What will you remember on Memorial Day?

by John West | 12:28 pm, May 24, 2009

I am a veteran.  Or at least I was a Reservist.  I was an Airborne Infantryman before President Clinton took the combat arms units out of the Reserves.  I will not try to compare my service to that of a WWII vet or even a current vet from Iraq or Afghanistan.  Those people have actually [...]

FTS Weekend Edition: Listen to Me Talk Teacher Sick-Out, Contract Impasses

by Ben DeGrow | 1:46 pm, May 23, 2009

For the handful of you out there who aren’t tired of hearing me talk about teachers unions, contract impasses, and sick-outs this week, you can listen to a new interview with Brad Jones on the most recent Face The State weekend edition (Segment 3). You also can hear an interview with U.S. Senate candidate Cleve [...]

Tom Tancredo calls for marijuana legalization

by Rossputin | 2:16 am, May 23, 2009

On Wednesday, at a speech given to the Lincoln Club of Denver, former Congressman Tom Tancredo argued that the violence caused by the profits involved in the drug trade was good reason to consider legalization. Tancredo is hardly a social issues liberal, and I’m very pleased to see someone on “the right” make a case for legalization.

Here’s the Denver Channel 7 News story link:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/politics/19519306/detail.html

and the video from the evening news:

Obama-man can

by Rossputin | 1:22 am, May 23, 2009

Thanks to my brother-in-law, Michael, for sending this along…

Who can take tomorrow, spend it all today???

Show Trial’s a’Comin’?

by ToxicHypoxic | 12:14 am, May 23, 2009

  A recent web comment reflected an apparent Obama decision to forgo political show trials for member(s) of the previous administration. My response shows that I am less than convinced that it’ll “stick”. Well, at least we have that. Surprising though. Hmmm. Do we have that? I wonder. I am not the only one that [...]

The “public plan” deception? Isn’t it about choice?

by Brian Schwartz | 11:59 pm, May 22, 2009

A scary video showing that the proponents of the “public” medical insurance plan see this as a means to establishing a monopoly on medical insurance. I’d like to see this video go “viral.” If you would too, take a moment to help make it happen!

See background information on the video and its authors here.
It’s tragic, [...]

Empathy and the Supreme Court – more on judicial qualifications

by CTBC Director | 11:45 pm, May 22, 2009

What makes a good judge?  According to President Barack Obama, the replacement he’s seeking for retiring Justice David Souter “must be an individual endowed with ‘empathy’.”
A recent article by Mike Rosen in the Denver Post explores the topic in greater depth.  Rosen notes that President Obama proclaimed of his potential Supreme Court nominee that ”‘I will seek [...]

Friday Funny with Steven Crowder

by Mr. Bob | 9:50 am, May 22, 2009

#tcot #torture #hhrs #gop

Steven makes a few incorrect statements about Waterboarding here, it isn’t just a few seconds and it was done hundreds of times to 3 subjects prior to 2004 and lives were saved because of it. I also don’t agree with making too much light of it, it is torturous to go through I am sure, and I personally think it is a mistake to use it at all. But it is also a mistake to politicize national defense and make more of this than we should as the left does… but this is hilarious, he’s got Pelosi nailed.

Big Labor Ramps Up Pro-EFCA Efforts with Biased Report, Religious Lobbyists

by Ben DeGrow | 8:02 am, May 22, 2009

Update, 10:00 AM: Labor Pains’ Justin Wilson has a more thorough refutation of Big Labor’s new report here.
In an effort to ramp up their efforts to pass the Employee Forced Choice Act (EFCA), Big Labor is touting a new report that suggests employers are rampantly breaking the law (PDF) during union organizing elections. The problem? [...]

