David Harsanyi's Post column today is a valuable read. He exposes the scare tactics and duplicity of those conducting the campaign for the forever tax increase. Money quote: One wishes legislators would have had this level of interest in the Priority Colorado report when it was released in January. Perhaps they could have saved a couple hundred million dollars. But as you can imagine, the report was almost universally dismissed by legislators. "There's a reason the Independence Institute is a political think tank," said Joan Fitz-Gerald, Democratic Senate president, at the time. "They couldn't get elected to anything. ... They have only simplistic answers." Apparently, elected officials are the only ones with worthwhile ideas. … [Read more...]
Voices from Iraq
On a day like today, I think it best to let my handful of readers listen to what people are actually saying from Iraq - eyewitnesses to the election and other activities. So enjoy: For some perspective, start with Byron York's analysis of an Iraqi poll downplayed in the MSM. Bill Roggio observed the huge electoral turnout in the Sunni city of Barwana. A reporter from Fairbanks, Alaska, visits Iraq and has her illusions shattered. Mohammed of Iraq the Model reports through PajamasMedia that high turnout extended the election one hour. Stay tuned... … [Read more...]
Senate Candidate Responds to “Power Brokers,” Traylor Appointment
Well, it's official - no surprises, really. As I indicated earlier, inside sources knew that Kathleen "Kiki" Traylor would win the vacancy committee's nod to replace resigning State Senator Norma Anderson in south Jefferson County's District 22. The response from my friend and favored SD 22 candidate Justin Everett shows strength, confidence, and savvy - and I've reprinted it here in full: The Power Brokers have hoodwinked average citizens like you and me once again. Our outgoing State Senator was a key architect and top campaigner for Referendum C. During this important upcoming legislative session, she has left citizens of our District and the State of Colorado in a lurch by resigning and leaving us with an untested successor. This … [Read more...]
Could You Define That, Please?
The same week as several Republican state legislators launched their "First Class Education for Colorado" ballot initiative proposal, following a national organization's lead in calling upon school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their operating budgets in the classroom, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education makes this declaration under the announcement of its proposed 2005-2006 budget: DPS Budget Facts 69.1 percent of every dollar spent is allocated to instruction and instructional and pupil support. This includes the learning support provided by counselors, librarians, nurses and others, in addition to books, supplies, computers and other classroom equipment. 23.4 percent of every dollar covers school … [Read more...]
The Scoop on the “Real” Saddam
Quick link blogging this morning: read this AP story from today's Washington Times - America's fascination with the details of celebrities' everyday lives takes another twisted turn as U.S. military personnel who guarded Saddam Hussein in an Iraq prison give GQ the big scoop on his living habits, favorite foods, and various personal opinions. The AP story gives no hint of the actions that earned Saddam the nickname "Butcher of Baghdad." How easy to forget.... … [Read more...]
Answering the Cries for Help
When you're hundreds of miles away from the scene of a massive disaster like Hurricane Katrina, and you know almost no one directly affected by the massive storm, it's easy to lose perspective on the human toll of such events. But then you realize how many of our fellow Americans, people with moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters, are in dire straits. The New Orleans Times-Picayune blog has been posting a series of electronically-relayed pleas from people who have lost contact with loved ones or whose loved ones are trapped and need help. Ladies and gents, this stuff is real. They need our prayers and support. You can find a list of charitable organizations at Instapundit from which to choose. But reach out and … [Read more...]
I Guess They’re Not Reading My Blog, Anyway
Ouch... sometimes it's hard to realize there is a whole other world out there. A new study from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy shows that 5 percent of 222 million American adults simply cannot read or write English. And of the remaining 211 million: Some 30 million adults have "below basic" skills in prose. Their ability is so limited that they may not be able to make sense of a simple pamphlet, for example. By comparison, 95 million adults, or 44 percent of the population, have intermediate prose skills, meaning they can do moderately challenging activities. An example would be consulting a reference book to determine which foods contain a certain vitamin. I'm guessing that most of my readers emanate from the ranks of … [Read more...]
SD22 Candidate Files Complaint
Events in the Senate District 22 GOP intraparty contest to replace recently-resigned Senator Norma Anderson (see earlier posts here and here) just took another twist. Mike Kopp, one of the candidates who lost out to Kathleen "Kiki" Traylor in the Vacancy Committee's Saturday decision to replace Anderson (Barb Neville and Guy Heil were the others), has filed a formal complaint with the Secretary of State alleging the procedure was handled illegally. I obtained a copy of Kopp's press release, which is also reprinted in full at the Dead Governors' site: State Senate District 22 Candidate Mike Kopp notified the Secretary of State's office today that the vacancy committee for SD22 failed to meet its statutory requirements. According to … [Read more...]
Judicial Extremism
Editor's note: This is the last scheduled post on Mount Virtus for the next 10 days or so. The author is taking a self-imposed "blog vacation" but shall return to his wit and witticisms after the Memorial Day weekend holiday. May God bless our brave but media-beleaguered men and women in uniform both today (on Armed Forces Day) and on Memorial Day. They and their families remain in our thoughts and prayers. Until then, enjoy the following.... Throughout the crescendoing rancor of the ongoing debate over the judicial filibuster, the Senate Democrats and their MSM allies perpetually reassert two suppositions: 1) That President Bush's nominees are radical and outside the "mainstream." 2) That Republican Senators should not implement … [Read more...]
An Excellent Question
Colorado's eminent leaders of the political Left, the gurus who give us the acerbic wit of ProgressNow, apparently have reached a moment of metaphysical crisis. Below I've pasted an email they are sending out to all their subscribers (my emphases in italics - I have underlined the repeated question of the hour): PLEASE FORWARD THIS QUESTION: WHAT DO WE STAND FOR? Whether you consider yourself a liberal, progressive, populist, moderate, or just part of "the Left," we need to answer a fundamental question. Some are talking about how we can "frame" our issues better. Others are arguing over a list of common values or positions. But it's really the same conversation -- What do we stand for? It seems we agree on much of what … [Read more...]
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