The Colorado Independent

Friday, January 27th, 2012
Latest Headlines

Finance execs rule today’s mad world of political spending

By | 01.26.12 | 11:57 am

Over the last 30 years, political contributions made by financial industry executives increased by 700 percent, according to new analysis by the watchdog Sunlight Foundation. Roughly 5,500 members of the finance, insurance, real estate sector gave $178.2 million to political committees and candidates during the 2010 election cycle, up from $15.4 million in the 1990 cycle.

GOP Latino vote up for grabs in Florida

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By | 01.26.12 | 6:26 am

Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, who lead the GOP presidential primary race, are in Florida working to earn the Latino vote for next week’s primary election, the first one in which the Latino voter is important.

Discriminate against same-sex couples? Hell yes, say churches

By | 01.26.12 | 5:16 am

Should religious organizations that receive public subsidies and take special tax breaks be allowed to discriminate against couples of the same gender? Yes, declare 39 religious leaders in an open letter (PDF) to “all Americans” released last week.

Obama clean energy push draws partisan reaction from Colorado lawmakers

By | 01.25.12 | 2:38 pm

President Obama’s call to increase domestic energy production Tuesday received a rosy reception from Colorado’s lefty lawmakers but was all but ignored by its conservative congressional delegation who are still smarting from the commander-in-chief’s recent blocking of the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

Tough week for failing ‘frontrunner’ Mitt Romney

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By | 01.25.12 | 9:17 am

President Obama in his State of the Union speech last night laid out the no-brainer case again for deficit reduction through a return to tax code fairness. The speech came hours after multi-millionaire Republican primary frontrunner Mitt Romney released the low-rate, off-shore income tax returns he submitted last year– returns that among sensible people will devastate Republican trickle-down economics talking points on tax policy and government finances. What else happened to Mitt Romney this week?

Proposal to limit school board campaign cash likely doomed

By | 01.25.12 | 5:08 am

There once was a time–you know it’s true–when school board candidates in Colorado hoped to raise enough money for yard signs and a flyer to hand out or leave at doors. Times have changed.

Atheists rejoin billboard battle in Colorado

By | 01.24.12 | 1:13 pm

An atheists group in Boulder, seeking to stir conversation and encourage Coloradans to support strong safeguards against mixing Church doctrine and public policy, has launched a provocative billboard campaign that takes a cutting, Bill Maher-style approach to the question of faith. “God is an imaginary friend. Choose reality, it will be better for all of us,” will read signs in Denver and off I25 in Colorado Springs.

Mitch Daniels, the State of the Union address and deficit realities

By | 01.24.12 | 12:03 pm

Popular Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has been chosen to deliver the Republican response to President Obama’s State of the Union address tonight. Ideas about how best the government might respond to the limping economy and tackle the enormous federal budget deficit are sure to feature prominently in both speeches. Daniels comes to such a discussion with baggage, however, having head the Office of Management and Budget under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003, when the projected budget surplus of $236 billion ran down the sink hole to become a $400 billion deficit.

Colorado LGBT healthcare marked by fear of discrimination, lack of confidence in providers

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By | 01.24.12 | 9:51 am

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trangender Coloradans face greater challenges than heterosexual Coloradans do in accessing health care, according to a study (pdf) brought out this week by gay rights advocacy group One Colorado.

Colorado SOTU flap: Udall wants to sit together; Lamborn wants to sit it out

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By | 01.23.12 | 11:54 am

Colorado Democratic Senator Mark Udall has led an effort over the last two years to “bridge the divide” that has marked presidential State of the Union addresses by seeking to institute bipartisan seating. Udall’s plan to make progress on Capitol Hill by any means possible including symbolic gesture has met with mixed success. Colorado Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn, for example, one of the most conservative members of Congress, has announced not only that he’s not mixing this year but also that he plans to not attend the speech at all as a way to send his own symbolic message.

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Spotlight On: Marriage equality

Discriminate against same-sex couples? Hell yes, say churches

Should religious organizations that receive public subsidies and take special tax breaks be allowed to discriminate against couples of the same gender? Yes, declare 39 religious leaders in an open letter (PDF) to “all Americans” released last week.

Hickenlooper endorses civil unions

Governor John Hickenlooper today, in his State of the State address, called on the Legislature to pass civil unions legislation.

NOM intends to make same-sex marriage a wedge issue in 2012

The Human Rights Campaign’s watchdog project NOM Exposed, which tracks the spending and lobbying activities of the National Organization for Marriage, recently revised its strategy. According to a leader on the project, HRC believes NOM’s focus in 2012 will be centered on the national stage to ensure that same-sex marriage remains a primary issue in the presidential race; thus NOM Exposed will be closely following NOM’s federal election activities.

Archbishop orders priests to oppose or stay silent on gay-marriage

“There ought not be open dissension on this issue,” is the message the Catholic hierarchy is telling priests in Minnesota — “this issue” being same-sex marriage.