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Tea Party Movement Still Rising One Year After Rick Santelli’s Famous Rant

A quick retrospective on a crystallizing moment for the still-nascent Tea Party movement that looms so large over the Colorado and American political landscape today. The grassroots upswell against Washington D.C.'s big government bailout and spending sprees already had started to take shape and pick up steam, when one year ago today CNBC's Rick Santelli delivered his famous rant on the floor of the Chicago Merchantile Exchange, delivering a name that has stuck to a movement -- and has been embraced with pride: … [Read more...]

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Anti-IRS Domestic Terrorist Suicide Attack Time for Moral Clarity

So today we have the sad story of a frustrated nutcase named Joseph Stack who committed suicide by flying his plane into an Austin, TX, building that houses some IRS offices -- after leaving behind a rambling manifesto. Hopefully a singular outlier, and not an inspiration or the start of a trend in these trying economic times. Hot Air's Allahpundit deconstructs Washington Post contributor Jonathan Capehart's column, which insinuates some sort of connection with the Tea Party movement and omits key passages and phrases that show the suicide attacker was anything but a lockstep Right-winger. Closer to home, we have John Tomasic at the Colorado Independent. To his credit, Tomasic notes that Stack "was not right or left." But then he … [Read more...]

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Mr. President, Welcome to Denver

One year and one day after President Obama came to Denver to sign away hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars into generational debt for the creation of some government jobs (and in the process, taking out some in the private sector), he's coming back. This time Obama will be here to help save another job: the political career of the Appointed One, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Republicans and liberty-loving Coloradans aren't frightened by the visit. Probable GOP nominee and Bennet challenge Jane Norton shows as much, taking to the airwaves. Can anyone say Chris Christie? Scott Brown? Hey, CNN polling now shows even the President's own political future in jeopardy with the American people. The more public the appearance, the more Obama … [Read more...]

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February Survey of Colorado’s Political Temperature: Results Unveiled

Thank you to the more than 400 people who participated in the February 2010 Survey of Colorado's Political Temperature. A snapshot of the results in headlines: U.S. Senate: Ken Buck Still On Top, Norton and Tidwell Gaining Governor: Dan Maes Widens Support Edge Over Scott McInnis 3rd Congressional: Scott Tipton Tops Bob McConnell Twice 4th Congressional: Cory Gardner Still Stands Above the Field 7th Congressional: Ryan Frazier Remains without Rival State Treasurer: Ament's Lead Grows, Hasan Takes Over 2nd Interest in GOP Caucus Participation Suggests Bigger Numbers for 2010 The complete release of the survey results is posted below the fold (click "Fullscreen" for better view): … [Read more...]

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It Stinks to Be Michael Bennet: Andrew Romanoff Nets Big Labor Backing

It really stinks to be the Appointed One these days. As if trailing all potential Republican rivals in the polls (including Jane Norton by double digits) wasn't bad enough for junior U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Then Bennet sticks out his neck, kowtows to Barack Obama to cast a losing vote for Craig Becker and back-door union card-check, only to get this news shortly thereafter: … [Read more...]

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Both Private and Public Colo. Union Numbers Drop to Historic Lows

A couple weeks ago I pointed out the historic statistical fact that government employees now make up a raw majority of all unionized workers in the USA. In addition, Colorado's union membership and density (which includes workers covered by a union contract, regardless of whether they join as members or not) are at historic lows for the past quarter century, and thus presumably for many decades before that as well. Only 7 percent of Colorado workers are union members, and 8.3 percent are covered by a union contract. Now Barry Hirsch and David Macpherson, the good folks who run UnionStats.com, have pored through Labor Department data and broken down state-level data between public and private sector employment. Did Colorado follow … [Read more...]

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One Reason CO Loves CA: Letting Teachers Know Membership Options

It's Friday, a fun time for Colorado Republicans to zing Gov. Bill Ritter for declaring February 12 "Colorado Loves California Day." I get the humor of all the possibilities. It was last year about this time I made the same point. But I want to take a different tack, and point out one small reason to love California: Larry Sand and the California Teachers Empowerment Network (CTEN) -- which very recently was featured in Townhall magazine for its success in letting Golden State teachers know about their various membership options. Yes, Colorado loves California in this regard, because we too through the Independence Institute have the Independent Teachers website, which lets teachers in our own backyard know about their membership … [Read more...]

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Ken Buck Wins Senate Primary Backing from Red State’s Erick Erickson

An interesting development in Colorado's Republican U.S. Senate primary: Ken Buck has won the full-spirited backing of influential Red State master blogger Erick Erickson -- who among other accomplishments has helped fuel Florida's Marco Rubio rise from upstart to frontrunner over Charlie Crist. Can Erick help do the same for Ken Buck here in Colorado? Perhaps. The Weld County DA has a lot of catching up to do on the fundraising front. Is Buck (or someone else) the grassroots candidate? You help decide by casting your vote before tomorrow (Friday) at 5:00 PM on the latest survey of Colorado's political temperature. … [Read more...]