PIG ROAST In Denver! Protesters Will Meet Obama at Theft Act Signing

by Gateway Pundit | 8:33 pm, February 16, 2009

(Flickr)
Slapstick Politics along with colleagues from Peoples Press Collective and Rocky Mountain Alliance will be teaming up with Michelle Malkin, a featured speaker at the Denver event, to provide comprehensive live coverage of the anti-stimulus protest tomorrow in Denver.
The rally will highlight opposition to President Obama’s “stimulus” bill.
President Obama will be in Denver tomorrow to sign the largest spending bill in American history- The Generational Theft Act.

Red County has details on the Denver protest.

Come Protest the Porkulus Bill in Denver

by RMR | 4:45 pm, February 16, 2009

Barack Obama will be in Denver tomorrow to sign the stimulus bill into law. Come down to the West Steps of the State Capitol to voice your opposition. From the YouDontKnowStimulus.com website:

BARACK OBAMA: YOU DON’T KNOW STIMULUS
12:00 noon, Denver, Colorado
West Steps of the State Capitol
200 E. Colfax Ave
Join hundreds of activists gathering to tell Barack Obama, “You Don’t Know Stimulus”

You’ll be able to find extensive coverage of the event on this site, the Rocky Mountain Alliance, and the People’s Press Collective. Josh Penry, Jon Caldara, Mike Coffman, Bob Beauprez, and a number of state legislators will be on hand. There is also slated to be a pig roast.

Come on down and send the message that you don’t want Weimar Republic-style hyperinflation in the United States.

Focus On “New Energy” As Denver Braces For Barack Obama’s Stimulus Bill Signing; Protests Planned

by elpresidente | 2:42 pm, February 16, 2009

**Update 4: Pig Roast!

**Update 3: Slapstick Politics along with colleagues from Peoples Press Collective and Rocky Mountain Alliance will be teaming up with Michelle Malkin, a featured speaker at the Denver event, to provide comprehensive live coverage of the anti-stimulus protest

From Jon Caldara at the Independence Institute:

$30-THOUSAND DOLLAR A PLATE PORK ROAST
Rally will highlight opposition to President Obama’s “stimulus” bill
HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS SIGN OVERSIZED CHECKS REPRESENTING THEIR NEW DEBTLOAD

DENVER, CO – When President Obama signs his so-called stimulus bill in Denver on Tuesday, his stroke of the pen is equal to each American family signing over a $30-thousand dollar check to the government.

“At a time when tough budgeting decisions are being made around the kitchen table, each family in America will soon be 30-thousand dollars deeper in hock, thanks to this legislation,” says Jon Caldara, President of the free-market think tank, the Independence Institute. “Most of that spending should never happen at all, and much of that money will be spent on pork that won’t even taste good.”

WHAT: INDIVIDUALS will sign their names to 4-foot wide checks, made out to the federal government in the amount of $30-thousand dollars.

WHERE: WEST STEPS of the State Capitol.

WHEN: NOON

WHO: A coalition of concerned groups and citizens, including

Jon Caldara of Colorado’s Independence Institute
U.S. Representative Mike Coffman
Michelle Malkin, nationally-known writer, blogger, and columnist
Former U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez
numerous other Colorado legislators and dignitaries

WHY: To voice opposition to a government measure that spends more in one bill than has been spent in the entire conflict in Iraq

**Update 2: West steps of State Capitol:

UPDATE: Event details are set. We will begin our press conference at 12:15pm on the West Steps of the State Capitol. Please begin arriving at noon. We have the West Steps until 2pm.

Many speakers have been invited, and we will let you know here when they can confirm. Confirmed attendees are as follows:

Confirmed attendees:

Former Cong. Bob Beauprez

Michelle Malkin FOX News Contributor and founder of MichelleMalkin.com and HotAir.com

Jim Pfaff, State Director of Americans for Prosperity in Colorado; several state legislators

Dick Wadhams, Colorado Republican Committee Chairman

Invited Attendees:

Congressman Doug Lamborn

Congressman Mike Coffman

Before Obama changed his plans to include signing the stimulus bill in Colorado, Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams hoped that Obama would explain how the bill will actually work (via CompleteColorado.com):

---

**Update: Message to Obama–“You Don’t Know Stimulus”:

Americans for Prosperity in Colorado will be holding an event to put light on the theft bill–also known as the “stimulus” bill or the so-called American Reinvestment and Recovery Act–he will be signing in Denver on this Tuesday, February 17 between noon and 3pm.

Many speakers have been invited, and we will let you know here when they can confirm. Confirmed attendees are as follows:

Confirmed:

Former Cong. Bob Beauprez; Michelle Malkin FOX News Contributor and founder of MichelleMalkin.com and HotAir.com; Jim Pfaff, State Director of Americans for Prosperity in Colorado; several state legislators

We will be holding an event nearby at a yet to be determined location at approximately 12:15pm that same day. We will have details shortly, but if you would like to be informed about this important demonstration of force to show Obama to say to him, “You Don’t Know Stimulus,” go to the Americans for Prosperity webpage by clicking here. You will receive an email midday with details.

