Rise of the Anti-Military Anti-Veteran Republican
| By Ralph T - Jan 27th, 2007 at 3:00 pm EST |
| Also listed in: Broom Brigade | Citizens Concerned | Citizens for Ethics | Colorado Citizens for Accountability | Larimer County | Loveland Progress | Veterans for Progress | COSprings Progress | Douglas County | Evergreen Progressives | Greeley ProActives | Jefferson County | Longmont Area Progress | Southeast Colorado Progressives |
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Categories: Civil Liberties / Privacy, Effective & Ethical Government, Education
Categories: Civil Liberties / Privacy, Effective & Ethical Government, Education
Larimer County's resident RadicalRightWingnutRepublican Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud) stepped into the national spotlight Friday. Through coverage by the Associated Press, fringe-issue Lundberg can now claim the title of Colorado's first (only?) anti-military anti-veteran Republican.
By standing against HB-1050, Display of Flags, Rep. Lundberg perpetuates a ban on flying the POW/MIA Flag and continues the fear and confusion of the flawed current state statute. Lundberg appears in the AP story to imply that HB-1050 would allow any flag to be permanently displayed. This is false picture of the bill on three points: first - that only the US, Colorado and POW/MIA flags are allowed on the flag-poles of state facilities, second - that the educational needs basis of other displays are correctly returned to the discretion of local school boards, and third - that foreign flags are only displayed for "…special, occasional, ceremonial purposed…" according to Federal Law.
Perhaps this is just another of Lundberg's acts to oppose and criticize anything initiated by a Democrat. Reading the entire bill before speaking on the House Floor would be a good technique. Regardless, he's wrong and Colorado's veterans and members of the Armed Services deserve an apology.
HB-1050 is a necessary reform measure that removes awkward and harmful language in the current state law, restores appropriate honors and recognition to veterans and the armed services, and restores control of methods of instruction to local school boards. With those truths revealed, how can Representative Lundberg explain his opposition?
His Capitol telephone number is 303-866-2907, and his email is Kevin@KevinLundberg.com. Please join me in explaining to Representative Lundberg that he's out of line on this issue.
By standing against HB-1050, Display of Flags, Rep. Lundberg perpetuates a ban on flying the POW/MIA Flag and continues the fear and confusion of the flawed current state statute. Lundberg appears in the AP story to imply that HB-1050 would allow any flag to be permanently displayed. This is false picture of the bill on three points: first - that only the US, Colorado and POW/MIA flags are allowed on the flag-poles of state facilities, second - that the educational needs basis of other displays are correctly returned to the discretion of local school boards, and third - that foreign flags are only displayed for "…special, occasional, ceremonial purposed…" according to Federal Law.
Perhaps this is just another of Lundberg's acts to oppose and criticize anything initiated by a Democrat. Reading the entire bill before speaking on the House Floor would be a good technique. Regardless, he's wrong and Colorado's veterans and members of the Armed Services deserve an apology.
HB-1050 is a necessary reform measure that removes awkward and harmful language in the current state law, restores appropriate honors and recognition to veterans and the armed services, and restores control of methods of instruction to local school boards. With those truths revealed, how can Representative Lundberg explain his opposition?
His Capitol telephone number is 303-866-2907, and his email is Kevin@KevinLundberg.com. Please join me in explaining to Representative Lundberg that he's out of line on this issue.
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Stance on flag bill (HB 1050) needs some clarification
To the editor:
I have learned to not pay much attention to politically- motivated attacks, but when my support of our flag and our military and veterans is impugned, I must clear the record.
The letter to the editor in Tuesday’s Reporter-Herald concerning my opposition to House Bill 1050, with regard to the display of flags, did not accurately present the bill, my actions or my intentions. The letter was just a rewording of an article posted on the radical left Web site, ProgressNow
House Bill 1050 has been misreported far too often as a bill that would make it a crime to permanently display any flag other than the U.S. and Colorado flags. In reality, HB 1050 does something very different. The bill will remove the prohibition of displaying other flags on public buildings and only restricts what can be flown on permanent flagpoles.
It is currently a crime to display any other flag on any part of a public building or adjacent grounds (CRS 18-11-205). That statute was created by Senate Bill 038 in 2002. The prime sponsor was Alice Nichol, a Democrat who was then the chairman of the Senate State Affairs Committee.
