Supreme Court’s tax decision is Mullarkey

Colorado’s constitution plainly says that state and local governments can’t raise taxes without permission from voters.  If only the Colorado Supreme Court could read plain language.

Instead, the court’s liberal majority ignores terms that should obviously protect taxpayers and instead emphasizes extraneous arguments that accommodate government.

This latest legal chicanery comes from the same playbook that turned the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious freedom into a tool to suppress religious speech. (more…)

‘Big boy britches’ time for Obama

“The country looks to the President on occasions like this to be reassuring to the nation. Some Presidents do it well, some Presidents don’t.”

That’s how ABC’s Peter Jennings assessed President George W. Bush’s performance on Sept. 11, 2001.  The criticism was superficial, shortsighted and unfair, given that President Bush’s finest moments came in rallying the country after 9/11 — not scapegoating the previous administration.

Bush didn’t spend the next few months claiming that he “inherited” a national security mess – nor did he complain about the economy which faltered in two of the final three quarters under President Clinton before contracting again in Bush’s first year. (more…)

Drivers pay more, get less due to Dems’ doubletalk

Beginning July 1, Colorado drivers will pay higher taxes — we’re told to call them “fees” — on every vehicle every year when we renew our license plates.

The increase of $29 to $51 per vehicle is projected to generate $250 million annually to repair unsafe roads and bridges, Gov. Bill Ritter said when he signed the “fee” hike into law.

All this occurs under the guise of economic stimulus as Colorado Democrats learn from their Washington counterparts to strike quickly while the economy is on the ropes and the public is too worried about their own finances to pay attention to statehouse shenanigans. (more…)