North Suburban Republican Forum » Colorado politics

GOP Presidential Candidates Ready To Descend On The Centennial State

NSRF Administrator — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:46:16 +0000

We’re less than two weeks away from the Colorado GOP precinct caucuses. Only days ago it looked like Colorado’s caucus would be a coronation, now it’s undeniably going to be a dog fight. As Colorado GOP Chairman Ryan Call explained to Denver Westword’s Michael Roberts yesterday, due to the fluid nature of the race the primary campaigns are only now beginning to implement their plan of attack in Colorado.

Ron Paul’s campaign is the one exception. Colorado has always been a top target for them, as caucus states reward the type of fervor and organization unique to Paul’s campaign. Paul is the only candidate with a physical campaign office, as we reportedback in November. He’s placing advertising all across the interwebs and we’ve received numerous reports from readers that Paul is polling in the state.

He’s likely to improve on his 2008 showing when he received8.4% of the vote for fourth place, and only won Gilpin County — a notoriously libertarian area. To help boost his chances Paul will be campaigning in Colorado on Tuesday, January 31, per a report from an NBC reporter’s Facebook page.

Mitt Romney is set to visit the state on February 6 and 7, as Call told Denver Westword.

In 2008, Romney cleaned up in Colorado, taking over 60% of the vote. While Romney is slightly favored to win Colorado, it’s almost certain the race will be much closer this time around.

Romney’s campaign has no physical office, but is instead relying on a kitchen cabinet set up, sources say, along with a heavy Colorado contingent at HQ in Boston.

As we’ve noted before, Romney’s Political Director is Colorado native Rich Beeson. Also on Romney’s team is the former Executive Director of the Colorado Republican Party, James Garcia. Garcia was the state GOP GOTV director in the 2008 cycle and rose to become the Executive Director during the 2010 cycle, when Republicans turned out 108,000 more votes than Democrats by election day.

Yesterday, Romney’s campaign rolled out a list of local heavy hitters, from Phil Anschutz to Greg Maffei. In June, Romney’s campaign announced its Colorado leadership team, consisting of a who’s who of the Republican establishment, from former Governor Bill Owens to former US Senator Hank Brown. But, as we pointed out then, the establishment won’t provide much actual voter support. Just ask candidates from last cycle.

Gingrich’s campaign has had a much smaller emphasis on Colorado heretofore. In the last publicly available poll on the Colorado GOP primary electorate, from early December, Gingrich was clobbering Romney by 19 points. Gingrich’s campaign has gone from the political graveyard and back since then, so that polling probably doesn’t mean much. No word yet on if Gingrich plans on visiting Colorado.

Santorum’s campaign has also been quiet about his plans for Colorado though he told The New York Times he plans on campaigning here. He last visited Colorado for the Western Conservative Summit in July 2011, and was in Denver in April 2011 (h/t Ernest Luning) where he spoke at an event hosted by the state GOP in Denver.

If you hear of any campaign events or political moves made by any of the Republican contenders, let us know at tips (at) coloradopeakpolitics.com

Check back at the Peak for the latest on the Presidential race in Colorado.

Find out more about the state of the race in Colorado: http://bit.ly/A1y1eG

Colorado Peak Politics

?Mitt Romney will be in Colorado on Feb 6 & 7.

Ron Paul will be in state on Jan. 31. He also has an office in Denver and has been polling in Colorado.

Newt Gingrich & Rick Santorum haven’t set plans to visit Colorado, but most likely will be visiting soon.

Differences Between Democrat and Republican Legislation

NSRF Administrator — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:07:33 +0000

by Principles of Liberty Colorado on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 11:37am

After reading the 273 bills introduced to date (as of Friday, 1/20/12) there is a very clear pattern with respect to many of these bills. The consistent theme of Democrat sponsored bills revolving around “job creation” (a private sector function, by the way) is to create more government programs, initiate more government planning, and intervene in the marketplace in an attempt to manipulate outcomes directed toward a political constituency. Of course what is unseen, is the destruction of capital through taxation and re-distribution, and the chains which are placed upon the free market through regulation and the reward of rent-seekers. (Rent-seekers are those who would utilize the political process to legislate an advantageous position for their industry or political agenda at the expense of taxpayers and to the detriment of free markets.)

