Nancy Mitchell in the Rocky Mountain News reports today about the Colorado Student Assessment Program:Colorado's $22 million testing program appears headed for replacement after more than a dozen years and scant evidence of improvement in recent results. In other words: Not enough kids are learning fundamental reading skills at the critical junction of 3rd grade. Therefore, some people say it's time to modernize and improve the CSAP, and others want to scrap testing and accountability altogether. The first group has the right idea, provided updating the state's assessment system is done correctly. The second group makes an absurd flight from logic. Imagine if the news story were about a state-funded auto emissions testing program in … [Read more...]
Legal Victory for Taxpayers a Resounding Theme for Colorado GOP
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield... The Rocky Mountain News reports on yesterday's taxpayer victory in the courtroom:A law expected to raise $1.7 billion for Colorado schools over the next 11 years is unconstitutional because it gives the state more tax revenue without required approval from voters, a judge ruled Friday. Latest estimates are actually $3.8 billion, not $1.7 billion, but the news is good just the same. In his introductory remarks, state party chair Dick Wadhams' mention of the court ruling against Gov. Bill Ritter's tax hike earned perhaps the biggest applause from the Republican faithful gathered here at the Broomfield Event Center. If you don't think this is going to be a major GOP campaign theme heading into … [Read more...]
Condolences to Avs Fans
Before the Wings-Avs series, I said I wouldn't write anymore about it until the series was over. Well, it's over... and how. Simply put, the Red Wings dominated. And this blogger smiled. My condolences to Constructively Reasonable. Your consolation will be having lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion. … [Read more...]
Wayne Allard Honored, Tom Tancredo Gives Red Meat to GOP Faithful
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield... After Dick Wadhams' opening remarks, the unity theme kicked off with a video tribute to retiring U.S. Senator Wayne Allard, followed by words from Allard's wife Joan and Senator Allard himself. If the crowd was slowly coming to life before, retiring Rep. Tom Tancredo's soundbite speech - which strikes themes of energy independence, secure borders (the mere mention of "Cory Voorhis" electrifies the crowd), and American greatness, with several quips about Barack Obama thrown in for good measure - gets the energy rising. On a down note, turnout at the GOP Convention is not exactly stellar (but a quorum has been achieved). More to come, as I need to get my alternate credentials updated to … [Read more...]
Panning McCain’s Health Care Plan
Republican Presidential candidate John McCain was in town on Friday to lead a townhall discussion on his health care policy. Last week local health care guru Brian Schwartz previewed McCain's arrival with a lukewarm analysis of the candidate's plan to reform health care, summed up here:So this tax-credit idea, while sort of on target, is even more social engineering via tax policy, instead of undoing existing tax policy that has created the problem in the first place. Joshua Sharf, who saw the candidate in person, was left with a more favorable view of the tax credit proposal, but thought the good idea in McCain's policy was watered down with many bits of "nanny-state hectoring." Joshua also noted McCain's well-developed skills of … [Read more...]
Seven Signs This Isn’t the 2004 Republican State Convention
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield... 1. Bill Owens seconded the nomination of Bob Schaffer for U.S. Senate. 2. The event is running on time. Amen! 3. The George W. Bush video on the big screen was dead-time filler, and almost no one was paying attention. 4. No signs that any cases of sunburn or heat stroke are imminent. 5. The name Barack Obama not only means something to attendees, it serves as the primary foil for many of the speechmakers on the stump. 6. I received a flyer advertising a Bob Schaffer fundraiser sponsored by Pete Coors. 7. Bloggers are given seats (and Wi-Fi) at the Convention press table. … [Read more...]
Bill Ritter and the Colorado Democrats’ Unauthorized Tax Hike Goes to Court
At long last, court hearings begin today in the case of Gov. Bill Ritter raising Coloradans' property taxes without a constitutional vote of the people. From the Denver Post:The freeze is estimated to bring in $117 million this year and $3.8 billion over a decade, up from an initial estimate of $1.7 billion when it was passed. Richard Westfall, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the two sides will call about 10 witnesses, likely including school finance experts, the state treasurer and school board members. Dreyer said Ritter is not expected to testify. "A lot of the discussion is going to be about addressing pretty esoteric points in the school finance act," Westfall said. The trial is scheduled to last a week. It will be … [Read more...]
Mark Hillman for National Committeeman
Mark Hillman is speaking from the podium right now, articulating so well his deep-abiding principles of limited government and personal freedom. He has a lot of Republican heavy hitters behind him, and appears to be the favorite over Leondray Gholston (who also gave a strong, inspiring speech) and Sen. Dave Schultheis (who is about to make his appearance). My earlier endorsement of Mark Hillman is here. … [Read more...]
We Have a Problem…
If you're a limited government conservative and you want to stay informed, you really ought to be reading Jon Henke and company over at Q and O. I met Jon at Samsphere in Chicago: he has a wealth of blogging experience, key insights into strategic roles of new media, and a realistic, no-holds-barred view of the political landscape. Today, following off a Robert Novak column, he makes a point about the chronic, compulsive inability of many Congressional Republicans to get their act together on spending and fiscal issues, a point that is difficult to refute:Reelecting these guys is like sending Norm Peterson to lead an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. They're whipped by Democrats and by the public choice incentives. There's just no … [Read more...]
Ron Paul Supporters Numerous Among National Delegate Candidates
From the GOP Convention in Broomfield... Balloting is ongoing from state delegates. One of the things they are deciding on is the slate of delegates to the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities. There is a list of nearly 400 candidates for national delegate in the Colorado Statesman along with their Presidential preference. About 40 percent have no preference listed - nearly the same amount (155) are pledged to John McCain. Poised to wreak havoc are 74 Ron Paul supporters, followed by a handful each listed for Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. State conventions can be strange things, though this is a particularly strange year. On a different note, Sen. Shawn Mitchell just compared Bill Ritter to Jimmy Carter ... ouch. … [Read more...]
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