Chrysler dealer hints at corruption in targeting of dealerships to be closed

by Rossputin | 3:12 am, May 22, 2009

Thanks to Greg S for sending this link along. The following letter is taken directly from the web site of Rogers Dodge of Alvin, Texas…

May 16, 2009

Dear America,

Recently, Chrysler, LLC notified Rogers Dodge, Inc., in Alvin, Texas of their anticipated closing of our dealership. Chrysler has pled their story quite publicly for several months in support of their request of billions of taxpayer dollars. This is our story.

We occupy a 3-year old Dodge-designed building for which we paid cash when it was built. It was appraised at $3,700,000 in 2007. We qualified as a Five Star dealer for the 2009 calendar year. We have remained profitable through all of this downturn. We have in excess of $1,000,000 in working capital in our dealership. We are selling at or above market share. We pay $75,000 per year in local property taxes and collect millions of dollars annually in state sales taxes. We employ 38 Alvin, Texas residents who all pay property tax, sales tax and income tax.

The owner, Mr. Peter Mankins, my uncle, owns 6 other dealerships, and has no liens on any of his properties or franchises. He has maintained a car dealership in Texarkana, Texas since the late 1960s. He purchased that dealership from my grandfather, who purchased it from my great-grandfather, who rode shotgun next to his father when he was 9, as they were settling the Oklahoma Territory. My great-grandfather started in the automotive business in the early 1900s as a motorcycle repairman, which eventually segued into an International Harvester franchise, and, subsequently, a Pontiac franchise. I have a large family, almost all of which are connected with auto dealerships in one way or another. I state all of this so that there is no confusion by Chrysler or the bankruptcy court or the US government over whether we are a group of half-committed dealers – we are not short-term auto dealers/we are committed over several generations. Chrysler and its dealers have been portrayed in the media as regressive small-town morons. Speaking solely for the dealers, I assure you this is not the case.

In the past year, we have embarked on several creative initiatives in order to remain profitable and out of bankruptcy court. We have become a very competitive used vehicle internet dealer by patterning ourselves after the most successful used vehicle internet dealers in the country. Selling more used vehicles than new vehicles is one of the stated criteria upon which Chrysler based their decision to close us. Would Chrysler have preferred their dealers join them in bankruptcy court? It was never our desire to allow ourselves to be a burden on the American taxpayers; nor do we plan this in the future. Selling more used vehicles has enabled us to not only avoid layoffs, but to actually grow our employee population from 25 to 38 during the period of May 2008 to May 2009, a 52 percent increase. Further, in the first four months of 2009, our new vehicle sales have increased by approximately 50% by employing the same innovative practices within our new vehicle department. Though Dodge district sales are down by about 50%, our new vehicle sales actually increased comparing April 2008 and April 2009.

In our parts department, we have created one of very few eBay parts stores selling new factory parts. We have listed in excess of 4,000 Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep factory parts and are by far the largest internet seller of OEM DCJ parts in the world. This has increased our monthly parts sales by approximately 35% in a short 5 month period. In our service department, we have recently added an additional service advisor, a service manager, and three additional master technicians, have endeavored to maintain the least expensive oil change in town and, effective this month, extended our service hours to 14 hours per weekday and 10 hours on Saturdays. We were on track to move to 24-hour/7-day a week service hours by the end of 2009. Just this month, we hired a graduating University of Houston student as a photographer and videographer. We began the process of taking studio-quality photographs of our inventory, something which no other auto retailer in the country is doing. Evidence of our early progress with this can be found in a slideshow on our homepage at http://www.rogersdodge.com/.

When Chrysler needed dealers to purchase inventory so that the factories could keep operating and their employees could retain their paychecks, we complied and ordered 10 months of inventory. Our interest on inventory swelled from $15,000 monthly to beyond $50,000 monthly. Effectively, we took pay cuts in order to support Chrysler’s cause. When Mr. Landry uttered his veiled threat that Chrysler would “remember those who supported us and those who didn’t,” we felt that we had done our part to support Chrysler and its workers. Now, we realize that we were just supporting our own demise. Last week, we were given three weeks to dispose of five months of inventory. In doing so, we anticipate losing in excess of $1 million – we may actually have to inject capital into our business in order to go out of business. Our $2 million plus in equity in our franchise is now completely worthless. Further, we now face the very real possibility that our new building will sit empty for months or years until someone is willing to purchase it.

