Colorado voters did the right thing this past Tuesday raising the state minimum wage. Of course, most of that increase may have happened anyway in January, with Democrats taking control of Congress, as well as the state Governor's office retaining control of the state legislature.

Congressional Democrats have promised to pass an increase in the minimum wage in their first 100 hours. While this legislation has yet to be introduced, it will likely raise the federal minimum wage quickly as high as, if not above, the state minimum wage. Assuming Bush does not cast his second veto on this important measure, our state may soon face no competitive disadvantage to other states, based on Colorado's poverty wage workers being paid more than those from other states.

Coloradans, however, voted not only to raise the state minimum, but also to index it for inflation each year. We can over time, then, stay above the sinking tide of American wages. If the federal minimum wage also rises, our transition will be less impactful on Colorado businesses, while also ensuring poverty wage workers in Colorado don't fall further into poverty simply as a result of basic inflation.

A new assault has been waged in the War on Poverty. Good job Colorado in not adopting the Republican cut and run stategy in this critical war!

This is exactly why we can't ignore those down ballot races. It is appalling that the Secretary of State and Attorney General would intentionally disenfranchise Colorado citizens by limiting voting hours, when they are partially to blame for the election meltdown in Denver. Unfortunately, it is also very likely that Ken Gordon will lose in the race for Secretary of State because of these same voting problems.

I just received word today from the Secretary of State's office that they changed their voter registration drive form, so all of the forms I had for use for conducting voter registration efforts need to be tossed (into my recycle bin) and I need to pick up more forms from the county.

Normally, I would not mind, but this is September of an election year. Every voter registration effort across the state now has to make a special trip to the county office to pick up more forms, and who knows what happens to the forms people fill out today.

It was shocking to see the Secretary of State to change the rules once during an election season, but twice is unbelievable.

When Bill Owens first threatened to call the legislature back into special session to address immigration, many progressives feared conservatives would use yet another wedge issue to beat progressive candidates over the head over and over between now and November.

But Romanoff and Fitz-Gerald now have the conservatives on the defensive, worried they will lose their wedge issue before the election, while also losing support by the day among the business community.

I think it's time for a round of applause across the Colorado progressive blogosphere for the good work our legislative leaders have done.

Thank you both, and well done!

I just got a call from the Denver Election Commission. Denver is definitely going with vote centers in November. They plan to release a list of the 40ish sites in the next couple weeks.

I'm not sure what this will mean for lines at the polls, so I'm going to vote by mail just to make sure.

I saw this quote from Harry Reid on the Plame leak scandal and thought Senator Reid deserves some praise for it:

"Only the president can put this matter to rest. He must tell the American people whether the Bush Oval Office is the place where the buck stops, or the leaks start," Reid said.

We beat up on Dem leaders for being too soft. Well, that was a good, solid hit, and a deserved one.

Democrats can sweep the election in November if they unite behind a Balanced Budget Amendment.

Voters' greatest fear of Democrats in control is tax and spend liberals.

If our candidates unite behind a Balanced Budget Amendment with a supermajority outlet in times of extreme need, we can pick up Republican and independent deficit hawks.

Republicans are in such sorry shape, we can make significant gains with an aggressive platform. If we run on the same education, health care, higher taxes for the rich platform of the last 6 years, we might get lucky and eke out majorities, but why pass up this great opportunity?

You can access a voter registration form here that you can print and mail in to the County Clerk.

You can get a form to request an absentee ballot here.

Senator Ted Kennedy has introduced a bill to raise the national minimum wage in three steps up to $7.25 an hour. Senator Kennedy is seeking citizen cosponsors to sign on to his bill (click here).

The national minimum wage has been stuck at $5.15 for a decade, even as gas prices, health care costs, and the cost of education have climbed. Please sign on and urge Congress to reward work!

Saturday, Jan 21 -- Town hall on energy issues with Congresswoman DeGette, 11am, Ross-Cherry Creek Branch Library, 305 Milwaukee, Denver

RSVP here:
Link   Read More »

January 13 - Downtown Democrats Forum, former Army Sergeant Michael Lemke and Rafael Noboa
Oxford Hotel, 17th & Wazee, 7am-8am, $15 w/o RSVP, $13 w/ RSVP, $11 w/RSVP light breakfast only

January 14 - Broomfield County Dems Pancake Breakfast, 9:30am, 280 Lamar St., Broomfield, $10 per person

January 19 - Colorado Stonewalls meeting, 777 Santa Fe Dr, Denver, 6:30p

January 25 - Denver Dems 7B Meeting, E. Montclair Community Bldg., 6740 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, 7pm

January 30 - Colorado Young Dems Elections, 777 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, 7pm

Issue: Pesticides in our Parks

Overview: Despite the marketing of Stapleton as an environmentally friendly community, Greenway Park and Westerly Creek Park are being "treated" with chemicals that are potentially harmful to children and pets.

