TAX HIKE ‘TRUTHFULNESS’: Rollie’s Lying Petition Circulator v Rollie’s Bill On Petition Circulators

by ColoradoPeakPolitics | 12:17 pm, September 15, 2011

State Senator Rollie Heath, who is leading the charge on the $3 Billion tax hike known as Prop 103, co-sponsored legislation in 2009 that seems at striking odds with the behavior of his own paid petition circulator whose deceptive behavior Heath tried …

Kopel on the Patriot Act

by Jon Caldara | 10:10 am, September 15, 2011

Our resident Constitutional Law and Second Amendment expert Dave Kopel weighed in on the hot issue of personal liberty vs. national security in this issue of La Voz (Colorado’s #1 Hispanic publication). With the passing of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 just days ago, the Patriot Act has taken center stage once again. Take a [...]

Rollie Heath on Devil’s Advocate This Friday

by Mike Krause | 8:52 am, September 15, 2011

Want to spend this Friday night watching two guys argue about taxes? Then tune into the Independence Institute’s public affairs television show Devil’s Advocate as host Jon Caldara is first joined by State Senator Rollie Heath to discuss Prop 103, which would raise income and sales taxes in Colorado. Then stay tuned for the second [...]

Nobel Winning Physicist Leaves APS Over Global Warming Claims

by PerlStalker | 10:57 pm, September 14, 2011

I’ve been harping on the lack of science in global warming theories for some time. Well, I’m not the only one who thinks this is a problem. Nobel Prize winner Dr. Ivar Giaever as resigned from the American Physical Society because the APS claims that m…

Solyndra Investor and Obama Bundler George Kaiser Gave Generously to Bennet, CO Democrats

by elpresidente | 3:25 pm, September 14, 2011

Embattled billionaire George Kaiser, heavily invested in failed solar panel manufacturer Solyndra and one of President Barack Obama’s top 2008 bundlers, gave maximum donations to Sen. Michael Bennet’s primary and general election efforts in 2010. According to OpenSecrets.org, Bennet received three donations from Kaiser in May 2009, July 2010, and October 2010, totaling $4,800. Less [...]

In which the Washington Bureau Chief is just asking to be denounced

by Eileen McGuire-Mahony | 2:33 pm, September 14, 2011

I’ve already given my two cents on one aspect of the Obama reelection campaign, a search-and-destroy approach to message control called AttackWatch.  Basically, the President wants his shrinking fanbase to do the work of digging up every scrap of media that paints him in a less-than-flattering light.  On that count, I sarcastically touted the benefits [...]

FULL FRONTAL ASSAULT ON PROP 103: Complaint Filed And Opposition Campaign Kicks Off

by ColoradoPeakPolitics | 2:28 pm, September 14, 2011

State Senator Rollie Heath's Proposition 103, the $3 Billion, five-year tax increase on the ballot this November, is coming under a full frontal assault. Until now the supporters of the Proposition have been the only ones raising money, mailing pro…

Productive K-12 Spending Ideas in Award-Winning Book and Citizens’ Budget

by Eddie | 12:03 pm, September 14, 2011

Last December I suggested to you four education reform books as stocking stuffer ideas. One of the books on the list was an important volume edited by Frederick Hess and Eric Osberg, titled Stretching the School Dollar: How Schools and Districts Can Save Money While Serving Students Best.
In September my Education Policy Center friends [...]

In which the Washington Bureau Chief aspires to be blacklisted

by Eileen McGuire-Mahony | 10:59 am, September 14, 2011

Despite all those prime time speeches and carefully constructed platforms, Barack Obama still has what he euphemistically calls a ‘messaging problem’.  In his peculiar version of events, this usually amounts to the assertion that voters are too stupid to grasp his enlightened ideas.  It’s an easier narrative than considering that sliding voter approval might be [...]

Belated debate thoughts

by Rossputin | 5:45 am, September 14, 2011

During Monday night’s debate, I was in the middle of a long drive from Washington, DC to southern Virginia in more traffic than was tolerable for that time of night. So, since all bloggers think that everyone wants to hear our opinions, I just wanted to offer a few thoughts on the debate. Keep in mind that this is from someone who heard, but didn’t see, the event, and that I didn’t hear the whole thing.

Nevertheless:

Since I don’t know where they were standing, I’ll make just a few comments on each in the same order as my remarks following the prior debate.

