The Colorado Index

Colorado Blogger at the Republican National Convention

Some months ago, I was unofficially asked by email if I wanted to be the Colorado blogger at the Republican National Convention.  I declined and recommended two bloggers, Ben DeGrow and El Presedente, in my place.  They don't know that and will find it out here.

El Presedente has been selected, and I offer him my congratulations and best wishes.

I wasn't really the right guy to ask as I don't own a laptop and hate both the keyboard and the mouse setups on laptops.  I can't and won't do mobile blogging.  The fact that I try to keep my blog focused on Colorado politics also entered into the decision.

Perhaps the major obstacle was the cost of the trip.  I'd have had to buy a new computer, pay air fare, find a hotel room, and pay for all of the things that convention delegates pay for.  That was the downside.  The upside was that my blog would have been exposed to more people.  While that is a big upside, it is not a $5,000 upside.

That brings me to the purpose of this essay.  El Presedente is asking for financial help for his trip, and I think it is very important that he get it.  Volunteer conservative bloggers are now competitive with the left wing bloggers who are almost all subsidized.  When a volunteer blogger is willing to spend his own money to help the conservative cause, Republicans who are in a position to give him a meal or a place to stay ought to be willing to help.  My guess is that if offered the opportunity to sleep on the couch of a delegate's hotel room for free, he would take it.

Republican politicians are becoming more aware of the power of blogging and bloggers.  Republican donors who have maxed out on McCain and Schaffer can help them both by sending El Presedente a few hundred bucks.

An Open Secret No More

When I began this blog, I chose to be semi-anonymous.  Semi-anonymous isn't really anonymous as the first thing I did before I began was to hand out about 100 fliers with my name, address, phone number, this blog, and my screen name.

Obviously my name was never intended to be a real secret, and wasn't.  On Saturday, as I stood in line for the Schaffer Udall forum, I introduced myself to those around me and one immediately said "I read your blog."  While my face may not be well known to my readers, my name is.

My reason for being semi-anonymous:  I had a lawsuit going, and I intended to use my blog to criticize the judge and the whole legal system.  I didn't want the Defendant to be able to claim that I was trying to influence a future jury and attempt to get the trial moved, and the odds that a juror could make the connection with a semi-anonymous blogger were quite low.

My only purpose when I began was to put pressure on the system to move my lawsuit along.  I had tried everything else, and nothing worked.  I had complained to the judge, to attorney regulation, to judicial discipline, and to the fourth district judicial performance commission.  Any one of these should have stopped what was going on.  None did.

(I have often said that the legal profession can't guess how badly the system screwed up.  They are about to find out, although I have realized that what I write will be drowned out by the conventions, so they are likely to get a two week reprieve.)

My first blog, Law, Lawyers and Politics, was a gentle affair.  For the first four months, I criticized the system without naming names.  My screen name in those days was (all caps intentional) NOT LEGAL ROADKILL YET.  That blog had no audience, in part because it was a Townhall blog that was hard to find, in part because names are google hooks, and in part because criticism without naming names is a boring waste of time.

This blog has an edge and is much more popular.

The lawsuit is essentially over.  I don't see much of a point in continuing my semi-anonymity, and many disadvantages in doing so.

So that google searches are easy, my name is Thomas McDowell of Colorado Springs.  I write on several blogs as "a watcher."  I also comment on several Colorado papers as "a watcher."  If you see me in person, I prefer the more familiar "Tom," but if you write about me, please use "Thomas."  I also still like being "a watcher."

Be Careful What You Wish For

The Democrats and the environmentalists have been wishing for years for higher gas prices.  At one point there was a proposal to impose an additional 50 cent a gallaon gas tax just to get the price up.  Of course, the side benefit of having more money to spend never was considered by the tax and spend party.

Now, they have $4/gallon gas and they are running from it like stuck pigs.

Mark Udall's recent switch from a lifelong and ardent opponent of drilling to an offshore drilling cheerleader has been noticed in Washington by Politico:

His family name is closely tied with the protection of natural resources and conservation, consistent with the approach that he has advocated in the House. In Congress, Udall opposed offshore drilling on numerous occasions, and voted against expanding refinery capacity six times...

Udall’s adapted position on drilling was particularly surprising because his election to the Senate has become a leading priority for environmental groups. The League of Conservation Voters even aired an early advertisement portraying his GOP opponent, Bob Schaffer, alongside oil rigs.

I've had an interest in politics since the early 1960's.  This year is unlike any other in terms of a single issue forcing changes in long held positions by politicians.  What is amazing is that there are two issues that might turn the electorate:  Gas Prices and Georgia.

The Democrats have gotten what they have wished for for years, high gas prices.  It is hurting them, rather than helping them.

