Gloomy about the Obama administration's intervention halting economic recovery and pushing the markets down so we can party like it's 1997? Then I have just the cure. Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the 15th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio, with two very interesting guests. First is Evan Coyne-Maloney, creator of the film Indoctrinate U, which exposes and challenges political correctness run amok on our nation's college campuses. His on-air discuss with the RMA crew comes two days before the movie's showing at Liberty on Film Thursday evening in Denver's LoDo. With proposals to further socialize health care looming at the State Capitol, the second guest is the Fraser Institute's … [Read more...]
Come Roast a Pig – and the Porkulus Bill – Tomorrow at the State Capitol
You don't want to miss this! From a note just sent out by the Independence Institute's Jon Caldara:President Obama is flying his corporate jet to Denver to sign a bill putting my children into debt. I want to give him a proper mile high welcome. The Independence Institute, along with Americans for Prosperity and other groups promoting sanity, are organizing a protest tomorrow, Tuesday, at noon at the west steps of the state capitol, and I hope you'll be there. We'll have over-sized checks you can sign to show your family's $30,000 commitment to the bill. I'll be joined by Michelle Malkin, Mike Coffman, Bob Beauprez, Jim Pfaff from AFP and many others. I'm not usually one for public protests, because like so many on our side, I have a day … [Read more...]
Legislation to Shine Light on Colorado School Spending Still Alive and Kicking
Good news heading into the weekend: School district financial transparency is still alive at the Colorado State Capitol. Also, the Denver Post's Jessica Fender highlighted my recent Independence Institute report (PDF) in an article on the topic today. The fight led by citizens and state senator Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, for Senate Bill 57 (PDF) and shining the light on school spending resumes Monday. From the Greeley Tribune:“I anticipate it will be a very close vote — one vote either way — to take it back to mandatory,†said Harvey, before continuing later, “I am encouraged by the conversations I’ve been having with the senators.†Keep your chin up, and don't forget to remind your taxpayer-supported … [Read more...]
Residents in Wake of Latest RTD Expansion, See Property Rights Project
Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) says it needs to condemn 56 properties in northeast Denver for light-rail expansion. Maybe we can hope RTD has learned some lessons from arousing the ire of property owners on the west side of Denver. The stories of Daniel Gallegos, Kim Snyder, Galen Foster, and others should be instructive. But don't hold your breath. Residents who may be affected by RTD's latest expansion should empower themselves by checking out the resources provided by the Independence Institute's Property Rights Project. … [Read more...]
In Denver Area? Come to Feb 3 Event on Worst U.S. Supreme Court Rulings
Interested in a lively and informative presentation and discussion of some of the worst U.S. Supreme Court decisions in our history, and ideas for the federal judiciary to get back on a more Constitutional path? Are you still looking for something to do this Tuesday evening (February 3) and live in the Denver area? Well, here's an event for you. Institute for Justice president William "Chip" Mellor, one of the co-authors of the new book The Dirty Dozen: How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom will be speaking at the Independence Institute (directions here). Tomorrow evening's event starts with a 5:30 reception, followed by the program at 6:00. Go here to RSVP. I hope to see you there. … [Read more...]
Financial Transparency Makes Public Education a More “Public” Enterprise
The Colorado state legislature has been a place of little significant action lately. But one bill first scheduled to be heard in committee this week is Senate Bill 57 (PDF), which would open up the spending of school districts and other local education agencies in an online searchable database. Read about the advantages of this sort of policy change in my new Independence Institute op-ed:Colorado has a tremendous opportunity to lead the way in making public education a more truly public enterprise. School officials should place detailed and useful spending information where citizens can access it freely: the Internet. Such a simple and highly cost-effective approach promotes public accountability and transparency. Public schools … [Read more...]
“Consider Yourself” Ready to Refute Inflated Colorado Child Poverty Claim
Oftentimes big, misleading headlines can circumnavigate the globe many times over before the much more nuanced truth gets a chance to catch up. Well, here's a terrific case in point that figures to pop up in Colorado policy debates. Last June the Colorado Children's Campaign released its annual Kids Count report. Latching on to that report, newspapers from the Denver Post to the New York Times climbed on board the claim that Colorado leads the nation with a 73 percent rise in child poverty from 2000 to 2006. In case you were confused, and wondered why you weren't seeing scenes like this one in and around our great state, the Independence Institute's Linda Gorman cleared up the picture a bit for you in last Friday's Denver Daily … [Read more...]
Rocky Mtn Alliance Blog Talk Radio at 8:30 PM: Todd Shepherd, Mark Hillman
Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the 10th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio, the third of 2009. Tonight's guests are my Independence Institute colleague Todd Shepherd and Republican National Committeeman and former state legislative leader Mark Hillman. Topics are likely to include the probable demise of the Rocky Mountain News, the local media scene, the inauguration, the contest for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, the unfolding state legislative session, and more. 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 sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. More … [Read more...]
iVoices: What the $632 Million in State Budget Cuts Actually Represents
More than once I've discussed the $632 million or so in state budget cuts being proposed in these rough economic times. But it's important to note what this figure represents (the drop-off from projected spending) and what it does not (the amount of actual reduction in spending from the previous year). On this iVoices podcast, the Independence Institute's Penn Pfiffner explains with host Jon Caldara: … [Read more...]
Congrats to D’Evelyn JH/HS
Via the Rocky Mountain News, Jefferson County's own D'Evelyn Junior High-High School received another well-earned recognition yesterday as Business Week and GreatSchools.Net teamed up to name D'Evelyn the top-performing school in Colorado:D'Evelyn is a Jeffco public school started by a group of parents in 1994. It accepts students from across the district starting in grade seven and runs through grade 12. It emphasizes structured academics and strict discipline. The school's test scores are among the best in Colorado, and the remediation rates of its graduates attending state colleges and universities are among the lowest. D'Evelyn - named for the late Independence Institute co-founder David D'Evelyn - is a school with which I have … [Read more...]
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