John Edwards on Auraria Campus Thursday

John Edwards is one of the few people who can make sacrifice and hard work seem positively uplifting. See for yourself.

DeGette to preside over House Thursday

A press release from the congresswoman's office states:

Thursday, March 1, from 11 am to 2 pm MT Chief Deputy Whip Diana DeGette (D-CO) will preside over the House of Representatives as Speaker Pro Tempore during the debate on the Employee Free Choice Act. This legislation would ensure that workers have a free choice and a fair chance to form unions. The debate will be aired live on C-SPAN.

All Positive, All The Time Week: Bill Clinton

The further we get away from the Bill Clinton presidency, the more I miss it. So with our country eyeing another recession and Coloradolib in the midst of its 2nd All Positive, All The Time Week, here are two lessons that our future Presidents could and should learn from our 42nd.

1. Save when times are good, so you can spend when times get rough: Clinton didn't take the roaring economy of the 1990's as a license to spend. Instead he built up a big surplus. That meant that when Bush needed to give the economy a boost after 9/11, he could afford what many assumed would be a short-term tax cut. Our next President won't be so lucky. He - or she - may simultaneously face a tricky economy and a huge deficit.

2. Consumer confidence can help the country survive recessions: The recession of 2001-2002 was accompanied by a 20% drop in business spending. Why? Because businesses behave more rationally than consumers, and corporations were readying for a prolonged recession. But consumers have short memories. And after the longest economic expansion in our country's history, consumers forgot what a recession felt like. And so they "defied a recession and Sept. 11 and kept spending at a healthy pace." Even at it's recession nadir, consumer confidence was still higher than it was the month Bill Clinton took office. (84.9 in November 2001, indexed to 1985 vs. 76.7 in January, 1993.)

I'm not claiming that Bill Clinton single-handedly recession-proofed the economy. Or even that he deserves sole credit for the Roaring Nineties. But his economic policy definitely paid dividends long after his administration was over.

APATTW: Nonpartisanship update

The Denver Post reports on bipartisan education reform. And The Grand Junction Sentinel talks about a bipartisan bill that gives "surface-rights owners recourse against mineral extractors who damage the surface of private land."

What happens when the government falls down entirely? Since 2003, the amount of funding the National Institute of Health, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has cut funding for Down syndrome research from $23 million to $14 million a year. The Post has an inspiring story about a Colorado woman's efforts to "make Colorado the best place for people with Down syndrome to live."

Ritter willing to go to great lengths to create green economy

Kickin' butt and taking takin' names.

UPDATE: CoCo has more.

All Positive, All The Time Week hits the Governors Mansion

Who likes Bill Ritter today? Hunters, the families of patients at Craig Hospital, the National Governors Association, and anyone who wants accountable government.

Ritter dines at the White House

The Ritter-Bush mini-summit I mentioned yesterday only sort of happened. The Denver Post reports:

In the White House's state dining room, Bush toasted Ritter and the nation's other governors, pledging that they could "do big things" together.

With the festivities over, Ritter returned to the White House on Monday with a list of Colorado issues he wanted to discuss. In particular, he wanted to press Bush about funding for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden.

He never got the chance. Instead, Ritter experienced the slow pace of working in Washington on issues important to states.

But the assembled governors were able to attempt to communicate their concerns with National Guard deployment and No Child Left Behind.

Larimer County Dems take on estate tax issue, voice support for Ken Salazar

Today the Larimer County Democrats put out a press release "supporting fiscally responsible estate tax reform to further protect Colorado's family farms, ranches, and small business, while condemning falsehoods in a recently published op-ed."

The op-ed in question was penned by CD3 Democrat John Salazar and CD4 Republican Marilyn Musgrave. And it outlines their plan to do away with the estate tax.

The Larimer County Democrats' release reads, in part:

"Musgrave is irresponsibly advancing myths that have long since been exploded," said Larimer County Democratic Party Chair Adam Bowen. "The deceptive and fuzzy math in this column severely questions Musgrave's basic familiarity with the subject." [Ed. - Complete release posted in the comments]

The press release came with a draft of a resolution that the Larimer County Democrats passed last Thursday. It's interesting not just because of its strong stand, but because it ends on a positive note:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LARIMER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY that it supports the efforts of Senator Ken Salazar to encourage a bipartisan solution to the estate tax that is fiscally responsible and sustains Colorado's vital family farms, ranches, and small businesses.