Despite all of this, Chrysler is taking our franchise so that it can be given to our neighbor across the street, Ron Carter Autoland. Ron Carter Autoland has the local Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Jeep, Pontiac, Buick and GMC franchises. They occupy a 40 to 50 year old building that does not comply with any manufacturer’s design standards. They have recently moved their Ford, Chrysler and Jeep franchises into the same building, a violation of their franchise agreements with both Ford and Chrysler. They have recently cut their service hours, consolidated their used vehicle operations and laid off many employees. The manager, and a major shareholder, of Ron Carter Autoland is Mr. Cary Wilson, President-elect of the Houston Auto Dealers Association – apparently Mr. Wilson’s political affiliation is very important to Chrysler, the bankruptcy court and the US government.

How exactly does transferring our franchise to our neighbor serve Chrysler’s stated purpose of thinning out dealer numbers? The franchise will still exist – it will just have a new owner.

Though I am a Washington, DC-educated attorney and former employee of the US Department of Labor and the US Senate and an active advocate of the American way of life, it is difficult for me to view this abrogation of our franchise rights as anything more than a manipulation of US bankruptcy court and law so that Chrysler LLC can transfer wealth between dealers they like and those they dislike, those that have agreed to under-table favors and those that haven’t, and to settle old vendettas. This is not the purpose of US bankruptcy protection and, surely, it isn’t why the US Treasury has given billions to Chrysler to keep them in business.

This is our story; however, it is, unfortunately, not unique. Allowing this manipulation of US bankruptcy law will set a precedent that effectively invalidates all state franchise laws. Though technically a question of law, many of these closings are politically motivated. Thus, anyone with any interest in retaining the US economic system in its current form must contact their political representatives immediately. Small businesses will have no legal protections if these closings are allowed to occur. Rome is burning, America – please wake up.

Nicholas Parks, President
Rogers Dodge, Inc.
Alvin, Texas
nhparks@gmail.com

Seng Center 5/21 – Featuring Rep. David Balmer

by Jimmy Sengenberger | 8:00 pm, May 21, 2009

The following is our premier “purely podcast” podcast on 5/21, featuring our discussion on the antics of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, followed by our exclusive interview with Colorado House Assistant Minority Leader David Balmer (about 18 minutes in).  The show wraps up with a chat about the whole Miss California debacle, as requested by one of our listeners.

49.8 MB Download

Comments are more than welcome!  E-mailed Jimmy at Jimmy@SengCenter.com
or post on the site!  As always, please be respectful in your remarks.

Blocking transparency

by Amy Oliver | 4:39 pm, May 21, 2009

During the last legislative session, COST came to realize that anti-transparency forces not only exist but they work very hard to block the sunshine on government.  We exposed how lobbyists, State Controller David McDermott, some legislators, school administrators and Governor Bill Ritter all tried to kill transparency legislation. 
But the state of Maine did Colorado anti-transparency forces one better (or [...]

Transparency has been “delivered”

by Amy Oliver | 3:35 pm, May 21, 2009

Sources tell COST that HB 1288 the Colorado Taxpayer Transparency Act has been “prepared” and “delivered” to Governor Bill Ritter’s desk.  We don’t know exactly what that means but we look forward to the Governor’s signature.  In all honesty what we really are looking forward to is the database of expenditures and revenues that it establishes.

Unidine: If Government Ran Restaurants (Like Universal Health Care)

by elpresidente | 11:06 am, May 21, 2009

(h/t Ken) Imagine the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld, only worse–run by the government–”No choice for you!”:

My gun is safer than your dog.

by TJ Wihera | 10:40 am, May 21, 2009

I recently saw an advertisement for a service that trained companion/protection dogs. One of the selling points on the ad was that their trained attack dogs are safer than a firearm. If your jaw isn’t on the floor, it’s because you mis-read the last sentence. They claimed that a dog is safer than a firearm. [...]

