Senate Bill 57, the school financial transparency bill, has defied anyone's expectation and made it through one-half of the legislature. From the senate, it's now on to the house. Apparently, but not too surprisingly, the lobbyists for the education establishment are looking for a way to kill the bill without looking like they oppose transparency. The COST blog exposes the details. School districts can use low-cost technology to place expenditures and revenues online in a searchable format; that excuse has been worn thin. So I guess it's time to resort to other ineffective arguments, along with procedural tactics and other technicalities. What about the people's lobby? Will they turn out again to speak out for their right to see … [Read more...]
Michael Bennet Votes to Nix D.C. School Choice – Bidding for Union Support?
When Democrat Michael Bennet was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, I knew we would have our healthy share of policy disagreements. But not so much on education reform:Fifty-eight U.S. Senators - including Colorado’s own Michael Bennet and Mark Udall - have decided to spend billions on wasteful pork projects, but can’t spare anything to keep 1,700 students from exercising the choice to enroll in a better school. What am I talking about? Bennet voted against an amendment to save the modest D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program from funding extinction. To be fair, so did most other Democrats: except interestingly, Robert Byrd and John Warner, along with independent Joe Lieberman. Only two days ago … [Read more...]
SB 228 a Sure Way to Lower Colorado’s High Economic Freedom Ranking
Sean Paige (the American Contrarian) points readers to a recent study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University that shows Colorado ranks 3rd among the states in economic freedom. Apparently, statehouse Democrats, along with the occasional useful Republican, strongly feel Colorado ranks too high. How else do you explain Senate Bill 228? One of the leading arguments against SB 228 - including among the moderate sectors of the business community - has been the threat posed to a reliable stream of transportation funding. But a watcher makes the case that the real winning argument is simply to demonstrate the outrageous growth of government caused by repealing the 6 percent spending cap. I say: Give me both arguments. … [Read more...]
“Union in Practice” vs. “Union in Theory” Highlights Card Check Danger
Update: Face The State has more, including Colorado WINS' rude treatment of state representative Amy Stephens. As teased last night to our handful of Blog Talk Radio listeners... If I try to come up with something witty, you can leave it to Mike Antonucci of the Education Intelligence Agency to come up with something even wittier. A few days ago I brought your attention to the most recent exploits of Dave Ohmart and his Colorado Loses, a vocal minority of state employees opposed to Governor Bill Ritter's gold-plated invitation to unionize their workplaces. Apparently, Dave wasn't greeted so kindly by union organizer Ryan when he decided to tag along for last week's Colorado WINS union event at the State Capitol featuring Ritter as … [Read more...]
Will Colorado Democrats Really Line Up and Bow to Big Labor on Card-Check?
Is Colorado's Democratic Congressional delegation really going to play Pavlov's dog to Big Labor officials? News came out earlier today that Colorado Democratic Congresswoman Betsy Markey has agreed to co-sponsor - just as U.S. Senator and former Congressman Mark Udall did in the recent past - the poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) -- aka card-check. Or as my colleague and fellow blogger Amy Oliver put it: "Markey pays back labor unions". If not for the money, why else would Markey leap into action as an EFCA co-sponsor? As policy, it's terrible for business and the rights of workers. As 4th Congressional politics goes, it's equally bad - opening the door wide for a strong, credible, business-backed challenge in 2010. At … [Read more...]
RMA Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 8:30: A Look at Fort Collins, Tom Stone
Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the 16th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. In the early slot, two candidates for Fort Collins city council join us to discuss issues facing one of the best places to live in the United States, and their vision for the city's future. Later we'll talk with Tom Stone, recently announced candidate for the chairmanship of the Colorado Republican Party. We'll find out his thoughts about where the party has fallen short and lost its way, and what it will take to turn things around. Is it time for a new guard? Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, you can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my … [Read more...]
Eagle County’s Tom Stone Tosses Hat into Ring for State GOP Chairmanship
On March 21, Colorado Republicans convene to select party leadership for the next two years. Before today, it seemed the only real competition would be for party vice chair between Nathan Chambers incumbent Perry Buck [editorial correction based on updated information] and Leondray Gholston. An official announcement today from former Eagle County commissioner Tom Stone means there also will be a challenge for Dick Wadhams' position in the top spot. Here is the pledge Stone has posted on his site: … [Read more...]
Ask Colorado LOSES Why the Union Card-Check Bill is Such a Bad Idea
Do you still need more reason to understand why union bosses are so keen on taking away the secret ballot from workplace elections? On the Colorado LOSES website, state employee Dave Ohmart gives an account of his experience trying to attend the Colorado WINS union's rally / lobbying event at the State Capitol on Wednesday:Ryan Webber, a union organizer, immediately came to me and asked, “You’re not going to say anything, are you Dave? I’ll have to toss you out of here if you do.†Another security-type person came over and stood behind me. Ryan then asked, “You’re not going to write more lies about me, are you Dave?†(Don’t think I ever have!) I assured him I was not there to make a scene. Governor Ritter spoke … [Read more...]
Does God Oppose the Secret Ballot?
Hey, who knew intimidating and badgering workers was a religious virtue? Or that God opposes the secret ballot in workplace elections? Well, apparently, so say "55 Colorado faith leaders" who signed a letter and sent it to Congress on behalf of the deceptively-named Employee Free Choice Act. (Or maybe they haven't actually read the bill to see what it does.) I don't deny the Religious Left's right to petition the government. They just happen to be terribly wrong on this issue. … [Read more...]
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