8/31/2005
ActBlue Takes it to the States
by Matt Singer on 2:53 pm.
ActBlue, the coolest PAC in the country, is taking its fight to the state level.
Unlike most PACs, ActBlue doesn’t donate money itself. Rather, it provides an online donor system for every federal Democratic candidate in the country and, as a result, allows for great bundling potential. It also allows for fundraising for every federal Democratic committee in the country.
In other words, it is a great tool.
And now they’re working on adding state-level candidates in all 50 states. Unfortunately, that means they’ve got a web of state campaign finance laws to deal with and they’re looking at tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs to cover their expenses.
To contribute to their effort to let us do online fundraising for any Democratic legislative candidate in Montana, you can donate through the following button:
Thanks.
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: political |
Tester v. Morrison
by V on 2:24 pm.
Swing State brings us yet more food for thought on the Tester race. I didn’t pick up on this one, because I didn’t check any campaign dispatches–Montana, or otherwise–yesterday (also, either the Morrison folks refuse to add me to their list or it takes a rediculous amount of time to be added). Read what Brigham has to say and make up your own damn mind.
I saw the Pearl Jam concert, and had a pretty good time. They played perhaps eleven encores, and Vetter spoke some about the Sheehan flap. I must say, for a rock star who has likely made enough money to weather all presidents, economic downturns, and certainly avoid going on any “tours” that he doesn’t want to, the guy brought a perspective on politics that I found unexpectedly on point. Having recently become a father, he sympathized with a woman under the pressure of great loss in a unique way. I was also very impressed with Tester on stage; he has great charisma and a compelling, inobtrusive microphone voice. Good show.
| Comments (1) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, democrats, elections, montana |
Principled Administration Official Resigns
by Matt Singer on 12:19 pm.
New York Times reports:
A high-ranking Food and Drug Administration official resigned Wednesday in protest over the agency’s refusal to allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception. Susan Wood, director of FDA’s Office of Women’s Health, announced her resignation in an e-mail to colleagues at the agency. The e-mail was released by contraception advocates.She cites the politicization of medicine as her cause for leaving, specifically the politicization of the science surrounding emergency contraception.
This is the sort of crap that happens when we pretend anti-science=science.
Cheers to Susan Wood.
| Comments (5) | Permanent Link | Categories: health care, policy, sex and abstinence |
Heh
by Matt Singer on 12:16 pm.
I’m listed as part of the Campus Progress Speakers Bureau. So, um, yeah, I guess direct speaking requests to them.
Wait ’til they have to deal with that avalanche of requests.
| Comments (1) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
The Anti-feminist Women’s Auxiliary to the Right Wing
by Liesa on 11:02 am.
No, they aren’t stamping pink elephants on napkins today–this time the Concerned Women for America are outraged over Starbucks’ new coffee cup design.
The group is again demonstrating it’s true political irrelevance by decrying Starbucks placement of quotations on it’s coffee cups, some of which appear to be progressive. Some are also conservative, and some are apolitical, and some are irritating, but whatever.
Concerned Women–I have some advice for you. Pick some real causes to be concerned about. You can still wear your pastel suits to events to raise money for poor children, inner city schools, and the Red Cross.
| Comments (3) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
8/30/2005
Mainstream Media Gives Intelligent Design Weight it Doesn’t Deserve
by Liesa on 1:54 pm.
According to Bill Maher, who makes this hilarious statement:
“There aren’t necessarily two sides to every issue. If there were, the Republicans would have an opposition party. And an opposition party would point out that even though there’s a debate, in schools, and government, about this, there is no debate among scientists. Evolution is supported by the entire scientific community. Intelligent design is supported by guys in line to see “The Dukes of Hazzard.”
And the reason there is no real debate, is that intelligent design isn’t real science. It’s the equivalent of saying that the thermos keeps hot things hot and cold things cold, because it’s a god. It’s so willfully ignorant you might as well worship the U.S. Mail. It came again! Praise, Jesus!
No, stupidity isn’t a form of knowing things. Thunder is high pressure air meeting low pressure air. It’s not God bowling. “Babies come from storks†is not a competing school of thought in medical school. We shouldn’t teach both. The media shouldn’t equate both.â€
| Comments (6) | Permanent Link | Categories: scientism |
This Is Crazy
by V on 1:04 pm.
Read this article.
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: corrupt, general |
Constitutional Misunderstanding
by V on 10:34 am.
An opinion piece that I read in the Missoulian today is disapointing on a number of levels.