Here are some specific examples from this year’s legislation – and we are only 2 weeks into session! The “names” of the bills are very short, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, interpretations. Read the bill summaries at:

www.leg.state.co.us

Bills advocating Big-Government solutions (with your money, of course):

HB1044 – Gambling with Taxpayer $ On Venture Capital (Not True Gambling- it’s All Risk/No Return)

HB1061 – Economic Central Planning

HB1082 – We’ll Tell You How Much to Pay Employees and What Benefits to Provide

HB1112 – How We’ll Pick Our Favorite Businesses

HB1113 – We Give More Preferences to (Certain) Businesses

HB1122 – We Need to Regulate Your Trash

HB1129 – Legislature KNOWS Small Business

HB1132 – Giving Your Money to “Creative” Business (i.e. the arts) Because You Won’t Voluntarily

HB1133 – CO Pays (that is, You pay) for Small Business Consulting

HB1134 – Prohibiting Employers From Discriminating Against the Unemployed

HB1152 – Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction (and you thought that was the free market!)

SB001 – We Give More Preferences to (Certain) Businesses (again)

SB004 – We Give More Preferences to (Certain) Businesses (again)

SB021 – CO Knows Financial Literacy, and We Need to Spend Your Tax $ to Teach it to YOU

Bills advocating mandates and regulation:

HB1057 – Mandates on Home Insurance

HB1060 – Dieticians MUST be Regulated (for Your Own Good)

HB1071 – Extended Electronics Insurance Plans MUST be Regulated (for Your Own Good)

HB1137 – Music Therapists MUST be Regulated (for Your Own Good)

HB1165 – You Can NOT Sell Your Own House UNLESS…

SB 038 – Roofing Contracts Made Easy – One Way / Our Way

SB 039 – Law Breaking Minors (and Parents) Must Lie to Drive

SB 068 – Cupcake Bill (NO Cupcakes for YOU!)

SB 070 – Rental Contracts Made Easy – One Way / Our Way

While Republicans are often just as adept at playing the rent-seeking game as Democrats, at least they tend to advance some legislation that is more in line with principles our country was founded upon such as protecting individual rights, protecting free markets, etc. Some examples:

Reducing regulation:

HB1007 – Reign in DORA Regulations

HB1008 – Reign in Executive Branch Rules

HB1009 – Show Us the (Federal) Money! (Where’d it come from & where’d it go?)

SB 006 – Identifying Rent-Seeking in State Regulatory Systems

SB 032 – “Waive” Bye-Bye to Federal Rules on Medicaid

SB 073 – Executive Branch Must Follow Intent on Laws (No Creative Interpretations)

SB 076 – Give New/Small Business a Chance on Transportation Contracts

Free Markets:

SB 018 – I’ll Take 30% Less Medicaid – Just Let Me Spend It Where I Want!

SB 080 – Give Small Business a Voice Before Regulating Them Away

Reducing taxes:

HB1014 – Still Trying to Repeal Some Recent Unconstitutional Taxes (er, fees)

Individual liberty and personal responsibility:

HB1088 – Make My Day Better (Castle Doctrine for Businesses)

HB1092 – Vermont Style Constitutional Carry

HB1111 – Common Sense Election Integrity and Voter Identification

SB 025 – Vermont Style Constitutional Carry

SB 050 – No More $ Grab Red Light & Speed Traps

SB 053 – Let Us Out Of This Government Health Care Fiasco

SB 089 – Bikers are Big Boys & Girls

There you have it – specific examples of bills either leaning towards more government or towards less government. While Republicans certainly could improve on some things, there is a clear choice as to where to start from – I’ll take the door on the RIGHT, thank you.

If you see a bill you are willing to chip in on, here’s what you do:

1) Look the bill up at www.leg.state.co.us

2) Read the bill and the Fiscal Note (if it’s up yet)

3) Do something, anything, to support or oppose

a) Facebook it

b) Twitter it

c) Blog it

d) Call a legislator

e) Testify in Committee

f) Bring to your grass roots group’s attention

g) Call in to talk radio

h) Write letters to the editor

i) Pray about it

j) Talk to your neighbors about it

k) I’m sure you have more ideas…

You know in your gut that something is going very wrong. You must become part of the solution – please join the battle!

