Category Archives: State Politics

Federal Politics, Local Politics, State Politics

President Obama Defined

Who is this Barack Obama? In the eyes of the Republicans he is fickle, weak, does not understand the Middle East, a timid decision maker, not so bright, a liar, a person who does not love America, an illegitimate president, a president who leads from behind, a president of America that any of the 2016 Republican presidential candidates would be better than and many other negative things that would comprise a list that is longer than I would care to mention.  Further – in their eyes, he does not pound his chest nearly enough to emphasize America’s strength or bully the rest of the world and threaten to annihilate them if they do not see things the same way that we do and agree to do them exactly our way.

Now I will tell you who my president is in my eyes. He is a strong and principled president who always leads from the front despite the tremendous demands of his office and the additional unwarranted and unnecessary weight placed on him by his fellow politicians whose number one goal was to make him a one-term president and now is to deny him any victories in order to ruin his legacy even if those victories are in the best interest of America.

He is a president who is consistent, strong, completely understands the volatile and sensitive Middle East situation, a strong decision maker, extremely bright, a truth teller who constantly monitors the emotional atmosphere of our country and world situations then skillfully incorporates the results – in consideration of the American people and the volatility of those situations – into his determination and the delivery of his message as to how America will handle these problems. He is a president who loves America and all of her citizens, without doubt a legitimate president, a president that has accomplished great things for our country, a president who is definitely not irreplaceable (no one is) but one who will leave big shoes to fill.  And finally, he is not the blowhard which it seems that Republican leaders around the country and Republican politicians in Washington want.

Obviously, my view of President Obama is the flip side of the coin that depicts how his Republican adversaries and others who see him as an illegitimate president view him. I believe that my perspective coincides with that of most other reasonable people whether they are Democrats, Republicans or Independents.  They might not like him or agree with the decisions that he makes but they do not condone denigrating him and sabotaging his leadership before American citizens and the world based on those things.

The best way to replace President Obama and prevent people like him who support his perspectives and way of governance from leading the country is to exercise your right to vote! I would quickly add that in doing this, the process should not in any way be sabotaged to prevent anyone who has a right to vote from exercising that right.

We are a democracy and have to work harder to act like one no matter how angry and frustrated we might be or might become with one another. We must realize and accept that this type of governance can be and usually is messy but also realize that it is what has helped to make America the great country that it is.

In realizing and accepting this we can continue to fuss, fight and complain but we must not let anything or anybody separate us based on race, religion, gender or any such thing; weaken us and then exploit that weakness for their personal gain or the gain of any cause that they might champion. To do so is playing right into the hands of ISIS and other terrorist organizations like it.  This is exactly what they want America to do!

I have disagreed with decisions that President Obama has made, felt the frustration of not receiving equal treatment as an American by those in power as well as from everyday white American citizens based simply on the color of my skin, been disappointed because my white brothers and sisters either cannot or do not seem to want to understand that disappointment and marveled at those white people who do not believe that there is any such a thing as white privilege. I get upset with them – many of whom I consider to be my friends, and gripe and complain (sometimes to them) about their lack of perception and inability to see something that is (to me) so blatantly obvious.  I can only imagine the reciprocal because I have not lived it but many of them are likely just as frustrated with me and my seemingly inability to see things from their perspective.

But I firmly believe that the great majority of white people want things to be fair and want everyone who is willing to work for it to have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. There are too many white people who have, from since almost the time that the first load of slaves were delivered to the shores of America, privately – and later openly helped people of color to advance for me to be wrong.  And during the Civil Rights Movement and beyond, white people have openly stood arm-in-arm with their black counterparts in an effort to achieve equality for all people.  And they have done this while all the time being ridiculed by other white people and at the risk of their own personal safety.  This is something that should not be taken lightly or for granted.

So I encourage all of us as Americans to consider these things in our decision making and to always incorporate them into our thinking before we act. I understand the fear that all of the recent senseless killing has engendered because I too am afraid.  But we cannot let fear rule us, instead, we must manage it.  We have all been afraid before at one time or another and have come through it safely.  I would wager that if we reflect on those times that we were afraid most of us would arrive at the conclusion that we were better off because we managed that fear than we would have been had we not managed it.

And again I say – if we must, let us fuss, fight, complain and disagree – in a civilized way – about the issues and how our country’s leader handles them but as Americans, let us always remain civil. In addition, politicians whom we have elected to lead and guide us must determine to avoid the temptation to sabotage our president’s leadership and programs and embarrass America in the eyes of the world in pursuit of political gain.  There are much better ways for them to achieve their goals and do it honorably.

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics, State Politics

Should America change its automatic acceptance of the word of police over that of eyewitnesses and the alleged culprit?

In light of the recent revelation in Chicago of the details of the shooting death of Laquan McDonald by police officer Jason Van Dyke – along with the many other questionable killings of Black people by the police, should America change its policy on how it defines justified use of lethal force by police?  Since the police have repeatedly lied about situations involving the use of force – especially lethal force – and their superiors and ambitious politicians have conspired with them in covering it up, should the ludicrously high bar that must be surmounted in order to convict a police officer of a crime be lowered?  Should they be treated the same way that every other American citizen is treated when they are alleged to have broken the law?

For example, when a person who has committed a crime(s) in the past is caught and faces a jury in court lawyers for the plaintiff and lawyers for the defendant will vet the opposing witnesses to determine their credibility.  If a witness is a liar, substance abuser, has a criminal history or whatever the case may be this is brought to light so that jurors can factor it into their deliberation.  If that person is convicted, the judge takes their past criminal history into account when he sentences them.

