No Climate Tax Pledge

Partial transcript:

Hello, I'm Senator Jim Inhofe from Oklahoma, and I am proud to be one of the hundreds of lawmakers on all levels of government to sign the Americans for Prosperity "No Climate Tax Pledge." This pledge states clearly that climate change legislation should not be used to fund a dramatic expansion in the size and scope of government. As I add my name to the list, I am also here to call on all those who oppose the largest tax increase in American history to join me in signing the pledge by going online to http://www.noclimatetax.com/.

I have worked tirelessly over the past ten years to expose cap-and-tax for what it really is: the largest tax increase in American history. I began by leading the opposition against Kyoto in 1997 and have successfully led the fight against the cap-and-trade tax in 2003, 2005 and most recently in 2008. Today as American consumers continue to face tough economic times, the last thing Washington should be doing is raising the price of gas at the pumps, energy in our homes, and the cost of food in our grocery stores.

We have a lot to do in the coming months to defeat cap-and-trade again, and hopefully this time, for good.

"The Big List": 2010 State House And Senate Races

Jeremy Pelzer (formerly of PolitickerCO and 5280) has a complete rundown of announced, projected, and speculative candidates for Colorado House and Senate in 2010 (to be continuously updated):

2010 House Candidates

2010 Senate Candidates

Jeremy's blog Mile High Politics is sure to be a key source for political news for 2010, so be sure to bookmark it and check back frequently.

Jonah Goldberg On Liberal Fascism

The bestselling book Liberal Fascism is now out in paperback.

Jonah discusses the ongoing necessity to push back against the Left's intentional misuse of the term for political purposes to bash conservatives and libertarians.

Electoral College Redux: HB 1299 Seeks To Overturn Founding Fathers, Negate Colorado's Votes

Or, how to achieve a national popular vote through the back door.

Amy Oliver leads the way:

The Electoral College stands as another example of the political brilliance of our Founding Fathers. It demonstrates their commitment to the protection of minority rights, and the diverse interests of the entire nation–not just the biggest cities or states.

So why hasn’t the Electoral College been changed in over 200 years? The answer is simple: because the system works. Just because some politicians still are bitter about the outcome of the 2000 elections doesn’t mean that the system should be changed, not in Colorado, nor California, nor New York, nor Florida. Without the Electoral College, all a candidate has to do is win a plurality of the popular vote, even if that plurality comes mainly from a handful of mega-cities on the coasts.

Ross Kaminsky adds to the case against this disenfranchising fraud:

The genius of our Founders was specifically NOT to implement the type of mechanism for presidential selection that HB 1299 proposes. We are, for good reasons, NOT a Democracy but instead a Constitutional Republic. The bill is an attack on probably the most fundamental aspect of our government, or at least on the most fundamental aspect of the executive branch as conceived by Madison, Hamilton, and Jefferson.

The current electoral college system is intended to protect the rights of minorities, and to recognize that a free society must be free of a tyranny of the majority. The Founders wrote about this frequently, including in at least two of the Federalist Papers. It is essential to our Republic and it is shameful to see a politician toy with it.

The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel calls it "electoral nonsense" and "illogical." The Loveland Reporter Herald condemns the bill in a similar fashion.

HB 1299 means the permanent session of Colorado's political voice to the will of voters in larger states on the coasts, rendering this part of the United States permanent flyover country when it comes to the state-by-state election of the President. Swing states would become meaningless, as the get-out-the-vote campaigns focused exclusively in the highly condensed population centers to win a plurality/majority of the votes and ensure that a national popular election was enforced through the gerrymandered and worthless Electoral College. In other words, the only "swing" states would be the politically suicidal ones who signed to this atrocious piece of populist legislation.

Amendment 36 was handily defeated in 2004, despite a well-funded campaign by out-of-state interests.

If the Democrats (or anyone else who would sponsor such a ridiculous bill) were truly interested in thwarting the Founding Fathers by eliminating the Electoral College, why not simply call for a Constitutional Amendment calling for a popular vote to elect the President instead of this disingenuous legislation? Why cede the ability of this state to determine its own future in a meaningful and balanced way against 49 other states?

The Founding Fathers, as the above authors mentioned, wanted to create a neutral and more fair playing field when it came to choosing the candidate for the highest office in the land. The Electoral College sought to balance the interests of the minority against the majority, the rural interests against the urban, and smaller states against the bigger, more populous ones.

