He didn't think we were there yet.

Think about that for a minute.  He is quite willing to throw away his rights and mine over that issue.  

My fellow precinct leader once wrote me an email that said "no one should have rights until everyone has rights." It was in the abortion context, so the guy is not alone.

Think about that.  They are willing to throw our country away over that one issue. 

I wish this were an April Fools post.  It is not.

The Wizard of Beck by David Brooks.

With the amazing government takeover of the automobile and financial industries, it is obvious that businesses in the dwindling private sector are nervous.  Unfortunately, instead of fighting for their independence, many businesses are taking an "if you cannot beat them, join them" approach.  Today has two examples of this mentality.

First, just before the July 4th recess, the House of Representatives passed the Waxman-Markey cap-and-tax bill by a scant majority (218-212).  In today's Denver Post, Mark Hillman scathingly denounces the agricultural lobbyists for capitulating on the cap-and-tax bill and granting cover to reluctant house members.

Of course, the amended bill (that no one read prior to voting) provided all sorts of goodies to reluctant Congressmen.  This article lists some of the horse-trading done to pass this bill, including increasing the amount of "offsets" farmers could potentially sell to polluted industry. Then again, agricultural lobbyists have a history of taxpayer-funded boondoggles (see ethanol).

The second example is Wal-Mart signing onto employer mandates for health care.  While it would be better for people to shift to personal insurance plans so coverage is not tied to employment, Wal-Mart chose the top-down, government mandate solution.

What should one do about affected industries getting in bed with their government masters?  Ari Armstrong of FreeColorado.com has an answer: the boycott.

Read the rest to see Wal-Mart's clueless public relations response to Ari's complaint. Although I sympathize with Ari's position, there is little likelihood that such an act will affect the company's bottom line.

Instead of fighting bad regulatory ideas, businesses decide to get a seat at the table with the regulators.  The underlying assumption is that if one inputs into the legislative process, one will be able to lessen the impact on one's business and perhaps generate artificial advantages for the company.

These companies and lobbyists provide useful cover to the legislators and rulemakers during debate on controversial bills.  However, these companies should be aware that if they outlive their usefulness to the government, they will be the first to be thrown under the bus.

by Civil Sense

My boss sent this cartoon to me this morning. While it is over 50-years old, this cartoon, entitled "Make Mine Freedom", seems even more relevant in these times.  Share and enjoy!

by Civil Sense

The Independence Institute produced this great video about government mandates on coverage (hat tip to Ari Armstrong at FreeColorado.com).

I had higher deductible coverage in college, and so did my wife.  Hopefully, government meddling will not ruin this option for those who can least afford it.

by Civil Sense

The Colorado Republican Business Coalition had two interesting speakers for its monthly lunch meeting today.

First, Director Matt Arnold of Clear the Bench Colorado spoke about his organization.  He spoke of three cases where he believed to be the Colorado Supreme Court’s most egregious:  Bill Ritter’s illegal property tax freeze, the Telluride Land Grab, and the redistricting decision of earlier this decade where the court redrew the lines.  His organization supports voting to not retain four Colorado Supreme Court justices in 2010.  As Colorado’s judicial retention process is a joke, I support his efforts.  However, while the Telluride case was certainly an egregious overreach of eminent domain, it was not unconstitutional (as I wrote here).

Second, Dick Wadhams, State Republican Party Chair, spoke.  His demeanor was positive.  Obviously, he believes that Democrat overreach will be their downfall over a period of time, especially in regards to the increased taxation and fees imposed on the state in flagrant violation of TABOR.  He pointed out that the Republicans gained two seats in the Colorado House, and that it was the Republican Party’s first gain of seats in that chamber since 1994.  One interesting tidbit was his belief that Governor Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper have a strained relationship.  Apparently, the Mayor wanted the US Senate seat to which Governor Bill Ritter appointed Michael Bennet.

Dick Wadhams also stated that primaries are good things and make the party stronger, as long as they are not nasty.  Therefore, I assume that he supports Tom McDowell’s State Senate bid, at least in principle.

by Civil Sense

I believe in liberty, and that liberty requires limited government. Government, left unchecked, grows in scope and size due to its (mostly) well-intentioned public representatives and employees.  Some people prefer to add regulations and restrictions (see the cell phone texting ban); others prefer to merely transfer wealth to political contributors (see Governor Bill Ritter’s “green” economy measures or the Federal Government taking over GM).  Of course, all government money is transferred wealth that others created, so minimizing this wealth transfer is crucial to maintain individual liberty and property rights.

TABOR, the taxpayer’s bill of rights, kept Colorado’s government from growing out of control in the good times, so the government cuts are not so painful during the lean times.  The budget “hole” for this year is only $1 billion.  That looks pretty good compared to California’s $50 billion deficit. 

However, for some (including Governor Bill Ritter), enough is never enough. The Governor declared a hiring freeze for the state and then proceeded to add over 2,000 new employees to the government payroll.  Recently, outgoing Senate President Peter Groff (amongst others) gave bonuses to his staff while state employees are asked to take some furlough days to save money.  Ben DeGrow, writing at Mount Virtus, writes of the “Colorado Democrats’ Taxpayer-Funded Arrogance” with regard to a partisan retreat recently held on the taxpayer’s nickel.  How are these programs funded?  Funding comes from tax increases, of course.

While TABOR does not allow for increases in tax collection without a vote of the people, politicians invented rather sneaky ways to circumvent TABOR. There was the new tax fee on car registrations.  The Colorado Supreme Court declared Governor Bill Ritter’s illegal property tax freeze as legal.  Of course, the court also will get a brand new state-constructed building (apparently its 30-year-old building in Denver is too old).  This ruling led to all sorts of new “allocation strategies,” a code word for raising taxes without a vote.  Hence, everyone’s cigarette taxes increased fifteen cents a pack. Republican Don Marostica crossed party lines to co-sponsor Senate Bill 228, which removed the six percent annual governmental growth limit.  While the six percent limit may seem low, it merely meant that the government would take only twelve years to double in size.  With that obstacle removed, the government is nearly unlimited in its growth potential.

What could the Republicans do to stop this madness?  They could do little this year.  Kent Lambert’s statement in January that we need to “thin the ranks” of weak Republicans is wrong on multiple levels.  Yes, the ranks of the Republicans are thinner, and the Democrats control every branch of government.  What does a party gain when its membership is ideologically “pure”, yet it is unable to influence public policy?

When asked at a luncheon about what the party should do to Don Marostica due to his sponsorship of Senate Bill 228, State Senator Shawn Mitchell responded, “I think public excommunications do more harm than good.”  Luckily, Kent Lambert did not “thin the ranks”, and Shawn Mitchell’s side won out.  While the Democrats plot to further neuter TABOR, Marostica wants to revisit the true problems in the state: the automatic funding increase in spending due to Amendment 23 and the Gallagher Amendment.

Slowing the growth of government is hard work, and it will require (at a minimum) divided government.  Big-tent Republicanism is the only way to achieve a majority in either one of the legislative chambers.  Therefore, the best way for me to support Tom “A Watcher” McDowell’s campaign for State Senate is to keep this blog alive to promote our shared values in a big-tent Republican Party focused on limited government and fiscal responsibility.

by Civil Sense

I have come to the realization that I can't both be the kind of candidate that I want to be and also write a quality blog.

When in human history has society respected or admired someone who set out to lose at whatever endeavor he got involved in?

1.  A van with a "respect life" license plate and an Obama sticker.

2.  More vintage cars and trucks in garages being rebuilt than I can count.