Ever since Governor Bill Ritter signed the executive order laying out a welcome mat to unionize state government, I've wondered if and when the Colorado WINS labor organizing coalition would lobby for the Democratic majority in state government to entrench their status through legislation. Given the state of the budget and the tons of political capital Democrats are spilling to push through their series of tax hikes -- one of which is even opposed by Pueblo labor interests -- prospects for comprehensive union legislation have faded dramatically. But Colorado WINS has other means to extend its reach, and grow its dues-paying membership base, inside Colorado government. As Dave Ohmart of Colorado LOSES points out, reluctant state … [Read more...]
Search Results for: democrats
Colo. Senate GOP Unveils Alternative to Tax Hikes without Further K-12 Cuts
Within the past hour Colorado Senate Republicans have unveiled a sensible, taxpayer-friendly alternative to the Democrats' efforts to ram through the "dirty dozen" tax hikes. From the press release:Republicans in the Colorado Senate today unveiled a proposal to reduce government spending as an alternative to the Democrats’ plan to raise taxes on the businesses and citizens of Colorado. “Democrats keep saying that in order to balance the budget ‘everything is on the table,’” said Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud. “Republicans want to make sure that a reduction in government spending is on the table and thoroughly debated before we raise taxes.” The GOP proposal includes a 0.25 percent reduction in state payroll spending for the … [Read more...]
Edgar Antillon Gains Winning Issue from Cherylin Peniston’s Tax Hike Votes
One of the Democrat representatives who voted for 7 of the 8 tax increases that passed the state house Friday is state representative Cherylin Peniston (D-Adams County). Peniston voted for every one of the tax hikes except, strangely, the one on non-essential food containers. To me, House District 35 is a darkhorse race to keep an eye on. Republican challenger Edgar Antillon faces the daunting odds of a district that is 46 percent Democratic to 22 percent Republican, but he's looking to run a focused and energetic campaign to oust Peniston from office. Antillon contacted me yesterday after the votes had been recorded to explain his basic philosophical distinction with the incumbent on these tax hike votes. He emphasized that the … [Read more...]
New Tarrance Poll: Trouble for Colo. Dems Pushing Dirty Dozen Tax Hikes
Yes, the poll is from the McInnis think tank, but if this new Tarrance Group survey (PDF) is anywhere near accurate, it's a dark day for the Colorado Democrats. First, the 65 percent of Colorado voters who believe "that a recession is no time to raise taxes, and that government should reduce spending with a six percent 'across the board' cut to balance the budget" rather than "that taxes and fees should be raised on businesses in order to protect funding for key services like health care, education, and transportation" (chosen by only 25 percent of respondents) breaks down as follows: … [Read more...]
Colorado’s Michael Bennet and Mark Udall Vote to Boost My Children’s Debt
Thanks to Americans for Limited Government, brings our attention to something you may have missed, namely a key vote in the U.S. Senate last Thursday:It was also on this day that the Senate voted 60-39 to increase the national debt ceiling by another $1.9 trillion to $14.294 trillion. It is the largest debt ceiling increase in U.S. history — in human history, in fact — totaling even more than the projected federal budget deficit for 2010, which CBO states will be an eye-popping $1.35 trillion.... The vote was straight down party lines, with Senate Democrats enabling the Barack Obama administration to continue the federal spending spree, putting my children and grandchildren deeper in debt. Yes, that means the Appointed One Michael … [Read more...]
Tax Foundation on “Dirty Dozen” Tax Bills: Seven Are Bad and Two Are Good
Update, 2/2: It seems that HB 1198 in particular was too good -- so good, Colorado's legislative Democrats had to kill it. As Government Underground skillfully reports, the Democrats accidentally had a bill drafted that would repeal not only the AMT credit but the AMT itself, and thus are "not even competent enough to raise our taxes as they would like." If it weren't our tax dollars at stake, it would be downright hilarious. I have tried to make the point before -- if inartfully -- that some of the "dirty dozen" tax hikes are worse policy than others. The fact they are being rammed through so quickly with so little deference to the concerns of large numbers of citizens showing up in protest has earned them all the "dirty" … [Read more...]
Craig Becker Confirmation Vote: Michael Bennet Not Off Hook on Card Check
Last night on my guest co-hosting gig for Backbone Radio, we discussed not only the growing trend of government workers beginning to dominate the union movement. But the subject also came up about the Obama administration's efforts to backdoor the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (aka card check) through the appointment of SEIU lackey Craig Becker. One advantage of this approach? Fellow Democrats in Congress like the indecisive appointed junior U.S. Senator Michael Bennet wouldn't have to take an obvious position that either offends the Obama administration or the overwhelming number of Coloradans (and a majority of Colorado union members) opposed to this destructive proposal to re-write labor laws. It would just add to the … [Read more...]
Colorado 2010 State House Races: GOP Close but Not Quite to Majority
About 7 weeks ago I first laid the groundwork for the coming 2010 elections for the Colorado state house. Democrats hold a 37-27-1 edge (though essentially 38-27, since newly unaffiliated Rep. Kathleen Curry still sides more with the majority Democrats), which means Republicans need to switch six seats to capture control of the chamber. I have weighed each race according to the voter registration makeup, whether it's an incumbent or open seat, reported fundraising and cash on hand as of the end of 2009, and other intangible candidate strengths. Below I have ranked the races according to the likelihood that the seat will switch party control come November. With the caveat that a lot can change in the next few months based on new … [Read more...]
Friday Quick Hits: Obama Dissed, Arrogant Dems, Howard Zinn Eulogized
I hope you enjoy one or more of the following: David Freddoso at the Washington Examiner points out that Senate Democrats very quickly have killed President Obama's very modest "spending freeze" proposal before it barely had a chance to get going. Speaking of Obama, my PPC friends are licking their chops at the prospect of The One coming to Denver to stump for our appointed junior U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Speaking of arrogance, guest writer Don Rodgers at Reclaim the Blue calls out Democrats in our state legislature for their hubris, after shoving through four of the Dirty Dozen tax bills on Wednesday (and are scheduled to hear the rest starting this morning) as a prelude to their dying political majority. Speaking of death, the … [Read more...]
Stage Set for State Capitol Showdown on (Most of) Dirty Dozen Tax Hikes
Update: I'm not a big fan of the tax credits and exemptions per se. Some represent better policy than others. I would love to see a legislator propose an amendment that one or more of the tax credit revocations be offset by a general reduction to make it revenue-neutral. But since the Democrats' motivation with these "dirty dozen" bills is about scratching together more funds to help backfill the state budget, and not about creating a more equitable tax system with a minimal shared burden by businesses and consumers, I don't see the idea going anywhere. And that doesn't even bring us to the whole legal question of whether some or all of these bills violate TABOR in the state constitution because they raise taxes without a vote of the … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- …
- 50
- Next Page »