Rick Santorum: Other than when he beat the heck out of Rick Perry over the Gardasil issue, he didn’t make much of an impression. Indeed, I missed the first few minutes of the debate but from when I first started listening, I didn’t hear him speak for at least 15 minutes.  He has no chance even though he’s a fairly smart guy and he needs to be gone from the next debate so we have time to hear more from the electable candidates – even though I do like his feisty contributions from time to time.

Newt Gingrich: As always, smart and occasionally funny, but as always unelectable. As much as I love Newt showing the world that Republicans can have brains, he’s going to have to depart the stage soon as well.

Michele Bachmann: I feel sorta bad for Michele. She’s good and getting better every debate, but she’s like a sailboat on a becalmed, windless day, with Rick Perry’s candidacy having sucked all the wind out of her sails. More on this later.

Mitt Romney: Punched a little harder than the last time, and defended himself better than average on the Romneycare issue. Got in a good jab/metaphor against Perry when saying, regarding job creation during Perry’s tenure as governor, that “if you’re dealt four aces that doesn’t make you necessarily a great poker player.”

Rick Perry: If he thought he was the piñata in the previous debate, he must have felt like he was in a demolition derby on Monday night. He was beaten up from every corner, not just on requing STD vaccinations for young girls but also for giving in-state tuition to illegal aliens. Although I am sympathetic with Perry’s argument that it is the American way to allow opportunity for everyone who wants to chase the American dream, I was very surprised not to hear anyone (and perhaps I missed it, so please tell me if I did) point out that an illegal alien with a college degree still cannot be legally employed in the US.  Also, if the cost of providing an education is lower than the in-state tuition then the illegal alien’s education comes at the price of raising the cost to everyone else.

More than once, Perry simply seemed at a loss for words or simply not that bright which, unfortunately, matches somewhat with what I’ve heard from people who have had longer experience with him than most of the non-Texas-based American electorate.

In short, I thought Perry had a terrible night. It’s possible, as with the prior debate, that if you only watched the first third or half of the debate, you might have thought Perry did well, but if you watched to the end his late-game fade was again obvious and does not bode well for someone who needs much more stamina to run a campaign against Barack Obama than to finish a relatively easy couple of debates.

Ron Paul: Other than his aggressive accusations against Rick Perry about his tax burden and Texas’ spending going up under Perry’s administration, Paul continues to drift into irrelevancy, even when he says something I like. Time to go quietly in that good night of retirement, Dr. Paul.

Herman Cain: Like Bachmann, getting better with almost every appearance, but unlike Bachmann truly has no chance to get the nomination. I still think he’s the next Secretary of Commerce.

Jon Huntsman: Huntsman sounded downright bitchy from time to time during the debate. I think I’m getting sick of him faster than any other Republican candidate ever. Well, Alan Keyes probably still holds that distinction. Huntsman needs to be uninvited from future debates before any other candidate. How a guy can be so smooth and so much like nails on a chalkboard at the same time is quite a feat.

The always amusing, even if almost always wrong, Bob Beckel, on Fox’s TV show “The Five” made an interesting suggestion, that Romney needs Bachmann and Perry both to stay in the race, to split the Tea Party vote in primaries. It does make sense, and I think the fact that Perry may perceive himself as the front-runner while Bachmann may perceive herself as finally bouncing off her lows, in part due to Perry’s bad performances, will keep them both in for a while.

But it’s not just vote-splitting that benefits Romney with both of them, and most of the others, still in. It’s the contrast. I am not pleased with Romney’s Democrat-sounding answers regarding Social Security. I am not at all happy with a Republican saying that talking truth about Social Security is “scaring seniors”. BUT, I think it’s decent political strategy and plays well into the theme – which I don’t think has ever gone away – that he is the most likely candidate to beat Barack Obama.

While betting odds can certainly be wrong, at this writing (24 hours after the debate), over at Intrade.com Romney is trading more than 5% higher than Perry, at nearly 40% to under 34.5%, by far the biggest gap (in that direction) since Perry officially entered the race. (The day after Perry got in, he was briefly trading 8 points over Romney, which I said at the time was ridiculous.)