Lawmakers share ideas for session

NSRF Administrator — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:21:09 +0000

by Scott Gilbert

The state legislative session started this week, and lawmakers representing Adams County are ready with bills reflecting their political and personal outlooks.

Democratic Rep. John Soper, facing term limits in House District 34, has a proposal born of his own frustration. ”I went to pay a deposit for my daughter and they said they wouldn’t take currency,” Soper said. “It’s just a petty little thing but it rubbed me wrong.” Under Soper’s plan, if someone incurred fees for a cashier’s check or money order because a business refused to accept legal tender, the business would be responsible for paying those extra costs. ”Usually I run bills for other folks,” said the outgoing lawmaker. “This year I’m going to run one for me.”

Republican Rep. Kevin Priola also is ready with a bill stemming from personal experience. Priola, an off-road-vehicle enthusiast who represents House District 30, wants to allow the titling and plating of such vehicles so they can be used on dirt roads in the wilderness. As the situation exists now, an off-road vehicle rider can go four or five miles along a permitted trail, then be legally prevented from riding a short distance to the next trail. “It’s a real barrier to access,” Priola said. “Look at the map. It’s almost like a Swiss cheese effect.”

“I’ve personally dealt with this up where I like to go hunting and camping,” said Priola, who like many Coloradans was reluctant to give the locations of his favorite getaway spots. Off-road vehicles would still face restrictions on paved streets and in cities or counties of a certain size, and farmers could still exempt themselves from plating vehicles. But for others, Priola said, his proposal would be a boon to tourists; would make the theft of such vehicles more than just a personal-property case; and would address a basic equity issue. ”We’ve got a situation where a 1974 Gremlin car can legally drive on mountain dirt roads,” he said, “but a brand-new four-wheel-drive ATV with knobby tires, braking, and independent suspension legally can’t drive on that same road.”

Democratic Sen. Lois Tochtrop is passionate about her consumer-protection bill focused on unscrupulous roofers. Colorado gets a lot of hailstorms, bringing out “these travelers who come in and promise to fix the roof,” said the lawmaker from Senate District 24. Some roofers promise to pay a homeowner’s insurance deductible, then build the deductible into the price, Tochtrop said. “The roofs are often shoddy,” she added. ”You don’t know where these roofers are and this type of thing,” said Tochtrop, who was still ironing out specifics last week.

Republican Rep. Don Beezley of House District 33 wants to see a “parent trigger” for families whose children attend low-performing schools. Under current law, it takes five years of low rankings before the state board of education will step in to review a school. Beezley’s proposal would change that, giving parents the power to hold a vote after three years. If a majority voted to call in the state board, the review would begin then. The proposal would “give parents a voice” and shed light on the law, he said.

Democratic Rep. Judy Solano, a retired teacher serving House District 31, has a proposal to better serve poor students. ”I have one bill that will be looking at making sure that our most high-risk kids in the lowest-performing schools get the most effective teachers,” she said. A teacher-evaluation law opened the door to Solano’s plan, which would tackle the problem of children in high-needs schools being taught by a revolving cast of first-year teachers. Solano’s bill would set up an incentive compensation fund for teachers to work in the neediest schools, and the highest-rated teachers would be offered jobs first. ”If I can get some private support or donations for a compensation fund, that’s kind of what I’m looking at,” she said. “High-poverty schools often get the short end of the stick.”

Democratic Rep. Cherylin Peniston, another former teacher, also is keeping a light on education. “Children are my passion,” she said. Peniston is a member of the legislature’s early childhood and school readiness commission. “That commission is about ready to sunset,” she said. “I’m carrying a bill to repeal the sunset provision for that bill and also to make it an official interim committee so it has a higher lever of stability and focus.” The move would give the committee more resources and a staff member, raising its profile and bringing in more collaboration from others, Peniston said.