The debate leading up to the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts is intense, sometimes bordering on the hysterical, which is a reflection of the high stakes. Choosing a Supreme Court justice has become – or at least seems – profoundly important.
This (minus the emphasis, which is mine) is the first paragraph. What’s wrong with this statement? To start with it assumes that choosing a Supreme Court justice was, at one point, not profoundly important. Further, it implies that all of politics is not profoundly important until the people take an active role in one or another issue. This is not, in fact, the case. Rather, whether you care about politics or not, whether you are active in politics or not, politics is an active and profound force in your life. In short, you cannot put a blanket over your head and assume that the government cannot see you. It can see you.
(more…)
| Comments (3) | Permanent Link | Categories: law, philosophy, political |
Koopman Gets Into Garbage
by Liesa on 10:17 am.
It appears that our buddy Roger Koopman is getting involved in Bozeman’s garbage debate. At issue is whether the city of Bozeman should privatize it’s garbage collection. According to this article, in the city of Billings (which bans private garbage collection) trash collection costs under $7 a month. In the city of Missoula (which has no public garbage collection) the cost is over $20 per month.
Koopman is upset that a member of the Bozeman city council informed her constituents of the issue and urged those that were concerned about privatization of garbage collection to come to the council meeting and voice their concerns. Informing city residents about opportunities to provide public input on issues that concern them is the job of any public servant. Apparently Koopman doesn’t know this. If anyone in his district heard from him about opportunities to provide input during the session I’d like to hear about it–I haven’t yet.
| Comments (3) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
8/29/2005
Tester Takes the Top of Both MyDD and Kos
by V on 2:09 pm.
Kos linked to a good New West profile on Tester, and there is a diary running that folks are reading both on Kos and it has been bumped to the front page of MyDD. I know there are some undeclared Democrats in our readershuip that are a little bit nervous about the money game. I think the fact that the liberal heavy hitters in the netroots are on to Tester, speaks volumes about where the money will be to beat back Burns. You may have noticed that Tester has also launched his own blog.
| Comments (5) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Conrad Burns, democrats, elections, montana |
More Shoddy Reporting Hurts Western States’ Relationships
by Liesa on 9:34 am.
This AP story in the Helena IR about the cabinet mine reads like some of it was lifted directly out on an industry press release. It implies that wealthy Idahoans oppose the mine and blue collar Montanans support the mine.
It also parrots the false dichotomy of “jobs vs. environment” put out by the idustry, misrepresents the Montanans who oppose the mine, and attempts to splinter the strong coalition of people in both western states who are working together to preserve their quality of life.
Here’s how the article phrases it:
“In Sandpoint, real-estate agents, upscale retailers and interior designers met at a wine-and-cheese reception to criticize Revett Minerals Inc.’s Rock Creek Mine,”
“Meanwhile, 65 miles over the border to the east, blue-collar mill workers and supermarket managers in Troy, Mont., spoke of the improving economic prospects that would accompany a mine…â€
Check out this long list of businesses that oppose the mine. Why would businesses oppose the mine?
In every part of the country, builders place a higher value on lots next to the wetland or forest they probably were forced by local ordinances to preserve… and why people gladly pay a higher price to live next to those areas.
The only people I know of who will opt to live in heavily-polluted areas are those who because of poverty or poor job skills have no real choice.
So, the state or local government that wants to grow more prosperous by attracting new companies and skilled, educated workers will, if it’s smart, establish and enforce high standards of environmental protection.
| Comments (1) | Permanent Link | Categories: economic, environment |
Support the Red Cross
by Matt Singer on 8:21 am.
Now is a good time to support the Red Cross with a little money if you can. Katrina is weighing down over the South and tens of thousands of people will be needing help. The Red Cross simply is the best positioned to help.
To give online or to learn how to give by phone, go here.
Also, please donate money, during critical times, in-kind donations really are a lot of hassle for their operation. $5, $50, $100 — Give what you can.
I’m in for $20.
| Comments (3) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
8/28/2005
Who Loves America?
by Lamnidae on 9:52 pm.
Quite an interesting contrast between the two heavyweight blogs from each side of the spectrum tonight: right now, six of the eight most recommended diaries at DKos are directly related to mobilization and helping victims of Hurricane Katrina. There are whole lists of readers offering their houses as shelter away from the storm, etc…
Meanwhile in Freeperland (I feel like I need to take a shower for even posting the link), I see one call to “pray” for the victims of Katrina — alongside a handfull calling for more people to jump in caravans to Texas and go shout-down the mother of a dead U.S. soldier.
