http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/group_rss/FrontPage This is the ProgressNow Colorado main blog. Join the conversation by clicking on the "comment" link on any post. To post a blog entry of your own, click on the "Write a Post" tab at the top. To read all the great posts from our network members, click here . Need help? Contact info@progressnowcolorado.org . Colorado is in the middle of the greatest economic and fiscal crisis since the Great Depression. Working families, senior citizens, and college students around the state are making sacrifices to protect the vital public services we all depend on. Right now in the Colorado legislature, a crucial debate is underway to close specific loopholes and suspend a few special-interest giveaways in order to fund essential services like schools, health care, and public safety in a balanced way. But corporate lobbyists are pulling out all the stops, pressuring your representatives to shift the burden onto the middle class and preserve these giveaways--the legislature needs to hear from you today. http://progressnowcolorado.org/StopTheGiveaways Colorado loses billions of dollars each year in needless giveaways of your tax dollars for things like fast food packaging, corporate electric bills, even delivering junk mail to your home. The Governor and legislative leaders have proposed eliminating some of these loopholes. In response, corporate lobbyists flooded the state capitol, pushing a proposal to tax your groceries and medicine instead--a terrible idea that would hit average working families the hardest. Please take 30 seconds right now: tell your legislators to reject corporate lobbyists and close these special interest loopholes to balance Colorado's budget. http://progressnowcolorado.org/StopTheGiveaways With revenue to fund Colorado's vital public services plummeting in the current recession, we need everyone to come together and do what is necessary to ensure that our citizens are healthy, our streets are safe and our children have the education they need to compete in the global economy. It's time for corporate and other special interests to pay their fair share, and suspending a small fraction of the over $2 billion Colorado loses every year in corporate loopholes and giveaways is not too much to ask. Thanks for standing up for what's right in these challenging times. Together, we'll see Colorado through today's tough choices and emerge stronger. Sincerely, Alan Franklin ProgressNow Colorado http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhY http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhY/commentary#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:32:05 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhY Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 1 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhY/ DENVER: As citizens from around Colorado gathered today at the state capitol, asking Big Business to pay their fair share to help balance Colorado's budget, ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark released the following statement:   "Working families, senior citizens and students around the state are making hard sacrifices to protect the vital public services we all depend on, and suspending a small percentage of the tax breaks for business that cost Colorado billions of dollars every year is not too much to ask for.   It was dismaying, but not surprising, to hear today that former Congressman Scott 'McLobbyist' McInnis has weighed in on the side of Big Business and against Colorado's middle class families, praising business' lobbying efforts to kill this important budget-balancing legislation. Instead of paying their fair share to help balance Colorado's budget, business lobbyists actually proposed charging sales tax on groceries and medicine--a move that would cause true hardship around the state, hitting those who can least afford higher taxes the hardest. What's more, McInnis fails once again to provide an alternative that would enable the state to meet its obligations.   Scott McInnis and his Big Business lobbyist friends should be ashamed of themselves for proposing we tax the neediest Colorado families before they give up a single one of their precious corporate giveaways. It's unconscionable, and the voters of Colorado won't stand for it." http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZh4 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZh4/commentary#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:21:29 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZh4 Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZh4/ The Denver Daily News follows up on ProgressNow Colorado's "early Christmas present" -- a copy of the Colorado budget -- to former congressman Scott McInnis. McInnis asked on his plans to balance budget Former Congressman Scott McInnis is being asked by his opponents for concrete details on how he plans on balancing the budget if elected governor. But the McInnis campaign maintains that it is too early to be suggesting specific budget-balancing measures, noting that the budget McInnis might receive as governor in January 2011 would likely be drastically different than what lawmakers are currently working on. The issue has become a talking point for Democrats who are fighting McInnis’ chances to beat Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter in 2010. ProgressNow Colorado sent McInnis an “early Christmas present” last week when they showed up at his campaign headquarters in Greenwood Village with the state budget in hand. The group is citing a recent interview with McInnis in which he said he wouldn’t have an accurate budget to work with for at least a year. [...] But