This week at progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should be watching. Here is last Saturday's edition. Inclusion of a blog post does not necessarily indicate my agreement or endorsement of its contents.
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At Eclectablog of Michigan, Chris Savage returns from a business trip to discover he’s missed a few things that have gone on in his home state during his absence. He writes—I left the country for two weeks and the list of things that happened in Michigan is mind blowing:
What happened in Michigan while I was gone is jaw-dropping.
First, Gov. Snyder agreed to conduct a public relations ploy by drinking filtered Flint water at home and at work every day for 30 days. Then, a few days into his gesture, he left for a week-long European trip, promising to return to drinking the city’s water upon his return. The tragic issues facing Flint aren’t just news in the U.S., by the way. In both Canada and Ireland, anytime I told people I’m from Michigan the issue of the Flint water crisis came up immediately.
Then Attorney General Bill Schuette astonished many of us by filing indictments against three people related to the Snyder administration’s poisoning of Flint’s water with lead. However, none of the top people involved in the calamity were held responsible. Instead, Schuette chose two employees in the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and a worker in the Flint water department:
The charges against the three defendants — Michael Prysby, a district engineer with the State Department of Environmental Quality; Stephen Busch, a district supervisor in the same department; and Michael Glasgow, the city’s utilities manager — included tampering with evidence contained in reports on lead levels in city water, and the two state officials were also charged with conspiracy to tamper with evidence. […]
Aside from ignoring the Emergency Managers in charge when decisions were made that lead to Flint’s drinking water being poisoned, the choice to lay blame at the feet of Glasgow is particularly astonishing. He was an early whistle-blower in the Flint water crisis and was instructed by DEQ regulators to make changes to water testing reports. He also tried to put the breaks on the switch to the Flint River for the city’s drinking water supply but was shut down. Now he’s being thrown under the bus while, so far, at least, Flint’s Emergency Managers and other higher-ups in the DEQ are not being held accountable. Schuette has pledged that there is more to come so perhaps that will change.
At Blue Oregon, Kyle Curtis writes—Don't Shoot Portland Trial Day 4: Teressa Raiford Found Not Guilty of Disorderly Conduct:
On the fourth day of the trial of Don’t Shoot Portland founder Teressa Raiford—one that also included an at-times testy exchange between Raiford and Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Lowe—the jury found her not guilty of the disorderly conduct charge she was arrested for at an August 9, 2015 Black Lives Matter protest in Southeast Portland.
The trial was atypical in the fact a jury even deliberated the charges against Raiford in the first place—an unusual outcome for a misdemeanor charge. Along with Judge Greenlick finding that no probable cause existed to justify Raiford’s arrest (yet allowed for the trial to continue), two prosecutors teaming up to argue the state’s misemeanor charge, and testimony provided by a state’s witness that conflicted with pre-trial statements, there were doubts raised by observers as to whether the Multnomah County’s District Attorney’s office sincerely sought to follow the letter of the law in pursuing the charge against Teressa Raiford.
In fact, viewed with hindsight perspective after a “not guilty” verdict was provided, this case was a situation in which the D.A.’s office couldn’t win. If Raiford had been found guilty, questions would’ve been raised about the selective nature of the proceedings only against her and whether she had been targeted for arrest and prosecution for no other reason than being—in her words—a “thorn in the side” of Portland police.
While the idea that individuals could be targeted for arrest simply by loudly speaking unwelcome truths is chilling enough--but a guilty verdict for Raiford could potentially have had further consequences in regards to political speech in Portland and Multnomah County.
At The Mudflats of Alaska, Shannyn Moore writes—Who Does The GOP Think That They Represent?
This week several legislators from the House minority wrote an op-ed. One paragraph specifically answers the question, “What the hell are they doing still in Juneau?” I know, you probably thought it was for all the fancy lobbyists dinners and fat per diem checks, but it boils down to this: “The $775 million in cash subsidies to the oil industry is more than the combined budgets of the Alaska Court System, Department of Corrections, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and Department of Fish and Game. Combined.”
