Repeating himself at the Dead Governors site and at the Denver Post blog, Lefty political hit man David Sirota plies his latest act of deception with the headline: "Business to CO GOP: 'Where's The Evidence' To Back Up Attacks On Ritter?" Sirota links to a Denver Business Journal piece titled "Mixed reaction to union order" to make his point. The problem? First, Sirota willfully ignores the obvious split in the business community between the self-interested and conflict-averse Chamber of Commerce sector and the more entrepreneurial, independent-minded small business sector. Sirota cherry-picks the apathetic responses of the former (you can read his posts for the excerpts) and disregards the strong anger from the latter: One of the … [Read more...]
Search Results for: Ritter union executive order
On a Transparency Kick
In case you care to read them, below are my two latest published pieces for your perusal, and they strike a common theme: transparency in government. On Nov. 24, the Rocky Mountain News published (printed in the Sunday Denver Post, of all places) my Speakout submission in response to Gov. Ritter's unionization executive order. This Sunday, the Pueblo Chieftain published my op-ed calling for greater online transparency of school district budgets. Want to figure out as a taxpayer just how much your local schools are spending on different items? Think it's easy? Hence, the purpose of the op-ed. So yes, I've been writing on a transparency in government kick lately. It's an important issue more people on both sides of the aisle might … [Read more...]
Rocky Mtn News: Thumbs Up to Ask First and Good Government
For your edification, in case you missed it, a great lead editorial from the Rocky today: Somewhat surprisingly, "paycheck protection" is back. And it's encouraging to see that even with a union-friendly governor and a Democratic legislature, this time the campaign could have lasting consequences. Attempts to end the automatic deduction of union dues from paychecks without the prior consent of individual employees have generally gone nowhere. Legislation has failed. So have proposed ballot initiatives. The only paycheck protection measure that had any impact on automatic dues deductions - a 2001 executive order from Gov. Bill Owens that covered state employees - was rescinded by Gov. Bill Ritter this year. The latest foray, however, … [Read more...]
Intra-Party Fights for Colorado Democrats Heat Up
The Democrat Party's intramural squabbles are intensifying, and Colorado is ground zero for the shakedown. The Denver Post reports this morning that the Teamsters' James Hoffa, Jr., confronted Governor Bill Ritter yesterday with the threat that the party's convention scheduled for Denver next year could "blow up" if Ritter doesn't kowtow to the Big Labor agenda. Still a bit angry about the governor's veto of House Bill 1072, don't you think? The response from Ritter's office? The governor has said he made the decision in order to advance a broader agenda. He declined an interview Monday on his encounter with Hoffa. But his staff pointed to Ritter's recent restoration of a voluntary payroll deduction for state workers that … [Read more...]
Mount Virtus On National (Internet) Airwaves
Readers who want to hear me share developments in Colorado labor policy and politics with a national audience, please tune in to Rightalk.com on Wednesday, May 16, 2:45-3:00 PM Eastern (12:45-1:00 PM Local). House Bill 1072, the Labor Peace Act, the coming Democratic Convention, Ritter's executive order and other favors to union leaders are all fair game. … [Read more...]
What You Need to Know about Colorado Dems
Some brief Monday morning thoughts: Colorado Democrats are under a lot of pressure and influence from the aging dinosaur of organized labor, which despite its "pro-worker" rhetoric, champions some legislation bound to have an adverse effect on working families. Working families who shop at - or even work at - say, Wal Mart. Did they take a poll of the giant retailer's employees before deciding to support a measure that would mandate a certain percentage of payroll on health care benefits? This is horrible legislation that would primarily benefit the union bosses and their organizing buddies, and could hurt the many student and second-income employees who already are covered by someone else's health insurance and choose to work at Wal … [Read more...]
Colorado Ballot 2008
There is a long list of statewide ballot initiatives facing Colorado voters in 2008. Here are my thoughts and insights on each of the measures. Here's who I am if you want to know where I'm coming from. Two of my primary sources for information on the ballot measures are the official Colorado blue book produced by the state legislative staff and Ballotpedia. Another reference that will lead you to the web pages of supporters' and opponents' campaigns - wherever available - is the Independence Institute's Issues 08 page. Here are links to ballot guides from others whose opinions and insights I respect, though we don't completely agree (I will keep updating this list as I see more guides posted): John Andrews, Backbone America Mike … [Read more...]
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