Majority Leader Stephens,

As you are aware I disagree with SB11-200. Not because I don’t understand the problem facing small business owners, I am one. Or what potentially exchanges could do for all of us if done properly, I’ve researched Utah and the Heritage reports.

What I disagree with is establishing a board of 12 and calling it an exchange. I disagree because SB11-200 simply doesn’t do what you say it will. If you can show me where in your bill the following will occur I’ll apologize publicly for opposing AmyCare.

Your bill does not remove the regulatory burdens to make defined contribution plans possible.

Your bill does not remove the mandates that restrict employees from purchasing their own plans.

Your bill does not establish a heath insurance exchange.

Your bill does not create an internet portal or a shopping mall.

Your bill does not provide cost savings.

Your bill does not create a competitive free market.

What your bill does is establish a board of 12 unelected bureaucrats supervised by 10 legislators. That’s it, period.

If you’re going to state the success of Utah you might want to read the bills passed in 2008 and 2009 by the Utah legislators. They not only paid for the bill with 100% Utah funds (not the free federal grants I know you love), they also took ownership of making the necessary regulatory changes to allow for the types of plans you say your bill will do. They did NOT pass the burden and ownership on to 12 bureaucrats to be named at a later date.

To summarize, your bill does not create a health insurance exchange. It creates a bureaucracy. To state anything different is a lie. I’ll leave the debate on Obamacare mandates and government involvement in health care to someone else. We will all have time for that when the session is over.

You also like to state that your opposition is simply saying to sit on your hands. Well I’m here to tell that couldn’t be farther from the truth. We encourage you to use the 80 less bills you’re so proud of to introduce late session legislation that removes the burdens on business and the free market. You see it’s not limited government because you put forward less bills. It’s limited government because you actually try to limit government. Lets start by giving the free market a chance before you bury it in another bureaucracy.

Sincerely and respectfully,

Clem Borkowski

Small Business Owner
Grassroots Leader
Central Committee Member
Precinct Leader
HD20 Voter

In addition to the CUCR news, Troy has made headlines for his gay conservative advocacy in recent weeks.  This time, Ard is running up against the traditional social conservative fervor for the Defense of Marriage Act, urging Republicans to repeal the Clinton-era law in hopes of changing the language of the day’s political discourse:

Ard, openly gay, who has received much media attention for his recent support of gay rights as being a conservative cause, said, “The Democrats have backed Republicans into a corner on DOMA. While Republicans believe they have legitimate reasons to support DOMA, emotional rhetoric has made it impossible to support DOMA without being callus and seeming intolerant to gay voters and their advocates. The best way to repair the Republican brand is to end the stand-off and repeal DOMA now.”

Recently, Troy Ard has become an advocate for gay conservatives and addressing the Republican message as it pertains to the LGBT community. “Republicans,” Ard said, “are not homophobic. Democrats are just better at explaining issues in terms of sexuality, while Republicans look at issues in terms of philosophy and principles. If Republicans cannot begin to concede on the philosophical minutia, Democrats will be able to continue painting Republicans as bigots and cold toward minority communities. That begins with conceding the issue of DOMA. This is not realistically a pressing issue for our country, but Democrats have made this issue a very pressing issue for gays and lesbians around this country and they need a good faith effort from the Republican Party.”

Ard, a personal friend of mine, was unanimously voted in as state chair of the CFCR’s last spring.  However, his views do not necessarily reflect those of the organization, nor its member chapters or individual members.

I admire Troy a good deal for his willingness to stick his neck out and take stands on issues related to liberty that lie counter to conventional wisdom or what would otherwise be expected of him, and I will be interested in seeing how his fellow conservatives and Republicans react to the news.

As for me, I am personally skeptical about his essential premise that Republicans should advocate for the repeal of DOMA – a law intended to protect the definition of marriage as determined by individual states by precluding them from being forced to recognize same-sex marriages officiated in other states – simply because it would help take away a rhetorical tool that Democrats have.  It seems to me that this would effectively result in the retroactive legalization of gay marriages throughout the union, which most Republicans oppose, or prompt further conservative calls for a constitutional amendment on the subject.

Thus, I look forward to talking with Troy about this and other developments next Thursday, March 31, on The Seng Center Radio Show at 6pm, online at krcx.org.  Troy is an eloquent and compelling spokesman for his beliefs, so it should make for an excellent conversation.