Can we just think about that for a minute? I’ll wait for you to reread that little tidbit. Okay, welcome back to the column. The Republicans are in charge. They apparently don’t want to take a cent away from the oil companies and act like they’d rather take from your Permanent Fund checks and have you pay taxes than get Alaska’s fair share for our oil.
Remember, not so long ago, when former ConocoPhillips lobbyist (I’m not kidding) and then-Gov Sean Parnell and his cronies told us we’d lose jobs if we didn’t start giving away our oil? That was really scary! Yikes! BP, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil spent tens of millions convincing Alaskans not to overturn the giveaway. They promised more oil, more jobs, more revenue to Alaska and of course — to protect the PFD if we just kept the oil wealth giveaway. Like Charlie Brown, we believed them and sure enough: Within weeks of voting to keep Senate Bill 21 in place, we realized that Lucy had pulled the football away as BP announced hundreds of layoffs — even with oil still over $100. More pink slips were handed to Alaskans than all the pink slips at a Victoria’s Secret. The goal to increase oil production to 1 million barrels per day? The Latest Department of Revenue forecast shows we will only be getting 300,000 barrels in 2025 — and we will pay more in oil tax credits than we get in production taxes until then.
At Bleeding Heartland of Iowa, desmoinesdem writes—Looking for prominent Iowa Republicans ready to #NeverTrump:
Donald Trump wrapped up the Republican nomination for the presidency by winning yesterday’s Indiana primary, prompting Ted Cruz to suspend his campaign. Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus posted on Twitter, "we all need to unite and focus on defeating @HillaryClinton #NeverClinton." Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann weighed in a little later last night, "The only movement I’m a part of is the #NeverHillary movement #UnitedIowa."
Yet many lifelong Republicans have vowed not to vote for Trump under any circumstances. After the jump I’ve listed some well-known Iowa activists and strategists in that camp. I have not yet found any elected GOP official in Iowa willing to say #NeverTrump. Governor Terry Branstad and our state’s Republican U.S. Senators and House representatives are poised to support the nominee, despite Senator Joni Ernst’s discomfort with Trump’s way of expressing himself. I welcome tips on any GOP state lawmakers, school board, city, or county elected officials willing to go on record that they will not vote for Trump.
UPDATE: Hardin County Auditor Jessica Lara (R) confirmed on May 4 that she is "not ashamed" to say, "NEVER TRUMP."
Senator Chuck Grassley, Ernst, and Representatives Steve King and David Young confirmed that they will support Trump.
At Blue Oklahoma, DocHoc writes—Oklahoma Economy Faces Peak Oil Demand:
I hate to be the bearer of bad news or futuristic predictions, but what if Oklahoma’s current economic crisis is structural and systemic and can’t be resolved with higher fossil fuel prices because of peak oil demand?
Remember the days when everyone talked about peak oil, the concept that fossil fuels soon would reach their finite moment and then start to dwindle as the world weaned itself from carbon-based energy? Well, now the concept is that the world may have reached a peak in its demand for oil and natural gas as more and more countries turn to renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power for electricity, and as car manufacturers sell more fuel-efficient and electric-powered vehicles.
Michael T. Klare, writing on TomDispatch.com, explores the world oil order and its current turmoil in an excellent, detailed article, but what should stand out for any Oklahoman in the piece is the concept that green energy is slowly but surely helping to drive down the price of fossil fuels. The fracking boom in Oklahoma may well be a short-lived phenomenon in historic terms. Klare writes:
As a result of advances in drilling technology . . . the supply of oil has continued to grow, while demand has unexpectedly begun to stall. This can be traced both to slowing economic growth globally and to an accelerating “green revolution” in which the planet will be transitioning to non-carbon fuel sources. With most nations now committed to measures aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases under the just-signed Paris climate accord, the demand for oil is likely to experience significant declines in the years ahead. In other words, global oil demand will peak long before supplies begin to run low, creating a monumental challenge for the oil-producing countries.
Meanwhile, the American Wind Energy Association just reported that Oklahoma added more wind power than any other state in the nation during the first quarter this year.
At Intelligent Discontent of Montana, Don Pogreba writes—Ryan Zinke Votes to Jeopardize Your Retirement—and Cost You Money Now:
Another press release you won’t see from Representative Zinke’s office this week, as the Congressman voted Thursday to overturn a Department of Labor rule that requires brokers to act in the best interest of their clients when dealing with retirement accounts. Zinke, joining all the Republicans in the House, voted to make it easier for brokers to push retirement savings into riskier investments. The Wall Street Journal explains the largely political vote:
The newly completed regulation, known as the fiduciary rule, requires brokers working on retirement accounts to act in the best interests of clients, a change that could transform the way financial products are sold and advice is given. Previously, brokers were required to give “suitable” guidance, a looser standard.
Changes like this seem arcane—and Republican efforts to spin the Obama Administration rule as “the Obamacare of Financial Services” obscure the simple truth that, before the rule was passed, a financial adviser could maximize her interest, rather than that of the client when steering investment choices.
At Dakota Free Press, Cory A. Heidelberger writes—Noem, Rounds Endorse Trump:
While South Dakota’s self-proclaimed “#1 Political Website” has thus far responded to the triumph of Trumpism with stunned silence, Rep. Kristi Noem and Senator Mike Rounds have officially surrendered their moral authority:
“I don’t always agree with Mr. Trump, but he is the presumptive nominee of our party and I will support him, because I believe in our vision for smaller government, a system that genuinely respects taxpayers, and greater freedom for all,” Noem said Wednesday. “Hillary Clinton doesn’t stand for those values, making it imperative that we don’t elect her as our next President.”
Rounds’ camp was less stark in its support of Trump, but a spokesperson for Rounds said he will support whoever earns the Republican nomination.
“Senator Rounds fully intends to support the Republican candidate for President of the United States,” said Katie Douglas, press secretary for Sen. Rounds [Evan Hendershot, “After Cruz, Kasich Suspend Campaigns, Noem, Rounds Offer Trump Support,” Mitchell Daily Republic, 2016.05.04].
Senator Rounds has already made his craven absence of principle clear, calling Trump normal and reasonable. Rep. Noem now joins him, completing her journey from saying Trump was not her type of Republican to saluting her party’s new leader.
At Plunderbund of Ohio, John Michael Spinelli writes—After Indiana Drubbing, Kasich Follows Cruz, Suspends Dying Campaign
The day after Hoosiers only gave him about eight percent of the vote, Gov. John Kasich had been scheduled to show up at various money events in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., Wednesday. Then on Thursday, he was scheduled to meet with his national security team. What happened instead, is that he left reporters in Washington D.C. hanging, asking why he wasn’t in DC?
Camp Kasich suddenly changed that schedule, saying the Ohio governor would speak at 5 pm back in Ohio, where Ohioans—by a nearly 60 percent margin—want him to drop out of the Republican race for president.
In his brief remarks announcing the suspension of his second campaign for president, John Kasich, with a look of sadness on his face, talked about some of the people he encountered in town halls, starting in New Hampshire last year. Whether it was giving hugs or comforting someone, Gov. Kasich circled back to his talking points of living a life larger than themselves by lifting people up.
He never mentioned Donald Trump, who has now remained standing as 16 others, including Mr. Kasich today, couldn’t keep pace. He took no questions, so it will be up to someone else to quiz the term-limited governor on whether he will support, and campaign for, Donald Trump now that he’s the presumptive nominee. Kasich has been mentioned as a VP pick for Trump, but many say that won’t happen because Kasich doesn’t want second best, and Trump won’t ask.
At Blue Virginia, Andy Schmookler writes—What’s Bernie Thinking? His Present Strategy Doesn’t Make Sense to Me:
I am now perplexed about what Bernie Sanders is doing.
I write as someone who would have liked for Bernie to have prevailed over Hillary in the contest for the nomination—but also as one who regards the question of the nominee as settled: Hillary has won it.
But lately Bernie has been talking about how he is going to win the nomination by persuading enough superdelegates to abandon Hillary and support him at the convention. Does he really think that could happen? That scenario seems totally implausible to me.
Never, since the superdelegate system was created, have those party regulars overridden the choice of the voters. And by every plausible scenario I have seen, Hillary will enter the convention having received more votes, and having more pledged delegates, than Bernie.