---

“New Energy” and jobs–President Obama is expected to tout these and other benefits during his visit to Denver for the signing of the stimulus bill:

Governor Bill Ritter says it’s no accident the President chose Denver for the signing.

“Because of the work we’ve done in creating this new energy economy, and being able to create sustainable job growth, it provided this template for the administration to say this is what the package is about,” said Governor Ritter.

9NEWS political analyst Floyd Ciruli believes President Obama will emphasize job projects. The visit will boost Colorado’s political importance.

“It looks like with this opening Presidential visit, that it’s (Colorado’s) going to stay on the radar screen for the entire four years,” said Cirulli.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science was specifically chosen for its “green” efforts, and Denver chosen as a way to “get away” from the politics in Washington, DC.

Well, Obama may be away from the political battles in DC at an “invitation only” event, but it looks like those in Denver (and Seattle) opposed to this financial and political boondoggle won’t let the carefully orchestrated media go unopposed:

I wanted to give the Coloradans some advice for gathering folks there, and believe me, you have the time. I got the permit for the park here on Tuesday, and now look, by Sunday, it is ALL OVER THE PLACE.

-I emailed everyone I knew. I emailed friend’s parents who I knew were Conservative, I emailed my parents’ friends, bloggers, etc.

-I called everyone I could think of, policy think tanks, “movers and shakers” in the Seattle Republican Party, Conservative organizations, college professors, etc. (From this I have forged a relationship with the Chairwoman of the National Black Republican Association who is going to write a statement for me to read, as she cannot get to Seattle on Monday.) I called local Conservative talk radio stations and they have been running it all week.

-I lived and breathed this thing for four days, which did cause me to miss a couple of things here and there, but it is totally worth it.

Basically everyone, you just have to do it. Call up your police station or parks department and ask how you can obtain a permit, and then just start advertising. The word will spread. I am only one person, but with a little hard work this protest has become the efforts of A LOT of people.

To the people who think this won’t help I say this: this protest will not stop the bill. I have no illusions that it could. I’m hoping for a few things though. One, that the Conservatives and Libertarians and Republicans in Seattle can finally meet each other and see they are not alone. There are actually quite a lot of us here, but we are very quiet, and that MUST STOP. We need to show that we exist. Second, we need to show support for the Republicans and Democrats that voted against the porkulus. If they think, for one second, that they made a bad choice, we have no chance to fight. Third, it sends a message to Obama and Pelosi that we are awake and we know what’s happening, and we are not going to take it lying down. It is a message saying, expect more opposition because we’re out here.

There are several different groups planning protests in the true spirit of the Founding Fathers, and we will be posting updates Monday and early Tuesday as those plans become more concrete.

Rally 12:00 noon, West steps, Capitol Denver Tomorrow Protest the Porkulus Package

by Mr. Bob | 1:11 pm, February 16, 2009

The People’s Press Collective will also be there covering the event.

DENVER: Americans for Prosperity in Colorado will be holding an event to put light on the theft bill–also known as the “stimulus” bill or the so-called American Reinvestment and Recovery Act–he will be signing in Denver on this Tuesday, February 17 between noon and 3pm.

Many speakers have been invited, and we will let you know here when they can confirm. Confirmed attendees are as follows:

Confirmed attendees:

Former Cong. Bob Beauprez

Michelle Malkin FOX News Contributor and founder of MichelleMalkin.com and HotAir.com

Jim Pfaff, State Director of Americans for Prosperity in Colorado; several state legislators

Dick Wadhams, Colorado Republican Committee Chairman

Invited Attendees:

Congressman Doug Lamborn

Congressman Mike Coffman

We will be holding an event nearby at a yet to be determined location at approximately 12:15pm that same day. We will have details shortly, but if you would like to be informed about this important demonstration of force to show Obama to say to him, “You Don’t Know Stimulus,” go to the Americans for Prosperity webpage by clicking here. You will receive an email midday with details.

Many of you have already signed up at NoStimulus.com to petition Congress to oppose this over-the-top spending package. Now we have a chance to show Barack Obama that we stand for real stimulus that includes tax relief and incentives for business which isn’t a payoff to liberal special interests.

If you have questions, you can also email us at infoCO@afphq.org.

It’s not even a good Keynesian bill

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 12:35 pm, February 16, 2009

On page 6A of the Sunday Denver Post, the votes of all Colorado congressmen and senators are listed.

Anti-spendulus event in Denver on Tuesday

by Rossputin | 11:36 am, February 16, 2009

Americans for Prosperity has organized a quasi-protest, with high-profile speakers including Bob Beauprez, Michelle Malkin, and Dick Wadhams, at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver tomorrow (Tuesday) at 12:15 PM to shine some light on the passive pork bill being signed by President Obama.

See http://youdontknowstimulus.com/ for details.

The Peoples Press Collective will also be actively involved in covering that and any other pro-liberty, anti-spendulus activities that might occur.

I encourage anyone who can make it to the West steps of the Capitol by 12:15 PM on Tuesday to join in and let the media and the politicians know that there are a lot of us paying attention to what many have rightly called the greatest generational theft in history.

