When you’ve been rejected by as many women as I have, you’d think being rejected by the US Supreme Court wouldn’t hurt.
We asked the high court to restore our First Amendment right to free speech, which was taken from us by McCain-Feingold. The Wall Street Journal explained the merits of our case well here.
By refusing to take our case SCOTUS, is letting a lower court ruling stand. Sadly, this means that groups like ours are allowed to talk about federally elected officials, but not before their elections. In other words, our right to speak stays subservient to a calendar.
Westword picked up on my simpleton explanation for our Supreme Court loss – they murdered Justice Antonin Scalia just to stop us.
Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights is 25 years old, and thanks to the Colorado Supreme Court it’s a ghost of what it used to be. However, TABOR is still hated by those who want to expand government without the consent of taxpayers. In my latest for the Denver Post I suggest that what TABOR-haters fear is consensual taxation. They want to treat us the way Bill Cosby treats women: they don’t want to ask.
This week I testified against House Bill 1187, which would again weaken TABOR by changing the growth formula in our constitution from population and inflation to personal income. Unsurprisingly, it just means more tax money flowing into government. What’s really ugly is that they want to change the Colorado Constitution without asking the voters, which takes two-thirds of the legislature and a popular vote of 55%. Sneaky little bastards aren’t they? The saddest part is that Republicans are voting for it.
Then again, you’ve probably heard of Caldara’s First Political Axiom – there is nothing Republicans can’t screw up.
I’m not the only one up the hill providing testimony for this season’s greatest legislative hits. Independence Institute has been everywhere. Senior Energy Policy Analyst Michael Sandoval has been to the Capitol several times in the last few weeks giving insight into the energy-related bills up for a vote. Also, check out Dave Kopel’s testimony on Senate Bill 17-006, also known as “Lizzy’s Law.”
For once, things at the EPA are looking optimistic under a Trump administration. Results, rather than overheated rhetoric may finally prevail. Read Amy’s full article for The Hill on this new-found hope.
On that note, please join us for a complimentary lunch on March 16th from 12-1 PM to hear from EPA transition team leader and “climate contrarian” Myron Ebell, Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, as he answers the question: What can Coloradans and the nation expect from the EPA for the next four years? All are welcome to attend, but seating is limited! So please contact Paige Trotter at i2iPaige@gmail.com to RSVP today!
Be sure to watch Devil’s Advocate tonight as I am first joined by Westword writer Alan Prendergast to look at his many years of long-form journalism for Denver’s alternative weekly paper. Then, Damon Sasso and Michael Sandoval from Independence Institute take a look at a bill that would end taxpayer subsidies for buying electric vehicles. That’s tonight at 8:30PM on Colorado Pubic Television, channel 12. Re-broadcast Monday at 12:30 PM.
Think Freedom,
Jon Caldara