Barter Versus Taxes

by Ari Armstrong | 10:33 am, May 21, 2009

Kevin Simpson wrote up an article for the Denver Post, “Barter system booms in Colo.” Simpson talked to a few people who have been trading goods and services directly, but I’m surprised that he didn’t mention the tax ramifications.

I Googled “‘tax income’ barter,” and the top hit is the following information from the Internal Revenue Service:

Topic 420 – Bartering Income

Bartering occurs when you exchange goods or services without exchanging money. An example of bartering is a plumber doing repair work for a dentist in exchange for dental services. The fair market value of goods and services received in exchange for goods or services you provide must be included in income in the year received.

Generally, you report this income on Form 1040, Schedule C (PDF), Profit or Loss from Business. If you failed to report this income, correct your return by filing a Form 1040X. Refer to Topic 308 for Amended Return information.

A barter exchange or barter club is any person or organization with members or clients that contract with each other (or with the barter exchange) to jointly trade or barter property or services. The term does not include arrangements that provide solely for the informal exchange of similar services on a noncommercial basis.

The Internet has provided a medium for new growth in the bartering exchange industry. This growth prompts the following reminder: Barter exchanges are required to file Form 1099-B for all transactions unless certain exceptions are met. Refer to Barter Exchanges for additional information on this subject. If you are in a business or trade, you may be able to deduct certain costs you incurred to perform the work that was bartered. If you exchanged property or services through a barter exchange, you should receive a Form 1099-B (PDF), Proceeds From Broker and Barter Exchange Transactions. The IRS also will receive the same information.

Please refer to our Bartering page [see the original document for related links] for more information on bartering income and bartering exchanges.

And how many people bartering in Colorado are filling out the legally required forms and paying the legally required taxes? My guess is the percent is less than two.

In today’s world, you can hardly do anything without being required to fill out a bunch of government forms and pay some bureaucrat or other protection money. There’s nothing so simple, straightforward, or beneficial that bureaucrats can’t turn it into a legal nightmare. The IRS’s documentation reads like it comes out of the world of Brazil.

The IRS imagines that barterers are going to refer to Topic 308 so that they can fill out Form 1040X. Good luck with that.

“I hereby inform you under powers entrusted to me under Section 476 that Mr. Buttle, Archibald, residing at 412 North Tower, Shangri La Towers, has been invited to assist the Ministry of Information with certain inquiries and that he is liable to certain financial obligations as specified in Council Order RB-stroke-C-Z-stroke-nine-O-seven-stroke-X.”

Time is on my side?

by John West | 8:29 am, May 21, 2009

I don’t know who said it but its true. If you give time to everyone who asks for it, you will have no time left for yourself. There are so many people that only want a minute or five minutes or even if you just have thirty seconds to talk to them that if you [...]

News Flash Guantanamo has bad people in it., Amercans don’t want them here.

by Mr. Bob | 8:23 am, May 21, 2009

#tcot #gwot
After campaigning on the promise to close Guantanamo the administration has once again reversed course on an important issue after receiving more information. The Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp is a prison operated by Joint Task Force Guantánamo since 1987 in Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, which is on the shore of Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. I bet if you asked most leftists if the Bush adminstration built Guantamao, they’s say yes.

Daily briefs and threat assessments have a tendency to change minds if the minds are actually open. It at least makes the hearer more vigilant. At times I doubt any politician (especially left leaning) mind is still open to change, but perhaps I am wrong about this…or perhaps it is because the American people are screaming “not in my backyard” on this issue and Democrats politicians do follow the changing winds if they do anything.

“I don’t doubt that the President–and I think he’ll say this tomorrow–that we’ve made some hasty decisions that are now going to take some time to unwind. And closing Guantanamo Bay obviously is one of those decisions” Press Secretary Robert Gibbs:

What Obama is finding out is that the Bush administration was not so crazy after all. Cheney was not so blood thirsty, not so war-mongering and whatever other propaganda slogan the left has been saying for years.

