When Colorado Dems attack, an LTTE:

[rockymountaindem]

From the Denver Post:

"Re: "Questions of credibility dog Holtzman," Sept. 18 news story.

Marc Holtzman's attempt to become governor has become despicable. He wasn't born here. He wasn't raised here. He has no family here. He has no ties to our community. What he has is a lot of money. He is using this money to try to defeat Referendums C and D, because he thinks that will give him a political boost among the ideological zealots in the Republican Party. These ballot measures are important to Colorado's welfare, but it doesn't matter to Holtzman. If harming the state he wants to govern will help him get the office, that is fine with him.

Given his limited time in Colorado, these anti-C and D ads Holtzman has purchased have the feel of a drive-by. It is a form of political looting.

I am a Democrat, but I don't bash people because they are in the other party. Gov. Bill Owens, state Sens. Steve Johnson and Norma Anderson and many others have shown political courage and taken a position that is best for the state in spite of the political backlash. But Holtzman is using the welfare of Colorado as a chip to be bargained away for the benefit of his political career, and the people of Colorado should punish him by forever confining him to private life.

Ken Gordon, Denver

The writer is majority leader of the Colorado Senate."

http://denverpost.com/letters

On edit:

Referendum C proposes loosening the TABOR (RW tax scheme passed in the '90s) restrictions on the state budget for 5 years to help the state recover from the 2001 recession. Ref D allows the state to take out loans for transportation projects, and is contingent on the passing of Ref. C. The state Dems. support both of them, along with Gov. Owens (who deftly painted himself into a corner on the whole issue) and some other promanent Republicans. The Republican party as a whole is divided, with a very vocal bunch of them opposing both referenda with the oh-so-kitchy line of "vote no, it's your dough".

[freethought]

1. What are referendums 'C' and "D'?

Curiosity aside, it will help me get a little more context to the letter.

[rockymountaindem]

2. Ok, I probably should have pointed that out...

I'll edit my post

[eeyore]

3. my parents are colorado republicans...

Both of my parents, both republicans, were ranting to me over the weekend about needing to pass Referendum C. Don't know where they stand on D, but they are really upset about what has happened with Colorado's budgeting. They are generally very fiscally conservative.

As an aside, my parents are also completely fed up with the Fundie influence in Colorado politics. They live in Ft. Collins, home to Marilyn Musgrave - she of the Defense of Marriage Act. My mom was totally ranting about how kids are no longer allowed to wear Halloween costumes to school because of the Fundies. My parents are life-long Catholics who have left the church over the past few years as well.

Strange times are afoot when my parents are siding with the Dems. I don't think they have ever voted Dem in any election at all. Methinks the pendulum has begun to swing back - just maybe!

-eeyore

[rockymountaindem]

4. See, that's the thing. It's not a Dem/Repub. issue. It's common sense.

The only people opposed to it are either Grover Norquist types, or people who think that getting $15 back this year (yes, $15) is more important than schools, universities, roads, and healthcare. It's quite maddening. But I have to admit, the opposition had some pretty catchy radio ads. The music was so cute that I hardly noticed the lies...

[janx]

5. They're going to have to do something about TABOR.

I lived in Colorado for 11 years (until very recently). The economy there is horrible.

Ken Gordon is great--he sends hilarious emails sometimes and seems to keep in touch with his constituents on a very regular basis. Thanks for posting.

[Democrats_win]

6. Ken Gordon is barking up the Right tree here.

I was wondering what gives Holtzman, a bureaucrat, qualifications to tell us how to vote. I didn't know he's only been in CO for a few years; I wish Ken G. had been more specific on how many years Dog has been in CO.

Democrats remember how Owens tried to appoint Dog as the president of Colorado State University (CSU) going over the heads of those who were legally in charge of that appointment. They did consider im as a candidate, but he wasn't appointed because he didn't have the academic background.

Recently Dog was/is some fancy-smantzy-title of the private University of Denver. Dog reeks of cronyism.

[ochazuke]

7. What are those transportation projects?

State DOTs across the country just love to destroy the environment with road-building projects. They talk about improved traffic flow by widening roads when almost always, the result is increased congestion, noise and more fatalities.

[rockymountaindem]

8. I don't know what they are item by item.

But judging from the past road projects we've had, most of them will probably take place in Colorado Springs and Denver. There is also the possibility that I-70 through the mountains will be widened, a project which everyone knows is necessary.

[ochazuke]

9. BEWARE

widening roads usually REDUCES capacity, the exact opposite of what the road-building lobby wants us all to believe. The reason is that more lanes means more lane changes. When cars change lanes, they force cars to the rear to slow down. This causes a chain reaction.

It's the great secret of road building, just as the great secret of dam building was that the resevoirs cause loss of water and damage rivers and wetlands, and of course flood more land permanently than is protected temporarily.

[rockymountaindem]

10. Then why don't we just have a bunch of one lane roads?

Your argument makes sense on one level, but I doubt that reducing I-5 through Los Angeles to two lanes would improve traffic flow.

[ochazuke]

11. Answer: The Road Lobby

Actually, places like Los Angeles prove my point. When you get on the freeway there, you have to traverse six lanes of traffic to make an exit or the interchange. Congestion around interchanges there is awful.

Here in Kansas City, the interstates were all two-lanes wide 30 years ago. There were no traffic jams and you could get anywhere in 20 minutes.

Now, the population is only a little more, we have four, six, seven lanes on our interstates, and the congestion and drivability are awful.

If cars were like electronic impulses in a data bus, width would help.