Mount Virtus

Dan Haley’s Monday Denver Post column on the emerging Republican candidate in the looming Colorado governor’s race was recently brought to my attention.

Perhaps you have heard of Marc Holtzman by now. Some five months ago I detailed my early impressions of the then-prospective gubernatorial candidate. And you probably have seen the Dead Governors ranking him as the current favorite to fill their long-emptied shoes.

Holtzman will be stepping down from his post as president of the University of Denver tomorrow and putting his campaign into another gear. But look where he is already in the early stages of the race: he’s doing everything he needs to do to stay competitive. Good estimates indicate Holtzman has already raised more than $800,000, which breaks a record for any Colorado gubernatorial candidate at this point in the campaign. He is actively building relationships with key figures, and word has it that he has building a grassroots campaign with some highly-skilled staff.

But then Haley’s column highlights Holtzman’s summer plans:

Holtzman in August will launch a tour of Colorado in a bus outfitted for a rock star and will visit all 64 counties the first two months.

“We’re going to go to places where no gubernatorial candidate has gone in a long time,” he said.

Gov. Bill Owens’ former technology secretary also says his campaign will have a website up within the next 30 days, and he’ll be blogging from the road. [My emphasis]

He’s expected to be joined along the way by a diverse crowd, including John Elway, boxer/pitch man George Foreman and, quite possibly in September, Poland’s president Aleksander Kwasniewski, whom he considers a close friend.

Knowing he has to build widespread name recognition, credibility and enthusiasm through a string of media appearances, it looks like Holtzman is going about it the right way. Hitting all the nooks and crannies, bringing along a wide range of star power, and maybe best of all… he will be blogging. This kind of savvy activity should put Holtzman on the cutting edge. Potentially exciting stuff, really.

I will do my best to stay on top of developments concerning Holtzman’s impending Web site and look ahead with interest to reading the candidate’s blog.

If ever there were an occasion in our day for playing the Ashokan Farewell, it would be the funeral of Shelby Foote. The haunting melodic theme of the PBS series “The Civil War” and its most well-recognized face and voice - brought together one last time.

Before Foote achieved national face recognition on the PBS series for his colorful recounting of wartime tales, he was a successful novelist and author of the grand, daunting trilogy “Civil War: A Narrative” (the three volumes in paperback weigh more than 9 pounds combined) - ranked 15th on Modern Library’s Top 100 list of 20th century nonfiction English-language works. I count myself as one of the few who made it through the 2,800+ pages of rich and detailed military history. The fraternity of those of us who have made it through and are under the age of 30 must be very small, indeed. But what a hallmark of dedicated research and writing, a sign of a passion for telling the story behind the subject matter.

The Washington Times reports today that Mr. Foote died Monday night in Memphis, Tenn. He was 88 years old.

Time to bring out the fiddle and guitar for a sentimental replaying of a famous haunting melody.

The following review is made possible by the hard work of Stacy Harp at Mind and Media, who sent a copy of the book to me through the generous donation of The Acton Institute, which has edited and distributed Natural Law: The Foundation of an Orderly Economic System as one in a series of “Studies in Ethics and Economics.”

The Review

Not many economics books could garner a vehement dispute whether taken off the shelf by a hard-core libertarian, doctrinaire Marxist, or New Deal apologist. Yet just such a new treatise will inspire a lot of readers to think outside the box.

Natural Law: The Foundation of an Orderly Economic System by Dr. Alberto M. Piedra (Oxford: Lexington Books, 2004) challenges many traditional systems of economic thought with a penetrating paradox: appropriating traditional moral and theological ideas to promote the creation of a new order.

Read the rest of this entry »

From this morning’s Washington Times… isn’t it better to get a little more of the story before jumping to conclusions, and even worse - hurling outrageous and absurd invectives at our own military personnel? Perhaps Dick Durbin needs to follow the lead of his Democratic Senate colleagues Ron Wyden (OR) and Ben Nelson (NE) in taking the grand Gitmo tour.

