Tim Pawlenty crushes absent clueless Obama

by Rossputin | 5:08 am, August 10, 2011

H/T John Hayward

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJZl-YzYHFc

NEW LOCATION/NEW TIME FOR AUG. 15 MEETUP!!!

by redrocks | 5:53 pm, August 9, 2011

August 15th Meetup is 5:30 – 7:30 pm at Rock Rest Lodge!
Jessica Peck Corry – from the Center of the World!
The “We’re a AAA Country” Party!
We can’t wait!!! A new “crib” and two powerhouses in the world of political analysis! We’re hoping you love the new venue we’re trying out — Rock Rest [...]

Flash Dem Poll: Coloradans Blame Bush and GOP for Economy, Sour On Debt Deal, Say No To More Stimulus

by elpresidente | 5:43 pm, August 9, 2011

Public Policy Polling surveyed Colorado, along with North Carolina (another 2012 battleground state), on the issue of the debt deal, blame for the economy and credit for creating jobs, and whether or not to be re-stimulated. According to PPP, Coloradans favor a blend of spending cuts AND additional taxes, 59 to 31 percent: Neither state [...]

Polis Promotes, Decries Tax Loopholes

by Ari Armstrong | 4:45 pm, August 9, 2011

Yes, I’m used to members of Congress talking nonsense; that’s practically their job description. But a comment that just came through from Jared Polis is so ludicrous it’s worth a mention:

In this session, I have sponsored bills to help create jobs by…

Digging Up School Spending Figures in Colorado’s Ongoing Lobato Hearings

by Eddie | 3:34 pm, August 9, 2011

Welcome to Week 2 of 5 in Colorado’s ongoing school finance adequacy lawsuit, familiarly known as Lobato v State, or just the Lobato case. A report this morning from Ed News Colorado’s Todd Engdahl highlighted some of Monday’s key plaintiff testimony:

One of the main plaintiffs’ witnesses in the Lobato v. State school funding lawsuit testified [...]

The “Economic Silent Spring”

by Jon Caldara | 12:38 pm, August 9, 2011

In a perfect world, our queen MAD (Mothers Against Debt) Mom Amy Oliver would be the 21st century’s Rachel Carson. And I don’t mean that in the environmental way. What Rachel Carson did in 1962 with her book Silent Spring was to start a worldwide environmental movement. The book helped launch the ban on DDT. [...]

The Winds of Force and Taxes

by Ari Armstrong | 9:36 am, August 9, 2011

The Associated Press released a (remarkably inept) article about “a 29 megawatt wind project near Pueblo” half-owned by Black Hills Energy. But at least the AP’s article tipped me off to the Black Hills release, which includes more relevant details.

T…

Audio: Al Gore’s Aspen Institute “Bullsh**” Rant; “No Longer a Shared Reality” on Climate Change

by elpresidente | 3:55 pm, August 8, 2011

Al Gore’s appearance at an Aspen Institute event last week created a “buzz” as the enviro-salesman called out “pseudo-scientists” who he believes are undermining his climate change push. Audio of Gore’s rant includes the most-quoted portion: “They pay pseudo-scientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message: ‘This climate thing, it’s nonsense. Man-made [...]

LOTR Happy Hour with special guest Jude Sandvall!

by amanda | 2:13 pm, August 8, 2011

[ August 17, 2011; 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ] Looking to meet and network with liberty-advocates in the Denver area? Wish you had others to discuss the recent S & P downgrade with, other than on Facebook threads? Then join us Wednesday, August 17 for Liberty on the Rocks happy hour! Anyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Where: Choppers Sports Grill (back room) | [...]

So the Public Wants Smaller Class Size, More Funding AND No Tax Hikes? Hmm…

by Eddie | 11:13 am, August 8, 2011

Late last week I chimed in on the results of the 2011 Education Next–PEPG Survey of Public Opinion on school reform issues, noting the significant uptick in support for private school vouchers. Super edublogger Joanne Jacobs drew out another finding, namely that the views of teachers and the general public on key reform issues seem [...]

