O'Donnell: "Senior year is for weenies"

I never wrote that much about the whole "Rick O'Donnell wanted to abolish Social Security" dust-up. Why? Because it didn't really surprise me that as a young Republican, O'Donnell flirted with some extremist viewpoints. People explore all sorts of loopy ideas in their early 20s. I know I did.

But O'Donnell is hanging on to quite a few of these viewpoints well into adulthood. The latest to come out (in The Denver Post) is this headscratcher:

Democrat Ed Perlmutter's congressional campaign blasted as "bizarre" and "dangerous" on Tuesday his opponent's 2004 suggestion that boys forgo their last semester of high school for national service, including the option of securing the Mexican border.

I still considered giving O'Donnell the benefit of the doubt on this issue. Some service might not be a bad idea. But after high school. And for all students, not just boys.

Unfortunately, given the opportunity to clarify his views, O'Donnell dug in his heels:

"Border security needs to come first," O'Donnell said. "The American people want border security and illegal immigration stopped before they address the other issues."

This is the type of thing that makes me doubt O'Donnell's sanity. Healthcare, the debt, global warming and national security are first-tier crises. Is O'Donnell seriously advocating ignoring them until we boot all the illegal immigrants out of the country?

More on Ed Perlmutter's website.

I spend two lousy days offline and Colorado goes haywire

I really thought I could take a two-day business trip without losing track of Colorado politics. I was wrong. In 48 hours retiring Republican Joel Hefley sent shockwaves through the CD5 race, Diana DeGette entered the blogosphere, Both Ways Bob Beauprez slandered the African-American community, Ken Salazar called for Rummy's head, Republicans and Democrats joined together to ask Gigi Dennis to quit trying to rig the election, and Bill Ritter spoke up for the states' rights that the U.S. Congress and Bush administration continue to trample.

I mean, sheesh.

Wednesday is wide open

I'm not here. Technically, I wasn't here yesterday either. Although I did type up this diary at Square State. Anyway, if you got something on your mind, feel free to spill it.

Hefley may unretire in attempt to save GOP from self-destruction

Holy freaking cow.

Both Ways Bob experiences zen (and other scenes from the campaign trail)

The Grand Junction Sentinel reports that Both Ways Bob Beauprez had a moment of clarity at the Colorado Water Congress on Friday:

"It's important that we let science drive good policy and not some other agenda," Beauprez said.

Stem cell research advocates and climate change experts everywhere promptly smacked themselves on the forehead.

The Denver Post tells us that Beauprez also advocated throwing some money at the drought:

He said cities can do even more to encourage conservation, such as cash incentives offered by Las Vegas...

Beauprez added, "Hey, we can just print extra money, right? That's how we did it in DC."

In Florida, Republican senate candidate Katherine Harris (yes, that Katherine Harris) seems to be channeling Beauprez's runningmate Janet Rowland. From CNN:

U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris told a religious journal that separation of church and state is "a lie..."

Yeah, and the whole freedom of speech thing, that's just one of those urban legends. Like the alligators in the New York City sewers.

On Colorado Matters today, Bill Ritter and Beauprez answered questions about abortion, stem cell research and gay marriage. Here's the link.

Speaking of abortion, Colorado Media Matters is tracking Beauprez's ongoing attempt to distort Ritter's comments during the KBDI debate.

And finally our opposite number at ToTheRight points out that Bill Ritter still has a healthy lead in the race, 46% to 39%.

Winter at the Parker Breakfast Club

The best speech yet from CD6 nominee Bill Winter is living over at Square State.

Ritter vs. Beauprez: I'm awake and underdressed

Part 1: I show up at 6:25 a.m.

I was the first person to show up at the Westminster Westin this morning for the Ritter-Beauprez debate, sponsored by the North Metro Chamber of Commerce. Well, almost. When I stuck my head into the conference hall, a dozen workers were busy laying out plates of fruit and pouring pots of coffee.

Part 2: The Ritter crowd shows up

As I wandered out into the parking lot, I spied several folks in Ritter for Governor t-shirts clustered around an SUV. I walked over, introduced myself and asked for a sign. We staked out a strategic position on the corner.