So a big sign of support for Ken and a slap on the wrist to John, courtesy of the Larimer County Democrats.

Bill Ritter, Cary Kennedy keep it positive at the Capitol

Ritter + Kennedy = Stuff getting done:

For years, there's been a natural tension between Colorado's governor and the state treasurer seated just across the hall.

So far, however, it's been a lovefest between Gov. Bill Ritter and Treasurer Cary Kennedy. But then again, the two Denver Democrats took office less than two months ago.

Ritter appointed Kennedy as one of three co-chairs of his blue-ribbon commission on transportation. Ritter - and nearly everyone else at the Capitol - also hailed Kennedy after she came up with a solution to a nearly $20 million shortfall in health care funding.

Does Al Gore's Oscar help him, should he run?

Take my poll at SquareState.

Bill Ritter to meet with President Bush

Speaking truth to power:

Ritter, who is in the nation's capitol for the National Governors Association's winter meetings, told an alliance of labor, business and environmental groups this morning that he hopes to make the case for promoting energy independence when he and other governors make their customary visit to the White House.

The Internet is a good thing for politics

And I ain't just talking about Presidential politics, although it is. I didn't even realize that Colorado Democratic House Speaker Andrew Romanoff had a blog. And, of course, HD38's Morgan Carroll has one too.

But I digress. This post - in the spirit of All Positive, All The Time Week - is all about giving a shout-out to this post, in which an intrepid blogger sits through a townhall with several elected Republicans, reports on the bills they are carrying, and even catches them fibbing. It's the type of thankless but important journalism you're just not going to find in the Post, folks.

Assorted snark, APATTW edition

Presenting the most snark-free Assorted Snark edition ever:

• Andrew Romanoff: "Cease fire on 41!"
• Jeannie Ritter: "Improve access to mental health services!"
• Dems: "We're cleaning up in Broomfield, literally!"

Coloradolib's 2nd All Positive, All The Time Week

Every once in a while, I feel the need to build up a little karma. Like today, for instance. So I'm announcing Coloradolib's 2nd All Positive, All The Time Week, wherein the snark takes a holiday and everything is sunshine and lollipops. As always, I'll ask Allard & Co. to postpone any especially nasty stunts until next week. Fasten your seatbelts. Coloradolib's 2nd All Positive, All The Time Week starts now.

Coloradolib's 1st All Positive, All The Time Week kicked off June 4, 2006.

Healthcare Day of Action on Monday

Progress Now, Healthcare For All Colorado, the Colorado Consumer Healthcare Initiative, Nathan J. Wilkes and other healthcare activists are planning a Healthcare Day of Action on Monday at the state capitol.

Single-payer healthcare would deliver better outcomes cheaper and more effectively than the free market alternative. That's why insurance and pharmaceutical companies have had to spend so much trying to stop it. The healthcare industry has contributed $655 million to political campaigns since 1990. And pharmaceutical companies alone spent $800 million on lobbyists between 1998 and 2005.

Maybe that's why Americans are stuck spending "$477 billion a year more on healthcare than would be expected if the United States fit the spending pattern of 13 other advanced countries." And why "we're paying more than $50 billion so insurers can convince us we need care and then figure out how to deny those of us who'll actually use it."

Who's going to stick up for the truth? You are.

Use this link to tell the Colorado legislature how the current system has failed you. And if you can make it to the capitol on Monday, here's the schedule.

Cross-posted to SquareState.

I guess Tom Tancredo's running for President...

...because he's flip-flopping and weaseling like a real contender.

Tancredo two years ago:

TANCREDO: ...if this happens in the United States and we determine that it is the result of extremist, fundamentalist, Muslims, um, you know, you could, you could take out their holy sites.

HOST: You're talking about bombing Mecca?

TANCREDO: Yeah.

Tancredo today:

GUEST: Congressman Tancredo is the same man who a few years ago said that we should consider taking out Mecca in order to send a message to the terrorists.

TANCREDO: Whoa, that is absolutely...

GUEST: This gentleman is not the man to be...

TANCREDO: You have no respect to say a thing like that.

GUEST: ...to preserve all human life.

TANCREDO: That is absolutely untrue that I said we should take out Mecca in order to send a message.

As Zappatero points out, "I guess it depends on what the meaning of "message' is."

Colorado Consumer Health Initiative video

Link:

Denver's RBI Strategies wins Pollies

Congratulations are in order.

Wayne Allard [heart] Bill Clinton

Hey, who doesn't?

