Not One More

The proposed National Strike has morphed into 1100 demonstrations to protest the illegal war in Iraq and the death of 2000 US soldiers and over 30,000 Iraqis, to be held at a location near you. Click on title above to find one.

National Strike for Peace

Some are calling for a National Strike on the day after the death toll of American Soldiers in Iraq hits 2,000. The current tally is 1,996. We will probably reach 2,000 on Monday or Tuesday of this week. Are you ready? 1. Stay home from work. Call in and tell them you are out on a National Strike for Peace. 2. Stay home from school. Ditto. 3. Take to the streets. Carry a large sign. "National Strike for Peace." 4. Be disruptive - be creative. A stalled car can stop thousands. 5. Talk to your neighbors about stopping American global aggression. You probably have never seen a National Strike. I was in Peru once when a National Strike was called. All of the workers and students stayed home. They took over the streets. They dragged burning tires into the streets to stop the cars. They threw stones at commercial vehicles trying to drive on the streets. I am not giving any advice as to what you might do. Be peaceful - no violence. Use your imagination. This war must stop - now. "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it,..."

From the Blue Book

Arguments Against 1) Referendum C is effectively a tax increase. It eliminates TABOR refunds for five years and reduces them each year thereafter. The state will spend roughly $3.743 billion that could be better used by Colorado's citizens and businesses. This reduction in private spending could dampen the economic recovery that began in 2003, making the state a less desirable place for business relocation. Not only are taxpayers giving up their sales tax refund, they are also voting to suspend 15 other refunds, such as a child care credit, lower motor vehicle fees, and capital gains credits. The estimated five-year total for all refund methods, including the sales tax refund, averages $1,106 per taxpayer. 2) Referendum C allows state spending to expand without being specific about the programs for which the money will be spent. The broad spending categories outlined in Referendum C cover 83 percent of state government. The new money could replace current spending on health care and public schools, essentially allowing the money to be spent for any purpose. The legislature can change the spending priorities anytime after the election. In addition, suspending the TABOR limit might lead to increases in fees and charges during the next five years because there is no limit on these increases and no requirement that these increases be approved by voters. 3) The perceived budget shortfall could be handled in other ways. TABOR allows government growth at inflation plus population, but it does not guarantee it. Government growth at a slower rate is acceptable and could encourage greater productivity and efficiency. Since TABOR passed in 1992, state spending has increased each year. Rather than spending more, the state could save money by eliminating inefficiencies, consolidating government functions, privatizing certain services, and reforming the state purchasing system.

Greedy Guts

It sure is hard to figure out the truth when you listen to all of the TV ads telling you that Colorado will crumble unless we give the government more of our money and vote yes on C and D. But I found a site that will give you every last detail of the whole debate (click on title). Ari Armstrong of The Colorado Freedom Report has all of the numbers and analysis you could want. I quote the final paragraph: "State government is expected to continue to grow every year into the future no matter what. Under Referendum C, state government would grow much more. If the growth of state spending is restrained under current rules, taxpayers will get back significant TABOR-related refunds -- a total of $3.6 billion over five years. Under Referendum C, taxpayers wouldn't get back any TABOR-related refunds over the next five years, but the legislature would be able to spend even more money."