And The Biggest Poltical Spenders in Colorado Are …

by Randall Smith | 6:30 am, October 9, 2012

Every election, when the fund raising numbers come in that show Republican or conservative political groups raising large amounts of money (or, at least, more than their Democrat counterparts), Democrats start wailing and gnashing their teeth about how horrible it is that so much money is being dumped into politics. In fact, Coloradans will be voting on a speeching destroying, “voluntary” spending limiting Amendment 65 for that very reason. Yet, there’s never any hue and cry over how much Democrats and their ilk are spending. That’s what makes a recent study published in the the Boulder Daily Camera so interesting.

Three Democrats, U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, software founder Tim Gill and philanthropist Pat Stryker, top the list of individual donors in an I-News Network analysis of federal and state contribution records for the past five years.

…

But among individual givers, a Republican donor isn’t found until the No. 7 slot, where Joe Coors shows up spending heavily on his own 7th Congressional District campaign.

…

Unions take five of the top six spots for organizations in Colorado. But in addition to American Crossroads, the traditionally conservative National Rifle Association and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Freedom’s Watch, a 501c(4) “social welfare” nonprofit also make the top 15. The liberal Patriot Majority, then a 501c(4) and now a SuperPac, also makes the list.

The big money in Colorado politics is almost exclusively on the Left. I’ve seen it nation-wide as well. The unions, especially, tend to be the top spenders. Yet, it’s never the unions that are the subject of ridicule for their spending but those oh so righteous spending monitors.

What the whiners on both sides need to remember is that the proper solution is not to try to force the other side to shut up through spending restrictions. The solution to speech we don’t like has always been more speech. Not violence. Not censorship. Speech and lots of it.

Fools and savages use violence against those whose speech they would rather not hear. Witness the justifications made for the embassy attacks in Africa and the Middle East or the Occupy Movement whose members smashed windows and destroyed property.

The fearful and ignorant use tools like Amendment 65 and other forms censorship to shout down opposing views. Also in their arsenal are threats and abuse such as that being heaped upon Stacey Dash.

There can be no “debate” or understanding when censorship and ridicule are the tools of choice. There can be no civility when violence is the argument. Only when both side can treat each other with honor and respect, will there be civility. There will not always be agreement but there will be civility.

(h/t State Bill News)

Colorado 2nd District Race: Weissmann stronger challenger to Polis than is Lundberg

by Brian T. Schwartz | 9:45 pm, June 21, 2012

On June 16, 2012, the Boulder Daily Camera printed my response to the following question: The 2nd Congressional District for Colorado had traditionally been viewed as a Democratic stronghold — or Republican lockout depending on your point of view. But the district has been slightly changed, and there’s an interesting race that could wind up [...]

Jared Polis, you’re wrong: Obamacare is a government takeover

by Brian T. Schwartz | 6:30 am, February 28, 2012

Colorado Congressman Jared Polis (D-Boulder) claims that ObamaCare is not “a government takeover of the health care industry.” He’s wrong. The only way he could be correct is that if he acknowledged how much government controlled the industry before ObamaCare. Continue reading →

Jared Polis (D-Boulder) wrong about Constitution & mandatory health coverage

by Brian T. Schwartz | 6:30 am, February 20, 2012

Jared Polis argues that mandatory health coverage specified by ObamaCare is a tax, and hence is Constitutional. The problem with this argument is that President Obama himself has argued that the mandate is not a tax. Continue reading →

Jared Polis, Keepin’ It Classy

by Joshua Sharf | 6:26 pm, January 1, 2012

It’s one thing for Dan Savage to keep his long-running campaign to associate social conservative Senator Rick Santorum’s name with something foul.  (Google it yourself, if you’re that interested.)  It’s something else again for a sitting Congressman to join in the “fun,” now that Sen. Santorum’s campaign is showing heretofore undetected signs of life. In [...]

Jared Polis on U.S. Postal Service: end its “monopolistic protections and special treatment”

by Brian T. Schwartz | 11:00 pm, December 8, 2011

Jared Polis: Ending “monopolistic protections and special treatment enjoyed by USPS” would “benefit … postal customers, postal employees, and businesses in the delivery sector. … Unless we unshackle USPS and allow it to leverage its infrastructure effectively as a normal privately owned company, then USPS will sadly fade away as it becomes increasingly irrelevant in the marketplace.” Continue reading →

Colorado Supreme Court upholds Denver District Court Judge Robert Hyatt’s ruling on Colorado Congressional Redistricting

by CTBC Director | 4:11 pm, December 5, 2011

In a surprisingly rapid decision following last Thursday’s oral arguments in challenges to a Democrat-drawn Congressional Redistricting map previously approved by Denver District Court Judge Robert Hyatt, the Colorado Supreme Court announced in a court order issued Monday morning (5 December) that it affirmed Hyatt’s ruling in the lower court and the ‘Moreno South Map’ [...]

CTBC Analysis of Oral Arguments in Congressional Redistricting appeal before Colorado Supreme Court

by CTBC Director | 9:12 am, December 2, 2011

The Colorado Supreme Court held oral arguments yesterday (Thursday, 1 December) on a challenge to Denver District Court Judge Robert Hyatt’s ruling in the Colorado Congressional redistricting trial.  The appeal, led by Douglas County and joined by the Republican petitioners (one from each of the state’s seven congressional districts) in the original case, was held in the Old Supreme Court [...]

Colorado Supreme Court considers appeal of Denver District Court ruling on Congressional Redistricting

by CTBC Director | 11:21 pm, November 21, 2011

The Colorado Supreme Court granted certioriari Thursday, 17 November (agreed to hear the appeal) on a challenge to Denver District Court Judge Robert Hyatt’s ruling on Colorado Congressional redistricting.  The appeal, led by Douglas County and joined by the Republican petitioners (one from each of the state’s seven congressional districts) in the original case, is proceeding on [...]

Colorado Congressional Redistricting Decision goes to the Dems: Denver District Court Judge Robert Hyatt approves ‘Moreno map’

by CTBC Director | 11:11 am, November 11, 2011

In a surprise move announced at the close of Thursday’s business day, Denver District Court Judge Robert Hyatt approved the Democrat “Moreno Map” for Colorado’s Congressional districts – “a blow to Colorado Republicans that could affect election outcomes for the next decade.”
On the macro (statewide) level, the most noticeable changes:

2nd Congressional District: adds Larimer County, [...]

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