Why shouldn’t it work this way with police officers, whether they are witnesses or the defendant(s), when they find themselves in untenable situations?  This is not to say that the nature of their job and the stress that is an inextricable part of it should not be given special consideration and if there is sound reasoning, allowed to mitigate the ultimate determination as to whether their actions were justified.  But when there is overwhelming evidence that their actions were not justified the problem should not be winked at because they are police officers and it would be too hard to overcome the high bar that would allow for a conviction.  They must not be allowed to go unpunished because what they did would reflect badly on the police department or because ambitious politicians want to avoid having such a loss reflected on their record.

It is reasonable to assume that to not hold police officers accountable for their actions would only embolden bad police officers, reinforce their negative behavior and create a systemic problem involving excessive use of force and other abuse of authority by unscrupulous police officers.  It appears that this is what has already been allowed to happen in police departments throughout the country and that it will only get worse if it is not faced up to, addressed and corrected.  If history is the prologue, neither police officers on the streets nor management in police departments will voluntarily take the lead in fixing this problem and ambitious politicians will continue to do what ambitious politicians do.  It is becoming increasingly obvious that social and political pressure will need to be applied to force those responsible to address and correct this problem.

This problem is not something that is new!  We can go back decades and come all the way up to the Laquan McDonald case and time-and-again find that in too many instances management and political leaders have completely shirked their responsibility or done just enough to dispel the publics’ outrage.  The very people that are supposed to be serving and protecting us at times commit crimes to protect those who serve and protect us but abuse their power in the name of serving and protecting us.  This is not acceptable and must not be tolerated or condoned.

Many times, as in the Laquan McDonald case, police officers who abuse their authority and commit crimes are only held accountable when there is visual evidence – such as a video, that in essence catches them in the act.  Even then, a great majority of them have been exonerated, allowed to go free and remain on their job; this should not be!  Police management and police unions, which have a fiduciary responsibility to fight for its members, should fight to protect police officers.  But they only sully their reputation by being overzealous in protecting dishonest police when they know that they are guilty.  They must find a way to honorably fulfill that responsibility and let the lawyer(s) of those accused handle a vigorous defense of them.

When politicians are a part of the problem and/or solution they too often place their career ahead of a true solution to the problem and resort to sophistry or some other smoke and mirrors approach in order to accomplish their proverbial kick the can down the road routine.  Case in point, the announcement by Chicago’s Cook County State’s Attorney, Anita Alvarez, on the day before the dash cam tape of the shooting of Laquan McDonald would be released, that she charged police officer Jason Van Dyke, the policeman that shot and killed Mr. McDonald, with first degree murder.  Authorities had fought against the release of this tape for at least fourteen months and during that time officer Van Dyke had remained on the police force.  Why did Attorney Alvarez decide to charge Officer Van Dyke the day before the release of this tape and immediately promulgate her decision?  And why did Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel suddenly decide that after this fourteen month period it was now time to request help from local religious leaders?

Regardless of what the rationale might be for how the shooting death of Laquan McDonald was handled, my point is that there continues to be a problem with the policing of American citizens.  And further, if our leaders do not address and correct this problem; at best, it will slowly continue to grow and at worst, it will spiral out of control and create even greater problems that have the potential of wreaking havoc in communities throughout the country.

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics, State Politics

Police, Politicians, Politics and the Supreme Court

There is no doubt that to talk about the police, politicians, politics and the Supreme Court in one article, make it interesting and have it make sense without it being so long and boring that none of you will have the stamina, let alone the desire, to read it would be a yeoman’s task; but I will try to accomplish that task.  If you made it passed the first sentence then I am going to trust that you will make it through the entire article as well.

I will keep it as short as possible while making sure that I get my point across and provide the reader with food for thought on some very important current issues.  I also hope that this article will motivate you to get informed and get out and vote in the upcoming 2016 presidential election and any other elections of officials to public office.

Although some of the positions that candidates are vying for – especially at local levels – may appear to you to be lowly and insignificant and not worth the time that you would spend to vote; most times, somewhere along the way, those who hold these positions will deal with issues that will ultimately have an impact on you and the community in which you live.  That is just one among the many reasons why you should always take the time to vote.

I haven’t posted an article for quite some time so please bear with me if this one becomes a bit lengthy.  America is faced with many problems right now, domestic and foreign, that should be receiving our full and most sincere attention.  Yet, our politicians continue to purposely create situations that require government to divide its attention and divert some portion of it from the real problems in order to address ridiculous self-made problems that are a result of petty partisan politics.

Although given America’s and the world’s current situation this is hardly the time for such partisan politics, the atmosphere and tone of the 2016 Republican presidential debates seem to be an harbinger that says a new leader will exacerbate the problem rather than give one hope for the future and the feeling that things will change for the better.  Specifically, this seems to indicate that rather than pulling America together and healing festering wounds, there is great potential that a new leader selected from among these existing 2016 candidates will instead rip the scabs from even more wounds and widen the social and financial gaps that already exist.  None of these candidates appear to possess the gravitas that is required of a person who is worthy to occupy the Oval Office.

There are those in our society who believe that America is so far advanced now that the playing field has been leveled and there is no longer a need to monitor social issues or be concerned about how America’s wealth is distributed because everyone has an equal chance to prosper.  They believe that there is no longer a need to monitor America to assure that all of her citizens are treated equally and have the same opportunity to achieve the American Dream based on their own effort and willingness to work hard.  It appears that the highest court in the land agrees with those who feel this way because in 2013 U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, whose opinion carries an extreme amount of weight, said that Section 4 (b) of the Voting Rights Act was no longer needed.

