Halloween Recap: Dubofsky called out in Denver Post editorial, buddies of incumbent bench-sitters vandalize CTBC signs

by CTBC Director | 11:45 pm, October 31, 2010

Clear The Bench Colorado has more than once criticized the dearth of coverage provided by the Denver Post on the “long train of abuses and usurpations” perpetrated by the Colorado Supreme Court; we have on occasion been frustrated at the limited opportunity to respond in print to some of the most spurious accusations and misinformation [...]

Trick or Treating for Votes In Weld County

by Lu Busse | 6:42 pm, October 31, 2010

It appears that a couple of folks dressed up and acting like Democrat Get Out The Vote (GOTV) workers added a Halloween twist to chasing ballots and getting out voters in Weld County, Colorado this week. Here is the press release regarding the October 27th incident from GOP County Chair, Karen Pelzer: Weld GOP Requests [...]

State Sen. Guzman: “The state’s paycheck comes from taxes…”

by Kelly Maher | 6:42 pm, October 31, 2010

Colorado state Sen. Lucia Guzman, appointed to fill a District 34 vacancy, likes taxes. A lot. During a debate between Guzman and Republican challenger Derec Shuler, Guzman gave us something to think about (like moving to a state without an income tax).

10/28 Pt 2 – Conversation with Dick Wadhams, Colorado GOP Party Chair

by Jimmy Sengenberger | 6:00 pm, October 31, 2010

In Part Two of the 10/28 pre-election edition of Seng Center, host Jimmy Sengenberger is joined by Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, for a discussion on expectations for the 2010 elections. How is the election season going …

Don’t ‘Privatize’ Social Security, Phase It Out

by Ari Armstrong | 2:20 pm, October 31, 2010

The following article by Linn and Ari Armstrong originally was published October 29 by Grand Junction Free Press.If you think that Senate hopeful Ken Buck called Social Security a “horrible policy,” then you’ve been listening to Senator Michael Bennet’…

Amendment 63 vs. cost-shift hypocrisy

by Brian Schwartz | 12:20 pm, October 31, 2010

Want to be taxed $5 to save just $1? Expect this kind of health care “reform” from those claiming to protect you from what’s called the “uninsured cost-shift.”. Supporters of mandatory insurance only claim to oppose cost-shifting. In practice, they support policies that, like mandatory insurance, add to the very cost-shifting they claim to object to.

Backbone Radio, Oct 31, 2010: Three more days of a Democrat majority

by Rossputin | 8:11 am, October 31, 2010

Audio archives for this show:

Segment 1 – Intro, CO political discussion
Segment 2 – Tom Tancredo
Segment 3 – Political chat w/Krista and Matt
Segment 4 – More political chat, with zombies
Segment 5 – Matt Arnold – Clear the Bench Colorado
Segment 6 – Michael Sandoval – National Review Online
Segment 7- Wrap-up

Please join Krista Kafer and Matt Dunn, sitting in for Ross Kaminsky, on this week’s edition of Backbone Radio as, on Halloween evening, they discuss the spooky outlook for Democrats around the nation.

In the first hour, our guest will be gubernatorial candidate Tom Tancredo, with the major question being whether the surge in support for Tom is big enough and early enough.

The rest of the show will have a wide-ranging discussion on the likely results of Tuesday’s election.

One big issue is the question left intentionally unclear in the title of this note: In which legislative bodies at both the state and local level will Democrats still have a majority? We’re almost certain the Republicans will take back the House of Representatives. We don’t know about the U.S. Senate and, perhaps even more importantly for us Coloradoans, we don’t have a good guess as to whether Republicans will take back either house of our state legislature.

And don’t forget, although a Dem majority in the House of Representatives will have been unelected, they still have until mid-January before the officially lose their jobs. It remains to be seen just what damage they will try to do during that time. Will the many losing Dems respect the will of the voters or will they go on a spiteful rampage through the halls of liberty?

Please join the show by listening to (and calling in to) this week’s Backbone Radio program from 5 PM to 8 PM on 710 AM KNUS in Denver and 1460 AM KZNT in Colorado Springs.

If you’re not in range of the radio waves, you should be able to listen to the show online by clicking HERE.

Again, we hope you’ll actively participate in the conversation by calling the studio at 303 696 1971.

And please listen in to our special election coverage on Tuesday evening when John Andrews and Ross Kaminsky will cover local and nation-wide elections with fast-breaking news and insightful analysis. (At least we hope you’ll find it insightful!)

