Sunday, October 29, 2006

Get out and vote you knuckleheads Y'all can take the day off from voting (unless you have a mail-in ballot sitting around). The early voting sites (pdf) in Denver are closed today, but starting tomorrow (until November 3rd) Denver voters can vote from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at: Wellington Webb Municipal Office Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave.; Athmar Recreation Center, 2680 W. Mexico Ave.; Montbello Recreation Center, 15555 E. 53rd Ave.; Montclair Recreation Center, 729 Ulster Way; Scheitler Recreation Center, 5031 W. 46th Ave; District Three Police Station, 1625 S. University Blvd. "denver 2006" 8:17:49 AM

How reliable are the polls? Political Wire: "The Wall Street Journal has an excellent piece examining how reliable polls are just 10 days from Election Day. Interesting observation: 'Polls in the run-up to this election are more consistent than usual. From June to late October of this year, people who said they plan to vote Democratic have fluctuated by two percentage points, compared with seven percentage points over the same time period in 1994.'" "denver 2006" 8:08:49 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor? Yet another poll showing Bill Ritter solidly in the lead in the gubernatorial race against U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez. From Rasmussen Reports, "Though his lead has dropped a few points since last month's survey, Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter (D) still maintains a comfortable, double-digit, advantage in Colorado's gubernatorial contest. The latest Rasmussen Reports election survey shows Ritter leading Republican Bob Beauprez 51% to 39% (see crosstabs). Ritter's lead was 16 points in last month's survey. His numbers climbed a point since September while Beauprez gained five. Strong base support and crossover appeal are working in Ritter's favor. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Democrats and 20% of Republicans say they're supporting Ritter. Seventy percent (70%) of GOP voters and 7% of Democrats favor Beauprez. Seventy percent (70%) of Colorado voters surveyed report following the developing story about former Congressman Mark Foley closely - one-third (33%) say they're following the news 'very closely.' Although the story is capturing voters' attention, 62% say it will not influence their votes this fall." Thanks to Political Wire for the link. "denver 2006" 8:01:07 AM

Referendum I Here are arguments both pro and con regarding Referendum I, from the Denver Post. Sean Duffy argues for the referendum writing, "It provides basic legal rights, including those that aren't available through contracts. And it accomplishes all that without authorizing gay marriage. A conservative Republican backing a referendum to provide basic legal rights for same-sex couples? It was an easy choice for me to sign on to run the campaign for Referendum I, which passed the legislature this year with a bipartisan majority. It's a reasonable and common-sense route to providing committed same- sex couples with basic legal protections and responsibilities - without authorizing gay marriage. And, according to a recent study from UCLA, it will boost Colorado's economy and make money for our state budget. Referendum I would permit committed couples to go to the county courthouse, pay a fee and receive a government license that provides them with such basic protections as the automatic right to visit a partner in the hospital, make end-of-life decisions, and address property and inheritance rights. Some assume that all of these protections could be obtained by drawing up legal documents. I wish it were that easy. The best contracts can't provide such things as workers' compensation, child support or health insurance." Jim Pfaff argues against the referendum saying, "Referendum I directly undermines their rights by setting the stage for a judge to impose full-fledged gay marriage on voters against their will. On Nov. 7, state voters will be asked to approve Referendum I, which would legalize homosexual unions under the name of 'domestic partnerships.' Referendum I is bad for Colorado - bad for businesses, bad for the state budget, bad for taxpayers' pocketbooks and bad for voters. First, consider the impact Referendum I would have on our state's businesses. If passed, it would force employers across the state - both private and public - to offer the full range of marital benefits to same-sex domestic partners. That includes medical insurance, as well as death and disability benefits. It's one matter to allow business owners the option of providing such benefits, a choice they currently have. But Referendum I goes much further, requiring employers who offer spousal benefits to also provide coverage to cohabitating homosexuals. Religious freedom? Forget it. There isn't any exemption in Referendum I for business owners or faith-based organizations who have religious objections to covering same- sex partners. Nor is there protection for owners of smaller business who simply can't afford to do so." "denver 2006" 7:43:56 AM