Unfortunately, this is not the case.  When we look at what has happened in many states to obstruct the ability of American citizens to vote or completely block them from voting we can see that we have not yet eradicated America of the prejudices that exist in the area of voting rights.  It is obvious that these prejudices have a disparate impact on people of color and the poor.

If we delve deeply into the rationale of the Voting Rights situation in these states and examine it closely, we will find that this line of thinking is not focused solely on voting rights but on social issues as well.  Whether or not it is the result of collateral damage, this approach to governance also impacts on financial issues between the subject group and those at or near the top of the social stratum ladder.

And, again unfortunately, voting rights and even some semblance of a level playing field as regards financial opportunities, which impact on the distribution of wealth are not the only areas where we continue to struggle to achieve a level playing field; we are still struggling to achieve equal justice under the law for all of our citizens.  Police brutality is still rampant, especially as regards African Americans, and sentences for African Americans who break the law are much more severe than they are for their White counterparts.

The Voting Rights Act was gutted in June 2013 because the US Supreme Court believed that the section that it rendered void was no longer needed.  This appears to be in error based on what is occurring in many states with regards to the obstruction of citizens’ ability to vote; with these states working to make it harder rather than easier for citizens to exercise their right to vote.

I continue to come across and read many articles about police brutality and police officers abuse of their authority.  Those who reject and speak out against this behavior and want it to be corrected are not saying that all police officers are bad and they hate them; they simply want this behavior to be corrected.  That is why I continue to be amazed at how Patrick Lynch, who is the president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and should be providing an example of leadership, consistently labels anyone who does this as police haters.  He did it to President Obama, he did it to Mayor Bill de Blasio, he did it to Reverend Al Sharpton and he did it to anyone who showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and those who joined them in protests against police brutality and the use of excessive force by police.

I recently read a number of Associated Press articles about what is happening at the University of Missouri, the demands that African American students have made there and how those demands raise memories of and almost mirror those of the demands that were made at that university in 1969.  I also read an article in the Washington Post about Margaret Spellings being named as the University of North Carolina (UNC) system president.

I mentioned police brutality and how the police abuse their power and the articles regarding the demands that African American students are making at the University of Missouri along with the decision that the Supreme Court made to gut the Voting Rights Act for the purpose of providing examples.  These examples are beneficial in explaining why congress should correct the Supreme Courts misstep in its decision on the Voting Rights Act as soon as possible; before things blossom into the kind of problem that America is experiencing with policing its citizens and what appears to be history repeating itself with the civil rights movement.

Example one, there is no doubt that police officers have an extremely hard job to do and they face death every day that they put on their uniform.  They face individuals daily who are angry, frustrated and disillusioned, any one of which could snap and try to maim or kill them.  This is stressful and likely keeps them always on high alert.  That notwithstanding, they must still treat all of those whom they police equally, exercise control and use only the amount of force necessary to bring those who resist their authority under control.  Currently this is not the case.  Instead, police brutality is entrenched in police forces around the country, police officers regularly abuse their power and police and the communities that they serve and protect are at odds and have a strained relationship.

Example two, as already mentioned the demands that young African American students are making on college and university campuses around the country now are much like those that were being made in 1969 during the latter stage of the 1960 Civil Rights Movement.  The 1960 Civil Rights Movement includes Bloody Sunday, which occurred on March 7, 1965 shortly before the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.

Based on these examples and what is currently happening in our country, it appears that we are in danger of coming full circle on these issues.  The situation can only be exacerbated by the Supreme Court’s decision to gut the Voting Rights Act and congress’s refusal to correct this change and make any required adjustments to assure that the law will withstand Supreme Court scrutiny.  Congress should look closely at history and learn from it.  They should also consider our current situation with respect to the overall justice system and continue to work hard to prevent things from getting out of control while they work to correct the problem.

Politicians and politics are at the center of many if not all of these problems that we are experiencing and that is why I mentioned Margaret Spellings being named as the UNC system president.  Ms. Spellings was the Secretary of Education while George Bush was President and was responsible for the No Child Left Behind program.  She is a controversial figure and some members of the board that selected her and many of the UNC students opposed her appointment.  According to an article in The Washington Post by Valerie Strauss dated November 14, 2015, she was appointed by way of partisan politics.  Since politicians are at the center of these problems voters must work to assure that they are at the center of solving them.

One can understand if many of us harbor some ambivalence and are frustrated, afraid and anxious about what is happening around us and are intimidated by the pace at which it is happening; especially if you are a part of a majority that will soon become a minority.  I am of the opinion that even African Americans who have long been among the minorities have some anxiety and ambivalence about the impact that the current majority among the minorities will have and which direction they will press America to take.

The constant beacon of hope is that Americans have always been and still are a resilient people.  That is why we must get passed our frustration, fears and anxiety and elect politicians that will work hard to assure that they find the best path forward for our country.  I believe that we can and will do this because we know that it will make our democracy stronger and more representative of whom we really are as Americans.

Eulus Dennis

Local Politics

Denver School Board At-Large; Happy Haynes Versus Robert Speth

Our community, our children, our schools and our vote are up for grabs until 7:00 p.m. today, November 3, 2015. As voters, we have the power to determine the outcome for all of them.

Our community: as residents of our various communities we have the power to determine what those communities will look like – not just in terms of neighborhood schools, but in every way.

Our children: we have the power to determine whether they will be in the hands of a school board that will place our children’s best interest first or whether they will place their political ambitions first.

