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Home Archives for Face the State

4/25/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrat Leader Ken Gordon Let Off Hook for Anti-Vietnam Vet Slur

When it comes to making over-the-top comments in the Colorado state legislature, Face The State reports that Doug Bruce is in good company these days:On the Senate floor Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon, D-Denver, outraged fellow lawmakers by using a debate over a joint resolution in support of Armenian Genocide Day of Remembrance to launch a political attack. Gordon specifically suggested that American soldiers calling Vietnamese citizens "gooks" during the Vietnam War was akin to the dehumanizing tactics (MP3) used by those guilty of the genocide of American Indians or jews [sic] in World War II. But there are four key differences between the Doug Bruce and Ken Gordon incidents from what I see: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, World Events Tagged With: Doug Bruce, Face the State, John Ingold, Ken Gordon, Mike Kopp, Rocky Mountain News, Shawn Mitchell, Steve Ward, Vietnam

4/21/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Sharing Samsphere Link Love

Promoted with more updates: El Presidente has posted some key video excerpts, and (under imaginary threat of compulsion) here is a post written by one of Jon Caldara's minions. Follow-ups on Samsphere Denver: - Brad Jones' Buzz at Face The State - Bob Agard - Randy Ketner, Night Twister If you were at Samsphere Denver and posted on the topic, but I overlooked you, please drop an email or a comment with a link to your post, and I'll put it up. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life Tagged With: Bob Agard, Face the State, Jon Caldara, Night Twister, Samsphere Denver, Slapstick Politics

4/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Tiger for the Taxpayer” Mark Hillman Rebuts Cowardly Whisper Campaign

One of Colorado's brightest, most respected conservative leaders - Mark Hillman - is running to represent the state party as Republican National Committeeman. He is running against state senator Dave Schultheis, a rock-ribbed conservative from Colorado Springs. How disappointed I was to see an anonymous online writer quoting unidentified sources to spread misinformation about Mark Hillman's fiscal conservative bona fides vis a vis Referendum C. I am only left to wonder where exactly the cowardly attacks are coming from. Face The State highlighted the absurd flap today, giving Hillman an opportunity to recite his record of opposition to Ref C:As far as the suggestion that Hillman was not aggressive enough in opposing Referendum C, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Dave Schultheis, Face the State, John Andrews, Mark Hillman, Referendum C, Republican National Committeeman

4/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Union-Only Sign in Denver Raises Legal Questions, Political Stakes

Face The State features a story today about a Denver construction site that has posted a sign restricting work to union membership:A sign at a downtown Denver construction site warns, "If you are not currently an active member of a building trades local union, you are NOT allowed to work on this site." Picture by Steve Brown - Posted at Face The State This story prompts a reaction from two different angles. First, from the legal technical policy wonk side.... Under existing federal law that dates back to the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, private sector "closed shops" are illegal. Simply put, a "closed shop" requires workers to be union members when they're hired. That seems to be the message of the sign, which would make it patently … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: agency shops, closed shops, construction site, Democratic National Convention, Face the State, right-to-work initiative, Taft-Hartley Act, union shops

4/15/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Affirmative Action for Complaints Against Colorado Civil Rights Initiative?

Face The State is onto another big story, uncovering facts about complaints filed against the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative - which recently qualified for the November statewide ballot. Face The State's report has uncovered serious issues with two of the major complaints, issues neglected in the drive-by media coverage. Here's the first:On February 26, Chloe Johnson filed a complaint with Secretary of State Mike Coffman's office alleging that she was tricked into supporting Amendment 46, also known as the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, a ballot effort designed to end race and gender preferences in government hiring, education, and contracting. The complaint was formally dismissed by the state's Office of Administrative Courts … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, General Tagged With: affirmative action, Amendment 46, Chloe Johnson, Colorado Civil Rights initiative, Dara Burwell, Face the State, Secretary of State Mike Coffman

3/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Union Bosses Act Like State Property Owners Under Ritter’s Order

