The collectivist gang at SquareState doesn't get it, but what's new? HB 1072 a victory for workers? Are they serious? I shouldn't be terribly surprised that they don't know the difference between union bosses and the rank and file. People like this commenter are living in another century: I think some of the "business community" may overestimate how in touch they are with the mainstream of Colorado. Having a very public fight where the Republicans play their traditional role of standing up for the big guy, while Democrats slug it out for the little guy, can only help the Democrats. Just look at the Republicans put up amendment after amendment that are obviously designed to screw the union in any way possible, from full blown "right to … [Read more...]
Archives for 2007
Filibuster!
A good, old-fashioned filibuster is going on in the Colorado Senate today as the legislative body debates House Bill 1072. Hurrah for the Republicans taking a united stand in defense of workers' rights and good business. Kudos especially to Senators Shawn Mitchell, Josh Penry, Ted Harvey, Greg Brophy, Mike Kopp, Scott Renfroe, Nancy Spence, Tom Wiens, Ron May, Ken Kester, and Steve Ward, who have carried the brunt of the debate on a LONG series of amendments designed to mitigate the negative effects of the bad legislation. It looks like they could keep this up well into the evening. Good thing to see the GOP Senate with a full-grown spine and the willingness to delay such a bad bill by shining the light so heavily on it. HB 1072: the … [Read more...]
A Chilling Irony
Whatever your opinion about climate change, you have to find this pairing of headlines in today's Denver Post to be ironic: "Report: Global warming man-made, unstoppable" The world's leading climate scientists said global warming has begun, is "very likely" caused by man, and will be unstoppable for centuries, according to a report by a group of hundreds of scientists. "Powerful cold grips Front Range" - If seven weeks of snow haven't been enough, Denver set a new record this morning for cold when the mercury dropped to 18 degrees below zero. If global warming is "man-made," then we denizens of the Rocky Mountain region must really be slacking off to lead us to such frigid temperatures. If global warming is "unstoppable," then I … [Read more...]
Colorado Not Turning Purple?
You mean there isn't a Democrat "surge" in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West? Our state isn't turning purple? Sshh, Stuart Rothenburg. You're supposed to let our Democrats continue to operate under the delusion that they're on the verge of a major political realignment, rather than the beneficiary of a confluence of fortunate events in the past couple elections. With Ritter, Romanoff, and the Democrats already overplaying their hand, the pendulum has started swinging back where it belongs. In the meantime, let's hope the damage is minimal. Cross posted at Political Avalanche … [Read more...]
Dems: Shilling for Union Bosses, Busting Colorado’s Economy
A topic not broached on Colorado's left-of-center blogs (for obvious reasons) is the great Democrat payback of "narrow interest" groups - read labor unions - who helped to buy them their majorities (measuring in the millions of dollars). First case in point: House Bill 1072 on a fast track through the state legislature. What does HB 1072 do? It takes away workers' rights. Yes, some - the House Republicans and their Golden Anvil Award & the Chamber of Commerce - have also pointed out the likely negative effect it will have on the state's business climate. But the more fundamental problem, as highlighted by the editors of the Rocky Mountain News, is that HB 1072 is a "blow to liberty." Republicans and other pro-business and/or … [Read more...]
Sign the Pledge
This one was an easy choice - we can't afford not to achieve success in Iraq, and we can't afford to empower the anti-U.S. terrorist thugs in the region. Sign the pledge, and help give some Senators a backbone. … [Read more...]
An Education Conversation That Ought Not Be Ignored
Over at Edspresso, one of the very best edublogs out there, is my new column on last month's national report calling for a drastic overhaul of the K-12 public education system and a well-attended meeting last week in Denver to promote its findings. Colorado is at the forefront of this conversation, and appears to be most serious about studying the proposals, discussing them, and working toward implementation. Anyone interested in the future of Colorado or national education policy - students, parents, and teachers - would do well to familiarize themselves with the basic ideas that already have started to be debated here. … [Read more...]
RMA Updates
The Rocky Mountain Alliance welcomes its first addition in a long time: we are very honored to be joined by my internationally-respected think tank colleague David Kopel, Independence Institute research director and Second Amendment Project director. For all the best analysis on gun laws and related issues, check out Kopel's Corner. Also, our good friend and Alliance member Jim has switched domains. Visit Thinking Right's new digs at www.thinking-right.com, and don't forget to update your blogrolls. … [Read more...]
Erratum
As is standard practice on this blog, for the sake of transparency and integrity, I am willing to acknowledge factual mistakes that are made. In the previous post I closed with a disclosure that said Independence Institute reports were under review by the Think Tank Review Project. I since have been informed that this specific claim is not correct, though the Institute fits the ideological profile of the think tank reports targeted by the union-funded Project. The larger point of the piece's call for disclosure and transparency stands. … [Read more...]
Bias or Bunkum?: Post Editors Dupes for Education Unions
There's nothing wrong per se with the Denver Post printing this guest opinion piece by Kevin Welner of the Think Tank Review Project. Writes Welner: I co-direct a new project that reviews the quality of reports issued by such think tanks. We just finished our first year of reviews, and the results were awfully depressing. So to brighten our spirits, we decided to make lemonade by issuing the 2006 Bunkum Awards in Education. The Bunkum Awards recognize and celebrate the dubious accomplishments of think-tank reports over the past year. In 2006, 13 such reports were reviewed by independent scholars commissioned by our Think Tank Review Project. These reviewers were asked to scrutinize the reports and write brief reviews for the project … [Read more...]