It is fairly safe to say that Colorado voters gave Democrats the majorities in both houses of the state legislature last fall because of their promise to "fix" the state's budget problems. Events this week on two fronts show why voter trust was misplaced. First, Democrats tried to renege on a small compromise they made in HB 1194 (aka the "no refund for you" Romanoff rip-off) only a day after the House approved the bill to send to voters as Referendum C on this fall's ballot. Part of the deal to make HB 1194 more fiscally palatable involved the suspension of 19 different tax credits during the plan's five-year tenure. The next day Democrats tried to push a late bill into committee that would have instantly restored a $38 million child … [Read more...]
Schaffer and Santorum on Social Security
Former US Congressman and current Republican National Committeeman Bob Schaffer weaves his own family into a clear, straightforward, and common sense case for Social Security reform: Our five-year-old daughter Mary was named after her great-grandmother Mary who is in her nineties. It is interesting how critics of President Bush’s plan to rescue Social Security act like we must favor one Mary at the expense of the other if we support the president. It is a worn tactic perfected by people in Washington, DC who like to avoid responsibility by pitting one group against another. We sure hope it doesn’t work this time. Improving Social Security must not be delayed. The first wave of baby boomers will retire in three years. Ten years … [Read more...]
The Pain of Wasting Education Dollars
From the case files of "Why Putting More Money into the Education System Doesn't Mean Better-Educated Students"... The Washington Times reports today on a high-ranking D.C. schools bureaucrat who is really raking in the dough: Robert C. Rice last year earned a $124,923 salary as the school system's assistant superintendent for standards and curriculum and acting chief academic officer, records show. When he was promoted to interim superintendent for five months last year, his salary rose to $175,000 a year. Mr. Rice stepped down from the interim job in September, but pay documents show he is still receiving his interim salary as a "special assistant to the superintendent" -- a position created for him. The newly created job makes … [Read more...]
“Not One Dime”: The Cyber-Echo
Captain Ed has spoken loud and clear about the Republican Party, its not-so-distinguished Senators, and the case of judicial nominations. Here's a snippet: Not. One. Dime. And when a vote does come, those Republicans who wind up supporting the minority's extortion over the majority in defiance of the Constitution will never see another dime from me -- but their opponents will, at every level of contest. Honestly, with Republicans like these in the Senate, we may as well have Democrats. Even before I read Captain Ed's post, I had already taken a very solemn "Not One Dime" vow. In fact, this week I mailed back a solicitation to renew my Republican National Committee membership with a big ZERO next to the contribution amount and a … [Read more...]
Prognosticating an ’06 GOP Comeback
It's been a few months, but the Mile High Delphi crew is back online with their insightful and statistical analyses of Colorado politics. Two interesting summary quotes from a recent Blogicus Maximus post: "...[We] put the probability of the GOP taking back the State House at 80%" and "...[We] will begin our probability of either party controlling the State Senate next year at 50%." Read the basis for their predictions. Colorado Republicans have serious reason for hope and optimism in 2006, but a lot of hard work, discipline, and funds are going to be needed to make Mile High Delphi out to be a true genius. … [Read more...]
MSM Reporter Goes Candid
Straight from the reporter's mouth Lynn Bartels, political writer for Denver's Rocky Mountain News, gives some personal insights in a long Q & A she had yesterday over at The Dead Governors website. Bartels proves to be candid, often witty and self-deprecating, but above all fair-minded. She may lean a little left of center but she's by no means an agenda-driven journalist. That being said, it is interesting to point out what Clay has already highlighted: Bartels stated flat out that Bob Beauprez can win any office in Colorado he runs for. That must have been a real downer for the Dead Governors and their "Draft Hick" campaign to get the Denver mayor on the statewide ballot. Another interesting passage in the interview is the … [Read more...]
An Insecure Agenda
The homosexual advocacy group Equality Forum is organizing a celebration event at Philadelphia's Independence Hall on the 4th of July that will include commemorations of "gay icons in U.S. history," a recent news report says. Among the "outed" figures? You guessed it... Abraham Lincoln. "[Former N.J.] Governor [James] McGreavey showed mainstream Americans that homophobia has kept those who seek elected office in the closet," said Malcolm Lazin, executive director of Equality Forum. "These public officials include Abraham Lincoln, who saved the nation, emancipated slaves and founded the modern Republican Party." Lazin said he has read The Intimate Life of Abraham Lincoln. "As a gay man and an amateur American historian, I find the … [Read more...]
The Year of the Tigers-Indians Duel?
Memo to Hugh and other Cleveland Indians fans: it looks like my Detroit Tigers are calling out your team for a little mano e mano: "Forget the other teams," [Tigers designated hitter Dmitri] Young said to the strains of "Cripple Creek," "it's going to come down to us and Cleveland. No disrespect to the Twins and White Sox, I just feel that club, the doggone Indians, is going to be the thorn in our side. "That's our rival," he said. "There are a lot of parallels between us. We've progressed the same." I'm not sure I'm ready yet to subscribe to Dmitri's assessment: the conventional wisdom has me leaning towards believing that the Minnesota Twins are the team to beat in the American League Central. But the long baseball season has … [Read more...]
Interview Under the Belt
Thanks to all those who listened to my first live on-air radio interview - and thanks once more to Senator John Andrews and the crew of Backbone Radio for having me on the air and spending more time discussing my blog than I had anticipated. But I appreciate that! Welcome to all those who are making their first visit here as a result of the on-air mention. Be sure also to visit the main page of the Rocky Mountain Alliance and follow the links to read the quality writings of my fine cohorts. To find out more about the work of the Independence Institute's Education Policy Center, including the paper mentioned on Backbone Radio, go here. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or comments about either my blog here, or about … [Read more...]
Radio Interview Tonight
I have been invited to be interviewed tonight on Backbone Radio with Senator John Andrews. If you're in the Denver metro area, tune in to 710 KNUS AM at 7:30 p.m. to hear us talk about the costliness of teacher strikes. I know you won't be going out to practice your golf game this evening, so it's either me or the TV movie of the week. I'll let you decide. If you're not in the Denver metro area, you can listen online by going to the 710 KNUS website and clicking on the "Listen Live" icon in the upper-right corner. The radio invitation comes on the heels of my Monday Speakout column - "Don't pay teachers for days on strike" - in the Rocky Mountain News. That opinion piece stemmed from my research which led to the Independence … [Read more...]
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