Background: Forest City has turned over management of the East-West Greenway ("Greenway Park") to the City of Denver. Westerly Creek Park will soon be transferred as well (or at least the part between MLK and 26th Ave.

The only sign of a recently sprayed patch of park is a small sign with the picture of a child and a dog circled and crossed out. These signs also identify the date the spraying took place, but provide no information on when the patch of grass will again be safe to use.

What you can do: Please let us know when grass has been freshly sprayed, so that we can alert fellow Stapletonites to avoid dangerous areas. Please join the group discussion on what we can do about the pesticides in our parks.

The steps we are pursuing at this time are:
1. According to a note in the Front Porch, "pesticides" are not being sprayed. Larvacides are. Of course, that doesn't change the fact that there are warning flags put out saying the "larvacides" are dangerous for children and pets.
2. Thanks to City Councilman Doug Linkhart, who passed on this info: If you want to be notified when Denver Parks will spray pesticides, send an email to Sharon.Armijo@ci.denver.co.us with your name, street address, zip code, phone number, email address, and the names of up to three parks about which you want to be notified of pesticide spraying. FYI, the Stapleton East-West Greenway is officially known as "Greenway Park."


Contacts: Mark Mehringer (Mehringer@gmail.com)

Issue: Campaign 2006

Overview:Here is the list of statewide candidates:

Democrats
Bill Ritter and Barbara O'Brien for Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Cary Kennedy for Treasurer
Fern O'Brien for Attorney General
Ken Gordon for Secretary of State
Steve Ludwig for CU Regent At-Large

Republicans
Bob Beauprez for Governor
Mark Hillman for Treasurer
John Suthers for Attorney General
Mike Coffman for Secretary of State

Green / Independent
Paul Fiorino (Independent) for Governor
Rick VanWie (Green) for Secretary of State


Background:The November ballot looks to be long, with 7 ballot measure already approved, and many more under consideration.

2006 could turn into huge year for progressives and moderates in America, as President Bush's poll ratings are at the lowest levels of his presidency, and Republicans up and down the ticket are polling poorly.

The Denver Election Commission has officially declared we will be voting at vote centers this November. Westerly Creek Elementary School is slated to be one of those vote centers. I'm not sure how they will handle the extra traffic, though, so you may want to consider voting absentee.

What you can do:
1. Join our Voter Registration Drive. We have registered 29 voters already, and plan to register voters at King Soopers closer to the Election;
2. Sign up to receive an absentee ballot. Vote early to make sure your vote is counted;
3. Help collect signatures to put an initiative to raise the state minimum wage on the ballot;
4. Plan for 10 hours in total of volunteer phone banking or canvassing in September, October, and the first week of November;



Contact: Mark Mehringer (Mehringer@gmail.com)

One More Push to Pass Referenda C & D

2005 SEIU 2500 Door Drive

Passing Referenda C & D is so important to education and health care in Colorado.

C & D will provide $1 Billion in health care to the elderly, low-income and developmentally disabled Coloradans without raising taxes.

When? This Weekend, All Weekend¡ªOct. 28th-Nov. 1st
¡õ Friday, Oct. 28th from 4-8 p.m., Sign Blitz
¡õ Saturday, October 29th from 1-5 p.m., Door-to-Door
¡õ Sunday, October 30th from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Door-to-Door
¡õ Monday, October 31st from 4-7 p.m., Door-to-Door
¡õ Tuesday, November 1st from 1-6 p.m., Helping voters get to the polls

Where? Thornton Community Center Park on York and Thornton Parkway (Exit on Thornton Parkway, Right on York and into the Parking Lot)

What else? Picnic Lunch on Saturday, starting at 12:00 p.m.
Breakfast Burritos on Sunday

All materials (scripts, maps, walk lists, and all other materials will be provided).

To RSVP or for more information, please contact Sara Lu-Hanley at

303-698-7963 x 133 or e-mail her at saralu@imahealthcarevoter.org.

Big news today: An arrest warrant was issued today for Tom "The Hammer" DeLay. No, it wasn't for his role in the Contract on America, or any of his other infractions against Americans. It was for money laundering and conspiracy. I'm just glad it wasn't something serious, like lying about sex....

In yesterday's Washington Post an op-ed by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) outlined how setting a time table for withdrawing troops from Iraq will actually help the process. The basic logic, which makes some sense, is that the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds will have a huge insentive to work together if they know we're leaving by a set date. I'd imagine all three groups would prefer avoiding civil war. With US troops there trying to keep some peace between the groups, they certainly have less incentive to compromise on a constitution or other form of government.

At the very least, getting our troops out of Iraq might remove the bull's eye on the country for outside terrorist groups. I don't know if this is a solution, but Bush's status quo approach certainly isn't any better.

Maybe if we bring out troops home, we can refocus some of them on finding Osama?