Politics Plus – Page 11 – Overcoming Republican insaniTEA, one day at a time.

Looking to 2026 – Colorado Governor

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:21 pm Politics

Feb 082025

I have a couple of letters I want to share which won’t fit in an open thread. Only this one is from and regarding Colorado. Phil Weiser has been our attorney general for six years – he’s half way through his second term. Colorado is big on term limits, so I assume he is term limited, which is a pity. He has been doing a remarkable job. But our governor is also term limited – and Phil has decided to run for that office. So that’s a good thing. I trust it will be easier to find a different Democrat qualified for AG than for Governor, and Phil will be excellent. I’m glad he is starting to campaign now, since it takes time to build up the enthusiasm he will need, even in a blue state. This letter is not the one I received announcing his campaign, but it provides a much batter summary of his accomplishments than that one did. It’s very personable, and I wanted to share it.

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It started with a pancake breakfast

To:
Joanne and Virgil Dixon

Mon, Feb 3 at 1:30 PM

I have often talked about how my first visit to the San Luis Valley as a candidate for Attorney General transformed my approach to the campaign and serving as AG. It started with a pancake breakfast with Alamosa Sheriff Robert Jackson at the Campus Cafe (the pancakes and cinnamon rolls there are really great).

My daughter Aviva and I at the Campus Cafe admiring the cinnamon roll Sheriff Robert Jackson and I after our visit

At that breakfast, Sheriff Robert Jackson told me a jaw-dropping fact—over 90% of all inmates in the jail in Alamosa County were struggling with opioid use disorder. The fact was so jaw-dropping that no one believed me when I repeated the story—until Colorado Public Radio later reported it. The moral of that story was very compelling—”I can’t help them,” he told me, “but if you are elected as Attorney General, you can do something about this crisis.”

As Attorney General, I have done something—and we have now brought back over $860 million in settlement funds to Colorado. The latest settlement is particularly meaningful, because it results from the first case I brought to hold accountable those who fueled this crisis through their wrongful actions. A few weeks ago, we announced a settlement with the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma that will bring over $70 million to Colorado, as explained in this Denver Post story. The way the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma lied to people, made a lot of money, and harmed people is sickening. This action provides some measure of accountability.

These funds are making a difference. And that difference is evident in communities like the San Luis Valley, where the regional council, led by Commissioner Lori Laske, developed plans for and received funds to open the first drug treatment center in the Valley in generations. (I discussed the significance of this accomplishment to the Alamosa newspaper in this interview.) That means that Sheriff Jackson has an alternative option—to refer inmates to a drug treatment center as an alternative to incarceration or after incarceration. We have also helped fund medication addiction treatment in all Colorado jails, something I recently celebrated in my talk to the Colorado Sheriffs Association. Here’s a picture of Sheriff Jackson and I (along with my friend Erin, who initially introduced us) at the opening of the new drug treatment center, Hope in the Valley:

Sheriff Jackson, Erin, and I

My leadership on the opioid crisis represents how I plan to campaign for Governor and serve as Governor—to show up, to listen hard, and to develop effective solutions. Our approach to using those settlement funds is a national model—and was recognized as much by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. And we also did something few states did—we created a dashboard that shows how every settlement dollar was spent. That’s how we build trust in government, through listening, innovative and collaborative problem solving, and transparency.

Thank you for supporting me in this important work.

Phil

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Well, there it is, and I couldn’t be more proud. Not to disparage any other Colorado state elected officials. Our Secretary of State is almost certainly on the Tangerine Turd’s enemies list, for instance. In the close to 50 years I have resided in Colorado, the state has been red, it has been blue, and it has been every shade in between at one time of another. I’m very grateful we are now blue when we most need to be.

(Incidentally, the outfit Phil is wearing in the third picture is known here as a “Colorado business suit.”)

Open Thread February 8 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 082025

Yesterday, I had more than 100 emails come in, so I was overwhelmed even though I started the day with no new emails. I hope this doesn’t keep up. I also lost 3 hours waiting for a grocery delivery (at least when it came it had no substitutions and nothing missing, which helps.) Tomorrow I go to see Virgil. No snow or other potentially dangerous weather is expected. It should be cold, but that’s not a problem. The visiting room is kept so cold I always bundle up anyway. But of course I will check in upon return.

I’m squeezing this Joyce Vance article in today so it won’t spoil Sunday or have to wait for Monday. I hop eit will be helpful (and I hope the same for the next link.)

I previously shared Robert Reich‘s “What You Can Do,” so now that he has a “Revised and Expanded” version up, I thought I should share that as well. If he’s changed his mind about anything, there’s probably a reason, and we should know it.

Wonkette’s Doktor Zoom speaks about things schools are doing or trying to do to protect children from the horrors of the current Administration. Some things are easier to protect kids from than others, of course – somethings are harder that\n others to protect anyone from. But kudos to those who are doing their best.