What a horrible statement about what’s happened to a formerly great state: Colorado has become so “blue” that Obama chooses here to sign the single most socialist, government-growing piece of legislation in our history.

Reagan vs. Lincoln vs…..Obama?

by Rossputin | 12:57 am, February 16, 2009

Probably my least intellectual regular reader, a guy who uses the moniker “ryecatcher” (doesn’t he realize Holden Caufield was a bit of an idiot?) over at the Gang of Four blog seems to think I’m vulnerable to criticism for saying that Ronald Reagan was the best president of my lifetime. (Ryecatcher can’t spell “Reagan”, so that already says a lot about him.)

It’s been amusing to see him bring up in every moronic comment he makes that I have a generally high opinion of Reagan, not that he was perfect, regardless of the topic of the note which the comment was attached to.

So it was with particular interest that I noted an article and a poll last week which both explain to a large degree why I think Reagan was an excellent president and demonstrate that a great number of Americans agree with me.

First, this excellent article by the generally excellent Peter Ferrara:
see “Reaganomics vs. Obamanomics“, WSJ, 2/11/09

Ferrara points out that “even with the Reagan defense buildup, which helped win the Cold War, total federal spending declined to 21.2% of GDP in 1989 from 23.5% of GDP in 1983. That’s a real reduction of 10% in the size of government relative to the economy.” He also notes that Obama’s plans don’t contain any of the essential elements of Reagan’s successful economic strategy and “this is why America seems so hopeless right now, and so depressed. We are stuck going in exactly the wrong direction on economic policy because of currently dominant ideological fashions.”

And second, despite the wailing and gnashing of teeth of naive liberals who can’t see past Iran-Contra or some other straw man used to claim that Reagan wasn’t on balance a great president, is a new poll from Gallup showing Reagan’s esteem among Americans. In fact, even the Gallup organization (betraying a bit of liberal bias) can’t stand to say it, so here’s their headline: “Best President? Lincoln on Par With Reagan, Kennedy“

The headline seems intentionally designed to mask the fact that in a poll of over 1,000 adults across the nation, Reagan got the most votes for “best president” at 24% while Lincoln and Kennedy tied at 22%. (FDR and Washington were the other two nominees.)

It’s true that Reagan’s “victory” came from tremendous support among Republicans. But it’s also interesting that among Independent voters, all 4 choices other than George Washington received between 19% (Reagan) and 22% (Lincoln). Of course liberals don’t like Reagan. He supported everything they oppose, like economic liberty, limited government and the low taxes that accompany it, and national security.

Again, it’s true that Reagan wasn’t perfect. But I defy anyone, even an idiot like so many liberal commenters over at the Gang of Four site, to make a cogent explanation of who has been a better president during my lifetime, i.e. since the mid-1960′s. Those Reagan denigrators have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.

It will be very interesting to look back 20 or 30 years from now to see where Obama ranks on these lists. People will want to rank him highly because he’s the first black-looking president (as opposed to Bill Clinton, “the first Black president.”) And indeed they may. But I maintain my believe that the only reason FDR isn’t viewed as a villain is because of World War II. His economically disastrous “experiments”, his frontal assault on the Supreme Court, and his legacy of quasi-socialism all earn him my everlasting enmity. No, you politically correct liberals out there, I don’t go easier on him because he was a cripple. The bottom line is that unless there is a new major war, Obama’s rankings will be determined by economics, much like Herbert Hoover. While part of me would love for the socialist Obama to be as reviled as Hoover, the greater part of me doesn’t want him to fail because that would mean the entire country goes through serious suffering. The question is whether we’ll do OK in spite of Obama because I’m absolutely certain we won’t do well because of him.

Government should not compete with insurance companies

by Brian Schwartz | 12:30 am, February 16, 2009

What if someone had a great idea for a better mousetrap, but insisted that it be a “public mousetrap” funded by taxpayers?   Would you believe that it’s better, or would you suspect that the inventor had an agenda beyond creating a better product?
Frank Clemente at the Institute for America’s Future is like this mousetrap inventor.  [...]

Mark Hillman rules out run for office in 2010

by RMR | 2:37 pm, February 15, 2009

You can cross one of the prime candidates for office in 2010 off your list. Mark Hillman, often viewed as a leading candidate for Senate or Governor in 2010, has ruled out a run for any elective office in 2010. Mike Saccone of the Grand Junction Sentinel reports:

Former Republican Burlington state Sen. Mark Hillman will not run for elected office in 2010, told Political Notebook today.

“Just wanted to give you a heads up that I’ve begun telling my closest friends and best supporters that I will NOT be running for office in 2010,” Hillman said in an e-mail.

I’m sorry to see him take himself out of the running. He would have been an excellent candidate for any office he opted to run for. There are going to be a lot of people disappointed that they won’t get to cast a vote for Mark Hillman against Michael Bennet.