If Colorado is to have an objectively relevant say in the outcome in 2012 and every subsequent presidential election thereafter, HB 1299 and its insidious intentions must be defeated soundly.

Again.

Democrat Rep. Jared Polis Gleeful Over Demise Of Rocky Mountain News, Credits Progressive New Media

Speaking at Nutroots Netroots Nation (full audio of quote, first 2 minutes):

U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, who made his fortune selling greeting cards and flowers online, gave a shout-out to the blogosphere Saturday, giving it — and himself — credit for the "demise" of traditional journalism.

"I have to say, that when we say, 'Who killed the Rocky Mountain News,' we're all part of it, for better or worse, and I argue it's mostly for the better," Polis said at the Netroots Nation in Your Neighborhood event in Westminster, according to a recording posted online. The group supports progressive politics.

"The media is dead, and long live the new media, which is all of us," said Polis, a Boulder Democrat.

The Rocky shuttered its operation Friday.

Polis also told those at the event that "since we killed the newspapers" and "own the media," bloggers and citizen journalists have a responsibility.

"We can't just kill it and walk away," he said. "It's important for all of us to reach out to some of those . . . on the other side and present the progressive point of view," he said.

Polis, sensing a backlash for his irresponsible and insensitive statements given the present economic downturn, has already issued a mealy-mouthed response (h/t Drunkablog):

The end of the Rocky Mountain News was a blow to all of us in Colorado. We were proud to have a city that had two powerful voices, two daily venues for informing the public, and a diversity of editorial voices. Not only has Colorado lost over 200 jobs, but the voice of the RMN has been silenced.

Indeed, some of the blame rests with new media. While there are many other factors that have contributed such as the recession and a decline in advertising, the very fact that we are discussing this issue here, in the online forum of the DP, is demonstrative of the rise of new media. The newspaper industry has yet to figure out how to monetize online traffic, and until they do, I worry not only about the demise of the RMN but I worry about the future of a strong third estate across our great nation.

Jared Polis

The Post traces the development of the story, from short blurb by a citizen journalist who attended the Netroots Nation conference on Saturday, to a full follow-up by Post staff. Polis' office coughed up the audio, so there isn't a "lack of context" to the quote.

The Post concludes:

Polis said what he said with glee. He giggled as he talked about how progressives shared much responsibility in the Rocky’s passing.

Carroll is preparing a column for tomorrow’s paper that goes into the audio in greater detail – and shows how some key statements Polis told Carroll in yesterday’s interview are at odds with the facts.

There is a footnote for citizen journalists of all political stripes--get the facts straight by providing citations and links whenever possible, and even better, get it on tape so that you can't be accused of taking quotes out of context:

To wrap it up, The Post followed traditional journalistic values to provide fast-paced commentary and news on this story.

Some question whether responsible journalism will survive the Internet. Yesterday is proof that responsible journalism only benefits from the Internet and makes good use of the technology.

The example that mainstream media represents is a high bar we expect citizen journalists of all political stripes to meet.

Or be ignored.

I'm not sure how high that MSM bar has been recently, but citizen journalists should take care to maintain credibility. Leave the partisan hackery to the partisan hacks. Cite sources, and if documents are provided (such as through a CORA request) make them available to readers. Where possible, use audio or video to bolster your claims. And always follow up.

So how about that new media eh, Polis?

Focus On "New Energy" As Denver Braces For Barack Obama's Stimulus Bill Signing; Protests Planned

**Update 4: Pig Roast!

**Update 3: Slapstick Politics along with colleagues from Peoples Press Collective and Rocky Mountain Alliance will be teaming up with Michelle Malkin, a featured speaker at the Denver event, to provide comprehensive live coverage of the anti-stimulus protest

From Jon Caldara at the Independence Institute:

$30-THOUSAND DOLLAR A PLATE PORK ROAST
Rally will highlight opposition to President Obama's “stimulus” bill
HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS SIGN OVERSIZED CHECKS REPRESENTING THEIR NEW DEBTLOAD

DENVER, CO – When President Obama signs his so-called stimulus bill in Denver on Tuesday, his stroke of the pen is equal to each American family signing over a $30-thousand dollar check to the government.

“At a time when tough budgeting decisions are being made around the kitchen table, each family in America will soon be 30-thousand dollars deeper in hock, thanks to this legislation,” says Jon Caldara, President of the free-market think tank, the Independence Institute. “Most of that spending should never happen at all, and much of that money will be spent on pork that won't even taste good.”