Original post at http://backboneradio.net, online home of Backbone Radio with Ross Kaminsky.

Don’t forget to enter the election prediction contest

by Rossputin | 7:52 am, October 31, 2010

http://rossputin.com/blog/index.php/2010-general-election-prediction-game

Winner gets a copy of “The Law” by Bastiat (pound for pound the best anti-socialism book ever written), bragging rights, and the first (free) beer next time we meet.

Read this and then send me your guesses:

http://rossputin.com/blog/index.php/2010-general-election-prediction-game

Please ask your friends to play along!

Link to Original post at Rossputin.com.

Scott Elmore: Free speech in Boulder — or not

by Rossputin | 6:36 am, October 31, 2010

Thanks to reader Scott Elmore for this “guest blog” on the subject of free speech…and how the left seems to have more of it than conservatives do:

You’ve been inundated with political ads, spin on words, and political debate from at least a couple of different angles (Ed: and at least one Angle) for the last few months. Most have your own opinions, and aren’t terribly swayed by these ads. Others choose to take the spin, and disregarding their own intellectual honesty, choose to repeat it. This happens on all sides.

A popular local conservative talk show host often says he wants to know where someone sits, before he hears where they stand. I’m male. I’m married (and to the mother of my children!). I’m heterosexual. I’m a classic WASP. I’m also a free-thinking conservative. My beliefs are a culmination of life experience, upbringing, religion, and some sort of ingrained natural inborn intellect. For better or worse, that’s who I am.

I don’t agree in lock-step with any political party. I choose to be registered with a party so that I might participate in the primary process. Many of my views conflict with some of the “hard-core” views of the Republican movement. I often am forced to challenge both friends, and people whom I respect, that their stated (party) ideology conflicts with their own statements and/or actions.

That said, I’m certainly of the, “I disapprove of what you say, but I’ll defend to your death your right to say it,” mentality. This quote, oft attributed to Voltaire, (I’ll leave the scholars to argue the origin) is a difficult position to take in today’s political arena; yet here I stand. With many far left progressives so clinging to the First Amendment to defend actions, “art”, and statements as free speech; it’s easy to get frustrated.

Our founders did not equivocate the right to free speech. It is, after all, the First Amendment in our cherished Bill of Rights. I’m no scholar, but I am fairly certain the fathers considered it pretty important to make it FIRST. As a principled individual, I must, therefore, accept that when I see depictions of Jesus Christ involved lewd acts portrayed as art, or hear Ward Churchill refer to the WTC victims as “little Eichmanns” that others are expressing their constitutionally protected views.

Ironically, these same leftist progressives have recently brought the issue of free speech to the forefront. The recent criticism of the often controversial Bill O’Reilly for his comments on a daytime TV show, for example, followed by the firing of one of the left’s own, Juan Williams, from NPR, for speaking his beliefs…leave many heads shaking in disbelief! Which way would you choose to have it? Do we in fact have a right to free speech or don’t we?

I’ve recently heard everything from, “Americans are complicit in the 9-11 attacks,” to a reference by current Gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper that rural Coloradoans are, “backwards thinking.”

I’m sometimes offended; I often disagree. I do, however, wake up daily thankful that I live in a country where we all can express our views. At least, we’re supposed to be able to.

My statement culminates in what I’ve seen for the last few weeks in Boulder County. Apparently, the first amendment does not apply to conservative thought; at least not with regard to political signage nor private property.

I finally had to speak out today when I saw what I depict in the picture below. Political signage on the property of some recently departed pillars of a community has been defaced, time and time again, over the last few weeks. Today, I just couldn’t take it anymore. Ironically, the signage belongs to tenants on the property, but I grew up in the town of Lafayette, and no-one who knew the family I refer to could have anything but contempt for the recent vulgar and hateful graffiti that now adorns their property.

Take a look for yourself. As a conservative, I don’t see the first amendment as a one way street; it has no qualifications for ideology. If you want to make a point, feel free to do so. Please do not begrudge me or anyone else our right to do so as well.

The hypocrisy is incredible; the lack of media attention to this matter reflects this same hypocrisy.