Face the State has the skinny on "Colorado WINS" union bosses acting like they own state government property:An executive order, signed by Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, last November, empowered unions to serve as “exclusive representatives” of state employees for the purposes of forming “employee partnerships.” Days after the order, a coalition of three major unions – CAPE-SEIU, AFSCME, and the American Federation of Teachers – announced a cooperative agreement to organize state workers under the name "Colorado WINS." After hearing from state employees that Colorado WINS is aggressively trying to organize an election, Face The State attempted to attend an on-site meeting between the union and state employees. Face The State … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Colorado WINS, Executive Order, Face the State, Gov. Bill Ritter, union organizing

3/24/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Colorado Confidential Accuses U.S. Military Personnel of “Murder”?

Today Colorado Confidential published a story by Kate Bernuth about a controversy developing at a small private Denver school. It starts as a typical foray into agenda journalism for the heavily Left-leaning site:At a tiny international school in southeast Denver, a conflict is playing out that reflects, in a microcosm, the wider divisions in American society as the nation enters the sixth year of a bloody, unpopular war. A display of photographs and a statement by the Iranian artist in the halls of Colorado International School has caused a dust-up between administrators and an outraged parent who accuses the school of spreading "anti-American propaganda." Every month at this language-immersion school of 44 students, most of whom are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, World Events Tagged With: Colorado Confidential, Colorado International School, Face the State, Farhad Vakili Tabar, Iraq War, Jason Salzman, moral equivalence, Rocky Mountain News

2/15/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Getting the Whole Story Behind Ritter’s Climate Action Plan

The story behind Gov. Ritter's Climate Action Plan? A Face the State report today says there's more than meets the eye. Here's the heart of it:[Climate Strategies Watch director Paul] Chesser said his research has shown that a CCS-created template ends up pushing the same costly policy agenda in most or all the different states in which it has operated. Its prescriptions regularly include carbon taxes, cap-and-trade regulations, and renewable energy mandates.“The whole stakeholder process has been granted a credibility that it does not deserve,” he said. “It’s a fixed process created, controlled, and run by CCS, and funded by global warming alarmist advocates, which calls everything it does into question.” In addition to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Center for Climate Strategies, Climate Action Plan, Climate Strategies Watch, Eco-Orthodoxy, Face the State, Gov. Bill Ritter, MSM, Paul Chesser

2/11/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Date Set for Tax Hike Suit Showdown

Face the State has the latest on the court case requesting a vote of the people on Gov. Bill Ritter's statewide property tax increase:The State Board of Education, claiming that CDE is the wrong agency to be targeted, has asked the court to be removed as a defendant. Meanwhile, Ritter has sought to intervene as defendant. A Denver District Court hearing has been set for May 5. State Board of Education member Bob Schaffer, R-Fort Collins, believes Ritter has a lot at stake in the courts’ pending decision, having approved a property tax hike over the objections of the state’s attorney general. “He has a clear interest in proving the attorney general wrong,” said Schaffer. “While the massive tax increase bill was passing, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General Tagged With: Bob Schaffer, Colorado Board of Education, Colorado Supreme Court, Face the State, Gov. Bill Ritter, Janet Rowland, Mesa County, Property Tax Increase

1/17/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Merrifield Returns to Chair, Dems Still Reel in Union Cash

Over at the new Face the State is a story about the ascension of State Rep. Mike Merrifield back to the chair of the House Education Committee, after last year's controversy and resignation:Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, quietly resumed his post at the helm of the House Education Committee on Monday more than nine months after his resignation over a well-publicized email that condemned school choice supporters to a “special place in hell.” Of course, if you've been reading Denise at Colorado Charters or Mr. Bob at The Daily Blogster, you would already be aware of this un-parent-friendly political event in our fair state. More from Face the State:Political consultant Katy Atkinson, a consultant to moderate and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General Tagged With: "special place" email, charter schools, Face the State, Judy Solano, Mike Merrifield, teachers union

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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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