Our schools: we have the power to determine whether available resources, financial and human, will be put into improving and strengthening our neighborhood schools and keeping quality teachers in place or whether we will replace these current teachers with teachers that are less experienced and still in need of training. At the same time, we can determine whether our neighborhood schools will either be dismantled and replaced by charter schools or – if they are not dismantled, forced to share their space with them.

Our vote: we have the power to determine whether we will discount the power of our vote and not vote or just be too complacent to do so, our vote is for sale to the candidate that receives the most money – whether transparent, dark or both, the candidate that has the larger number of – especially last minute – telephone calls made on their behalf, the candidate with the most sleek sound bites; or if it is not for sale and will be cast for the most qualified candidate of our choice.

The polls close at 7:00 p.m. today so whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent be sure to cast your vote in time for it to count. Be sure to drop off your ballot at a Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) or at a 24-hour ballot drop-off box by 7:00 p.m. this evening, November 3, 2015. It is too late to mail it in; it will not be received in time to be accepted.

You can find the VSPC and ballot drop-of box information on the “HOW TO RETURN YOUR BALLOT” card that was enclosed with the ballot that you received in the mail. And always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it! So find out where to drop off your ballot and be sure to vote!

Eulus Dennis

Local Politics

DPS Board At-Large Race Nears Finish Line

Once again as a longtime resident of the city of Denver and the Montbello Green Valley Ranch community, I am compelled to post this article encouraging everyone who is eligible to vote to be sure to do so. Since I live in Montbello I want to especially encourage members of the Montbello community to vote.  In Montbello, we have already witnessed many of our community schools be replaced with charter schools or be forced to share their space with them.  No matter where you stand on the issue of charter schools and neighborhood schools it is extremely important that you exercise your right to vote.  It will make our community better and stronger.

The winner of the School Board At-Large seat race in Denver between Allegra “Happy” Haynes and Robert Speth will be determined this Tuesday, November 3, 2015. According to the information you received that was enclosed with your ballot, the Montbello Recreation Center is a Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC) so you may drop off your completed ballot there.  The dates and operating hours of the VSPC are stated on the “HOW TO RETURN YOUR BALLOT” card that is included with the ballot you received.

Therefore, if you live in Montbello and would like to drop off your ballot rather than mail it, the closest location for that is probably the Montbello Recreation Center, which is located at 15555 E 53rd Ave. Voters can check to determine for sure whether this is the location that is closest to them.  However, the most important thing is that you vote.  Remember that if you intend to mail your ballot mail service can sometimes take longer than one might expect; therefore, you should allow ample time for your ballot to reach its destination in order to be sure that your vote will be received on time and will count.

I mentioned in my post dated 10/24/2015 that many community members are concerned about how Denver schools are run, about testing and test scores, teachers rights, charter schools and more. There are two key drivers behind most of the things that I just mentioned.  One is two federal programs, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and Common Core and the other is a conservative agenda versus a liberal agenda.  NCLB and Common Core have been accepted by all parties concerned, although grudgingly by some, and each of these agendas is supported by Democratic and Republican voters.

Just like, as I mentioned in my October 24th post, there is nothing inherently wrong with being a pro-reform school board member, there is nothing inherently wrong with NCLB and Common Core. Neither is there anything wrong with a conservative agenda or a liberal agenda per se; but because the voices of all constituent stakeholders should be heard and acted upon that means that common ground must be sought until a reasonable balance can be reached.

The real problem with NCLB and especially Common Core is that they infringe on teachers’ ability to teach and assure that students learn because of the laser-like focused specific learning demands that they make regarding what and how students learn. At the same time – according to teachers, the standards specified in these programs, if one can call them that, are verbose and unclear.  As regards a conservative agenda versus a liberal agenda, most liberals believe that the conservative agenda is driven more by money than it is by some school districts’ desire to assure that students receive the best education possible.

Unfortunately – whether or not liberals are right in their assessment of these school districts, just as it is with almost everything else that in anyway involves politics, money is in the mix and all one really has to do is follow the money to find the true answer to what is determining as well as who is trying to control the direction that we take in educating our children. This does not mean that our politicians are not concerned with assuring that American children receive a top-quality education.  What it does mean, however, is that politicians can neither just continue to blindly move forward with programs like NCLB and Common Core because powerful people are pushing them nor can they play partisan politics and blindly support their party’s conservative or liberal position.

Although it is a recall effort and not a regular election, what is happening with the Jefferson County School Board runs parallel to what has been going on with the DPS School Board for years now. Therefore, it puts a spotlight on Allegra “Happy” Haynes, who is an incumbent DPS School Board member, and Robert Speth particularly because of each candidates current perspective on charter schools and neighborhood schools; perspectives which do not seem to be that far apart.  In the event that you might be interested, the article on the Jefferson County School Board recall effort is in the New York Times and is entitled “Proxy War Erupts Over a Conservative School Board.”  You can read it in its entirety by typing the title into your browser search box and clicking the search button.

Because Mr. Speth in essence has branded himself as the obvious alternative to Ms. Haynes because he is not supported by big money, because of where he stands on the issues and because of his commitment to listen to community members and incorporate their input into his decision-making, I reached out to him and offered him the opportunity to state his position on those issues in this blog. In addition, in the event that he did not want to speak on that subject, I said that he could address any other subject relevant to the race between he and Ms. Haynes.  I did not receive a response.

Whether Ms. Haynes wins or whether Mr. Speth wins voters should demand that the victorious candidate listen to the voices of students, teachers and community members and not just that of big money. We must insist that the winning candidate place a top-quality education for students ahead of their political ambitions.