There are people out there with the idea that we (human beings in non-Muslim free societies) need to be brutally destroyed, and murdered at all costs. These are…bad people. Like Hitler, like Stalin, like Dahmer, like so many others, these bad people, these demons still exist and still get others to follow their twisted view. Many things in the world are getting better, but these types of people who are given to hate, murder and destruction of all they despise are still present and they are legion.

The fact that we are in danger is not politically expedient to the Democrats because since the 1960′s they always taking the position of their far left socialist constituents; that anti-American position states that those of us on the right and those of us in the military enjoy and profit from war, we like torture and we are as bad as Hitler, as Pol Pot..(always using the Hitler thing). It is what our enemies have always said about us, and it is what the left inside this country has been parroting for them for 60 years or more. It is propaganda and it is a lie.

But facts are stubborn things and the fact that the world didn’t suddenly get safe because Obama is now in charge may actually be getting through to some people. The attacks on 9.11 didn’t happen because Bush was inept, he had just become president, they happened because of a decade of cuts in defense spending, a corrupt and inept CIA organization allowed to continue to spiral downward (for the previous 8 years) and more importantly a complete willful ignorance that there are groups of bad people who want to kill us and our children and we need to stay vigilant.

Guantanamo bay prison facility is as far as prison’s go, a nice place to be. Any maximum security facility inside the US is far worse, far more restricting and far more depressing. People are not being tortured in Guantanamo, high value are being questioned and occasionally being made to feel uncomfortable. 99.9% of the time they are being treated with respect and dignity because that kind of interrogation works best.

Closing Guantanamo was a political ploy to placate the far left propaganda smear machine who actually believes the US military are thugs, the CIA could care less about human beings and that the US is as bad as any rogue regime ever. Perhaps cooler heads will prevail, one can hope.

Revelation; Bad People at Guantanamo

California shows one possible future for our nation

by Rossputin | 7:40 am, May 21, 2009

For today’s reading, I offer you my article at HumanEvents.com discussing how Obama is now leading the nation down the same path that’s led California to disastrous results:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31957

Taxing your beer for politically-controlled health care

by Brian Schwartz | 1:30 am, May 21, 2009

Why would politicians do this?  Because they view it as a worthwhile political investment for them.  Beer drinkers are many, but are probably politically disorganized.  Politicians will look like nice caring folks for “providing health care”, so it buys them votes.  From the AP:
Consumers in the United States may have to hand over nearly $2 [...]

California Tax Revolt

by Ari Armstrong | 11:43 pm, May 20, 2009

And here I had simply written off California as unsalvageable. Perhaps there is some hope for the Left Coast — the People’s Republic of California — the state synonymous in Colorado politics with dysfunction — after all. The Los Angeles Times laments:

The day after voters overwhelmingly rejected a plank of ballot measures intended to ease the state’s financial woes, lawmakers awoke to a harsh reality: a projected $21.3-billion deficit and the prospect of another round of bitter negotiations…

“There’s a certain point where you feel that it will be devastating to some people and so we tried not to make those cuts,” said the governor, who last week outlined grim plans to cope with the deficit. “But now we have to, we have no other choice.”

Come on, Ahnold, where’s the Terminator when we need him? At least the Governator is looking to slash bureaucratic jobs and cut spending. But he wants to borrow $6 billion from “Washington” — i.e., from tax payers from Colorado and the rest of the nation?

Hasta la vista, baby.

Colorado Legislature adds Insult to Colorado Supreme Court’s Injury to Voters by blocking Mill Levy Tax Freeze remedy

by CTBC Director | 11:30 pm, May 20, 2009

If Democrats in the 2007 General Assembly were devious for passing Gov. Ritter’s infamous property tax hike without voter approval, the current crop plunges to new depths.
In an act of sheer arrogance, this year’s Democrat majority poked taxpayers in the eye just for spite.
Recall that the aforementioned property tax hike increases the burden on local [...]

