Coyote Gulch

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

First Class Education for Colorado
Mt. Virtus: "House Minority Leader Joe Stengel (R - Littleton) and several of his Republican colleagues have unveiled an initiative they are promoting to put on the ballot in the November 2006 general election. "First Class Education for Colorado" would encourage every school district in the state to spend 65 cents on every dollar (excluding capital construction projects) in the classroom. Most people may be startled to learn how little of their designated K-12 education tax dollars actually make it to the areas where it should have the most direct impact - on teachers, textbooks, student computers, and classroom supplies. (Stengel's proposal would add libraries.)"
Here's the link to the website.
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
8:18:44 PM

Dems must win in the South
Political Wire: "After reading a recent paper by William Frey analyzing long-term population projections, Ron Brownstein argues that 'anyone who believes Democrats can consistently win the White House without puncturing the Republican dominance across the South is just whistling Dixie.'"
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:25:19 AM

Filibuster Compromise?
A picture named nuclear.jpg U.S. Senator Salazar is working to avoid the nuclear option, according to the Rocky Mountain News [May 17, 2005, "Salazar working on filibuster deal"]. From the article, "Salazar has joined Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., on a proposed compromise that could clear the way for votes on five of the president's nominees while three others remain blocked. Spokesman Cody Wertz confirmed Monday that Salazar had several conversations with Democratic and Republican colleagues Monday and was involved in Nelson's compromise."
Stygius: "To destroy that is to destroy the Senate as we know it, and little thought is being given the implications of this. To fundamentally alter a single part of the constitutional order is to redraft and realign the entire system of separated and balanced powers. Turning the US Senate into the US House is, on its face, an intensely unsettling prospect. All for the sake of a few, rather mediocre judicial nominees."
Daily Kos: "Reid Floor Statement: Democrats stand united against Republican abuse of power."
Bull Moose: "The Moose urges the Donkey to tread carefully in a nuclear age."
Category: 2004 Presidential Transition
5:51:55 AM

Ritter - Holtzman
Here's a background opinion piece about Bill Ritter from the Denver Post [May 17, 2005, "Farm boy may make political hay"]. From the article, "Now, as the 2006 governor's race gets rolling, the competition for the most heartwarming story of personal struggle already has begun, and former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter's is veritable Hollywood material. Ritter was the sixth of 12 kids reared on an old-fashioned family farm east of Aurora. They raised cows, pigs, chickens and a couple of horses, and his father moonlighted doing construction work to keep the bills paid."
More about the governor's race, from the Denver Post editorial staff [May 17, 2005, "Governor's race is underway"]. They write, "Ritter seems to have all the qualities that would make him competitive against a Republican in November 2006. But can he survive a battle against a pro-choice Democrat in the primary?"
Colorado Pols: "It's no wonder why some big Colorado Republicans (and supporters of Congressman Bob Beauprez) were hoping to entice Holtzman into taking the vacant state treasurer job. Holtzman doesn't look to be slowing down much after raising $500k in the first quarter of this year, and if he has more fundraisers of this size, he may very well have $1 million in the bank by July. Holtzman may not have the name ID and the political cache that Beauprez has, but money can hide a lot of flaws -- and he may have a lot of it come August 2006."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
5:28:58 AM

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