Eulus Dennis

Local Politics

DPS Board At-Large Race

The race for the School Board At-Large seat in Denver for all intents and purposes has not been highly publicized. As a matter of fact, I had not heard a lot about it until I received a telephone call from an acquaintance that was making telephone calls on behalf of Mr. Robert Speth who is running against Allegra “Happy” Haynes.

Happy Haynes has been involved in Denver politics for many years and at one time held a seat on the Denver City Council for 13 years. She is currently the president of the Denver Public Schools Board and is also the Director of Denver Parks and Recreation.  Because Ms. Haynes has been a part of the political landscape in Denver for so long she likely has the support of many other establishment political figures both inside and outside of Denver.

In light of how voters feel about incumbent establishment politicians right now, this could actually be a negative for Ms. Haynes. Since this speculation is based on what is happening in politics at the federal level right now and the race for the school board seat is at the local level, many might say that it is a real stretch for me to make such a comparison; and that is a reasonable, and debatable, observation.

But allow me to give this, what might seem like a farfetched speculation at least some degree of credibility. Case in point; it is well known by those who follow politics closely that the Republicans’ REDMAP program was highly successful and that it played a major role in the overwhelming balance of control of statehouses that Republicans currently hold over Democrats.  The point is that although this program was focused on the states it was a national level effort to get Republican candidates elected.  And the purpose of this national effort was to gain control of power from the lowest level of government to the highest level of government.

Without getting into too much detail about how this is relevant to the race for the Denver At-Large school board seat, which would probably do nothing but bore those who do not closely follow politics, I will just say that the REDMAP program was also interested in influencing who would head school districts and who would be elected to those Districts’ school boards.

There have been many community members who have complained for many years about how Denver schools are run, about testing and test scores, teachers’ rights, charter schools and more. The Denver School Board members have long been split along the lines of what has become labeled by many as those that are against reform and those that are pro-reform.  I would place Happy Haynes among the ranks of the latter.

There is nothing inherently wrong with being a pro-reform board member. The problem comes in ones definition of the meaning of reform and the extent to which such reform is carried out.  As things currently stand, there are many Denver community members who still feel that they were betrayed by school board members who supported the dismantling of their neighborhood schools and having those spaces given to charter schools or if they were not dismantled, being forced to share their space with charter schools.  This could present a problem for Happy Haynes because her opponent, Robert Speth, is neither a pro-reform candidate – if its definition entails the kinds of things that these community members are complaining about, nor is he a politician, let alone an establishment politician.

Instead, according to Mr. Speth, he is a man “with a BS degree in Civil Engineering and a MS in The Materials Science Program… who is generally known to all as ‘the science guy’.” I have read articles on Mr. Speth that state his position on various issues but I have found it harder to find any articles or campaign literature from Ms. Haynes that state her position on these issues.

I think that, in light of the mood of voters, it will be extremely important for these candidates to inform voters of precisely where they stand on the issues. As mentioned at the start of this article as regards how voters feel about incumbent establishment politicians at the federal level, they appear to be fed up with politics as usual.  And since all indications are that they blame the politics as usual on establishment incumbents, it is especially important for Ms. Haynes to get her message in front of voters and convince them that the best way forward for the Denver Public Schools is by way of the path that she supports.

The example that I provided of the Republicans’ REDMAP program was meant to show how, under the current circumstances, local level politics can be tied to the mood of voters at the national level. Allegra “Happy” Haynes is a Democrat and my example was not meant to imply that she is a Republican or that she is in any way associated with the Republican Party.

And finally – whether you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent – do not discount the value of your vote and decide that it is not worth the time that it takes you to cast it. It is long past time for voters to get more seriously involved in politics.  We need to realize how important these – what may seem to some of us to be low-level, meaningless positions with little or no power, really are.   Then, we must get informed on the issues and ascertain the positions that the candidates who are seeking to be elected hold on them.

It is just as important to always remember that your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it! So be sure to vote by Tuesday, November 3rd.  According to the ‘HOW TO RETURN YOUR BALLOT’ instructions enclosed with the ballot that you received by mail, “Ballots must be received at a Voter Service and Polling Center (VSPC), at a 24-hour ballot drop-off box, or by mail by 7 pm on Election Day, November 3, 2015.  A ballot postmarked by 7 pm on Election Day, but not received, will be rejected.”

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics, State Politics

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper For President?

I recently read an article in The Denver Post by John Frank in which Governor John Hickenlooper commented on Hillary Clinton’s e-mail dilemma. I was especially drawn to it because the title of the article was ‘Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper expresses doubt about Hillary Clinton amid e-mail controversy.’ After I read the article and contemplated its title, I did not think that the title was fair based on what was in the article.

But it was a great ‘hook’ and I must admit that as a relatively new blogger, I don’t know a whole lot about these kind of things – but I am learning – so who am I to judge. Basically, while saying that Secretary Clinton was qualified to do the job, what Governor Hickenlooper said was that her e-mail server problem had the potential to present pitfalls that could cost her the nomination. He did not express any doubt about her or her ability to do the job.

In this article someone made a remark, which seemed as if it were in passing based on the amount of attention afforded to it, which suggested that Governor Hickenlooper should run for President. Although this remark sounds like, and likely is, a farfetched idea I have some thoughts about it.

Back in January 2011 when Mr. Hickenlooper was first sworn in as governor, my thoughts were that he was almost indiscernible as a Democrat. This quirky man appeared to be more of a hybrid between Democrat and Republican. At the time, I did not understand this and thought more along the line of him being someone that would readily sell out the Democrats. In my mind he was, and I will use the term created as an analogous to the acronym RINO, a DINO; Democrat In Name Only.