Guy had a great post yesterday, linking to this informative report on who is giving out the most abuse at our Guantanamo Bay detention facilities.

Hit a MoveOn.org Kool Aid-drinking Leftie on the knee with a solitary report of alleged prisoner mistreatment, and watch the reflexive kick of giddy anti-Americanism. Folks, there are a few people out there who want to believe that our servicemen and women are as bad as Hitler’s SS. They were shaking and foaming at the mouth with uncontrollable glee when they heard the report that Durbin quoted from on the Senate floor. Sadly, even if they hear about Wyden’s and Nelson’s observations as reported in today’s Times, they either will see some grand, dark, Rumsfeld-coordinated cover-up OR will brand a pair of Democratic Senators as sellouts to their venomous anti-Bush crusade.

I know some of you out there disagree with my views on the war against terror and the war in Iraq. But until we can see the facts clearly, there can be no legitimate debate.

Only a couple days after being “elected” as the new President of Iran, hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stops the charade and announces that his country plans to reconstitute its nuclear program.

The reliable and knowledgeable Amir Taheri answers the question of whether the rest of us (especially, the West) should be worried by this development:

Should the outside world be frightened? Not necessarily. Paradoxically, the clarity created by this election may prove useful. Khatami went around the world speaking about Hegel and Nietzsche to ruling elites and creating the illusion that the Islamic Republic was part of the global system symbolised by the World Trade Organisation, the Davos forum, and the Western non-governmental organisations of do-gooders.

Ahmadinejad’s victory reveals the true face of the Islamic Republic as a regional power with its own world vision that challenges the so-called “global consensus”. It reminds the world that the mini-Cold War that started between the Islamic Republic and the West, notably the US, is far from over.

How much clarity will we need before we’re convinced that something more aggressively needs to be done about this terrible regime, the locus of anti-American Islamicism? Taheri further spells out the implications of Ahmadinejad’s ascent to power (while inserting a little poke against a former American president’s internationalist pretensions):

Ahmadinejad’s election shows that the Khomeinist regime cannot be reformed from within. It also shows that there is still a strong constituency in Iran for the populist message of the ayatollah. True, far fewer people voted than the regime claims. But those who did vote preferred Ahmadinejad’s “pure Islam” to Rafsanjani’s attempt at perpetuating the myth that Iran today is, in the words of the former US president Bill Clinton, “a progressist democracy”.

Ahmadinejad describes himself as a fundamentalist, has no qualms about asserting that there can be no democracy in Islam, rejects free-market economics, and insists on “religious duties” rather than human rights. This clarity will, in the medium term, help the people of Iran understand the choices involved. They will learn that they cannot have an Islamist system together with the goodies that the modern world offers in both material and spiritual terms.

Preliminary judgments of Iran’s recent election results seem to indicate that a crisis there is quickly coming to a head, and the fallout isn’t going to be pretty. What role should the United States play in these developments? Is there anything we can do to lessen the damage? To help bring hope?

I confess I have been lax in paying attention to this issue like I ought to have been doing. Now is the time to engage in the debate - we can’t stick our collective head in the sand on this one.

A few days ago I contacted Senator Ken Salazar’s office to get a statement on Senator Dick Durbin’s outrageous remarks. This morning I received the following message in my inbox:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns about comments attributed to Senator Durbin.

I know Senator Durbin, and I know that he has only the deepest respect for our troops and their families. He did not — and would not — intend to criticize our troops.

Nonetheless, to his credit, Senator Durbin recognized that he chose his words poorly and that he offended many people — like yourself — in using the words that he did. As a result, on June 21, Senator Durbin publicly apologized for his remarks on the floor of the United States Senate. Immediately after he apologized, Senator McCain commended Senator Durbin for his apology.