Clean energy to help Colorado economy

Western Democrat reports that global warming will worsen the drought across Western America. What are we going to do about it? Coyote Gulch mentions Governor Ritter's attempts to "to promote renewable energy in Colorado by supporting a bill winding it's way through the legislature." Meanwhile The Denver Post reports that Ritter's New Energy Economy will provide jobs for Colorado:

A bill to double the state's power generation from renewable energy would add 4,100 jobs by 2020 and contribute $1.9 billion to Colorado's economy, according to a study released Thursday by an environmental advocacy group.

The study by Environment Colorado said House Bill 1281 would bring substantial benefits to rural economies while also helping reduce airborne emissions.

"More clean, homegrown energy means more jobs and higher wages paid for Coloradans," Gov. Bill Ritter said at a news conference to announce the study results.

Framing is everything

Pro-Iraq War people calling themselves the Northern Colorado Support Our Troops Group and counter-protesting at anti-Iraq War rallies? Clever. And dishonest. It makes it sound like peace activists don't support the troops. If you're pro-war, have the courage to say it.

More on the Owens Cronyist Retention Program

Yesterday the Post reported that Bill Owens illegally guaranteed 23 of his cronies jobs in the Bill Ritter administration. The Rocky swiftly covered Owens' denial. (My thread on the exchange here.)

Today, the Post responded with a pair of stories. In the first, the paper reported Owens' attempt to blame the situation on a rogue staffer:

Owens said the decision to alter the contracts - in violation of state law and personnel rules - was made by Jeff Wells, his executive director of personnel and administration. "Had we known how this would be perceived, my administration certainly would have vetted it and might have reached a different conclusion," Owens said in a telephone interview.

But Diane Carman used her column to blast the GOP's culture of cronyism:

When it comes to feeding at the public trough, few have been as brazen as Bill Owens' cronies. Then again, few public officials have been as creative as the former governor about devising ways to funnel taxpayers' money to pals without enduring the tedious business of equal employment opportunity rules or public scrutiny.

The sweet job protection program for 23 Owens appointees that was revealed Wednesday by Post reporter Mark Couch is only the latest chapter in an eight-year saga of flagrant disregard for state personnel laws and utter contempt for the civil service system.

Bill Ritter has put a stop to the Cronyist Retention Program. But it bears underlining: The GOP of today has abandoned the principles of small government and increased competition.

Cross-posted at SquareState.

Democratic candidates meet in Nevada

Coverage: MyDD, Denver Post, New York Times, Politico

Coverage of Richardson in Denver: Rocky, Coyote Gulch

Post: Owens promised cronies jobs in Ritter administration

You must be kidding me:

In their final annual employment contracts, at least 23 appointed senior managers in the Owens administration got a promise that they could return to other state management positions at the highest-possible salaries for those jobs. The manager-protection program appears to violate state personnel rules by guaranteeing jobs to senior political appointees.

The contracts, valued at nearly $2.8 million this year, would tie Gov. Bill Ritter's hands in forming his own team by limiting the number of job openings his department heads could fill and by ensuring that Republican political appointees survive in a Democratic administration.

Cross-posted at SquareState.

UPDATE: The Rocky Mountain News reports that Owens has denied The Denver Post's accusation:

A story in the Denver Post this morning said the Owens adminstration gave 23 employees job protection when he left office, and that the practice appeared to violate state personnel rules. Owens said it is ludicrous to suggest that the 23 employees involved were originally hired as part of some patronage scheme.

More about the fake blog of the day: I'm not buying it

SquareState, among others, has linked to a brand-new blogger who takes responsibility for the disgusting site I wrote about here and here. The blogger claims to be a left-wing college student who doesn't think Ed Perlmutter is anti-Iraq War enough.

As of this moment, I'm not buying this story. Partially because Perlmutter is anti-Iraq War. Very.

But I may be wrong. I am cynical because the Colorado GOP has a history of using the blogosphere to pull deceptive stunts like this. Starting with Students for Beauprez. Including the Beauprez Witness. And continuing all the way up to Colorado GOP chair Dick Wadhams. (Who, incidentally, I never asserted had any hand in this specific dust-up.)

My guess is that something fishy is going on. If the actual blogger wants to out himself or herself by name, I will post a retraction.

The incident points out a fundamental flaw of the blogosphere. To the unsavvy, anonymous bloggers who post lies and conjecture appear to have the same credibility as pseudonymous bloggers who link to sources, provide analysis, and mark rumors as such.