“Our mission is to promote the understanding that early childhood is where we need to concentrate our resources to give kids the kind of start they need so they don’t fall behind from the very beginning,” she said. Children who fall behind early in school have a hard time ever catching up, said Peniston, who believes her proposal would help ensure “that we not drop behind in that progress we’ve made in early childhood and continue pushing forward.”

http://www.great8newspapers.com/Articles-Adams-County-News-c-2012-01-12-223477.114125-sub17478.114125-Lawmakers-share-ideas-for-session.html

CO Illegal Immigrant Tuition Bill Introduced Again

NSRF Administrator — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:57:34 +0000

DENVER – Colorado lawmakers will try again to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants who graduated from state high schools.

Democratic Sen. Michael Johnston of Denver is introducing the legislation Wednesday. Five previous attempts have failed but lawmakers have made modifications over the years to make the proposal more appealing to Republicans. This time the bill would give colleges the option to opt-out of giving illegal immigrants in-state tuition.

The out-of-state tuition rate can be three times more expensive than the in-state rate. Supporters of the legislation say the higher rates illegal immigrant students have to pay is a roadblock to education. Republicans say the bill incentivizes illegal immigration.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30188333/detail.html

Predictions difficult on Lobato education-funding case in Colorado Supreme Court

NSRF Administrator — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:30:30 +0000

A landmark education lawsuit appears headed to the Colorado Supreme Court, but it’s possible the court won’t have the final say, if justices are evenly split on the case.

How might that happen? Court observers say such a scenario is possible if Monica Marquez, one of the court’s seven justices, recuses herself because of her previous work on the case as a deputy attorney general. A recusal would create the potential for a 3-3 split on the court, and in that event, the lower court’s ruling in Lobato vs. Colorado would stand.

Denver District Judge Sheila Rappaport ruled this month that the state’s school-funding system is not “thorough and uniform” as required in the state constitution, saying K-12 schools are “severely underfunded.” Her ruling put the onus on lawmakers to remedy the problem, though legislators aren’t lifting a finger until appeals have settled the matter.

The appeal could take months or longer to play out, and a final resolution of the case could be years in the future.

The Lobato case was filed in 2005, and the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that the case could proceed to trial, rejecting arguments by the state that the issue was a “non-justiciable” issue left to lawmakers, not the courts. But the court has changed since then, with the appointment of two new justices.

One of those was Marquez, appointed by former Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, in 2010. A former Democrat who in 2010 changed her voter registration to unaffiliated, Marquez was a deputy attorney general who worked on the state’s defense in the Lobato case.

“We are quite certain she will recuse, given her role working on the case prior to becoming a justice,” said Mike Saccone, spokesman for Attorney General John Suthers, a Republican.

Jon Sarche, spokesman for the Colorado Supreme Court, said Marquez had made no decision in the matter, pointing out appeals had not even been filed yet with the court.

“At this point, considering the fact there is no case before the court, Justice Marquez is declining to comment on whether she’ll recuse,” Sarche said.

If Marquez recused herself, that would leave a court composed of three registered Democrats and three registered Republicans, though a justice’s party affiliation as well as the governor who appointed him or her are not necessarily good predictors of how he or she will rule.

For example, Justice Nancy Rice, a Democrat appointed by former Gov. Roy Romer, also a Democrat, sided with Republicans in the 2009 dissent against allowing the Lobato case to proceed to trial.

“There is no national standard from which this court could adopt a definition of ‘thorough,’ and more importantly, the varying definitions other states ascribe to the term illustrate no consensus on what ‘thorough’ means,” Rice wrote in the dissent. “As such, any definition we might construe would necessarily constitute a policy determination.

“And, of course, once courts begin to make policy, it is difficult to stop.”

But the case has passed over the legal threshold of whether courts can weigh in on school funding, and the issue now is whether the state’s level of funding is constitutional.

The biggest mystery on the court may be what newly minted Justice Brian Boatright will do. Boatright is a former Jefferson County district judge who, while distinguished in family law, has no real track record on constitutional issues.

Though a Republican, Boatright was appointed by Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat.

The Lobato case could have multibillion-dollar implications for the state budget.

The lawsuit’s plaintiffs, which include school districts and students across the state, sought no specific sum of money but have pointed to studies suggesting Colorado schools are underfunded by as much as $4 billion a year and have up to $17 billion in construction needs.

Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 orthoover@denverpost.com

Read more:Predictions difficult on Lobato education-funding case in Colorado Supreme Court – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/legislature/ci_19636218#ixzz1i2nGJR00
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Adams County Trumpeteers monthly meeting

NSRF Administrator — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:58:50 +0000

Republican Trumpeteers of Adams County Meeting

Saturday, January 7, 2012

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

At a new venue

The Outback Steakhouse

497 East 120^th Avenue, Thornton, Colorado 80241

(2 blocks east of I-25)

$10 per person payable at the door

Reservations Are Required by January 2, 2012

Email Laura Nokes Lang at LNL@Q.com to confirm your attendance

Failure to attend without 24-hour prior cancellation will result in your being billed for lunch.

Our January Speaker is Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler

A Message from Mitt Romney….

NSRF Administrator — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:14:33 +0000

MITT ROMNEY WANTS YOU TO BE PART OF HIS

COLORADO WINNING TEAM FOR PRESIDENT

For several months national and early primary state polls show Governor Romney the clear choice of mainstream Republicans for the 2012 Republican Presidential candidate. Governor Romney:

Is the most electable of all Republican candidates because he can win the majority of unaffiliated voters, the group of voters who will decide the winner of the general election.
Consistently demonstrates a superior understanding of how to create jobs and expand the economy.
Has a 59-point jobs plan to grow the economy and create jobs which stands in stark contrast with the Obama Administration failed policies.
Looks and acts the most presidential of all Republican candidates.
Is endorsed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and numerous Colorado GOP leaders, including Senator Hank Brown, Governor Bill Owens, Senator Wayne Allard, Attorney General John Suthers, Congressman Bob Beauprez, Secretary of State Scott Gessler and State Treasurer Walker Stapleton. [A list of Additional endorsements is attached.]

The National Review, a leading conservative magazine, concluded ROMNEY’S NUMBER ONE. [Read the full review at: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/284700/romney-s-one-ramesh-ponnuru ]

Adams County Republicans agree the number one priority is to defeat President Obama in the 2012 general election.

The Obama campaign team and the Democratic Party fear Governor Romney more than any other Republican candidate and have developed a campaign strategy to “kill” Governor Romney in the general election.
President Obama’s campaign plans to raise a $1 billion campaign war chest to defeat Governor Romney.
This week the Democratic National Committee released its first negative TV ads against Governor Romney.

Adams County Republicans support Governor Romney.

75% of the 4,000 Republicans that attended the 2008 precinct caucus voted for Governor Romney to be the Republican Presidential candidate out of a large field of great candidates that included Governor Huckabee, Senator Thompson, Senator McCain, Mayor Giuliani, and others.

Colorado may be the most important of the seven swing states that will decide the 2012 Presidential election. Already, President Obama has made three campaign stops in Colorado in recent months.

If Governor Romney wins Colorado he will win the Presidency.
Adams County needs to turnout a large Romney vote in the general election to ensure Colorado goes into the Romney column.

Governor Romney needs your help to win Colorado. He needs you to recruit Romney supporters to attend the February 7, 2012 precinct caucus to:

Decisively win the straw poll.
Elect Romney delegates to the county, state and the Republican National Convention.

Upon winning the Republican nomination for President Governor Romney needs you to be part of his general election Victory team to win Colorado on the way to Victory on November 6, 2012.

The Adams County Republicans for Romney for President requests you:

Sign up as your precinct captain for the Adams County Romney Campaign Team.
As a Team precinct captain you will be the Romney Campaign representative at your precinct caucus and the precinct contact person for general election campaign activities.

The Romney Colorado Team is chaired by Jack Stansbery, former Colorado Republican State Party Director. The Adams County Romney Team is chaired by Clark Bolser, former Adams County Republican Party Chairman and chair for numerous past candidate campaigns. If you have questions, please contact Clark at clarkbolser@msn.com or 303-220-1420. Click here to volunteer for the Mitt Romney campaign.

