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Protesting Pennies for Postcards, Pimping Plenty for Propaganda – Denver Post Editorial Board demonstrates new depths of hypocrisy

by | 5:56 am, July 25, 2009 | Comments Off

Third time’s apparently the charm for the Denver Post editorial board to stick it to Colorado citizens on the Rice/Ritter/Mullarkey car tax – apparently, this time they couldn’t wait until Saturday, as with their two most recent editorial pronouncements against the peoples’ interest, one and two weeks to the day following July 4th.

In their latest editorial backing the car tax against popular protests, the Denver Post rails against the fact that “[t]wo Republican county clerks are using taxpayer resources to send postcards from angry Department of Motor Vehicle customers to Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter.”

The editorial decries what most people might call effective customer service, but what the editors instead say “violates the principle that elected officials not use taxpayer money to engage in political campaigning or attacks.”

The Post might be able claim a shred of credibility – and be able to say this with a straight face – if they had similarly criticized the earlier expenditure of significantly greater funds by Governor Ritter’s Director of Revenue to produce and distribute a “fact sheet” – in reality, a supportive political propaganda piece – on the “FASTER” car tax bill, as reported in their own newspaper:

Roxy Huber, director of the state Department of Revenue, sent a memo to county clerks this week about the complaints. She included a “fact sheet” that could be given to vehicle owners …

So, according to the Post’s logic, it’s OK to spend taxpayer dollars on propaganda and political campaigning in favor of an unpopular and possibly unconstitutional tax (er, fee) increase, but it’s NOT OK to provide “customers” being “serviced” by the government a means to provide feedback at an infinitesimal fraction of that cost.

Not that the Post is advocating a double standard, or anything…

Of course, it gets worse.  The Post is similarly silent on the use of taxpayer dollars – again, significantly more than pennies for postcards – for massive (and expensive) road signs touting the latest “stimulus bill” construction projects – as noted in a letter to the editor published the same day, these prominently displayed billboards (er, road signs) are “[n]ot-so-subtle campaign ads for Ritter, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama” at considerable taxpayer expense.

Finally, adding insult to injury, the Post editorial closes with talking points (heck, quotes) directly from state Democratic Party chair Pat Waak to complete their case.  Why not cut out the middleman, and just add Pat Waak directly to the editorial board?  It would be much more convenient for all concerned…

Ya gotta hand it to the Post, though – they DID save the taxpayers money by serving as the press secretary for the governor’s office (and the Democratic Party) with this series of editorials, effectively serving as the 4th branch of the one-party-rule government in this state.   Although the “paid for by the Democratic Party” disclaimer really should fit in there somewhere…

DON’T FALL FOR THE POST’S DOUBLE-STANDARD!  REFUSE to pay this unfair tax (er, fee) – DEMAND an immediate and retroactive rollback whenever the legislature next convenes.  Contact Governor Ritter, the FASTER bill’s primary sponsor Joe Rice, and your state representatives (House and Senate) and demand action!

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