Open Thread February 7 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 5:41 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 072025

Yesterday, although I had wiped out all the emails from Monday and Tuesday on Wednesday, I still had some from Wednesday to get through. By the end of he day I was caught up on them. But to do that I had to do a mostly single-topic OT for today, and do it early. It’s a little different, but hopefully at least thought-provoking.

Here’s a bonus video from Vote Vets. It’s nicely done, only a minute long, and includes excerpts from a speech by Alex Vindman.

And this from Huff Post is related. Both this and the video above are about what is going on with the USAID – not the best known Federal agency, but one of the most important to our national security (so of course the MAGAs want to destroy it, as do the billionaires who want to hand us over to Putin.)

Colorado Public Radio didn’t even take the time to write this up themselves, but instead shared the Denverite version. It looks like Freedom Summer all over again (except for the weather – and in this particular demonstrations, less blood. But there were demonstrations in 50 states, and I’m sure some of them made up for ours.)

Open Thread February 6 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 062025

Yesterday, I got the results of my bone density test and was disappointed but not terrible surprised to learn I have osteoporosis. I have no symptoms, but I do have the early signs, such as loss of height. I’ve taken calcium religiously all of my adult life, which may have slowed it down some. I’m sure my new PCP and I can come up with something which will help. Off topic – the reason I had to so the blood draw at a place which was so hard for me to find was not that the place near me was booked up – it was because the place near me was closed for repairs. That lab expects to reopen well before the next blood draw I’m going to need in early April. (I already made the appointment for that one. Apparently hypo- and hyperthyroidism are related to osteoporosis. Who knew? Probably Nameless and possibly Dave, but anyone else would surprise me.)

From The 19th from Monday, but we have a whole month to reflect. And this is real stories from real people, which IMO is always refreshing even if not always victorious.

The link to Brennan Center should work. After I copied it, I tried it and it worked for me. But since it looks like a blanket link to the site, I’ll mention thet the name of the srticle I had in mind is “Breaking the Law” and that it’s in the category “Checks & Balances.”

Open Thread February 5 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:00 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 052025

Yesterday, I arrived on time for my bone density test, and it didn’t take too long, However, when I got home, I found that USPS had not picked up the Valentine I had put there to send to Loveland and get the cache on the envelope for Virgil. So I went out again and dropped it at the post office. And when I got back from that, it wasn’t even three o’clock yet. And a good thing too, as I didn’t have much – I’m still, as predicted, in email jail. And today, the exterminator comes. I can at least keep working while he (or she – so far I’ve only seen men) is here, but I do lose some concentration. And even at full concentration, I can’t cover everything.

From Democratic Underground, with a link to Lawfare. There really are bunches of good lawyers on the ‘Net, and little excuse for not understanding the ways of the law and the (federal)justice system.

This is the most recent message I have received from The Contrarian. They have done more journalism since this, but I haven’t see any emails. If you scroll to the top and click on the “THE CONTRARIAN” next to the Statue of Liberty logo, you’ll get to the home page and see a list of articles. So things are happening. And at the very least, what you read there will be truth. Unlike, for instance, Politico, which Robert Reich tore into smithereens yesterday.

Open Thread February 4 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:08 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 042025

Yesterday, the blood work went smoothly – I didn’t feel a thing. However, it took forever and was exhausting because I had a lot of trouble finding the place and was pretty late. Fortunately they took my blood anyway – and the results were in by the time I got home. What wasn’t in my inbox was anything from Lona. But – thankfully- that came before the end of the day:

Thanks for asking, Joanne, but fortunately for us this is some 700km north of us. We’ve had plenty of water ij December and January, with some flooding, even from the creek running at the end of my property, but no damage. Just a road blocked for a day or two.

The amounts falling further north from Townsville, where the major floods are now, is absolutely ridiculous. 1 meter (more than 3 feet) in 48 hours and in one spot 1.2 meters in 24 hours. Some villages are completely cut of from the rest of the world because of rads and bridges being swept away.

While in the South a heatwave is killing people (+43 degrees Celsius for days on end) and in the West, whole National Parks are burning out of control. I feel so sorry for them, as I do for the people in California.

I haven’t been able to look at much email, so I’ll be in email jail for a while – and today I have the bone density test. I did note skimming through that the resistance appears to be stepping up with Black History resources, so that’s good.

Heather Cox Richardson for Black History Month. One of many who know this is important, and who will recognize and celebrate it no matter who tries to kill it. I know, I don’t feel much of a celebratory mood either (in a way it reminds me of last week’s opera. But I think that Black people and Black history month can be resurrected, unlike Violetta. It qill take all of us and all of our effort. But without it, there’s no justice – and therefore no peace.)