It’s always nice – albeit sometimes frustrating – reaffirming that we’re on the side that understands the ramifications of real life. To steal a joke from David Cross, I’ve got to say that maybe the lack of relief threads at FreeRepublic is simply due to the fact that they haven’t heard the news due to the sounds of all their flags flapping in the wind.
| Comments (13) | Permanent Link | Categories: general, republicans |
8/27/2005
Not Quite Right in Understanding Conservatism
by Matt Singer on 5:59 pm.
Chris Bowers of MyDD offers some insights into how progressives need to organize in a changing world, but the story isn’t completely accurate. We often like to pretend that the conservative movement works because it is a well-coordinated, united machine with broad-based conservatism as its goal.
Such a myth requires that we seriously overlook the real interests of the NRA, Operation Rescue, and the Chamber of Commerce. To be fair, there are broadly conservative operatives and organizations within the conservative sphere, but their primary goal is to keep the peace among the various factions and to demand loyalty from the elected officials.
Which is why it is worth remembering that Grover Norquist’s Wednesday meetings aren’t merely powerful because they coordinate similar groups, but because they can function to bring together differently minded pieces of the conservative movement together.
And the conservative movement splinters. In Ohio, we have a chance of peeling off the NRA if Paul Hackett runs.
Now, Chris understands this and he writes:
This doesn’t mean eliminating single-issue groups, but it does mean uniting and coordinating them to at least the same degree conservatives like Grover Norquist have accomplished via the philanthropy roundtable and the Wednesday meetings.But in the next paragraph, he fundamentally forgets this and ends up arguing
So, my basic position is this: until they at least become partisan progressives, much less partisan Democrats, “single-issue” groups rightfully deserve the scorn they have received from bloggers like kos.The single-issue groups (NARAL, unions, conservationists, GLBTQ organizations, NAACP, and others) comprise our base of support as progressives. Treating them with scorn rips apart our coalition.
Again, I think that Kos and even Bowers understand this on a fundamental level, as they are willing to back labor when it shows a willingness to rebel against pro-CAFTA Democrats. Bloggers have chosen to accept some groups’ litmus tests while ignoring others. That’s not necessarily a bad stance, but it is a very quick way to splinter coalitions.
Of course, I’ve taken NARAL’s side in this fight since day one, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I’m still there.
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: political |
Heritage Intern Runs Complaint Service, Misplaces Facts
by Matt Singer on 1:06 pm.
Sigh.
So, Tom Howard of the Billings Gazette has interviewed a Billings 20-year-old who attends Harvard and is interning at the Heritage foundation. No word from her on what the views from the balconies are, but in her first quote, she straight-up gets her facts wrong:
“I wrote about how I think politics is crucial to the future of my generation but that so few people my age – something like 15 to 20 percent – vote,” she said.And now for the facts. In 2004, 47% of 18-25 year-olds voted. Her numbers may be accurate for city elections, but turnout for everyone is down in city elections. In other words, the real figure was over 100% larger than what she thought. That’s pretty funny.
What did she spend her days doing?
Stanaway said she spent part of her internship writing Web log entries that recounted horror stories shared by Amtrak passengers who were affected by the railroad’s poor service.My understanding is that the interstate highway system also doesn’t operate at a profit. Nor, I believe, does the mail service. Or the schools.Acknowledging that Amtrak is popular for many Montanans, especially people living on the Hi-Line, Stanaway said it won’t be easy to resolve the Amtrak dilemma. On the one hand, part of Amtrak’s record of poor service can be attributed to the fact that it doesn’t have the money to invest in new equipment. On the other hand, Amtrak has never been able to operate profitably despite receiving billions of dollars in public subsidies.
“Amtrak is definitely one of those places where we’re between a rock and a hard place,” Stanaway said. “The system isn’t working.”
That doesn’t mean they’re stuck between metaphorical rocks and hard places. It means some things don’t exist to create profits, but to facilitate profits in other places or, in some cases, for wholly uneconomic purposes.
It is pretty funny, though. Stanaway spent her time fighting Amtrak, supporting CAFTA, and calling for the privatization of Social Security. Honestly, is it possible to think of an agenda less in touch with the real concerns of Montanans?
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: policy, political |
8/26/2005
More Ways the West Beats the South
by Liesa on 2:14 pm.
You don’t have to be a feminist, a female, or even a progressive to have fun learning about the 72-year campaign for women’s suffrage. I learned something interesting about it from Lte. Governor John Bohlinger today, on the 85th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote, and it made me even more proud to live in the west.