Part 3: The Beauprez crowd shows up

At the KBDI debate, we outnumbered the Beauprez supporters easily. Today, the crowds were about equal. Several people wearing Beauprez t-shirts clustered around the righthand side of the door to the conference hall. Good move. A few of us walked over from the corner to stand on the lefthand side of the door. Across from me there was a pretty six-foot tall blonde in her 20's wearing a pink skirt and heels. I checked out my own baggy jeans and logoless t-shirt. And then I looked up to see Chamber members in suits and ties heading our way. "I'm underdressed," I muttered to myself. I raised my sign a bit higher and hoped for the best.

Part 4: The politicians show up

I recognized Republicans like CD7 nominee Rubber Stamp Rick O'Donnell and SD23 senator Shawn Mitchell as they made their way down the righthand side of the sidewalk. Democratic CD2 congressman and likely 2008 senate nominee Mark Udall worked both sides of the crowd. And I chatted with Bill Christopher and Heather Barry, who are both running for the District J seat on the RTD Board. Both Ways Bob Beauprez made his way down his row of supporters, proclaiming loudly that he was planning to have a great day.

Part 5: I stick my foot in my mouth

I slipped past the door and into the atrium outside of the conference center. I hadn't seen Ritter come in, but he was on the podium, next to Beauprez. Udall and Barry were talking with Broomfield mayor Karen Stuart. I walked up and told them I wrote for Coloradolib and Square State, and asked if I could get a photo. Except I was running on a huge cup of coffee and two hours of sleep. So what I said came out as a slurred, "Blog. Photo. Please." Udall looked at me, trying to figure out what I was yammering about. I cleared my throat and repeated, "Can I get a photo, please?" Apparently, I made some sense this time. When I looked at the shot I'd taken, it was badly blurred. But I was in no shape to ask for a mulligan. And I heard the debate starting behind me. "Thanks," I said and walked off.

Part 6: Oh, yeah, there was a debate.

But I didn't see any of it. So I'm scoring it Ritter 14, Beauprez 2.

Are feds wasting taxes and breaking the law to fight marijuana initiative?

Yes. And maybe.

Ritter at State Fair Parade Saturday, in Westminster Monday

Dem Notes tells us that Ritter energized voters at the State Fair in Pueblo while Both Ways Bob Beauprez sat on the bleachers wondering why no one would dance with him.

Tomorrow morning, I'm planning to cover the pre-debate rally at 6:30 a.m. - coffee in one hand, camera in the other.

Photo of Ritter on horseback courtesy of Dem Notes.

Rocky strikes back against Both Ways Bob

Both Ways Bob Beauprez recently sent out a press release with this quote from Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter:

"A guy's got to work at getting jail time in Denver. He's got to do something very bad, or keep doing something fairly bad over and over again," said Bill Ritter, as reported in the Rocky Mountain News, May 3, 1998.

The point Beauprez was trying to make is that Ritter is soft on crime. But what he forgot is that the Rocky has the ability to check up on its own quotes. And the paper's editors weren't too happy about what they found. Today they wrote:

Ritter had made the point not as a boast but as a complaint. The DA was irritated with the report of two consultants who claimed that overcrowding in the Denver jail could be alleviated by releasing apparently harmless traffic and drug offenders...

In short, the Beauprez campaign lifted a Ritter assertion - not a quotation - in which he was taking a hard line against criminals and twisted it to make him sound like a crime-indulging wimp. The Trailhead Group, an independent outfit supporting Republicans, did the same thing in an earlier press release.

We can understand the frustration among Republicans trying to build a case against Ritter given the maddeningly narrow focus of his public comments over the years. But that's no excuse for the altogether sleazy misuse of what the candidate actually has said.

(You can read the rest on the Rocky's website.)

Beauprez has made some big miscalculations. Ticking off the editors of the Rocky might just be one of the worst.

Ritter campaign seems to have the momentum of a runaway freight train

Elevated Voices points out that Bill Ritter's campaign is getting national attention.

Anybody catch the Simpsons reference in my headline?

Another view of DeGette and Warner

Background: CD1 representative Diana DeGette listens to 2008 presidential contender Mark Warner.

Foreground: So that's what my ear looks like.