WHAT: INDIVIDUALS will sign their names to 4-foot wide checks, made out to the federal government in the amount of $30-thousand dollars.

WHERE: WEST STEPS of the State Capitol.

WHEN: NOON

WHO: A coalition of concerned groups and citizens, including

Jon Caldara of Colorado's Independence Institute
U.S. Representative Mike Coffman
Michelle Malkin, nationally-known writer, blogger, and columnist
Former U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez
numerous other Colorado legislators and dignitaries

WHY: To voice opposition to a government measure that spends more in one bill than has been spent in the entire conflict in Iraq

**Update 2: West steps of State Capitol:

UPDATE: Event details are set. We will begin our press conference at 12:15pm on the West Steps of the State Capitol. Please begin arriving at noon. We have the West Steps until 2pm.

Many speakers have been invited, and we will let you know here when they can confirm. Confirmed attendees are as follows:

Confirmed attendees:

Former Cong. Bob Beauprez

Michelle Malkin FOX News Contributor and founder of MichelleMalkin.com and HotAir.com

Jim Pfaff, State Director of Americans for Prosperity in Colorado; several state legislators

Dick Wadhams, Colorado Republican Committee Chairman

Invited Attendees:

Congressman Doug Lamborn

Congressman Mike Coffman

Before Obama changed his plans to include signing the stimulus bill in Colorado, Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams hoped that Obama would explain how the bill will actually work (via CompleteColorado.com):

---

**Update: Message to Obama--"You Don't Know Stimulus":

Americans for Prosperity in Colorado will be holding an event to put light on the theft bill–also known as the “stimulus” bill or the so-called American Reinvestment and Recovery Act–he will be signing in Denver on this Tuesday, February 17 between noon and 3pm.

Many speakers have been invited, and we will let you know here when they can confirm. Confirmed attendees are as follows:

Confirmed:

Former Cong. Bob Beauprez; Michelle Malkin FOX News Contributor and founder of MichelleMalkin.com and HotAir.com; Jim Pfaff, State Director of Americans for Prosperity in Colorado; several state legislators

We will be holding an event nearby at a yet to be determined location at approximately 12:15pm that same day. We will have details shortly, but if you would like to be informed about this important demonstration of force to show Obama to say to him, “You Don’t Know Stimulus,” go to the Americans for Prosperity webpage by clicking here. You will receive an email midday with details.

---

"New Energy" and jobs--President Obama is expected to tout these and other benefits during his visit to Denver for the signing of the stimulus bill:

Governor Bill Ritter says it's no accident the President chose Denver for the signing.

"Because of the work we've done in creating this new energy economy, and being able to create sustainable job growth, it provided this template for the administration to say this is what the package is about," said Governor Ritter.

9NEWS political analyst Floyd Ciruli believes President Obama will emphasize job projects. The visit will boost Colorado's political importance.

"It looks like with this opening Presidential visit, that it's (Colorado's) going to stay on the radar screen for the entire four years," said Cirulli.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science was specifically chosen for its "green" efforts, and Denver chosen as a way to "get away" from the politics in Washington, DC.

Well, Obama may be away from the political battles in DC at an "invitation only" event, but it looks like those in Denver (and Seattle) opposed to this financial and political boondoggle won't let the carefully orchestrated media go unopposed:

I wanted to give the Coloradans some advice for gathering folks there, and believe me, you have the time. I got the permit for the park here on Tuesday, and now look, by Sunday, it is ALL OVER THE PLACE.

-I emailed everyone I knew. I emailed friend’s parents who I knew were Conservative, I emailed my parents’ friends, bloggers, etc.

-I called everyone I could think of, policy think tanks, “movers and shakers” in the Seattle Republican Party, Conservative organizations, college professors, etc. (From this I have forged a relationship with the Chairwoman of the National Black Republican Association who is going to write a statement for me to read, as she cannot get to Seattle on Monday.) I called local Conservative talk radio stations and they have been running it all week.

-I lived and breathed this thing for four days, which did cause me to miss a couple of things here and there, but it is totally worth it.

Basically everyone, you just have to do it. Call up your police station or parks department and ask how you can obtain a permit, and then just start advertising. The word will spread. I am only one person, but with a little hard work this protest has become the efforts of A LOT of people.