Even those of us who spend a large amount of time blogging get swept up in the story of the day. Overall, this is a good thing. We jump into the line of fire, so that our candidates don't get Swiftboated. But sometimes we get hit, tricked into perpetuating a story that has no merit.

Perhaps this is one of those days.

UPDATE: Both blogs discussed have either been deleted or made private.

Live online Q&A with Katy Atkinson

Starts in five minutes.

Gov. Bill Richardson comes to Colorado

The 2008 Democratic contender makes a quick stop at the Centennial Airport at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

UPDATE: More on candidates heading west at CNN and in the Post. And a preference poll at SquareState.

State regulators "stretching the science and the art"

From the Post:

Dennis Buechler of the National Wildlife Federation said drilling operations are driving away wildlife, one of Colorado's biggest industries. "We want to work with the industry, but they need to come our way too..."

More about the fake blog of the day

The blog in question put up a new post smearing another congressperson's kids. Except it's not a new post at all. It's a link to a Wonkette post from June 19 of last year. That's not even a credible try. No sane person would believe that the planned follow-up to a post featuring an apparently forged Abby Perlmutter Facebook page would be a post linking to an ancient Wonkette story. The site currently appears to have been a targeted and false attack on the child of a Colorado Democrat.

My original story here. More at SquareState and Janus Online.

Healthcare hot topic of Presidential primaries

And it should be.

Republicans bad, Democrats good

I know there are some good folks over on the other side of the aisle. But, oh man, they're really pushing it today:

• Lamborn is a partisan hack.
• The White House is impeding justice.
• A GOP blogger is smearing Ed Perlmutter's kid.

It's that last story that has me really upset. Whoever posted the lies about Abby Perlmutter should be ashamed. And the Perlmutter family should be very proud. Ed's record is so clean, a GOP blogger turned on Abby. And she's so clean, the GOP blogger apparently made up a story about her.

Colorado GOP Internet guru Dick Wadhams has a history of using the blogs to beat "the media into submission." I'd love to get his take on this story.

But I digress. Let's check in with Colorado's Democrats to see what nasty, partisan tactics they're employing today:

• Ritter is reaching out to business.
• Udall is reaching out to hunters.

So we have the scorched-earth, nonstop campaigning of the GOP vs. the bipartisan solutions offered by Democratic leaders.

I know it's not always this simple. But today it really, really is.

TalkLeft gets prime real estate on Hillary's blog

Nice, Jeralyn.

Happy Presidents Day

The Post reports that when asked to name America's greatest President, more Americans chose Reagan, Clinton or Kennedy than Washington, Roosevelt or Jefferson.

Rage Against the Machine

I was terribly vulnerable in my early 20s. An adult during the day and a teenager at night. Making money for the first time, without any obligation to save it.

It would have been easy to spend my days in a sleepless, dizzying circle. Office. Gym. Club. Repeat.

But then there was Rage Against the Machine.

At an age when nothing seemed all that serious, I was bludgeoned with passion. At an age when cynicism seemed attractive, I was infected with seriousness.

Twelve compromised years later, I am haunted by lyrics. When I try to hide inside the crowded bars of The Strokes or the bewildering streets of The National, I can't forget "there be no shelter here. The frontline is everywhere." When I discuss the best school districts and curricula, I remember that my enemies are "the teachers who taught me to fight me." When I want to go to sleep, I hear a voice now embedded inside my brain screaming, "Wake up."

I am imperfect. And ironic. More Jon Stewart than Tom Frank. I over-accommodate. Over-indulge. And under-commit. But I also blockwalk and phonebank and fight fire with fire.

I am a better person because of a band.

Rage Against the Machine. There will never be another.



Cross posted at SquareState.

Janet Rowland won't go away

CoCo reports Rowland & Co. may require the next Mesa County human services director "to list his or her religious and political beliefs in their application."

Assorted snark, Colorado edition

• Montrose: "We love Bill Ritter!"
• Greeley: "The state legislature is a petri dish!"
• Craig: "We like oil, gas and shooting stuff!"
• Pueblo: "Wind power and then some!"

Democracy in Progress nails it

What do Joe Lieberman, Britney Spears and Douglas County have in common? PDT's Sunday post is a must-read.

I was wrong about Dick Wadhams

On January 8, 2007 I wrote that Dick Wadhams wouldn't be able to ressurect the Colorado GOP until the party reined in its wingnuttier factions.

Whoops.