Penn Jillette is a Libertarian Nut

by wesley | 5:13 pm, May 20, 2009

That crazy magician Jillette penned a neat little piece on Glenn Beck’s site that discusses morality and the Government’s use of force.  It’s good stuff.  It makes sense.  Check out Penn’s reasoning for Why I’m a Libertarian Nut Instead of Just a Nut:   I don’t speak for all Libertarians any more than Sean Penn speaks [...]

Wednesday Wrap-Up

by Jon Caldara | 4:54 pm, May 20, 2009

I’m a little late reporting my weekly wrap-up, but I had some other things going on earlier. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to it.
***The Education Policy Center, Pam Benigno in particular, has been cranking out some quality podcasts lately. Here is everything you wanted to know about charter schools in [...]

Let Colorado Choose: Blogger Memo To NRSC

by elpresidente | 1:35 pm, May 20, 2009

Ben DeGrow nails it–and quite succinctly, I might add: memo to National Republican Senatorial Committee–let Colorado Republicans decide.

We don’t need the NRSC to determine, Florida-style, who the GOP nomination for US Senate will be in 2010.

Bloggers from around the country are circulating a petition (click for additional signatories):

Dear Senator Cornyn,

We the undersigned believe that the National Republican Senatorial Committee should be committed to serving ALL the members of the Republican Party.

Additionally, the NRSC should be focused on defeating Democrats, not Republicans. Towards that end, we believe it was completely inappropriate for the NRSC to endorse a candidate in the Florida primary race.

Therefore, we request that both you and the NRSC alter your position on the Florida Senate race, maintain neutrality, and promise to spend no money directly or indirectly in that race.

Sincerely yours,

El Presidente
Colorado
Slapstick Politics
People’s Press Collective
Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

The Colorado GOP welcomes a frank, honest, and open debate between the three announced candidates–Ryan Frazier, Ken Buck, and Cleve Tidwell.

And next August, Colorado Republicans will decide who they wish to see battle Sen. Michael Bennet in the general election. Not party insiders, national operatives, or yes, the NRSC.

**My position on this petition includes only my personal blog, and extends to my affiliations elsewhere insofar as I participate in those collaborations, and is not meant as the position of either PPC or RMA 2.0.

Support your President!

by spark4freedom | 12:56 pm, May 20, 2009

I support President Obama! Yep! You read that correctly. I am the most conservative person you will ever meet and I support Obama. In his first 120 days, he has done more to unite the Conservatives  than anything we have done over the last two years.  What has he done to deserve my support?  Let me [...]

Memo to NRSC: Stay out of Colorado’s Republican Senate Primary

by Ben DeGrow | 12:30 pm, May 20, 2009

Update, 5/20: John Hawkins at Right Wing News has posted the following petition to the NRSC (to which I have added my name at the end):

Dear Senator Cornyn,
We the undersigned believe that the National Republican Senatorial Committee should be committed to serving ALL the members of the Republican Party.
Additionally, the NRSC should be focused on [...]

Obama: “Screw the poor.”

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 6:58 am, May 20, 2009

The Denver Post applauds “President Obama’s decision to greatly accelerate higher fuel efficiency and emissions standards for automobiles.” (See today’s editorial “Pedal to the metal on fuel standards.“)

Look at Both Gallup Polls: Republicans Have an Opportunity, If They’ll Take It

by Ben DeGrow | 6:46 am, May 20, 2009

Two Gallup polls, released on the same day: Monday, May 18. Wildly different headlines. Part of a bigger story, but some can only seem to latch on to one or the other.
Those who trumpeted the results of the survey showing across-the-board demographic losses for the Republican Party since 2001 (conducted from January to April [...]

The statist creed: “The people are stupid.”

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 6:32 am, May 20, 2009

From the front page of today’s Denver Post:

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