Bipartisanship… Ugh.

by Jon Caldara | 11:10 am, August 8, 2011

[Copyright Ben Hummel at PolitixCartoons.com]

Lamborn’s "Tar Baby" Saga Continues

by Ari Armstrong | 9:07 am, August 8, 2011

As of the moment of this writing, the story topping the Denver Post’s “Denver & the West” section is yet another Associated Press hit piece against Congressman Doug Lamborn for saying “tar baby.”

The AP repeats an outright lie and a distortion. The li…

Corporations Aren’t People, So Stop Taxing Them

by Ari Armstrong | 8:10 am, August 8, 2011

The following article by Linn and Ari Armstrong originally was published August 5, 2011, by Grand Junction Free Press.

Imagine if you and your spouse individually paid income tax, then you had to pay a separate tax on the same income as a family unit….

Monday Media Survey – Lobato education-funding lawsuit budget-buster aided and abetted by Colorado Supreme Court

by CTBC Director | 8:08 am, August 8, 2011

The potentially budget-busting Lobato v. Colorado education-funding lawsuit – restored to life in October 2009 by the Colorado Supreme Court after having been rejected as non-justiciable by two lower courts – enters its second week of trial court hearings today.
Numerous analysts and commentators have noted that if the Lobato lawsuit succeeds, it will negatively impact Colorado’s [...]

August 7th Free Markets Class in Castle Rock!

by redrocks | 11:53 am, August 6, 2011

Dr. Paul Prentice, a “free markets” economist and fellow at the Independence Institute, will be presenting Part I of his 3 part series, Sunday, August 7th in Castle Rock.
Details here:
https://pikespeakeconomicsclub.com/CMS/PPEC/events/the-moral-basis-of-capitalism-2/?searchterm=None
This three part course is an excellent primer on Austrian economics, which we will likely be hearing more about (with the catastrophic failure of Keynesian economics [...]

Backbone Radio, August 7, 2011

by Rossputin | 7:49 am, August 6, 2011

Jimmy Sengenberger will be in for Ross again this Sunday as Ross nears the end of his family vacation in South Africa…

FIRST, the stock market tanked 500 points on Thursday. The economy is collapsing around us. Obama is impotent and unwilling to fix it. Is a double-dip recession imminent? We’ll get the best insight and analysis anywhere with Professor MARVIN GOODFRIEND of the Carnegie Mellon Temper School of Business. Dr. Goodfriend is a researcher at the National Bureau of Economic Research, Carnegie Mellon Professor of Economics and Chairman of the Gailliot Center for Public Policy, and a former senior staff economist in the Reagan Administration.

THEN, too taxing for Colorado? Rollie Heath is pushing a brand-new, job-crushing tax proposal on the ballot in 2012. What are the implications of this? We’ll talk with PENN PFIFFNER of the Independence Institute about the “Too Taxing for Colorado” effort and just how destructive these tax hikes could be for Colorado.

PLUS, she’s a College Republican dynamo and one of the foot soldiers in the conservative student insurgency at CU Boulder. Sophomore ASLINN SCOTT joins Jimmy for her second time on the radio to explain how and why social media can and should be utilized effectively by Republicans. Plus, how can conservatives tool their message effectively to win the election reach out to young voters?

An insightful program you won’t find anywhere else! All that and MUCH MORE, SUNDAY NIGHT from 5-8pm MTN (7-10 EST) on Newstalk 710 KNUS Denver, 1460 AM KZNT in Colorado Springs, and online at 710knus.com!

I hope you’ll join the conversation! Call the studio at 303 696 1971.

Hickenlooper Proposes Selling Pinnacol

by PerlStalker | 9:53 pm, August 5, 2011

Once again, Colorado officials are considering privatizing the much maligned workers comp insurance company, Pinnacol. This comes after the Colorado-owned company refused to administer state employee claims.

Is there really a valid reason for any gov…

Connecticut Union Anti-”Parent Trigger” Strategy Raises Colorado Questions

by Eddie | 1:43 pm, August 5, 2011

Earlier this year the Colorado legislature considered a bill by state representative Don Beezley that would have empowered parents of students in low-performing schools with new options to turn around those schools. Unfortunately, the “parent trigger” bill was shot down by the House Education Committee.
Now, anyone in the know could tell you that the “parent [...]

