Rossputin.com Rational Thinking About Our World

re "State fiscal process needs major overhaul"
Denver Post editorial, 1/28/07
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_5107036

To the Editor:

While a “conversation” might be appropriate to deal with Colorado’s maze of budgetary Constitutional requirements, the recent political success of the Democrats and their union masters makes a productive conversation exceptionally unlikely.

During the campaign, new State Treasurer Cary Kennedy refused to say that she would support any changes to the incredibly poorly thought-out Amendment 23 which put our budget on a collision course with reality after a recession. But then, Kennedy wrote Amendment 23, effectively buying the union votes to elect her over a much more qualified opponent.

Our Democrat-controlled State House was willing pass a truly horrible bill to let unions easily extract dues from non-members as a condition of employment, and we have a governor similarly beholden to union interests (we’ll see if he signs that bill.) Given the huge power of the teachers’ union over the Democratic Party, any “conversation” about TABOR, Amendment 23, and Gallagher is likely to have Democrats attacking TABOR and refusing any meaningful compromise on 23.

Starting any discussion about these issues is pointless until Democrat leaders summon the backbone to take a position that is best for Colorado even if it risks cutting the financial strings which the unions have used to make them dance.