Respectfully,
Scott Elmore
Citizen, USA

————————————-

Note from Ross:

I appreciate Scott’s point. One comment I would make is in response to his charge of hypocrisy by the left. He is, of course, correct. But I have often said and will say again that it’s extremely ineffectual to charge the left with hypocrisy, at least in comparison with the right, because leftists don’t generally claim to be motivated by principle. Instead, they’re motivated by reaching a particular outcome. That’s why, for the left, the Constitution is an impediment rather than a foundation. It’s why they can be for something one day and against it the next day if they think it’s not getting to their beloved redistribution of wealth. It doesn’t matter if the switch in policy betrays an utter lack of connection to any fundamental principle of the rule of law.

It’s gotten so bad – or rather so well-known – that the left has no principles, that few people even bother accusing them of hypocrisy, although it is rampant in the sense of the double-standard the left and their media pawns apply. Behavior such as Scott points out, if it were destroying Democrats’ campaign signs, would be all over the news. But when the vandals are attacking Republican property, nobody in the “mainstream” media cares. That said, the people do care, they’re waking up to this along with everything else, and it’s part of the reason they’re abandoning the “mainstream” media in huge numbers.

Finally, I would note that we should beat the left at their own game: if they refuse to be judged based on principle but instead only on outcomes, we should say “fine, let’s look at the actual outcome of leftist policies.” Whether it’s the welfare state’s destruction of the American black community or the genocide of political opponents in a half-dozen leftist tyrannies throughout the world during the 20th century, leftist policies – even if you forgive their essential lack of principle – have been utter failures.

Link to Original post at Rossputin.com.

Coverage of legal-establishment campaign finance violations

by CTBC Director | 7:20 pm, October 30, 2010

In a “fair and balanced” media universe (even in a world in which the concept of “journalistic integrity” still had any meaning), the violation of Colorado campaign finance laws by a consortium of some of the largest and most powerful legal-establishment special-interest groups in the state (headed by the Colorado Bar Association, joined by the [...]

10/28 Pt 3 – Interview with Ryan Frazier (R-CD7)

by Jimmy Sengenberger | 6:00 pm, October 30, 2010

In Part Three of the 10/28 pre-election edition of Seng Center, host Jimmy Sengenberger gives his take on the November 2 elections. What can we expect to see next Tuesday?

Then, Republican CD-7 candidate Ryan Frazier joins Jimmy for a great disc…

Backbone Radio, Oct 31, 2010: Three more days of a Democrat majority

by Rossputin | 8:12 am, October 30, 2010

For the promo of tomorrow’s edition (10/31/10) of Backbone Radio, please see the link at the new Backbone Radio blog:

http://rossputin.com/blog/backbone.php/2010/10/30/backbone-radio-oct-31-2010-three-more-days-of-a-democrat-majority

Link to Original post at Rossputin.com.

Another Reason Michael Bennet Should Not Be Elected – The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

by Elliot | 8:11 am, October 30, 2010

One piece of legislation that Barack Obama passed that has serious detrimental effects on business is the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. Some background. There is a 180 day clock to bring a discrimination lawsuit for failure to pay a person equally based on being a member of a protected class. The idea [...]

Kopel: “Ronald Reagan, Extremist Collaborator”

by David Kopel | 11:38 pm, October 29, 2010

This year, there is scarcely a Republican running in a competitive race who has not been called “an extremist” by his or her opponent, and the opponent’s allies. Ronald Reagan was targeted with the charge of extremism in his 1966 run for governor of California. David Kopel writes about that remarkable campaign and lessons learned.

9News Laphamizes the Elections

by T.L. James | 8:37 pm, October 29, 2010

I’m guessing this election results page at 9News is merely something published accidentally while they were testing the site for Tuesday, but it’s interesting and amusing (while it lasts online). Will be especially interesting and amusing to compare their “predictions” to the actual results.

Cary Kennedy smiling while dialing up taxes

by Kelly Maher | 6:11 pm, October 29, 2010

I’ve always been curious why Treasurer Cary Kennedy is seen as a rising star in Colorado Democratic politics. I think I figured it out: she seems so happy to be relieving taxpayers of their money. “I am working to make sure that, as our economy recovers, the first dollar that comes in the door goes into the classroom.” said Kennedy at the Democratic Party state assembly in May [see video at left].

10/28 Pt 4 – Interview with Dr. Mike Fallon (R-CD1)

by Jimmy Sengenberger | 6:00 pm, October 29, 2010

In Part Four of the 10/28 pre-election edition of Seng Center, host Jimmy Sengenberger chats with CD-1 Republican candidate Dr. Mike Fallon about his quest to oust liberal incumbent Diana DeGette. What is this medical doctor’s expansive take on O…

Voter enticement in Weld County

by Amy Oliver | 5:06 pm, October 29, 2010

Sources confirmed that the reported incident of voter enticement by someone representing the Democrat party did occur in Weld County. The Weld County District Attorney’s office is reviewing the case to see if offering postage or falsely telling voters that it is their last day to vote is a violation of state statute.
The incident happened [...]

