Our next meeting is from 9:30-11:15 am, Saturday morning, June 11 th , with Troy Ard, State Chairman of the College Republicans,who will be discussing how to recruit young people for the Republican Party. This is our first meeting at our new location in the Anythink Huron Street Library. Remember to invite somebody new to the Forumas we discuss politics for the Denver North Metro area.
NSRF upcoming calendar in 2011: August 13 -- Board of Education issues with Laura Boggs & Heidi Williams September 10 Republican issues with R Block Party, Hear Us Now, Broomfield 9-12, CLaRO, and Colorado Tea Party groups October 8 -- Local candidates running for City Council and Board of Education November 12 -- Redistricting/Reapportionment with Gary Mikes & Brian Vande Krol and local election results December 10 Don Beezley on upcoming legislative issues January 14 What to expect from the 2012 Colorado legislature session 2
We need volunteers! Come join us at the Adams County Republicans booth at the Adams County Fair Wednesday, August 3rd 5 pm 9 pm Thurday, August 4th 10 am 9pm Friday, August 5 th 10 am 10 pm Saturday, August 6th 10 am 10 pm Sunday, August 7th 10 pm 6 pm Last year, 60,000 people attended the fair. The Adams County Republicans have a double-wide booth with plenty of room for candidates, literature, balloons, and your smiling face. To volunteer and help us in the booth, please email Art Foss at Rmsart@msn.com or leave a message at 303-450-1675. Our speaker this month isTroy Ardwho is the State Chairman of the College Republicans of Colorado. At the age of 14 he became involved in politics by starting a Teenage Republicans chapter at his high school. By the time he was 15 he was the State Chairman of Colorado Teenage Republicans. In 2004 he experienced his first political campaign work with the Bush/Cheney Re-Election campaign serving as the community campaign coordinator. By 2006 he was hired as the Field Director of the Republican Party in one of the strongest Democrat controlled areas of Colorado. From there he became Vice Chairman of his local Republican Party and a State Party member focusing on increasing organizational capabilities and public relations. In the 2008 campaign he served as the Campaign Director for, now congressman, Scott Tipton focusing on inventive strategy and collaborative efforts between campaigns. After the 2008 election cycle ended, he was appointed as Communications Director of Colorado CRs until his unanimous election as State Chairman in April 2010. Since his election as chairman he has focused on chapter development, recruitment, and developing stronger chapter autonomy.
Troy has extensive experience with all aspects of political campaigning including: management, public relations, fundraising, media relations, traditional and inventive political strategy, and political activism. He has also given several radio and newspaper interviews on conservative issues. He is currently in the process of starting a non-profit organization dedicated to political education and imaginative public policy solutions. Academically he also has very extensive education on the subjects of culture, Freudian Psychoanalysis, abnormal behavior, and human psychopathology as a student of Colorado State University- Pueblo.
Beginning this month on Saturday, July 9 th , the NSRF will be meeting at the Huron Anythink Library community room from 9:30-11:15am instead of Gander Mountain.
Anythink Huron StreetLibrary Phone:(303) 452-7534 Address:9417 Huron Street, Thornton, CO 80260 See map: Google Maps Anythink Huron Street is a 25,000-square-foot library located at the intersection of Conifer and Huron streets in Thornton. On Feb. 6, 2010, this fantastic new facility opened its doors to library customers in the communities of Northglenn, Thornton, Federal Heights and surrounding areas. Anythink Huron Street is gold LEED certified and includes fun, inspiring spaces for all ages to enjoy. 3
Retreuds llneup to run for Clty of Thornton muyor June 27th, 2011
Cundldutes for Clty of Thornton muyor - Muck Goodmun und Vul Vlgll. Not sufe to recycle. Wlth Electlon Duy |ust more thun four months uwuy the contenders for locul polltlcul offlce ure sturtlng to go publlc wlth thelr cumpulgns. Among the most recent to unnounce thelr lntentlons to run for Clty of Thornton muyor ure currentMuyor Pro Tem Muck Goodmun undCouncllmun Vul Vlgll, both polltlcul lnslders who seem to luck the credentluls voters wlll be looklng for. The nusty, dlrty underbelly of Adums County polltlcs und some of lts polltlcluns hus been exposed ln greut detull over the pust yeur or so. Members of the Adums Fumlly und the Adums County Democrutlc muchlne huve tuken u beutlng over thelr questlonuble deullngs und ull they huve hud to offer ure Nlxonlun denluls. 4
Resldents huve hud enough und ure looklng for u new puth, one wlth elected offlcluls not tled to the decudes-old crooked Adums County polltlcs. Thut ls why lt uppeurs to be unllkely thut elther Goodmun or Vlgll would uppeul to voters wuntlng to restore the ureu to credlblllty. Goodmun ls u Thornton Clty Councll retreud huvlng served slx yeurs ln offlce beglnnlng ln 1981. Hls flrst stlnt on councll wus clouded wlth controversy but somehow he got elected uguln ln 2009. Now servlng us Muyor Pro Tem, lt hus become uppurent hls temperument ls not one to provlde udequute leudershlp. Vlgll ls unother longtlme ureu polltlclun huvlng served elght yeurs us u stute representutlve for purts of Thornton. Llke Goodmun he took u seut on clty councll ln 2009 wlth blg tlme bucklng from lubor unlons. Wlth hls uctlons he hus repuld orgunlzed lubors cumpulgn contrlbutlonsslnce tuklng offlce (ulso llke Goodmun) und pushed forwurd u llberul ugendu. Nelther of these two men wlth thelr polltlcul tles to old guurd Adums County polltlcs provlde solutlons for the mu|orlty of Thornton resldents. A cleun slute ln Thornton und Adums County polltlcs ls needed, not polltlcul retreuds from decudes pust. http://www.tonysrants.com/thornton/retreads-lineup-to-run-for-city-of-thornton-mayor/
TRYING TO BUY THE STATE HOUSE: Negative Mail Pieces Flood Republican Districts by: ColoradoPeakPolitics Wed Jul 06, 2011 at 11:10 57 MDT Just when you thought your mailbox, radio and TV were going to be given a reprieve from lies, damn lies and Democrat 527 ads, something like this happens. First it was Nancy Pelosi's Super PAC lying about Scott Tipton, and having their radio ads pulled over the lies. Now it's a subsidiary of ProgressNow sending out negative mail pieces full of distortions and lies about Colorado state House Republicans. A subsidiary with no transparency, whatsoever. Thinking they were being sneaky, ProgressNowregistered the shell group "The Colorado Facts Project" and have been sending out vicious lies about Republicans in competitive state House seats. See left for an example of a hit against Rep. Libby Szabo (R-Arvada). Szabo has been the recipient of more negative attacks from Tim Gill aligned groups than almost any other member of the Legislature. Between her unsuccessful state Senate campaign in 2008 and her win in her state House race last year, Szabo has seen hundreds of thousands spent attacking her character. Why are these Tim Gill and heiress Pat Stryker funded groups attacking Szabo and other state House members like Robert Ramirez who live in competitive districts? The Democrat money train is trying to buy back the state House. As outlined in the "The Blueprint" deep-pocketed Democrat donors in Colorado realize that a few hundred thousand dollars in negative attacks can help flip a state House seat. Groups like "The Colorado Facts Project" spend more money in negative, false attack ads than the candidates themselves are able to raise. They flood their constituents' mailboxes with enough lies often enough that they begin to have an effect. Here at the Peak we are dedicated to pushing these malicious assaults into the open, where public scrutiny can take place and expose the liberal lies and moneyed interests funding the attacks. It is beyond ironic to the point of infuriatingly hypocritical for ProgressNow to hold protests against the Koch brothers for hosting conferences to discuss conservative politics while at the same time sending out mail pieces full of lies paid for by their liberal special interests -- with no disclosure of course. So how about a little bargain: the Koch brothers and their funding partners will disclose who's writing checks when the cabal of left wing stealth donors do the same?Not interested? Not consistent? Not concerned with dripping hypocrisy? Didn't think 5
so. That is all you need to know about ProgressNow. http://www.coloradopeakpolitics.com/diary/465/trying-to-buy-the-state-house-negative-mail-pieces-flood- republican-districts
Dick Kantenberger Gifted Education Writer on Examiner.com History Lesson on Your Social Security Card Just in case some of you didn't know this. It's easy to check out, if you don't believe it. Be sure and show it to your family and friends. They need a little history lesson on what's what and it doesn't matter whether you are Democrat or Republican. Facts are Facts.