Yes, this was posted Sunday night and now its Tuesday. But I only promised not to miss a post, not that all posts would have scoops. That’s not happening. Even on Tuesday, “The Week Ahead” is worthwhile.

In the interest of Black History, this from The Root is around a dozen moments from Black History in the US. So it isn’t so much what I think is important as it is what Black people consider important. Each event is described very briefly – but with enough key words to look it up if you don’t remember it.

Open Thread February 3 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:06 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 032025

I’ve been sitting a few days on proposing a new word to describe the government this administration is doing its best to impose. It isn’t meritocracy – no one involved has the least bit of merit. Oligarchy is closer, but isn’t specific enough. I propose we call it leucandrocracy – rule by white males. Both racism and misogyny are openly vital elements of it, and this term reflects both. Sure, it’s the oligarchs who are being given official government roles. But without the support of white men with grievances, white men terrified of people of color and people of any gender identity other than theirs – whose fear has been transformed into rage, and the rage into hatred, the oligarchs would not be where they are. Perhaps Black History Month – for those of us who celebrate it, could be an opportunity to push this.

Robyn with Wonkette‘s headline asks one heck of a good question here. Another question might be, with ideas like theirs, are they actually even human, or are they demons in human form? She provides a trigger warning for one paragraph and rightly so.

In 1944, the CIA created a written guide for, among others, civilians in occupied territory whose sympathies were with our side – a manual on how to use little sabotages to weaken the Nazis (or other axis powers). This manual has recently gone viral. I checked three sites from which anyone who wants a copy can download it. It’s not very long, especially for a government publication. The one direct from the CIA is a 12-page pdf but most “pages” contain 2 pages of text. The one at Internet Archive is the same. Project Gutenberg is the one which gives you choices on how you want it to look, including Kindle. I generally go for plaintext to a “Notepad” file and then, if I want to keep it, into Word and play with the font and font sizes until I like the way it looks, but you do you.

As much as I would prefer to focus on Black History this month, this from Joyce Vance (and other sources) cannot be ignored. Not the actions of the Apricot Antichrist himself so much as the lack of outrage in response. I realize decent people are exhausted – I am too – but this is no time to sit on our hands. It was only huge public outrage which caused the rescission of the OMB freeze memo, and even then, it was only the memo, not the executive order behind it. I hope that by the time you read this there will have been more outrage. Heather Cox Richardson does too.

Open Thread February 2 2025

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:04 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 022025

Yesterday, the radio opera was Verdi’s “La Traviata,” which can be counted on to bring me to tears, possibly not at the end when the heroine dies, but in the second act, when it is all foreshadowed. The Met these days takes February off, and this year, they have asked three singers and a conductor to pick operas they love starring someone who is a role model for them. At least one of them go way back and includes people who were dead before i was listening regularly. However, the conductor chose Leonard Bernstein, and I think most people have heard of him. Also, today is Groundhog Day, and thinking of that made me think of the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” from 1961 (if you missed it, there was a movie in 1967 and revivals in 1995 and 2011, the last starring Daniel Radcliffe in the role Robert Morse won a Tony for.) Why, you ask, would anyone think of that in connection with Groundhog Day? Well, because the original CEO of the company the Morse character ends up the Chairman of the Board of went to college at Old Ivy, whose mascot is the groundhog, and the Robert Morse character pretends to have done so too. And the two of them break into the college fight song. The version I picked from YouTube is just the song, no dance or anything, but from the original cast album with Morse and Rudy Vallee and it’s a hoot. But you can find it with the dancing from the movie or from either of the two revivals and even from a high school production which is surprisingly competent. All of them have the same choreography, which, though not credited to him for reasons which are very much to his credit, was by Bob Fosse. The music and lyrics were by Frank Loesser (who also wrote Guys and Dolls.)

Tomorrow I am having bloodwork done, and on Tuesday a bone density test. The blood work is lightning fast, and I don’t expect the bone thing to take much longer, but there is always getting to and from, not to mention compliance with what and what not to do beforehand. I don’t expect to miss a post, but I thought I would mention it.

I had to get this in for today because of the deadlines. Sadly, I didn’t have that much, so the one I had in this position will not get used – it wasn’t that impressive. This, though it’s not exactly new, it’s been a tradition like forever, is at least pleasant and fun.

Here are three – related – good news stories from Lakota Law. I wish I could just link to a news page there instead of three separate links, but I’m sure that Lakota Law has more important things to do than post their newsletters, particularly if their website isn’t set up for that. So I’ll just quote from their letter, signed by Darren Thompson: “This trio of important wins for Indigenous-led movements will preserve and protect a range of traditional Indigenous lands on the West Coast from additional harm.”

Xtra – here is the link to the donation page for Josh Weil, the blue candidate in the first of the three special elections to replace Congressmen appointed to executive positions. We really need to win all three. I realize not everyone can donate.

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