McInnis campaign spokesman Josh Green says his opponents are taking the comment out of context. He said what McInnis was referring to is that the current budget doesn’t give a truly accurate picture of what McInnis would need to begin balancing in 2010 if elected governor. “We’re still nearly a year out from the election — it’s been one of the earliest cycles in memory — Scott naturally is not going to come out with a detailed plan for the budget, and frankly, as the legislative session goes forward, the budget is going to change and everything’s going to change itself,” said Green. “To say Scott doesn’t have a plan, that’s not quite accurate.” [...] But Democrats keep turning their attention back to McInnis’ budget-balancing strategies, arguing that the former congressman from Grand Junction has no real ideas. “If he’s going to criticize his opponent’s position, then he needs to actually have positions of his own,” said ProgressNow member Bobby Clark. “It’s a cop-out to say he doesn’t have a copy of the budget.” The last word from ProgressNow's Bobby Clark (disclosure: my boss) is what's most important: Scott McInnis has indeed offered many suggestions for the budget -- where it suits him, like calling for the repeal of FASTER and its millions for badly needed transportation maintenance. McInnis offers specifics when it suits him, then claims he can't offer any specifics when doing so might not cast him in the most positive light. The point he makes is that budget conditions are almost certain to change between now and the time he would hypothetically take office as governor, but doesn't that call into question the promises McInnis has made? I've been doing this for a while, I certainly understand that challengers benefit from being able to nit-pick at an incumbent's decisions without having to make them. But for the good of our state in these difficult times, we need to insist these come-lately right wing 'saviors' put their budget plans in writing. Our future is too important to let "McLobbyist" have it both ways. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhK http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhK/commentary#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 10:57:39 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhK Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhK/ Christmas Comes Early for Scott "McLobbyist" McInnis Santa Delivers McInnis Copy of Colorado Budget, Eliminating His Excuse for Dodging Questions Denver, CO-- Speaking outside former Rep. Scott McInnis' offices today, Santa Claus offered the following statement: "First of all, Merry Christmas to the great state of Colorado! Santa cares very much for all the boys and girls in your state, and I'm pleased to report that the majority of you have avoided my 'naughty list' this year. I was troubled to hear in a recent interview that Scott McInnis doesn't believe he can 'get his hands on' the Colorado budget, and that it might take a year before he can! Because I do a great deal of business on the internet these days, I know the complete Colorado budget for this year, along with Governor Bill Ritter's budget recommendations for next year, are available at the Colorado state government website. When I heard about Scott's problem, I knew exactly what he needed for Christmas this year: a complete, printed copy of the Colorado budget--wrapped in a lovely red bow! Next time Scott is asked about his budget plans, he won't be able to say he 'can't get his hands on them.' And remember, boys and girls, it's naughty to tell a lie!"  http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhb http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhb/commentary#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:13:14 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhb Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhb/ Digby says it all : Stupak and Nelson have finally given the liberals in the House a serious, principled reason to walk away. The dynamics still argue that they won't do it for this or any other reason, and that they will simply allow women to get shafted. (There is apparently no limit to the amount of shit the left must be forced to eat to get this bill passed.) But the stakes are now higher for liberals than they have been. Voting to restrict a woman's ability to exercize her right to abortion in half the country is as much of a gut check as voting for a bill that doesn't contain a public option. Some might actually calculate that it's a bridge too far. And those who were already leaning toward voting against the bill for all those other reasons will now feel much more secure that they are standing up for liberal principles when they do it. There is such a thing as the straw that broke the camel's back, even for liberals who desperately want to pass health care reform. This might be it. Diana DeGette and Louise Slaughter are not on the bandwagon to eliminate a fundamental right for women. They say the new compromise is possibly unconstitutional, and that they and other pro-choice House members could still reject it. Big, bad Kent Conrad rattled the Senate sword: The chairman of the Senate Budget Committee says the House must stick close to the Senate's version of health care reform or risk losing the 60 votes needed to pass it in the Senate . I agree with Howard Dean that this version of HCR should be DOA. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZhv http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZhv/commentary#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:47:29 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZhv Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhv/ Colorado faces a crisis in providing the quality education to our children they deserve, and radicals are preparing for new attacks on our public schools next year. Last week, former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, speaking to an audience of "Tea Party" right-wing radicals, reportedly called for the abolition of the United States Department of Education.[i] That's an incredibly reckless and foolish idea. The Department of Education administers billions of dollars of direct funding each year for public schools all over the country, including hundreds of millions to Colorado--not to mention direct responsibility for everything from student loan and scholarship programs to accommodation for children with disabilities. Schools in Colorado are being closed due to a chronic inability to provide for them. Abolishing the Department of Education won't do anything to solve real problems, it's just fringe rhetoric. Sign our petition to Norton, demanding she get serious about education: http://progressnowcolorado.org/ProtectSchools According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Colorado ranks 40th in the nation in education funding per student. As a percentage of personal income, Colorado ranks an abysmal 49th in our commitment to funding public education.[ii] Our state faces an ongoing fiscal crisis that is likely to hamper our ability to properly meet the needs of our children for years to come. Colorado public schools rely on federal funds to meet the needs of all of our children, from AP whiz kids to those most in need of extra support. That's the reality, but what do extremist conservatives want to talk about? Radical nonsense. Abolishing the Department of Education. At a time when leadership and innovative thinking is needed more than ever, the right is out of touch with the needs of Colorado's most important institutions. Sign our petition: tell Jane Norton to get serious about education, not pander to extremists. http://progressnowcolorado.org/ProtectSchools We will share your comments with Norton and the media. Thank you for standing up for our children and Colorado's future. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhW http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhW/commentary#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:09:48 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhW Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 1 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhW/ You had the best chance in decades to make a difference in all of our lives, and you chose to blow it. You don't deserve our praise. Or our votes. http://www.americablog.com/2009/12/this-isnt-what-we-were-promised.html http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZht http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZht/commentary#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:26:44 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/kennethdebacker/CZht Ken Ken 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZht/ We got some interesting hate mail in response to our action alert about this billboard: We're used to hate mail from right-wingers. When your stated mission is to counter the right-wing on every front, it comes with the territory. So in keeping with that mission, I'm happy to share some of those messages with you tonight. Other than removing personal details, the spelling and grammar are unedited. Wheeeee, let's go!:  http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZhG http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZhG/commentary#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:08:11 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZhG Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 3 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhG/ What is our country coming to? Earlier today, we learned about an offensive, racist billboard right here in Colorado--attacking President Obama and comparing him to terrorists. The billboard was created by Wolf Automotive, at their location here in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Check out the photo to the right, then join the pledge to boycott. http://www.ProgressNowColorado.org/WolfAuto We called Wolf Automotive to ask them what their intent was in putting up that sign. The man we spoke with defended the sign, and indicated he has no intention of taking the sign down, and it was quickly apparent that he was a "birther." The "tea party" movement and the "birthers" are becoming more and more outrageous. They're in the thrall of demagogues like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Peter Boyles, Sarah Palin, and right-wing elected officials in Colorado like Senator Dave Schultheis--who sent out a statement last week comparing President Obama to the 9/11 terrorists who flew United Flight 93 into the ground. We'll defend anyone's First Amendment right to speak his or her mind. However, the "marketplace of ideas" that the First Amendment protects only works when everyone speaks out. If hate like that spread by Dave Schultheis and the owners of Wolf Automotive is allowed to go without a response, then we allow the perception that these ideas have merit. We have both the right and the obligation under the First Amendment to publicly reject ideas that we find abhorent and offensive. Please help us respond to this latest attack from the Right by doing a couple of things. First, please click on the link below and pledge to boycott Wolf Automotive until they take down this billboard. http://www.ProgressNowColorado.org/WolfAuto After you sign the pledge, we'll provide you the phone numbers for the Wolf Automotive Group--they have four dealerships located in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. Please take a few minutes to call and ask them, respectfully, to take their sign down. We want to respond, but we want to resist being dragged into incivility by the hatred that we're confronting. P.S. If you are on Twitter, please copy and paste the tweet below and share far and wide: Join the Boycott! Wolf Automotive Group in CO WY & MT proud of their anti-Obama, anti-Muslim, racist hateful billboard. http://bit.ly/4KLxtz P.S.S. Denver talk-radio host Peter Boyles has apparently been coordinating with Wolf Automotive for months on this. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=108289 Cross-posted at ProgressNow Colorado http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhx http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhx/commentary#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:03:43 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZhx Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 3 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZhx/ Keith Olbermann went on a tear tonight! Recently, Sen. Dave Schultheis (R-Colorado Springs) said this to his followers on Twitter: "Don't for a second, think Obama wants what is best for U.S. He is flying the U.S. Plane right into the ground at full speed. Let's Roll." As reported in today's Denver Post, Ed Kowalski, a director for the New York-based 9/11 Families for a Secure America, said Schultheis was "clearly" referring to United Flight 93, the plane that hijackers flew into the ground on 9/11. (Denver Post 11/12/09). "Let's roll" reportedly were the last words from one of the passengers just before they attempted to storm the cockpit. Schultheis claims in the Post article that he wasn't referring to Flight 93 and comparing President Obama to Al Qeada terrorists. But that's baloney, and we all know it. Tell Dave Schultheis what you think. http://www.ProgressNowColorado.org/Schultheis http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRy http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRy/commentary#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:29:44 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRy Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 1 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZRy/ At the ProgressNow Bat Cave yesterday (also known as my co-worker Jen's teeny windowless office), we got to talking about Scott "McLobbyist" McInnis and the coup recently scored on his behalf in the Republican gubernatorial primary. It's really odd that Josh Penry left the race so suddenly , isn't it? And most media reported that a big reason Penry left the race was an "independent committee" set up to fight off any challengers to McInnis. This immediately got us thinking about our call last May for an investigation of McInnis after he left a voice mail message, leaked on the internet subsequently, describing in detail 'his 527'--inviting questions about illegal coordination between McInnis and 'his' so-called "independent committees." What happened this week to Penry could be seen as a confirmation of our worst fears. What we at ProgressNow would really like to do is talk to McInnis about this, get his response to these potentially serious allegations on the record. Unfortunately, McInnis doesn't grant very many interviews. And some of the interviews he has granted haven't gone so well . But then we remembered, we've got McInnis on the record addressing these very questions: the voice mail! If Scott McInnis were to come clean about his questionable campaign activities as we've called for over and over again, here's how we imagine the interview going. Not a real conversation, obviously! It would be nice to have this kind of candor in the non-parody world, wouldn't it? http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZR9 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZR9/commentary#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:23:21 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZR9 Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZR9/ Statement on Scott "McLobbyist" McInnis Avoiding Primary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, November 9, 2009 CONTACT: Michael Huttner, Founder at 303-931-4547 DENVER-- In response to reports that Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry is suddenly leaving the Republican race for Governor, Michael Huttner, the founder of ProgressNow Colorado released the following statement: "If this is true, it's the old D.C. lobbyist guard stepping out of the shadows to clear the field for Scott 'McLobbyist' McInnis. McInnis' ties to lobbyists, oil and gas interests, and corrupt cronies like Tom DeLay can't help but make one wonder what's really going on when his primary opponents start dropping out of the race. This comes on the heels of awful press for McInnis, detailing his flip-flop away from his former stand in favor of women's health rights to the extreme right. So right after outraging the conservative base by avoiding a primary, he's alienating the vast majority of Coloradans who support a woman's right to choose. And it should come as no surprise that this story broke first in Washington D.C. instead of Colorado, since that's where 'McLobbyist's' best friends are. We call on McInnis to disclose which of his lobbyist friends helped push Penry out." ### http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZR7 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZR7/commentary#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:44:56 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZR7 Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZR7/ As Colorado Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry hypocritically