This also turns the U.S. Senate upside down on the Republican side. Ryan Frazier and Bob Beauprez are now the only serious potential candidates looking at the race for the time being. The weeks ahead will tell if Frazier can solidify party support behind himself or if a lot of would-be Hillman supporters will flock to Beauprez out of a lingering sense of loyalty.

In Which the Washington Bureau Chief Rejoices in Her Childlessness

by Eileen McGuire-Mahony | 5:05 am, February 15, 2009

Over at the tremendously amusing Daily Beast, there’s an article detailing the woes of status symbols parents (by which I mean the rug rats serve as validation and tools for scoring points) as they await acceptance letters…for preschool. Along with the mother who still ruminates on the train wreck that will her child’s life because [...]

If You Can’t Stand to Hear Your God Criticized, Go Stick Your Head in the Ground

by Eileen McGuire-Mahony | 12:42 am, February 15, 2009

President Obama, so I hear, deserves a chance. We should give him time. Odd, because his chorus of supporters were often the same people decrying President Bush’s pleas for ‘time’ to realize the benefits of his policies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and anti-terrorism efforts. Come to think of it, they were also the people apt to [...]

Barack Obama To Sign Stimulus Bill In Denver On Tuesday–By Invitation Only

by elpresidente | 10:10 pm, February 14, 2009

**Update 2–Denver protest, west steps of Capitol

**Update–Welcome Michelle Malkin readers!

Local Democrat dignitaries “ecstatic” at pronouncement:

“I am thrilled President Obama has chosen to showcase our state with its historic signing,” said U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, a Boulder Democrat.

He said the growing green-energy industry and “cutting-edge scientific institutions” in Colorado make the state “uniquely situated” to highlight the bill’s investment in renewable energy, science and technology.

Signing the bill here is “fitting” because Colorado “is a leader in renewable-energy development,” said U.S. Sen. Mark Udall, an Eldorado Springs Democrat.

“The West has always been the land of opportunity, a place where anything is possible,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, of Denver. “It is fitting that President Obama has chosen Colorado as the site where our long and difficult road to economic recovery will begin.”

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, who left the Senate to join Obama’s Cabinet, will fly on the president’s plane to Denver. Salazar said through a spokesman Saturday that Obama “couldn’t have picked a better place to highlight how the bill will create jobs and build the type of clean-energy economy that is already growing in Colorado.”

U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, a Golden Democrat, said in a statement, “By signing this bill in Denver, the president is signaling the importance that investments in alternative- and renewable-energy infrastructure will have in creating 60,000 new jobs in Colorado and transforming our nation to a new-energy economy.”

U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey, a Fort Collins Democrat, said the signing of the bill here sends a message that the road to recover “begins right here at home.”

Catherine Mortensen, spokeswoman for Republican U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado Springs, said that while Lamborn “regrets” passage of the stimulus bill, “it is a great honor for the president to sign a bill in this state.”

Colorado “is the perfect place to put the country back on track,” said U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat.

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper called the Denver bill-signing “a great compliment” to the city and state.

Note to Rep. Lamborn–there is no “great honor” in signing this albatross in Denver. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Colorado politicians, municipalities, and counties have already lined up like pigs at the trough for their cut of the $1.97 billion directed to Colorado. And according to some, it is still not enough.

It never is.

---

Baracky Mountain High, Colorado.

“Stimulizing?” Yes. Open to the public?

Oh hell no.

Returning to the city of his coronation last August, President Barack Obama will be signing his stimulus bill in Denver–by invitation only:

President Obama will come to Denver to sign the landmark economic stimulus bill.

The bill-signing, an unusual event outside of Washington, will be Tuesday at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science in City Park. The president also will give a speech about the economy.

Attendance at the midday event is by invitation only, and all invitations have been distributed.

CNN reported that a senior administration official cited a desire to get “away from the politics of Washington.”

More details as they become available.

Why Denver to get “away” from DC?

Both officials cited a desire to get out of Washington — to go, in the words of one official, “out west in an area hit hard economically, away from the politics of Washington.”

The other official described Denver as “a place that will see the benefits of the bill in hiring workers.”

Obama’s media marketing/branding campaign continues, secured by a lack of transparency or public access.

Glad to see that Denver’s resources will once again be expropriated, this time for the purpose of showcasing Obama’s stimulus boondoggle. Denver’s Democrat dignitaries will be in line to gather their chunk of the gravy train, all while safely ensconced away from the public eye and potential protesters.

Won’t Forget Obama Sticking Us with Signing of Generational Theft Act

by Ben DeGrow | 5:18 pm, February 14, 2009

Happy Valentine’s Day. I’m sick, and it isn’t lovesickness. It does include the nauseous feeling I got learning that Barack Obama plans to sign the trillion-dollar-plus Generational Theft Act right here in our own backyard. Yeah, just stick it in our eye. No thanks, Mr. President.
The symbolism of the action won’t be forgotten in our [...]