To the people who think this won’t help I say this: this protest will not stop the bill. I have no illusions that it could. I’m hoping for a few things though. One, that the Conservatives and Libertarians and Republicans in Seattle can finally meet each other and see they are not alone. There are actually quite a lot of us here, but we are very quiet, and that MUST STOP. We need to show that we exist. Second, we need to show support for the Republicans and Democrats that voted against the porkulus. If they think, for one second, that they made a bad choice, we have no chance to fight. Third, it sends a message to Obama and Pelosi that we are awake and we know what’s happening, and we are not going to take it lying down. It is a message saying, expect more opposition because we’re out here.

There are several different groups planning protests in the true spirit of the Founding Fathers, and we will be posting updates Monday and early Tuesday as those plans become more concrete.

"Senator Who?" Michael Bennet Facing Possible Primary Challenge

From twice-passed-over Andrew Romanoff, ex-Speaker of the House. And he may not be the only one.

But them's the breaks for Senator "who the hell are you?"--whose selection by Gov. "Blue Ribbon" Bill Ritter has befuzzled everyone from Democrat insiders to political observers of all stripes.

Should Bennet face a primary challenge, real doubts about the electability of Ritter's selection will become clearly evident, and the rifts within the party structure from disgruntled constituencies and passed-over contenders will only serve to weaken Ritter's own reelection bid. Bennet's possible primary failure will only highlight Ritter's shortcomings, and a stronger Democrat running for U.S. Senate will force more attention onto the Governor's own race.

2009 County GOP Elections In Colorado Reveal Lingering Tensions Within Party

Recent county elections for GOP leadership--in **Denver, El Paso (h/t The Colorado Index), Douglas, and Larimer County--have revealed that in many ways, the Republicans continue to look both forward to 2010 AND back to the last few election cycles, simultaneously positing the conflicting strategies of the "big tent" approach (Denver) and ideological purity (El Paso). These counties represent four of the top nine counties (along with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, and Jefferson, Weld) by population, and the rifts still in existence will continue to place a drag on the party's prospects as a whole.

It is clear from a couple of the posts above, along with insider information from those attending other county elections (Douglas County in particular), that there is still a drive to enforce an ideological litmus test on those running for party positions of power. Not an explicit standard to be sure, but intimations on the sidelines that working together to effect electoral victory will take more than simply jumping on the party bandwagon, and that in certain counties, particular positions on a variety of issues will be frowned upon by other party activists. How this will play out in contested primaries and the general election in 2010 remains to be seen, but it appears that the tensions between so-called "social" and "fiscal" conservatives will continue to exist.

Note to folks of all stripes in the GOP--the 2008 election cycle is over, as are the heated 2004 Senate and 2006 gubernatorial primaries. 2010, aside from the ever-present foundational fundraising and recruitment challenges, will see five high-profile state-wide elections--Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, U.S. Senate, and Governor. As the Denver County GOP election revealed (short bios of those elected), the focus should be on turnout, and maximizing that turnout in Democrat dominated counties especially. "Turning out the base" has run its course in the Colorado GOP, and as Denver GOP Treasurer Kelly Maher indicated, the party needs to "maximize" its presence everywhere. Reinvigorating Republican voters who have been ignored recently or who have chosen to sit on their hands for any of a variety of reasons will be a top priority. This maximization strategy will obviously extend to returning independent voters (a bloc that has exploded in registration since 2004) to the GOP and particularly those that lean to the center-right, who have either stopped voting for Republican candidates or have actually moved into the Democrats' column over the last decade. And with a probable continuation of the raft of Amendments that have become a biannual ballot challenge, conservatives need to work together on those issues that are not overtly partisan. Transparency is not a Republican or conservative issue, but a good government and accountability issue. Better aggregate turnout percentages are key, and continuing to abandon areas in Denver or elsewhere will not make the task any easier.

None of this will be possible, however, if the party reverts to infighting rather than looking to the base principles of free markets, individual liberty and responsibility, and limited government, and creating policy initiatives instead of becoming a "party of no." Even if the candidates themselves try to remain above the fray, rivalries among the party activists and operatives will slow the party's exit from the wilderness. We know that the key domestic issues will focus on the economy and job creation, and fighting the awful stimulus and pork packages and other Democrat-inspired legislation will continue to be hot-button topics nationally, and some of the same bread-and-butter legislation and rhetoric will be a priority here in Colorado. GOP primaries should be focused on these factors, and not on candidates trying to out-Reagan one another, or devolving into an exercise of "more-conservative-than-thou" mudslinging. The Democrats should provide enough electoral fodder on these issues to last several cycles, and will give the Republicans their clearest path to victory.