For the past month, the credulous Colorado media has been all Wadhams, all the time. You can feel his influence in the papers. In the debate over Amendment 41. In coverage of the HB-1072 veto. In the media's attempts to understand the netroots. I fully expect to see Wadhams popping up on the sports page any day now, giving insight and analysis on the Denver Nuggets.

It's puzzling that Wadhams has been able to ingratiate himself with the mainstream media so easily. After all, this is the guy who paid bloggers under the table to influence media covergage of the 2004 South Dakota Senate race. [Source]

So I tuned into Jon Caldera's show on Channel 12 this morning to see Wadhams in action. And I must admit, he knows how to spin.He got his points across without ever seeming to struggle to stay on message, the way that Tony Snow does everytime sits down with Tim Russert.

So I've changed my mind. Dick Wadhams is, in fact, a problem. And the mainstream media seems to be buying his shtick. The sooner the Colorado Democrats find a voice to counter his, the better.

John Edwards on healthcare

Read Edwards' plan on johnedwards.com. And while I'm at it, here's a link to Colorado healthcare blog Ave Cassandra's analysis.

(More: Hillary, Obama, Richardson)

Memo to the Rocky: What?

The Saturday Rocky Mountain News contains this head-scratcher:

[Democratic Congressman Mark Udall is] a longtime war critic whose vote [against escalation] won't raise eyebrows in his liberal-leaning district. But he's also pondering a U.S. Senate race in 2008, when he would need votes statewide. Several observers said Udall has to tread carefully and make sure he doesn't get dragged too far to the left in coming months...

The most recent poll I could find shows that 63% of Americans are against the escalation and 56% believe that the war is "hopeless." In the words of Molly Ivins, "That is the center, you fools." Not many find anti-Iraq War votes leftist anymore.

I agree with Michelle Malkin

Yeah, I never thought that'd happen, either. But I share Malkin's skepticism of legislation that comes with the ambitious phrase "bill of rights" attached. Like, say, David Schultheis' superfluous, silly and shelved Religious Bill of Rights.

Ritter eliminates Office of Colorado Benefits Management System

Yesterday, Democratic Governor Bill Ritter eliminated the Office of Colorado Benefits Management System, a small office established and helmed by Republicans. The move will save taxpayers about $200,000. Not much, I admit. I only bring it up because it's the latest example of why, ten years from now, voters will have completely forgotten that the GOP used to be associated with terms like "fiscal responsibility" and "small government."

Colorado Confidential wins awards for journalistic excellence

The Colorado Society for Professional Journalists confirms what we already know. Congratulations, CoCo.

Assorted snark, politics edition

• Georgia State Sen.: "I'm battier than Schultheis!"
• Lieberman crony: "Bloggers are babies!"
• Newsweek: "John Edwards is dreamy!"
• CoCo: "Hillman and Beauprez have dumb websites!"
• DCCC: "Colorado is bulletproof!"

Hat-tip to SquareState for the DCCC link.

Assorted snark, policy edition

• Iraq: DeGette, Udall, John Salazar, Perlmutter
• Energy: Ritter, Ken Salazar
• Amendment 41: Ward, CoCo

Colorado to be part of a national primary?

Via CBS:

After a handful of key contests spread throughout late January, a glut of states awaits on Feb. 5 - a day that threatens to become the equivalent of a national primary. The list of states that are holding contests on that day is significant: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah. But other states - California, Colorado, Illinois, Florida, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Texas and possibly more - are moving to join that club.

David Schultheis worst legislator in history

How strongly can I put this? David Schultheis is a huge embarrassment to our state. His anti-hispanic, anti-government, anti-female agenda is too extreme for Colorado. And his efforts to disguise his intolerance as piety should offend the religious and non-religious alike.

Schultheis is apparently oblivious to the train wreck that is his legislative record. In fact, he seems to believe his professed religiosity in and of itself makes him a better person than his less-sanctimonious peers. Here he is speaking from the State Senate floor yesterday, quoted at Colorado Confidential:

"In order to have morals you have to have virtue, and to have virtue you have to have religion."

It's impossible to have morals without religion? Hogwash.

Schultheis' most recent abomination was the "Religious Bill of Rights" that was shelved by the State Senate yesterday. The bill was inspired by the paranoid fantasy that the 92% of Americans who believe in God are somehow being persecuted by the 8% who don't. Among other things, it would have allowed science teachers to opt out of teaching evolution and reinterpreted what