Below is part of the speech Senator Durbin gave in the Senate:

“Mr. President, it is very clear that even though I had said something that clarified the situation, to many people it was still unclear. I’m sorry if anything that I said caused any offense or pain to those who have such bitter memories of the Holocaust., the greatest moral tragedy of our time. Nothing, nothing should ever be said to demean or diminish that moral tragedy. I’m also sorry if anything I said in anyway cast a negative light on our fine men and women in the military. I went to Iraq just a few months ago with Senator Harry Reid and a bipartisan delegation. The President was part of it. When you look at the eyes of the soldiers you see your son and daughter. They are the best. I never, ever intended any disrespect for them. Some may believe my remarks crossed the line. To them, I extend my heartfelt apologies.”

Thanks again for contacting me.

Sorry - but that type of apology isn’t good enough for my wife when I’ve done her wrong (”I’m sorry, dear, if I said anything that might have offended you”), and it sure isn’t good enough for a United States Senator whose outlandish statement has become a propaganda tool for our enemy and have put our servicemen and women at greater risk.

When you add in Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s recent remarks, and plenty of Congressional Republicans are more than justified in lashing back at the Democrat leadership’s “guerrila warfare against our troops.” Good for the GOP - show that backbone! There’s a way to address the Guantanamo issue evenhandedly, and the Democrats’ approach is most definitely not it.

Colorado’s eminent leaders of the political Left, the gurus who give us the acerbic wit of ProgressNow, apparently have reached a moment of metaphysical crisis. Below I’ve pasted an email they are sending out to all their subscribers (my emphases in italics - I have underlined the repeated question of the hour):

PLEASE FORWARD THIS QUESTION:

WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?

Whether you consider yourself a liberal, progressive, populist, moderate, or just part of “the Left,” we need to answer a fundamental question.

Some are talking about how we can “frame” our issues better. Others are arguing over a list of common values or positions. But it’s really the same conversation — What do we stand for?

It seems we agree on much of what we are against. Yet if we define ourselves in opposition to our opponents we will never set the agenda.

I’ve struggled with my board and staff to answer this question. The truth is, we cannot answer it for you. We don’t exist to be your voice, we exist to help your voice be heard.

So we put this question to you:
What do we stand for?

http://www.progressnow.org/WeStandFor

And one more thing: please share your thoughts in less than 200 words. To succeed, we need to be able to answer such a question during an elevator ride.

We’ll share responses for your comments at http://www.progressnow.org/weblog.

Please share with others across the country who may wish to take part.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Michael Huttner
Executive Director

Having come to the realization that hating George Bush, Bill Owens, Tom Tancredo, John Andrews, and other conservatives is not an agenda, the ProgressNow cadre needs your help in telling them what they should believe. Why not give them an idea or two? Just remember - keep it to 200 words or less.

Update: Joshua has come up with an excellent list. Let’s keep it going!

Quick link blogging this morning: read this AP story from today’s Washington Times - America’s fascination with the details of celebrities’ everyday lives takes another twisted turn as U.S. military personnel who guarded Saddam Hussein in an Iraq prison give GQ the big scoop on his living habits, favorite foods, and various personal opinions.

The AP story gives no hint of the actions that earned Saddam the nickname “Butcher of Baghdad.” How easy to forget….

Even one prominent career State Department official and notorious, embittered critic of President Bush’s foreign policy has noted that some of the hullabaloo surrounding the Downing Street Memo is overblown:

…on Thursday, former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson admitted that “we all believed” Saddam had WMD.

“I believe the threat to the United States posed by Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction — which we all believed he had — could have been dealt with using something less violent than the invasion, conquest and occupation of Iraq,” Wilson said in a response to a question from Cybercast News Service following a Democrat-sponsored hearing on the matter.

Wilson’s comment, that “we all believed” Saddam had WMD, appeared to contradict the memo itself and whether “intelligence and facts” would need to be “fixed around the policy” of invading Iraq if the general consensus was that Saddam possessed WMD.

Of course, Wilson and his ilk have a lot more to be pessimistic and antagonistic about. But the “Bush Lied, People Died,” KoolAid-drinking, MoveOn.org true believers look that much sillier anyway.

In light of the senior Senator from Illinois’s outrageous and vile remarks about our military, this has got to be the most aptly-named blog of the day.