Republicans can and should continue the conversation about overall campaign strategies and highly targeted tactics in particular areas. Republicans and their donors also need to figure out how to make use of social networking and new media and better integrate the tools into their campaigns, but even potentially look to leapfrog the left (as success may breed stagnation for Democrats, and failure can only provide opportunity for Republicans). Success in 2010 will necessitate a concerted effort of allied individuals committed to the common principles outlined above. Candidates and elected officials are certainly fair game and should not be above scrutiny; however, applying preemptive preclusionary tactics to fellow party activists smacks of ideological narcissism and a failure to draw better conclusions from the electoral results of the last few years. Let's focus on the 95% common ground we share, and agree to disagree on the other 5%.

**EP was selected as precinct committeeperson and chair of Senate District 34 in Denver at the Denver County GOP election.

"Chicago-Style" Politics Becomes Entrenched In Colorado; Shady Deals Exposed

Republicans: Remove a ballot initiative in exchange for compensation = bribery.

Democrats: Hey, it's just free speech!

From Face The State:

Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, testified in favor of the bill. He was a primary backer of Amendment 49 and told the committee that on the eve of the deadline to remove initiatives from the ballot, he was offered $800,000 to pull the initiative. “What an idiot I was not to take that $800,000,” Caldara said, sarcastically adding he now has incentive to put bad measures on the ballot in order to gain financial benefit. Committee member Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver, was notably disturbed by Caldara's story and suggested further investigation into his allegations.

But the bill also had its share of detractors. Democrat go-to attorney Mark Grueskin, who served as legal counsel for the unions during the 2008 election, testified in opposition. He argued the bill would violate free speech by banning a monetary exchange for removing a ballot measure. “Like it or not money is speech under both [the Colorado and U.S.] Constitutions,” he said.

Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, who also spoke before the committee, fired back at Grueskin. “The act of paying someone money might be an act of free speech, but it might also be an act of bribery," he testified.

The bill was ultimately killed on a 6 to 5 vote, with McCann being the only Democrat to vote in favor. Stephens was disappointed, but said she would continue to pursue the issue. "Now that we know those are the terms, we have a new Chicago-style politics," she said.

Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, was the bill's Senate sponsor and called its defeat the "Blagojevich-ization" of Colorado.

Props to McCann for opposing what Ben describes--quite accurately, in my estimation--as "political blackmail."

But then again, think of the unions!

Speaking of corruption, here is a somewhat-related story that should be drawing more attention and is not:

The Lakewood Housing Authority bought its new headquarters for $3.1 million - $300,000 more than the seller paid for the property the same day as the sale.

The July 23 transactions have raised a few eyebrows, including those of one Lakewood City Council member.

But Bill Lunsford, the housing authority's development manager, points to an appraisal that valued the office building at $3.2 million - $100,000 more than the quasi-public agency paid.

Lunsford said he had no way of knowing that the firm selling the property was closing on it the same day for $2.8 million.

"If we obviously had this opportunity to buy it from the previous guy at what I hear now is $300,000 cheaper, we would have done it," Lunsford said Monday.

Oops, our bad.

Yeah, right.

Thanks to the Independence Institute for providing first-hand testimony on behalf of the anti-corruption bill defeated by union-enslaved Democrats, and for shedding light on the type shenanigans exposed in the housing authority's operations.

I have a feeling that not only will a similar bill come up again (especially if this type of activity occurs again) under a Republican-controlled legislature, but that many more exposés of sketchy deals involving government or quasi-governmental/public assistance organizations. The questionable circumstances of the Lakewood Housing Authority's purchase are probably only the tip of the iceberg.

Latino Angst Over Democrats' Political Appointments In Colorado

Guest post by Meg.

A statement jumped off the front page of the Sunday Denver Post at me: "This will have legs down the road, I swear to God it will." Upon further examination, this hot-headed and mildly blasphemous statement was not made by a grade-school student, but by a man who was once duly elected by the people of Colorado, former Democratic state senator Paul Sandoval.