attacked the state government and Governor Bill Ritter during Colorado's ongoing budget crisis, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization demanded Wednesday that Penry come clean about immediate family members both recently hired and currently employed by Mesa State College. "It is ridiculous beyond belief that 'Pandering' Josh Penry misrepresents fiscal reality and vital state services for political gain, while his own family pockets state funds each payday," said ProgressNow Colorado Founder Michael Huttner. Penry's Misrepresentation  The  Denver Post  recently reported that despite Penry's attacks on Governor Ritter's so-called "hiring spree," most of the growth in state employment can be traced to simple population growth, increases mandated by the voter's passage of Referendum C in 2005, and legislation passed by the General Assembly--including legislation sponsored by Sen. Penry. (Denver Post,  "Analysis suggests increased Colorado state jobs may be overstated,"  10/11/2009) Penry's Hypocrisy  Last week, the  Grand Junction Sentinel  reported that state-funded Mesa State College "has a history of hiring former political workers and those connected to them," including Kristi Pollard, the recently-hired 'Interim Director of Development' at Mesa State and Sen. Josh Penry's sister. Jamie Penry, Sen. Penry's wife, is also a former Mesa State employee according to the  Sentinel . ( Grand Junction Sentinel , "Mesa State hires as campus grows, enrollment soars," 10/25/2009) "That Penry would make these lazy, irresponsible accusations, while his own family snaps up the very same high-paying state jobs Penry complains the loudest about, is just mind-boggling and laughable," said Huttner. "Penry at the very least owes the public a good explanation. I think he owes the public, and thousands of hard working Colorado civil servants he's insulted, an apology as well." "Finally," concluded Huttner, "we call on Penry to immediately disclose whether he personally has sought employment at Mesa State College while serving in the Colorado General Assembly, or at any time discussed the hiring of his family members with Mesa State officials."  http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZRm http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZRm/commentary#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:55:15 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZRm Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZRm/ You think I'm kidding? It could have happened to me. A few winters ago I let my new neighbor--a woman who had just escaped from an abusive relationship--borrow my car. She knocked on my door in the middle of the night, crying. Her newborn baby had a 105 degree fever, and she had to get to the emergency room. Everything went fine until she was pulled over because one of the brake lights had burned out. As it turns out, her license had been suspended due to an unpaid ticket, and she didn't even know it. It was no big deal--the police called me, I put on my moon boots, and trudged half a mile to drive her and her baby home from the spot where she was pulled over. The police were nice, considering the circumstances: no tickets for her or for me. If I-300 had been law, the police would have been required to impound my car, and I would have been forced to pay the $2,700 in bonds and fees to retrieve my car from the impound lot. And that doesn't even include the cost of towing. That's why I'm asking you to vote No on Denver's Initiative 300 before 7:00 p.m. tomorrow. It's deceptive. It's scary. It's expensive. And it's unnecessary. Police officers already have the ability to impound vehicles if they are concerned about public safety. The Denver Post , Mayor Hickenlooper, ten members of the Denver City Council, House Speaker Terrance Carroll, and a long list of Denver community organizations and individuals oppose Initiative 300. And the proponents of this nightmare are counting on low turnout in an off-year election to sneak this one past us. You can get more details on Initiative 300 by visiting http://www.VoteNoOnImpound.com . Three Things You Can Do Right now Vote . Turn in your ballot by 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. You can drop it off at the Webb Building downtown (201 W Colfax) or do a drive-through dropoff at the Denver Elections Division office. (3888 E. Mexico Ave. at Colorado Blvd.). It's too late to mail it--you need to hand deliver it. Forward this e-mail to 5 friends in Denver. Share this information on Facebook status, Twitter, and other social networks to remind people to vote and vote no on I-300. If you haven't received your ballot yet, or if you lost it or spoiled it, go to either the Webb Building or the Denver Elections Division before 6:00 p.m. today, or between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. tomorrow. If you have any questions about the process, dial 311 to contact the Denver Elections Division . http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRT/commentary#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:27:26 EST http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRT Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZRT/ Wednesday, President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act , a bill that has been championed mainly by Democratic members of Congress for over a decade in the face of largely Republican opposition based on hideous lies from legalizing pedophilia to canceling the free exercise clause. Somewhat lost in the celebration and remembrance of Matthew Shepard, the bill's namesake, was the story of Angie Zapata, an 18 year-old transgender woman from Greeley. She was brutally beaten to death with a fire extinguisher and left for dead just over a year ago because, as the thug who murdered confessed, "gay things must die." “It’s not like I went up to a school teacher and shot her in the head or killed a straight, law-abiding citizen," he boasted to his girlfriend in a jailhouse-recorded phone conversation. And if he were to ever encounter a gay person in prison, he proclaimed that he would kill that "pink-shirt wearing motherfucker." http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRz http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRz/commentary#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:14:32 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZRz Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZRz/   There's an election on Tuesday!  