Don’t Burden, Smother Parents with SB 110’s Booster Seat Good Intentions

by Ben | 6:17 am, March 19, 2010

CBS4Denver reports: Booster Seat Measure Moves Forward in Legislature. The booster seat manufacturing lobby must be thrilled. But seriously… do parents need the nanny Democrats running the state legislature to impose another burden on us? Is the state going to give me a dollar-for-dollar tax rebate when I buy my mandatory booster seat for the [...]

Betsy Markey Caves on Obama Care, Hope She’s Not Counting on Fed Job

by Ben | 3:47 pm, March 18, 2010

After losing votes for days, it looks like the Obama administration has made up ground arm-twisting votes for the government takeover of our health care system. The same day as the liberal Denver Post opined strongly against the legislation, the Post’s Michael Riley reports that Colorado Congresswoman Betsy Markey — formerly a No vote — [...]

Taxpayers for Liberty Update: Larimer County’s Sue Rehg Tells Her Story

by Ben | 10:11 pm, March 17, 2010

A quick follow-up on the ripple effect that has come after I did a little firsthand reporting on the shadowy third-party group Taxpayers for Liberty (click the link if you need a refresher). I had a friendly phone conversation earlier today with Sue Rehg of Larimer County, whose name initially was listed as the group’s [...]

Walker Stapleton Announces Foregoing Caucus Process, J.J. Ament Responds

by Ben | 2:56 pm, March 16, 2010

A quick update from the Republican state treasurer primary. From a new press release from the Walker Stapleton campaign:

Walker Stapleton, candidate for Colorado State Treasurer, will launch a grassroots statewide petition drive to earn a spot on the Republican Party primary ballot.
“I am really looking forward to starting the petition process,” Stapleton said. “This is [...]

March Pre-Caucus Survey Winners: Ken Buck, Dan Maes, Citizen Action

by Ben | 8:13 am, March 15, 2010

On the eve of Colorado Republican caucus gatherings, which this year include a preference poll of statewide candidates (governor, U.S. Senate), here’s a possible glimpse ahead with the release of our March survey results from the Survey of Colorado’s Political Temperature. Major headlines:

Ken Buck Wins Majority of Votes, Widens Lead Over U.S. Senate Field
50 Percent [...]

Time to Denounce Taxpayers for Liberty: Sleazy Tactics & Shadowy Group

by Ben | 5:29 pm, March 13, 2010

Update, 3/17: More to the story: Sue Rehg of Larimer County explains the unfortunate tale of how her name got connected with Taxpayers for Liberty.
Earlier this week I introduced you to the mysterious Taxpayers for Liberty group and their survey results mailing on the U.S. Senate race:
Suffice it to say, the group Taxpayers for Liberty [...]

Will John Hickenlooper Answer Tough Questions on FasTracks Fabrication?

by Ben | 6:25 pm, March 12, 2010

The Antiplanner blog — experts on all things related to transportation — has posted a question (several, really) for Democrat gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper to answer:
Based on what we know today, including 40 percent cost overruns, revenue shortfalls, and the trivial amount of congestion relief that FasTracks is expected to provide, would you still have [...]

Does CEA Care More About School Funding or Political Allies?

by Ben | 12:05 pm, March 12, 2010

This article was originally posted at Ed News Colorado.
Sure, the Colorado Education Association loves to increase funding for K-12 schools and retain member jobs. But sometimes, its pleas for school funding simply don’t add up. Yesterday’s CEA blog entry “Amazon: play fair, support school funding” is just such an example:

In other words, Amazon firing its [...]

Colo. Springs Candidate Forum Goes to Ken Buck, Dan Maes, J.J. Ament

by Ben | 6:46 am, March 11, 2010

Tuesday night featured another in the latest of well-attended grassroots debate sponsored by conservative or pro-liberty groups: Candidate Debate 2010 in Colorado Springs. It got the attention of one Colorado Pols diarist, and made for a couple humorous anecdotes reported by the Denver Post’s Lynn Bartels.
After the forum — which included Colorado candidates for U.S. [...]

Kudos to Mike Coffman for Leading on New Balanced Budget Amendment

by Ben | 9:25 pm, March 10, 2010

Hats off to Colorado’s own Congressman Mike Coffman for stepping up to the plate and co-leading the effort to bring back the Balanced Budget Amendment. Coffman lays out the case in The Hill blog:

Adoption of a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget is an enormous task and will take an immense amount of political [...]

