What a pleasant surprise to find a strongly-worded editorial on the front page of today's reliably center-left Denver Post, condemning Gov. Bill Ritter for his cowardly Friday order in benefit of a narrow interest group at the expense of Coloradans who elected him to office last year. I almost could have written it myself. Without further ado, here goes: When Coloradans elected Bill Ritter as governor, they thought they were getting a modern-day version of Roy Romer, a pro-business Democrat. Instead, they got Jimmy Hoffa. "Our Jimmy Hoffa governor, Bill Ritter" ... It has a nice ring to it. Ritter campaigned under the guise of a moderate "new Democrat" but now we know he's simply a toady to labor bosses and the old vestiges of his party … [Read more...]
GOP Leaders Can’t Persuade Coffman to Stay Out of 6th CD
The latest from the jockeying to replace Tom Tancredo in the 6th Congressional District ... An insider source tells me that high-ranking party officials met with Secretary of State Mike Coffman yesterday in an attempt to dissuade him from entering the primary. Should Coffman resign, Gov. Ritter gets to appoint his replacement - figured to be Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon, whom Coffman defeated in the statewide election last November. The fox then would be guarding the electoral henhouse. Coffman's great initiative to ensure all Colorado voters have valid identification? If he leaves office to run, you can be sure it won't be a top priority for Gordon. But Coffman sees things differently, I'm told. Scorned by the GOP leadership … [Read more...]
We’ll Miss You, Rick
The Rocky Mountain News reports today what was first news to me a couple weeks ago: former Congressional candidate and rising GOP star Rick O'Donnell is moving to Texas to take on a new career challenge. I first met Rick shortly after I moved to Colorado, while he was working in Governor Owens' office. Though it's highly doubtful he remembers our meeting, some of his advice and suggestions were very helpful to me to help get my roots established and to make important contacts. I later had opportunity to interact with him in several education policy-related venues, and volunteered on his unsuccessful 2006 campaign for the 7th Congressional District. The timing of Rick's run for Congress was unfortunate, as he got swept up in a … [Read more...]
Republican Field to Replace Tancredo Begins to Line Up
With Rep. Tom Tancredo announcing he will not seek re-election in Colorado's 6th Congressional District, the scuttlebutt begins about which candidate will rise to the top to secure this safe Republican seat. According to the Rocky Mountain News, former Lt. Governor Jane Norton and former State Senate President John Andrews will stick to the sidelines, as well as radio talk show host Dan Caplis (who, ironically, like Tancredo, appears to be eyeing a 2010 run against U.S. Senator Ken Salazar). On the other hand, two state legislators - Sen. Ted Harvey (who like Tancredo once worked for my employer, the Independence Institute) and Sen. Tom Wiens (who may sidestep a chance at a career on the big screen) - look to be entering the fray, along … [Read more...]
Where do Colorado Dems Stand on Rangel Tax Increase?
A quick Friday morning question for Colorado farmers, ranchers, and small business owners: What does Boulder liberal Rep. Mark Udall, Democrat candidate for U.S. Senate, think about Charlie Rangel's massive tax increase proposal? What does junior U.S. Senator Ken Salazar think? What about Democrat presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton? The Wall Street Journal makes a cogent point: No one thinks his plan has a chance of becoming law this year, but its beauty is as a signal of Democratic intentions for 2009. In proposing what would be the largest tax increase in history, Mr. Rangel is showing the world what he wants the tax code to look like if Democrats run the entire government. None of the Presidential candidates will admit this before … [Read more...]
Gov. Ritter, Please Leave Partisan Politics out of Rocktober
A classic proof of "correlation does not equal causation": our Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter injects partisan politics into America's game with an off-the-wall comment about how seven of the eight 2007 Major League Baseball playoff teams hail from states with Democrat governors. Did Ritter stumble while trying to make a point with this assessment, or was it just an attempt at a joke that has fallen flat? Who obsesses over partisan politics so much that they not only have to figure out which party is in power in states where professional baseball playoff teams hail from, but also have to proclaim it to the media? To the governor and his staffers: just sit back and enjoy the games. Not everything is about partisan politics. Meanwhile, shining a … [Read more...]
Ritter’s Union Illogic
In the Sunday Denver Post point-counterpoint, a piece co-authored by SEIU union boss Mitch Ackerman asserts that Colorado state government needs a new sort of vaguely-defined union "partnership." It's an attempt to give political cover to Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter, yes. Nevertheless, you still clearly have a solution in search of a problem: A few state agencies account for their performance with measurable outcomes. We'd like to see more of that, possibly incorporated into an annual performance review. If this sounds like a strange idea coming from an employee group, it isn't. All working people like the recognition and pride that comes from doing a good job. As frontline workers and taxpayers, state employees are in a unique position … [Read more...]
Schaffer Reports 3Q Fundraising
A little original reporting from one small corner of Colorado's right-of-center blogosphere: according to a well-placed source, the Bob Schaffer for U.S. Senate campaign is prepared to report 3rd quarter fundraising totals of $802,570. Combined with the $717,047 he raised during the 2nd quarter, Schaffer has compiled $1,519,617 since he began in earnest in May. The most recent numbers are solid, certainly not stellar - they reflect a slowing of the torrid pace he achieved during the first six weeks of active fundraising. Meanwhile, Schaffer's Democrat rival - Boulder liberal Rep. Mark Udall - has indicated that his campaign raised more than $1.1 million in the recent quarter. It seems like a fair assessment to make that the Schaffer … [Read more...]
Best Read of the Day: A Question for “Back Room Ritter”
My friend and colleague Jessica Peck Corry hits the nail on the head today with some important questions for our governor, listing the growing number of cases where Colorado voters are scratching their heads and asking "Back Room Ritter" what the secrecy is all about: Earlier this year, Ritter remained silent after a Denver District Judge scolded officials from Ritter's Department of Public Health and the Attorney General's office for violating constitutional mandates regarding open meetings. The judge ruled that this government coalition had violated the Constitution by meeting in secret to set arbitrary limits on sick and dying patients seeking relief under the Colorado's voter-implemented medical marijuana program. And now Ritter is … [Read more...]
FTS: Ritter Mulls Collective Bargaining Executive Order
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter looks to be more serious about his payback to Big Labor leaders than even earlier anticipated. As Face the State reports today - having uncovered key communications - the Governor is seriously considering an executive order to institute collective bargaining for state employees. The problem with the governor's proposed policy change is identified well by Republican state senators Kester and McElhany in a recent commentary for the Pueblo Chieftain: Why the secrecy? Maybe it is because they know collective bargaining is a train wreck waiting to happen. Just look at the cost incurred by other states that have gone down that path. Washington's state government, which began its experiment with collective bargaining … [Read more...]
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