After today’s lame “apology” attempt, Dick Durbin has shown he is a man without honor. The second-highest ranking Democrat in the United States Senate making whiny, weasely remarks like this:

…I do not even know if the interrogator involved here was an American soldier. I didn’t say that at any point. To suggest that I am criticizing American servicemen, I am not. I don’t know who is responsible for this….

And this:

To suggest that this is somehow an insult to the men and women serving in the uniform, nothing could be further from the truth. But it is no credit to them or our nation for this sort of conduct to occur.

Using doublespeak blather to cover for his obnoxious, idiotic, and near-treasonous remarks - what a blemish on the state of Illinois and the Democratic Party. Both have a chance to do something about Durbin’s political office and status, if they want to begin rehabilitating themselves with proud Americans living in the mainstream of society - especially proud Americans serving in the military and their families!

Mr. Bob has been on top of this story and leading the charge from Colorado to defeat Durbin with posts here and here. Also great posts by Captains Quarters on the Illinois Senator’s “hysteria,” “historical illiteracy,” and “irrational moral equivalency”; and by LGF on Durbin’s biggest fan base: Al Jazeera.

Do you think Durbin should make a real apology, be censured, or even be forced to resign? Make your voice heard by calling the Congressional switchboard at 202-225-3121.

Stories like this from the Washington Times - an account of Virginia school districts hiring more foreign nationals as teachers - points to some bigger issues going on in education today. Questions that need to be asked (and hopefully explored in future posts):

The Virginia school districts have found one creative answer by going outside the traditional applicant pool. While I hope their commitment to a successful education really works in this case, it is highly doubtful this can be the answer for all school districts. So what can be done to bring more qualified teachers into the classroom? Thursday food for thought.

Some of you may have noticed the dearth of extensive writing and posting here of late. Let’s just call it “outrage fatigue.” Everything from the Michael Jackson verdict to the obnoxious posturing over the Gitmo affair and more has caused my blood to boil in recent days. But frankly, I haven’t had much to add to the conversation, and I haven’t wanted to dwell on it anyways. Just in case you were wondering….

Meanwhile today, the news reports emerged from the Terri Schiavo autopsy. Her death by dehydration has not stifled the debate….

The Washington Time reports today on a burgeoning political movement in Italy to oust the euro and bring back the lira as the national currency. I can almost see the sign now at the banks and exchanges: 1 euro = 1,000,000 lira.

…There have to be some jokes out there from this story - there have to be.

Clay takes a look at the “flip side” to give us the final lasting proof why Colorado beats Minnesota in the Great State Quarter War. If you haven’t dropped by lately, check it out. And don’t forget to cast your vote.

(Looks like the controversy also continues to sweep through the MSM. Read David Harsanyi’s Denver Post column today. )

Excited by the prospect of an early Friday game likely to end by sundown, Joshua was planning to be at Coors Field this afternoon for the game between the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies. Knowing my deep dedication as a Tigers fan, he invited me along to today’s game. I was thankful he thought of me but am tied up at work and have a 5:30 appointment besides, so I had to decline.

Besides, I have tickets to attend the Saturday (with my friend Steve) and Sunday (with the lovely Mrs. Virtus) games.

But the skies had opened and the rains had come earlier today, pushing back the starting time from 3:05 to 4:00. I hope Joshua found another companion to go to the game with - and if he did, I hope the contest speeds along enough so he can arrive home safely and timely for Shabat.

But maybe he decided to stay high and dry instead. We’ll have to wait for his report.

Oh yeah… go Tigers!

When you see an elected politician roll up his sleeves and take up the challenge of a difficult but important campaign promise, it sure can restore some of your faith in the system and in the judgment of your fellow citizens.

That’s exactly how I feel as the new slate of Jefferson County commissioners has tackled and confronted the waste and corruption that have been plaguing some departments of government. The Denver Post explored the story in depth on Sunday and followed up with a laudable editorial in today’s edition.