My friend and College Federation of College Republicans colleague Gregory Carlson, Chair of the CUCR’s and Student Body Treasurer, has been one of the key instrumental players in these astounding endeavors, and the fiscal conservatives that are leading the charge in the most powerful student government in the nation, which oversees a budget of a whopping $36 million, should be held up as prime examples for Republicans at the national and state levels that are unwilling or struggling to take such tough stands themselves.  In the year 2011, you need not look further than college campuses to find the conservatives of the 21st century leading the charge where it counts!

Prior to the vote, I received a press release from Gregory elaborating on the then-anticipated news:

University of Colorado at Boulder Student Government to reduce student fees 5.2%
Student leaders of the University of Colorado at Boulder [approved] a final budget tomorrow in UMC 247 at 7:00 pm which reduces student fees 5.2% or a total student savings of just over $1 million dollars.  The students had asked for savings from each of the main centers on campus in a budget process that took over one month to complete.

“In this era of burdensome economic challenges and unprecedented tuition rates, the student government felt obligated to reduce the cost of acquiring a higher education at the University of Colorado at Boulder in order to make college more accessible for all students.  We undertook this endeavor not out of necessity, but rather because we felt it was the just thing to do,” said Student Body President William Taylor.

The $1 million in savings was not the only benefit that the students were after.  Currently, Colorado ranks as one of the lowest states in terms of funding for higher education.

“We wanted to send a message to the State Legislators and to the citizens of Colorado:  we appreciate and value your investment in this university and in the next generation.  CU is doing our part in this fiscal recession.  We believe that the best way to lobby you for more support in the future is to prove to you that CU can control its costs.  We think that the citizens of Colorado would be proud of this student government, and we wish the state legislature the best as they begin the difficult task of balancing their budget,” said Student Body Treasurer and College Republican President Gregory Carlson.

Reducing fees and cutting spending – just as reliable conservatives are supposed to do.  Kudos to the CU student government for sticking to their guns and demonstrating that you can legislate by principle even in Boulder!  If it can be done there, it can be done in D.C.

The event will be emcee’d by radio personality and former FEMA head Michael Brown and will feature outspoken businessman and aspiring US Presidential Candidate, Herman Cain, as the keynote speaker!  RSVP HERE !

Herman Cain is an extremely energetic and inspiring speaker. His story is a great example of living and working for the American Dream. 

Check out this recent article in The Atlantic:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/03/herman-cain-the-gop-wild-card/8367/.  Or in the Washington Post:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/case-forcase-against/the-case-for-herman-cain.html

This Business Dress event is being held at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, will feature some outstanding silent auction gifts, a great dinner, and all for the reasonable fare of $75.

Here are the vitals:
Weblink: www.denvergopevents.org – register here!
Date: Friday, March 18 ·
Time: 6 p.m. Cocktail Hour & VIP Reception; Dinner· is at 7 p.
Location: Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO

Corporate sponsorships, Program advertisements, Silent Auction items, and VIP Tickets (which include a VIP reception with open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres with Herman Cain + photo with him) are still available!  Go to http://www.DenverGOPevents.org/ for more information and to RSVP TODAY!

Collective Bargaining

With the recent protests in Wisconsin that are now headed toward Indiana, Ohio and possibly New Jersey, we must consider as a nation exactly which direction we plan to go. If we are going to cut the budget and reduce our nation’s $14 trillion debt (which we have no choice but to do) some people will have to suffer. In the end we will all pay a price of some sort, whether it’s in increased taxes or a loss of work due to business failures across the nation. The number of unintended consequences we will see if we don’t deal with our debt are immeasurable, and will no doubt severely damage our economy.

So what happens next? The budget cuts in this budget reduction bill will hardly save the state of Wisconsin from economic ruin. It will only save the state $30 million on this year’s budget, when they need to save over $100 million more on top of that. Will it be in Medicare or other services to the elderly? Infrastructure? Do we trust that anger will subside when people realize money is about to be taken from them to balance the budget? If not, how will we handle it? Because the way the trend is going around the world, it seems that it will only get worse.

I used to work at ProgressNow
and as far as I can tell, a lot of people already know that Alan Franklin is Coloradopols. He’s the web guy at ProgressNow. I also used to do the books at Soapblox and he pays the bill.

For a long time I thought there was a higher purpose ProgressNow/Coloradopols was serving and maybe for some people the mushy middle is an adequately comfy place but anymore the middle translates to the same old bullshit of Dems over-compromising and Republicans essentially always getting their way. Meanwhile enacted policies equate to the undeterred, ever accelerating destruction of life as we know it.

