I quickly hoorayed last week when Governor Bill Ritter announced his full backing for putting the state's checkbook online. But a follow-up report from Face The State seemed to suggest the process could take a long time:“Putting the budget online will be different because there is too much to put it all,†[state representative Don] Marostica said, adding that legislative staff is working on ways to publish a “simplified†version. While Kennedy was hesitant to commit to a timeline, Marostica said the process could take three years. But - as explained in this iVoices podcast with Sandra Fabry of Americans for Tax Reform - the fact is the federal government has already pioneered this work, along with several other states, and all … [Read more...]
Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio with Mike Kopp Tonight at 8:30
Please note the new time! Blog Talk Radio show expands to 90 minutes of lively and hard-hitting looks at Colorado politics and the world around us... Tune in at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the ninth edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. Tonight's guest is state senator Mike Kopp, Littleton Republican and senate minority caucus chair. The legislative session is just beginning to pick up steam this week, and Senator Kopp will talk about the GOP agenda starting at 9:30 PM. The show's new, 90-minute format opens the door for a second guest (as yet unannounced) at 8:45. Hosts for this evening are Joshua, El Presidente, and Night Twister. Since they were all at the pro-Israel rally downtown Sunday, I'm sure … [Read more...]
Less than Independent Michael Bennet Invites Fresh, Articulate GOP Opponent
In his Rocky Mountain News column today, Vince Carroll points out that Bill Ritter's new U.S. Senate designate Michael Bennet hasn't shown much in the way of original, independent thought thus far:I've listened to Bennet speak about education issues often enough to appreciate his intelligence and what I sense is an independent mind. And I really didn't expect to see evidence of the latter in these early days. But if he's going to make a case across Colorado for his election in 2010, he'll have to prove he's his own man. And what better way to achieve this than for him to trample on a few of his own party's shibboleths? Once he's been safely sworn in, of course. Looking ahead, Colorado Republicans in 2010 need to rally around a fresh, … [Read more...]
Bon Voyage: Kathleen Parker Set Adrift from All Conservative Moorings?
I have had to defend my critical assessment of a Kathleen Parker post-election column sloppily aimed with disdain at social conservatives. Within that debate, even I have been inclined to see what she wrote as part of an internal squabble within the larger conservative Republican movement. But if Parker's most recent writing is any indication, it would seem she has no real conservative moorings on fiscal issues, either. You simply have to read it all, as no excerpt sufficiently captures the overtones wrapped insider her ambivalent - and sometimes confused - rhetoric. I agree with Michael: Many messengers of the conservative movement are stuck on old themes, when a newly-crafted message is what's needed. However, as Kathleen Parker … [Read more...]
Needed Today: Rossputin’s Explanation of the New Deal’s Ill Economic Effects
Some cliches are just that because they pack so much truth, they become a frequent, handy reference. One of my favorites (originally attributed to conservative thinker George Santayana) is: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I can't think of anything more relevant to our current national political debate than this thoughtful and well-documented essay posted by Ross Kaminsky at Politics West: "The New Deal was a raw deal for the American economy". These days, the point can't be hammered home enough. As of yet, I've seen little signs that any significant number of our leaders in Washington - many Republicans and nearly all Democrats - have paid attention to this historical lesson. The ramifications may be … [Read more...]
Face The State: Bill Ritter Dissed Emails from Ken Gordon for SOS Fan Club
This morning's must-read for Colorado political junkies ... Face The State digs beneath the public relations stunt that was Gov. Bill Ritter's public feedback email address to help him determine who should be the next Secretary of State:The responses were overwhelmingly in support of [former state senator Ken] Gordon, who received 1,815 votes on a ProgressNow informal online poll. [Former House Speaker Andrew] Romanoff came in second with 632 votes,while [now-Secretary of State Bernie] Buescher trailed with 173 votes. Of the nearly 100 e-mails made public by Ritter's administration (constituents must specifically waive their right to confidential communication), nearly 90 percent favored Gordon. Not that popularity is the best … [Read more...]
Random Thought on New Broncos Coach: Being 32 and Looking 25
So it's 32-year-old New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. I relate perfectly to this observation:"If he were going to get the job, I would say without exception the players would be surprised when he walks through the door," former Patriots tight end Kyle Brady said in a Denver Post interview last week. "Their first thought will be, 'Who is this kid?' Because even for a 32-year-old, he looks 25. Yep. Pretty much perfectly. It goes without saying that McDaniels will be a better NFL head coach than I would be. The real question is how well he will do in the great Mike Shanahan's shadow? An interesting storyline for 2009. … [Read more...]
If Michael Bennet Alienates Hispanics, What Should GOP Take Away?
The former career .230 American League hitter who runs in Denver's liberal circles shares an interesting observation about Governor Bill Ritter's newly-appointed Senator:I've now heard the same concern raised about Michael Bennet by three different Denver political insiders. Namely, can he win the support of Hispanics in Denver? I'd say the growing conventional wisdom amongst some Bennet pessimists is that he stands little chance of wooing the Latino vote after his tenure at DPS. Not sure how much stock to put in this assessment. But if Republicans are paying attention and see an opportunity to win some more Hispanic votes (and ultimately a U.S. Senate seat) in 2010, Tom Tancredo most likely isn't the guy to carry the party banner. The … [Read more...]
Introducing Senator Kevin Lundberg
It's official. Colorado's newest state senator is Kevin Lundberg. A press release from the senate minority office earlier this afternoon confirmed the story:Larimer County Republican House Representative Kevin Lundberg has been appointed as the newest Larimer County State Senator. Lundberg was appointed after an election by the Senate District 15 vacancy committee. “I was greatly encouraged to have support from such a large majority of the committee. I intend to continue to represent Larimer County in the Senate as I did in the House,†Lundberg said. “We have a tough job ahead of us, and I can’t wait to get started working on solutions that help Coloradans during these tough economic times.†Lundberg will fill the seat … [Read more...]
Congressional Democrats’ Cigarette Tax Hike Could Cost Colorado $24 Million
Too many real policy debates these days get clouded behind the rhetoric of "it's for the children". Sometimes they are also hidden behind a cloud of smoke. Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress are making a top priority out of reauthorizing the SCHIP program - you know, ostensibly government-mandated health insurance for kids too rich for Medicare but unable to afford decent private coverage. Like most government programs, SCHIP isn't all it's cracked up to be. The Independence Institute's Linda Gorman has one good critique of the program. A popular component of the Democrats' current proposal soon to be before Congress is a 61-cent increase in the excise tax on cigarettes, to raise funds and enrollment in SCHIP. Is it a good … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 74
- 75
- 76
- 77
- 78
- …
- 228
- Next Page »