At the time that I first began having these thoughts, Mr. Hickenlooper was the incumbent mayor and as mayor all of the Republicans seemed to love him. I don’t think that the independents were far behind the Republicans in this love fest. But as I continued to follow the governor’s political career I began to have a clearer understanding of who he really is: he is his own man.

As much as I hated to admit it because of my long-held feelings that he was a sellout mayor who was really a Republican disguised as a Democrat so that he could play both sides and reap the political benefits, this mayor was just the governor that Colorado needed. With this being Colorado and with the direction in which the political winds were blowing, we needed someone who could assess various situations, seek the advice of those around him, assimilate that advice and still make his own decisions based on that advice.

We did not need someone who would give in to the strongest voices among his advisors, whether those voices were coming from hardliners whose persuasions were skewed to the left or to the right, but someone who would be his own man. We needed someone who would be his own man and yet be someone who was credible to Democrats, Republicans and independents. That man was John Hickenlooper.

To say those five words – ‘that man was John Hickenlooper’ – would have been too much of a mouthful for me when Mr. Hickenlooper first became mayor but I have since evolved. I have learned that this is the kind of person that is built for reasonable political discourse and compromise and who is among the least likely to sell out; it seems that he is rock solid when it comes to standing on principle.

Before I begin to sound more like Governor Hickenlooper’s PR man than a blogger who is simply trying to share some meaningful information with voters I will refer you to an article that I wrote on him back in November 2014. The article is entitled ‘Still, Governor John Hickenlooper’ and you can click on the title link to read it in its entirety.

As far as the farfetched suggestion that Governor Hickenlooper should run for President is concerned, even if he did decide to run for President the earliest that he could do it and remain in good standing with his fellow Democrats would be in 2024 if the 2016 Democratic nominee wins the general election. However, as previously mentioned, Governor Hickenlooper seems to be built for the kind of responsibility that the President of the United States would have and he seems to have the ability to assimilate and responsibly use the advice of his advisors.

Is it reasonable to believe that he could become President? I think so; if Michael Bennet, Governor Hickenlooper’s Chief of Staff when the Governor was mayor became a US senator from Colorado, why can’t the governor become President?

Although, as far as I am aware, he has never exhibited any desire to run for President he is, after all, a politician. And since politicians are cut from a special bolt of cloth and they are all driven by their political ambitions, as farfetched as the idea of a run for president might sound, do not be surprised if it comes to fruition.

The downside of a run for President in 2024 for Governor Hickenlooper would be that he would be 72 years old and that would put him right around the age that Senator Bernie Sanders is now. Is that too old? I don’t know but I did hear somewhere that to get old is inevitable but to age is a choice. So like I said, do not be surprised if a run for President by Governor Hickenlooper comes to fruition.

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics, State Politics

Leadership Personified

Two powerful and courageous Republican women, and I want to emphasize the word women, because of an article that I wrote and posted to this blog on May 20, 2015 entitled ‘Just an attention grabber…Or maybe the real deal.’  That article was inspired, in particular, by a newcomer to politics by the name of Stacie Gilmore who was running for City Council in Denver, Colorado and in general by all of the women in elected positions at federal, state, and local levels of government who are stepping forward as willing leaders of our country, states and cities in times of challenge and controversy.

These two particular powerful and courageous women that I want to recognize and give well-deserved kudos are Republicans in South Carolina.  They are South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and South Carolina State Representative Jenny Horne.  The fact that they are from South Carolina to me makes what they did particularly courageous although they may not agree and would consider it as just a part of their job.  Once again I have to take this opportunity to say ‘how refreshing’ because this is not something that I have the opportunity to say very often about any of our politicians!

Governor Haley and Representative Horne spoke out when it was neither a comfortable time nor a convenient one to do so.  It was a time when lawmakers were discussing whether or not the Confederate flag should be removed from the South Carolina Capitol grounds.  It was a time when some people in general and likely most of those on the far and extreme rightwing in particular around the country were demanding that this flag remain exactly where it is.

Before Dylan Roof allegedly admitted to murdering nine churchgoers in the Temple Emanuel church in Charleston, South Carolina, even Governor Haley supported leaving this flag in place.  However; after this tragedy, she changed her mind.  When she changed her mind she did not play politics and pander to voters to help her politically.  Instead, she made a conscience decision to fulfill her responsibility as a leader and lead.

Representative Horne made this same decision.  As a result, the problem was resolved.  Some were elated with the outcome and others were disappointed with it; but it was resolved rather than avoided.  There will likely be strong negative political backlash for both of these women, which both were surly aware of in advance of their decision on removing the flag.

Unfortunately, the United States House of Representatives does not have a leader heading it who is willing to step up and lead in times of challenge and controversy as does the state of South Carolina.  Enter Speaker of the House, and exempli gratia (e.g.), John Boehner.  He has proven time-and-time-again that he is more into “…times of comfort and convenience.”  Since he became Speaker, he has never proven that he has the moxie to stand up to his caucus and lead “…in times of challenge and controversy.”  I cannot recall a single time, let alone multiple times, of this being the case when Nancy Pelosi was Speaker.

Although I am a longtime devoted Democrat, I know there are without doubt many Republicans with good, strong, meaningful and workable conservative ideas that are not being put forward and voiced because everyone is too busy posturing and pandering while playing politics.  I am also confident that there are well-informed Democrats and Independents of all ethnicities, creeds and colors who would readily support some of those ideas under normal political circumstances but political circumstances have not been normal from, at least, since the time that President Obama was first elected.