Social Security Cards up until the 1980s expressly stated the number and card were not to be used for identification purposes. Since nearly everyone in the United States now has a number, it became convenient to use it anyway and the message, NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION, was removed.
An old Social Security card with the "NOT FOR IDENTIFICATION" message.
Our Social Security:
Franklin Roosevelt, a Democrat, introduced the Social Security (FICA) Program and signed the law in August of 1935.He promised:
1.) That participation in the Program would be completely voluntary, No longer Voluntary
2.) That the participants would only have to pay 1% of the first $1,400 of their annual Incomes into the Program, Now 7.65% on the first $90,000
3.) That the money the participants elected to put Into the Program would be deductible from their income for tax purposes each year, No longer tax deductible
4.) That the money the participants put into the Independent 'Trust Fund' rather than into the General operating fund, and therefore, would Only be used to fund the Social Security Retirement Program, and no other government program. Under Johnson the money was moved to the General Fund and Spent
5.) That the annuity payments to the retirees would never be taxed as income. Under Clinton & Gore Up to 85% of your Social Security can be Taxed 6
Since many of us have paid into FICA for years and are now receiving a Social Security check every month -- And then finding that we are getting taxed on 85% of the money we paid to the Federal government to 'put Away -- you may be interested in the following: ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---- Q: Which Political Party took Social Security from the independent 'Trust Fund' and put it into the General fund so that Congress could spend it? A: It was Lyndon Johnson and the democratically controlled House and Senate. ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -- Q: Which Political Party eliminated the income tax deduction for Social Security (FICA) withholding? A: The Democratic Party. ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ----- Q: Which Political Party started taxing Social Security annuities? A: The Democratic Party, with Al Gore casting the 'tie-breaking' deciding vote as President of the Senate, while he was Vice President of the US ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- - Q: Which Political Party decided to start giving annuity payments to immigrants? (AND MY FAVORITE): A: That's right! Jimmy Carter and the Democratic Party. Immigrants moved into this country, and at age 65, Began to receive Social Security payments! The Democratic Party gave these payments to them, even though they never paid a dime into it! ------------ -- ------------ --------- ----- ------------ --------- --------- Then, after violating the original contract (FICA), the Democrats turn around and tell you that the Republicans want to take your Social Security away! And the worst part about it is; uninformed citizens believe it!
If enough people receive this, maybe a seed of awareness will be planted and maybe changes will evolve. Its worth a try!How many people can YOU send this to?
OLIVE BRANCH: GOP Chairman Ryan Call Reaches Out To Grassroots Activists Battling Amy Stephens by: ColoradoPeakPolitics Sat Jul 02, 2011 at 08:04 00 MDT
After last year's Dan Maes debacle, the Republican Party in Colorado has come together quickly and effectively. Despite predictions of multiple ballots to select a new State Party Chairman, Ryan Call thumped his rivals and won a resounding victory on the first ballot. But the seas are not all calm and glassy within the Party everywhere. A storm has been brewing down in El Paso County between House Majority Leader Amy Stephens and activists none-too- pleased with both her sponsorship of SB200 and her behavior towards those that disagree. In the middle of this is Call, who has had the unenviable task of trying to balance his role in supporting both elected officials and grassroots activists. In an interview with the Peak recently, Call extended an olive branch to those activists, and a warning to Rep. Stephens, saying: "I believe it is perfectly appropriate for any Republican activist or county party officer to express contrary positions on matters of specific legislation or to engage in rigorous debate on issues and discussion within the Party on the best way to advance the Republican Party's agenda. I also believe in the right of every Republican to express his or her views and suggestions directly to their elected officials on matters of policy or legislation." This is a direct refutation of those who have claimed that elected Party officers should not criticize elected officials. Dissent is key to a healthy Party, according to Call, as long as it's done respectfully and doesn't distract 7
people from the larger goal, which is defeating Democrats. Call went on to say that he believes that dissent must be not aimed at assaulting the character of those that disagree. While he doesn't say it, we take it as being directed at both sides of the divide. Notably, he says that if activists disagree mechanisms are built into the Party process to replace elected officials. While both insiders and grassroots leaders have expressed strong approval of Call's tenure thus far tothe Peak, the perennial tension between the establishment, like elected officials, and grassroots activists and leaders remains a key stumbling block to the Party. Call has attempted to nimbly maneuver amongst the warring factions and his success at doing so will have a large impact on the overall success of his tenure atop State Party. While Wadhams had the silver tongue, which he effectively lashed Democrats with for years, he struggled to manage intra-Party scuffles last cycle. Call's olive branch is a good sign that he intends on learning from his predecessors mistakes. The Peak: Tell us about the where State Party is currently. How many staff do you have? How is fundraising going? What are your plans over the next couple of months? Ryan Call: In an effort to be a good steward of our contributor's funds in the off-year, the Colorado Republican Party is currently operating with a pretty lean staff. Chuck Poplstein, a successful field director for the Victory campaign efforts for Missouri in 2008 and Colorado in 2010, has been recently promoted to serve as the State Party's Executive Director. We have recently hired Sara Truppo to serve as the State Party's Finance Director to assist with our fundraising efforts, and she is off to a very strong start. We have a terrific group of summer interns and stalwart volunteers helping with day-to-day operations in the office. Over the next couple of months, we intend to hire a new IT director to assist us in managing our voter database systems for our activists and Republican candidates, and helping us more effectively integrate our electronic communications, social networking, and implementing our other new technology initiatives. My efforts as State Party Chairman are principally focused on fundraising, candidate recruitment and development, and with efforts to get our message out in the media and participate in speaking opportunities in communities all over the state. Our State Party Vice-Chairman Don Ytterberg is doing a terrific job at a new organizational development initiative to provide hands-on training for our local County Party leaders and activists. Our State Party Secretary Perry Buck is helping with developing and strengthening our coalitions and with outreach to women, and our newly appointed State Party Treasurer Christine Mastin is doing a great job with streamlining internal financial controls and reporting functions, and helping us with certain fundraising efforts. We are also working aggressively to develop relationships and reach out to voters and leaders in the Hispanic community, among women, and the small business community. The Peak: How is candidate recruitment going for the House and Senate races in 2012? Before reapportionment is complete it's impossible to finalize any races, but how are you feeling the field of potential candidates stack up? Ryan Call: Candidate recruitment for the upcoming legislative races and local elections for 2012 is coming along well, although the reapportionment process has delayed a number of great prospective candidates from announcing their plans until the district lines are finalized. I am incredibly impressed with the quality and experience of a number of our potential candidates, and I expect to see one of the strongest slates of candidates running for legislative, county, and district offices that we have seen in years. The Colorado Republican Party is and will continue to play a very active role, working closely with our legislative leadership and local County Party committees, to identify, recruit, train, and provide meaningful support to our Republican candidates in the upcoming cycle. It is our goal to field a qualified, principled Republican candidate in each and every race on the November 2012 ballot in order to give every Coloradan a clear choice between our policy agenda and philosophy of limited government, personal responsibility and support for the free enterprise system, in contrast to the Democratic agenda of higher taxes, greater regulation, bigger government, and less freedom and opportunity. The Peak: What do you think the toughest races for GOP candidates will be in 2012? Ryan Call: In addition to doing everything we can to ensure the election of a Republican candidate for President, retaining a Republican majority in the Colorado House of Representatives is a top priority. Winning back the majority in the State Senate so Republicans are able to advance a thoughtful agenda that will spur economic growth and job creation, improve the quality of education, and help streamline regulation and reign in spending and entitlement programs is also a high priority, although 8
