Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, my state representative, earned the special distinction of having a bad legislative idea dismantled by the fair-minded editors of the Rocky Mountain News:Perhaps the best thing that can be said about the American Dream Protection Act of 2008, due to be introduced in the legislature at any time, is that it's not likely to be as bad as many of its counterparts under consideration in other states - and in Congress. Unlike those other measures, Colorado's bill addressing home foreclosures, by Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, and Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, would not require substantial public subsidies. Nor would it place taxpayers on the hook for a massive bailout if the credit crunch intensifies. That said, … [Read more...]
Speaking Out for Individual Workers’ Right to Choose, Free from Coercion
For the second time in the span of a week, I have been quoted in the Rocky Mountain News. Quite astonishing, really, except for the fact that the writers of these stories on all the political battles over right-to-work and other initiatives must be glad to find a different voice than the standard pro-business and pro-labor mouthpieces. I was glad to be able to give a pro-liberty view to the article:"The Labor Peace Act is unique and offers some protection, but it doesn't offer complete protection," said Benjamin DeGrow, an analyst at the Independence Institute. "Anything that best protects the individual worker's right to decide what they want is the right sort of policy." Instead of addressing the argument in the story, the other side … [Read more...]
Revising and Extending My Remarks on State Government Unionization
Today, two Colorado newspapers ran stories about growing unionization in state government. I was quoted in both articles, as the issue is one I've researched and have an Independence Institute publication being formatted for official release on Monday. There's only so much space in a news article. But that's what makes a blog a wonderful venue for revising and extending my remarks, as a way to press the debate forward. First, Chris Barge in the Rocky Mountain News introduces the issue:The unions that pushed the hardest for Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order granting them a larger voice in state government could soon see a nearly fourfold increase in membership.... The unions, which had fewer than 6,000 dues-paying state workers on … [Read more...]
Momentum for Joshua Sharf Campaign
Updates on Joshua Sharf's primary challenge to Rima Barakat Sinclair in House District 6 ... Rocky Mountain News editor Vince Carroll unpacks Barakat Sinclair's claims that she is a "centrist":You might wonder about our judgment, but you cannot doubt where Barakat Sinclair stands on the Israeli-Palestinian debate: with the hard-edged anti-Israel fringe. She has made too many similar claims regarding the Israelis' alleged policies of "systematic indiscriminate murder" to brush them off as an aberration. "Sinclair describes herself as a centrist," her campaign Web site tells us. Except on the one issue she cares most about, it seems. (H/T Michael at Best Destiny, who also issued his official endorsement of Joshua) Joshua's … [Read more...]
On Blogging and Transparency
Blogging from Chicago ... In continuing his quest to unravel the mystery of bloggers, liberal Rocky Mountain News columnist Jason Salzman writes:Most bloggers, like most people who write on paper, aren't journalists. So their work shouldn't be held to the same journalistic standards that Denver's daily newspapers should meet - standards such as basic fairness, accountability, independence and others, as articulated, for example, by the Society of Professional Journalists. But whether bloggers think they are practicing journalism or not, their blogs should inform people about the information they're getting. Who's behind the blog? What's the purpose? Does the blogger have a political bias? Is the blogger trying to practice … [Read more...]
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...]
“Democrat” Label Featured Less in Scandal Reporting: More Proof
Any fair-minded and honest observer of political events knows that neither major party has cornered the market on scandals. Public officials elected both as Republicans and Democrats have been exposed for various types of corruption, malfeasance, and other prominent moral failings. So why are major media outlets so unbalanced in their presentation? Sure, anytime there is a salacious scandal or other revelation that results in the resignation of a big-city mayor, governor, or member of Congress, the news has to talk about it. But there has been a clear and measurable tendency on the media's part to ignore the party label far more when the story is about a Democrat. More proof emerges today: My Independence Institute colleague David … [Read more...]
Liberal Covets PBS Programming?
Liberal columnist Jason Salzman writes in the Saturday Rocky Mountain News:By the time Paul Chesser arrived at the "Environmental Hysteria" cocktail party thrown in his honor Feb. 11 at the "penthouse" of the Independence Institute in Golden, he was feeling pretty good about his day in the Denver media. In his briefing to Republican lawmakers earlier, Chesser had trashed Gov. Bill Ritter's plan to fight global warming, and an article with his views would appear in the next day's Post. Chesser, of the conservative John Locke Foundation, had yakked in the morning with KOA's Mike Rosen. The conservative blogosphere had dutifully transcribed Chesser's anti-environmental message, and he was booked on John Andrews' KNUS talk radio … [Read more...]
Denver Teachers Union Backs Down on Autonomy Issue
I've been especially hard on the Denver teachers union (DCTA) lately, but when they do something (mostly) right it would be petty and disingenuous of me not to give credit where due. The Rocky Mountain News reports today that DCTA has decided to acquiesce to the requests of Bruce Randolph and Manual High School for autonomy from school district red-tape and negotiated work rules: … [Read more...]
Time to Find That New Public School
Guest writers for the Rocky Mountain News have reminded us that now is the time for students & parents in Denver - and many other Colorado school districts - to get into the open enrollment game if you're looking for another public school for next year. What the writers didn't tell you - likely because they aren't aware of it - is that the School Choice for Kids website is the one-stop shop for Colorado families to find a school and navigate through open enrollment (more information here, too). Go check it out! … [Read more...]
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