Here's our preview for "Backbone Radio" on Sunday, August 14. Listen if you can, and scroll down for a soul-searching survey we hope you'll complete and return. With voters facing an important decision on taxes, spending, and public debt in the upcoming fall election, Colorado Republicans are on the spot.
Do they still stand for keeping taxes down, keeping TABOR strong, and balancing the budget on the spending side -- a signature issue for most Republicans? Or does the GOP now believe, contrary to Reagan's view, that bigger government is the answer?
Bob Beauprez and Marc Holtzman, both seeking the party's nomination for Governor in 2006, have each said in the past on "Backbone Radio with John Andrews" that they don't like the Referendum C & D proposal for higher taxes and deeper debt.
But it's now become a tense point between the two candidates, so we are having them back on the show this Sunday, August 14, to update this and all other other issues. Democrat contender Rutt Bridges' pullout from the race, announced Thursday, makes it all the more timely.
Holtzman, the former DU president, and Beauprez, the Arvada congressman, will be on separately with Jessica and Rob Corry, who are sitting in for me -- it's a travel weekend for our family.
In a related development this week, Republican chairmen in all 64 Colorado counties were also asked for some soul-searching on taxes and TABOR. Backbone America Citizens Alliance, my group, invited them to answer a survey on whether voters should approve or reject Referendum C & D.
The survey is at the end of this post. You are invited to complete and return it as well. Now is the time for all conservatives to stand up and be counted.
"Backbone Radio with John Andrews," this Sunday the 14th from 5-8pm on 710 KNUS in Denver, will also feature these guests talking with Jessica and Rob Corry...
** Rick O'Donnell, congressional candidate and director of higher education in Gov. Owens' cabinet, on spiralling college tuitions and some wacky, but mandatory, student fees.
** David Harsanyi, Denver Post columnist, on the city library's porn comics collection and its new Spanish-language kick.
Jessica and Rob and I hope you will listen in, call in during the show at 303-696-1971, and shoot us your comments or questions beforehand at backboneradio@aol.com.
Liven up your Sunday evening with some backbone -- the most principled, most patriotic, most faith-based, most Colorado-proud conversation on the weekend radio dial.
We're the talk show that believes in America without apologies, that puts principle into politics, that's quietly recruiting citizen soldiers to help restore this Republic. Want to be one?
BACKBONE RADIO INVITES YOU TO LISTEN AND PARTICIPATE.
When: August 14 and every Sunday, 5-8pm MDT / 7 Eastern / 4 Pacific Where: 710-KNUS in Denver Listen on the web: http://www.710knus.com/ Studio line: 303-696-1971 Direct email: backboneradio@aol.com
Yours for self-government, JOHN ANDREWS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TAX & BUDGET SURVEY SENT TO REPUBLICAN LEADERS 8/9/05 As a friend of Backbone Radio you are invited to participate as well. Name_________________________________ Town__________________________________ Republican position if any________________
Please indicate your agreement or disagreement with the following positions, which have been advocated by some leading Republicans in the legislative and executive branches of state government.
1. Referendum C, canceling all scheduled TABOR refunds for five years and authorizing $3.6 billion or more in higher spending, should be approved by voters. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment
2. Referendum D, authorizing some $2 billion in state debt in contrast with Colorado’s historic pay-as-you-go approach to roads and buildings, should be approved by voters. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment
3. The transfer of billions of dollars from the private sector to government, if Referendum C passes, would not constitute a tax increase because tax rates wouldn’t change. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment
4. State government faces a budget crisis, even though overall spending has continued to grow every year, even during the recession, and this year hit an all-time high. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment
5. State government must get additional revenue from taxpayers, since it is out of options for balancing the budget on the spending side – even though Democrats increased general fund spending this year by 6.8%. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment
6. Tax and spending restraints under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, not mandated spending increases under Amendment 23, are the most urgent problem with our state budget. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment
7. The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in our state constitution is harmful to good government in requiring last year’s actual spending as a base for this year’s spending increases – so this constitutional provision should be changed by the statute known as Referendum C. ( ) Agree ( ) Disagree ( ) Other / Comment