Recreate ’78

by T.L. James | 11:53 pm, February 13, 2009

Every political movement needs a logo, and the Obama-Pelosi-Reid Triumvirate is no exception. In the spirit of bipartisanship, I submit this as one possible option. (What? It’s not like Spagz and his pals needed the logo anymore…)

Schock-ing Obama on the House Floor

by Ben DeGrow | 9:52 pm, February 13, 2009

In this bleak moment of Congressionally-approved bloated government spending and stimulation, we did hear from the youngest member of Congress and doubtless a rising conservative star in years to come: Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois (H/T The Corner).
If I’m not mistaken, I believe he is the first member of Congress younger than myself – [...]

More Sanity In Colorado: No Expulsion For Marie Morrow, The Student With Fake Rifles

by elpresidente | 8:39 pm, February 13, 2009

The adults–like Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier–have thankfully stepped in.

Background on the standout Cherokee Trail High School student, Marie Morrow from fellow RMA bloggers here and here.

Flawed zero-tolerance laws landed this student in hot water for possessing fake rifles–defined as “facsimiles” according to the law–but thankfully the decision was to punish with time served in suspension:

Seventeen-year-old Marie Morrow will be going back to school next week. The senior at Cherokee Trail High School was suspended for having fake rifles in her SUV at school.
Advertisement

Cherry Creek Schools Superintendent Mary Chesley ruled Morrow’s six-day suspension will count as the expulsion mandated by state education law. Morrow is eligible to return to school Wednesday after the President’s Day holiday.

School leaders said it was the least severe discipline option available under the law.

“I’m just ready to go back, glad to get back into school,” Morrow said. “I’m glad they did the minimum that they could and I can go back.”

The school district had the option to expel Morrow for the remainder of her senior year as allowed by law.

“I do not believe that the circumstances of this situation warrant the severe calendar year penalty that legislators intended when this statute was enacted,” Chesley said in a written statement.

“They were just following the law in their eyes,” Morrow. said “I’m mainly just mad at myself for making the mistake. I’m not blaming anybody.”

Morrow is an exemplary student, taking her lumps and not complaining. Cherry Creek’s Superintendent had little choice given the national coverage of the story.

Poorly written legislation often ends up punishing those it was never intended to harm, and will require yet more legislation to correct the absolutist language in the current statute:

Several members of the Colorado House and Senate met with Morrow and her family on Monday.

Sen. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud) plans to introduce legislation to change state law to provide an exception for facsimile weapons being used by military-sponsored youth groups.

“There should be exemptions to this hard-and-fast rule so this type of thing doesn’t happen again,” Lundberg said in a written statement. “I am outraged that a student faces expulsion for participating in a drill team.”

In addition to her meeting with lawmakers, Morrow has received encouragement and words of support on talk radio, on blogs and from viewers posting on 9NEWS.com.

“It’s really great to have all this support,” Morrow said on Monday. “It’s just good to know who stands behind you when times get rough.”

“It will be all right no matter how it turns out,” Morrow added.

Morrow’s case isn’t the first nor will it be the last where unintended consequences precipitated by poorly written, knee-jerk, zero-tolerance legislation affect the lives of those the law should actually protect.

Just remember this the next time someone says “there should be a law.” The “cult of action” embraced by those who wish to protect people from themselves and deny others their liberty tend to produce half-baked, “feel-good” laws that legislators tout as “helping the situation.”

Attorney General John Suthers, addressing the story in a presentation at Auraria Campus on Monday, said legislators only have themselves to blame.

Students Say No To “Barack Obama High School” In Boulder

by elpresidente | 2:00 pm, February 13, 2009

**Welcome Hot Air readers!

Obama-mania meets reality.

A follow-up on the moonbat Marxists at Boulder High School who tried and failed miserably to change the name of the school to Barack Obama High School:

When representatives of a Boulder High student activist group arrived at school Thursday, they were greeted with angry opposition to their proposal to rename the building after President Barack Obama.

Many of the activists’ peers wore Boulder High gear, made posters calling for an end to the Student Worker group, and mocked the notion of a Barack Obama High. By the time of an afternoon news conference, originally called to launch a petition for the name change, Student Worker President Ben Raderstorf had dropped the proposal.

“We have realized that we made a gross error in our understanding of the significance of the Boulder High School name,” Raderstorf said to a classroom packed with TV cameras, teachers, students and community members.

Many students said they learned about the proposal on the social networking Web site Facebook, where several people organized an impromptu spirit day Thursday. One of the Facebook pages titled, “Do NOT change the name of Boulder High School to ‘Barack Obama High,’” had nearly 600 members.

“It is ridiculous to throw away over 100 years of tradition simply because of Obama-mania,” the group’s organizer wrote.

Looks like more reeducation is needed, even in Boulder!

“No You Can’t!”

Debating The Fairness Doctrine

by elpresidente | 11:37 am, February 13, 2009

Or, how liberals (including former President Bill Clinton) can’t stand the preferences exercised by the public in the free market of ideas on the radio, and must force their rhetorical nonsense on others in the name of “fairness”:

“Well, you either ought to have the Fairness Doctrine or we ought to have more balance on the other side,” Clinton said, “because essentially there’s always been a lot of big money to support the right wing talk shows and let face it, you know, Rush Limbaugh is fairly entertaining even when he is saying things that I think are ridiculous….”