Amendment 43 From the Denver Post, "The Grand Junction Sentinel has changed its stand on gay marriage. In a rare move by a newspaper, it changed its position on Amendment 43 - the gay-marriage ban - from opposition to support. The switch followed a New Jersey court ruling last week that same-sex couples are due all of the rights and benefits that heterosexual couples obtain through marriage. 'In light of the New Jersey ruling, clear language in the Colorado Constitution that cannot be so easily overturned by judicial fiat as state law is a virtual necessity to ensure that marriage in Colorado remains a union between one man and one woman,' the paper wrote." "denver 2006" 7:36:22 AM

Ritter for governor? Bill Ritter was campaigning on the rainy side of Colorado Friday, according to the Cortez Journal. They write, "Democrat Bill Ritter brought his gubernatorial campaign to Cortez via his 'border-to-border' tour of Colorado just days before the Nov. 7 general election. Ritter, who is facing Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez in the governor's race, met with almost 50 supporters who packed into the Main Street Democratic headquarters on a chilly but sunny Friday morning. 'We did this about a year ago in a coffee shop, but we could have actually met in a phone booth,' said Ritter, while joking on how the timing of an election can draw out a larger crowd... "Ritter tagged the immigration topic as 'a political-wedge issue' broached by federal legislators in Washington, D.C. 'I fault the U.S. House for putting it out there,' he said. As a former Denver district attorney, Ritter acknowledged that people who smuggle immigrants across U.S. borders should be prosecuted, in addition to businesses that knowingly hire illegal workers. 'The responsible way to go is with a guest-worker visa - not amnesty - to deal with the 12 million (illegal) people here now,' he said. "Ritter cited coal, oil and gas as natural resources that are pivotal to the state's economy; however, he suggested that extraction of the minerals should occur with a balance that includes land and the environment. 'The first order of business is to protect the people of the state and ensure an energy balance with our air, water and land,' he said. On health care, Ritter referred to the 770,000 people living in Colorado without the service as an 'unacceptable' number. 'We don[base ']t need a big government program to do this (ensure health care for all state residents), but we should look at other states and come up with a big Colorado plan,' Ritter said." "denver 2006" 7:25:31 AM

