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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...]

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Montana GOP Nominates Socialist Octogenarian to Run for U.S. Senate

It sounds like Republican Party ideals are not exactly in their heyday in Montana (H/T Volokh Conspiracy):Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bob Kelleher wants a “nonviolent revolution” to overthrow the foundation of American government. He favors enormous, FDR-style government work programs to reduce poverty; he wants to nationalize the American oil and gas industries and supports government-run, socialized medicine. He has little nice to say about President Bush or former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot. Political scientists and the head of the Montana Republican Party say Kelleher, 85, isn’t really a Republican, at all. And yet, two days ago, Kelleher beat five other, mostly conservative to mainstream GOP candidates to become the … [Read more...]

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Ed is Watching

Why the cryptic title: Ed is Watching? It's the name of a new blog I've started contributing to as part of the Independence Institute's Education Policy Center. If you go there now, you'll already find posts up on charter schools, on Flunked: The Movie's Colorado debut, and on a new major school choice law in Georgia. From Jon Caldara's blog:Ed’s job is to keep an eye on, “… legislators, state officials, school boards, administrators, principals, teachers, and other people and groups that have an influence on public education in this great state.” So to get your daily education fix, check in with Ed and see what he has to say. Please stop by the site, bookmark it for regular visits, and tell all your friends! … [Read more...]

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Ethiopian Journalist Tells Story of His Persecution and Flight to U.S.

A month ago I made a very unique friend in Habtamu Dugo, the persecuted Ethiopian journalist who had just fled to the United States from the repressive regime in his homeland. Today, the Independence Institute has released a 5-minute video in which Habtamu tells his compelling story. More on the video at Jon Caldara's blog. … [Read more...]

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Barack Obama Campaign Meets Gordon Lightfoot (& Leo DiCaprio)

John Mark Reynolds (H/T Hugh Hewitt) has penned a clever parody of a classic ballad - here's an excerpt (you'll have to imagine your own guitar vocals, or if you're ambitious enough, record an MP3 in hopes of getting on Hewitt's program):Does any one know where the love of Gen Y goes When the press turns the minutes to hours? The pundits all say they’d have made Chesapeake Bay If they’d put Reverend Wright far behind him. They might have split up and so not have capsized; Instead he pressed on and took water. And all that remains is the faces and the names On the Internet lists he was compiling. As a son of Michigan, I know the original Gordon Lightfoot song well, respecting its peculiar and unforgettable blend of the … [Read more...]

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Denver Post Exclusive: My Commentary on Big Labor in State Government

The Denver Post has put up my exclusive commentary on Gov. Bill Ritter's November executive order, which may soon end up unionizing two-thirds of state government. Here's a taste:Thanks to Gov. Bill Ritter's gold-plated invitation, union leaders are on the verge of taking a major role in state government. Taxpayers and dissenting workers should pay attention. Under the terms of Ritter's November 2 executive order, 30 percent of the affected workers in an occupational group have to express formal interest in a union "partnership" election. The Colorado WINS union coalition that formed four days after the order has collected enough signatures to hold five separate elections that could make it the "exclusive representative" of more than … [Read more...]

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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...]

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Come See Flunked: The Movie’s Colorado Debut Next Wednesday

Flunked: The Movie - an Evergreen Freedom Foundation (EFF) production - comes to Colorado next Wednesday, May 21. The Independence Institute (where I work) is sponsoring the showing of this spectacular 47-minute film about the success stories that should inspire transformational change in our nation's education system. The film, narrated by Joe Mantegna, is more engaging and entertaining than your average documentary. Here's a preview: Also, you can listen to this iVoices podcast recorded today with EFF's Steve Maggi to learn more about the film. And go here to find out how to sign up for the May 21 event. … [Read more...]