Tuesday, May 4, 2010

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that

[Former state Sen. Joe Bruno will learn his prison fate on Thursday)
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I continue to feel that mr. bruno should get probation and pay resitution.
The feds. want 8 years. That is prosecution overkill..a possible reaction to their origninal weak case under the “thief of public service” rubric.

Let’s remember that the feds. spent 2+ years on the investigation; and charged Bruno with 8 felonies. He was acquitted on 5,hung jury on one, and guilty on 2 (one involving a horse).

In addition, Bruno will appeal whatever sentence he receives (except probation); and the Supremes are expected to strike down the the over broad “thief” rubric before August.

In some ways, Bruno’s tenure leading the State Senate was a golden era. Yes, power went to his head, including a regional personality cult. But we did have budgets before June, most years.
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(Sen. Kevin Parker apologized for calling his colleagues white supremacists)

Running with this story last night, the local tube news (Ch.6 especially) ran, and reran, a short video of Parker walking in the Senate chamber, passing Espada, who smiled and appeared to give him the heart/hand greeting; and shaking hands with the former Senator Hiram Monserrate.

Parker then reached the back; turned to the camera; and gave a hugh smile.
His ego has outgrown his intelligence. His hubris has no boundries.

I’m a Dem., with independent inclinations.
I would like to see a functioning state Dem. Senate.
But, Parker and his friends make that very difficult.
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"But we can’t expect to solve our problems if all we do is tear each other down. (Applause.) You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question somebody’s views and their judgment without questioning their motives or their patriotism. (Applause.) Throwing around phrases like “socialists” and “Soviet-style takeover” and “fascist” and “right-wing nut” -- (laughter) -- that may grab headlines, but it also has the effect of comparing our government, our political opponents, to authoritarian, even murderous regimes."
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The POTUS's University of Michigan commencement address is a super call for tolerance in our public discourse.
In the cable age, the strident discordant voice of cable Fox is sowing seditious seeds in our fragile democracy.

Obama's speech is worth reading:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-university-michigan-spring-commencement

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