Photo courtesy of TakeBackTheHouse and Winter for Congress.

Ritter dives deeper in to healthcare debate

One reason I support Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter - besides the little (D) after his name on the ballot - is that his healthcare position is more rational and comprehensive than his Republican opponent's. Both men admit that the system is broken, and that spiraling costs are breaking the backs of consumers and businesses across America. But Beauprez's solution, as articulated in the KBDI debate, is unfunded tax incentives and mandating "light packages for the younger population." He has also advocated tapping into the tobacco settlement.

Ritter doesn't support what I'd call universal healthcare or even a voucher system. But he has pledged to get all of Colorado's 770,000 uninsured covered with some sort of basic primary care package. He has pointed to Republican Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney's comprehensive plan as proof that it can be done at the state level.

Yesterday, in a release timed to coincide with a gubernatorial healthcare forum, Ritter dove into his plan to reduce healthcare costs, increase insurance availability, and improve our quality of care. His plan calls for a series of specific short-term fixes and a new long-term solution that addresses the concerns of patients, doctors and insurance agencies. A release states:

"We can no longer afford the ills of our system - people using emergency rooms as their primary care centers; people putting off basic health-care needs until they erupt into more costly and life-threatening situations; businesses no longer able to afford to offer their employees insurance."

You can read the whole plan on the Ritter for Governor website.

Photo of Ritter marching with CD6 nominee Bill Winter courtesy of Bill Ritter for Governor.

O'Donnell campaign: "Whoops."

An update on this post. Some info from the good folks at the Ed Perlmutter campaign:

After this campaign violation was revealed yesterday, KC Jones, [Rubber Stamp Rick] O'Donnell's campaign manager, admitted that the insurance corporation had contributed to the campaign and that the head of the insurance agency had not reimbursed the corporation for any of these expenses to date, which should have happened prior to the event. Jones also conceded that the corporate logo of State Farm should not have been used. Perlmutter's complaint to the FEC will ask for a full investigation and appropriate penalties.

Bowling with Ken Gordon

Dennis changed election rules at Beauprez lawyer's behest

Not too long ago, I wrote a post over at Square State titled "It's rigged: Gigi Dennis makes up her own rules." Well, it turns out she didn't make them up. The Beauprez camp dictated them to her. From today's Denver Post:

Republican Secretary of State Gigi Dennis made controversial changes to Colorado campaign-finance rules after requests from lawyers who work for the state GOP, gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez and a powerful Republican political committee, records show.

Good morning. Happy birthday. And thanks for reading.

While you're at it, go read CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter's latest at Daily Kos.

Is Both Ways Bob sending ads disguised as congressional mailings?

Decide for yourself.

O'Donnell apparently violates FEC law. Again.

I now interrupt your regularly scheduled Both Ways Bob Beauprez bulletins with a Rubber Stamp Rick O'Donnell bulletin:

Today, Ed Perlmutter criticized Rick O'Donnell for an event held last night (August 22, 2006) that was sponsored by the Bushell Insurance Agency Inc., an affiliate of State Farm Insurance... Federal Election Commission law expressly prohibits all corporations from contributing to Federal campaigns. In addition to the apparent FEC violation, O'Donnell and the Bushell Insurance Agency, Inc. also apparently violated the Code of Conduct for State Farm Insurance.

Remember that the O'Donnell campaign also played fast and loose with campaign finance law when one of his backers used the name of an EPA administrator to advertise a fundraiser. And remember that O'Donnell likes to cuddle with Bush, Cheney and Mehlman.

Wednesday governor's race update: Ritter endorsed; Beauprez blasted

The Colorado Contractors Association is one of those organizations that likes to endorse Republicans. I'm fairly sure they endorsed a lamp with a little (R) after it's name the other day. But this morning the association issued a surprise joint endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter and his Republican opponent.

All over Colorado - even in the Springs! - Republicans are making a stand against the religious extremists that have taken control of their party. This is just the latest example.