Our politicians need to get back on track and that is not going to happen unless we do our part as voters.  We have to get engaged in politics and remain engaged if we want our democracy to work as it was designed to work.  Let’s demand that our politicians do what we elected them to do and let us stop making decisions based on sound bites during election cycles and by simply looking at titles like Democrat, Republican and Independent.

The fact is that the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State Capitol grounds hurt a lot of Republicans who are good citizens and patriots.  Notwithstanding that their belief that this flag simply represents the history of their pride in southerners who fought bravely for the Confederacy is wrong because it is based on a lack of their knowledge of its true history; they sincerely believe that it deserves this place of honor.  And we should respect their feelings but it must be while we work to reveal this flags true meaning to them.

To remove this flag was the right thing to do.  Regardless as to whether or not we are successful in our efforts to convince dissenters of its true meaning, we should not gloat over the removal of the flag.  Instead, we should work with them to heal the wounds to all of those who were offended by its presence on the capitol grounds and those who were wounded by its recent ferruling.

What happened in South Carolina was not an easy thing for Governor Haley to deal with.  However, it is representative of the kind of things that we must deal with as a nation and is a good example of how we should go about dealing with them.  So I say kudos to Governor Nikki Haley and Representative Jenny Horne!  All of America should salute you for your willingness to lead in these times of challenge and controversy.

As for Speaker Boehner in particular and the United States Congress in general, all of America should speak up and admonish you to take an example from South Carolina.  Act like the leaders that you were elected to be and are capable of being.  Stop basking in the sunshine of your elected office during the “…times of comfort and convenience” and running away and hiding in the nearest dark corner during the “…times of challenge and controversy” and then emerging in full schmoozer mode once they have passed.

Eulus Dennis

Federal Politics, State Politics

Fear The Invasion: Or Is It; Don’t Mess With Texas?

This article was updated on 7/13/2015 to change the word “ended” to “ends” in paragraph five (5).  A link was also added that will take the reader to an article in The Guardian by Tom Dart in the event that they want more detail on how Texans are reacting to this U.S. military training exercise called “Jade Helm.”

According to an article in The Washington Post by Kevin Sullivan dated July 4, 2015, folks in Bastrop, Texas believe that President Obama has laid plans for the United States military to invade Texas.  According to the article, the Bastrop county Republican Party Chairman said that these people are not “nuts and wackos” but are concerned citizens who are patriots.

My first thought when I read the Washington Post article was that these were just a bunch of “nuts and wackos” in one county in Texas who simply could not let the anti-President Obama bandwagon leave without them.  But then I read this article that said that a poll taken by the University of Texas/Texas Tribune revealed that nearly half of Texans fear a federal military invasion.  Say what?!

I have heard that “Don’t mess with Texas” slogan many times before; it made me shiver when I heard it then and it still makes me shiver when I hear it now.  Why would they fear a lil ole US military invasion?  Isn’t everyone and everything scared to mess with Texas?  Everybody knows that there is plenty of macho floating around in Texas and anybody who wants some can get some: remember when Bush 43 said “bring it”?  He was referring to any adversary who would dare to challenge the United States: or maybe he was referring to any adversary who would dare to challenge Texas.  Anyway, that’s macho…it’s probably a lot easier to flaunt it when you will not actually be the one who has to back it up but it’s still macho.

I found the whole thing to be laughable until politicians like Republican Governor Abbott of Texas and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, a junior Senator from Texas, began to weigh in on the issue.  Now it was not quite so funny because although it was just a matter of these politicians pandering for votes, for those who truly believe this nonsense it only adds fuel to the fire.  They do not look upon the kind of action taken by Governor Abbott and the kind of comments made by Senator Cruz as simply playing politics.

They do not look upon the Governor’s placing the Texas National Guard on alert and having them monitor the Jade Helm 15 military exercise by the United States military in Texas until it ends for fear that they might try to invade Texas as mere politics.  They do not look upon the statement that Senator Cruz made in Salon as mere politics:

“My office has reached out to the Pentagon to inquire about this exercise,” Cruz said. “We are assured it is a military training exercise. I have no reason to doubt those assurances, but I understand the reason for concern and uncertainty, because when the federal government has not demonstrated itself to be trustworthy in this administration, the natural consequence is that many citizens don’t trust what it is saying.”

If you would like more detail on how Texans are reacting to this military exercise, which is scheduled to begin on July 14, 2015 you can click on this link; Texans monitor Jade Helm military training amid fears of government plot.

These are people who already harbor things about President Obama that may sound absurd and like nothing more than foolishness to most reasonable people but to some – like those who believe that there is a real possibility of an Obama-led invasion of Texas, actions and comments like those just mentioned by high-level, supposedly credible elected officials only reinforce their nonsensical thoughts.

What Governor Abbott and Senator Cruz have done is just another example of how far our politicians have wandered off of the beaten path and why all of us as American voters must remain vigilant and always remind them that they are in office first and foremost to represent the American people and our interest and not to be on a never-ending campaign to be reelected.

The best and possibly only way that we can effectively do this is through fulfilling our civic responsibilities among which is voting. There is no doubt that there will come times when we will be inconvenienced by the demands placed upon us by these civic duties. But when we are tempted to gripe and complain about these inconveniences, at those times let us never fail to reflect upon what our predecessors passed through to win the right to have those duties and the right to the franchise. That will make what we must endure to fulfill those duties become much easier to bear.

Finally, always remember, your vote is the most important one of all…unless you don’t use it!