the best opportunities to pick up seats in the State Senate may depend on the results of the reapportionment process. We expect strong Democratic challengers to Congressman Scott Tipton and Congressman Cory Gardner, but are confident that they will be re-elected based on their consistent voting records in the U.S. Congress and their effective advocacy for the interests and concerns of families in rural Colorado. The Peak: The county party elections this year saw a new crop of folks, many from liberty groups, rise to take over county parties. How is that transition going? How do you feel the relationship between the Party and grassroots liberty activists is currently? Ryan Call: The Colorado Republican Party is made up of a great coalition of individuals - small business owners, men and women of faith, veterans, seniors, and many, many others who share our love of liberty, understand the importance of personal responsibility, share a commitment to those time-tested values that strengthen families and communities, appreciate the benefits of the free market system that rewards entrepreneurship and hard work, revere the Constitution and respect the rule of law, and believe government should borrow and spend less and be more limited in its role. I believe the vast majority of liberty group activists have recognized that these are and have long been the bedrock principles of the Republican Party. Many concerned citizens and new activists that attended rallies or events sponsored by newly-formed liberty groups out of a sincere concern about the direction of our country have found a warm welcome within our Republican Party. I don't characterize the involvement of many of these new activists as a "take over" of county party organizations; rather I see it as a great opportunity to provide meaningful opportunities for a new group of activists and concerned citizens who have understood that the best and most effective way to ensure that the principles that they believe in advance, is to work within the Party structure to help Republicans get elected to public office. But I also understand that many liberty groups and certain of their leaders wish to remain apart and independent from the Republican Party itself, and that's just fine --as long as we can work together to advance the cause and support those Republican candidates where we can and do agree. The Peak: There has been quite a bit of controversy recently in El Paso over the conflict between elected officials and grassroots activists. What do you think the proper balance is between supporting elected officials while still being allowed to voice concerns on legislation that people don't view as representative of party ideals? Ryan Call: I think much of the controversy in El Paso County has been overstated by a liberal local press that likes to highlight apparent divisions within our Party for political purposes. Actually, and while there will almost always be some disagreements about the best way to translate our conservative ideas into specific public policy or legislation, the Republican Party is more united than I have seen it in many years. I believe the vast majority of Republicans understand that the small differences that we may have with our fellow Republicans pale in comparison to the differences we have with the agenda of the Democrats, and our side understands the stakes of the upcoming election. Republican Party officers, volunteers and activists, and all voters all should be encouraged to actively be involved in the debate and discussion of ideas within our Party and in the discussion of how best to advance our Republican principles and ideas. Respectful dissent, thoughtful discussion, and honest debate is not stifled within our Party - it is encouraged. I believe it is perfectly appropriate for any Republican activist or county party officer to express contrary positions on matters of specific legislation or to engage in rigorous debate on issues and discussion within the Party on the best way to advance the Republican Party's agenda. I also believe in the right of every Republican to express his or her views and suggestions directly to their elected officials on matters of policy or legislation. But it is also important to recognize that differences of opinion regarding specific legislation should not be used to attack Republican elected officials or assault their character. You can still be a good Republican - and a good Republican elected official - even when not everyone agrees with you 100% of the time. I will take a Republican elected official with whom I agree with 80% of the time every day of the week rather than a Democrat with whom I may only agree with 20% of the time. Ronald Reagan, shortly after his election as Governor of California, I believe said it best: "We must keep the door open - offering our party as the only practical answer for those who, overall, are individualists. And because this is the great common denominator - this dedication to the belief in man's aspirations as an individual - we cannot offer them a narrow sectarian party in which all must swear allegiance to prescribed commandments. Such a party can be highly disciplined, but it does not win elections. This kind of party soon disappears in a blaze of glorious defeat, and it never puts into practice its basic tenets, no matter how noble they may be. The Republican Party, both in this state and nationally, is a broad party. There is room in our tent for many views; indeed, the divergence of views is one of our strengths. Let no one, however, interpret this to mean compromise of basic philosophy or that we will be all things to all people for political expediency." 9
If certain Republican activists feel strongly enough that any particular Republican elected official has so departed from the Party's basic tenants that they want to see a change, the mechanism for that change is built into our caucus, assembly, and primary election process. But, as Reagan also observed, "We must always remain in a position that will let us effectively support the candidates chosen by the entire party in a primary. To do less is a disservice to the Party and, more importantly, to the cause in which we all believe." The Peak: El Paso has also seen the rise of young conservatives into Party leadership positions. Where do you see the current state of youth outreach and leadership development for conservatives in Colorado? Ryan Call: Reaching out to students and other young people is a high priority of the Colorado Republican Party, and we have already begun to see some progress based on recent efforts. We are working to help strengthen and grow a re-invigorated Young Republican state organization, new College Republican chapters are starting on campuses all over the state, and other young conservative organizations are seeing strong growth and greater involvement. Many of our County Party committees are developing plans to help form Republican clubs in local high schools and to provide opportunities for students and young people to get involved. We expect that the upcoming Presidential election will provide great opportunities for students, young professionals, and other younger people to work with the Republican Party to help ensure Barack Obama is one-term President. Younger Republican leaders are emerging in many counties throughout our state, not just in El Paso County. It doesn't hurt to have the second youngest Republican State Party Chairman in the country leading the Colorado Republican Party as an example of the