Ritter Would Pick Replacements Of Any Judges Voted Out In November Election

by Laura Victoria | 3:37 pm, October 29, 2010

As confirmed to me by the judicial branch almost three months ago, current Colorado Democratic governor Bill Ritter would name any replacements of judges not retained in Tuesday’s election. (See, Article VI, Section 20 of the state constitution). Now that … Continue reading →

Daniel the Maes-siah: “Thou knowest that the only true prophet is the voice that speaketh on the Day of Election”

by Ben DeGrow | 3:21 pm, October 29, 2010

After seeing deeply flawed and failed Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes “get biblical” on Facebook (H/T Complete Colorado), I had a late-night moment of “inspired” political satire that ended up as this. Please enjoy: …One of the El Pasoans spake unto the Teapartyites, saying, We have found the Maes-siah, which being interpreted is Daniel, the [...]

10/28 Pt 5 – Interview with Scott Gessler, GOP candidate for Secretary of State, and a Monologue

by Jimmy Sengenberger | 3:00 pm, October 29, 2010

In Part Five of the 10/28 pre-election edition of Seng Center, host Jimmy Sengenberger talks with Scott Gessler, Colorado’s Republican candidate for Secretary of State, about some of the new developments in that race. Just how is incumbent Bernie…

Hot Lady Docs for Repealing ObamaCare

by Jon Caldara | 1:14 pm, October 29, 2010

You know, going to the doctors for my annual check up would be so much easier if my doctor was any of these fine ladies. Thanks to The Repeal Pledge, the Independents Women’s Voice, and American Majority Action, we can see the glorious result of lady doctors coming together against ObamaCare. These women have the [...]

Pollster Forecasts Tancredo Win For Colo. Governor, GOP Retake Of Both State House And Senate

by Laura Victoria | 12:46 pm, October 29, 2010

The Businessword’s Don Johnson reports that David Flaherty, the president and CEO of Magellan, a Republican leaning poll with excellent turnout models, predicts Tom Tancredo will beat Denver Dem Mayor John Hickenlooper in Tuesday’s Colorado governor’s race. Flaherty also … Continue reading →

2010 General Election prediction game

by Rossputin | 12:43 pm, October 29, 2010

If you don’t want to sign up to be a “member” of this blog, just e-mail me your guesses directly at
rossputin(at)rossputin(dot)com

There are so many interesting races to think about in this election season, but for our 2010 election prediction contest, I’ll limit it to a few questions. As with the primary election contest, we’ll add up each person’s (absolute value) error in % points for each race, and the one with the lowest total error wins.

Whoever gets closest will get bragging rights, a copy of Bastiat’s “The Law”, and my buying his or her first beer when next we meet.

For example, if you say Candidate A by 5 and Candidate B by 2 and Candidate C by 1, and the results are Candidate A by 2.5, Candidate B’s opponent by 2, and Candidate C by 2, then the errors are 2.5, 4, and 1 for a total of 7.5.

For Colorado races: Given the extreme likelihood that a recount, if one happens, will result in Democrat cheating and not give the actual true vote count, in any race where there is a recount, this bet will be settled based on the FIRST full vote count, not the final (almost certainly manipulated) count.

For Senate and House seats: Since it’s based on who ends up in the seat, these races will be settled after any recounts.

The races we’ll “bet” on are:

Colorado Governor (Margin of victory or loss for Tancredo vs Hickenlooper)
Colorado US Senate (Margin of victory or loss for Buck vs Bennet)
Colorado 7th CD (Ryan Frazier v Ed Perlmutter)
Colorado 4th CD (Cory Gardner v Betsy Markey)
Total number of seats picked up by GOP in the House, with error divided by two (so this question doesn’t dominate all the others)
Total number of seats picked up by GOP in the Senate

————–

I’ll go first; my (slightly modified on Monday) guesses as to the winner and the margin of victory:

Hickenlooper by 1.95% (I’m sad to make this guess, and I hope I’m wrong…I may change this before Tuesday.)
Buck by 3.35%
Frazier by 2.85%
Gardner by 8.75%
64 seats in the House
9 seats in the Senate

FYI: Senate flips from D to R which I project: AR, CO, IL, IN, ND, NV, PA, WA, WI. Not highly confident in WA. WV also possible. CA a long shot at this point but stranger things have happened. It should also be noted that it’s not impossible for the Democrat to win in Alaska, though it’s not highly likely.

