Life Happens: 50 State Blog Roundup for 9-21-2007

The first Beatle to die tragically young once said, "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Life is also what happens when we're not blogging. In the better late than never category, life has finally gotten out of the way to allow this week's 50 State Blog Roundup to emerge.

If your favorite 50 State Blog member is missing from this week's roundup, I promise no slight is intended. It just means no one had a chance to nominate a post for the week.

You can help make sure that doesn't happen again in the future. You can submit a nomination for any blog listed at the BlogPAC state blog roll via the nifty automated nomination system prepared by Ralph Brodie. Give it a try next week.

West Virginia
   Democratic challenger John Unger is finishing out the quarter strong with multi-fundraising events in his bid to unseat vulnerable Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (WV-02)

Texas
    The Democratic Caucus in the Texas Legislature gained a seat this week without a vote being cast. Texas Kaos extends a warm welcome, and a small piece of advice to Texas State Representative Kirk England (D). Even in Texas, some Republicans are waking up and smelling the coffee this election cycle.

Oregon
   Senate candidate Steve Novick took a strong progressive stand on impeachment this week, calling for the process to begin on Bush, Cheney, AND Sec'y of State Condi Rice.

Oklahoma
   Okie righteous rant to power.

Ohio
   Happy Birthday Progress Ohio

North Dakota
   North Dakota legislator gets caught allowing a trade group to write his speeches for him.

Nevada
   Republicans are quite capable of voting for something before they vote against it, as Sen. John Ensign proved this week.

Nebraska
   Kerrey may not be our guy after all.

Kentucky
   Mitch breaks up with Fletcher, tries to woo me instead  Mitch breaks up with Fletcher, tries to woo me insteadMitch breaks up with Fletcher, tries to woo me instead  

 Vermont  
   If no one else wants to talk about it Vermonter will.

 Utah  
   Check out the Utah blog roundup.

 Texas  
   Someone with a conscience. Start the ball rolling.

 New Mexico  
   The three New Mexico Republicans in Congress managed to all make CREW's list of the most corrupt members of Congress.  Showing, once again, the Republican Party is the party of corruption.

 New Jersey  
   Blue Jersey reports that the triple-murder in Newark last month may have been a hate crime based on the students' sexual orientation. The city, police and media have been completely silent. Is Newark another Laramie in 2007?

 New Jersey  
   Americans United For Change video.

 New Hampshire  
   Technology works to get out the vote.

 Montana  
   After raising the minimum wage last year, Montana's economy has grown, not shrunk. Experiences in the Big Sky state and elsewhere prove that the minimum wage is good for workers and the economy.

 Minnesota  
   Jim Ramstad's retirement sets off a firestorm of activity in Minnesota's Third congressional district.  What does it mean for both parties?

 Michigan  
   Have you seen this pig in your community? Usually attached to anti-tax nuts.  

 Massachusetts  
   Wingnut says Thompson not his personal savior.

 Maryland  
   No, seriously

 Maryland  
   It was all gay marriage, all the time at Free State Politics this week, including this analysis of the recent court ruling upholding the state's ban on the practice.

 Maine  
   Will Collins Self-Term-inate?

 Iowa  
   Iowa's new Republican Senate Leader admits to having no interest in governing.

 Indiana  
   This first poll of the 2008 gubernatorial race is out, and Blue Indiana has some thoughts on what all those numbers mean.

 Illinois  
   Weller WILL retire

 Georgia  
   The Christian Alliance Hates Poor Kids

 Florida  
   Florida Political News for 9/19/07

 Delaware  
   Biden? Who's Biden?

 Connecticut  
   Sucking Up American Soldiers

 Connecticut  
   GOP Leadership To Shays: Stop Talking

 Connecticut  
   CT end of quarter blograiser and pub quiz

 Colorado  
   Young Republicans in CO still trying to tongue kiss a military man in uniform.

 Colorado  
   Senator Wayne Allard: still dumb as ever.

 Colorado  
   Gilpin county sherrif sets up roadside DUI "surveys"

 Colorado  
   Denver The Decider

 California  
   Arnold Schwarzenegger vs. Abraham Lincoln: Lincoln is a great civil rights hero, Arnold not so much.

 Alabama  
   Do you have cognitive dissonance when reading your local opinion page?  A Media Matters report is the subject of On Media Bias and Right-Wing Gooberheads, Or, Why You Feel Like You're just Muttering to Yourself by herding old cats.

 Alabama  
   Madison County GOP moves to stifle dissenters

•  tip

  Eat more vegetables.

  by wvablue on Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 06:25:18 AM PDT

•  For more information

  For more information on the 50 State Blog Roundup, visit this organizational thread (at OpenLeft) or read the F.A.Q..

  by wvablue on Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 06:45:01 AM PDT

•  I have a question about something I found

  concerning "50 State Strategy".

  Capturing an exciting new world of Internet 2.0, yicha.com is under development as a platform for unlimited public participation in news publishing. During 2007, we will be adapting some of our publishing tools for public use and encouraging citizen journalists worldwide to create their own online news services. A cornerstone of this initiative is our "50 State Strategy" – offering a new approach to national & local news coverage for the United States.

  I thought it was part of our effort here and other sites with the same goals.

  But it turns out to be an Internet Product Development Group.
  I was wondering if we have the rights to "The 50 State Strategy", and if this business would cause confusion for people trying to find us and join our efforts.

  I also wondered they had chosen that name in an effort to encourage the use of their "products" in our efforts.

  I'm not all that familiar with what they do, but I understand Hunter (I think the tech person is) has looked into creating something similar to what is being offered.

  Maybe someone could point this comment out to the powers that be and look into the questions of "ownership" of the 50 state strategy, as well as look at what they have to offer and tell if there is any value in it.
  Thanks

  by Mulkum on Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 09:16:28 AM PDT