importance that Republicans in our state are placing on the need to not only reach out to younger people, but to trust them in meaningful positions of leadership within our Party. Democrats have long taken the youth vote for granted, but I think things will change in 2012. A recent study found that support for Obama among college graduates has dropped precipitously, as reported byThe Daily Caller. Commentary Magazine explained in a recent article that much of the disappointment and dissatisfaction among younger voters against Obama stems from his inability to deliver on the promises of his campaign rhetoric, and the fact that massive increases in government spending and expanded entitlement programs will saddle younger generations of Americans with deficits and debts that will take years to pay off. But I believe the biggest reason younger voters are switching their support from the Democratic Party is the dismal state of the economy and the job market under Obama's watch, and as a result of his failed policies. Even an article in The Atlantic from earlier this month leads with the headline "On College Campuses, Obama's Not Cool Anymore" and reports that support among young voters for Obama has dropped ten percent since 2008. As the Republican Party and our Republican candidates effectively engage with younger voters, and talk about how our agenda will jump-start the economy and create jobs, reform and preserve Social Security and Medicare while protecting the safety net for the poor and disadvantaged, and ensure a strong and prosperous America for future generations, I believe more young people will vote Republican in 2012 than we have seen in many years. The Peak: Too often candidates who lose Republican primaries don't support the victors like they inevitably promise to in their concession speech. What kind of support have you seen from your former competitors in the Chairman's race? Ryan Call: Each of the good men who also ran for State Party Chairman have been gracious and supportive. In particular, State Senator Ted Harvey and LeondrayGholston have been just terrific, and are each men I greatly admire. A new team of State Party leadership has allowed us to turn an important page in our Party, and look toward the future of united, strong, and organized Party organization that will make a tremendous difference in influencing elections in our state. The Peak: What's next for State Party? Any big events coming up? Ryan Call: We are very pleased to welcome former U.S. Senator Wayne Allard at our next meeting of the Capitol Club on July 21st, a monthly fundraising luncheon at Maggiano's in downtown Denver featuring top conservative thinkers, business leaders, policy makers and elected officials. Prior speakers have included former Senator Rick Santorum, conservative author Dinesh D'Souza, the former Ambassador to Belize and CU law school professor Rob Dieter, and future speakers will include members of our Republican Congressional delegation, leading national economists, and others that reflect my commitment to make sure that our Party is the Party of Ideas. Interested individuals can visitwww.cologop.org to find out more or to RSVP. On Thursday, July 28th, the Colorado Republican Party is hosting a special reception featuring former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino to recognize and honor the women of the Colorado Republican Party. Not only will we highlight the great accomplishments of our elected Republican women, we will also have the chance to recognize the many women of our Party serving in important leadership positions within our County and State Party organizations. It will be a great event that folks will not want to miss. Interested individuals can also visit www.cologop.org to find out more or contact Sara at 10
303.758.3333 ext. 105 to RSVP. There are many other events and activities sponsored by the Colorado Republican Party and our local Republican Party organizations throughout the state. I encourage anyone who is interested to sign up to receive regular updates about upcoming events and find out ways that they can get involved at:http://www.cologop.org/sign-up... I also encourage any Republican who has any ideas or suggestion, and who is also willing to work with us to implement that idea, to contact me or a member of our State Party staff directly at 303.758.3333 or at ryan@cologop.org. I promise that we will do our very best to make sure that the Colorado Republican Party is responsive, transparent and accountable. Most importantly, we are working hard every day to ensure that our Party will help build and mobilize the kind of grassroots political organization that will elect a Republican candidate for President, win majorities in Congress and in the state legislature, and effectively engage in the fight for ideas and advance our shared Republican principles. http://www.coloradopeakpolitics.com/diary/460/olive-branch-gop-chairman-ryan-call-reaches-out-to-grassroots-activists-battling- amy-stephens
Educuted lgnorunce: Teuchers unlon endorses Obumus reelectlon July 6th, 2011 Certulnly the endorsement of u Democrutlc cundldute by u unlon ls no surprlse us lubors lgnorunt uffulr wlth leftlst polltlcluns ls never endlng even lf unrequlted. However ln un unprecedented move, the Nutlonul Educutlon Assoclutlon hus |umped uheud und endorsed Presldent Buruck Obumus 2012 reelectlon long before competlng cundldutes for the presldency ure chosen. At thelr unnuul conventlon, the NEA voted to endorse Obumu u full yeur before they normully plck u cundldute to buck und 16 months before the November 2012 electlons. The endorsement however ls hurdly u strong one. Among those ln uttendunce neurly 8% fewer members upproved the endorsement thun ln 2008. In fuct, Obumu recelved the lowest percentuge of support for uny Democrutlc presldentlul cundldute slnce 1988. Further, hlghllghtlng the lgnorunce of the NEA, the sume group of unlon members udopted u resolutlon rlpplng upurt the Obumu udmlnlstrutlons educutlon pollcy und Secretury of Educutlon Arne Duncun. The 13-polnt resolutlon ls u llst of grlevunces thut cunnot help but muke one wonder why the heck the unlon would endorse someone whose pollcles uppurently ure entlrely reprehenslble. Here we huve educutlon professlonuls who ure urguubly umongst the best educuted ln the populuce endorslng u cundldute before hls opponent ls even known. Is thut the type of crltlcul thlnklng we should expect from those who educute our chlldren? Of course lt lsnt. It ls however the type of lgnorunce we see over und over uguln from unlons. Lubor wlelds greut power und money ull ut the expense of thelr hurd worklng members und they only seek to keep thelr power lntuct. Even the NEAs own offlcers huve prevlously stuted thut the educutlon of klds ls u secondury concern to mulntulnlng the unlons own power. For them lt lsnt ubout dolng whut ls needed to educute chlldren or plcklng u cundldute thut hus u true vlslon for lmprovlng educutlon. 11
As thelr membershlp dwlndles, unlons become less und less relevunt. They ure however u powerful und extreme leftlst group powered by thelr ublllty to tuke money from thelr members ln the form of dues. In the mld-term electlon cycle ln 2010 unlons spent S100 mllllon of thelr members hurd eurned money supportlng mostly Democrutlc cundldutes. They huve blocked uttempts ut meunlngful educutlon reform ut every corner, ull ln the lnterest of protectlng thelr membershlp. The fuct of the mutter ls thut when unlons ure pushed out of the wuy, buslness und educutlon cun succeed fur beyond whut they would otherwlse. One prlme exumple comes from the Kuukuunu School Dlstrlct ln Wlsconsln followlng thut stutes bruve move to llmlt unlon power. The school dlstrlct hus used lts new found freedom from unlon lnterference to turn u budget deflclt lnto u S1.5 mllllon surplus, ull ln u few short months. Thls endorsement by the NEA ls yet further evldence thut unlons ure entlrely out of touch not only wlth Amerlcuns, but ulso most of thelr members. No one wlth hulf un ounce of crltlcul thlnklng would endorse u cundldute thls eurly, leust of ull one thut hus fulled so mlserubly. http://www.tonysrants.com/national/educated-ignorance-teachers-union-endorses-obamas-reelection/
Adams County Clerk tackles DA petition July 01, 2011 | 08:11 AM A petition that could clear the way for Adams County/Broomfield District Attorney Don Quick to seek a third term is going through a painstaking verification process.If at least 5,413 Adams County voters' names are verified, a question will be on track for this fall's ballot to ask whether the district attorney's term limit should be extended from two terms to three. In Broomfield, the City Council has already OK'd the placement of the question on the ballot.
