Posts Tagged ‘Ted Harvey’

Senator Ted Harvey

July 31, 2009

Anyone that regularly reads this blog is more then aware that I am no shill for the Republicans. However, until the Conservative Party of America actually gets up and running most politicians that I do support will most probably be Republicans. Colorado State Senator is one of those that I will support. What follows is his latest newsletter.

CONTINUING THE FIGHT…

It is with great excitement and urgency that I announce my candidacy for re-election to the Colorado State Senate.

As you know our country is in the midst of a major economic, political and moral crisis and I can not see myself sitting on the sidelines during this critical time in our nation’s history!

There is a revolution occurring…a revolution by the radical left to consolidate power and socialize major aspects of the private sector. Whether it is the auto industry, the financial industry, the health care or the energy industry, the Democrats are attempting to control the means of production in the most important areas of our economy.  They have already taken over major companies like GM and are attempting to control entire industries through draconian regulation like Cap and Trade or single payer health care.  They are power drunk with their majority status and are emboldened to push through their radical agenda.

World history has proven that socialism diminishes the value of each individual life for the sake of the whole; it robs the individual of the rewards of their labor, while enslaving them into a life of dependency on a Godless master called government. Knowing this, why would any rational person intentionally try to take our nation down this “road to serfdom?”

Indeed, this is the moral conflict of our time, and it demands that every conservative rise up and answer the call to action!

Even here in Colorado, the Governor and the Democrat majority tried to take $500 million in private sector premiums from Pinnacol, one of the state’s largest workers compensation assurance companies.

Thankfully, we have a seasoned group of conservative legislators that led the fight against many of the Democrat’s most radical schemes here in Colorado.  Whether it was against their efforts to take over Pinnacol Assurance Company, or their push to give in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, or their attempts to abolish Colorado’s Electoral College vote-our Republican legislature stood united to stop their efforts.


There is a light beginning to shine on the horizon…The brazen actions of the liberals have brought about a grassroots movement of common sense Americans across our great country.  Ordinary citizens are becoming actively involved in the political process for the first time in their lives! Whether it is through the TEA parties, the 9/12 groups, the Ron Paul activists or the anti-illegal immigration movement, Americans of all walks of life are starting to plug in.  Many who have taken for granted our precious freedoms are now beginning to realize what is at risk and how much we are about to lose.

We must unite these diverse groups to organize a political movement that will focus on taking back our state and our nation-a nation founded on the principles of free people and free markets-not copouts, handouts and bailouts.

Whatever happened to individual responsibility-when a bad investment meant you lost money…not where you looked to the taxpayers to bail you out?  I don’t know of any hard working, average American expecting or receiving a bailout from their fellow neighbors.  Why should we treat Wall Street any differently?

It is time we say enough is enough!

I am committed to taking the conservative fight to the State Senate once again, but I need the help of grassroots activists like you.

Over the last eight years I have helped lead the conservative movement here in Colorado.  I have fought hard to bring traditional, common sense values to the Colorado legislature.

During my tenure I have had the great privilege to sponsor and co-sponsor some of the State’s most important pieces of conservative legislation.

IMMIGRATION REFORM-I have led the fight on immigration reform since the first day I walked through the capitol doors.   In 2002, I was able to sponsor and see passed the law which denies drivers’ licenses to illegal aliens.  I also sponsored and passed the law eliminating sanctuary cities throughout our state.  I have led the fight to prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer subsidized in-state tuition.  My efforts earned me the “Legislator of the Year Award” in 2006 and 2008 from “CASA” the ColoradoAlliance for a Secure America.


PRO-LIFE-I was designated Legislator of the Year in 2003 by Colorado Right to Life with the passage of my bill requiring parental notification for minors seeking abortion–the first and only pro-life bill ever to pass in Colorado.  I also had the opportunity to introduce abortion survivor Gianna Jessen to the Colorado State House.  Until my last breath, I will always champion life from conception to natural death.

TAX LIMITATION-Over the years I’ve helped lead the fight to protect TABOR and stop new taxation during the greatest revenue shortfall in our state’s history.  In 2004, I was awarded “Taxpayer Guardian” by the ColoradoUnion of Taxpayers. I have never supported a tax increase in my tenure in the legislature.

SECOND AMENDMENT-Twice I have been named “Legislator of the Year” by RockyMountain Gun Owners.  I also have an “A” rating with the NRA and the Colorado State Shooting Association. And just this past year I was the Senate sponsor of the “Make My Day Better” bill.

EDUCATION REFORM-This year I sponsored the Public School Transparency Act which required all public schools to post their books online so that any interested taxpayer could review the district’s books and determine where their tax money was being spent.

These are only a few highlights of my eight years in the State Legislature, but now is the time to look forward to the next four years and what we can accomplish together.  I assure you I will continue to fight for lower taxes, to protect the unborn, to preserve family values, to defend our Constitution and our borders, and to create new jobs throughout all of Colorado.

We cannot allow the forces of the left to prevail in Colorado any longer. We must win back both the State House and Senate, and we must take back the Governor’s office.  The stakes are too high to lose.  I need your help!

Through re-election:

·  I can continue to help lead our conservative fight down at the State Capitol.
·  I can help elect other conservatives around the state to all levels of government.

·  I can help unite a conservative movement that has been silent for far too long.
·  Together we can return economic prosperity and sanity to our great state.

As you know I ran for Congress last year and subsequently I was unable to raise any funds for my Senate re-election campaign.  I actually have less than $500 in my Senate account.  Therefore, I am reaching out to friends and supporters like you to help raise the resources necessary to mount a bold and unapologetic conservative campaign.