This current law affords a full measure of respect for our flag and deserves to be defended.
Several smaller provisions of HB 1050, including the display of the POW-MIA flag, I tried to preserve with amendments, but they were rejected. As it now stands, the main effect of HB 1050 diminishes our laws respecting the display of the U.S. and Colorado flags. Others have joined me in opposition to HB 1050, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and former Sen. Nichol. They under stand, as I do, that it is very important to hold the flags of our nation and our state in very high regard.
Rep. Kevin Lundberg
House District 49
A bipartisan super-majority of 49 House members have a different conclusion. This is a rare 75% favorable vote. 12 Republican members of the Colorado House voted against Representative Lundberg’s position, and supported HB-1050. Representative Lundberg touts the support of a former Democratic legislator and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
During the House Committee Hearing on the bill one officer of the VFW testified in opposition to the bill. This is in contrast to nearly a dozen individual veterans who appeared as supporters.
He argues that strictly controlling the flagpoles is insufficient and leaves the state open to some calamity. This defies the continuation of the criminal charge of HB07-1050 “…commits a class 1 petty offense” for flying a prohibited flag.
The smaller provision for which Rep. Lundberg claims ownership, the proper display of the POW/MIA flag was, and is, a part of the original bill. There is no need for Rep. Lundberg to present an amendment for that purpose. In fact, his vote to defeat the bill would have sustained the current prohibition of any display of the POW/MIA flag at a State facility.
Rep. Lundberg’s great objection may be “…remove(ing) the prohibition of displaying other flags on public buildings.” On this point, recent news reports give some clue of Rep. Lundberg’s meaning – foreign flags in classrooms. The bill’s sponsors consistently testify that resolving this issue is the prime motivation for the bill. As did an amazing group of middle and high school students seeking reform during the House Committee Hearing.
HB07-1050 correctly designates local school boards to set rules on temporary displays of flags in classrooms. Many have already done so, but still face confusion and fear of litigation under the flawed and confusing language of the current statute. Our schools and children deserve better.
Representative Lundberg proposes that he should not pay attention to “politically-motivated attacks.” While this is true in election season, what Mr. Lundberg seems to be seeking is insulation from a critique of his performance in the General Assembly.
It is little wonder that the RadicalRightWingnuts have such free reign. The media that should be reporting on their antics have abandoned that responsibility for inane rules and the pursuit of advertising dollars.
The only saving grace is that Lundberg appears to be marginalized in the General Assembly even within his own party. The evidence of the HB07-1050 vote offers that perhaps the RadicalRightWingnut cliche has shrunken to only a 14-vote minority. Maybe the lessons of Paschall, and those like him, are starting to sink in.
The Loveland Reporter-Herald offered another free ride letter to the editor on behalf of Rep. Lundberg today. This time it's Lundberg campaign contributor Leland Asa offering this false praise:
"Rep. Kevin Lundberg stood up and spoke against House Bill 1050, poinitng out that it will weaken our current protections for the U.S. and Colorado flags."
The R-H is building a track record of printing false reports on a legislator's conduct and record, especially on the editorial page. The facts of the bill are being twisted by Lundberg and his campaign supporters with the cooperation of the R-H.
This irresponsible practice of journalism buries the fact that Lundberg's opposition served only to block the proper and legal display of the federally approved POW/MIA flag, and perpetuate a draconian set of rules to intimidate classroom teachers seeking to use foreign flags for classroom instruction.
The criminal penalties and strict controls on flags on flagpoles at state buildings were never in danger. Except only in Lundberg's imagination.
Maybe it's just too hard for Lundberg, the R-H and GOP fundraisers to accept that a Democrat can present a good bill connected to respect to the US and Colorado flags. Another campaign myth starts to slip out of their control.
Colorado is in a sorry condition when a member of the State house of Representatives can twist the truth of a bill into a petty barrage of partisan insults. Perhaps they also are opposed to the POW/MIA flag and don’t want school boards to decide on allowing foreign flags in classrooms. Now, who’s supporting the intrusive big-government politician?
The R-H is consistent in their refusal to check the facts on GOP politicians. Still, it will take another 16 days before I dare try to present the truth again to the R-H. Maybe some of the other four newspapers I’ve written to will recognize the Lundberg HB-1050 deception.