Opinion

TIPTON: Nearly 900,000 veterans who sacrificed for our country are not getting their benefits

One of the best things about serving in public office is the opportunity to interact with active-duty and retired members of our Armed Forces on a regular basis. These brave men and women have incredible stories that are truly inspiring. In their military service, our veterans shined as the ultimate examples of self-sacrifice, heroism, patriotism and perseverance and now are a vital part of our communities. Read more »

BRAUCHLER: Thanks to Mr. Hickenlooper’s weakness and indecision, Nathan Dunlap may outlive us all

From a podium 20 miles and 20 years removed from one of the most cold-blooded mass murders in Colorado history, Governor John Hickenlooper mouthed his respect for Dunlap’s victims, Colorado law, the Colorado criminal justice system and judges …and then arrogantly ignored them all. Read more »

FIELDS:  If Republicans want to begin to turn the political tides, now is the time to start leading on education reform

For Democrats at the Capitol, there is no such thing as a bad time to pass a huge tax increase.  Never mind that we are already spending $20.5 billion on the budget. Never mind that unemployment is still hovering around 7%. Never mind that just two years ago, Coloradans convincingly defeated Proposition 103 (the most recent attempt to raise billions in taxes). Read more »

McNULTY: Why do Democrats want to let polluters off the hook?

After a long and arduous legislative session, House Speaker Mark Ferrandino used his unique power over the House calendar to kill one bill – a bill that would have increased the daily fines energy industrial polluters would face if they violated Colorado’s laws and regulations designed to protect our environment. Read more »

McNULTY: By allowing early release loopholes to remain open, Democrats are gambling with public safety

There is no way to reconcile the murder of Colorado’s prison chief Tom Clements.  A prison reformer who came to Colorado from Missouri, Mr. Clements pushed for prison programs aimed at helping inmates reintegrate into society — an important view and mission for anyone responsible for protecting the public from criminals and their harmful behavior. Read more »

This session will be remembered as one of the most contentious

The 2013 legislative session will go down as one of the most contentious and gaffe-prone in recent memory.  Here are five moments that stand out in our minds as among the most memorable:  Read more »

TIPTON: Small businesses across the nation are being impacted by high and unpredictable energy costs

Energy prices are a constant source of frustration and uncertainty for families and small businesses in my district, and in this tough economy, it’s the last thing they should have to worry about.

Last week a constituent, who owns a small carpentry business in Alamosa, called my office to tell me that gas prices are hurting his small business. Read more »

KERNS: The legislative agenda in Colorado has been punctuated by “the three G’s:” Guns, Green, and Ganja

The other morning I found myself humming the tune, “California, here I come… right back where I started from…” and I had to stop for a moment to chuckle at the irony.

While the song was written for a 1920s Broadway musical – nearly 100 years ago – it has never been so timely for this California-turned-Colorado girl. Read more »

McNULTY: Democrats have spent much of their time this year pursuing an ideological and extreme agenda

January 30th was the deadline for introduction of bills in the House of Representatives.  There are always bills introduced after that date described in Capitol-ese as “late bills,” but never have I seen during my time in and around the legislature the types of bills introduced by Democrats so late in the session. Read more »

McNULTY: Democrats have excused or, worse, celebrated the repugnant behavior of their leaders instead of holding them accountable

Sexism.  Elitism. Racism.  Each of these repugnant “isms” has been displayed with shocking clarity by prominent Colorado Democrats over the last three weeks.  And each time, Colorado Democrats have excused or, worse, celebrated the repugnant behavior of their leaders instead of holding the offenders responsible for their own words. Read more »