The whole sad affair with General Motors, the federal bailout and now the Presidentially-orchestrated dismissal of the company's CEO, strikes a little bit closer to home with me. I grew up in southeast Michigan. My dad worked more than 30 years for the automaker. Many, many people I knew worked for GM or one of the contract suppliers. GM was a significant part of a way of life. So after yesterday's announcement, please forgive me if my head is still spinning this morning. I'm not quite able to put it all into words, but thought I'd give it a first crack. Of course, the firing of CEO Rick Wagoner and the Presidential-backed car warranty are predictable outcomes of the initial bailout I have opposed from the beginning. But because of my … [Read more...]
Sign Up Today for the One-Night Version of Free People, Free Markets
Have you been interested in taking the Free People, Free Markets course - the one I've told you about before - but decided it was too much of a time commitment? Well, then, do I have the solution for you. You can sign up for a special, one-night only, three-hour crash course version of Free People, Free Markets: Wednesday, April 15. The location is especially convenient if you live in the south Denver metro area. But don't wait to sign up until the last minute. For only $25, take advantage of this unforgettable opportunity. At the very least, it will give you a newfound disgust for the annual deadline to pay your federal income taxes. More than likely, though, you'll gain a tremendous appreciation for the principles of capitalism … [Read more...]
Listen to Latest RMA Blog Talk Radio: Nancy Doty, Prof. Robert Hardaway
If you missed last night's edition (the 20th) of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio, go check it out. Guests for this week are Republican Secretary of State candidate Nancy Doty to discuss various election issues, and University of Denver law professor Robert Hardaway to explain his research behind the serious problems he sees with the Democrats' Electoral College-killing and generally messy House Bill 1299. You can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]
Colorado Government Transparency Facing a Crucial Crossroads
Everybody's talking about "transparency" as the buzzword at the Colorado state legislature this year: even the Sterling Journal-Advocate has taken notice. I've spent plenty of time talking about what happened to Senate Bill 57 and school district transparency. But there's also the promise of greater transparency in House Bill 1288's proposal for a state government spending database, and the threat to transparency in House Bill 1293's sick person tax. My Independence Institute colleague Amy Oliver joined me to discuss these different proposals at the State Capitol on a 9-minute iVoices podcast: The last month of the current legislative session will be a crucial time to see whether Colorado - with the Democrats in charge - will … [Read more...]
House Education Committee Democrats Killed Spending Transparency… Fast
One of my favorite aphorisms about Colorado politics is that the House Education Committee is where good education reform goes to die. Case in point is Senate Bill 57, the school spending transparency legislation that committee Democrats shot down after hearing more than 30 citizens and activists who volunteered to come down and testify for the bill. Thanks to a Face The State mini-investigation, we learn today it was even worse than that:Also known as Senate Bill 57, the bill was postponed indefinitely after four hours of committee debate that lasted late into the evening. [Democrat] Speaker Terrance Carroll and [Republican] House Minority Leader Mike May arrived to work the next morning ready to revive it. But they were too … [Read more...]
Hundreds of Iowa Taxpayers Kicked Out of Capitol: Is Colorado Watching?
Update: Here is a better link to Tax Day Tea Party information for all of Colorado. (H/T to Amy Oliver for this story) "Hundreds of Iowans" showed up at the State Capitol in Des Moines to protest a tax on a tax, and ended up getting forcibly ejected by the House Speaker. I've heard of "Iowa stubborn", but not "Iowa rowdy". Not exactly Howard Beale - but a pretty amazing display of organized populist outrage nonetheless. Maybe Colorado pro-liberty grassroots organizers could find something to learn from Iowans for Tax Relief. If you're a Colorado taxpayer not used to these sorts of things but are interested in getting involved, the Denver Tax Day Tea Party on April 15 is a good place to start. … [Read more...]
Counting Down
Only 33 days until the Colorado General Assembly adjourns. That's 33 more days to hold onto your wallets. Hang in there with me. … [Read more...]
What Kind of Online State Spending Database Will Colorado Get?
Update, 4/4: The editors of the Denver Post agree with my commonsense observation, saying "We would prefer to see Ritter's project hew more to the kind of details espoused in the legislative proposal." What kind of online state spending database are Coloradans going to get if they are going to hope to keep an eye on state government and help find cost efficiencies to save us all money? This is the question of the hour, after Governor Bill Ritter's weak executive order came out yesterday. We're also learning that the Governor is working to kill bipartisan House Bill 1288, which would provide the real detail that is lacking from his watered-down order. The highly impressive new State Representative B.J. Nikkel is the sponsor of HB … [Read more...]
Strange But True: Bernie Buescher Lectures Protesters on “Good Policy”
Update, 4/6: A Rocky Mountain Right diarist from Ouray isn't too happy with the Governor's cancellation. What a bummer when you show up to protest someone, and they aren't able to make it in person. Such apparently was the case this weekend in Grand Junction, when inclement weather prevented Governor Bill Ritter from being welcomed by more than 50 Coloradans "totally disgusted" about the negative impacts of his various tax policies and newly-approved oil and gas rules. The interesting tidbit came from local news station KJCT, which reported that Secretary of State (and Western Slope native) Bernie Buescher showed up to take the slings and arrows in Ritter's place:He says the Governor recognizes this is a difficult time and it's time … [Read more...]
RMA Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 8:30: State Treasurer Candidate J.J. Ament
Tune in tonight at 8:30 PM local Mountain time for the 21st edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio, go check it out. Our confirmed guest for this week is J.J. Ament, to discuss a potential run for state treasurer. We also may have someone else to discuss goings-on at the State Capitol. And perhaps there will be time to check returns from today's heated Fort Collins city council election. You can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 57
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- …
- 228
- Next Page »