In the aftermath of state Rep. Douglas Bruce's latest antics, the state's legislative leadership is finally starting to get it. Instead of giving Bruce attention, his House and Senate colleagues should ignore him.
After being censured by the House in January for kicking a Rocky Mountain News photographer, Bruce this week again "caused audible gasps," by referring to Mexican migrant workers as "illiterate peasants."
While some legislators immediately raised the suggestion that Bruce should be expelled from the chamber, House Majority Leader Alice Madden got it right when she said no formal punishment will be pursued against the Colorado Springs Republican. And while some like Assistant House Majority Leader Terrance Carroll suggested that the comments could result in an ethics probe, even Carroll is starting to come around, saying, "I think we're going to start ignoring him."
Ultimately, Bruce's constituents should be the ones to decide his punishment. They will have that chance this August as Bruce squares off in a primary battle against fellow Republican Mark Waller. Waller is leading the charge for Bruce to step down, eagerly releasing a statement saying "Mr. Bruce never ceases to amaze me with his vitriol and his obvious political grandstanding."
Such grandstanding may be just the gift Waller needs, however, to prevail with the party faithful this summer.
Hmmmm...?
On April 25th, 2008 ffusmucker says:
My wife, AKA `She Who Must Be Obeyed' (Hereafter abbreviated as SWMBO), and I were discussing the bill that Doug was railing against and she came up with the observation that, "Doesn't this basically mean that the State is going to be a `Coyote'? And... *If* so, wouldn't it be better to call it `The State Coyote Bill'? Hmmm?"
Doleo ergo sum,
Fred
Actually... We *need* a couple *more* Doug Bruces!
On April 24th, 2008 ffusmucker says:
I know that this is going to raise a few hackles but, we really actually need at least `the original' Doug Bruce and maybe even a couple more like him in the `Statehouse'!
To begin with, he was correct when he used the words `illiterate' and `peasant(s)' as that exactly describes the very people this bill is `aimed' at. *If* they were *truly* `literate' they *wouldn't* be crossing our borders illegally like they are doing. Instead they would be doing it legally and would already have themselves *solid*, *good paying* jobs waiting. (In quite a few cases the very people who would be hiring them would probably actually be providing them some sort of support to come here. Yes, there would still be those who were `following the will-o-whisp' of the possiblities of a good job, too.) They also actually *are* `peasants' in that they, at least the ones this bill is aimed at, agricultural workers / labourers *and* are `looked down upon' or considered to be `of low social rank'. (As, too, are actually quite a few of our own agricultural `community' these days, unfortunately. {GRIMACE!})
Now... Where Doug is possibly `wrong' is that these people whom this bill is `aimed at' *are not* going to be *just* `peasants'! Once they do show up they will actually end up being more like `serfs' rather than the `peasants' they were at home and on the way here. The bill all but completely makes that a certainty the way it is written. Besides... Do we really need yet another `visitor visa' program heaped upon all the other, basically non-functional, ones that the Feds already have dumped on us? How the heck are we going to come up with the whatever / wherefore necessary to actually make certain that it is actually functioning properly? Do we really need yet *another* level of, most certainly inept, bureaucracy in our government?
Doug Bruce should actually be commended on his eschewing the smarmy PC-speak that is so rampant these days! All those in the `Statehouse', and outside it too, who are sanctimoniously gnashing their teeth and wailing about this are the actual `trouble makers' in this. The `offense' that all those people supposedly see having been `made' resides entirely in their heads as Doug *didn't* specifically name or otherwise `represent' any specific `race' only a `class' of people of whom we have plenty of our *own* `representatives' already. (*Especially* within the minds of those very people he was addressing at that time! [If you don't believe me just listen to them very carefully when they speak. You will hear the `imperial' `we' VS the `common' `them' used or refered to almost continously.]) The `time' to get rid of Doug Bruce will only be when *he* is finally worn down and quits not playing the game that all the others around him there are playing with us. Until then we could use a few more like him to keep pointing out all the hypocracy there is there and in other venues of this so-called `politics'.
Just an `Olde Fart's' 2¢ worth.
Doleo ergo sum,
Fred