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Home Archives for John Suthers

5/5/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Bob Beauprez Eyeing 2009 Fundraising for Ryan Frazier and Ken Buck?

The Hill provides a birds-eye Beltway view of the Republican primary challenge shaping up to take out the indecisive and vulnerable Michael Bennet, Colorado's newly selected junior U.S. Senator. Writes Aaron Blake:Republicans lately have been talking a lot about fresh faces, with mixed success in actually obtaining them. While the GOP has lined up current and former House members in most other open primaries, Colorado stands out as the one where they may be content to go with a wholly new brand. That change would be particularly stark with [Ryan] Frazier, a 31-year-old African-American city councilman who has opened an exploratory committee for the race and appears set to run. But it’s also apparent with [Ken] Buck, a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Aaron Blake, Attorney General, Beltway, Bob Beauprez, calendar year, campaign contribution, Cleve Tidwell, Colorado, Dan Caplis, decision, former Congressman, guess, indecisive, John Suthers, Michael Bennet, numbers, open primaries, radar, The Hill, threshold, U.S. Senator, underwhelm, vulnerable, wait-and-see approach

4/13/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrats Gamble State Finances, Majority Status, on Pinnacol “Gimmick”

The budget debate at Colorado's State Capitol heads into full throttle this week. In a tough year, the linchpin to the Democrats' plan is a raid on the privately-funded Pinnacol Assurance Company. Even the Denver Post recognizes this as a bad idea:If lawmakers can't get money from Pinnacol, higher education could be cut by more than $400 million — more than half the state's allotment to colleges and universities. Pinnacol offers guaranteed workers' compensation insurance, and Republicans have argued that because the insurer's assets were funded by businesses paying premiums, the state should keep its hands off. [Attorney General John] Suthers, a Republican, clearly, agrees. The Pinnacol idea is dubious at best. It is a gimmick, a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, PPC Tagged With: accustomed, Andrew Ripemoff, anti-taxpayer, assets, Attorney General, bad idea, budget, Colorado, court decision, debate, Democrats, Denver Post, desperate times, dubious, editorial, elected leaders, eliminating, eschewing, Face the State, full throttle, funnier take, gimmick, higher education, important connection, insurer, John Suthers, linchpin, majority party, Mary Mullarkey, newfound powers, notch, own hides, Pinnacol Assurance, plan, primary strategy, Republican, risky gimmick, State Capitol, supreme court, TABOR, tax exemptions, tough decisions, tough year, workers compensation

2/21/2009 By Ben 3 Comments

Poetic License: A Lefty Blogger’s Dilemma, the Week in Review

With too much time on my hands, here's a fun set of rhyming couplets to recapitulate the week just passed from the perspective of a hypothetical Lefty Colorado blogger:Do I write about Marostica, Or the dude with the Swastika? A Republican lawmaker mocking his peers, Or some guy to abuse for a few Josh Penry jeers? I must blog on one or the other, 'Cause what is there really to say about Suthers? Do I write about Marostica, Or the dude with the Swastika? One gives our free-spending values that bipartisan glow, The other had fun stealing Michelle Malkin's show. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Barack Obama, Big Government, Bill Ritter, bipartisan glow, Bob Beauprez, debt, dilemma, Don Marostica, elephants, inspiration, John Suthers, Josh Penry, Lefty bloggers, Liberty on the Rocks, Marc Holtzman, Mark Udall, Michael Bennet, Michelle Malkin, mistakes, Nutroots, Obamessiah, pretensions, Progress Now, propaganda machine, rally, Republicans, right-wing, Senate, State Capitol, swastika, tasteless sign

1/27/2009 By Ben 10 Comments

Nearly Half of Coloradans Admit They Don’t Know Who Michael Bennet Is

Congressional Quarterly says Michael Bennet "needs to get better known" -- who? Oh yeah! Colorado's junior junior U.S. Senator. The Democrats' Public Policy Polling - in a herculean effort to put an impossibly meaningful spin on an election that's more than 21 months away - finds almost half of Coloradans will admit they don't even know who Bennet is. (How many of the 54 percent were fibbing, or thought maybe pollsters were asking about this AFC West rival running back?) We're a long way from knowing much of anything about the dynamics for the 2010 U.S. Senate race in Colorado. But we'll at least begin to have a good idea of the terrain when we see how Bennet casts his vote on union card-check legislation. With the announcement … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, PPC Tagged With: 2010, admit, AFC West, Attorney General, card-check, Coloradans, Colorado, Congressional Quarterly, dark horse, Democrats, election, fibbing, fundraising steam, herculean effort, John Suthers, junior, Michael Bennet, Michael Bennett, political junkies, pollsters, Public Policy Polling, Ryan Frazier, spin, terrain, U.S. Senate race, U.S. Senator, union, vote

8/19/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

AG John Suthers’ Taxpayer-Friendly Brief Unlikely to Sway Political Court

Mike Saccone reports some pleasing but unsurprising news: Attorney General John Suthers has submitted a friendly brief to the Colorado Supreme Court on behalf of the people of the state, and the district court decision that upheld their rights to vote on a tax increase. But Governor Bill Ritter is probably resting easier than he should, knowing that the political High Court has every reason to favor the Democrats who appropriated them money to construct a new courtroom building. Color me cynical, and hope that I am surprised. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: amicus brief, Attorney General, Bill Ritter, Colorado Supreme Court, courtroom building, Democrats, Denver District Court, Grand Junction Sentinel, John Suthers, Mike Saccone, money, TABOR, tax increase

