who call congressional intervention inappropriate are 58 percent who hold that view strongly — an especially high level of strong opinion.

[Bob]

Is the only time that Rep. Beauprez can carve out of his busy schedule to discuss Social Security is from 2:30 - 4:00pm on a Tuesday?

Maybe Bob didn't get the memo but some of us actually have to work for living. So much for our elected officials serving we the people and working within a schedule that allows we the people to give feedback to OUR elected representatives. Maybe if I incorporate I can get some more face time with Bob.

Deputy Commissioner Lockhart also flat out lied this morning on WB2 when he said that Social Security would be broke in 2018. Maybe he needs to take a refresher course on

A - what it means to be an unbiased public offical

and

B - what a trust fund means.

Glad to see our tax dollars going to such good use.

[lapin]

Any word from Estes Park Town Council Recall Election? Can anyone point me to a gov site that has election results for the town? Here in WA the counties run the elections. Same in CO or does the city run the election? Sorry for so many questions, just very curious re: the recall.

[John]

FYI - the president doesn't schedule around Bob Beauprez, it's the other way around. For that matter, Joel Hefley was there, maybe GWB scheduled around him?

Furthermore, by virtually anyone's estimation, soc sec will start paying out more than it brings in around 2018. It won't officially go broke until approx 2042.

And there's where I give Dems credit. They just tell young people to their face that the problem is too far off to care. They actually say there is no problem! Don't even try to sugarcoat it. Screw young people.

Where I take exception is where Dems/AARP tries to scare seniors. I challenge anyone to find a legitimate GOP plan that doesn't make the private savings accounts VOLUNTARY and doesn't guarantee that benefits to those born before 1950 WILL NOT be affected. Screw seniors.

[peterco]

From the town clerk on the recall, http://www.estesnet.com/TownClerk/Election/SPECIAL%20ELECTION.htm

That should have the results at some point, and the news will have them shortly, and I post again.

On SS:
I believe that a few changes could increase solvency for the forseeable future. The problem is that those aren't too popular. But scaring seniors is lame, since the people to go for are the 40 and 50-somethings. I think the problem is that there isn't any plan to debate here, other than the one already in place, Social Security. In the Dems view, as soon as you admit to one change, they can try to force all sorts of others things onto that, and then they have lost the battle.

[lapin]

peterco, thanks for the linkage and info.

[James C. Hess]

The Democrats support abortion and partial-birth abortion. Now they support the starvation death of Terri Schiavo.

The Democrat party: The party of Sex (Clinton) and Death. Yes, sir. That's the sort of leadership the United States of America really needs.

Remember this come the next election cycle.

[Ter Ducken]

I'm curious why Republicans always harp on "smaller government - get out of private citizens' lives," yet cheer when the Republican Congress intervenes in a local, private case like Terry Schiavo. I don't understand how you can want the former and still agree with the latter.

[Ralph]

What's the scuttlebutt on Joe Stengel jumping ship on the TABOR deal? Now both leaders are opposed to the deal.

[peterco]

I hate the Shaivo case just because of nobody has actually read the reports. The only one that is actually decent is the Wolfson Report (link at end). He is completely honest with his assessments, and the history sections are pretty good.

So if I believe propaganda, I guess we have the party of Torture (R) versus the party of Death (D). I'm glad we have such great choices.

http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/WolfsonReport.pdf

[demtothecore]

The Brillance of Pat Waak

The state party is holding a presser on the CU campus tommorow to get a sense of what college kids think about Bush's social sec. package, so what's the problem? It's spring break on the CU campus. There's no students there. Brillant.

[uggschuhepgtbr]

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