How Much Should We Spend on Government?0

• HEALTH CARE - Op-Eds
• March 7, 2000

The Denver Post reported that House Speaker Russ George, R-Rifle, “acknowledges” that the TABOR amendment has “hampered the Legislature’s ability to adjust fiscal policy to keep pace with the economy” and has “slowed” the Legislature’s ability to cut taxes.[1] This is a curious statement. TABOR imposed limits on state expenditure growth and required that tax increases be put to a popular vote. Apparently “adjusting fiscal policy to keep pace with the economy” means nothing more than growing government by grabbing ever increasing amounts from taxpayer wallets.

Refunding the Surplus: Welfare, Whiskey, and Car Keys0

• HEALTH CARE - Op-Eds
• February 29, 2000

Author P.J. O’Rourke says that “giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.” With proposals to spend millions on everything from treating the “disease” of obesity to funding 12 day care centers that will determine the “best” way to raise pre-schoolers littering the current legislative session, it is clearly past time for Colorado’s government to take the cure and start a healthy program of diet and exercise. We’ve got MADD to dry out the teenagers. Now we need TADS–Taxpayers Against Drunken Spending–to dry out state government.

Student Fees: Buy the Education, Skip the Brainwash0

• HEALTH CARE - Op-Eds
• February 22, 2000

A recent letter to the Colorado Daily [1] illustrated the vast philosophical chasm separating those who believe in individual liberty from those who believe in Big Brother.

The letter opposed House Bill 1127. The bill would make it illegal for state colleges and universities to require students to pay fees to support politically active student groups. The letter writer claimed that “student fees do not fund any groups that endanger public peace, health or safety. Our groups are only working to enhance campus life and to make our world a better placeWithout BSA [the Black Student Alliance] and other community interest groups such as Amnesty International, the Women’s Resource Center, and Stop Hate on Campus, our students might not be as peaceful, healthy or safeour ideas would be held silent without proper fund-raising.”[1]