At the invitation of Night Twister, I am switching over to join him and others live-blogging the State GOP Convention at The Minority Report.
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield…
Balloting is ongoing from state delegates. One of the things they are deciding on is the slate of delegates to the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities. There is a list of nearly 400 candidates for national delegate in the Colorado Statesman along with their Presidential preference. About 40 percent have no preference listed – nearly the same amount (155) are pledged to John McCain. Poised to wreak havoc are 74 Ron Paul supporters, followed by a handful each listed for Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. State conventions can be strange things, though this is a particularly strange year.
On a different note, Sen. Shawn Mitchell just compared Bill Ritter to Jimmy Carter … ouch.
Mark Hillman is speaking from the podium right now, articulating so well his deep-abiding principles of limited government and personal freedom. He has a lot of Republican heavy hitters behind him, and appears to be the favorite over Leondray Gholston (who also gave a strong, inspiring speech) and Sen. Dave Schultheis (who is about to make his appearance).
My earlier endorsement of Mark Hillman is here.
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield…
1. Bill Owens seconded the nomination of Bob Schaffer for U.S. Senate.
2. The event is running on time. Amen!
3. The George W. Bush video on the big screen was dead-time filler, and almost no one was paying attention.
4. No signs that any cases of sunburn or heat stroke are imminent.
5. The name Barack Obama not only means something to attendees, it serves as the primary foil for many of the speechmakers on the stump.
6. I received a flyer advertising a Bob Schaffer fundraiser sponsored by Pete Coors.
7. Bloggers are given seats (and Wi-Fi) at the Convention press table.
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield…
After Dick Wadhams’ opening remarks, the unity theme kicked off with a video tribute to retiring U.S. Senator Wayne Allard, followed by words from Allard’s wife Joan and Senator Allard himself.
If the crowd was slowly coming to life before, retiring Rep. Tom Tancredo’s soundbite speech – which strikes themes of energy independence, secure borders (the mere mention of “Cory Voorhis” electrifies the crowd), and American greatness, with several quips about Barack Obama thrown in for good measure – gets the energy rising.
On a down note, turnout at the GOP Convention is not exactly stellar (but a quorum has been achieved). More to come, as I need to get my alternate credentials updated to voting delegate.
Keep checking in with Slapstick Politics for updates, including video.
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield…
The Rocky Mountain News reports on yesterday’s taxpayer victory in the courtroom:
A law expected to raise $1.7 billion for Colorado schools over the next 11 years is unconstitutional because it gives the state more tax revenue without required approval from voters, a judge ruled Friday.
Latest estimates are actually $3.8 billion, not $1.7 billion, but the news is good just the same.
In his introductory remarks, state party chair Dick Wadhams’ mention of the court ruling against Gov. Bill Ritter’s tax hike earned perhaps the biggest applause from the Republican faithful gathered here at the Broomfield Event Center. If you don’t think this is going to be a major GOP campaign theme heading into November, you haven’t been paying attention.
FYI to readers: I will be blogging from the proceedings at tomorrow’s Colorado Republican State Convention in Broomfield. Among other activities, the GOP will nominate Bob Schaffer as the candidate for U.S. Senate, adopt a state platform, and entertain a guest speech from former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
Other confirmed bloggers: Slapstick Politics and Night Twister.
Stay tuned.
From my friends at the Evergreen Freedom Foundation …
Wouldn’t you like to see that during the break of your favorite television program?
Conservatives have been behind the curve on mobilizing activism on the Net, but as Patrick Ruffini points out at The Next Right, there’s a new opportunity to change the trend. I invite you to add your name to Newt Gingrich’s petition to increase domestic energy production – at “Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.”
It’s a commonsense issue that is catching like wildfire. Sign the petition and spread the word.
Nowhere in Colorado is rank-and-file teacher dissent with the union so apparent as in the heart of Denver – for a multitude of reasons that cannot begin to be explored in this brief post. But an increasingly strained contract debate with the school board (Barack Obama alluded to it in his speech yesterday) – after the board offered a substantial raise as part of a progressive compensation system.
Now a new splinter teachers group with an online presence has emerged in Denver (H/T Alan Gottlieb). It would be great to see these teachers continue posting on the blog they started. Interestingly, the local union president hasn’t posted anything to her blog since this splinter group has emerged.