Western states were among the very first to give women the right to vote and ratify the 19th Amendment. The strong women’s movements in Montana, Colorado, Utah, North and South Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming all won ratification in their states early on–1920 or earlier.
Pathetically, Missisippi ratified it in 1984. Other Southern states (Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, for example, didn’t ratify the amendment until more that 40 years later that the Western States. (It passed without them, and they began the political downslide that still continues today.)
They do, however, have better college football teams than we do.
| Comments (6) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
Back at Sirota’s
by Matt Singer on 10:18 am.
I’m guest-blogging for the next for David Sirota. I’ll be doing some Montana blogging here, but check there for the rest.
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
Hilarious Chronicle Article
by Matt Singer on 9:07 am.
So, a little backstory. Last January, when Bob Brigham was a contributing editor here, he called Bozeman Chronicle reporter Walt Williams’ writing “a huge embarassment” and said Williams should resign. Wulfgar, in comments, concurred.
Now, I’ve heard (and these are merely rumors) that Williams has held a beef with me ever since. I’m not clear if this is because he can’t yet figure out the byline system (perhaps someone in Bozeman can tell me whether he tries to credit himself with every column-inch of output in the Chronicle). Regardless, today, the Chronicle and Williams show why they are again such an embarassment.
Williams profiles Roger Koopman, which is fine. I think the public deserves to know more about the extremist characters down in Gallatin County parading as competent. But the article is just incompetent. It includes paragraph after paragraph of Koopman spin while offering only one paragraph of Koopman criticism offered by a Republican.
Now why am I most offended by this? Well, because Williams mentions this site, but not by name, allows Koopman to call us a hate blog, and never once tried to contact me (or any other “Montana Democratic blogger”) for comment from what I can tell.
Koopman isn’t a stranger to criticism. He often angered Democrats and their allies as a freshman lawmaker earlier this year through controversial bills, including one to issue death certificates for abortions. He also drew fire for his comments, such as when he referred to lawmakers as “lice on the body politic” draining the blood of the economy through taxation.These “hate blogs” are pretty fierce, Koop-dog. I’m sure they’d be better if someone started one named Tales from the Liberty Tree.He’s a regular topic of discussion and derision on Montana’s Democratic blogs — one has even made him a searchable category.
For his part, Koopman calls them “hate blogs” and said he doesn’t bother reading them. The Internet is only the latest tool his critics have used against him.
“They have been shooting at me for 28 years,” he laughed. “They haven’t silenced me yet.”
Regardless, tripe like this doesn’t deserve to be in a newspaper, certainly not above the fold on the front page.
| Comments (14) | Permanent Link | Categories: montucky, political |
8/25/2005
Schweitzer and Energy Independence
by Matt Singer on 3:15 pm.
Markos is highlighting Schweitzer’s moves toward a real energy policy. Schweitzer even secured a handful of energy companies to cover the cost of a conference out here to take a look at coal-to-gas, wind energy, hydrogen, and other options to move closer to energy independence.
The coal-to-gas plan is cleaner than coal burning and currently its cheaper than oil-based diesel. We need to be looking at purely renewable options, too. But I’m going to go out on a limb and say that diesel from coal tracts in Southeastern Montana is better than diesel from oil fields in the Middle East.
| Comments (1) | Permanent Link | Categories: economic, environment, foreign, policy, political |
Nat’l Groups Should Stop Paying M&R For Online Outreach
by Matt Singer on 1:46 pm.
I just got an email from Andrew Stone on behalf of Toccao-Free Kids or some other worthwhile organization. Stone actually works at M&R, an easily discerned fact based on Andy’s return email address.
But it’s pretty easy to tell from the content of the email. He wants me to link to some webpage to fundraise for the organization he’s contracted with, but the email is simply addressed Dear Blogger. In past times, when I’ve done a favor for M&R and linked something for them, I’ve given them a heads up and they didn’t know which blog I wrote for (not too tough to figure out when you look at my own email address).
And it’s kinda tough for me to understand why I should do favors for national organizations that are paying third parties to ask favors while ignoring this medium.
On top of that, Stone’s email is a bit humorous, declaring that “we are on the verge of holding Big Tobacco accountable once and for all for their decades of harmful and deceptive practices!” That’s quite the claim and I’m not sure the details of the letter support it thoroughly.
Regardless, there are plenty of talented netroots outreach specialists out there. M&R should either bring some on-board or start contracting with them. Because right now, they’re utterly clueless and they’re burning people who could be good allies.
| Comments (5) | Permanent Link | Categories: general |