Statewide poll Bill Ritter leads U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez 50% to 38%, according to a recent Mason-Dixon poll contracted by the Denver Post. From the article, "Heading into the final days of Colorado's governor's race, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter continues to hold a substantial lead over Republican opponent Bob Beauprez, according to a new poll. But Beauprez has narrowed the race a bit and picked up support in the Colorado Springs area, a traditional Republican stronghold where he was trailing Ritter three weeks ago. The poll, conducted last week for The Denver Post by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, shows former Denver District Attorney Ritter leading U.S. Rep. Beauprez 50 percent to 38 percent. The congressman was up 3 percentage points from a similar poll conducted three weeks ago... Also, "Statewide races for secretary of state and state treasurer are essentially tied, with about a quarter of those polled undecided, the poll showed. Even incumbent Republican Attorney General John Suthers is up just 3 percentage points over Democrat Fern O'Brien, with 25 percent undecided. The poll also shows a majority of Coloradans support a ban on gay marriage while a majority oppose legalizing marijuana. Forty-seven percent also support giving same-sex partners legal rights similar to married couples and 43 percent support requiring school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their budgets on classroom instruction.'" Update: More from the poll, "Coloradans appear ready to ban gay marriage while endorsing legal benefits for same-sex couples, but a new poll shows the state is not willing to legalize marijuana. Residents also support requiring school districts to spend 65 percent of their budgets on instruction that directly affects students, the poll shows. With the election just nine days out and early voting already underway, the poll of 625 registered voters gives a glimpse of how the state is likely to vote on four of the more contested ballot questions. For instance, voters have largely made up their minds on the initiatives to constitutionally ban gay marriage and legalize marijuana. On each issue, the percentage of undecided voters is within the margin that separates for and against. But the poll, commissioned by The Denver Post, also shows that for all the money and time spent on campaigns, voters have stuck to their first impressions. The results of the recent poll vary only slightly from a poll conducted in February... "The Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation group managed a successful campaign to legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in Denver last year, but its effort to also change state law trails by 23 percentage points. About 57 percent of those polled were against Amendment 44, while just 34 percent favored it. Mason Tvert, who heads the SAFER campaign, said the poll was inaccurate. 'Virtually nobody under 30 has a land line' to allow them to take part in the poll, Tvert said... "Voters are likely to come down in the middle of the debate over gay rights. Constitutional Amendment 43, which would define marriage as only between a man and a woman, is up 8 points, with 51 percent in favor and 43 percent against. But Referendum I, which would create domestic partnerships that extend many legal protections of marriage to same-sex couples, is also leading. Of those polled, 47 percent were for the amendment and 42 percent were against it... "The constitutional amendment requiring school districts to spend 65 percent of their operating budgets on programs that directly affect students is up 6 percentage points with likely voters. Forty-three percent of those polled supported Amendment 39, while 37 percent opposed it." "denver 2006" 6:59:47 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor? The Denver Post is running a report from the gubernatorial campaign trail. From the article, "As Election Day nears, the gubernatorial candidates are rushing to round up voters in the farthest corners of the state, in the suburbs and in inner-city churches. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter on Saturday launched an aggressive get-out-the-vote push along the Front Range after spending most of last week sweeping border-to-border across southern Colorado on a barnstorming bus tour. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez joined U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo and state Senate candidate Mike Kopp to walk precincts in Littleton. Earlier in the week, Beauprez made a campaign swing through northern Colorado with U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard." Meanwhile the Longmont Daily Times-Call looks at each candidate's stand on economic issues. From the article, "As Bill Clinton's presidential campaign said, 'It's the economy, stupid.' To Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter, that means nursing Colorado's fledgling renewable energy industry and educating the people needed to run it. To Republican Bob Beauprez, it means less government regulation and allowing businesses to provide affordable health care... "Ritter said the best way to do that is to promote the state's renewable energy opportunities - including solar, wind and fuels made from crops - under a plan he calls 'the Colorado promise. 'It's making sure we have strategies in place where we can have the best-educated work force in the United States, here in this state of Colorado. ... And then it's about economic-development strategies that don't stand alone, but are integrated with our education strategies. We're in a state where we believe we can absolutely have a leadership role in a host of 21st century industries,' Ritter said. He said those industries could help rural areas - including the Western Slope, the San Luis Valley, resort communities and the Eastern Plains - with economic development and benefit the entire state. He said his plan also would seek to provide access to basic health care for everyone in Colorado, including the 770,000 people without health insurance. "Beauprez has offered an economic plan focusing on improving transportation, including a new corridor through the mountains to the Western Slope; cracking down on illegal immigrants; improving education, health care and water storage; and abolishing the business property tax. 'I think one of the biggest things we can do is put the ingredients, the infrastructure, for the economy to grow and expand in place. .. The transportation infrastructure that is integrated, not just roads and bridges, but rail and air, because both are becoming much more important,' Beauprez said. He said the state also needs to find solutions for problems caused by illegal immigrants, ways to improve public and higher education, and a permanent water-storage plan. Beauprez said businesses can't afford 20 percent annual increases in health-care costs and the state's leaders should pursue legislation that would remove some of the mandates on insurance companies for coverage. 'If the pieces are there and you keep the environment we fortunately enjoy in Colorado alive of limited regulation, limited taxation, and maintain the tort environment so you don't have reckless litigation, business will flourish,' Beauprez said." "denver 2006" 6:51:31 AM

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