Not a Dime’s Worth of Difference.

This was originally published as my "Letter from the Chair" in the July edition of the Libertarian Party of Colorado newsletter.

The Democrats and Republicans are already gearing up for the statewide elections in 2010. The Libertarian Party of Colorado is recruiting candidates to give people an actual choice.

We know the Democrats favor state action and control over your wages, the economy, and your life. The only thing that differentiates them from the Republicans is that the Democrats are honest about it.

The Republicans occasionally give lip service to free markets and smaller government. Of course, when in power, the government grows just as fast under Republicans as it does under Democrats.

It was Republican George W. Bush that started the federal bailouts of failed private businesses. Republican presidential candidate John McCain supported the nationalization of failed banks. Closer to home, the last Republican governor, Bill Owens, appeared in commercials asking voters to kill TABOR, thereby unleashing state government to spend more and more of your money.

When it comes to lifestyle choices and privacy, the Democrats pretend to be in favor of the individual. The record, of course, shows the Democrats’ epic failure on these issues. Barack Obama has refused to support gay rights, including abolition of the absurd “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy.

Obama’s “drug czar” showed his massive ignorance on policy when he declared “marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit.”

Obama's administration, despite his pledges on the campaign trail, has argued in support of warrantless wiretapping and the PATRIOT Act.

As subscribers to this newsletter, you all know this. You understand that the only way to change the status quo is to reject the status quo. Unfortunately, too many others fail to make the connection between the massive growth of government at all levels and the accompanying loss of freedom we all suffer under the two-party duopoly.

It is important for us to point out these specific examples to those that cling to the status quo because they want “to win.” What is the point of “winning” when it means selling your soul?

I think it is clear that the message of freedom has just as much attraction to disgruntled Democrats as it does to disgruntled Republicans. We need to give them a choice at the ballot box. We need to provide all freedom lovers with a politcal home.

If you want to help spread the message of freedom on the campaign trail, let us know. Contact our Director of Campaigns, Norm Olsen, at campaigns@LPColorado.org.

Let freedom ring.

Hey There Obama (Drink the Kool Aid)

Down the rabbit hole (with our money)

Joe Biden, as quoted in the New York Times, discussing American aid to Georgia while in Georgia (the one in the former Soviet Union, not the southern state with Atlanta in it):

[Biden] noted the largess of Americans — “they said, ‘It’s O.K., take my money, raise my taxes’ ” — in pledging $1 billion in aid to Georgia after the war. Only five million people live in Georgia, making it one of the highest per capita recipients of American aid in the world.

“You should understand, America cares about you, cares about you personally,” Mr. Biden said. “We care about all of you, and we’re not going to leave you. It’s a hard journey, but we’re not going away.”

Did the single mother in Houston say this? Did the farmer in Iowa say this? Did the out of work auto worker in Flynt say this?

Who said this, Joe? I want names. Then I'll let these people know they can voluntarily send as much as they want to Georgia without the government taking a chunk out of the donation for document handling and undercoating.

Lewis Carroll would be ashamed of this nonsense.

Let's put these guys in charge of health care, too.

From today's Denver Post article, "Millions in Colo. phone subsidies doled out in error."

The monthly discount of up to $16.50 is supposed to cease when a recipient is off welfare. But that hasn't happened because the state Department of Human Services, which certifies to telecoms that someone is eligible for the subsidy, hasn't checked the names since at least 2005, according to state and federal records.

I have no doubt the government was going to get around to checking those names sooner or later. They are busy, you know.

A note from Natalie Menten

Thanks, Natalie. The Denver Post editorial to which she refers is "Clerks postcard politics a petty use of tax money."

Today's Denver Post editorial slammed the Park and Moffat County Clerks for offering customers a comment card for Gov. Ritter about the increased registration fees and late fees.

The Post stated it was a partisan ploy, as both Clerks are republicans, and an inappropriate use of taxpayer money.

