The newly expanded Democrat power base in Denver stands poised to repay the union bosses who joined ultraliberal benefactors Tim Gill and Pat Stryker in helping to buy their recent elections. Introduced this week in the Colorado state legislature is House Bill 1072 by Democrat Rep. Michael Garcia, which would eliminate the requirement that a majority of workers has to cast a ballot to approve a union agreement to create a closed shop and collect agency fees. That's right: in other words, union bosses and their Democrat allies just want to assume the financial support of the average working man without even holding an honest election first. Of course, federal law as it stands now would supersede the state legislation, keeping the majority … [Read more...]
Ritter’s Education Message Left Wanting
In yesterday's State of the State address, newly-minted Governor Bill Ritter's remarks came with little suspense and offered no surprises. But supporters of freedom and parental choice may demand answers yet. Congratulations are to be given for the positive tone and the ambitious goals, such as cutting the dropout rate in half. But the general outline for how to get Colorado there is where some problems are going to arise. First, what did he say? "We're going to align our educational programs with today's competitive global marketplace. We're going to prepare our students for 21st century industries - 21st century opportunities - like renewable energy, aerospace and biomedicine." Sounds like the preface to this new national report, which … [Read more...]
I’m Back … Ritter, Wadhams, a Crazy 2007 Comes
First of all, the break is over. I come back to blogging older (literally) and wiser (my wife may disagree), and ready for the trench warfare of Colorado politics that commences today - fully aware that our side is outnumbered in the local blogosphere but undaunted by the challenge. Kudos to our new governor Bill Ritter. I wish him good health and personal happiness, though not so much political success. This blog will do its part to hold him to account and to make sure he and the legislature are doing what's best for the people of Colorado, not special interest groups. On Ritter's big day, the Denver Post gives a little space to report that earlier rumors indeed were true: Dick Wadhams has his eyes on the state party … [Read more...]
NYT Memo to Romanoff: An Education Reform to Consider
Recently, Colorado Speaker Andrew Romanoff announced his intention to convene a task force to look at the recommendations for transforming the education system made by The New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce and propose a plan for Colorado. One other eminent source for ideas may be the New York Times editorial board, which today has advocated for the abolition of union-protected teacher seniority rights that often keep the most effective instructors from the neediest schools and students (H/T Edspresso): Talented novices, with no seniority rights to protect them, often quit the field after being shunted from one place to another. Others give up on the urban school systems where the bumping process is most prevalent … [Read more...]
Dick Wadhams Returns
A Denver Post story today has fueled the fires of speculation: could Dick Wadhams, the political genius who felled Tom Daschle, be coming home to Colorado to take the chairmanship of the state's Republican Party? Well, Wadhams is indeed returning to Colorado, but he is not ready to show his hand quite yet. Jason Bane thinks the job would be beneath Wadhams - but he can't be happy about this news. His colleague Cara Degette is more open about the terror being struck in her fellow Democrats' hearts. Right now, I'd have to admit that giving Wadhams the reins of the state party sounds like wishful thinking - even with Republican legislative leaders like Andy McElhany and Mike May making a lot of noise about the possibility. And unless … [Read more...]
Mr. Ritter, inquiring Democrats want to know…
Inquiring minds want to know: How does Governor-elect Bill Ritter plan to pay for his socialized health insurance mandate? Inquiring minds include many respected members of his own Democrat Party: Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, called Ritter's proposal a "budget buster" and Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, head of the Joint Budget Committee, said it could work, "but only if you don't do the math." Hagedorn said it would cost an estimated $240 million a year just to cover the 120,000 children in Colorado who don't have insurance. "It's a budget buster, but we have to decide on our priorities. That's not doing anything but funding those 120,000 kids and getting them enrolled," Hagedorn said. He said providing health care to all … [Read more...]
“Should you pay for someone else’s opinions?”
That question, as raised in today's Wall Street Journal by Stephen Moore, highlights the prime importance of a major First Amendment case on the U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming docket: Washington v Washington Education Association, & Davenport et al v Washington Education Association. Moore writes: At issue is whether workers have the right to effectively declare themselves conscientious objectors to the unions' multimillion-dollar political war games. "All we are saying is that no one has the right to take our money and spend it on causes we don't believe in," insists Cindy Omlin, a recently retired speech teacher in Spokane. "If you want my money, ask for it, like private charities, political candidates and businesses do." Ms. Omlin was … [Read more...]
Harsanyi on Hope
Denver Post news columnist David Harsanyi tells the truth today about the manufactured "controversy" about Hope Online Learning Academy, which uses technology, adult mentors, and a research-based curriculum to reach struggling students who have fallen through the cracks of the public education system. Read Harsanyi's piece, and ask yourself why Senator Sue Windels and the Colorado Education Association want to use a more rigorous standard to judge an innovative, alternative education program than they would care to use to judge traditional neighborhood public schools. Here's one hint: Hope doesn't employ unionized teachers. (Forget whether some poor kids in Denver and Colorado Springs might thrive in the online learning environment … [Read more...]
The Latest Colorado Blogosphere Controversy
To summarize ... To the Right: Have you read National Review? Some investigative journalism done there shows that the Dead Governors (aka Colorado Pols) is funded by liberal sugardaddies Gill, Stryker, and Polis. Dead Governors: Nuh-uh. Are not. Our views and agenda may happen to closely align with the wealthy Lefties, but we're raising all our own money through paid advertising. You can't trust that National Review anyways. To quote the Pols: "We've never had financial backing at any point, nor is it required to do what we do; it really doesn't cost much money to keep a blog running every month." No, but it sure can be a nice incentive for giving your time to the cause. If it hasn't been said here clearly before, it should be … [Read more...]
“Fiscal Conservatives, Don’t Despair”
Please read my post-election analysis on the fallout from the Democrats' victory in Colorado, published today in The Denver Daily News, including this stirring conclusion: The Independence Institute’s role could hardly be more important now. More than ever we will work to expose the big government agenda and to educate Coloradans about the value of personal and economic liberty in addressing the issues our state faces. The “eternal truths of the Declaration of Independence†will help to guide us through the rough waters of the near future. Conservatives need to stop and do some serious reflection, then press forward. Unlike the Statist Left, our hopes don't rise and fall alone on who is empowered by the reins of government. I … [Read more...]
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