Colorado Democrats shoot down rule to inform parents of school employees’ arrest

NSRF Administrator — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:45:21 +0000

By Sara Burnett
The Denver Post
Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday shot down a State Board of Education rule requiring school districts to notify parents when a district employee is arrested or charged with certain crimes.

The party-line vote by the legislature’s Committee on Legal Services means the rule — which was opposed by the Colorado Education Association and the Colorado Association of School Boards — will effectively expire May 15.

Lawmakers said the state board did not have the authority to issue the rule, which gives school districts 24 hours to alert parents after learning that an employee has been arrested or charged with any felony or some misdemeanors. Those charges include misdemeanor sex assault, child abuse or driving under the influence if the employee’s job includes transporting children.

State Board of Education president Bob Schaffer, a Republican, said the vote was “clearly a political stand.” He expects the state board will try to get legislation passed during the legislative session that starts next month to make the rule state law. “The board is going to be inclined to pursue some action to prevent parents from being stuffed back into the darkness when it comes to parental notification about the safety of their children,” he said.

Schaffer told the committee the board passed the rule in April in an effort to provider greater transparency when a school employee is accused of a crime. Previously, some school districts alerted parents, while others did not, he said.

The state board also believes the rule helps encourage young people who may have been victims of a crime to come forward.

Rep. Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, supported the measure.

“As a parent, I want to know,” he said.

But Democrats expressed concern that the rule was overly broad and vague, and that the issue of parental notification does not fall within the realm of issues over which the board has statewide authority.

“It’s a dangerous slippery slope,” said Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder.

In June, the Colorado Education Association filed a lawsuit arguing that the board overstepped its authority and that the rule violates state laws protecting school district employees from false allegations — a concern that was also raised by some Democrats on Wednesday.

A Denver district judge is expected to rule on that case early next year.

Sara Burnett: 303-954-1661 or sburnett@denverpost.com

Read more: Colorado Democrats shoot down rule to inform parents of school employees’ arrest – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_19550469#ixzz1gcPZR9Fu

Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

Quarterbacking Our Country: Tebow Style

NSRF Administrator — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:56:04 +0000

COMMON SENSE

AP Photo/Julie Jacobson

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow (15) prays in the end zone before the start of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, in Denver. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Updated: December 13, 2011 | 10:21 a.m.

Last night, watching Denver quarterback Tim Tebow’s post-game press appearance and President Obama’s interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes, I was struck by the fact that one man is offering his team (and the country actually) the leadership they need while the other is trapped in traditional discourse and scoring political points.

Tebow is not even close to the most physically talented quarterback in the NFL (and he probably isn’t even the most physically talented quarterback on his own team), but he has taken a team sitting in the cellar and lifted it up to playoff contention.

Do I buy into some intervention by God because Tebow is a man of incredible religious faith? No. I do believe there is a divine presence in every one of us and in every thing, and the power of that presence remains a mystery of the ages. It can’t be proven or disproven by an intellectual conversation or scientific method, but it is hard not to accept if you are a person of faith and connection to something outside our mere humanity. Yet that is not what this Denver rise and winning streak is about.

First, I would be very surprised if God is concerned about whether one NFL team is winning and whether one is losing. Even if God was concerned, I would hope he would have helped my hometown team — the Detroit Lions — who have had no success in the Super Bowl era.

Second, there are many players of faith on every team in the NFL, so I don’t think the Creator is picking and choosing which player or team or faith He likes more or less.

I do think this Tebow boomlet is about faith. And it’s about confidence. And leadership. And humility — a humbleness born of strength and conviction. It is about Tebow’s faith in his own teammates. It is about his faith and confidence in his own organization. It is about him acknowledging his own weaknesses and failings and mistakes and understanding that if his team looks good, then he looks good.

Obama, and so too the Republican candidates for president, can learn a lot from what is going on in the Mile High City. Our economy, and this country, are struggling with huge deficits of confidence and faith. We need a leader who can bring us together, exude confidence in us as a team, and lead us to where we need to go in the 21^st century. A leader who is willing to admit mistakes and approach politics not by pointing fingers or scoring points but by helping us all be better people.