The second half of Bill Clinton’s quote hits the nail on the head–Rush is entertaining. Disagree or not, Rush has built a brand that has a rather hefty following, and has been rewarded with an enormous audience and a similar amount of compensation. Liberals have tried, and failed, to duplicate conservative talk radio’s success. It is clear that there is a market for liberal ideas given that Barack Obama was just elected President. That the moonbats at Air America were unable to capitalize on the resentment of President Bush in a way that lefty bloggers were indicates that there is either a format issue (liberals not as interested in radio) or that the product is simply awful. Either way, the government should have no role in deciding who is and who is not on the radio, nor should it determine the length or availability of response time in the interest of “fairness.”

Sen. James Inhofe agrees:

But Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe said radio programming should be based on what brings in listeners and advertisers.

“I can’t think of anything worse than to have government in a position to dictate the content of information going over public radio,” said Inhofe, a Republican. “The whole idea is that it has to be market driven. We have a lot of progressive or liberal radio shows but nobody listens to them and every time one tries to get on, they are not successful.”

Local AM talk show hosts have debated the need and also the imminent prospect of a return of the “Fairness Doctrine”–not surprisingly, they disagree, with conservatives blasting the concept on principle, and liberals supporting the idea as a way to promote “balance” on the airwaves.

“Fairness Doctrine”? Why don’t they just try it the old-fashioned way–entertaining radio talent with some semblance of coherence that people, even those who disagree, might be inclined to listen to?

For liberals, if you don’t like outcome, don’t approach the battlefield of ideas differently, simply change the rules of the game.

That Watchdog Don’t Hunt – Colorado Media Matters continues to distort Gitmo detainee issue

by Captain Arapahoe | 10:49 am, February 13, 2009

Colorado Media Matters just can’t seem to keep the facts straight on the Guantanamo detainee issue – which must be why they keep trying to throw in tangents to the key topic of discussion: namely, Governor Ritter’s proposal to bring the Guantanamo Bay detainees to Colorado’s SuperMax penitentiary in clear violation of the laws of [...]

Gazette Columnist: Democrat Senators Bowing to Plumbers Union Lobby

by Ben DeGrow | 9:54 am, February 13, 2009

Last week I brought to your attention an organized labor power play at the State Capitol that shot down a simple effort to make school plumbing inspections more efficient. Today in the Colorado Springs Gazette, guest columnist Daniel Cole tells the story at greater length and offers a forceful conclusion:

The unpleasant reality is that Democratic [...]

Big Day for School Transparency

by Ben DeGrow | 9:05 am, February 13, 2009

Update: Senate Bill 57 passed the state senate on 2nd reading – which means it’s almost certainly on its way over to the House for debate.
Today (very likely) is a big day for Colorado and the movement toward school financial transparency: Two major editorial endorsements, one news story, and an important debate on the floor [...]

The “Stimulus” Bill is Even Worse? Now is the Time to Speak Up Loud & Clear

by Ben DeGrow | 7:59 am, February 13, 2009

Even the Congressional Budget Office recognizes that any small positive effect of the stimulus bill would be erased by long-term economic stagnation and debt. And that was the previous version of the legislation.
As Joshua points out from the Wall Street Journal, the “compromise” version the House votes on today is even worse:
The latest version [...]

Translation of Judd Gregg’s statement withdrawing as Commerce Secretary nominee

by Rossputin | 7:21 am, February 13, 2009

Yesterday, Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) withdrew his name from consideration to be Barack Obama’s Treasury Secretary, adding yet another failure to Obama’s weak attempts at “bipartisanship” and another failure to fill a cabinet post. Unlike the many failed Democratic nominees, Gregg didn’t get out because he was a tax dodger or likely to be investigated for corruption. I wonder whether Gregg’s move will add to pressure on any of the three Senate RINOs who voted for the “stimulus” to change their votes in the final round.

Senator Gregg released a statement, which you can read HERE, explaining his decision. For those of you not well acquainted with Washington, DC beltway-speak, I am assisting you with the following English translation. I encourage you read the original release and then the translation, or read them together, a paragraph at a time, thinking of it as a language lesson.

———————–

SENATOR GREGG STATEMENT ON HIS WITHDRAWAL FROM CONSIDERATION OF U.S. COMMERCE SECRETARY
February 12, 2009

Contact: Howard Roark/Hank Rearden (GREGG)

Sen. Gregg stated, “I’m no longer willing to serve as President Obama’s fig leaf in his game of artificial bipartisanship which nobody but the NY Times is believing. Although I was really looking forward to this career-extending opportunity, I’m sure the President can find other Senators…like Snowe and Specter, for example, more willing to sell their souls to convince the American people that the President is not a radical leftist.

“It has become apparent during this process that even the amazing chance to get the hell out of the den of thieves known as the Senate was just not worth having the ignominy of supporting our nation’s greatest step toward socialism in two generations. Furthermore, the fact that during this process, the important process of conducting our national census was stripped from the department I would have overseen — in one of the most naked attempts at trying to politicize what must be an objective non-partisan effort — made it clear to me that the current administration represents anything but “hope and change”. It’s politics as usual, on steroids.