Adams County Clerk and Recorder Karen Long said the business of matching signers' names with addresses began this week, following the hard work of pre-processing information about petition circulators and notaries. "Reading and figuring out circulators' names wasn't easy,' since in some cases it involved deciphering scribbles, Long said.Four employees of the clerk's office are now checking signers' names and addresses against the Statewide Colorado Voter Registration and Election System, known as SCORE.
"This is very tedious and very important and it has to be done right," Long said.If a check of an Adams County address turns up the voter's name, the name is approved. If there's not a match, the clerk's office checks to see whether the voter lived at the address at the time of signing, which also allows approval. Signatures aren't routinely verified and none had been checked as of Tuesday morning, but since signers as well as circulators can have difficult-to-read handwriting, signatures can be checked if necessary as the office decides whether to approve or reject a name.
"We always go those extra steps to give the voter the elector the benefit of the doubt," Long said.The 12
petition with 9,325 names was submitted to Long's office by Quick on June 14. Long has until July 14 to find the petition sufficient or insufficient based on the number of approved names.After the finding, there is a 10-day protest period, in which the decision on any voter can be protested. "There's nothing in law that's specific as to what a protest is about," Long said. "They can file a protest about anything."
If there is a protest, it will be sent to the petition proponents, Broomfield attorney Matthew Gray and Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr, and a hearing date will be set. That process could continue into August, and a hearing's outcome can be reviewed in court. Ballots are due for certification by Sept. 2.If the petition is found to be sufficient, Long's office will send a letter to the county commissioners, who will "refer" it to the ballot under the law.
If the question is on this fall's ballot, a majority in the combined vote from Adams County and Broomfield will decide the issue, according to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office.As for the outcome of the petition verification process now under way, Long said: "I'm not making any predictions."
Scott Gilbert can be reached at scottg@metronorthnews.com http://www.great8newspapers.com/Articles-c-2011-07-01-220720.114125-sub-Clerk-tackles-DA-petition.html
THE TALE OF TWO CHAIRMAN: Carillo Screwed Up; Lucero Busy Cleaning Up by: ColoradoPeakPolitics Wed Jul 06, 2011 at 14:15 21 MDT Just about the least thankful job in Colorado politics these days is Chairman of the Larimer County GOP. In the Fort Collins Coloradoan yesterday, Bob Moore continued his expos on the alleged crimes of the previous Larimer GOP Chairman, Larry Carillo, but never once mentioned the man cleaning up the mess left by Carillo. That would be Tom Lucero, a former CU Regent and candidate for the 4th Congressional district in 2010. We praised his election to head the post-Carillo Larimer GOP in March, saying: "Lucero is savvy, smart, very political and puts an unassuming and kind face on a brass tacks partisan style. Not only will he balance the books, he will also kick the living shiz-nit out of the Democrats." Thus far, Lucero has lived up to the high praise, moving quickly to institute multiple layers of financial oversight and raise the funds needed to cover all outstanding debts. Lucero's leadership has given the Larimer GOP a direly needed boost of credibility, helping lure both freshman Congressman Cory Gardner and conservative talk radio rock star Hugh Hewitt to fundraisers for the county party. Already, Lucero has spearheaded fundraising that has wiped out the Party's $13,000 in debt, and put $3,000 in the bank. He has also hired a professional campaign finance company, Polifi, to handle future reporting, ensuring egregious mistakes made under Larry Carillo will not happen again. While a warrant has been issued for Larry Carillo's arrest for his alleged felony theft from the Party, Lucero has the thankless task of cleaning up the mess. Carillo has set up the Larimer Republicans topotentially owe over $200,000 in fines. It marks him as the worst county Chairman in modern Colorado political history. Thankfully, Lucero has stepped up the plate and dealt with the situation with both eyes wide open. In an email to Larimer Republicans he acknowledges the damage Carillo has inflicted on the "Larimer GOP brand," and hopes the continued efforts at cleaning up the mess in a transparent and open manner will help undue some of that damage. As Larimer has proved to be a pivotal swing county in statewide races in the last few cycles, Republicans can be thankful 13
that this tale of two chairman is moving forward on a positive note.
F R I D A Y , J U N E 2 4 , 2 0 1 1 Colorado Slips in Freedom Index The following article by Linn and Ari Armstrong originally was published June 24 by Grand Junction Free Press. We don't believe in grading liberty on a curve. We believe that any violation of individual rights creates an injustice, and that "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."Thus, while we are pleased that Colorado remains in the top ten freest states (we're seventh), we're more concerned that we've dropped from the number two slot in 2007. Moreover, even if we surpassed New Hampshire for the top spot, that still wouldn't mean much, competing against the likes of California, New York, and Massachusetts.
Moreover, with the federal government continuing to grow in power relative to state governments, largely turning state legislatures into conduits for federal funding, no place in the country is very free. The Founding ideal of federalism largely has been turned on its head.Nevertheless, how state governments act very much impacts people's lives -- whether they can open businesses, how much of their earnings they can keep, whether they face persecution for peaceable activities, whether they retain important personal freedoms. So it is well worth a look.
The state rankings come from a new report from the Mercatus Center, "Freedom In the 50 States." Broadly, the study finds that "Americans are voting with their feet and moving to states with more economic and personal freedom and that economic freedom correlates with income growth."For example, Jay Ambrose noted that the "deficit-slaughtering, budget- cutting, seriously limited government in Texas" (ranked fourteenth by Mercatus) "has added 730,000 jobs in the past decade." Meanwhile, California, ranked 48th, has lost 600,000 jobs. Guess what: economic liberty promotes prosperity, while controls and high taxes threaten it.