The National Education Association, to which the Denver union belongs, is a notably hierarchical organization. What will emerge from a group of rogue teaching bloggers in Denver therefore may provide an interesting case. Today’s public school system does not breed rugged individualism in its career educators, after all.
The realist in me says the splinter group will be snuffed out soon enough, but I have just enough curiosity to hope that a surprise or two may be in store. If so, I’ll let you know.
I have family that live near Grand Rapids, Michigan. And when it comes to teachers unions, you might say my research interests and writings have not exactly put me very high on their Christmas card list.
Take these two things together, and I found this story from last Friday rather interesting:
In Grand Rapids, the school board today took a no-confidence vote in the leadership of the district’s teachers union.
The board also said it will no longer deduct and transmit dues for teachers’ paychecks, effective May 30, the next pay period.
Ladies and gentlemen, for the uninitiated, please understand that union leaders surely view this action by the Grand Rapids school board as equivalent to a nuclear weapon detonation. Ending automatic payroll deductions dries up a major source of funding that subsidizes union coffers.
But if the teachers whose paychecks are affected overwhelmingly support the union, shouldn’t this be no big deal? Arrange for private banking or credit card transactions from members. A few minutes of paperwork. No cost, very little time. Union leaders should not have problems collecting from loyal members.
Maybe it’s the precedent that’s so frightening.
Regardless, Mike Antonucci has some terrific advice (see Item #2):
Note to local Grand Rapids news: Send TV crews along with the union reps as they perform this task. I promise excellent footage.
I look forward to seeing the footage on YouTube.
Some Denver schools are suffering today because unionized teachers organized a sickout, reports the Rocky Mountain News (H/T Complete Colorado):
Not a single classroom teacher showed up for work today at Academia Ana Maria Sandoval in northwest Denver, forcing the principal to scramble to cover classrooms.
All 16 classroom teachers plus a music teacher and the librarian called in sick, said Principal Debra Lucero Kraft.
“I didn’t have any warning,” Kraft said. “I don’t know what the goal is so I can’t really speak to whether or not that accomplished their goal … but certainly I’m not sure if leaving your students without a teacher is a way to address contract negotiations.”
Substitute teachers were found for all but five classes so Kraft pulled in other staff members — the administrative assistant, the psychologist, the literacy coach — to cover those. She also combined some smaller classes.
Four years ago I covered a similar “sick-out” in the Boulder Valley Schools. My reaction today is similar: Grown-ups who make political and educational decisions have to stop making knee-jerk assumptions that the actions of teachers unions are being done “for the children.”
But I also have another question: How much were students in Sandoval really adversely affected by missing these teachers on sick-out today? Something to ponder.
The Next Right is officially launched today. From the About page:
The Next Right is the place for wired activists to build a new Republican Party and conservative movement. As a community-driven grassroots action website for the right, we’ll feature in-depth political analysis, on-the-ground reports, and strategic discussion and debate.
The site’s founding editors are Soren Dayton, Jon Henke, and Patrick Ruffini.
Read each of their posts announcing this new venture here:
These are the brightest minds in new media that our side has to offer. I encourage all limited government conservative bloggers and blog-readers in Colorado to sign up and join The Next Right network. Our state has been on the front line of the George Soros assault. Why shouldn’t Colorado give a major boost to the effort to rebuild the conservative movement and the Republican Party?
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine.
Today, pay your respects to a fallen soldier, sailor, airman, Marine – and to their loved ones still with us. And don’t forget to thank the troops you meet for their service to us all. Happy Memorial Day!
Other local Memorial Day written and visual remembrances from Michael at Best Destiny, Jim at Thinking Right, Joshua at View from a Height, and Rossputin.
From farther afield, Maggie Thurber shares the history of Memorial Day, Fort Hard Knox posts the President’s Prayer for Peace, and Chuck Muth recounts the heroism of four recent Medal of Honor winners.
A month ago I made a very unique friend in Habtamu Dugo, the persecuted Ethiopian journalist who had just fled to the United States from the repressive regime in his homeland. Today, the Independence Institute has released a 5-minute video in which Habtamu tells his compelling story.
Colorado Veterans - educate yourself about your VA Loan Requirements and about what the VA Loans Guidelines are for obtaining a VA Loan
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