It's national election season, which means perspective on the economy is badly needed. Thanks to Rossputin for highlighting this article from economists Brian Wesbury and Robert Stein. Read the whole thing for yourself, but interesting tidbits are that family income last year hit its first all-time high in 7 years, income inequality declined faster than at any point in the previous 45 years, and the poverty rate stayed below its pre-1999 norms. Yes, economic growth has lagged, causing the country to flirt with recession. But according to Wesbury and Stein, "these figures bolster the case that the underlying fundamentals of the US economy were sound in 2007, before the Federal Reserve decided to try to inflate our way out of financial … [Read more...]
$7.9 Billion: RTD FasTracks Now Nearly 70 Percent Over Original Cost
The Denver Post reports today that the price tag for Regional Transportation District (RTD)'s taxpayer-funded FasTracks plan has jumped again:The price of the FasTracks rail expansion — if it is to be completed by 2017, as promised to voters — has jumped from $6.1 billion to $7.9 billion, according to officials familiar with RTD's latest analysis of the program. Approved by voters in 2004 for $4.7 billion, estimates later rose to $6.1 billion - a 30 percent increase. Now they have skyrocketed to $7.9 billion, nearly 70 percent higher than original estimates. According to the Post, RTD either has to narrow the scope of the project, delay its implementation, or ask for more tax money:Centennial Mayor Randy Pye, who heads the 37-member … [Read more...]
School Leaders Seeking More Taxpayer Money in Presidential Election Year
In an article printed today, the Denver Post's Jeremy Meyer asks why Colorado school district leaders are pushing a massive slew of construction bond proposals on the ballot:But presidential elections produce large voter turnouts, and 90 percent of Colorado school ballot issues pass when they are on the general election ballot. "My hypothesis is the larger turnout means (districts) are reaching into a voter base that is generally less informed about local issues and more inclined to give money to schools because it sounds like it is the right thing to do," said Ben DeGrow, education-policy analyst for the Independence Institute, a free-market think tank based in Golden. On the other hand:DeGrow, however, said he thinks Colorado … [Read more...]
State Senate Candidate Libby Szabo Hits Local Airwaves on Energy
My friend Libby Szabo - candidate for State Senate from Arvada, Colorado - is the subject of a new television ad created by the Senate Majority Fund: A "can-do attitude" is one of the truest descriptions of Libby Szabo that I know -- and a real contrast with her opponent's can't-do attitude when it comes to parents who choose homeschooling. … [Read more...]
Peoples Press Collective: Grassroots Coverage of the DNC in Denver
For more of the latest coverage of Denver's Democratic National Convention (Mon, Aug. 25 - Thur, Aug. 28), bookmark the Peoples Press Collective (PPC). My boss Jon Caldara explains on his blog:They are a team of Colorado bloggers who will be armed to the teeth with point and shoot cameras, video cameras, and live streaming cell phones to document all the shenanigans, beat downs, hippie love-fests, and wacky protests going down in the streets. Basically anything the mainstream media won’t be around for, they will. Some pretty big time Colorado bloggers like the Rocky Mountain Right, Rossputin, Slapstick Politics, and Drunkablog have already signed on. They’ve got some cool features on their site like a quick 1 minute DNC preview video, a … [Read more...]
Barack Obama Needs a DNC Bounce, But Poor Planning May Interfere
Barack Obama really, really, really needs a bounce from the Democratic National Convention. First, nationally, as political guru Michael Barone points out:Realclearpolitics.com yesterday had John McCain ahead of Barack Obama by 274 to 264 electoral votes, counting leaners. RCP has Obama carrying just two Bush '04 states, Iowa and New Mexico, with 12 electoral votes. McCain's lead in two other Bush '04 states, Virginia and Colorado, with 20 electoral votes is microscopic, but then so is Obama's lead in New Hampshire, with four electoral votes. Showcasing Jimmy Carter on the opening night of the DNC is not a good way to separate Barack Obama from the obvious comparison with the malaise president or to generate a national bounce. And … [Read more...]
Sneak Peek at the DNC Podium: Introducing … ObamaTron!
The Denver Post this morning gives a sneak peek of the Democratic National Convention podium inside the Pepsi Center (H/T Complete Colorado). My first reactions to what the podium looks like: An acid trip back to the 1970s (can you imagine Jimmy Carter giving a speech there opening night)? The set of a cheesy Fox TV reality show (Bill Clinton might just fit in onstage)? ... Or how about the movie Tron? Whatever it is, the podium may be another piece of the poor planning that may threaten a Barack Obama post-Convention bounce. Or maybe he can just get bounce from a Lightbike ride... The DNC craziness has just barely begun. Keep up with coverage you won't find anywhere else at the Peoples Press Collective. … [Read more...]
Opining on Apathy in Recent State Employee Union Elections
Over at the Denver Daily News, my op-ed on the recent union elections in state government is up. The piece begins:Some pundits and hopeful partisans speculate that our upcoming national election may see less apathy among younger voters. Coloradans might also wonder about the apathy among their state employees.> Forty-nine percent of Americans between 18 and 29 voted in the 2004 national election, a slight rise from previous showings. While at least one candidate has made more appeals to the youth on the bases of "hope" and "change," it's unclear whether the trend will continue. Overshadowed recent news in our own backyard shows even greater voter apathy outside the sphere of electoral politics. When faced this year with deciding on … [Read more...]
A Different Kind of DNC “Protest” West of the Downtown Denver Action
So much for all the DNC-related action happening in downtown Denver. On my drive to work this morning I spotted this unmistakable display on Table Mountain between Arvada and Golden, displayed here in a photograph taken by a friend: 9News apparently was on the scene, as well:The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department and Open Space Rangers struck a deal with the protestors allowing them to take a break before hiking back up the mountain and removing the sign. The group behind the sign was not immediately known but roughly 50 anti-abortion protestors are in the area. My friend who took the picture said she was told the sign was constructed from 2,500 bed sheets, and that students from Maranatha Christian Center did the hard work … [Read more...]
Yippee… Barack Obama May Get “Modest” Bounce in Polls from DNC
It's normal for a major national political convention to give its nominee a "bounce" in the polls, so it's too early to reach any conclusions. After all, the Obamessiah has yet to give his rock star speech at Invesco Field, which may cause the knees of middle America to swoon. But so far, Rasmussen's daily tracking poll has yet to pick up on the signs of major Joe(Biden)-mentum. No, wait, that's not fair ... Today's results show "hints of a modest convention bounce building for Barack Obama". Obama broke the tie with John McCain to forge a one-point national lead - still, not that compelling after last week saw the Democrat candidate with a consistent three-to-four point lead. And after three days of fawning media coverage of the … [Read more...]
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