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Indeed, as the Wall Street Journal noted, "Some 37 percent of all net new American jobs since the recovery began were created in Texas." So Texas, with about eight percent of the nation's population, has single handedly created more than a third of all the new jobs.How is Colorado doing? Mercatus notes our population grew 4.9 percent from 2000 to 2009. Mostly our unemployment rate has remained lower than the national figure, according to Bureau of Labor statistics compiled by Google. (As of April we showed 8.8 percent "seasonally adjusted" unemployment, compared with 9.1 percent nationally.)
But we have some serious problems, reports Mercatus. The severe smoking bans here violate property rights. The state places burdensome requirements on market schools and "particularly onerous recordkeeping requirements" on homeschoolers. Moreover, the "enactment of a minimum wage helped to drag down its regulatory freedom score." Wage controls result in throwing some people out of work entirely. In addition, some of the state's gun laws remain overly restrictive.We would add to Mercatus's list of abuses. The state continues to finance corporate welfare, despite the explicit constitutional provision against it. The energy mandates already have driven up utility bills and will continue to do so far into the future.
Protectionism, as in the beer and liquor industries, continues to screw consumers. Colorado's campaign laws violate people's rights of free speech and association.Morever, the state's sales and use taxes create nightmares for businesses as well as consumers. (That these laws remain widely ignored indicts the laws more than the lawbreakers.) Indeed, legislators made this bad situation worse by trying to force Amazon and other online retailers to help enforce Colorado's tax laws, thereby forcing Amazon to drop all of its Colorado affiliates.
Of course on the positive side we retain the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. Yet we found this Mercatus line odd: "Overall, Colorado has strong fiscal policies and is the most fiscally decentralized state in the country, with localities raising fully 45.5 percent of all state and local expenditures." Tax-and-spend localities further reduce economic liberty rather than augment it.Mercatus lists some other positives about Colorado. We don't have especially onerous "sin" taxes on politically incorrect goods. Medical marijuana is legal, and "arrests for drug offenses, relative to state usage, are relatively low." And "Colorado is one of the very best states on occupational licensing and civil-asset forfeiture."
We love Colorado largely because of our traditions of liberty. Generally, our Western sensibilities guide us to keep the government out of our bedroom and out of our pocketbook. Our attitude is "live and let live." Don't hurt other people, and don't let them hurt you. We help people out, not because we are forced to, but because we assume responsibility to do so. Mostly we want to live our own lives, the way we see fit, and achieve our own success and happiness. At least that's the ideal.We're glad that Colorado remains in the top ten freest states. But we can do much better. We can strive to be first. And then we can realize our goal is not merely to be freer than other states, but to consistently and without failing protect the rights of each individual. http://blog.ariarmstrong.com/2011/06/colorado-slips-in-freedom-index.html 15
Troopers: Colorado State Senator Lied About Deadly Crash Sen. Suzanne Williams Hit, Killed Brianna Gomez Near Amarillo, Investigators Say Deb Stanley, 7NEWS Producer
AMARILLO, Texas -- State police investigators recommended that a Colorado senator be charged with criminally negligent homicide, tampering with physical evidence and injury to a child in a crash that killed a pregnant Amarillo woman, Department of Public Safety records obtained by the Amarillo Globe-News show. A grand jury declined to charge Sen. Suzanne Williams. Troopers then cited Williams on suspicion of having an unsecured passenger under 17, having a child under 8 unsecured by a safety seat system and driving on the wrong side of the highway. All three are misdemeanor traffic violations.
Williams was driving a 2010 Honda CRV on U.S. Highway 385 near of Amarillo with her grown son and two grandchildren in the car last December.Investigators said the Honda drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic, colliding with a 2003 GMC Yukon driven by an Amarillo man. The man's wife, Brianna "Brie" Gomez, 30, was a passenger in the SUV.Gomez was flown to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo, where an emergency cesarean section was performed. Gomez was pronounced dead after her baby boy was delivered.
Williams' son, Todd Williams, and his 3-year-old son were ejected from the vehicle. They were seriously injured. "While on scene Suzanne (Williams) told me that no one had been ejected from her vehicle and that everyone was extracted from the vehicle by rescue," a state trooper said in an offense report obtained by the newspaper. "Suzanne failed to inform me of the truth of the events that had taken place before anyone arrived on scene." Investigators determined that Williams picked up her 3-year-old grandson from the highway and placed him in a child safety seat inside her car before emergency help arrived.
"All of the facts and circumstances were covered, and the grand jury determined no charges were to be brought," said District Attorney David Green. Green told the newspaper the facts did not add up to criminal negligence. The case garnered national attention in part because Williams is a staunch advocate of child-restraint laws in Colorado, but DPS investigators said none of Williams' passengers were buckled up.Attempts to contact Williams and her attorney for comment were unsuccessful. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28406170/detail.html Denver Republican activist Ike Kelley dies at 63 By Virginia Culver The Denver Post
Ike Kelley Jr., a longtime activist in Colorado Republican politics, died at his Denver home on June 26. He was 63.Services will be today at Shorter African Methodist Episcopal Church, atMartin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Richard Allen Court. Kelley had been in "relatively good health," said his daughter Vanessa Kelley of Denver. She said her father died of a heart attack.
Kelley was an official with the regional Housing and Urban Development Office here for four years in the Reagan administration and four years in the George H.W. Bush administration. He was executive assistant to the regional administrator.He was president of Kelco, a janitorial firm, and earlier had sold life insurance and worked in communications for Monfort of Colorado.Kelley was active in both the Denver and Arapahoe County Republican parties."He loved politics and had friends in both parties," said his wife, Beverly. "He was a real political animal and had an insight into candidates," said Mort Marks of Arapahoe County.
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Kelley vied unsuccessfully for several offices. He ran to be the nominee for lieutenant governor and ran for Denver City Council twice, including the last election."He was a huge people person," said Vanessa Kelley. "When he said, 'How are you?' he listened to the person."Isaiah Kelley Jr. was born in Sumter, S.C., and graduated from Columbus High School in Columbus, Ohio. He earned a bachelor's degree in public administration and public relations from Colorado State University in Fort Collins.He married Beverly Stallworth on Oct. 28, 1972.He was vice president of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators in this region and was on the board of directors of the Lincoln Club of Colorado.