Anyhoo, when I worked there, all day long Huttner (Executive Director at ProgressNow) would come out of his office and tell Franklin what to put up on the blog. Their whole scheme is to control the message and hey, if they didn’t do it, someone else would, right? <-- cop-out

Back then I was also a blogger on the old, John Erhardt-run squarestate. Like the site's motif, I was green to politics and I knew that ProgressNowAction is a well-funded org that could be a stepping stone in a bright political career. I would listen to Alan's criticisms and "purity" issues about squarestate and believe him. Alan would also say that there is a "place" for squarestate and that s2 makes things better. I believed this strange contradiction so I kept my secret to myself and the others I knew who knew, and there are a lot of them. Plus, back then, I valued the anonymity of the identity of Alan as Coloradopols as much as I did the average user. I don't anymore. I think Alan as Coloradopols has set himself up to be a very public figure who somehow escapes accountability. Sorry, Alan. It's nothing personal.

Colorado Pols’ lack of posting transparency – the eponymous author is never explicitly revealed – and in the past, Jason Bane has been one of the few progressives linked by name to the blog.

And yes, there I have a screencap of the post, just in case it “disappears.”

How does this change your view of Pols?

**Update: Pols as astroturf?

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Tonight at 6pm online at krcx.org, host Jimmy Sengenberger of the Regis University Seng Center radio show will be joined by a Voice from History in another jam-packed special edition show!

Little more than a half-century ago, Carlotta Walls LaNier did something that would change her life and forever shape the destiny of a nation.   The year was 1957. She and eight other black high school students were the very first in Little Rock, Arkansas, to be integrated into an all-white public school under the ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The tensions rose, and the town was on the brink of chaos.

Recognizing that nothing would be done if he did not act, Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower dispatched U.S. Army troops to Central High School to enforce the integration and escort the “Little Rock Nine” into the school so that they would enter it safely. But even that tumultuous day wasn’t the end of it. For four years, Carlotta Walls endured brutal mistreatment for simply trying to get a good education.

In her memoir A Mighty Long Way, Carlotta shares her powerful story and presents a profound lesson for present and future generations.   Tonight on Seng Center, she joins host Jimmy Sengenberger in a rare media interview to bear witness to one of the most profound events of the Civil Rights era.

Afterward, Jimmy may be joined by Colorado Deputy Attorney General Geoff Blue to discuss this week’s big legal blow to Obamacare, in which AG Suthers played a big role.  Neil, a Regis foreign exchange student from Northern Ireland, will also appear on the show to share his thoughts on the U.S. and the Irish-British conflict.

Tune in LIVE online at krcx.org TONIGHT (2/3) at 6:00pm to the most talked about college radio show in Colorado – Seng Center, every Thursday night from 6pm to 8pm, only on KRCX 93.9 The Real Deal!

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At Regis University, upcoming senior and rising political commentator Jimmy Sengenberger hosts a weekly online radio show from 6pm to 8pm on the college’s KRCX radio station, dubbed SENG CENTER.  Each week, Jimmy presents a staunchly small-government perspective, ensuring that conservative and libertarian-leaning voices are heard on campus and that real, legitimate debates – not just opinions shoved down your throat – take place on college campuses.  As such, the show features debates and discussions with liberal/Democrat students and professors on a range of issues, along with interviews with folks like Karl Rove, former U.S. Senate candidates Ken Buck and Andrew Romanoff, U.S. Congressman Mike Coffman, elected officials, and grassroots organizers like Matt Arnold of Clear the Bench Colorado.

Come be a part of this exciting effort to fight the liberal bias on college campuses!  Tune in every Thursday night from 6 to 8 at krcx.org, or check out the podcasted show online every weekend at www.SengCenter.com.  And please do spread the word to your friends, especially college students you know, and call in if you feel so inclined.

Seng Center, Every Thursday Night from 6pm to 8pm at krcx.org!

In a shocking twist for the perennially-failing, perpetually dis-enlightening MSNBC, the network has lost its most popular host, Mr. Worst Person in the Woooorld himself, Keith Olbermann.  The signature leftist host aired his final show Friday night, a development so short-notice that it caught MSNBC totally off-guard, which is mildly humorous to me.  I am shedding so many tears that Noah’s Ark may come cruising by in the next few minutes.  (Apologies to Keith for the biblical reference.)

In seriousness, I used to like Olbermann several years back, before MSNBC Leaned Forward (read: Leftward) so far that the network fell off the cliff, taking Keith with it.  (Or was he leading the charge?)  That all changed when he disappointingly threw “civility” by the wayside and offered frequent, petty attacks against the Right.  And so, as a reader wrote at Newsbusters, we “should really break out the champagne and party!”