The Denver Post reported yesterday that state representative Don Marostica, R-Loveland, resigned his seat to be appointed by Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter as the state's economic development director:Larry Carillo, chairman of the Larimer County Republican Party, said Marostica called him this morning to tell him he was resigning his seat. "He was excited," Carillo said. "He explained he thought it would be a good thing for economic development in Colorado and a good thing for the Republican Party." [emphasis added] A double-edged sword of a statement if ever there was one. And it's definitely good for Bill Ritter, who can beef up his "bipartisan" bona fides without having to sacrifice any of his agenda or program. … [Read more...]
New Peer-Reviewed Report: Oceans the Cause of Warming Since 1977
Marc Morano at Climate Depot brings our attention to a brand new peer-reviewed scientific study, another major piece of evidence blowing apart the man-made global warming scare:The research, by Chris de Freitas, a climate scientist at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, John McLean (Melbourne) and Bob Carter (James Cook University), finds that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a key indicator of global atmospheric temperatures seven months later. As an additional influence, intermittent volcanic activity injects cooling aerosols into the atmosphere and produces significant cooling. "The surge in global temperatures since 1977 can be attributed to a 1976 climate shift in the Pacific Ocean that made warming El Niño … [Read more...]
Bill Ritter Tapdances Away from Cap and Tax: No Memo to Betsy Markey?
Our "new energy economy" Governor Bill Ritter went before a Senate committee and tapdanced his way around the question of whether he supports the Waxman-Markey cap-and-tax bill. (Yes, I'm late to the story. Yes, I'm hopping on the bandwagon. Yesterday was an important personal day away from blogging, but with a story like this one, better late than never.) El Presidente was quick to put up the video of Ritter's exchange with Senator James Inhofe, as well as the video of Senator Kit Bond explaining how the governor's highly-touted new "green" jobs are heavily subsidized by taxpayers: $71,000 per job. Michelle Malkin brought national attention to Ritter's refusal to endorse cap-and-tax. At American Spectator, Paul Chesser posted the … [Read more...]
J.J. Ament’s Entry Makes Two in Colorado GOP Treasurer’s Race
Rocky Mountain Right has the scoop: J.J. Ament today officially has thrown his hat into the ring as a Republican candidate for Colorado state treasurer. I took a few minutes a little while ago to chat with the newly-minted candidate himself. J.J. Ament stressed his "hands-on experience" in previous dealings with the treasurer's office, that he "knows where the waste and inefficiency is" and doesn't have to rely on the bureaucracy like incumbent Cary Kennedy has. He also said that Colorado needs the treasurer to be "a strong independent voice", and that Kennedy hasn't filled that role, either. … [Read more...]
Time Running Out to Take Survey of Colorado’s Political Temperature
Update: The poll is closed. Thanks to all 619 people who participated. Results are undergoing analysis and will be published next week. Time is running out. Only four hours remain for you to join the hundreds of other Coloradans who have shared their views on the political temperature survey. That's right: the deadline is today at 5 PM local Mountain time. Whether you somehow missed all the hype until now, or you are the type of person who loves to procrastinate, now is the time to make your views known. More information on the survey is available at Slapstick Politics. Stay tuned, as we plan to announce the results of the survey next week. … [Read more...]
Developing Story: PERA Selling Assets?
In the past, I've commented about the difference between cumulative returns and average returns, especially when there's an outgoing cash flow to meet obligations. I have learned that Walker Stapleton is claiming that PERA, Colorado's Public Employees Retirement Association, which has fallen to 50% funded, is now selling assets to meet obligations. Evidently, PERA administrators have been making this statement off the record to during briefings. That's right: our public pension may have been reduced to eating its seed corn. Mr. Stapleton, whose campaign for State Treasurer will certainly make PERA administration a centerpiece issue, has filed a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request to see exactly what assets are being sold. … [Read more...]
An Even Stronger Statement from Walker Stapleton’s Fundraising Take
This past quarter's fundraising numbers look even better for Colorado GOP treasurer candidate Walker Stapleton than I reported a couple days ago. His $138,211 take was not just a record for non-incumbents, but a record for any candidate ever in a Colorado treasurer's race. Incumbent Democrat treasurer Cary Kennedy was blown away by more than two-to-one -- as she only raised $65,999 during the past three months. The result for Stapleton is a cash-on-hand advantage of more than $53,000 over Kennedy. Rocky Mountain Right further takes Cary Kennedy's campaign to task for the last-minute desperate plea for money that suggested she was near the $100,000 mark on the last day of the fundraising period (or maybe just $34,000 away):This … [Read more...]
Buck and Frazier Fundraising Numbers: Be Not Dismayed, but Pick Up Pace
Fundraising numbers are out in Colorado's U.S. Senate race. While the indecisive Michael Bennet has awed observers once again with his million dollar-plus cash intake, numbers for the two most highly-touted Republican challengers Ken Buck ($330,000) and Ryan Frazier ($140,000) were significantly less overwhelming. Given their different positions, statuses, and backgrounds, one cannot reasonably hold the same expectations for the three candidates. Still, at this point it's clear that the appointed incumbent Michael Bennet is winning this phase of the game. Frazier wisely is using the opportunity to transition from the exploratory committee phase to an officially declared campaign. His first quarter fundraising numbers doubtless have … [Read more...]
Ethically Challenged Ed Perlmutter?
Hats off to the Washington Times for the scoop on what my representative in Congress has been up to:Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Colorado inserted a provision into the recently passed House climate change bill that would drum up business for "green" banks, such as the one he has invested in and his family and a political donor helped found in San Francisco. The bill calls on bank regulators to promote green banking and says federal dollars should be used to support energy-efficient home improvements at government-funded housing projects. Mr. Perlmutter, a two-term Democrat, has two investments in the 3-year-old New Resource Bank, which calls itself the nation's first green bank. Among other environmentally conscious banking products, the … [Read more...]
Time to Tell Mark Udall and Michael Bennet ‘No’ on Hate Crime Bill S.909
A couple of the questions on our survey of Colorado's political temperature (still open through Friday, July 17, at 5 PM) relate to the concept of hate crimes legislation currently before Congress. Well, I guess it's not a mystery where I stand on the issue. With the Sotomayor confirmation hearings eating up what little media oxygen exists for national political issues, these days, S.909 can be easily overlooked. But as Carter Clews explains at Net Right Nation, it shouldn't be:That's right, S. 909 -- aka, the "hate crimes bill" -- being pushed through by the Obama Administration as one of its highest legislative priorities would make it a federal crime to commit a violent act against anyone based on race or gender orientation -- unless … [Read more...]
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