In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by two other daughters, Krystal Kelley of Fort Collins and Lauren Kelley of Denver; two sons, Brandon Kelley of Denver and Isaiah Kelley III of Mesa, Ariz.; and seven grandchildren.He also is survived by two sisters, pastor Ella Flowers of Memphis, Tenn., and Michelle Kelley of Columbus; and three brothers, Dwayne Kelley of Arlington, Texas, Richard Kelley of Dallas and Jerome Kelley of Columbus.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 orvculver@denverpost.com Read more:Denver Republican activist Ike Kelley dies at 63 - The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/obituaries/ci_18414980?source=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Fee d%3A+dp-news-local-denver-metro+%28Denver+Post%3A+News%3A+Local%3A+Denver+Metro%29#ixzz1RNSrSnVV Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse
AdcoCoroner's office overhaul essentially done July 01, 2011 | 06:18 AM The Adams County Coroner's Office, where Coroner Monica Broncucia-Jordan fired all 11 employees she inherited when she took office in January, is staffed with new employees and probably will add one more death investigator, Broncucia-Jordan said Monday.Seven death investigators, two part-time pathology technicians, an administrative assistant and a part-time administrative clerk make up the staff, along with Broncucia-Jordan and her chief deputy, SherrondaAppleberry.
"You can call us full-time," Broncucia-Jordan said of herself and Appleberry. "It feels like a lot more than that."Volunteers helped staff the office while the hiring process was under way.Autopsies are now performed by Mike Arnall, Rob Kurtzman and Carol Hosier. Arnall ran as a Republican against Democrat Broncucia-Jordan last November. All three physicians are "triple board-certified forensic pathologists" who work as independent contractors, Broncucia-Jordan said.
Broncucia-Jordan said the focus in hiring was to find "competent, qualified professionals." A few death investigators who had worked for her predecessor, James Hibbard, applied for positions after they were fired, but Broncucia-Jordan said they did not meet the minimum qualifications that she and Appleberry had set.
Under Hibbard's leadership, the office had been marked by complaints about delays, questions about its hiring practices, frequent turnover, sexual-harassment allegations and strained relationships with other officials.Hibbard fired Broncucia-Jordan and Appleberry in the spring of 2009 and terminated Arnall's contractual services in late 2008. All three filed ongoing lawsuits against Hibbard and the county over their terminations.
The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Colorado Division of Civil Rights have already ruled in favor of Broncucia-Jordan and Appleberry, who allege their firings were partly retaliation 17
for not tolerating a sexually hostile work environment. Arnall, whose lawsuit centers on free-speech rights, alleges that he was an advocate for women who were being harassed.There have been big changes since Broncucia-Jordan took over in January. "We immediately brought the autopsies back to Adams County," she said.
Autopsies had been performed in Loveland, which tied up a county vehicle for transport and created difficulty for law-enforcement personnel whose jobs include attending autopsies, she said.Autopsies were costing more than $1,300 each under the previous administration's arrangement, and now cost about $800, Broncucia-Jordan said.
Broncucia-Jordan restored a contract to perform services for Broomfield for $196,000 a year, after Hibbard had submitted a 2011 budget with a 15 percent cut for the Adams County office in anticipation of ending the Broomfield contract. Broncucia-Jordan said she has met with the county commissioners and expects her budget to return to previous levels. Broncucia-Jordan's most recent hire occurred in mid-May. She wants to hire another death investigator in part because the upcoming move of the Veterans Affairs hospital from Arapahoe County to Adams County will increase the number of deaths her office will handle.
While filling vacancies in the wake of the turmoil that had racked the office, Broncucia-Jordan did not take part in the interview panels, an action that she said left her unbiased. She received recommendations, and hirings were finalized after 55 people had been interviewed for the death investigator positions and 15 people were interviewed for the pathology technician jobs.Another big change is that the office no longer co-signs every death certificate and doesn't make mortuaries wait 24 hours for signatures, Broncucia- Jordan said. More death certificates now are being handled by attending physicians with less involvement by the coroner's office.
Also, in cases where the coroner's office must issue the death certificate, more pending certificates are being issued, which allows burial or cremation to occur, and the office has begun issuing certified letters of death, which allows families to take care of bank accounts and other business matters.At the start of the new administration, Broncucia-Jordan said she and Appleberry were logging work weeks of about 100 hours apiece. "I expected to have to work hard to rebuild this office," Broncucia-Jordan said.
An official with a local mortuary, who asked not to be named, said the coroner's office has "greatly improved.""We don't worry the way we used to," the official said. "Things weren't getting done" when volunteers were working for the coroner, but the official said the new liaison to mortuaries, Angie Hoffman, is "competent and organized and motivated and makes sure things get done."
The mortuary official said that not only is the coroner's office operating better than it did earlier this year, but is better to deal with than it was under the previous administration.
Appleberry said the office is focusing on "more hands-on community outreach," such as referral work with Donor Alliance, plans for suicide-prevention efforts and outreach to the Angel Eyes group that provides bereavement services in cases of sudden, unexpected infant and toddler deaths. The office also is preparing a private room for families.Running the coroner's office has been "challenging and rewarding," Broncucia-Jordan said. "I'm not going to lie," she added, "it's been a lot of work." http://www.great8newspapers.com/Articles-c-2011-07-01-220713.114125-sub-Coroners-office-overhaul-essentially-done.html 18
Colorado pot campaign starts Thursday By The Associated Press Wednesday, July 6, 2011 DENVER The anticipated campaign to legalize marijuana in Colorado is about to begin.Backers of a suggested ballot measure to make pot legal for adults in small quantities say theyll start gathering signatures Thursday afternoon in Denver. The backers were waiting for final clearance today from a state board that certifies language before it can be placed on ballots. Colorado has one of the nations lowest thresholds for putting items on a ballot. Pot backers need about 86,000 valid signatures to go to voters.Colorado voters rejected a pot legalization question in 2006. Advocates say they hope the growth of medical marijuana in the state has changed attitudes about the drug.No state allows pot for recreational use. California voters rejected a measure in that state last year. http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/articles/colorado-pot-campaign-starts-thursday/ HICK TAPS RULE BREAKER TO RULE CASINOS: Appoints Disgraced Sheriff DarrTo Gaming Commission by: ColoradoPeakPolitics Wed Jul 06, 2011 at 17:04 11 MDT
UPDATE: A review of campaign donations reveals that three of Hickenlooper's new appointments were campaign donors, including two who maxed out. It looks like Hick is stacking the deck (pun intended) with his own donors. This isn't the Howdy Doody we've come to love for his quirkiness, it's Chicago-style politics. Charles Murphy: Donated $1,000 to Hickenlooper for Colorado Robert Webb: Donated $1,050 to Hickenlooper for Colorado Jannine Mohr: Donated $25 to Hickenlooper for Colorado Paging Common Cause -- now is the time to rev up the pay to play outrage machine. ----------- In a brazen move by Governor Hickenlooper, the entire Gaming Commission has been replaced with his personal appointments. Hick says his reason for replacing every member in one fell swoop is he was upset with the Commission's decision in May to cut taxes for casinos. Hoping to stake the political high ground, facing off with the less-than-loved casino industry, Hickenlooper made a major mistake with one of his new appointments: Adams County Sheriff Doug Darr. From The Denver Post: "Adams county Sheriff Douglas Darr of Thornton, who will serve as a member from the 2nd Congressional District and as law enforcement representative, for a term expiring on July 1, 2013." That is the same disgraced Sheriff Darr who was found to have violated the First Amendment rights of his deputy and 2010 campaign opponent, Mark Nicastle, forcing taxpayers to shell out more than $100,000 to Nicastle in a lawsuit. Darr's actions were so clearly unethical and shameful that even liberal lawsuit group Colorado Ethics Watch (CEW) called for his resignation, saying: There is no question in my mind that Sheriff Darr should resign, said Luis Toro, director of Ethics Watch. Any person who uses their office to retaliate for political differences, or to prevent an opponent from 19
