As in any debate, the debate over health care reform in Colorado demands the use of honest facts. But a group called Partnership for a Healthy Colorado has misstated the facts. So demonstrates the inaugural edition of the Independence Institute's "Free Market Minute" video series: Ouch. Facts are stubborn things. And good public policy depends on good facts, rightly understood. The implications for health care reform are real, and will affect real Colorado families and businesses. Shouldn't we be sure our facts are straight first? … [Read more...]
Second Look at Health Insurance Statistic: One Coloradan Dying Per Day?
The Rocky Mountain News reports:Each day in Colorado one person dies unnecessarily because he or she doesn't have health insurance, a group advocating universal coverage said Tuesday. The nonprofit Families USA used a 30-year study of deaths and insurance status to reach the conclusion that 360 Coloradans die prematurely every year because they didn't have health insurance. The assumption, based on death statistics, is that a person without coverage has a 25 percent greater chance of dying prematurely. So when it comes to health care reform, it's safe to assume that it would be better to do almost anything than nothing at all - right? Not so fast. Unfortunately, there are several problems with this report. Besides the assumption … [Read more...]
Hoping Mark Hillman Runs Again
How delighted I was to see this headline in the Grand Junction Sentinel Political Notebook: "Hillman open to future electoral bids." Former Senate leader and former interim state treasurer Mark Hillman is one of Colorado's strongest, most articulate, most principled, and most genuinely down-to-earth conservative leaders:“I’m not ruling anything out, but at the same time I don’t get up in the morning trying to figure out how to torture myself by running for office,†Hillman told Political Notebook. That's what we need: the kind of leader who doesn't live for the ambition but is willing to step up and run in spite of the "torture." I haven't told Mark this personally, but I would be glad to see him run someday. Hope he is led to … [Read more...]
I.I. Radio Ad Calls for State Board Transparency on Property Tax Hike
Following up on my post from yesterday... The Independence Institute - where I work my day job - has put out a radio ad today calling for a public recorded vote from the State Board of Education on the Governor's property tax hike. Here's a You Tube video, using the audio from the radio ad, that the I.I. tech team created (they're getting pretty good at this): If you have an opinion to share on this issue, don't leave a comment here unless you've first shared your opinion with the State Board. … [Read more...]
Revising and Extending My Remarks on State Government Unionization
Today, two Colorado newspapers ran stories about growing unionization in state government. I was quoted in both articles, as the issue is one I've researched and have an Independence Institute publication being formatted for official release on Monday. There's only so much space in a news article. But that's what makes a blog a wonderful venue for revising and extending my remarks, as a way to press the debate forward. First, Chris Barge in the Rocky Mountain News introduces the issue:The unions that pushed the hardest for Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order granting them a larger voice in state government could soon see a nearly fourfold increase in membership.... The unions, which had fewer than 6,000 dues-paying state workers on … [Read more...]
Big Labor Ritter Low on Credibility
As a leading political consultant notes in the Denver Post today, Gov. Bill Ritter planted the pro-union seeds, and now he is reaping the right-to-work whirlwind:Political observers don't have high hopes that the situation will improve. "If (Ritter's) goal is trying to get business to back off right-to-work, I don't think he has the credibility to do it," said Katy Atkinson, a Republican political strategist, pointing out that he is seen as pro-labor. Atkinson said right-to-work bills in the legislature never got off the ground in the past — even under Republicans — because businesses never really saw organized labor as a threat in Colorado. But that view changed, she said, after the passage of an amendment in 2006 to increase … [Read more...]
A Little Dose of Disinfectant to Treat New Big Blue Lie Machine Slime
Over at Schaffer v Udall yesterday, I took on the Left's attempt to smear Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer with broad strokes of the "Jack Abramoff" brush, despite no evidence of any direct connection whatsoever. Meanwhile, the Colorado Index continues to expose the lack of credibility from the Mark Udall surrogate whose comments at SvU prompted a full response. While the lemmings on the Left salivate and gloat that their Big Blue Lie Machine slime job will bring down Bob Schaffer and clear the way for avowed liberal Mark Udall to win, Mike Saccone at the Grand Junction Sentinel's Political Notebook offers a more (mentally) balanced assessment:In the short-term, it could embolden Schaffer’s supporters, much like a New … [Read more...]
Average Coloradans to Dems on Tax Hike: You Should Have Asked First
It is refreshing to see evidence of the good sense of average, hard-working Coloradans. Colorado Senate News once again took a camera to the 16th Street Mall and found plenty of passers-by willing to share their frustrations with Gov. Bill Ritter and Colorado Democrats for bypassing the state constitution's requirement to ask voters first when they imposed their massive property tax hike:The upshot? Everyday taxpayers surveyed along Denver's 16th Street Mall all agreed: Whether or not the state really needs the extra revenue--a projected $3.8 billion over the next 10 years--voters should have asked for permission first. They're not alone in that sentiment. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers issued an opinion last year saying that the … [Read more...]
Calling All Colorado Pro-Freedom Bloggers: Samsphere Comes to Denver
The details are out... Samsphere is coming to Denver on Saturday, April 19, sponsored by the Sam Adams Alliance. Are you a new pro-freedom center-right blogger who wants to meet up and learn the tools of the trade? An experienced blogger who wants to sharpen your skills? Maybe you've thought about blogging, or your friends have said you should start, but weren't quite sure how to get it going and make it work? Whatever the case, come and check it out. I've met the Sam Adams Alliance crew personally: They have a passion about building a successful blogging community on our side and the skills and experience to get you connected. Go here to check out the agenda and register. I'll see you there. … [Read more...]
Benigno on Governor’s Reform
My close Independence Institute colleague Pam Benigno was interviewed by Denver's Channel 7 for a story aired last night about Gov. Bill Ritter's sweeping new education reform plan. You can go here to read the story and watch the video. … [Read more...]
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