Again, bettors can be wrong, as shown by the ridiculous current pricing of Jon Huntsman at 6% to get the nomination, versus, for example, Newt Gingrich at 1.3%. Seriously? I’ve been selling Huntsman all the way down from 17%. Must have been a bunch of Utah Mormons betting on their golden boy? When you see prices like this, it makes you question the theory that there is wisdom in crowds. Let me make this clear: There is no way Jon Huntsman has a 6% chance of getting the nomination. No way he has a 2% chance. Maybe a 1% chance if an asteroid hits the first debate he’s not invited to and kills all the others, but probably not even then.

Back to Perry and Bachmann for a moment: Even if Perry completely collapses, which I don’t think he will, it will be at such a late date that it will be too late for Michele Bachmann to have any chance of regaining her incredibly brief early momentum. Remember, Rick Perry intentionally rained on her parade, entering the race on the same day that Bachmann won the Iowa straw poll. I know, the straw poll isn’t exactly an enormous event, but if you were a political candidate who won it you’d be pretty annoyed at someone stepping on what might be your only moment of glory, and I’m not surprised to see the long fingernails out for Perry. I’d be pissed too, especially if he’s the guy who is supposed to represent the Tea Party views even better than I am and turns out to be a can short of a six-pack in the IQ department.

They’ll both stay in for a while and as Beckel said though not precisely for the reason he said, it will be good for Romney.

I continue to believe that Republicans will focus more on electability than purity in 2012 and that many people will decide at the very last minute to support Romney at their caucuses or primaries, even in places where we’re supposed to believe they won’t go for a Mormon.

Do you remember who was leading the polls and the betting precisely four years ago?  Fred Thompson was just catching or, depending on the poll, passing Rudy Giuliani for the lead in the GOP horserace, with John McCain a distant third. (Romney and Huckabee were fourth and fifth.) Also remember that many polls showed Giuliani beating Obama at this point in that election cycle.

My point is many things can – and probably will – change.  But if I were a betting man (and clearly I am), I would not bet much on the chances of Rick Perry getting the nomination despite early polls. His luster is wearing off quickly with the debates like sandpaper wearing away the slightly appealing surface and showing the uninspiring core of the man.  And please note, Perry fans, that I’m not saying he’s a bad guy, just that the more I see of him the less inspiring I think he is (to others in particular, as he was never inspiring to me…and neither is any of the other Republican candidates.)

Feds slam Colorado Medicaid for lax procedures, practices

by Brian T. Schwartz | 5:30 am, September 14, 2011

Colorado Medicaid’s sloppy administration puts its federal funding in peril: delays in eligibility notification, not documenting legal citizenship, wrongfully terminating Medicaid beneficiaries’ claims, improper notification of coverage decisions. Continue reading →

Prop. 103, Hickenlooper and Colorado’s appetite for taxes

by Kelly Maher | 9:17 pm, September 13, 2011

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s humorous riff in January that “there’s no appetite for taxes anywhere, all over the state. Well, maybe a couple neighborhoods in Boulder…,” is reverberating in September, now that Proposition 103, the $3 billion tax hike pushed by state Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder, is on the Nov. 1 ballot.

Hooray! Douglas County, Institute for Justice Appeal Anti-Voucher Ruling

by Eddie | 3:22 pm, September 13, 2011

I’ve been told (no, really, I have!) that for a little kid blogging about education policy, I have a lot of appeal. Embarrassing: at first I thought it had something to do with bananas. But you know I was so much younger then. Anyway, I don’t want you to slip up before I get to [...]

Investigative Journalism 2.0

by Jon Caldara | 1:18 pm, September 13, 2011

It’s no secret the cost of investigative journalism is becoming prohibitive in the 21st century. Gone are the days when newspapers employed investigative teams to dig up dirt on politicians and wasteful government. Sure you can blame the Internet, but you’d have to confess that the Internet simultaneously killed the old investigative journalist guard and [...]

Tea Party Crowd Cheers Voluntary Health Charity

by Ari Armstrong | 12:08 pm, September 13, 2011

According to a YouTube video by Talking Points Memo about the GOP debate of September 12, the “Tea Party Crowd Cheers Letting Uninsured Die.”Here’s how Curtis Hubbard, the editorial page editor of the Denver Post, describes the scene: “Cheering for peo…

“Adequate Funding” unrelated to available state funds? Colorado judge rules out relevant evidence

by CTBC Director | 7:57 am, September 13, 2011

The Lobato v. Colorado school funding lawsuit concluded its fifth and final week in trial court in Denver last Friday – with plaintiffs seeking
billions of dollars of additional funding for schools, though it’s unclear where that extra money would come from. (Denver Post, “Colorado school funding trial enters likely final week“)
This educational-funding lawsuit (seeking to force even higher [...]

