The Left is salivating this weekend over Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's so-called "Troopergate" investigation. (Powerline dissects the report to show there really isn't any "there" there.) But the usually satirical Scott Ott has written a column making a rather serious and profound observation about how the narrative could be turned around:The so-called Troopergate investigation report, released Friday by a panel in Alaska, is the best thing to happen to the McCain-Palin campaign since the Arizona maverick chose the Alaskan hockey Mom as his running mate. Republicans should embrace it as a way of telling the story of why government must be reformed. It is the perfect picture of how government bureaucracies shield the incompetent and immoral … [Read more...]
Financial Transparency Moving Forward to Reform Colorado Government
A timeout during the heated election to write: If there's one issue showing true bipartisan momentum in the interest of the public good, it's financial transparency in government. Expect the issue to be up front during Colorado's 2009 legislative session. For now, you can read a Denver Post op-ed co-authored by my Independence Institute colleagues Amy Oliver and Stephanie Kubala. Check it out, and see where the transparency issue has taken hold already, and what promise it holds for Colorado. … [Read more...]
Colorado’s Amendment 49 Better Version of Idaho Clean Government Law
The latest edition of Budget & Tax News highlights an important case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court about a clean elections law from Idaho:In 2003, the Idaho Legislature passed the Voluntary Contributions Act, which banned the collection of political contributions through government payroll systems throughout the state. Nothing in the law prohibits union members from contributing to candidates by choice, and nothing in it prohibits unions from engaging in politics. Policy experts view the law favorably. Noted Ben DeGrow, an education analyst with the Independence Institute, "Governments should be focused on performing vital services for taxpayers, not on acting as a bill collector for private groups--especially groups that are … [Read more...]