If you vote by mail and haven't turned your ballot in yet, hand-deliver your ballot to your County Clerk's office Monday or Tuesday to ensure that it's received in time for your vote to count. Your county may have more than one possible drop-off location for your convenience. If you haven't received your ballot yet, contact your county clerk to find out how to obtain a replacement ballot. Below, we've included some other information that may help. Whether you're liberal, conservative, progressive, libertarian, or a completely unaffiliated free spirit,  vote . The elections in odd years involve local issues from school boards to city council to county commissioner. There may also be bond issues, initiatives, and referenda--all very local to your city or county. Although elections call to mind voting for President, Governor, and legislature, the fact is that most of what affects our daily lives happens locally. Our schools, our city streets, our zoning boards, even our trash collection are all local issues. If you don't exercise your right to vote in these local elections, you will miss the best opportunity you will have this year to affect change for yourself and your family. Helpful Information According to the Secretary of State, there is an election in every Colorado county except Archuleta, Hinsdale, and Phillips. Most Colorado counties have an all-mail election this year. If you have not received a ballot or information on where to vote, contact your county clerk right away. Your ballot must be  received  by your county clerk no later than 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd for your vote to be counted. Postmarks don't count. If you already voted by mail, you can make sure your ballot was received on the Secretary of State's secure voter lookup website: https://www.sos.state.co.us/Voter/secuVoterHome.do If your county has a polling place election, your polling place may not be in the same location as last year. Contact your County Clerk if you are not sure where you should vote. If you need to contact your county clerk for any of the above reasons, you can find your county clerk's contact information here: http://www.elections.colorado.gov/Default.aspx?PageMenuID=1397 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZR8 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZR8/commentary#comments Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:58:07 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZR8 Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZR8/ At a press conference this morning, ProgressNow Colorado described how Norton's first financial disclosures include corrupt DC lobbyists organized by her sister and brother-in-law, both of whom are DC lobbyists.  They revealed a confidential invitation spearheaded by Norton's relatives and the lobbyist money that followed. The group also joined over 400 of its members in calling on former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton to sign the "Family Transparency Pledge" rejecting trips, gifts, campaign donations and benefits from relatives who are lobbyists. "A puppet of corporate lobbyists in her family, Norton is the DC lobbyist's dream candidate," noted Michael Huttner, Founder of ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization.  "It's only been a month and already Norton has a record of surrounding herself with corrupt DC lobbyists." Since the morning Norton announced her campaign, over 400 Coloradans have joined the call for Norton to sign the pledge.  She continues to refuse to sign it. "We call on Jane Norton to stop placing DC special interests in Washington and sign the 'Family Transparency Pledge' today," stated Huttner.  "We believe that Norton needs to reject trips or economic benefits through her relatives who are lobbyists." Norton has failed to sign the "Family Transparency Pledge": I, Jane Norton, pledge to the People of Colorado, that I am committed to fighting the undue influence of special interests in Washington, DC. Accordingly, I pledge that I will reject any trips, gifts, campaign donations or economic benefits that are provided to me through my relatives who are lobbyists by the companies that hire them to influence public policy. Download a printable .PDF copy of the Pledge here: http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/-/Family%20Transparency%20Pledge.pdf Norton's relatives who are lobbyists include: Judy Black  (Norton's sister) is a DC lobbyist  whose clients include those from the for-profit health care and medical device companies, oil companies, chemical companies and the banking industry . ( Washington Post , June 10, 2004; U.S. Secretary of the Senate Lobbying Disclosure Database, 9/10/2009) Charlie Black  (Norton's brother in law) head of BKSH & Associates  is a DC lobbyist and made a lucrative career of representing foreign oil companies, tobacco companies, drug companies, auto companies and defense contractors. ( Washington Post , 12/31/2007;  Business Week , 7/19/2004) and even Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.