Current state law limits contributions to no more than $400 per individual.   With these limitations and the tough economic times, it is going to take quite a number of small individual contributions to reach our goal of $50,000.  Please consider contributing today.  No matter how much you are able to give, every bit is essential, and gratefully received by our campaign.

To contribute online click here

Or, you may send a check to:
Committee to Elect Ted Harvey
P.O. Box 630438
Highlands Ranch, CO 80163

Thank you again for your friendship and support, together we can take this battle directly to the Democrats next November.

Sincerely,

Senator Ted Harvey (R)
30th District, Colorado

Please follow my twitter updates at
http://twitter.com/tedharvey

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Bill Ritter 180 sanity revisited?

July 3, 2009

What does it take to restore fiscal sanity when RINO’s and Democrats get a free hand with tax and spend policy? Colorado has over the past few years been somewhat protected by The Taxpayer Bill of Rights, more commonly known by the acronym TABOR. This past session of the legislature saw TABOR pretty much gutted. It also saw the advent of special interest legislation reaching new heights of recklessness. Not to even bother mentioning the use of “fees” to circumvent TABOR restrictions. Before leaving Colorado I briefly thought of using the initiative process to re-define the word taxation in that any charge by government at any level would be deemed a “tax.” That went nowhere. Now, the Colorado legislature, and the state of Colorado are also going nowhere. I have often had disagreements with Governor Bill Ritter about issues that span the entire realm of politics. Now, in a perfect example of broken clock economics the Governor like a broken clock that exhibits the correct time twice on a daily basis he get’s the correct answer.

Hat tip, and thanks to Senator Ted Harvey for this.

For Immediate Release                                         Contact: Ted Harvey
Ted@tedharvey.com

Bill Ritter 180


The day has come.  The numbers are in.  With only one week remaining in the 08/09 fiscal year, the Colorado budget is $250 million in the red.  Once again Governor Ritter and the Democrat legislative leadership misjudged the depth of our economic downturn.  Despite Republican warnings and objections during the last legislative session, the Democrats chose to approve the largest budget in state history.

At a time when small businesses were cutting budgets, reducing expenses, laying off staff or closing their doors altogether, the Democrat legislature grew the Colorado budget by 4% more than the previous year and hired 250 new employees.
While Colorado families were struggling through these tough economic times, the Democrats increased taxes and fees on all Coloradoans by $1 billion, raided the state’s trust funds and emergency reserves – and even tried unsuccessfully to seize $500 million in assets from the Pinnacol Assurance Company, Colorado’s largest provider of workers compensation insurance.  They also took advantage of their majority to remove the 6% spending cap that has controlled government growth for over three decades – a mechanism that has protected Colorado from the kind of out-of-control spending that has pushed states like California to the brink of bankruptcy.

Adding insult to injury, last month the Democrats handed out $30,000 in staff bonuses and spent nearly $4,000 in public funds on a “team-building” retreat.
The 2009 legislative session was a prime example of unchecked Democrat power on parade.

When actual revenues came in $250 million short of expectations, one would have expected Colorado taxpayers to receive an apology from the Governor and the Democrat leadership for their fiscal mismanagement.  Sadly, there were no apologies. Instead, taxpayers were treated to another serving of the Democrats’ brand of faith-based budgeting.

On the day the actual budget numbers came out, the Governor held a press conference explaining that the state would balance the $250 million shortfall by utilizing federal stimulus funding and pushing off payment of the state’s payroll from June 30 (the last day of 2008-2009 fiscal year), until July 1 (the first day of the new fiscal year).  Of course the only thing this did was add $250 million to the already anticipated $140 million shortfall for the new fiscal year-making the state $390 million in the hole from day one! This was simply Enron bookkeeping to avoid making the tough choices and leaving Colorado taxpayers to pick up the tab.
The Governor then rebuffed any media questions regarding an immediate special legislative session to balance our growing deficit.  He continued to insist that the problem could wait until the legislature reconvened in January.  Unfortunately, the Governor failed to admit that delaying for another six months until the start of the 2010 session would only magnify the impact any impending cuts would have on the state budget.

Sadly, the Democrat legislative response was no better.  The only suggestion from the Chairman of the Joint Budget Committee was to extend a property tax increase on senior citizens for another year, and remove tax credits from business owners.
The truth is, on the Day of Reckoning, when the actual budget numbers came out, our Colorado Democrat leadership revealed their true soul and proved once and for all that they were incapable of cutting even one government service or one state employee.

Predictably, the public was outraged.  The lack of Democrat leadership was undeniable.  Faced with an economic reality and voter rebellion, Governor Ritter quickly realized that it was time for government to tighten its belt.
On Thursday, only two days after his initial response, the Governor held another press conference…one that I have dubbed “Bill Ritter 180.”  Surprisingly, he announced what Republicans had been demanding for over two years, that he was directing each of his department heads to review their budgets and cut 10% across the board.  Hallelujah, the leader of our state finally showed leadership! And may God bless him for it. He may have just saved our great state from following California’s lead…straight off the cliff.
Indeed it has been our Republican legislators who have led the charge for fiscal sanity over the last 24 months while pushing for across-the-board cuts…but this week we must give credit to whom credit is due.  Bill Ritter has finally taken a stand and come out against many members of his own party.  Good for him and good for Colorado!
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For more information on Senator Ted Harvey please visit his website at www.tedharvey.com

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Posted in Economics, Editorial, Opinion, Education, Law, Local Politics Colorado, Men's Issues, News, Politics, Stupid is as Stupid Does, Wordpress Political Blogs | 1 Comment »