I’m sorta more interested in the CA governor’s race. If CA elects Jerry Brown again, they deserve everything that will happen to them.

———-

Please send me your guesses by e-mail or comment (on any of the various pages on which you see this note) and I’ll regularly update this page with a chart of the current guesses. If you don’t want your first name and last initial used to identify you, please let me know.

Guesses may be changed until I go to sleep on Monday. People whose guesses were changed will be noted by a * in the chart.

——————

Players and guesses, plus average, so far:

Average Guess	-2.15	3.33	1.84	8.47	66.88	8.88
Players	Tancredo	Buck	Frazier	Gardner	GOP House	GOP Senate
Ross K	-1.95	3.35	2.85	8.75	64	9
Eric W	-6	4	0.25	10	65	9
Airbus	-5	-3	2	10	98	8
Julie M	0.75	3.1	2.75	7.25	62	10
Kevan M	-4	3	2	8	63	9
Chris R	-6.5	2	-1.5	9.75	60	8
Greg S	0.5	2.5	4	9	62	9
Joe H	-6	4	3	7	60	9
JD	0.5	4.2	4	9.5	68	8
AB	-3	4	3	16	72	9
Glenn F	0.5	2	3.5	7	61	10
COLawMan	1.75	6.8	-2.4	8.9	58	9
Dave L	1.5	5	4	14	74	11
Rip	1.2	5.8	1.5	8	68	10
C-Rod	-3.5	4	-2	4.5	61	8
Bruce T	-5.1	8.3	7.8	9.2	88	10
Yokel	-2	1.25	1.75	7	73	8
Brian W	-1	2	1	9	62	9
Jeremy I	-1.9	4.1	1.5	8.2	79	9
Tim D	1	2.75	2	7	67	8
Dave W	-4.5	0.3	1.1	4.7	52	7
Rich S	-6	5.5	1	8	80	9
Elliot F	-2.5	1.5	0.1	7.5	55	8
Segosouth	1.57	4.2	2.35	6.4	67	10
MF	-4	2	-2	7	60	9
Ben R	-2.3	3.8	4.2	8.5	60	8

Link to Original post at Rossputin.com.

GOP Candidate Owen Hill 4th Time Proud Papa Four Days Before Election

by Ben DeGrow | 12:26 pm, October 29, 2010

As Election Day draws very close, and the campaign intensity reaches a fever pitch, it can be easy to lose track of the truly important things in life. In that light, I received this morning the following press release from Colorado Springs Republican state senate candidate Owen Hill: Owen Hill, Republican candidate for Senate District [...]

Buck vs. Bennet: National Taxpayers Union Tracks Proposed Spending

by Ben DeGrow | 11:41 am, October 29, 2010

Despite the massive negative advertising campaigns and attempts to distract the voters with other issues, a major point that weighs on voters is what candidates want to do vis a vis federal government spending. Nowhere is this concern more salient than in the U.S. Senate race between Republican Ken Buck and appointed Democrat incumbent Michael [...]

Arm Yourself with Colorado State Board of Education Candidate Information

by Eddie | 11:21 am, October 29, 2010

Keep saying it to yourself: The election is almost over. Last week I told you about the low-profile contests for Colorado State Board of Education and the Denver Post endorsements in those races. My takeaway: Wouldn’t it be cool to have more education transformers on the Board?
If you have State Board members on your ballot [...]

Prop 102 A Danger To Liberty; Antithetical To Principle Of ‘Presumed Innocent’

by Mike Krause | 10:56 am, October 29, 2010

Independence Institute Research Director and Constitutional Law Professor Dave Kopel explains why Colorado Proposition 102 is, among many other terrible things, “The Red Queen’s justice from Alice in Wonderland: punishment first, trial afte…

Buck’s “Ignore Us” video a YouTube hit

by Kelly Maher | 10:49 am, October 29, 2010

Ken Buck’s closing argument, “Ignore Us,” a “Scott Brown” moment in Colorado’s U.S. Senate race, has been viewed more than 66,000 times since its launch this month, according to “Most Viewed” on the BuckforColorado YouTube channel. That’s more views (as of this morning) than the combined top-ten “Most Viewed” videos on BennetforColorado, the YouTube channel of U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo.