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April 15, 2013 09:12 AM UTC

Sen. Vicki Marble: The New Gold Standard For Crazy?

  • 22 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

We get a lot of email newsletter updates from Colorado legislators in both parties. Most of them are mundane and loaded with canned rhetoric about the legislative session, in between event announcements and other routine constituent communications. We've talked this year about, for example, false statements made in legislative communications about gun safety bills, but controversy in these newsletters can safely be considered the exception, not the rule.

Having said that, the exceptions to this rule are generally highly notable. Back in 2006, a GOP legislator named Jim Welker made headlines for his immoderate newsletters, forwarding an article that claimed "President Bush is not to blame for the rampant immorality of blacks" following Hurricane Katrina among other offensive opinions. Welker's embarrassing episode led to tighter standards among Republicans, at least for a few years, for watching what they say in printed public communications.

Enter freshman Sen. Vicki Marble, who Friday evening may have sent the most unhinged rant we've seen from a Colorado legislator since Sen. Dave Schultheis' infamous remarks about hoping babies get AIDS–and not in a forwarded article either. These are her own words:

It seems Democrats will do anything to control the way our children learn, live, and even how they act in intimate relationships. [Pols emphasis] I would like to reference SB13-260 concerning the financing of public schools. This 27-page Bill includes the “Obama Pre-School Equip” program for four-year olds. It increases pre-school enrollment at a cost of $11.7 million and establishes reporting requirements for private pre-school providers. School districts do not approve of this and feel their programs are adequate for pre-school needs. This Bill contradicts Article IX, Section 2 (2012) of the Colorado Constitution which says the state "shall provide a system of free public schools throughout the state, wherein all residents of the state, between the ages of six and twenty-one years, may be educated gratuitously.”

Democrats are now referring to our children as property of “whole communities.” Last week, Melissa Harris-Perry, a touted professor at Tulane University endorsed the concept of human ownership. 

Harris-Perry stated stated that as a society, “we have to break through our [America’s] kind of private idea that kids belong to their parents or kids belong to their families and recognize that kids belong to whole communities. Once it is everybody’s responsibility and not just the household’s, then we start making better investments.” She then argued that the problem is, “we haven’t had a very collective notion of these are our [government’s] children.” To have a “collective notion” of ownership over our children is the very reason Democrats have dictated our parental rights through their party-line passage of perverse bills of this sort this Legislative Session.

Democrats have arrogantly assumed the role of demanding that they know best by controlling every aspect of our children’s lives. Have we as parents been devalued to the point that our government sees us purely as breeders in the process of raising our children? [Pols emphasis]

Hitler once said, “He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.” He also said, “This new Reich will give its youth to no one, but will, itself, take youth and give to youth its own education and its own upbringing.” Under Communism our children, our property, and what we produce belongs to the state.

Under Communism our children, our property, and what we produce belongs to the state…

Democrats believe that the government is the solution. Republicans believe that the government can never be the sole solution in a republic. Our children are not government property…

First of all, anytime you are considering quoting Adolf Hitler to make a point…don't. Seriously. If you think you need a few Hitler quotes to make your argument pop, you should reassess your argument in general.

Now, we don't want to spend too much time on this promo spot from MSNBC weekend host Melissa Harris-Perry Sen. Marble is referring to, except to say that it's actually a fairly benign It Takes a Village-style platitude, and the insertion of "government" in brackets in Sen. Marble's version is wholly inferred–the word "government" doesn't even appear once in this ad. And of course, this MSNBC host, who we hadn't actually heard of prior to this newsletter, has no role in, or we assume even knowledge of, legislation being debated in Colorado.

But we really don't think Sen. Marble is concerned about the details.

Folks, this is a bill to increase preschool education funding. Not a bill to "control the way our children learn, live, and even how they act in intimate relationships." Not an endorsement of any "concept of human ownership." It does not mean that parents have been "devalued to the point that our government sees us purely as breeders." Marble clearly missed the point of the "community ownership" metaphor, and her breathless ability to misunderstand this fairly simple point is troubling at best.

The only way to look at this bill and see what Sen. Marble sees is to be crazy. And it should go without saying that this kind of rhetoric will not help the Republican Party as a whole appeal to voters who are not crazy.

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22 thoughts on “Sen. Vicki Marble: The New Gold Standard For Crazy?”

  2. Lives in a bubble, broadcasts her thoughts to a bubble.

    She's not crazy, everything she believes is reinforced by her world, into which reality never intrudes.  You can't be crazy if your thought processes are entirely consistent with the world around you.

    The bubble is what's crazy.

     

    1. Yep, that's about as good as I've seen it put.

      On kind of a similar note, but concerning an entirely different subject, my wife and I had a conversation with a couple that had attended a "pro-marraige" rally on the State  Capitol steps back in January, after the State Senate had voted to pass the Civil Unions legislation.

      As I remember from the conversation, the sparsly attended event was MC'd by the seeming lunatic dan caplis.

      What they said about the Democratic legislators, the legislation itself, the idea of same sex couples actually "defiling" the institution of "conventional marraige", how marraige itself was under attack, on and on, actually creeped us out. All kidding aside.

      But the truth is, it's the bubble talking. We know these people from Bronco games years past, They never seemed odd or extreme back then. The nonsense they were repeating coincided with views on gun "control" and this preposterous kanard about how the military "hates Obama".. It was surreal listening to these seemingly rational people reciting Hannity, Breitbart, limbaugh, Drudge, and the republican legislators that spew this nonsense.

      It's one thing when the average, ill informed person "down the street" , the deluded bubbled lawyer caplis, or the crazy uncle rambles this stuff off.

      When an elected representative is treating this poison like it's true, and it's directly affecting how they vote in chambers, how they posture, what they say in recorded remarks, that's scary.

      And there's no talking to them.

      1. Since rational discussion is impossible with these folks, I suggest ridicule.  You get to make fun of them and they never pick up on it.  Colorado voters got it right handing all branches of government over to Democrats who might overreach on their objectives but live in reality enough of the time to know what's going on.  It was a pre-school funding bill Vickie with no secret agenda by the UN to brainwash your kids.

  3. Have to wonder where she got the idea that women were supposed to be "breeders"? It is a very interesting choice of phrase.  It has been used in the GLBT world to describe people like her.

  5. You're missing the entire point here.  She's defending the right to our own *property*.  I'm sorry, until that child is 18, they are the property of the parent, not the State.  What if the ruling majority were the Religious Right, and they created legislation to indoctrinate your children in PUBLIC schools about what Jesus thinks your child should be doing?  You approve because it's through the State?  Uh uh, no.  You can't have it both ways.

     

    A comparison to Hitler is spot on in this particular instance.  Part of Hitler's M.O. was to brainwash the children into Nationalism, so they could serve as good, little Nazis.  Because you all here agree with what is being stuffed into the brains of our youth in our school system, you are endorsing this tactic.  We are not, our children are not, property of the State.  Develop that sense of individual liberty, because only YOU know what is best for you, and your minor children.

    2. Until that child is 18, they're the parents' responsibility, not their property.   With all your squawking about "individual liberty", one would think you'd be able to get that concept straight.

       

      1. correct curmudgeon. If I could rewrite what Parry said it would be about responsibility of parents and shared responsibility of the public. The word "belong" did not belong in her harmless platitude

    3. The courts have recognized that children are not merely property, and that they deserve protections from the parents when the parents are not acting in their best interests. Chlid abuse, failure to provide medical care, bad envrionment (e.g. meth lab)…

      I most certainly do hope that children get a solid education from the State, including not only the basic reading/writing/arithmetic, but also science, civics, and things that don't rate a class on their own like critical thinking, formal logic, and source analysis. These topics are important to a child's future – their ability to understand the world in which they live.

      Teaching religious doctrine at a government institution is prohibited under the law; it's not a useful comparison in that respect.

      1. PS – I look at a parent's decision to teach religious doctrine (or counterculture thinking, or conspiracy theory) that contradicts the school's teachings as a "teaching moment" in operation. You've got plenty of time with your children, and they look up to you – you have the opportunity and the means.

    4. For your point to be accurate, you need to demonstrate that what Marble is arguing against actually constitutes indoctrination or brainwashing.  Don't believe everything you read.

    5. Once again let me remind you that a comparison to Hitler in this context is extremely offensive. But keep it up. As an American Jew and  Democrat I've been extremely disappointed to see the percentage of Jews voting Dem decrease from the 85% to 90% of my youth to an embarrassing mere 75% where it seems to be holding steady today. With righies so fond of making this type of truly vile  comparison to Hitler and the Holocaust, I'm pretty confident we won't see any more erosion of the Jewish Democratic, pro-choice, pro-equal rights, pro plain old human dignity vote.