Meanwhile, Beauprez is getting criticized on states' rights and environmental grounds for supporting the president's plan to bypass Colorado's local government and start drilling the Western Slope. Progress Now Action says:

"We ask people to sign our petition calling on Beauprez to reconsider his support for controversial oil and gas drilling leases in Colorado's forests," stated Michael Huttner, Executive Director of ProgressNowAction.org... Beauprez supported additional drilling in Colorado forests without waiting for Governor Owens approval or the recommendations of a statewide taskforce which are due September 13, 2006.

Photo of Bill Ritter courtesy of Ritter for Governor.

Audioblogger test post

Ritter vs. Beauprez on illegal immigration

The governor's race is gonna get dirty this September. (I may have to bring back Ms. Aguilera.) Both Ways Bob Beauprez is getting whupped in the polls. He's gonna have to go negative. And he's likely to make illegal immigration an issue. So let's look at the facts.

As Denver's district attorney, Democratic nominee Bill Ritter:

1. Assigned investigators to conduct thorough background checks on all drug suspects and then notify INS/ICE by fax of any suspected undocumented immigrants. This amounted to about 10 notifications a week.

2. Directed courtroom prosecutors to request 90-day jail holds on undocumented-immigrant defendants facing just probation. The jail time gave prosecutors additional time to notify INS/ICE and request that the defendants be picked up so that deportation proceedings could be initiated.

4. Re-notified INS/ICE of all drug-related felony convictions to ensure that the federal government could initiate criminal proceedings in the case of future illegal re-entry.

5. Received letters of commendation from then-INS District Director Joseph R. Greene, praising the work of Denver prosecutors and the Drug Court. From Jan. 1 to March 31, 1995, alone, 57 undocumented immigrants were ordered deported after being identified through the Drug Court. From July 1 through Sept. 10, the figure was 58. (After 1995, the INS stopped providing figures.)

So that's Ritter. Now, for a brief summary of Beauprez's action on illegal immigration during his years in congress, I direct you to this video of someone snoring. Enjoy.


Portions of this post concerning Ritter's record as district attorney are from a Ritter for Governor press release. Not the snoring though.

Perlmutter may have an edge in CD7

From a press release from Perlmutter for Congress:

We have always known that the race for the 7th CD is going to be one of the closest and most hotly contested campaigns in the Country, but today 9 News confirmed it! A new Survey USA Poll showed the race tied 45%-45%. The great news out of this poll is that Survey USA heavily over-sampled Republicans (44%) and under-sampled unaffiliated voters (21%) -- and among the key unaffiliated vote, Ed leads by nearly 20 points (48%-29%)! However, Ed is going to be outspent in this race and there is nothing the Republicans won't do or say to keep this seat... We only have 78 days left to set a new course for the 7th CD, Colorado and the Country and bring change to Washington DC, so we need everyone's help and support

Have you voted for Ed at Russ Feingold's PAC yet? (Or you could just donate directly to the campaign.)

Photo of Perlmutter and Senator Ken Salazar courtesy of Perlmutter for Congress.

Beauprez: "You can't have it both ways."

It was mind-blowing to hear Republican candidate for governor Bob Beauprez trying to position himself as a proponent of alternative energy. It was heartening to hear Ryan Warner of KCFR calling him on his hypocrisy. And then, whoops:

Warner: Some might accuse you of being reliant on fossil fuels. You're number 10 in the house in campaign money from oil and gas interests in 2004. Your critics say you've repeatedly voted against funding for alternative energy. Supported President Bush's plan to give energy companies tax breaks and subsidies. You're talking a lot about alternative sources. Does this represent a shift in emphasis for you?

Beauprez: No. I think the truth is I have had a balanced approach... You can't have it both ways."

And lord knows he's tried.

Cross-posted at Square State.

Beauprez scrambles for nicknames, relevance

Back in April, I wrote that the Beauprez camp might have a hard time finding a disparaging nickname for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter. For awhile there, they seemed to be trying to label him "Wrong Way," but all that did was make people remember Beauprez's nickname, Both Ways Bob. Now they're trying out Bill "Spend It All" Ritter, which is hilarious for two reasons:

1. Ritter balanced his budget every year as Denver's district attorney.

2. In congress Beauprez consistently voted to increase our nation's deficit and debt.

Why is the Beauprez campaign in such a state of panic? Maybe it's because Republicans like former state representative Bill Kaufman have jumped ship. From today's Rocky Mountain News:

[Kaufman said,] "The people who run the Republican Party today don't care about business. What this party is about now is God, guns, gays and abortion. They don't care about education, health care or transportation."