Sunday’s story revealed many glaring problems with the way our county government has run in recent years, including this dandy:

Among Jefferson County employees, Bob Roark is the king of plastic.

Over the last four years, the technology manager charged $3.7 million on his government-issued credit cards as part of an unusual county program to build PCs from scratch.

Because the purchases, blessed by his bosses, veered outside standard financial controls, documentation is often scarce or incomplete. And though he insists the equipment - including about $1 million spent through a friend working at a PC warehouse - went into making computers, he cannot track the whereabouts of many parts.

The large credit-card charges are not illegal, though in some cases they appear to have violated county policy. But the lack of review over those purchases is part of a pervasive breakdown in financial oversight involving portions of the county’s $500 million budget.

Since 2001, Jefferson County employees have handled millions of dollars in transactions without competitive bidding, close supervision or contracts - and sometimes in conflict with policies, according to a Denver Post review of hundreds of purchasing and accounting records from 2001 through February of this year.

But reformers Jim Congrove and Kevin McCasky, who were elected to two of the three commissioner posts last November, started to challenge the status quo without any outside media pressure prompting them to act. From what I have seen, these are both men of the deepest integrity and fortitude. I personally am thankful they are in office watching out for the interests of Jefferson County’s taxpaying citizens. I have also heard good things about newly-appointed Commissioner Dave Auburn, who filled the final position after Rick Sheehan resigned under a growing cloud of controversy.

Today’s Post editorial gives them their worthy recognition:

The county seems to be making the right changes, and should be applauded for tackling the problem on its own, without being prompted by a public outcry or news stories.

One of the first moves was to let finance director Charles Montoya go. He “didn’t want aggressive accounting,” the county’s director of accounting says.

The commissioners also established an office of the internal auditor - a position independent from the finance department. They hired Susan Johnson, a CPA who earlier was forced out of a job by Montoya for raising red flags. The commissioners then hired an outside auditor to search for fraud - a key move to help re-establish their credibility with citizens.

But fixing these problems isn’t done without resistance. And sometimes a little intrigue is added in, like the revelation this week that JeffCo has opened up an investigation on many missing confidential files from the county attorney’s ofice.

We Americans are very good at complaining about the corrupt, spineless, and weak-kneed politicians. But when our elected officials do the right thing and seek to live up to their campaign promises despite the massive challenges, do we thank them? I say that Congrove, McCasky, and Auburn deserve the gratitude of JeffCo’s citizens. And let’s make sure that they continue to be responsive to our needs and interests.

It’s almost enough to dispel some cynicism about our political system.

In a story that may be of interest to some of my readers and friends in the Internet community (if they aren’t already well aware of it), Cybercast News is reporting that the Chinese government plans a crackdown on blogs this summer.

The Chinese government says a system has been developed to monitor sites in real time, searching each one for a registration number. Those not registered would face penalties, including fines of up to one million yuan (about $121,000).

The ministry said almost 75 percent of all website already have been registered. The regulations were needed, it said, because of sex, violence, superstitions and “other harmful information” available online.

Of course, it’s not like anything like this would happen in the land of the free and the home of the brave… is it?

For your one-stop shop for online freedom of speech, visit Red State’s “Got freedom?” page.

I’m sure the boys at Fraters are aware of the old Irish saying, but under the current circumstances it bears repeating: “When everyone says you’re drunk, you’d better sit down.” When the best defense of your state’s honor is giving the correct spelling of lutefisk, it’s time to take a seat, Peeps.

Perhaps reviewing some of the great moments in Minnesota history will remind the inebriates of the terrible insecurity driving them to waste their time trying to disparage the beautiful state of Colorado.

Here are the highlights - a chronology of events that nearly every Minnesota school boy can recite with pride:

I mean Minnesota? Seriously… the swampy wilderness best known for its iconoclastic adherence to naming a certain children’s game “Duck, duck, grey duck”? The state that gave birth to John Madden, Winona Ryder, Garrison Keillor, and raised Al Franken? Please, sit down. You’re embarrassing yourselves.