A couple days ago I had the pleasure of pointing out the defects in Denver Post editorialist Bob Ewegen's arguments against Right-to-Work. I wrote:Even more telling than comparisons of static earnings are rates of growth. In both job growth and in overall economic growth, Right-to-Work states have performed better. I therefore found it interesting that another insightful blogger only last week posted an analysis of new economic growth data. Here's the chart Will Franklin produced showing just how much Right-to-Work states outperform states that allow union coercion: Combined with the other flaws in Bob Ewegen's argument, this interesting find only makes the case for Right-to-Work look even stronger. … [Read more...]
Bill Ritter and the Democrats’ Senate Bill 200 Also Bad for Business
I haven't written much about Senate Bill 200, so-called "anti-discrimination" legislation, recently signed into law by Gov. Bill Ritter. But I certainly took notice when libertarian Ross Kaminsky assailed it in his latest Human Events column:In the quadrennial marathon to see who can be the nation’s worst governor, Colorado’s Bill Ritter is in a full sprint. On Thursday, Ritter signed Senate Bill 200 which expands “anti-discrimination†law to cover sexual orientation, meaning not only homosexuality or bisexuality, but also “transgender status or another person’s perception thereof.†The bill is so ripe for abuse and creates so much risk for private business that it’s no surprise the ordinarily media-hungry Ritter signed … [Read more...]
Colorado Supreme Court: Unions Get a Pass from Electioneering Laws
Are Coloradans awakened yet to the union takeover of Colorado? On this site, I've covered Big Labor's controlling influence on the legislature (last year's House Bill 1072) and on Gov. Bill Ritter (union "partnership" executive order, anyone?). One that hasn't received as much play is the unions' controlling influence on the Colorado Supreme Court. What, you say? There's hardly any other way to explain the Court's 5-2 ruling yesterday that the teachers union is exempt from certain campaign finance restrictions in the state constitution. … [Read more...]
Chantell Taylor Watch: Part IV
Is this really a story? A government watchdog group criticized the state's attorney general for stepping in as legal counsel to the new Independent Ethics Commission, saying in a statement Tuesday that the setup presents unavoidable conflicts of interest. Attorney General John Suthers on Monday told the commission, responsible for forming ethics rules, that his office would do its lawyering unless lawmakers allow an outside attorney. Suthers' office by law acts as counsel for all state agencies, an attorney general spokesman said. Then we see who the "government watchdog group" is:Chantell Taylor, head of the nonprofit Colorado Ethics Watch, said the commission should be independent of the executive branch. [emphasis added] Yes, … [Read more...]
Deconstructing Republican Folly, Reconstructing Constitutionalist Hope
Two of Colorado's most established center-right bloggers weigh in on what's happened to the Republican Party brand and what can be done about it. Michael at Best Destiny takes a look at a Face The State story on the Republican's recent plight in Denver's northwest suburbs and opines loudly about what needs to be done to overcome messaging problems:. . . .TALK TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE BASE; TALK TO THEM ABOUT KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES, NOT GOP MEAT AND POTATOES; KNOW WHAT MATTERS TO PEOPLE like the economy, stupid; like education, stupid;... Michael should get paid for his political consultant's work. I concur that messaging is part of the problem, but in some ways the problem runs even deeper. Meanwhile, Joshua at View from a Height … [Read more...]
Joshua Sharf Makes HD 6 Ballot
Congratulations to friend and fellow blogger Joshua Sharf. Two months ago he stepped up and accepted the challenge to petition on the primary ballot against dissimulating Rima Barakat Sinclair and her suspect Republican credentials. Today, Joshua reports he has crossed the first major hurdle: his State House campaign has collected enough signatures, and the Secretary of State has certified he has made the ballot. Mr. Bob elaborates more on the contrasts in the race and why Republicans should vote for Joshua Sharf in Denver's House District 6. … [Read more...]
Colorado State Workers Get Union Ballots, Rocky Reprints Ritter’s Error
Yesterday, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News, ballots were mailed out to 21,000 Colorado state employees for the purposes of choosing exclusive representation. Workers vote yes to be represented by the Colorado WINS labor coalition or vote no to keep the status quo and the right to represent themselves if they so choose. Unfortunately, the Rocky ended their story with a misleading statement:[Gov. Bill] Ritter has emphasized that his order bans strikes, prohibits binding arbitration and bars unions from charging dues to nonmembers. It makes you wonder whether Bill Ritter has read his own executive order. The order does not bar unions from charging dues to nonmembers - it leaves the door open to coercive fees being charged on … [Read more...]
Adams County Officials Take Campaign Cash from No-Bid Contract Holder
Colorado's saga of no-bid contract corruption continues. The Brighton Standard-Blade is reporting that two Adams County Commissioners received campaign contributions from a paving company owner who holds millions of dollars in sole source contracts from the county (H/T Complete Colorado):According to the Colorado Secretary of State’s website, the election committees of Commissioners Alice Nichol and W.R. "Skip" Fischer received $1,000 from Jerry Rhea, president of Quality Paving Co. According to a Channel 7 news investigation last month, Rhea is a friend of Adams County Public Works Director Lee Asay. Asay was placed on administrative leave after the investigation found he awarded $12 million in no-bid contracts to Rhea’s … [Read more...]
Bill Ritter Might Wish $250,000 Had Covered Misspent Campaign Debt
The Denver Post's Politics West today reports about recent corporate contributions to Denver's Democratic National Convention:Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter "wrote a thank-you note to Chicago Democratic donor Fred Eychaner for his $250,000 contribution, and got Safeway and Amgen on board in a trip to Washington." Bill Ritter must be wishing it could be easy to find that much money to cover his campaign - er, inaugural committee - debt. With more than enough money left over to fund an investigation to find the conveniently vanished computer potentially containing key evidence about Ritter's campaign fund scandal. If you were hoping for real analysis of the Democratic National Convention, then stop by Slapstick Politics. … [Read more...]
Another Reason for Right-to-Work… from a Union Leader’s Own Words
Denver Post business writer Al Lewis made an interesting revelation yesterday (H/T Labor Pains blog):What's so great about being in the union? Half of Colorado's United Food and Commercial Workers would stop paying union dues if they could, according to the group's local president. In a May 1 letter to members, Ernest Duran warns that the right-to-work initiative headed for Colorado's November ballot would decimate his ranks of dues-paying members. "If this amendment passes, we will enter all future negotiations divided," Duran wrote. "In my opinion, we will enter with less than 50 percent of the workers as union members." Do you wonder now why union leaders are so frightened of Amendment 47, the statewide ballot initiative that … [Read more...]
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