7/29/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Endorsements Likely Key Factor in Lifting Wil Armstrong into Close Race

I've written very little about the 6th Congressional District primary since my endorsement of Wil Armstrong nearly four months ago. Since then, many prominent Republicans have followed suit with their public endorsements, including Senator Wayne Allard, former Governor Bill Owens, Attorney General John Suthers, former state senate leader Mark Hillman, former Secretary of State Gigi Dennis, and even former Massachusetts governor and possible vice-presidential candidate Mitt Romney. For the longest time, Secretary of State Mike Coffman has been viewed as the prohibitive frontrunner in this four-way race, which also features state senators Ted Harvey and Steve Ward. But then today comes interesting news from the campaign - also reported at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: 6th Congressional District, Bill Owens, campaign, dead heat, endorsements, frontrunner, Gigi Dennis, John Suthers, Mark Hillman, Mike Coffman, Mitt Romney, name recognition, poll, primary election, Republicans, Secretary of State, Steve Ward, Ted Harvey, Wayne Allard, Wil Armstrong

6/10/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Bernie Buescher Lax about Dollars Taken by Ritter’s Unauthorized Tax Hike

It's not just Democrat Governor Bill Ritter who is presuming to wager more than $100 million in taxpayer funds on his confidence in the state supreme court overturning a decision against his unconstitutional property tax increase. The Grand Junction Free Press reports about the lax attitude of a ranking Democrat incumbent from the Western Slope:The appeal has not been scheduled, and Democratic Rep. Bernie Buescher of Grand Junction believes it’s too soon to make a plan for a change that may never come. The article explains that the money collected starts to be spent on July 1. And while Republican lawmakers Rep. Steve King and Sen. Josh Penry want to work quickly to find a prudent solution, Bernie Buescher (pictured) has taken a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: ask first, Bernie Buescher, Bill Ritter, budget shortfall, Christine Habas, Colorado Supreme Court, Democrats, Denver District Court, Grand Junction Free Press, John Suthers, Josh Penry, Laura Bradford, mill levy "freeze", property tax hike, Republicans, special session, State board of education, Steve King, taxpayers

6/6/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

What Does Bill Ritter Know about Court to Gamble Taxpayer Dollars?

Yesterday, highlighting Governor Bill Ritter's arrogant response to the recent court decision finding his property tax hike unconstitutional, Republican leaders in the state legislature Mike May and Andy McElhany dashed off a scathing letter:It is irresponsible to assume that the Colorado Supreme Court will overturn the decision of the District Court that your property tax proposal from last year is unconstitutional. A new analysis by Legislative Council shows that the cost of doing nothing to address this possibility, before the budget goes into effect on July 1, 2008, will be $272 million! The price of inaction is too great. Serving in the justice system, you saw how difficult it is to win on appeal, and must recognize the need for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, History Tagged With: 2008 election, Andy McElhany, Best Destiny, Bill Ritter, budget buster, Colorado, Colorado Attorney General, Colorado Supreme Court, Democrat Party, Denver District Court, Dred Scott, education reform, Grand Junction Sentinel, inaugural address, James Buchanan, John Suthers, Legislative Council, Mike May, Mike Saccone, partisan politics, property tax hike, Republicans, Rocky Mountain Right, slavery, special session, U.S. history

5/5/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter and the Colorado Democrats’ Unauthorized Tax Hike Goes to Court

At long last, court hearings begin today in the case of Gov. Bill Ritter raising Coloradans' property taxes without a constitutional vote of the people. From the Denver Post:The freeze is estimated to bring in $117 million this year and $3.8 billion over a decade, up from an initial estimate of $1.7 billion when it was passed. Richard Westfall, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the two sides will call about 10 witnesses, likely including school finance experts, the state treasurer and school board members. Dreyer said Ritter is not expected to testify. "A lot of the discussion is going to be about addressing pretty esoteric points in the school finance act," Westfall said. The trial is scheduled to last a week. It will be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, property rights Tagged With: Attorney General, Bill Ritter, Colorado Supreme Court, Denver District Court, Denver Post, John Suthers, Jon Caldara, mill levy "freeze", Property Tax Increase, Richard Westfall

4/9/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Average Coloradans to Dems on Tax Hike: You Should Have Asked First

It is refreshing to see evidence of the good sense of average, hard-working Coloradans. Colorado Senate News once again took a camera to the 16th Street Mall and found plenty of passers-by willing to share their frustrations with Gov. Bill Ritter and Colorado Democrats for bypassing the state constitution's requirement to ask voters first when they imposed their massive property tax hike:The upshot? Everyday taxpayers surveyed along Denver's 16th Street Mall all agreed: Whether or not the state really needs the extra revenue--a projected $3.8 billion over the next 10 years--voters should have asked for permission first. They're not alone in that sentiment. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers issued an opinion last year saying that the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Colorado Democrats, Colorado Senate News, common sense, Cory Gardner, John Suthers, Mike Kopp, Property Tax Increase

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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.

Recent Posts

  • Top Books I Read in 2020
  • The All-New Christmas Music Countdown: Bigger, Better and Brighter Than Ever
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Completing the Blogroll

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