Colorado's Minimum Wage Ratchet

Apparently the minimum wage in Colorado will be $7.28 on January 1, up from $7.02.  This is at a time when employers will be coping with lower spending by consumers and higher costs driven by fuel prices.

Congratulations to those working near the minimum wage who still have jobs. 

I wouldn't be opening a marginal business in this climate.  If more dumb labor sponsored initiatives are passed by the voters, expect the economy in Colorado to tank as businesses move out of state.  At that point, the minimum wage won't matter.

Have Another Donut, Officer Konz

People who read this blog know that I am not reflexively anti-tax.  I just oppose stupid taxes, misdirected taxes, over taxation, and broken promises about taxes.

It has occurred to me that a few years ago Colorado Springs City Council managed to get a one-half percent sales tax approved for "public safety."    It has bought a lot of buildings, financed motorcycles and toys, but it has NOT provided us with a better police force. 

Now, the County wants a 1% sales tax for public safety.

It is my view that the county might be better stewards of additional taxes than the city.  The city taxes bought better buildings and nothing more.

If the county wants more taxes, why not cancel out the city tax and assign it to the county?  I could live with that.

Have another donut, Sergeant Konz.

Sage Advice From Vail

After Saturday's forum, I happened to be standing nearby when Mark Udall said "T. Boone has it right."  He said it over his shoulder on the way out the door.  I likened it to Santa Clause's parting words in Twas the Night Before Christmas - just a throwaway line.  If it isn't, then Mark Udall is cranking on the big blue lie machine again because he now claims in commercials to favor drilling.

Yesterday, the Vail Daily editorial page writer was obviously distraught at the drilling sellout of Mark Udall:

...The latest casualty of logic is our own representative in Congress, Mark Udall. The normally sensible Democrat, in his race for a U.S. Senate seat, has joined the chorus to drill, drill, drill and severely compromised his long-standing commitment to sustainable energy. Sure, Udall says more drilling should be part of an overall plan that includes other solutions, but the reality is it’s a cynical response to polls that show most Americans think drilling will quickly reduce prices at the pump.

The editor has some sage advice for Mark Udall and Barack Obama that we sincerely hope they will follow:

...it’s incumbent upon more progressive voices like that of Udall and Barack Obama – who also reversed his stance to embrace more drilling – to put the facts in front of the American people and support what they know is right, not what they think will help get them elected. Americans respect leaders who lead even the face of political expedience.

That's right, election and $4 gas prices be damned.  Ignore the polls.  Stick to your guns.  The fact that Mark Udall and Barack Obama have caved on drilling identifies them as nothing more than ... politicians.

On a similar subject, Mark Hillman is writing on a similar subject at Townhall.com.

People Do Read Campaign Press Releases

We publish candidate press releases here at The Colorado Index as a public service.  It is good to find out that our readers enjoy them.

A caller, "Joe" from Westminster, mentioned this Doug Lamborn press release (posted on The Colorado Index) during the 10 a.m. hour of Wednesday's Mike Rosen show.  The show's podcast is here, and the call begins at 12:55 into the recording.

The press release contains an excerpt from an open letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in July.  The letter requested that the speaker allow debate and voting on several pro-energy bills that Congressman Doug Lamborn sponsored.  The bills are as follows:

• H.R. 6108 - Deep Energy Resources Act of 208
• H.R. 6107 - American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act
• H.R. 6131 - To provide incentives for the production and use of unconventional aviation fuels
• H.R. 2493 - Boutique Fuel Reduction Act
• H.R. 2208 - Coal Liquid Fuel Act
• H.R. 5656 – To repeal a requirement with respect to the procurement and acquisition of alternative fuels
• H.R. 2279 – To expedite the construction of new refining capacity on closed military installations in the U.S. for other purposes

Unfortunately, none of these bills are up for debate, though some have subsidies which I would oppose.  However, Nancy Pelosi and the Delay, Don't Drill, Do-Nothing Democrats will not allow any sort of debate on drilling issues.  Pelosi may allow a Democrat drilling bill proposal in the fall session, but likely it will limit the scope of the drilling to nonexistency while transferring taxpayer money to her friends in the "green" industries.  Chances are that the Democrat leadership will prevent any substinative debate on energy issues until after the election, if at all.

by Civil Sense

What If John Edwards was to be the Nominee?

As more comes out about John Edward's affair with Rielle Hunter, it becomes clear how close we came to another Democrat Presidential soap opera.