The issue? Colorado's Latino political and business leaders believe that they have been left out of the recent slew of political appointments and turnovers at the state level. Former U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar has moved on to Interior, but the man that Gov. Ritter chose to be his replacement? Michael Bennet, the Denver Public School superintendent, a white man. Then the man Ritter tapped to take Bennet's place at DPS? Tom Boasberg, DPS's chief financial officer, also a white man. The Colorado secretary of state position, vacated by Republican Mike Coffman, was also Ritter's to fill. His choice was Bernie Buescher, recently rejected by Grand Junction voters in his state House re-election bid. You guessed it… Buescher is a white man.

All of this has caused much angst among the Latinos in the state. Former Denver Councilwoman Ramona Martinez joined the chorus. She reminded "those who feel we are not good enough to fill positions of power" that "no more will we be taken for granted. No more will our numbers be only counted on Election Day. No more. No más."

The Latino leaders' main issue is said to be that they were not consulted before the appointments were announced. In the case of DPS, they specifically asked the president of the Denver school board, Theresa Peña, if she would meet with them beforehand. The request was ignored. They sent Peña a subsequent letter chastising her for her inattention, and seeking a discussion of "the creation of an open and transparent process for this and future appointments within the Denver Public Schools." The Latinos also disagreed with the "secret" process to appoint the secretary of state of the Senate seats.

Ritter asked a blue-ribbon panel, as is his wont, to give him three names for the secretary of state finalists. The three names were white men. The Post jumped on the critical bandwagon today by blasting Ritter in an editorial, saying that it was "unfathomable" that Ritter did not "ensure" that Rosemary Rodriguez was one of the finalists. The Post's rationale was that Rodriguez has more election experience than those who were recommended, and suggested that Buescher's appointment "seemed to be a nod to the Western Slope." They were similarly critical of the Boasberg appointment. The Post editorial board made a token concession that the selecting officials "can and should hire the candidate who best fits their needs" and that they shouldn't be "intimidated by any person or group." They even declared that they "like Boasberg… [he is] well-versed in district operations." But then they return to the complaint that the Latinos were not involved in the process.

The Latinos' response is wildly out of proportion. It is entirely Ritter's prerogative to decide who is nominated to empty state positions (Article IV, Section 6, Colorado state constitution). He does not have to involve anyone else whatsoever in the process. The Post editorial called the shutout and the "secret" process "bad politics and even worse policy." My guess is that if a Latino had indeed been named using the same secrecy, there would be no outcry. As a Latina myself, I am well acquainted with this notorious double standard.

It is not the "secret" process that the Latinos don't like. It's their perception of losing ground, of being disrespected, of being left out. Latino culture is very heavy on demands of respect. When this respect is not forthcoming, they become vocal and agitated, even when, as in this case, the process was completely correct. Both the Post and the Latino leaders seem to be arguing for a quota in state appointments. They seem to be suggesting that although a Latino did not originally hold two out of three of those positions, they should have been top contenders for the appointments—solely on the basis of race.

The Post plays into this by not criticizing Ritter for appointing Buescher, a Democrat, to fill Republican Mike Coffman's shoes. All is fair in politics, but when it comes to race? Then the Latino community is a "growing constituency" who must not be ignored. We're not supposed to remember the majority who elected a Republican secretary of state.

The Latino leaders are unseemly in their endless demands for "respect," even to the point of vague "No más" threats in Spanish. Many of them fought hard to be elected to office. Why are they clamoring for jobs to be handed to them for free? They should look inward and work to put forth quality candidates for public office in the future. If their growing constituency is as outraged as they say, such candidates should be quite competitive in future political races.

Online "Bill" Pay: Colorado Media Matters And The Colorado Model

I come to praise Bill Menezes, not bury him.

This really isn't about him in particular anyway. Back in November I squared off against Menezes on CBS4's election night webcast. We started off by discussing "how we got started" (first 5 minutes of the webcast)--and I made it clear to distinguish what for me is essentially a serious hobby from Menezes' professional and well-paid outfit at Colorado Media Matters.

He described the function of the "non-profit" "research organization" as a tool to "correct conservative misinformation" in the MSM by employing a "staff of researchers" using a "proprietary archive system" that enabled the organization to track, document, and expose what they perceived as a conservative bias. Agree with them or not, they have a clearly defined role, and have been aggressive in pursuing their objectives.

CMM, formally or informally, formed a large part of the online arm of the vaunted "Colorado Model"--now partially reduced due to the incredible success seen over the past three election cycles.