Winter, Perlmutter update thread

You can see me in the crowd shot (courtesy of Winter for Congress) taken at the Winter-Warner event. Except that I was trying to get some camera-phone photos, so my arm is over my face.

I'm also including this photo of a bunny (courtesy of ZaBlanc at Square State) because it's my blog and I like the photo.

On to more serious business. You have only three days left to vote for CD7 Democratic nominee Ed Perlmutter at Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriots Fund. And don't forget to voice your support for Winter at Daily Kos.

Colorado GOP keeps the anti-gay rhetoric coming

Welker. Rowland. And now Lundberg. (For the record, you can find Lundberg's Democratic opponent's site at radfordfor49.com.)

Beauprez: Bringing Washington DC home

If you ever find yourself falling for Both Ways Bob's small-government rhetoric, read John Aloysius Farrell's blog entry about Libertarian author Stephen Slivinski from today's Denver Post:

The outcome of Republican control has been everything Democrats were known for, and libertarians profess to abhor: wasteful government spending, titanic new bureaucracies, federal intrusion in private matters, elective war and a metastasizing national security state.

Now Beauprez wants to bring the mess he helped create in Washington DC home to Colorado.

Photos: Big celebs at Western Welcome Week

Both Ways Bob may or may not have shown up for for Littleton's Western Welcome Week Parade. But a couple hundred Democrats sure did.

Morning rain cleared for the start of the parade. The streets were lined with booths selling food that would give Denise Austin a coronary.

In these exclusive (until you download and cross-post them) photos, Colorado's next governor chills out with HD38 Democratic nominee Joe Rice. International celebrity Bill Winter walks with fans. And Rice seems surprised to find dozens of supporters marching directly behind him, chanting his name.

All photos courtesy of the Coloradolib spy satellite, which is on loan from the NSA.

New links in the sidebar

I updated my sidebar wirth links to Paula Noonan's SD22 campaign and the Colorado site for Media Matters, which tracks right-wing bias in our state's news outlets. Check 'em out.

Allard, Musgrave vs. Rocky Mountain National Park

Wayne Allard and Marilyn Musgrave have teamed up to delay wilderness designation for Rocky Mountain National Park according to the Ft. Collins Coloradoan. They say "the official designation would prohibit aerial firefighting, removal of diseased trees or building a single new picnic area within the park."

Not a single one of these claims is valid:

Current rules allow aircraft to fly over wilderness areas in emergencies, including firefighting; the park's bark beetle management plan, adopted last year, doesn't allow removal of diseased trees except in developed, high-traffic areas; and picnic areas can be constructed in developed parts of the park, typically in what's called the "front country," but not in backcountry or wilderness areas.

Sigh. Wouldn't it be nice to have a CD4 representative that understands the issues?

Friday gubernatorial race update

So this is what it's come to. I'm having to lump all the Both Ways Bob Beauprez news of the day into one thread.

1. Beauprez reinforced his own flip-flop label by blasting his buddy George W. Bush on the topic of immigration. This is in direct contrast to Beauprez's actions during his years in congress. (See it in the Rocky.)

2. Beauprez drew the ire of veterans with a careless remark about the Vietnam War. (See it in the Rocky.)

3. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill Ritter is widening his lead over Beauprez. (See it at Square State.)

Two ways to support our Democratic nominees from the comfort of your keyboard

1. Vote for CD7 nominee Ed Perlmutter in this round of Russ Feingold's Pick a Progressive Patriot.

2. Vote for Perlmutter and write in CD6 nominee Bill Winter's name under "other" at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Candidate for Change.

Photo courtesy of Perlmutter for Congress.

Steve Ludwig cheers me up

I get home from the Winter-Warner event. I feel excited about 2006 and 2008. Then I listen to this mp3 of Peter Boyles and Bob Beauprez slapfighting about illegal immigration. It's midnight. I get grumpy. I go to bed and have nightmares.