“Obviously, if the President wants a Republican on his team, he’s either going to need one who is less principled, less intelligent, or a better liar than I am.

“I greatly admire President Obama’s ability to win in a landslide and I was hoping to ride his coat-tails to a longer career, but since I’d feel like I needed to take a shower with an Ajax and Clorox scrub every time I agreed with him on an economic issue, I must withdraw my name from consideration for this position.

“As we move forward, I expect there will be many issues and initiatives where I can and will work to assure the success of the President’s proposals. This will certainly be a goal of mine.

“I will support President Obama on the 1% of ideas he has regarding commerce that aren’t economically ridiculous and born of a domination of leftist bias over an understanding of history. Actually, since 1% is probably far too high an estimate, the whole concept of supporting the President on issues of commerce is entirely theoretical.

“Kathy and I want to ask Governor Lynch how it felt to be pushed around by a President of his own party, and although we really like Bonnie Newman we wonder if she thought she could get such a cushy job without paying her dues like the rest of us. In addition, we want to thank the people of New Hampshire who told me that I must have my head up my ass to even think that I should take the Commerce Secretary job, particularly given the seniority my state would lose in its Senate representation.

“And just to be clear, I’m not a tax cheat nor likely to be charged with corruption, like so many of President Obama’s truly embarrassing choices for Cabinet positions. I can’t believe I even allowed myself to be put in a position anywhere near that sleazeball, Tom Daschle. No, I quit only because I couldn’t live with myself if I had to support our country’s rapid march toward socialism…not that my quitting will do anything to stop it. But at least the death threats and people will stop keying my car (you hear me, Mitch McConnell?!?)

Ryan Frazier Ekes Out Straw Poll Win, Weighs In on Marie Morrow Case

by Ben DeGrow | 10:07 pm, February 12, 2009

The Rocky Mountain Right straw poll for the Colorado GOP’s 2010 U.S. Senate primary has concluded, and Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier came out of nowhere to notch a narrow victory over former state legislative leader and current national committeeman Mark Hillman. (Bob Beauprez finished a distant third.) Either Frazier or Hillman would be an [...]

Steven Crowder Vid of the Week

by Mr. Bob | 3:28 pm, February 12, 2009

My new favorite young comedian.

President Obama To Promote Stimulus Plan In Denver

by Mr. Bob | 1:24 pm, February 12, 2009

#redco #tcot
The One to visit Colorado

After hitting three states in four days, President Barack Obama is going back on the road next week to convince Americans his economic stimulus plan will get the job done. The president is planning stops in Denver and Phoenix next Wednesday and Thursday. That comes on top of a whirlwind of travel this week: Obama was scheduled to be in Peoria, Ill., Thursday afternoon after visiting Indiana, Florida and Virginia earlier. With next week’s travel, Obama aims to continue promoting his $790 billion plan to create jobs and pump up consumer activity through spending programs and tax relief. READ THE REST

Vote for your favorite 2010 gubernatorial candidate

by RMR | 1:00 pm, February 12, 2009

UPDATE: This poll has been taken offline after upwards of 200 votes were logged from Indonesian IP addresses on behalf of Cleve Tidwell. Apparently my warning went unheeded since the perpetrators may or may not have been able to speak English and may not have understood it. They ended up doing exactly what I didn’t want them to, and that was to spam the hell out of the poll and then plaster the results everywhere claiming it was a great show of "grassroots support." Spare me the emails claiming that all the votes came from supporters because I can tell which one came from Indonesian servers and proxy servers (the vast majority of them), so please don’t insult anyone’s intelligence further by pretending that this a victory.

As an aside, if you really are that hell-bent on spamming a poll on this site, please go to the poll host’s website instead of this one. When a lone Indonesian server refreshes this site 500 times in the course of 15 minutes it just looks like a denial-of-service attack on my end.

A WARNING TO SUPPORTERS OF A CERTAIN FLEDGLING CANDIDATE: When you vote, your IP address is logged and I’ve worked enough in IT to recognize when someone is hammering away from proxy servers. I can tell definitively when someone is spamming a poll in favor of someone (as opposed to the blindingly obvious circumstansial evidence of a candidate who trailed in last place all week suddenly jumping to first in a manner of hours). As with one of my previous polls, I am more than happy to toss out your repeat votes and embarass your candidate by pointing out what you are doing so please think twice. When Ron Paul’s supporters used tactics like this, it only annoyed the bloggers who were targetted and it is still just as annoying.

Vote for your favorite Republican gubernatorial candidate out of these five likely candidates. This poll will expire in one week (Feb. 19th at 12:00 PM).

Feel free to syndicate the poll to your own blog to help get an even clearer picture of conservative activists:

 

A Rally For Personal Freedom: March 1

by elpresidente | 12:59 pm, February 12, 2009

Boulder High School To Be Renamed Barack Obama High School?

by elpresidente | 11:28 am, February 12, 2009

**Update 6: Welcome Hot Air readers!

**Update 5: Video update on withdrawal of name-change petition

**Update 4: BO no go at Boulder High–Student Council says “No You Can’t”:

The leader of a group of students who has proposed changing the name of Boulder High School to Barack Obama High School said this afternoon the group is backing off the plan.