It is no secret that the GOP and conservatives and libertarians in general have been forced, at the very least, to play catch-up with their liberal/Democrat opponents. But what about benchmarks? In order to know where you want to concentrate your precious time, energy, and resources in any attempt to bring about parity with the other side (let alone any thought of leapfrogging them), it would be helpful to know what greased the wheels of the rather large and multi-faceted left-leaning apparatus employed here in Colorado.

And in politics the golden rule applies--he who has the gold, rules.

Or in this instance, he who has the gold and employs it wisely in a concerted, coordinated effort to spread a particular political message--wins elections.

Which brings me back to Menezes.

Here is a jpeg of the 2007 filing for Media Matters for America (click to enlarge):



Menezes' actual pay is almost beside the point. We already know that the director of CMM receives compensation, and that CMM was the first state-level division of the overall Media Matters operation.

As I said, Menezes is to be praised (and that is not a backhanded compliment either)--he has earned his keep, and the successes on the left in this state provides the clearest evidence that the "Colorado Model" and the implementation of organizations like CMM can produce immediate results.

So here's a note to the powers that be on the center-right, both here in Colorado and across the country--in case you were wondering how we got our a&$#*! kicked these past few election cycles, here is at least one reason. It's because there were some 100%-dedicated, full-time positions like this made available by the deepest of pockets on the left.

Just a thought.

Liberal Talk Show Host Jay Marvin Unloads On Senator-Elect Mark Udall

**Update 3: (via TS) If Marvin's screed had been published by a conservative radio talk show host, Colorado Media Matters' Bill Menezes would be all over him. Bill?

**Update 2: CompleteColorado.com managed to save Marvin's entire blog post for posterity. He dropped by last night to argue that his post wasn't "rambling" and then promptly removed it today. Let's see if he responds.

**Update: That was fast--Marvin pulls both Udall-focused blog posts after being called out on them, first at CompleteColorado.com, and then here. Nothing like a little display of progressive backbone.

"Let’s just say Udall is a phony"--AM760 Radio Talk Show Host Jay Marvin

Via Complete Colorado--"The Trouble With Udall":

Even before the election I dropped hints on the air I wasn’t happy with Congressman, now Senator elect Mark Udall.

So what’s the beef?

When I first got to AM760 most progressive pols ignored my show. The only two who would give of their time were Mark Udall and Bill Ritter, who later went on to be Governor.

In return I started to give Mark Udall money for his run for the Senate, and when the race got underway my wife Mary went to work full time on his campaign. What she found in the campaign HQ was not pretty site. Interns–for many of them it was their first job–were treated with disrespect and arrogance. Several times Mary was told to out and out lie to people on the phones.

But it didn’t stop there.

And Jay Marvin doesn't, in a rambling, misspelled diatribe against Udall and his "minions."

There appears to be even more to rant about, but Marvin begins his summary:

I’m not going to go into the rest here. Let’s just say Udall is a phony. He is cold, and has a well crafted image that covers who he really is. And let me also say I will never have this man on my show again as long as I’m on the air in this market.

Now you know. Judge for your self about Udall and his actions. In doing so ask yourself how you would feel if this happened to you or a member of your family.

Some comments support Marvin, others chastise him. Still others mention that this sort of behavior is nothing new for politicians, and hope that their Obamessiah doesn't turn out the same way.

Perhaps a little outside pressure was applied on Marvin, whose follow-up post reveals this interesting political philosophy:

I had many people who understood my feelings towards Mark Udall and a few who didn’t. Thanks for the comments both here and in email. The one very big lesson I’ve come away with is this:

It doesn’t matter what kind of person you put in office– meaning their personality doesn’t matter– it’s the votes they cast that counts. So what if Mark Udall is a prick, the only things that’s going to count is the votes he will cast in the Senate.

Subject now closed.

So what if Udall is a prick?

Progressive policies require reliable votes. For liberals/progressives/Democrats that's all that matters.

Oh, and don't question them either.

So much for dissent . . .

Close Race In Colorado?--Barack Obama To Return To Battleground State

On Saturday in Pueblo.

Perhaps the race is closer than the polls, the MSM, and Obama's campaign would like to admit.

Colorado Still In Play: Obamessiah In Denver; **Update--Hillary On Friday

So much for the MSM narrative . . .