      And you may not have noticed, but we Jewish kids grew up in public schools that made a big deal out of everything Christmas, including carols about Jesus, as it is. And just so you know, no matter how pagan the origins of Christmas trees, the timing of Christmas or any of the other symbols and aspects of Christmas that Christians insist are secular may be, since Christmas is a Christian holiday there is no such thing as a secular Christmas symbol.  Once it's associated with Christmas it becomes a symbol of an exclusively Christian holiday.

      So your religion already does have preference in our public schools. You can call it Winter Vacation or a Holiday Tree all you want.  Every Jewish kid knows it's all about Christmas.  And most of us don't make a fuss about it because we know how childlike cultural main stream adults are when it comes to their precious Christmas.

      So you can have your public, government endorsed Christams crap all over  public schools and all other governement buildings every year but don't pretend you don't get special  treatment that doesn't exactly conform with the the constitutional ban on the state endorsing your religion. And know that you don't know what the hell you're talking about where Hitler or the Holocaust is concerned.

      I was no more than 8 the first time I was forced to watch all the horrible film on the Day of Remembrance. The Nazis filmed it themselves and it included bodies that were starved down to nothing but bone being dumped in pits. So, I can't stress this enough, shut the hell up.

      1. I, on the other hand, am pleased to see that my Jewish family has steadily drifted away from the Democrats.  Especially of one cousin who went from being a gender studies lib to a huge fan of libertarianism. 

         

        1. Well, in any case, thank goodness your kind remains very much a minority among American Jews and one that will probably fail to make any more headway any time soon. Most of us will remain proud of our liberal heritage, especially in supporting social justice, the dignity of work and workers and the expansion of civil rights.

  6. Right-Wing nutjobs….they're all about simple words; Liberty, Freedom, Rights; they can work themselves into a lather using not much more than those, with no regard (or the faintest idea, frankly) of the concepts, or context they're in. 

    It's lazy thinking, but it provides a great springboard for righteous indignation. Which is the best kind, of course, 'cause you can hate, and feel better about yourself for doing so.

  7. The Hitler quote was both accurate and appropriate as indicated by the actions (or lack thereof) by Democrat Legislators in this year's 69th general assembly.  If it walks like a duck…quacks like a duck…#justsayn.

    Pols name calling and lack of any logical or common-sense justification to their point shows they are trying to fight a battle already lost.

    Dems may have been winning votes this year in the legislature, but clearly, they are losing the debate.

    HB13-1081 denying any and all amendments including that which would be incompliance with CDC and offer parental choice would be one example of why Hitler was an appropriate reference.

    Harris-Perry's comment, along with the litany of those from Obama, Biden, DeGette, Salazar, Ulibarri, Fields, and many others are indefensible. (gifts from God to Republicans for sure…they just keep on giving).

    How about the video I have of Hudak claiming she and other Dem legslators / educators want kids from cradle to grave.

    You just can't make this shit up…so what else do Pols have left to do but name call.  #LiberalLove #Tolerance #GameSetMatch

     

     

     

     

    2. 'Game, Set, Match.'  OK, where have I heard that before?"  Oh yeah, 'Romney in a landslide!'  Whatever, I'm sure your Hitler-Stalin-Mao-Lenin references get your wingnut base all riled up.  Good luck with that…

    3. jraiffie, can you be specific?

      Please tell me which "debate the Democrats are losing". I'm confused by your 180, saying that Democrats are "winning votes in the Legislature" but are some how "losing the debate".

      In truth, you sound like a typical goober conserve, clueless on substance, but so anxious to spew insults that you're literally wetting your pants.

      Here's your shot at sounding like you know what you're talking about………Without simply referring the readers to the hack rags "watchdog wire", or "arapahoe teabag.com" explain how the Bill you're referring to somehow invokes the Nazi rule.

      This isn't the blog to do a shitbag, cowardly, redleg/repub driveby on. Explain the "Amendments denied", and  do tell how HB13-1081 is in some way, any way, a confiscation of parental rights.

      Do you even know what the Bill does?

      I've read uninformed, pissed off conserves like you far too long. Outlandish, bullshit accusations, backed by nothing, conjured up by opportunistic cynics, repeated by half wits like you. Half wits like you that don't even understand republicans aren't about governing or moving the discourse forward, but rather simply objecting to everything, on your bullshit "moral grounds".

      Half wits that never come back when popped.

      Let's see what you got, "#justsayin"

      This'll be fun.

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