Taxpayers for Liberty: Who Is This Group Playing in U.S. Senate Race?

by Ben | 5:42 am, March 10, 2010

Update: Scanned copy of the March 5 Taxpayers for Liberty letter posted below.
Yesterday I received a strange mailing from a group called Taxpayers for Liberty. (Many of my fellow conservative, politically-active Colorado friends likely received the same.) It’s a self-described 501c4 organization with a Denver P.O. Box and an executive director named Andrew O’Neill — [...]

Amazon Fallout for Colorado Dems

by Ben | 10:08 pm, March 9, 2010

Despite the best efforts of Colorado statehouse Democrats to turn around and point the fingers at the e-e-e-eeevil Amazon.com, they (with the exception of Sen. Gail Schwarz) are all responsible for paying no heed to the warnings and ultimately killing many small Colorado Internet businesses.
Speaking of difficulty in taking responsibility, WhoSaidYouSaid has posted a YouTube [...]

Rasmussen Poll: Best News for GOP Guv Hopeful Scott McInnis in Awhile

by Ben | 7:31 am, March 9, 2010

Yesterday’s Rasmussen poll is the best news GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis has had in awhile, and well timed to land a week before caucuses. Fellow RMA blogger Don Johnson notes that McInnis’ six-point lead over Denver mayor John Hickenlooper comes in spite of a distinct popularity advantage by the Democrat. Johnson says: “That’s not [...]

Which Colorado Candidates Have Signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge?

by Ben | 9:10 am, March 8, 2010

Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge has reached iconic status, especially in Republican primaries. Politicians who sign the pledge are declaring their opposition to any and all future tax increases.
Below is the official updated list of all Colorado candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress who have signed the no-new-taxes pledge. Interestingly, the top [...]

Two Reasons Why We Could Use More Shawn Mitchells in the State Legislature

by Ben | 10:36 am, March 6, 2010

Two days, two stories, two reasons why I believe the Colorado General Assembly needs more legislators like Senator Shawn Mitchell fighting for us. First, Colorado Senate News reports a recent floor debate in which Mitchell assumes his usual role as bold and articulate spokesman for common sense and liberty, leading the vote against a heavy-handed, [...]

7th CD: Ryan Frazier in Wall St. Journal; Jimmy Lakey Hits Voting Road Bump

by Ben | 7:21 pm, March 4, 2010

A quick update from the Colorado 7th Congressional District GOP primary campaign trail (isn’t that a mouthful!) … First, the very strong fundraising quarter by Ryan Frazier was noted today in the eighth paragraph of a story by Wall Street Journal reporters Stephanie Simon and Ana Campoy about anti-Beltway sentiment fueling successful races across the [...]

Post Smacks Bill Ritter on Education Reform: What Did You Expect?

by Ben | 6:30 pm, March 4, 2010

Update, 3/5: Better late than never, I guess. At least Ritter has finally named members to his “educator effectiveness” panel, for whatever that’s worth.
I don’t mean to kick a man when he’s down, especially when he’s biked his way into the hospital with broken ribs. But it was quite the experience to open the virtual [...]

On Eve of Caucus, Here’s March Survey of Colorado’s Political Temperature

by Ben | 8:57 am, March 4, 2010

This post will stick to the top until March 12. Please scroll down for newer postings.
Update, 3/8: With the news that CD 7 candidate Jimmy Lakey has withdrawn from the race (H/T Complete Colorado), his name has been removed as a possible selection on the relevant questions. I hope it wasn’t anything I said giving [...]

When Will Colorado Be Ready for a New Labor Model Rooted in Freedom?

by Ben | 5:31 pm, March 2, 2010

Is the United States ready for a new labor model, one more grounded in freedom of association and individual liberty? That’s the central thrust of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation’s new book — Sweeping the Shop Floor — for which I was honored to be a contributor.
EFF labor policy analyst Rachel Culbertson joined me and [...]

CO House Bill 1147: Police to “Ticket” Kids for Not Wearing Bike Helmets

by Ben | 6:11 pm, March 1, 2010

Now that the Democrats in charge of the State Capitol have solved the budget crisis by raising taxes and raiding cash funds, the Colorado News Agency reports the Dems have set out to solve a major problem that confounds us slow-witted peon parents:
House Bill 1147 would authorize law enforcement to issue an “informational” traffic citation–a [...]