campaigning, no longer deserves the office nor the trust of the people who put him in office. This is corruption at its most obvious, and Sheriff Darr should resign his office immediately. We wonder if CEW will issue a statement condemning Governor Hickenlooper for appointing this "corrupt" Sheriff to the Gaming Commission as a representative of all law enforcement? It's an odd choice to appoint a disgraced Sheriff to represent the entire law enforcement community. We're sure that's not the face they would choose to put forward. Even more jarring is the fact that Hickenlooper replaced Commerce City Police Chief Philip Baca for voting for a tax cut. Apparently, in Hickenlooper's world tax cuts are worse than violating someone's First Amendment rights. http://www.coloradopeakpolitics.com/diary/469/hick-taps-rule-breaker-to-rule-casino-appoints-disgraced-sheriff-darr-to-gaming-commission Taxpayer group asks court to stop Douglas County voucher program before it starts
By The Denver Post POSTED: 07/06/2011 01:00:21 PM MDT Taxpayers for Public Education, one of two groups that filed suit June 21 against the Douglas County School District, today asked a Denver District Court judge to stop to the implementation of the district's voucher program while the lawsuits make their way through court.The request for the preliminary injunction was filed in court today. The district will have time to respond before a judge sets a hearing to decide if the injunction should be granted. "Stopping the illegal voucher program before it can be fully implemented will help families feel more secure about the upcoming school year," said the group's director, Anne Kleinkopf in a released statement. "When the court ultimately finds the program to be unlawful, the district won't have to repay money to the state and students won't have to switch schools mid-year."Taxpayers for Public Education, a group of parents, claims the Douglas County program violates the state constitution and the Public School Finance Act by giving tax money to private schools. In its lawsuit, the taxpayers group argues that the voucher program violates the state constitution and the Public School Finance Act by using public funds for private schools.The ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, as well as a handful of Douglas County parents and activists, also filed suit June 21.Their filing makes similar claims about the school district's "Pilot Choice Scholarship Plan," but it is also concerned that 15 of the 19 participating private schools are religious. The district's voucher plan allows up to 500 students currently enrolled in a Douglas County school to use public money to attend a private school.The district will give participating students 75 percent of the funding it receives from the state for each student, about $4,575, to attend a private school. The other 25 percent will stay with the school district.As part of their contracts with the district, religious schools must allow students to opt out of participating in any religious services. The ACLU has argued that students at the parochial schools still will be subject to religious instruction because it is integrated to curriculum. http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_18418960
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Ed Quillens Argument against Douglas County Vouchers Flunks U.S. History Posted on June 27th, 2011 | Written by Ben | In yesterdays Denver Post Perspective section, hoary-bearded columnist Ed Quillen further expounded on his ignorance of 19th century American history, with particular venom directed at the Douglas County Choice Scholarship program. Under the almost- witty headline of Thou shalt smite vouchersQuillen takes a leap of faith that goes something like this (Id insert a direct quote or two but am not interested in attracting the costly legal animus of Righthaven): y Leading 19th century American politician James Blaine had a Catholic mother; therefore y The Blaine Amendment he crafted into the state constitutions of Colorado and numerous others were bastions of modern secular thought promoting the separation of church and state, as understood by the ACLU and its compatriots; therefore y Republicans in the 1800s were much more secular and enlightened than their contemporary counterparts; and y Forget the fact that parents are given a choice, the Douglas County school board is funneling money to religious schools in violation of a benign state constitutional provision. Really? Bad history may make for clever political potshots, but beyond that it has little practical use. The leading flaw in Quillens column is a fundamental (and willful?) misunderstanding of 19th century American public education which was nondenominational Protestant but clearly not secular as the columnist imagines. Dick Komer of the Institute for Justice explains it well in his fact-based 2007 testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The following quote is taken from the relevant discussion on pages 33 to 38: As a variety of historians have shown, the context in which Blaine Amendments arose encompasses the creation of the state public school systems and the perceived need to Americanize immigrants, particularly Catholic immigrants, to the United States in the 19th century. From their inception, the public schools were envisioned by their founders such as Horace Mann and Henry Barnard as nondenominational schools open to members of all faiths. But by nondenominational, these men and their allies in the state legislatures did not mean that the public schools were non- religious or secular. Today we are used to dichotomizing schools into secular public schools and religious private schools, but that was not the dominant paradigm at the time of the creation of the common schools. By nondenominational public schools, the public school advocates meant that the schools would reflect a nondenominational Protestantism, a Protestantism that would not teach the doctrines that separated one Protestant sect from another but would rather reflect a generic Protestant approach. Bible reading without commentary, a distinctly Protestant religious practice unacceptable to Catholics, the singing of Protestant hymns, and textbooks giving a distinctly Protestant view of history were all integral components of the education provided in the public schools. Protestant clergymen were among the most vocal supporters of the common school movement and many of the early superintendents of state departments of education were Protestant clergymen. The compelling argument goes on, a highly significant part of the historical record completely glossed over by Quillen. Highlighting this omission causes the columnists case to fall apart like a stack of cards. And that doesnt even address another flaw in his piece the careful avoidance of the key distinction between direct institutional aid on one hand (outlawed by Blaine) and parental choice between a series of religious and non-religious schools (upheld in the 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision Zelman v Simmons- Harris). 21
Was GOP House Speaker and Presidential candidate James Blaine a virulent anti-Catholic bigot, or was his amendment introduced essentially to forestall the danger of bitter and divisive agitation on the question of Catholic immigrant rights and religious liberties? This is the straw man Quillen sets up, rooted in an assumption of the politicians personal views. Even if the answer is the latter, as it likely is, Blaines motives arent nearly as crucial as the milieu into which his amendment was introduced and the clearly accepted definition of sectarian embedded in Colorados and other state constitutions. I would imagine educational choice opponents can come up with a more compelling case to deprive 500 Douglas County students of educational opportunity. But if Quillens Sunday column is the best theyve got, then in any reasonably fair-minded setting the Douglas County Choice Scholarship program would win by a TKO. http://bendegrow.com/2011/ed-quillens-argument-against-douglas-county-vouchers-flunks-u-s- history/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bendegrow+%28BenDeGro w.com+-+Mount+Virtus%29
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