Colorado Legislature passes mini "Cap and Trade" Bill

On Friday, the Colorado State Senate passed House Bill 1001, a bill Colorado Republicans are calling dangerous. Some Republicans even compared the democrat sponsored legislation to the hotly contested "Cap and Trade" bill being debated at the Federal level. Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, described the bill as government overstepping its bounds in subsidizing unproven energy using the backs of hard working Coloradans. 

"I don't want a European society where government will decide what life will look like tomorrow," said Mitchell. "I want a free American traditional society where my choices, your choices--as consumers, as families, as citizens--will determine what society will look like tomorrow."

Republicans believe the bill is going to increase energy costs on people in spite of the current economic recession. House Bill 1001, sponsored by Sens. Bruce Whitehead, D-Hasperus, and Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass, was passed Friday on a party-line vote.

Candy Tax Passes Senate Finance Committee 4-3

The members of the Colorado Senate finance committee discuss the proposed tax increase on candy and soda. Democrats forced the bill through on a partisan 4-3 vote.

INSTATE TUITION FOR ILLEGALS WILL ADD TO BUDGET WOES

 

According to the Federation For American Immigration Reform  Colorado spends $1.1 billion per year on illegal immigrants. Of that, $925 million goes toward educating illegal immigrants, $82 million toward health care and $38 million toward incarceration.

Given the numbers anyone can see how the welfare type spending on illegal immigration is breaking the budget. So how do the Democrats propose to fix this problem? If you said give more of our tax money to illegal immigrants, you would be right. The Democrat Legislature plans to reintroduce a bill granting instate tuition to illegal immigrants.

Instead of approaching the budget issue with common sense, Colorado Democrats continue to prove they would rather spend our money than make tough decisions. Speaking of tough decisions, if this bill passes through the Democrat controlled Legislature does anyone think that Governor Ritter will veto it? Given Ritter's spending record, my guess would be... no.

Letter to the Denver Post

I was pleased to see the Denver Post published a letter I sent opposing Governor Ritter's push for an Olympic bid in Colorado. For the Post to save some space understandably they had to edit out some of the contents.

Below is the original letter I sent in to the Post Bidding for the Olympics:

The Governor has talked about pushing for a bid to host the Winter Olympics in Colorado, but he has failed to give attention to the more important issues Coloradans face.

Ritter claims that he is looking at making the cuts to balance the $240 million downfall, but instead of prioritizing the budget he has opted to push for political glory in a far reach for an Olympic hosting.

Pushing for the Olympics is too far into the future when Colorado is starving in the present. This move is more proof that Ritter is not the leader this state needs. Colorado deserves stronger leadership than this.

Top Ten Dumb Bills

Senator Greg Brophy, (R) Wray, CO has posted a YouTube, of the ten dumbest bills in the Colorado State 2009 Legislative Session.

Brophy lists the bills from dumb to reckless, placing SB 228 as the most reckless ever, in the States history.

These bills cost the state thousands of dollars to produce. Given the expensive price tag, one might think our elected officials would use better judgment when writing legislation.

Where is Your Tax Money Going Colorado?

Many Coloradoans struggle to make ends meet. With the unemployment rate reaching near 7 percent in Colorado, many families are having to make cuts in their budgets in order to make it paycheck to paycheck. Dining out less, shopping at discount stores, and vacationing less.

To make matters worse the Colorado State Democrat controlled Government, has taken the opposite approach. They have decided that instead of making major cuts to fix the budget they will tax the people instead. Senate Bill 108 proposes a $265 million tax increase in order to raise money for road and bridge repairs.

One might think that our elected officials would find other ways to get this money through budget cuts, instead of kicking everyone while they are down, but that isn't the case. Of course this isn't the worst of it. Where is your tax money going if they aren't willing to make the necessary cuts?

The answer to at least some of that is it is going towards, a trip for the Governor to attend a session in D.C. , to lobby for even more bailout money, or tax money. That's right he is using tax money to lobby for even more tax money. Were all struggling and Governor Ritter wants to keep taxing us.

As my good friend Senator Greg Brophy has said, "Beware of the Taxasaurus"

GOP Needs to Build a Strong Farm System

The conservative ideology of the great Ronald Reagan still exists in the GOP after all. Just when it looked as if we'd reached the end of America as we know it, a small light peaked through the dark abysmal and offered real hope.

While the House passed a pork-filled stimulus package, not one Republican voted for it. We might have lost the fight with the irresponsible left, but the deadwood that had been floating in the Republican pool seems to have drifted away. Now we must take the opportunity to keep the water clear.

So just like a pro sports team, we must have a farm system. If we're a team working toward a Future victory, we must not forget the necessity to recruit prospects for our future. Now is the time. The time to gather the young talent and set them up for success. The talent is there, we just need to introduce them to the system.

Rather than let the system burn out the old timers, we need to build up strong recruits that will grow under our conservative leadership. The conservative message will always work, sometimes you just need to bring in a young, hard throwing reliever--and for conservatives a righty is always preferred.

We have the likes of Steele, Jindal and Palin, but who do we have to follow? While Rush and Hannity mesmerize us on the airwaves, whose voice will be heard next? Who is the next architect to replace Karl Rove?

We need to start preparing now. Teach, praise and mold. The conservative message lives, only as long as we pass it on. Start recruiting now!