Ben Raderstorf is president of the Student Worker Club, the 12-member group behind the attempted change.

He had called a news conference for 3:30 today, but he said this afternoon that he plans to announce an end to the effort because of a lack of support.

Earlier today the Boulder High Student Council released a statement saying “the majority of the student body is in favor of keeping the name, Boulder High School.”

“We are glad that Boulder High students feel comfortable expressing their opinions,” the statement said, “but we are proud of our school and feel that a name change would diminish the lengthy and rich history of our school.”

**Update 3:Boulder High School students not garnering much support from commenters or online polls

**Update 2: (video removed)

**Update–Students explain the desired change:

“It’s not so much about him, but honoring the steps we’ve made and how much more progressive our country has become now that he’s president,” said Ben Raderstorf, 16, a Boulder High junior. “He is everything we would like to reflect. In honoring him, we can inspire and bring together our community.”

Raderstorf is with the Boulder High-based student activist club, Student Worker, which in 2007 launched a protest against the Pledge of Allegiance and rewrote the words. The group is planning to host a news conference at the school at 3:30 p.m. Thursday to announce their proposal to change the school’s name.

Raderstorf said he expects a big turnout.

“We think it will be accepted by almost everyone,” he said.

The principal at Boulder HS isn’t so sanguine, and rejects the name change for a variety of reasons:

“Boulder High is the oldest accredited high school in the state of Colorado — it’s an institution,” Jenkins said. “Of all the things in the world that need to be changed, Boulder High’s name is way down on the list.”

Jenkins said he thinks the students will find the process of changing a school’s name “laborious,” and doesn’t see the proposal going anywhere.

“And, with all due respect to the president, typically you don’t name buildings after sitting presidents,” he said.

Jenkins said thousands of people have graduated from Boulder High School, and it has a rich history that doesn’t need an asterisk.

“It’s the flagship of the school district,” he said. “It’s Boulder High School, and I’m damn proud of it.”

A visit from the Obamamessiah’s local goon squad, youth division, should be expected.

The young Marxist continues:

Raderstorf said he expects some people, at first, to think the change is “out there.” But, Raderstorf said, Obama “is the president now,” and lots of schools have been named after presidents.

“This is no different than naming a school after Lincoln or Washington or Roosevelt,” he said. “There’s an Eisenhower Elementary here in Boulder.”

Hey genius, are any of the others sitting presidents? Or have you spent more time in history class learning trendy social theories and lessons of the oppressed from the likes of Zinn?

Either way, “extraordinary circumstances” would be required to ultimately change the name by the Board of Education.

---

Boulder High School Marxist student group wants to change the name of their school to Barack Obama High School.

His sky-high approval ratings are dropping like a rock from the transition period levels, but students in Boulder, Colorado still hold the new President in high esteem:

BOULDER, Colo. — A student group is organizing to change the name of Boulder High School to Barack Obama High School.

The group Student Worker, a student-based activist club at Boulder High School, is planning to host a news conference at 3:30 p.m. Thursday to announce the campaign.

“We initiate this campaign in order to honor the momentous achievement of his election as an African-American, inspire the community with his ideals of unity and hope, and reflect the progressive spirit that is shared by both Barack Obama and our school environment,” the group said in a news release.

The news conference will be held at Boulder High School, Room 153, at 1604 Arapahoe Ave. The conference is open to the public.

Student Worker, eh? We’ve seen the little Marxists before . . . ah yes, the alternative pledge of allegiance:

“I pledge of allegiance to the flag and my constitutional rights with which it comes. And to the diversity, in which our nation stands, one nation, part of one planet, with liberty, freedom, choice and justice for all.”

Boulder’s Daily Camera commenters have many alternative names prepared, just in case.

Drunkablog says BOHS will be next to Lenin Junior High.

Exit question–a new name requires a new mascot. Hope’n'changers?

Is Barack Obama for Transparency, Except As It Might Apply to Labor?

by Ben DeGrow | 11:11 am, February 12, 2009

For all the serious disagreements I have with President Barack Obama over policy and philosophy, I have been pleased to hear him promote the idea of greater government transparency. That’s something all citizens can rally behind, regardless of partisan affiliation. Only a few days into office, Obama sent out a memo to department heads about [...]

« go back — keep looking »

Featured Posts

• Judge Rules Americans Can Be Forced to Testify Against Themselves

  In order to protect our rights, our security must be protected. In order to protect our security, our rights must be invaded. Nothing wrong with that, is there?

• World Economic Forum in Switzerland: Global Elites Celebrating Hypocrisy
• SCOTUS decision on warrantless GPS surveillance produces an expected friend of privacy
• You didn’t want your Fifth Amendment rights, anyway, did you?
• Keynesian Economists Finally Catch Up and Agree: China to Have Hard Landing
• The Beauty of Private Property—from China?
• Regime Uncertainty, Regulatory Surge, and Unemployment Numbers