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...]
Dems Obstruct Solution to High Gas Prices, GOP Needs McCain to do Better
"Four bucks a gallon": it's the catchphrase that hits home all across America. Even putting the best face on it that they can, even federal government officials admit that gasoline prices figure to remain high for the foreseeable future. Yet on the same day, Democrats on a Congressional committee kill a proposal that would allow the United States to expand its domestic energy supply. I would say they're stuck on stupid, but it's far more likely that Nancy Pelosi, Mark Udall, and the Democrats are glad to see gasoline prices high, as they kowtow to radical environmentalist special interest groups. To top it off, the Democrats' Presidential candidate Barack Obama makes a ridiculous statement suggesting that rising gasoline prices is a … [Read more...]
Barack Obama: Man of Contradiction
Powerline has the goods: Within less than 24 hours, the Obama messiah completely contradicts himself:Barack Obama, last night in Portland, on Iran: "They don't pose a serious threat to us." Barack Obama, today, in Billings, Montana, on Iran: "I've made it clear for years that the threat from Iran is grave." Powerline also has video. So which is it: Is Iran a serious threat, or not? Or is it beyond us mere peons to dare question the great Obama? … [Read more...]
Does Evie Hudak Still Hold Prejudiced and False View of Homeschooling?
One of Colorado's top state legislative races this year - a very high target on the state Republican party's list of potential takeovers - is Senate District 19 in north Jefferson County. The race pits Republican businesswoman Libby Szabo against liberal union activist and state school board member Evie Hudak. Evie Hudak's perceived strength in this race is the education issue, but if a 1999 commentary she wrote for the Denver Post gives any evidence, she holds a narrow, prejudiced, and uninformed view of one major type of education chosen by parents: homeschooling. Here are some excerpts: … [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...]
Brighton Blogger Tells Commissioners to Return Money from No-Bid Contractor
Last week I highlighted the story of two Adams County commissioners on the take from the owner of a company with $12 million in no-bid county government contracts. I've since discovered another local blogger, who has offered some strong, unsolicited advice to commissioners Skip Fischer and Alice Nichol:Accepting a contribution from the beneficiary of the no-bid contract creates, at the least, an appearance of graft. If you aren't going to do your job properly, at the minimum you, should act shocked that it happened, promise to get to the bottom of it and take the appropriate punitive and corrective actions. And make it completely obvious that you do not benefit in any way from the misdeed. Colluding with another Commissioner on … [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...]
“Don’t give a crap” WINS Bill Ritter’s State Employee Union Elections
Gov. Bill Ritter's November 2007 executive order at last has successfully completed the loop in unionizing state government in a very un-democratic fashion. Today's Denver Post reports:At least 22,500 secretaries, prison guards and other state employees will soon fall under a union contract following a vote tallied Wednesday, though the majority of eligible workers didn't cast a ballot.... About 6,900 state workers from a pool of 22,500 who were eligible participated in the election, which gave them a choice between Colorado WINS [editorial comment: "Big Labor WINS, Colorado LOSES"] or no union representation. Of those, 5,481 supported the union. That's right. Fewer than one-quarter of eligible state employees voted to be unionized. … [Read more...]
Remember Weld County Tornado Victims and Give to Help Those in Need
The hearts of Coloradans are struck by the extensive destruction wrought by yesterday's Weld County tornado. The Rocky Mountain News has a rolling feed of live coverage on events in Windsor and the surrounding areas - truly a 21st century newspaper feature. Fellow blogger Bob Agard has posted video from the opening of last night's MSNBC News coverage - reminding us how truly amazing it is that the storm resulted in only one fatality. Meanwhile, of most importance, if you are able to do anything to help our neighbors in need - the Centennial Chapter of the American Red Cross is collecting donations for local relief. And please remember to utter a prayer for those whose lives have been turned upside down. We should also be reminded … [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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