BackboneAmerica

By Krista Kafer krista555@msn.com

You know you’re not in Kansas anymore when a union, a large, urban school system, and prominent Democrats support a teacher merit pay program. This weekend, U.S. Senator Ken Salazar joined Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver Public School (DPS) Superintendent Michael Bennetm and City Council President Rosemary Rodriguez in supporting ProComp, a program to reward teachers for professional excellence . The program, devised by the Denver Classroom Teachers Association and Denver Public Schools would link pay to classroom performance and surpassing expectations .On November 1, Denver residents must decide whether to fund the program. If passed, Ballot Question 3A will establish a $25 million tax increase for this purpose. (more…)

By Jeremy Schupbach jshoebox@mac.com

Conservatives, when defending traditional marriage, often argue that allowing homosexuals to marry or to have state-sanctioned civil unions would be a slippery slope leading to polygamy, polyamory, incestual marriages, and the like. Most liberal proponents of same-sex marriage are quick to retort that there is no way that the marriage between two men or two women could eventually lead to a marriage between three people. To these liberals, please allow me to present the start of the slide. (more…)

“Unless we panic the voters with false fears, the C & D tax increase is dead,” two imaginary campaign strategists agree in a new radio ad that began airing on Sept. 28. Click to listen.

The ad is entitled “Panic Button for Higher Taxes.” It makes a serious point satirically, warning voters not to believe the sky will fall if politicians lose their bid for almost $6 billion in higher taxes and deeper debt under Referendum C & D. To do your part, click the volunteer button at right. (more…)

(John Andrews in the Denver Post, Oct. 2) Tax advocates are revving the panic siren and cranking up the fog machine. Will it be enough to reverse their weak polls and pass Referendum C & D, saddling Colorado families with higher taxes and deeper debt? This month will tell.

The fear and confusion tactic was carried to extremes by State Rep. Anne McGihon (D-Denver) in a debate with me the other day. If C & D are defeated, she said, when Gov. Bill Owens signs the budget next year, “he will not only be signing a death warrant for programs, he will be signing a death warrant for people.” (more…)

BULLETIN FROM JOHN ANDREWS
Chairman, Backbone America
Colorado Fellow, Claremont Institute
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Join us on radio every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver
To listen online from anywhere, click http://www.710knus.com/
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Campaign for TABOR with Dick Armey and me on Oct. 4. See below or click here.
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“Noboby can spend your money better than you can.” That was the bottom line of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford’s case for limiting the growth of government, before an overflow crowd of conservative think tank leaders from 30 states in Charleston on Thursday.

“Our state needs a Colorado-style TABOR amendment,” Sanford told the approving audience, to counter the power of well-organized interests that feed off tax dollars at the expense of unorganized taxpayers who foot the bill. (more…)

By Brian Ochsner baochsner@aol.com

Senator Sue Windels’ bright idea to raise taxes even more (see Ben DeGrow’s scoop on this site a few days ago) confirmed my suspicions about the thought process of big-government Dems and Republicans.

I thought about what led to bureaucrats “needing” Ref. C & D for more government spending. When Amendment 23 and FasTax were passed, that gave big spenders renewed hope. This is probably what they said to themselves: (more…)