Cuts? What Cuts?

by Jon Caldara | 11:59 am, August 5, 2011

Was anyone out there happy with the debt deal Congress just made? I haven’t seen much in the way of praise for the deal, either from the left or the right. The left doesn’t like the “draconian cuts” made to their beloved social programs, while us free marketers don’t like the complete lack of any [...]

Udall’s Balanced Budget Amendment Proposal is Completely Wrong

by PerlStalker | 9:17 am, August 5, 2011

The good news is that Senator Mark Udall is continuing his push for a balanced budget amendment. The bad news is his proposed plan. Here’s the list from the Pueblo Chieftain. I’ve changed the bullets to numbers for easy reference.

In general, it say…

Yes, Let’s Do Throw Lamborn In the Briar Patch

by Ari Armstrong | 2:34 pm, August 4, 2011

John Schroyer writes the following about MoveOn’s protest of Congressman Doug Lamborn for saying “tar baby:” ”Let’s throw him in the briar patch!’ one man yelled, to the amusement of the crowd.”Initially I was struck by the oddity of Lamborn’s criti…

Be Cool, “Like” Us!

by Jon Caldara | 2:05 pm, August 4, 2011

It seems everyone has a Facebook account these days. Ever been poked by your Grandma? Yeah, I almost switched over to Google+ that very second. Nevertheless, Facebook remains my favorite social networking website. (I’m also on Twitter by the way). The Independence Institute has been on Facebook for awhile, but we’re taking it a bit [...]

Colorado Springs is No Failed City

by Jon Caldara | 11:58 am, August 4, 2011

Have you heard about the city manager who ordered up a negative national media campaign about Colorado Springs as a “failed city”? Tune into Devil’s Advocate this week as I am joined by Colorado Springs Gazette editorial page editor Wayne Laugesen and Sean Paige, deputy director of Americans for Prosperity Colorado for an examination [...]

Quote of the day

by Mr. Bob | 11:46 am, August 4, 2011

“Economic Justice no matter how you define it is taking money from people who will not vote for you and giving it to those who will” Rush Limbaugh

More on the African Roots of the Tar Baby Motif

by Ari Armstrong | 10:14 am, August 4, 2011

Yesterday I wrote an article blasting the left for smearing Congressman Doug Lamborn for using the term “tar baby,” a reference to African folklore.This morning Peter Boyles invited me on his show (630 KHOW) for an hour to discuss the matter; see the o…

Education Next Survey Shows Support for Vouchers Rising, Other Reforms Flat

by Eddie | 9:53 am, August 4, 2011

Little Eddie is busy today, so all I’m going to do for today is point you to the results of the 2011 Education Next–PEPG Survey of Public Opinion on school reform issues. The big takeaway?
Our findings reveal more stability than change in public opinion over the five years since the Education Next–PEPG survey began, suggesting [...]

I’ll Rejoin the ACLU When It Stops Promoting Tax Hikes

by Ari Armstrong | 9:31 am, August 4, 2011

I used to be a member of the American Civil Liberties Union. No, I do not agree with everything the organization does, but often it does some good work in terms of sticking up for the rights of free speech and for those abused by government agents.But …

All Your Energy Belong To Us

by Joshua Sharf | 6:33 am, August 4, 2011

Thirty-four years.  It was a third of a century ago today, that the Department of Energy was born: Prior to 1973, the United States had no coherent energy policy. Instead, a number of smaller agencies, often working independently of one another, handled different aspects of the nation’s energy needs. In the early years of the [...]

A Transfer on the Road to Serfdom

by Joshua Sharf | 10:51 pm, August 3, 2011

As an emblem of what Walter Russell Mead calls, “the Blue Social Model,” there’s almost no place Bluer than New York.  So it seems fitting to pay homage to the home of the modern patronage state in a post devoted to transfer payments. We all know that transfer payments – Welfare, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, [...]

The Spending Crisis

by Vande Krol | 7:28 pm, August 3, 2011

Breathe a sigh of relief – the debt ceiling has been raised. By and large, it’s pointless. Both parties have raised the debt ceiling time after time.  Its purpose is to limit the national debt, but since it always gets raised, it limits n…

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