:: walterindenver ::

:: Thursday, September 26, 2002 ::

Y'all Better Get to Work, Earn Some Money

You're deeper in debt than you think. LP Press Release:

“The federal government claims its debt is about $6 trillion, when in fact it is six times as large. According to budget expert Andrew Rettenmaier at the National Center for Policy Analysis, the actual debt includes $12.9 trillion in federal obligations to people who are owed Social Security and Medicare benefits, and $16.9 trillion for Medicaid benefits.
“Thus the actual federal debt is approximately $36 trillion, calculates Rettenmaier, a figure that amounts to $120,000 for every man, woman, and child in America.

This means Andy and his Better Half are soon to be down by $360,000. Oh, and congratulations.

:: Walter 7:08 PM [+] ::
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Denver Police Spy Files - The National Press Release

The U.S. Libertarian Party sent out a press release yesterday detailing the dubious activities of the Denver Police Department. One familiar name appears in the article:

Walter Schlomer, the Colorado LP's fundraising director, picked up a copy of the Libertarian Party's file on September 5.
"It's an outrage," said Schlomer. "In spite of no record of violence or illegal activity of any kind, the Denver P.D. felt it necessary to secretly spy on the LP and keep track of our activities."

O.K., the rest of the article is also worthwhile, go ahead and read it. My limited interaction with the press makes me appreciate the rare pleasure of being quoted accurately.

:: Walter 10:06 PM [+] ::
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Read It for Yourself

That one church in Kansas, you know, the one, will be marking the anniversary of Matthew Shepard's death by picketing against gays in Fort Collins, Colorado.

So, what kind of Christian "celebrates" (the 'Rev.' Phelps' word) the death and "entry into hell" (again) of a fellow human?

No kind. By objective measure, these people are worse than satanists. They do more damage to Christianity than people who actively try to damage the Church. Read about the planned protest here, if you want. I won't link to their website. Libertarian Samizdata does, appropriately under the heading 'havens of flourescent idiocy.'

You can make better use of your time by reading the Good Book yourself, instead of the 'Rev.' Phelps' perverted version.

:: Walter 8:56 PM [+] ::
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Mail

Lucas Wiman writes:

Right on about the AIDS research. If you make something less
profitable, then the corporations won't want to do it. There are then
two possible solutions. You could remove price controls, and eliminate
the problem. Or, you could start a massive government program to
research AIDS drugs, and patch the problem in this case, at taxpayer
expense. I think the second one is more likely to happen, unfortunately.

Didn't Bill Clinton promise something like that, a 'Manhattan Project,' to find AIDS treatments?

(Which leads to an interesting aside. What's worse, an ineffective politician who promises enormous amounts of government expansion, but doesn't deliver most of it, or one who promises less expansion but carries through on almost all of it?)

There is another option. Have the administration organize a nation-wide effort, soliciting donations from business and individuals. Call it the 'Push to Eliminate Cancer,' (or whatever disease) and see how much you can get. I'd bet it would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars per year if the fundraising was well organized.

Billions if taxes weren't as high as they are.

:: Walter 7:38 AM [+] ::
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??

A flyer left on my car yesterday:

"African American Elected Officials & Ministers Endorse Democrat Tom Strickland for U.S. Senate"

and farther down the page, in large print,

"DON'T LET COLORADO BECOME THE NEXT FLORIDA"

Do they mean to say, "If we can't win it at the ballot box we'll be forced to try to win in the courtroom, as in Florida?"

In fine print, at the bottom, "Paid for by the Colorado Democratic Party."

:: Walter 6:59 AM [+] ::
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ILTE of the Day

If I'd keep up with this feature a little more regularly then I wouldn't have to explain. It's Idiotic Letter to the Editor.

Anyway, today's winner is Gregg Wolfe of Arvada, Colorado, for his entry in the Rocky Mountain News, excerpted:

I have never yet heard or read about a plan to limit, plan for or control growth that accomplished its original intent without undesirable consequences. Limiting newcomers based upon income, education, skin color, religion, language, or such would not be acceptable or legal. So what can be done that is workable and fair to everyone?
One plan that I have not heard discussed as yet is a lottery. As individuals and families depart the area their "space" could be placed into a lottery.
People wishing to move into Colorado could place their names on a waiting list and hope that their number is drawn. Waiting lists at charter schools and such are common and millions of people buy lottery tickets knowing that the odds are against them, so the precedents and technology are there.

That's hilarious, but I think Gregg really means it! Gregg, if you read this, drop me a note and tell me this is satire. I'm worried about you.

:: Walter 12:42 PM [+] ::
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AIDS Activists Win, Patients Lose

For as long as AIDS activists have been protesting 'greedy drug corporations' for profiteering, free-marketeers have been quietly warning, 'You might not want to do that.'

Now the Jerusalem Post reports new anti-HIV drug development is off by 5% to 30%, likely closer to 30%. Why?

One of the rare industry executives who would actually discuss the topic, but did not wish to be identified, agreed that although he didn't like to admit it, "we have lost the battle with the activists, and now the market is less profitable.
The result is that we are spending less R&D time on anti-retrovirals. Why bother to innovate these products when any advance will not be profitable?" he said.

Do naysayers think it mere coincidence that the country most friendly to business is also the leading country for drug research and development? Are people supposed to be happy that they've got cheap, but less effective medicines? Well, I suppose no one will ever know what new drugs will never be discovered now.

When some corporation finds a cure for AIDS I'd hope they make a huge profit, and its executives and researchers make Bill Gates-like money. That goes double for cancer.

Link via Andrew Sullivan.

:: Walter 6:37 AM [+] ::
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YEEEE HAAAWWW
Matthew Edgar has got hisself a troll. A real lively one, too, layin' the F-bombs all over his site. In true troll fashion, he offers nothing in the way of constructive debate, just cussin' this and that and tryin' to dis Matthew as well as his limited vocabulary will allow. Matthew responds with a little more than his troll deserves.
I guess matthewedgar.net has now hit the bigtime.Them trolls don't bother with little blogs like this one.
Then again, maybe I'll reconsider trying to add a comments feature here.

UPDATE: Seems the troll comments have been deleted. ((sigh))

:: Walter 8:02 PM [+] ::
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More Blogging

Regular readers of this site (Hi, Mom!) will remember this post, the response to a
reader asking about libertarianism. He requested anonymity then, but he has since outed himself. On his own blog. No shrinking violet, this Lucas, but he's got no permanent links to anything. It's as if he doesn't want anyone to find him. Well, the secret blog is no longer secret.

UPDATE: Oh, now he's got links. Including Talkleft. one of the more worthwhile leftist websites.

:: Walter 6:17 PM [+] ::
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The Latest News From the World of Sport

Oh yeah, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Or a tooth.

Then it's a sport.

:: Walter 6:33 PM [+] ::
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A Higher Calling

Matthew Edgar is back to blogging, much to the distress of faceless bureaucrats everywhere, and to the delight of everyone else.

:: Walter 7:43 AM [+] ::
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Aurora Authorities

Someone sent me an e-mail in response to the post immediately below. His opinion is that the city of Aurora prosecuted the victim as a preemptive strike against likely future lawsuits. I suspected the same, of course. I was giving them the benefit of the doubt by calling them idiots, instead of sick evil bastards.

Which is what they would be if my correspondent is correct.

:: Walter 7:58 PM [+] ::
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Quick Quiz

Imagine you're a city attorney, or otherwise responsible for law enforcement in Aurora, Colorado. Now imagine that police officers in your jurisdiction went to the wrong house, where they shot the innocent resident twice, wounding him seriously.

Would you:

A. Apologize profusely on behalf of the police department.
B. Offer to pay the victim's medical expenses.
C. Offer an out of court settlement to cover pain and suffering.
D. All of the above.
E. Charge the victim for menacing police, potentially sending him to prison for three years.

You've already guessed, the correct answer is E.

Now imagine yourself to be an idiot. But I repeat myself.

Fortunately, the jury was a bit brighter than the folks running things over there in the city of Aurora.

:: Walter 9:21 PM [+] ::
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Ashrawi According to the Rocky

Rocky Mountain News reporter Rebecca Jones reports:

Afterward, students who heard Ashrawi's remarks and the protests and counterprotests outside Armstrong Hall were irate that protesters appeared to be grinding their political axes at their campus event.
"She's all about having freedom of speech and not being intimidated," said Ryan Segal, 19, a student from Salt Lake City. "I ran into a lot of people today who came here with closed minds. There are people that are here to just totally push their own ideas."
Other students said they didn't know enough about the Middle East conflicts to take sides. But they didn't like the protest signs they saw, and they didn't like the name-calling they heard.
"I was just dumbfounded when one of the protesters said it's typical of colleges to bring in a speaker that would promote terrorism," said Candy Rodriguez, 19, of Houston.
"He's turning her entire presentation into something negative," said Brian Edstrom, 21, from Wisconsin, as he listened to counterspeaker Daniel Pipes, author of several books on militant Islam. Pipes was recounting for protesters who had not heard Ashrawi's address what she said. "It's not very professional," Edstrom said. "He's twisting her words."

She couldn't find a single person to take an opposing view? How hard did she try?

Good thing we have the Blogosphere to provide balance. Look for eyewitness reports from Stephen and Matt. As soon as they get around to it.

:: Walter 6:39 AM [+] ::
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Bail Money?

A few weeks ago Jeff at Protein Wisdom hung a 'gone fishing' sign on the door and left, promising a Sept 1st or 2nd return. Now the sign says Sept 12th. Does he need some help? A lawyer? Should I start a Free Protein Wisdom charity drive?

Send me your contributions. Cash or whatever you think Jeff might need.

:: Walter 7:33 AM [+] ::
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Denver Police Secret Spy Files Feature the Libertarian Party

Yeah, I went down to Denver Police HQ this week to look for a file on me. None exists, at least that they were willing to share. (I feel slighted.)

But I did find one on the Libertarian Party. Ari Armstrong's report is as least as good as anything I could write.

Is anyone not bothered by the DPD's willingness to spy on a mundane, peaceful political organization? And, yes, before you bring it up, this predates 9/11.

:: Walter 7:26 PM [+] ::
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Keep Your Receipts

FusilierPundit thinks gun purchases should be tax deductible because private gun ownership benefits the greater good. Spot on.

But don't stop there. Everything I buy benefits the greater public good. $120 for steak and wine at the Chophouse? Think how many jobs I'm supporting! $50 for detailing the Jeep? Why, those people might even be poor! I should get a tax credit for that. $1000 for a weekend of skiing and partying in Telluride? I'm supporting a whole bloomin' community!

It seems everything I purchase benefits someone. I daresay the money I spend on myself does greater good than the money I pay in income taxes.

So is it safe to say that the income tax does more harm than good? Why not? Let's make every purchase deductible. Really.

:: Walter 6:31 PM [+] ::
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What's Been Lost

A Sept. 5th AP story lists, matter-of-factly, the rights that citizens no longer enjoy in the USA, thanks to the 'war on terror.' Under the bland title 'Overview of Changes to Legal Rights' are listed seven former rights including:

"RIGHT TO A SPEEDY AND PUBLIC TRIAL: Government may jail Americans indefinitely without a trial."

"RIGHT TO LIBERTY: Americans may be jailed without being charged or being able to confront witnesses against them."

:: Walter 6:26 AM [+] ::
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Lileks

...is often my favorite read in the blogosphere. Or anywhere. So, frequently, I read the day's 'Bleat' out loud to my wife. I read this one to her, about a family flying on their way to Disney, on 9/11, without reading it myself first. It's, ummm, kinda dark. It ends:

Little Christine was Gnat’s age, give or take a month; bin Laden’s lackeys killed her - and did so to ensure that other fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters died as well, preferably by the tens of thousands. This little girl’s death wasn’t even a comma in the manifesto they hoped to write. They made sure that her last moments alive were filled with horror and blood, screams and fear; they made sure that the last thing she saw was the desperate faces of her parents, insisting that everything was okay, we’re going to see Mickey, holding out a favorite toy with numb hands, making up a happy lie. And then she was fire and then she was ash.
I feel the same anger I did on 9/11; I feel the same overwhelming grief. Nothing in my heart has changed, and God forbid it ever does.

'Gnat' is Lilek's nickname for his daughter. Read the whole thing yourself.

:: Walter 8:28 PM [+] ::
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Call Your Senator Today
...suggests TalkLeft. The goal; to protest a truly terrible piece of legislation called the Rave Act. As in our national Senate has at least a few raving lunatics as members.

:: Walter 12:28 PM [+] ::
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Denver Secret Police Files Now Less Secret

Colorado residents and regular readers of this blog have been following the story of the secret files Denver Police have kept on political activists. Hundreds requested to see their files yesterday, the first day that they were released. Only the people who are subjects of the files are allowed to retrieve them.

The Denver Post reports on the crowd that showed up, including:

Barbara Cohen, a member of Denver Copwatch, was surprised to see two entries in her 16-page file associating her with the Brothers Fast motorcycle club.
"I've never heard of them," she said. "I've never been on a motorcycle." The file also says she has an FBI number.

Hmmm, inacuracies in secret spy files? Say it ain't so. I think I'll go down and see if there's a file on me. I'd lay the odds at 3 - 1 against it.

:: Walter 7:50 AM [+] ::
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I'm Speechless

Someone paid to have the ad banner that was atop this page removed. I don't know who. Thank you.

I'm tempted to go do the same for somebody else's site.

:: Walter 9:13 AM [+] ::
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Hahahahahahaha

No. Wait. The damage socialized medicine does to a healthcare system will kill people. That's really not funny.

Link via Ben Fischer.

:: Walter 10:02 AM [+] ::
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