The Wyoming High-Flow Toilet Scam

by Joshua Sharf | 6:52 am, September 13, 2011

Hat-Tip to Amy Oliver for this.  According to the Denver Post, utility managers are pushing to outlaw at a state level that which is already outlawed at a federal level: your normal, regular, works-with-one-flush toilet.  You wouldn’t actually have to trade it your working toilet for the hobbled version, but according to the proposed law, [...]

He Carried Yellow Flowers

by Rossputin | 5:51 am, September 13, 2011

H/T The Freak

I don’t often put campaign ads on these pages, but this is pretty good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSlC7BxmSqY

Let’s Model ObamaJobs After ObamaCare!

by Brian T. Schwartz | 5:30 am, September 13, 2011

Simply by varying a few features of ObamaCare, the president could guarantee nearly “universal” employment just as ObamaCare has guaranteed nearly “universal” health coverage. Continue reading →

AP, Fox31 Reporters Join Me

by Jon Caldara | 1:52 pm, September 12, 2011

Terrorism and foreign policy.

by David K Williams Jr | 12:16 pm, September 12, 2011

Prologue.I write this knowing full well the emotions the topic engenders. I am prepared for that. My intent, however, is to generate honest, thoughtful dialogue. Perhaps I am foolish in that hope.A quotation.So it is said that if you know your enemies …

Terrorism and foreign policy.

by David K Williams Jr | 12:16 pm, September 12, 2011

Prologue.I write this knowing full well the emotions the topic engenders. I am prepared for that. My intent, however, is to generate honest, thoughtful dialogue. Perhaps I am foolish in that hope.A quotation.So it is said that if you know your enemies …

Terrorism and foreign policy.

by David K Williams Jr | 12:16 pm, September 12, 2011

Prologue.I write this knowing full well the emotions the topic engenders. I am prepared for that. My intent, however, is to generate honest, thoughtful dialogue. Perhaps I am foolish in that hope.A quotation.So it is said that if you know your enemies …

Terrorism and foreign policy.

by David K Williams Jr | 12:16 pm, September 12, 2011

Prologue.I write this knowing full well the emotions the topic engenders. I am prepared for that. My intent, however, is to generate honest, thoughtful dialogue. Perhaps I am foolish in that hope.A quotation.So it is said that if you know your enemies …

Join AFP today at noon to encourage Rep Perlmutter to support HR 2587

by David K Williams Jr | 11:09 am, September 12, 2011

Dear Supporter,In order for America to emerge from our economic doldrums, we need businesses and entrepreneurs to make efficient and effective allocations of capital.  We need smart and industrious individuals to drive job creation, and we need go…

Join AFP today at noon to encourage Rep Perlmutter to support HR 2587

by David K Williams Jr | 11:09 am, September 12, 2011

Dear Supporter,In order for America to emerge from our economic doldrums, we need businesses and entrepreneurs to make efficient and effective allocations of capital.  We need smart and industrious individuals to drive job creation, and we need go…

Join AFP today at noon to encourage Rep Perlmutter to support HR 2587

by David K Williams Jr | 11:09 am, September 12, 2011

Dear Supporter,In order for America to emerge from our economic doldrums, we need businesses and entrepreneurs to make efficient and effective allocations of capital.  We need smart and industrious individuals to drive job creation, and we need go…

Join AFP today at noon to encourage Rep Perlmutter to support HR 2587

by David K Williams Jr | 11:09 am, September 12, 2011

Dear Supporter,In order for America to emerge from our economic doldrums, we need businesses and entrepreneurs to make efficient and effective allocations of capital.  We need smart and industrious individuals to drive job creation, and we need go…

Fun with the Dismal Science

by Ari Armstrong | 9:27 am, September 12, 2011

I presented this talk September 10 for a Liberty Toastmasters meeting oriented toward humor. Funny isn’t usually my thing, but I had a go with the “dismal science.” So, yes, I’m exaggerating certain points; however, most of the underlying ideas are bas…

Reality Over Hope – Three Jobs Saved

by Vande Krol | 8:39 am, September 12, 2011

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein President Obama has explained his new stimulus program. Let’s see how the old one did. Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) reports that th…

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