Update: Yes, he's in. Key graf: "Republicans have lost elections because our leaders have not been bold enough in proposing innovative solutions in Washington and have drifted from our long-held claim to the mantle of fiscal responsibility," Schaffer said. "Republicans have not fought hard enough for children and public education reform, especially in the inner city where the need has reached crisis status." The race is on. It looks like some of us - me included - jumped the gun on the Bob Schaffer announcement that he would be joining the U.S. Senate race for Colorado's open seat in 2008. For reasons I explained in my previous post (as well as others), I've had a good sense that this announcement was inevitable. It's just … [Read more...]
Democrat Leader Faces Campaign Ethics Challenges
Face the State has the skinny on a leading Democrat state lawmakers' campaign ethics challenges. The conservative website has uncovered evidence that the House Majority Leader exceeded campaign expenditure limits, misused campaign funds for personal purposes, has received numerous fines for repeated late paperwork filings, and more. In case you missed it earlier this week, Face the State exposed serious allegations that an ostensibly "nonpartisan" conservation group has manipulated votes to rate Democrats higher than Republicans. They're both worthwhile reads. … [Read more...]
Salazar & Udall Explain Defeatist Votes
No time for in-depth writing this morning. Instead, if you haven't already read them, read Michael's coverage of the statements of Ken Salazar and Mark Udall regarding their respective votes to telegraph a date for defeat to our enemies and to load down the funds for our troops with wasteful pork. Colorado's own Democrat Senator and would-be Senator have a LOT more explaining to do. As usual, kudos to Best Destiny for keeping a close eye on our state's defeat caucus. … [Read more...]
Ritter’s Tax-Hike Supporters Standing on Weak Arguments
Mike Littwin's Saturday column for the Rocky Mountain News highlights the tenuous ground occupied by supporters of the governor's official endorsement of the $1.7 billion+ property tax increase. Their best argument apparently is that some opponents mistakenly voted for a similar proposal three years earlier. Meanwhile, Littwin typifies the rhetorical distortions made by the tax-and-spend crowd. (I omitted the partisan cheapshots that are standard fare for Littwin columns and not to be taken seriously, anyway. Instead, I wish to tackle some of the subtle and salient points about the issue itself that readers are supposed to accept at face value.) 1. The use of the term "property-tax freeze," as though the change in law were going to … [Read more...]
Colorado Republicans Aligning with Presidential Favorites
Dan Haley writes yesterday that the Colorado GOP's gubernatorial also-ran and former Congressman Bob Beauprez is raising coin for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney (I received the same email request). Of course, former Governor Bill Owens is a senior adviser to the Romney campaign, and perennial donor and former candidate Bruce Benson is also on board. No doubt many of the state's Republicans rank-and-file are going to find the support of the Benson-Owens-Beauprez axis as a reason to be skeptical of the former Massachusetts governor's candidacy. Meanwhile, some other big Republican names in Colorado are throwing their support behind Rudy Giuliani and organizing an April fundraiser. Among them are former U.S. Senator Ben "Nighthorse" … [Read more...]
Mount Virtus On National (Internet) Airwaves
Readers who want to hear me share developments in Colorado labor policy and politics with a national audience, please tune in to Rightalk.com on Wednesday, May 16, 2:45-3:00 PM Eastern (12:45-1:00 PM Local). House Bill 1072, the Labor Peace Act, the coming Democratic Convention, Ritter's executive order and other favors to union leaders are all fair game. … [Read more...]
Mount Virtus Bound for the Nether Regions?
If you want to know why a prominent Democrat state legislator thinks the proprietor of this blog and so many of my friends and allies - including those who provide an educational service in demand by thousands of Colorado families - merit "a special place in Hell," then check out what was uncovered at the new Colorado political news site Face the State. Representative Mike Merrifield is chairman of the House Education Committee and one of the Colorado Education Association's favorite lawmakers. His antagonism toward school choice - now seen to border on hatred - is well-known. No information about his theological credentials was readily available. … [Read more...]
Colorado Democrats: Sex Ed Trumps the 3 Rs (and Science)
On a party line vote today, the Senate Education Committee passed a bill sponsored by Senator Sue Windels (D-Arvada) to mandate standards on Colorado schools that teach sex education. Three committee members, all Democrats - Windels, Bob Bacon, and Ron Tupa - voted to support the House Bill 1292 mandate six weeks after voting against a mandate setting higher state graduation requirements for math and science (Senate Bill 131), and eight weeks after voting against a requirement that high school graduates have basic competency in English (Senate Bill 73). Suzanne Williams (D-Aurora) was the only committee member to cast votes for all three measures. … [Read more...]
Education Quick Hits
Kudos to the Rocky Mountain News editorial board for calling out Senator Sue Windels' attempt to overregulate online schools. The Rocky also highlights yesterday's sensational discovery of the email from Representative Mike "Give 'Em Hell" Merrifield. In the article, Merrifield was rebuked by a prominent member of his own party: "It shows there's absolutely no good faith on the Rep. Merrifield's part, who is clearly more concerned with defending a crippled and ineffective status-quo public education system then [sic] creating opportunities for all kids," said Sen. Peter Groff, D-Denver. Finally, Governor Ritter's plan to raise property taxes received a bit of good news, as the legislature's legal team said the plan could be enacted … [Read more...]
Republican Gardner: Remove Merrifield
Update: Representative Merrifield delivered an apology from the floor of the House and distributed an official memo that reads: "I don't want my remarks or my health [Ed. Note: It has been reported that Merrifield is suffering from neck and throat cancer] to sidetrack the important work of the House Education Committee. Accordingly, I am asking Rep. [Judy] Solano [D-Brighton] to assume my duties as chair for the remainder of the session." According to a fresh report from the Associated Press, Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) has called for House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to remove Rep. Mike Merrifield (D-Manitou Springs) from the chairmanship of the House Education Committee in the wake of the revelation of a controversial email saying that … [Read more...]
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