Eulus Dennis

State Politics

Confederate Battle Flag

The Confederate battle flag, psyche and things of the heart might sound strange when spoken of in the same breath.  And I will probably be roundly criticized for this article by some from both sides of the renewed controversy surrounding this flag, which came about as the result of the deaths of nine South Carolina citizens who were murdered while worshiping in their church.

Whether or not such criticism is warranted will be determined in the mind of each reader.  However; despite their determination, most reasonable readers who feel that this criticism is warranted will agree to disagree with me while still respecting my right to hold the opinions expressed herein.  That is the way that I hope that it will be with all of us as we move forward on whether or not the Confederate battle flag in South Carolina should be removed from the state capitol grounds.

I have always believed that the Confederate flag should not be displayed in any public setting because it is divisive and the United States is the country of all of its citizens.  Right or wrong I am leery when I am in the presence of someone who prominently displays a Confederate flag on his person, automobile or other personal items while they are in a public setting.  Under the circumstances, I am never quite certain as to whether or not they hold any animus toward me.

The Confederate flag had its beginning when a number of southern states decided to secede from the United States mainly as a result of their resistance to the ongoing effort at the time to abolish slavery.  Since the Civil War, people of all colors have fought for this country and bled, suffered and died for America’s way of life.

Although it seems completely reasonable to me that there should be no place in the public domain for this flag, at the same time when I try to view things from the perspective of southerners who fought for the Confederacy and overall southerners whether or not they fought under the Confederate flag, I can see their perspective and feel their pain.  Obviously, I do not agree with their perspective and although I can feel their pain I know that it cannot begin to approach the depth of theirs; but I can still to some degree empathize with them.

To many of these people the Confederate flag long ago became embedded in their psyche and as such has become a thing of the heart.  It holds all of the sentimentality as does the Roman mythological tale of Jupiter, Cupid and the beautiful young woman (Psyche) that he loved still holds for avid readers of Roman mythology today.

Some of those southerners who are so frustrated and angry, especially those who fought for the south, feel that way as a result of their lack of education regarding the real history of the Confederate flag.  Even if they knew its real history though, they would still be frustrated and angry although that knowledge might mitigate that anger.  However, others who already know the real history of this flag are also frustrated and angry.  To them it is simply an intricate part of the laidback southern tapestry; a part of what makes the south the easygoing place that it is and that it had nothing to do with the catastrophe that resulted in the loss of nine innocent lives.

Most, if not all, of the people that feel this way are white.  But most of them are likely decent people who love this country and believe in fairness and equal justice for all people…despite the fact that they have flaws, which we all do.  They see things from a different perspective.  And we must respect their right to their perspective and opinions while we work to educate them as to our perspective.

I, for one, respect their right to their perspective and opinions but I still feel sad and hurt when I reflect on why, where, when and how those innocent people lost their lives.  This tragic and unfortunate occurrence is now a permanent part of the core of thinking that motivates me to support the removal of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina capitol’s grounds.  Accordingly, I sincerely hope that those who support keeping the status quo will lose the political battle to keep this divisive symbol, in any form, in the public domain.  It obviously has its place in American history but that place should reside in history books, museums, and their private domains.

Black lives do matter but there are polls that suggest that many Americans already believe that all Americans are treated equally.  I do not believe this because I have lived a different experience and witnessed how many other people of color have been treated differently than their white counterparts in various venues.

I have no doubt that there are people on both sides of this issue who could tell stories that would either support or detract from the unequal treatment that people of color profess to be burdened with simply because of the color of their skin.  What this means is that we as people of color still have much work to do.

As we do it; however, we must do it while respecting the rights of others to their perspectives and opinions.  And we must also realize and acknowledge the fact that there are myriads of white people who are standing arm-in-arm with us and working hand-in-hand with us to assure that there is fair and equal treatment for all people.

Virtually all politicians are tough to stomach because they have fallen victim to the nature of America’s political system and, unfortunately, feel that they must do the same thing that other politicians do in order to effectively compete and have a successful political career.  Even if this is the case it is not an acceptable excuse.  Should it be acceptable for all college students to cheat in order to effectively compete with fellow students?  Should it be acceptable for all businesses to cheat in order to effectively compete with their competitors?  No!  It happens but this does not make it acceptable.

The renewed controversy over the Confederate flag has many politicians scrambling to be on the right side of the issue when a final decision is made.  Of course they are scrambling due to political prudence rather than their burning desire to make America the best that it can be.  Since despite the ugliness and loud and messiness of our democracy I refuse to give up on my country by refusing to participate in its political process, I will continue to do my civic duty and vote in my effort to contribute to making America an even better place to live.

Since the policy positions of Democrats more often express my point of view on issues than do those of Republicans, I normally support Democrats during elections.  Notwithstanding, there are many Republican elected officials in the south who deserve to be given credit for the positions they have taken with respect to the removal of the Confederate flag.  These officials are following the lead of Republican South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley who was the first to call for removal of this flag from the state grounds in her state.  Since then, many of the surrounding states have also called for its removal.  Alabama has already removed it from their state grounds.

Although there are many officials who support removing the flag from public places there are a few like State Representative William Chumley, Republican of South Carolina, who believe that it should not be removed.  Representative Chumley even went so far as to lay the blame for the deaths of the nine people that were murdered at the victims’ feet by implying that the group should have defended itself especially since there was only one perpetrator.

People are always going to disagree on issues and on how the country should be run.  My hope is that at the very least what we will get out of the tragedy that took place in South Carolina is that politicians at all levels of government will begin to debate these tough issues and work to resolve them rather than dodging them by playing politics and indulging in constant pandering.  If they refuse to debate the issues then to bring about this much needed change will be an even more daunting task for the American people.

Eulus Dennis