( People's Weekly World , 3/1/2008)   Black is so deeply entwined with tobacco companies he is known in Washington as "Mr. Tobacco." The well-connected Black used BKSH & Associates to cash in on the homeland security consulting bonanza after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was a consultant to Ahmad Chalabi, the CIA-connected Iraqi whose lies about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction promoted Bush's preemptive war on Iraq.  BKSH also coached Eric Prince, CEO of Blackwater USA, before he testified on his mercenary company's massacre of scores of innocent Iraqis. ( PWW ) A sample of Lobbyists in Norton's Disclosures (amount date of donation): Alex Castellanos $2400 on 9/29,  a  CNN talking head recently exposed for being a media buyer for America's Health Insurance Plan's (AHIP) during the health care debate , he was an adviser to Bush/Cheney 2004, and known for being the "father of the modern attack ad,"  was the creator of the race-baiting Jesse Helms "Hands" ad  [ Politico , 10/15/09;  www.natmedia.com ; Greg Sargent,  The Plum Line , 10/15/08] Kristen Chadwick $500 on 9/22:   She lobbies   for the European Aeronautic Defense & Space Company (EADS).  Her work for EADS came under scrutiny recently after it was revealed that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) had written letters to the Defense Department asking it to reconsider a contracting requirement seen as disadvantageous to EADS.  Shortly thereafter, the Defense Department made the requested change, and EADS eventually won the $35 billion contract to manufacture the next generation of in-flight refueling tanker planes.( New York Times , 3/12/2008) Rick Davis $2000 on 9/30,  John McCain's on-again-off-again 2008 campaign chief, was one of the Washington uber-lobbyists behind McCain's political operation from Davis Manafort, who lobbied for Verizon and foreign governments, including some unregistered liaison work between Sen. McCain and a Russian oligarch [ NY Times , 5/20/08;  Washington Post , 1/25/08]  Davis came under fire for his conflicts of interest as McCain's 2000 campaign manager, since his clients SBC Communications Inc. and Comsat Corp. had mergers pending before Chairman McCain's Senate Commerce Committee. [ Politico , 7/11/07] Frank Donatelli $1000 on 9/29 , a former deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee and recently elected chair of GOPAC, now a lobbyist and director of federal public affairs McGuireWoods Consulting, where his past clients have included Anthem and Verizon [ www.opensecrets.org ; www.mwcllc.com ].  McGuireWoods  was part of the legal defense team for indicted former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay , and was fined $4,500 by the FEC in 2005 on an unrelated matter for failing to file a quarterly report for its PAC in 2004 [ Richmond Times Dispatch , 11/24/05, accessed via Nexis 10/26/09] Benjamin L. Ginsberg $500 on 9/29,  GOP election lawyer who led the Bush-Gore recount, and currently a lobbyist at mega-lobbying shop Patton-Boggs LLP [ www.opensecrets.org ;  www.pattonboggs.com ].   Ginsberg resigned from the 2004 Bush campaign after it was discovered that he had consulted with both the campaign and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth , but maintained, after the Kerry campaign filed an FEC complaint, that his dual roles were legal. [ Roll Call , 8/30/04] Susan B. Hirschmann $1000 on 9/30 , a former chief of staff to Tom DeLay, who went from Congress through the revolving door to become a lobbyist at Williams & Jensen, where her clients include AstraZenica, Pfizer, and Wyeth [ www.opensecrets.org ;  www.williamsandjensen.com ]   At DeLay's office, Hirschmann had worked with Jack Abramoff's office to arrange a famous trip to St. Andrews golf course in Scotland, with her husband travelling on Abramoff's credit card  [ Washington Post , 12/20/06].  Hirschmann was one of the top two congressional staff members to take privately financed travel between 2000-2005, totaling $85,000 over a 26-month period [ Washington Post , 6/9/06;  Center for Public Integrity , 6/8/06] Bob Livingston $500 on 9/10 , the one-time successor to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Appropriations Committee Chairman, who resigned from the US House during the Clinton impeachment after allegations of extramarital affairs surfaced.  Livingston became a lobbyist within a week of leaving Congress, founding the Livingston Group, which earned over $9 million in lobbying income in 2008 [ Times-Picayune , 8/13/09, accessed via Nexis 10/25/09; www.opensecrets.org ].   A report in 2007 claimed that a third of his firm's income came from foreign governments  [ NY Times , 10/17/07]  Livingston was once part of a team of investors that tried to open a restaurant with Jack Abramoff before scandal broke and the deal fell through. [ Roll Call , 11/17/05] Scott W. Reed $500 on 9/25,  Bob Dole's 1996 campaign manager and now a lobbyist and founder of Chesapeake Enterprises  [ www.opensecrets.org ], has lobbied and consulted with numerous clients, including the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, who hired Reed along with Charlie Black [Real Estate Finance Today, 7/17/00, accessed via Nexis 10/26/09].  Other clients included American Taxpayers Alliance, a group that ran attack ads to sway the 2002 Illinois Supreme Court elections in favor of a pro-US Chamber of Commerce justice candidate. [Forbes, 7/21/03]  Reed inherited the Saginaw Chippewa tribe of Michigan as a client from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff after Sen. McCain launched an investigation into Abramoff's activities.  [ The Hill , 5/8/07] Ed Rogers $500 on 9/25 , chairman of The BGR Group, which he founded with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, lists Citigroup, the Kurdistan Regional Government, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Raytheon among his clients.   Rogers was exposed engaging in a campaign to undermine Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, contradicting the official policy of the White House in Iraq  [ www.bgrdc.com ;  www.opensecrets.org ; CNN, 8/24/07] Norton has yet to disclose why she never registered as a lobbyist: Norton refuses to explain why she never personally registered as a lobbyist, even though she was the head of "Government Relations" for a health insurance lobbying organization. The press yesterday to the company confirmed Norton headed "the lobbying arm" of the company. ( Colorado Independent , 9/14/2009; Washington Times , 9/14/2009) Between 1994 and 1999, Norton was the Director of Government Relations for the Medical Group Management Association, the public policy and lobbying arm of a for-profit health trade lobbying organization.  (Denver Post, December 19, 1999)  Yet an extensive search of state and federal lobbyist disclosure records has not found any lobbying disclosure records by Norton. (U.S. Secretary of the Senate Lobbyists Disclosure Database and Colorado SOS Lobbyist Database) The entire time, it appears that Norton never registered as either a federal or state lobbyist. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZRf http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZRf/commentary#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:47:48 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/al/CZRf Alan Franklin http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/1b6fb917dd91e10cc0_ge5omv53a.jpg Alan Franklin 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZRf/ If Initiative 300 in Denver passes, and you forget your wallet and get pulled over, police officers will be forced to impound your car leaving you stranded. Which is why we're asking for your help. We need you to vote  No on Initiative 300 if you live in Denver County. It's deceptive. It's scary. It's expensive. And it's unnecessary. Police officers already have the ability to impound vehicles if they are concerned about public safety. The Denver Post , Mayor Hickenlooper, ten members of the Denver City Council, House Speaker Terrence Carroll, and a long list of Denver community organizations and individuals oppose Initiative 300 . And the proponents of this nightmare are counting on low turnout in an off-year election to sneak this one past us. What can you do? Send an e-mail to 5 friends in Denver and ask them to vote no. Talk to your friends, neighbors, and co-workers in person about how important it is for them to return their ballots, and ask them to vote no on Initiative 300. Sign up to volunteer . As for voting, the 2009 Election will be Mail-In Ballot only. Voting couldn't be easier-- it just takes 2 stamps to return, or you can drop it off to the Denver Election Commission in person. So please Vote NO on Initiative 300 and help spread the word. If you live in Denver, you should have received your ballot in the mail. To check on your voter registration and on the status of your ballot, click here to look it up at the Secretary of State: http://www.sos.state.co.us/Voter If you believe you are registered to vote and you have not received your ballot, call 311 today . http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnR http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnR/commentary#comments Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:34:37 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnR Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZnR/ It is possible that the workers at King Soopers and Safeway may be forced to strike, or worse--they could get locked out soon. They have been negotiating hard for a new contract since this spring, but the highly profitable grocery corporations don't want to put enough money in the pension fund to cover the pensions the workers were promised. If there is a strike, we want you to be ready to shop somewhere else to avoid crossing a picket line. We've made this nifty map that you can use to shop responsibly . Check it out. And if there are locally-owned stores in your area that don't show on the map, use the link on the map page to submit those locations and we'll add them. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/ShopResponsibly http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnN http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnN/commentary#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:47:11 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnN Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZnN/ Senator Michael Bennet was one of 30 signatories on a letter to the Senate leadership demanding that the HELP Committee's optional public insurance plan be included in the final bill. The next day, Senator Bennet, Senator Udall (not ours, but his cousin from New Mexico), and others joined Senator Brown on the floor to press for the public option in person. http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnS http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnS/commentary#comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 17:19:14 EDT http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/post/michaelditto/CZnS Michael Ditto http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/profile_picture/f660dc8ce688a8bfdc_5fmmv2i99.jpg Michael Ditto 0 http://www.progressnowcolorado.org/page/community/comment_rss/CZnS/