But even without the weight of such precedent, it is hard to imagine that the superdelegates – the representatives of the party establishment – would readily reject the establishment candidate in order to nominate someone whose rhetoric has continually attacked “establishment politics.”
At fortboise of Idaho, Tom von Alten writes—Bad ideas that won't go away:
Idaho Co. Commissioner's Jim Chmelik's raving conspiracy theory, dispensed at an "educational" event that just happened to look a lot like campaigning for a bunch of the folks who were there.
"As soon as they get done working on getting us kicked off these lands, they’re going to come after your private property. That’s their goal."
Funny thing is, I'm a lot more concerned about the likes of Chmelik coming after our public property than I am about ... is it the Army Corps of Engineers he thinks is going to implement the socialistic takeover? Dispensing below-cost rural electrification and irrigation projects to lull us into docility?
For his part, former Idaho Sen. and Governor-wannabe Russ Fulcher said some sensible things about the differences between the manufacturing and resource-based jobs of yore and today's "service-based" jobs. Before running off the rails himself. Not that there's anything wrong with honest service, but "if you want to focus on real wealth creation," apparently you have to dig it out of the ground, or cut it off the land.
"[Rep. Judy] Boyle [(Far right-Midvale)] argued that public lands are poorly managed by the federal government, and in turn they have been destroyed by wildfires. Critics argue that managing wildfires on public lands would put Idaho in debt. According to a 2014 study by the University of Idaho’s Policy Analysis Group, taking control of federal public lands could cost Idaho $111 million a year.
"Fulcher said those costs could be offset by cashing in on Idaho’s natural, albeit non-renewable, resources, including gold, silver and natural gas."
That's right. There's gold, silver and gas in them thar hills, and if we dig it up, why we'll be able to use it to manage land that the federal government should give us to manage, because we are So Much Smarter And Closer To It than they are. If you don't believe me, just ask Chmelik, Boyle or Fulcher.
At Colorado Pols, Colorado Pols writes—RedState Gathering Moves Mountains To Denver:
In mid-August, most of the conservative media- and pundit-sphere will descend on Denver for the 8th Annual RedState Gathering at the Grand Hyatt [...]
The RedState gathering is a big deal among the conservative glitterati, with the host committee for the conference including such big names as Hugh Hewitt, Katie Pavlich, and Erick Erickson. Also our favorite local carnival barker and radio host Peter Boyles, which proves they aren’t doing background checks.
And yes, folks, you’ll notice that their website’s splashy graphic of the Denver skyline does not have mountains found anywhere near Denver depicted in it. After some time spent looking closely, we think that’s the Sneffels Range located in the San Juan Mountains. If that’s right, we can at least congratulate RedState for Photoshopping in mountains that are actually located in the state of Colorado, which a lot of Republican campaigns have had trouble with over the years. With that said it’s a 325-mile drive from Denver to the Sneffels Wilderness, so this picture is as close as attendees are going to get.
Hopefully boring old Mount Evans isn’t too much of a letdown.
At Democratic Diva of Arizona, Donna writes—From Conception to Birth Only!
One of the most telling comments I got to a post on this blog was one from a then-frequent troll, “Alan”, about then-Governor Jan Brewer cutting funding to the Medicaid organ transplant program under the guise of the recession. The cuts to the program left several patients who were on the waiting list and days or even hours away from receiving an organ with no coverage for the procedure and facing certain death. Like many others, I expressed my outrage over it and admonished the “pro-life” Brewer to consider the gravity of what she was doing.
Here’s what anti-choicer “Alan” had to say to that:
What do organ transplants have to do with life?
What, indeed?
I remembered that when I saw this exchange between Arizona Daily Star reporter Tim Stellar and “pro-life” Center For Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod as state budget negotiations take place today:
You can’t make this stuff up. Of course, Herrod has taken no position on providing health care to children from low income families in Arizona. Why would she? Her main motivation is punishing poor women for having sex, ergo her indifference (which is possibly a cover for her inner glee) at the prospect of their children dying from treatable or preventable conditions. Because she is terrible.