Take a look at Obama’s latest interview. It does not make you feel better about where we are heading. You don’t feel like we are going to win under his leadership. He points fingers and refuses to admit his own mistakes or weaknesses. I often wonder where is the Barack Obama of the 2007 and 2008 campaign. That Obama was much more like the leader we need at this time. He offered hope, he had soaring rhetoric, he offered a change from the bitter politics in Washington, and he made us feel we could win.

Tebow is the kind of leader for his football team that our country needs at this crucial moment in history. Yes, the Denver Broncos streak will probably end, and the odds are a team like the Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl. But no matter the outcome, Tebow has shown what faith, and confidence and humility can do for a team of limited skills that was losing consistently before. This is exactly what President Franklin Roosevelt and President Reagan understood about leadership.

This economy, and our country, do not need more programs out of Washington, D.C., or legislation from Congress, or tax cuts for the wealthy, or more spending on government stimulus. What citizens and businesses need is a leader who can raise us all up to a level we didn’t know we had in us, give us confidence in ourselves, give us a common goal to work toward, and make us believe in and have faith in ourselves again.

It seems this is a leadership lesson we keep having to learn over and over again through our country’s history. It is so easy to forget how successes were achieved along the way by Kennedy-style exhortations such as “we are going to the moon.” It is so easy to default into failing Washington-style, us-against-them, to try and get short-term political success.

But maybe a quarterback who seems as much boy as man can show us all, including the candidates for president, how to win and how to get our country back on track. And how to have a little fun along the way. Now that is a leader I would enthusiastically go in the huddle with.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/columns/common-sense/quarterbacking-our-country-tebow-style-20111212

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GOP’S Road To Victory? Be Like Tebow!

NSRF Administrator — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:48:13 +0000

By Dave Diepenbrock

Sunday’s win on the road. Wow! Two factors made it happen for the Broncos. First, defense keeps Tebow in the game until he delivers the win. Colorado’s Republicans couldn’t count on defense in 2006 or 2010. We lost both governor’s races in a summer media onslaught, not on Election Day. (Fair disclosure: in those elections, both Republicans leading before the attacks are longstanding friends.)

Second, Tebow uses some “surprise” tactics, at least in the pro game. Gregg Easterbrook analyzed Tebow’s use of “high school tactics” like stop-and-go, out-and-up plays, zone read and running out. What they add up to is playing in ways pro teams don’t. And surprise tactics work, in football and politics.

In politics, before TV took over, neighbors talked to neighbors. Without that, as ever more women joined the full time workforce, voter participation dropped. The United States Election Project has a chart showing voter participation dropping from 1960 to about 1980; thereafter voting generally lingered below 55% of the vote-eligible population until recent years.

Turnout campaigns require intensive efforts. First, you do voter ID calls to identify your supporters; then you make repeat contacts, if you can, with ‘favorable’ voters to get them to the polls. Colorado’s Republicans appear to do well with the ID part. They contacted 2.4 million voters in 2008 and 2010. If there’s room for improvement, it’s in getting our supporters to the polls, even those who are not registered Republicans. Republican blogger/activist Joshua Sharf believed that in 2010 Democrats did a better job of turnout with Independents who leaned their way – even as Republicans turned out 107,000 more Republicans than Democrats (h/t Press Office, Secretary of State). He credits that crucial effort to union manpower.

And certainly, in 2008 at least, Democrats had an enthusiasm advantage that made enlisting volunteers easy. Those field offices studied by DU’s Seth Masket were packed with people whose efforts, he reports, made a difference. But with Obama outspending McCain 2:1 and Democrats 20% more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans, maybe naked voodoo rites would have done as well.

We did better in 2010. We kinda closed the cash gap. For Colorado’s US Senate race in 2010, non-candidate committees spent $33 million, with $15M backing Buck – pretty even. Buck’s campaign itself, however, fell far behind Bennet’s $11.5M, raising just $5M. That’s an $8.5 million shortfall, combining the two sources of campaign cash…but the total dollars are astonishing for our small state.

Setting money aside, what’s missing? What’s our tactic to change things? And how do we maximize its impact? Find out in my next column.

http://www.coloradopeakpolitics.com/diary/849/dave-diepenbrock-gops-road-to-victory-be-like-tebow