I wake up and find this thread at Square State, in which C.U. regent-at-large nominee Steve Ludwig starts an actual debate about an actual issue. Read it for yourself. This is what actual leaders do when they actually want to affect positive change.

I feel a bit better. I have some coffee.

Winter-Warner event: Part 3

What Bill Winter said.

Bill Winter is a brave guy. He volunteered for the military. Twice. He donated a kidney. And now he's running against Tom Tancredo, and Tancredo supporters aren't known for not threatening your life.

Why does Winter do what he does? Beacause he believes. He believes that he's bound by the military oath he took to defend America. He believes that healthcare is a right and that the war has gone on long enough. And he believes that Americans have a duty to be involved in civic life. He ended his speech tonight by saying, "You have a duty to stand up."

What Mark Warner said.

Yeah, Mark Warner is running for president. Yeah, I was able to stand ten feet from him, shake his hand and talk to him one-on-one for about three minutes. National-level politicians are enormously charismatic people. They manage to be confident and humble at the same time. In person Warner reminded me of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. I brought up his website and he talked easily about his belief that technology and science could open up new doors for American industry and healthcare.

Warner's speech in front of the large crowd (Maybe a few hundred? We packed Cool River.) balanced these technocratic ambitions with fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. He even drew a clear distinction between himself and George W. Bush. "My biggest problem with this president isn't something he's done. It's something he's not done. The president of the United States has never leveled with the American people."

Winter-Warner event: Part 2

As many have pointed out, this blog doesn't dole out praise and blame in equal measure. It's mostly blame. Never lies or slander, but certainly blame.

Our environment is falling apart. Our country is less safe. The longterm outlook for our economy is sour. We aren't positioning ourselves to compete globally. Our healthcare system is a mess. And our government is monitoring more and more of our private lives.

What can I say? There's a lot of blame to go around.

In 83 days, we can change that. This year, the CDP worked hard to find visionary, positive candidates that provide a credible alternative to six years of Republican incompetence. And maybe the most visionary, the most positive among them is CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter.

Not too long ago, a bunch of activists, including myself, took it upon ourselves to help get Winter the recognition he needed to win CD6. We worked Russ Feingold's Progressive Patriots Fund. And stayed up late begging our friends and family to vote for Winter at Mark Warner's Forward Together.

Tonight, we got to enjoy some of the fruits of our labors as Warner, a likely 2008 presidential contender, visited Colorado to raise money for Winter's campaign.

Winter isn't one to hog the spotlight. He asked all the Colorado Democrats running in tight congressional races to join him for the fundraiser. And so the evening was transformed into a celebration of what the future could be if we all put the hammer down over the next few weeks.

Imagine a world where our scientists had the tools they needed to save the lives of sick Americans. Where the executive branch wasn't allowed unfettered access to the private lives of American citizens. Where Colorado got to decide what to do with its own land. Where every American citizen had access to efficient, effective healthcare. Where we could save our economy and our environment at the same time. And where we focused on defeating terrorists, instead of wasting more than a trillion taxpayer dollars creating an Islamic government in Iraq.

It's not wide-eyed idealism. It's optimism. It's believing in America. And tonight, I got to meet some of the people who I think can make it happen.

Photo, from left: Bill Winter, Diana DeGette, Angie Paccione, Ed Perlmutter and Jay Fawcett.

Winter-Warner event: Part 1

Only a few minutes until I'm off to CD6 Democratic nominee Bill Winter's fundraiser with Mark Warner.

In the meantime, here's a photo of Bill with DNC chair Howard Dean and one of Bill's radio ads, courtesy of the Winter for Congress Committee.

Beauprez plays fast and loose with taxpayer money

I have already spent too much of my day keeping up with Both Ways Bob Beauprez's wrong-doings. So I'm just qoing to cut and paste this one. Part of a press release from Ritter for Governor:

Congressman Beauprez is abusing taxpayer funds by mailing thousands of fliers from his Congressional office, attempting to turn the important issue of illegal immigration into pure political theater, Bill Ritter's campaign manager said today. "The Congressman's thinly disguised flier inviting people to two town halls on Thursday is an absolute abuse of taxpayer dollars," campaign manager Greg Kolomitz said...

