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Home Archives for compromise

3/9/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Mark Hillman Elaborates on Democrat Shell Game at Colorado State Capitol

Yes, I pointed out to you the Democrat shell game (with your tax dollars, transportation projects, and social welfare spending) taking place at the State Capitol. But leave it to Mark Hillman to explain it more eloquently, and with greater depth and context. Here's the key section:If it sounds like Democrats are talking out of both sides of their mouths, it’s because they are - at least, so far. One day, they say our roads and bridges are unsafe and demand more money from Colorado drivers. The next day, they take a hatchet to transportation funding. Any sane person can be excused for wondering what they’re drinking or smoking at the state capitol. Sadly this is nothing new. Dating back to former Gov. Roy Romer, Democrats’ … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, PPC, transportation Tagged With: Backbone America, Bill Owens, compromise, Democrats, fast and loose, general fund, golden dome, higher taxes, Mark Hillman, Monday, monopoly, one-party rule, Roy Romer, shell game, similar agreement, social welfare, State Capitol, tactic, tax dollars, taxpayer, transportation

3/3/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrats’ Anti-Taxpayer Shell Game Demands a Principled “Party of No”

The other half of Colorado Democrats' shell game rolled through the state senate last night - with one of the longest debates on a state legislative bill in recent memory. Senate Bill 228 would repeal the state general fund's 6 percent spending limit and allow additional funds to be diverted from transportation to pet government programs (now mainly supported by Democrats). It's the latest in a series of actions by Governor Bill Ritter to raise taxes and grow government without asking the people of Colorado first. So much for confidence in his own agenda. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC, transportation Tagged With: amendments, ask first, Barack Obama, Bill Ritter, children's future, Colorado Democrats, compromise, confidence, debate, debates, Democrats, diverting funds, economy, expense, funding stream, general fund, government expansion, government programs, Governor, grow government, Harry Reid, hog wild, ill, Lefty bloggers, legislative bill, longest, Nancy Pelosi, party of No, programs, raise taxes, repeal, Senate Bill 228, shell game, solve, spending limit, State Capitol, state constitution, state senate, transportation, unfettered, vision, welfare state

2/13/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

The “Stimulus” Bill is Even Worse? Now is the Time to Speak Up Loud & Clear

Even the Congressional Budget Office recognizes that any small positive effect of the stimulus bill would be erased by long-term economic stagnation and debt. And that was the previous version of the legislation. As Joshua points out from the Wall Street Journal, the "compromise" version the House votes on today is even worse:The latest version of the economic-stimulus package is expected to provide less near-term support for the economy and make it less likely that the economy will pull itself out of recession before late this year. Meanwhile, Karen Hanretty (via Jon Henke) explains why Barack Obama and the Democrats are trying to speed this disaster through:President Obama is in a race against time. Because you don’t build … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Barac Obama, behemoth, citizens, compromise, conference committee, Congressional Budget Office, Congressman, contact, debt, disaster, economic stagnation, Ed Perlmutter, erased, House, Jon Henke, Joshua Sharf, Karen Hanretty, legislation, long-term, lose support, message, No Stimulus, office, online, petition, pledge, positive effect, previous version, race against time, recession, sausage, serving, stimulus bill, sunshine period, Transparency, votes, Wall Street Journal

2/10/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Outrage: Senate Stimulus Costlier

While many now are justifiably irate about Senators Arlen Specter and Susan Collins for their politically and economically destructive behavior, and President Obama sets up strawmen to make the case for Democrats' massive spending spree, it's important to remember that the so-called compromise Senate version of the so-called "stimulus" bill is actually more costly than the version that united Republican opposition in the House. Outrageous ... No Stimulus. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Arlen Specter, Barack Obama, behavior, compromise, Democrats, destructive, economically, grumbling, House, irate, justifiably, massive, more costly, outrageous, politically, President, Republican opposition, senator, so-called, spending spree, stimulus bill, strawmen, Susan Collins

2/5/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Democrats Working Hard to Become the Party of Toll Roads

Update, 8:50 PM: 19 Democrats voted for the taxes and tolls in the transportation bill. Lefties are in turmoil, with some angry that the Dems are responsible for passing a regressive tax. Yesterday I asked if Colorado Democrats would try to overreach in sticking taxpayers for state transportation costs. It didn't take long to see where the ruling party at the State Capitol stands. In a bizarre about-face, the Democrats decided to toss bipartisan compromise out the window to push a provision that would allow tolling on some of Colorado's busiest highways:Republicans and a handful of Democrats first voted to remove provisions allowing local authorities to toll existing roads. After a break in the debate, the bill sponsor and Democratic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, PPC, transportation Tagged With: about-face, bill sponsor, bipartisan, busiest highways, Colorado, compromise, costs, deal breaker, debate, Democrats, Grand Junction, introduced, Josh Penry, local authorities, overreach, Party, party-line vote, provision, push, Republicans, Senate Bill 108, senate minority leader, State Capitol, strategic decision, taxpayers, toll roads, tolling, transportation

10/2/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Ted Trimpa: Extortion Negotiator, Gill Adviser, “Educate the Idiots” Insider

Denver attorney Ted Trimpa is being touted as the great mediator, the great savior, in negotiating a compromise between business and labor to remove four anti-business initiatives from the ballot. Who's doing the touting? Why, the liberal Dead Governors blog, of course:For those of you who don't know about Hogan and Hartson's Ted Trimpa, well, you should. He's the one who brought this pact, the most unlikely partnership since Referendum C, together, helping reinforce his growing waterwalker mystique. It's also true that labor wasn't really looking forward to taking the blame for the potentially serious unintended consequences of a couple of these proposals. The infusion of cash to fight the anti-labor initiatives will help, as will the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: "Educate the Idiots", 527 Coordinating Operatives, Amendment 47, Amendment 49, Amendment 53, Amendment 54, Amendment 55, Amendment 56, Amendment 57, Andrew Romanoff, anti-business initiatives, attorney, business, Cole Finegan, Colorado Democracy Alliance, ColoradoPols, compromise, Dead Governors, Denver, Denver Post, disinterested party, economy-busting, glib, Hogan & Hartson, Hogan and Hartson, inner workings, Labor, labor leader, liberal billionaire, lies, mediator, partnership, political advisor, praises, progressive, Referendum C, Rutt Bridges, strategy group, Ted Trimpa, Tim Gill, union power, waterwalker

9/22/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter, Labor Leaders Prepare to Subject Coloradans’ Votes to Blackmail

With the aid of Governor Bill Ritter, the labor leaders behind Protect Colorado's Culture of Corruption Future - the group with a rap sheet of deception, hypocrisy, and avoidance of public debates - are preparing to practice extortion, subjecting the votes of the people of Colorado to blackmail:Business and labor leaders planned to meet Tuesday night to discuss a compromise in which four contentious union-backed measures would be pulled from the state's November ballot, according to sources. Labor, in return, would receive financial support from businesses to fight a union-restricting measure. It's the last sentence that is key. What labor leaders are doing goes beyond the simple give-and-take of negotiation. They are demanding money … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 49, audio, bad principle, Bill Owens, Bill Ritter, blackmail, business leaders, Colorado, compromise, deception, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, economy-busting initiatives, Ethical Standards Now, extortion, forced extraction, hypocrisy, Independence Institute, Jon Caldara, KOA, labor leaders, negotiation, political money, private sector, Protect Colorado's Future, public debates, rap sheet, underhanded activities, votes

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About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

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