**Update 2--to drive home the closeness of the battle for Colorado, Hillary will also be in Aurora on Friday

**Update--Why does Obama need to come to Colorado? I thought his acceptance at the DNC and recent polls just about wrapped it up for him. The appearances of Palin and McCain is understandable given that they trail in a state that has been a "battleground" only recently (2004, 2006), and refutes the notion that they have given up on the state for Electoral Votes in Pennsylvania. Biden's campaign swing can be seen as an effective, if somewhat limited counter, to help keep the local media from blanketing the Republicans. But Obama? Maybe they're not so confident after all . . .

The nomination acceptance speech at Invesco Field will be tough to beat:

Sen. Barack Obama is expected to hold a rally Sunday in Civic Center Park, where two of the last three Democratic presidential candidates to win Colorado held rousing political gatherings.

The campaign today confirmed Obama will be in Colorado Sunday, but did not release a location or other details.

A spokeswoman for the city's parks and recreation department, however, said the campaign had secured a permit for Civic Center.

SP and the Peoples Press Collective will be on hand for coverage. Stay tuned.

Expect a large turnout with the Denver Broncos on a bye week.

Joe The Senator--Joe Biden To Stump In Colorado Next Week

Details haven't been announced yet, but Biden will visit Tuesday and Wednesday.

Colorado Voter Registration--October Update

Over 200,000 newly registered voters in Colorado this year:

State officials say more than 217,000 people have registered to vote in Colorado this year, including nearly 113,000 since the end of July.

Monday was the deadline for registering to vote in the Nov. 4 election.

Richard Coolidge, a spokesman for Secretary of State Mike Coffman, says preliminary figures show Colorado now has about 3.1 million registered voters. About 1.1 million have requested mail-in ballots.

Coolidge says county clerks have canceled the registrations of more than 58,000 voters since January, about 2 percent of vote total.

Nearly 31,000 had moved to another county or state. Nearly 14,000 were duplicate registrations and nearly 8,000 had died.

More than 2,200 were canceled because they were felons.

One third of Colorado voters will be voting by mail-in ballot, most likely before the final get-out-the-vote push in the final weekend leading up to November 4. For all intents and purposes, the election has already begun (or will begin the moment the first mail-in ballots arrive, and will certainly be in full swing when early voting opens).

The most recent voter registration numbers (September 2) show that Republicans maintain a small registration lead over unaffiliated voters, and a still-sizeable 75,000 voter lead over registered Democrats--

D--955,428
R--1,029,062
U--1,022,575

According to the story there are around 3.1 million registered Coloradans on the rolls, which would add about 100,000 voters to the early September numbers. How they break will demonstrate the power of Democrat-oriented voter registration efforts, and how much Republican increases came through the draw of Sarah Palin as VP on the ticket.

Educate The Idiots--Colorado Democracy Alliance Memos Expose Liberal Agenda For Colorado

Yep--you're reading it right.

Face the State has the damning evidence (might be a little slow at the moment)--internal memos not intended for publication--that outline the Colorado Democracy Alliance's plan to push the liberal agenda through a vast alliance of related organizations at the state level.

Earlier reports from FTS on the Colorado Democracy Alliance--Part 1 and Part 2.

The Rocky blogger is outraged:

Let's read between the lines of this fair campaign:

* Is it really for the welfare of the worker, as the union elite claim with every campaign, or "increasing CO union power"?

* How powerful is your campaign message if you feel the smart people just won't vote for you?

* And -- this is as obvious as pie -- you're calling minorities "idiots"?????????? Who, they apparently believe, can be hoodwinked to serve any cause just by appealing to said alleged idiocy????

YIKES!

As more of the evidence is revealed, let's see how much the local MSM does in hiding the story--and how much the liberals and Democrats avoid the questions raised.

If you're a minority or high school drop-out in Colorado and you don't vote for the Democrats, you are an idiot.

Yep, change we can believe in.

Where Did EP Go? To The Peoples Press Collective!

During the DNC--tune in to the Peoples Press Collective--where some of Colorado's premier center-right bloggers and their closest allies have gathered to provide new media coverage of the DNC, including live video feeds.

More Exclusive Video: Free Speech Messages Washed Away At Pepsi Center

The cleaning crew does a little post-chalking clean up.

Obamatron--The DNC Podium At The Pepsi Center

The "Pillar of Fire" at the Pepsi Center has been unveiled.

Barack Obama has already made an appearance:


(CompleteColorado.com)

Can't wait to see what they'll have at Invesco Field next Thursday night . . .