Thinking back to the Democrats who were President since the Civil War, Woodrow Wilson didn't have a girl friend on the side and neither did Harry Truman.  Woodrow had a stroke and Harry had a personality.  Bill Clinton had Monica and may have done a little rape on the side.  JFK probably had so many women while he was President that we will never know the real number, but the most famous was Marilyn Monroe and the most notorious was Judith Campbell Exner.  Jimmy Carter only dreamed about having a mistress, but he dreamed publicly in Playboy.  FDR was with his mistress when he died.  Grover Cleveland admitted having an affair and a child.

Now comes John Edwards.  He not only had a mistress, he had one of the most notorious trial lawyers in the country paying her off.  Had John Edwards won the nomination and the Presidency, Fred Baron would have rode his coat tails into the White House.

It looks like some laws may have been broken.  Hopefully we will see some active prosecution, but don't count on it.

Bob Schaffer / Mark Udall "Forum"

OK, I went to the four candidate Immigration Forum this afternoon.  I found that I need to do some research, so this is the first of more than one essay on the subject.

The forum was sponsored by Colorado Springs Catholic Charities and by Sacred Heart Catholic Church.  It was the capstone of an all day seminar on immigration.  The banner over the candidates read "Toward a Spirituality of Justice - A Day on Immigration." 

The first six rows in the audience were allocated to the folks who paid $10 each to attend.  The remaining ten rows were on a first come - first served basis.  In reality, that meant that the last ten rows were Bob Schaffer supporters and the first six were ... Green Party supporters!

The overqualified moderator was Professor Tim Fuller of Colorado College.  I say over qualified because he read the questions that the audience provided.  We might have gotten one more question in if not for Father Bob spending so much time reading Fuller's very impressive credentials.

The format was five minutes of introduction of the moderator, 3 minutes of opening remarks by each candidate, questions followed by one minute answers from each candidate and 3 minutes of closing remarks.  Some of the questions were filibusters.

While the order of speakers would have fit a two person "forum" it worked out that Mark Udall spoke after Bob Schaffer in three of every four questions.  Several times Mark Udall tried to put words in Bob Schaffer's mouth and Shaffer would grab the mike and say "That's not true."  While it broke the rules, I think it was necessary.  Bob Schaffer always did it with a smile.

Since it wasn't a "debate," no one "won".  Mark Udall might have lost because of a lack of support for him in the room.  Bob Kinsey of the Green Party got much more crowd support for his comments than did Mark Udall.  I don't think I saw a single Udall sticker or shirt.  As I drove up to the church before the debate, there was one young lady on a corner waving a Mark Udall sign.  She was a cutie, but she was all alone.

On the issues, my impression is that the two of them aren't that far apart.  That is no surprise.  It is traditional to move to the center in the general election.  I spoke to Professor Fuller after the forum and he also thought they weren't that far apart.

The best quotes from Bob Schaffer were:

"Immigration quotas should be driven by needs," and "The risks of disobeying the law should be higher than the risks of obeying the law."  He wants an immigration law that "we can be proud of."

Mark Udall's best quote was:

"I'm for lower gas prices."

I almost choked!  Mark Udall has spent every minute of his ten years in Congress trying to drive energy prices up and now, just over two months before the election, he is for lower gas prices.

Barack Obama To Close Colorado's Busiest Road

Democrat Presidential nominee Barack Obama decided months ago that twenty thousand screaming delegates to the Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center were not enough to feed his ego.  So, Barack Obama moved his Democratic National Convention acceptance speech to Invesco Field along the I-25 corridor.  Today, the Post reports that CDOT will close I-25 for the Barack Obama lovefest.

A 5.5 mile section of Interstate 25 will close during the Democratic National Convention event at Invesco Field at Mile High on Thursday, August 28, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

"I-25 will be closed for just a short period of time but it's necessary to ensure a safe event for attendees," said CDOT Executive Director Russ George in a statement. "While we recognize that motorists traveling through the area will likely experience some delay, we are doing everything possible to keep those delays to a minimum."

The interstate will be closed from the interchange with I-70 to the interchange with Sixth Avenue starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. Aug. 28.

The highway will remain closed until conclusion of the event.

When CDOT states that "motorists traveling through the area will likely experience some delay," CDOT is severely understating the problem.  I-25 just south of I-70 is the busiest roadway in Colorado.  According to the 2007 CDOT statistics, the average annual daily traffic between 6th Avenue and I-70 ranges from 203,000 to 258,000 vehicles per day.  The vast majority of these hit I-25 during the morning and evening rush hours.  Closing I-25 at 5:30 will send multiple thousands of travelers onto side streets, effectively gridlocking the city.

I previously predicted that I-25 would close during the convention.  When one is stuck in non-moving traffic on August 28, remember to thank Barack Obama and his ego for your delay.  Or, follow my plan and avoid downtown Denver like the plague during the Democratic National Convention.

by Civil Sense