Beauprez proposes incentives, has no plan to fund them

Covering Bob Beauprez is a bit like hanging out with Johnny Knoxville. You never know what he's going to do next, but you can be sure it'll leave you shaking your head.

The Denver Post reports that at a debate yesterday in front of suburban business leaders, Beauprez proposed a "massive cash infusion" for public schools paid for by tax incentives, but did not "provide an estimate on how much additional revenue that would provide to schools or explain how much the incentives would cost the state," saying only that the "proposal requires further study." Beauprez's spokesperson clarified that the proposal "would not substitute for the current funding system that includes local property taxes and state taxes."

This is the real Bob Beauprez, folks. The guy who in congress has consistently voted to expand the budget deficit, federal government and executive power. But who has never, ever taken on the responsibility of paying for it.

Incidentally, I had to update the Both Ways Bob Watch twice today, with information on same sex unions and illegal immigration.

Hat-tip to Oh-Wllike at Colorado Confidential.

Marshall, Beauprez attempt to out-nasty Rowland

Janet Rowland, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, evoked a storm of criticism Monday with her history of nasty comments about homosexuals and non-evangelicals. Yesterday, Both Ways Bob Beauprez and his campaign manager John Marshall raced to say even nastier things.

First, Marshall attacked Democratic activists:

"They're bed-wetting, pampered liberals," Marshall said. "No one cares what they say about anything. They have no credibility."

Then Beauprez - who as a two-term congressman voted to approve huge expansions of the federal government and the national debt - attacked himself:

"I look around and think government is typically the problem."

Does Beauprez think Colorado's voters are stupid? We've seen how he voted in congress. And we don't expect him to suddenly become fiscally responsible after we hand him the keys to our state.

Rocky Mountain Wildlife Conservation Center to close

The Rocky Mountain News reports that 150 bears, tigers and lions are about to lose their home at a Colorado sanctuary. Please help if you can.

Photo courtesy of the RMWCC.

UPDATE: It has been a year since I wrote this post. And I'm happy to report that the sanctuary has been able to remain open, thanks to dedicated volunteers and generous donors. It's open from 9 to 4 daily, except for on holidays and in bad weather. It also keeps its doors open late on summer Fridays and Saturdays. Visit wildanimalsanctuary.org to learn more. Consider making a donation! Jessica Biel did.

Bill Ritter on KCFR: 21st Century Vision

I think Bill Ritter is becoming a better candidate by the day. Certainly better than the first time I saw him speak at the Downtown Democratic Forum. He's getting better at articulating his vision in a way that voters will relate to. Check out Ritter on KCFR today:

This is the vision I have... The education system looks different. The healthcare system looks different. The environment is protected. The vision we have for a workforce that's 21st Century. Those things are all part of what our kids and grandkids should receive.

Get the podcast of the whole interview on the KCFR site. Photo courtesy of the Ritter for Governor blog.

Auction of lands proceeds, despite protests

The protests of Democrats like Bill Ritter, Mark Udall, and Ken Salazar were ignored. The recommendations of Republicans like Gov. Bill Owens were dismissed.

Last week the Bush administration threw out Clinton-era regulations. Broke it's vow to wait for the advice of a bipartisan panel. And sold off 22,000 acres of roadless Colorado wilderness to the oil and gas industry - despite the fact that the industry still hasn't explored 66% of the drilling land it already has.

Remember back when the GOP cared about states' rights? Because I've just about forgotten.

I used today's Boulder Daily Camera as the source for this post.

Four hours left to ask Beauprez to replace Rowland

Sign the petition before 4:00 p.m. today.

Coloradolib at Square State: Gigi Dennis rewrites election rules

Square State plays a huge role in uniting Colorado's progressive community. Occasionally, I'm going to post news stories and discussion topics over there. Like this, for instance.

Janet Rowland

There's some stuff Janet Rowland probably should have told Both Ways Bob Beauprez before he tapped her to be his runningmate.

First, Colorado Confidential tracked down a questionnaire she filled out when she was running for county commissioner. Rowland wants to end the separation of church and state. ("It's not in the Constitution.") She wants to let all citizens carry concealed weapons without permits. She wants to outlaw all abortions. She opposes teaching evolution in schools, unless coupled with c