As of today, the Denver Post becomes the fifth major Colorado newspaper to line up in support of Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative (H/T Ethical Standards). One line from the Post‘s lead editorial shows how truly remarkable a development this endorsement of Amendment 49 is:

It prevents state and local governments from collecting dues for labor unions or other groups that use such funds to elect or lobby the very public officials who hire them and set their salaries and benefits.

It’s a modest but important ethical rule that will help keep partisan politics, with its echo of the 19th century “spoils system,” out of the merit systems that regulate most state and local government jobs.

We usually don’t agree with the Independence Institute’s Jon Caldara, who’s pushing this measure, on, well, anything. Let this be a first. [emphasis added]

Caldara and the Post on the same side: Now that’s true “bipartisanship.” This kind of broad consensus is also reflected in a long list of endorsements of Amendment 49.

But what will happen next: Dogs and cats living together? World peace? The Detroit Lions in the Super Bowl? I shudder to think.