I called both the County Clerks today and thanked them. I was surprised to find out I was the only one who had called to say thanks, both said I brightened their day.
(although many who have visited those offices have greatly appreciated the available comment card)

I asked both Clerks the cost of the comment cards. Both recycled old paper they had in their office, essentially homemade printed slips of paper. Debbi Green, Park County Clerk, has forwarded one batch of cards to Gov. Ritter at a cost of a couple dollars for postage. Elaine Sullivan, Moffat County Clerk, is still accumulating her batch to send as many as possible and reduce postage. Both County Clerks have been contacted by democrat County Clerks who want copies of the comment card to use at their own motor vehicle offices.

I'm providing you Debbi and Elaine's email & phone numbers, in case you'd like to thank them too. See, they never got asked by the legislature or Governor Ritter about the $100 late fees or the increased registrations. Matter of fact, none of us were asked if it was OK to bypass our constitutional Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. All these Clerks are doing is giving motor vehicle customers an appropriate direction to voice an opinion. Weld County has been giving customers this option too, but they didn't get blasted by the newspaper so I am not including that Clerk's info.

We have a statewide petition going to eliminate this illegal tax increase.
Please email me to get a petition and help the cause. We have until October to get our 120,000 signatures.

Debbi Green, Park County Clerk, 719-836-4222, pcclerk@parkco.us
Elaine Sullivan, Moffat County Clerk, 970-824-9104, esullivan@moffatcounty.net

Natalie Menten

Diana DeGette's response to my letter asking her to suport Auditing the Fed

From Diana DeGette, U.S. Rep, Colorado District 1:

Dear David:

Thank you for contacting me about the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009. I appreciate learning your views on this legislation.

The Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 was introduced by Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) on February 26, 2009. An identical bill was introduced in the Senate on March 16, 2009, by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). As you may know, this legislation removes all restrictions surrounding audits of the Federal Reserve and requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to perform an audit of the Federal Reserve before 2010. The Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology held a hearing entitled "Regulatory Restructuring: Balancing the Independence of the Federal Reserve in Monetary Policy with Systemic Risk Regulation" on July 9, 2009, and the issues raised in this bill were discussed during that time.

This bill raises important issues that should be examined very carefully. Any power resting within the Federal Reserve should be subject to appropriate checks and balances. If the historic independence of the Federal Reserve begins to change with continued involvement of Congress, and the Federal Reserve gains additional permanent authority, such as being the primary regulator of systemic risk, then the auditing of the Federal Reserve should be equal to the task. However, it is important to recognize that the Federal Reserve is already subject to considerable auditing with most of its activities already examined by the GAO resulting in numerous reports being provided to Congress last year. Because the powers, credibility, and independence of the Federal Reserve are the subject of considerable debate, and because Congress should act clearly and decisively on this issue, it is my belief that this and other significant global financial issues should be considered at the same time Congress drafts the comprehensive financial regulator reform legislation being considered this year.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me about providing additional transparency at the Federal Reserve. Please feel free to visit my website at www.degette.house.gov. There you can sign-up for my e-mail newsletter and stay up-to-date with other events in Congress.

Sincerely,

Diana DeGette
Member of Congress

Let's put these people in charge of health care, too.

“Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.” - Lewis Carroll

In the Denver Post article “Governor gave no-bid deal to former partners,” we find a Lewis Carroll-worthy absurdity from our state government:

Ritter has also used the federal funds to hire five employees for a total of $349,000 to help Don Elliman oversee stimulus money. Elliman, with the new title of chief operating officer, makes $146,034 a year.

State workers are facing furlough days and are amid freezes in hiring and pay, but Myung Oak Kim, spokeswoman for the governor's economic recovery group, said the hires don't violate the spirit or the letter of that policy. Federal taxpayers — not state taxpayers — are signing their checks.

That clears that up. As long as it is federal taxpayers paying for the state’s excess, everything is good. But if state taxpayers pay for the state’s excess, then that is bad.

For that to even begin to make sense, state taxpayers and federal taxpayers would have to be completely different people. Unfortunately for our state intellectuals, they are not. Unbeknownst to the governor's office, Colorado residents also pay federal taxes.

“Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. “ -Lewis Carroll.