Tell Colorado Legislators to Back off the Mary Kay Lady: Oppose HB 1248

by Ben | 5:02 am, March 1, 2010

Update, 3/2: Good news: HB 1248 is dead as a doornail. Three Democrats — Daniel Kagan, Su Ryden, and Sal Pace — crossed the aisle to help Republicans vote down the bill.
Update, 1:15 PM: Walter in Denver effectively takes down HB 1248 — a bad bill for Colorado’s small business women — here and here.
This [...]

Thanks to Obama Care, Nancy Pelosi is Generous with Other Dems’ Careers

by Ben | 12:26 am, March 1, 2010

You knew Democrats are very comfortable with the idea of appearing generous by spending other people’s hard-earned money. But you may not have known just how generous at least one liberal Democrat leader in Washington, D.C., is with the political careers of her minions, er, fellow members of her Congressional caucus:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged [...]

Colo. House Dem Leader Waging PC Fight against “War on Terror” Memorial?

by Ben | 5:40 pm, February 26, 2010

In case you’re like me and didn’t listen to the Peter Boyles Show this morning, then you’ve probably missed this gem from our state legislature. As reported by Colorado Senate News:

A memorial to honor soldiers that have sacrificed their lives fighting the War on Terror could be derailed following objections from one Democrat lawmaker.
“It is [...]

Bill Ritter’s Pitch for Cary Kennedy Shows Vulnerability of Treasurer’s Race

by Ben | 9:13 am, February 26, 2010

Just a reminder that Colorado Democrat State Treasurer Cary Kennedy’s re-election hopes are fragile this year. Yesterday I received a fundraising email from Bill Ritter. After touting the incumbent’s record, the message reads:

Cary Kennedy is facing a well-funded challenger who is related to George W. Bush and has tapped into his family’s national fundraising network. [...]

Health Care Summit Does Nothing for Vulnerable Congressman John Salazar

by Ben | 9:02 am, February 26, 2010

Say what you will about yesterday’s Health Care Summit. Obama and the Democrat leadership didn’t make the case for expanded government control of medicine and didn’t move the ball politically in any way to help ram through the Obama Care monstrosity.
In Colorado, that has to be especially unsettling for 3rd District Congressman John Salazar. Dick [...]

Michael Bennet Gets Some Small Redemption from SEIU Endorsement

by Ben | 6:54 am, February 25, 2010

A good reminder that not only is Big Labor anything but monolithic but also that the Democrats potentially face a very competitive primary for Colorado’s U.S. Senate seat: The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has endorsed the Appointed One, Michael Bennet.
While rival Andrew Romanoff has won backing from the Teamsters and UFCW, Bennet at [...]

A Good Week for Jimmy Lakey: GOP Three-Way Race in Colorado’s 7th CD?

by Ben | 11:51 pm, February 24, 2010

It’s been a big week so far for GOP 7th Congressional candidate Jimmy Lakey. On Sunday he won a plurality of votes from viewers of the North Denver candidate forum. Then today, word broke on the liberal Colorado Pols blog that Tom Tancredo is endorsing Lakey — though no confirmation as of yet has been [...]

Bill Ritter Signs Tax Hikes Into Law, Clock Ticking on State Democrat Rule

by Ben | 11:07 pm, February 24, 2010

This day was coming sooner rather than later: Governor Bill Ritter retreated to a private room to sign into law nine anti-business, job-killing tax hike bills.
This action completes the trifecta of Democrat one-party rule under Colorado’s Golden Dome. On February 1, all Democrats in the state house voted to push through at least one [...]

Dr. David Benke: Hero

by Ben | 9:40 am, February 24, 2010

Update, 3/1: Jeffco Public Schools has posted a response letter from Dr. Benke. I think it about says it all.
The story of the heroism of Deer Creek Middle School math teacher David Benke is a compelling one. A Jefferson County schoolteacher like many others who went to work yesterday, placed into an unexpected moment of [...]

Lobbying Groups Want Taxpayers to Underwrite Their School Funding Lawsuit Against the State of Colorado

by Ben | 5:16 pm, February 23, 2010

About four months ago the Colorado Supreme Court decided that judges have a role in deciding how the state’s public schools are funded. In a Colorado Daily column I explained why this decision in the Lobato case was bad policy and a dangerous precedent.
You also can listen to Professor Joshua Dunn bring his expertise [...]

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