Rocky Mountain Voice

Commentary

Caldara: Taxpayers subsidize Progressive war on affordable energy
Approved, Commentary, completecolorado.com, State

Caldara: Taxpayers subsidize Progressive war on affordable energy

By Jon Caldara | Complete Colorado “350 Colorado” is an anti-fossil fuels organization which lobbies to end the state’s oil and gas industry. They organize anti-energy zealots to march, protest and pressure lawmakers. Proud of their role in civil disobedience during Colorado Oil and Gas Commission hearings, they take credit for helping pass the “strictest anti-fracking regulations in the state.” Blah, blah, blah. One tiny little thing here: you are coerced through your taxes to fund their lobbying to make your energy bills skyrocket. In gambling there is a term, “playing with the house’s money.” In politics it’s “playing with your opponents’ money.” Your tax money is used to influence policy that hurts your own interests. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT COMPLETE COLORADO Edi...
Ganahl: Remembering our friend, inspiration and Rocky Mountain Voice champion Buz Koelbel
Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: Remembering our friend, inspiration and Rocky Mountain Voice champion Buz Koelbel

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Buz Koelbel was a force of nature — a builder of legacies, a man of unwavering principles and a guiding light for all who had the privilege of knowing him. As one of the founders of Rocky Mountain Voice, Buz's vision extended beyond brick-and-mortar buildings. He understood that the heart of any community is not just in its physical structures, but in the stories it tells, the voices it elevates and the principles it upholds. To many of us at Rocky Mountain Voice, Buz wasn’t just one of our founders — he was a mentor, a cheerleader and a friend. Buz, along with his amazing wife Sherri, and I met when I joined the University of Colorado-Boulder business school board more than a decade ago. He LOVED his Buffs!  His involve...
Ochsner: No on Arapahoe County 1A; keep taxpayer protections in place
Approved, Commentary, completecolorado.com, Local

Ochsner: No on Arapahoe County 1A; keep taxpayer protections in place

By Brian Ochsner | Commentary, Complete Colorado As an Arapahoe County resident, I’ll  be voting no on Ballot Issue 1A, a measure to permanently remove taxpayer protections in place under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR. Let me explain. TABOR is a constitutional amendment that, among other things, limits the growth of local government spending to a reasonable annual rate based on inflation and local economic growth. Overcollected revenue must be returned to taxpayers unless voters give permission to exceed those limits. Issue 1A would allow the county government to keep and spend revenue that would otherwise be refunded in perpetuity.  County officials wont say it, but that amounts to a tax hike. It’s how big government advocates try to spin the abili...
Sloan: What are the next steps for Iran?
Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice

Sloan: What are the next steps for Iran?

By Kelly Sloan | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The headline in last Friday’s Wall Street Journal was more poignant than probably the editors realized at deadline: “U.S. Sway Slips As Israel Looks To Strike Iran.” That rather understated assessment serves as a metaphor, not only for the Biden administration’s policy in the region, but it’s foreign policy in general.  The hulking monster in the background of all the strife in the Middle East is Iran, upon which any discussions of pressing strategic concern land. They land most squarely on the topic of Iran having nuclear weapons. Were Iran to get the bomb, the whole landscape of strategic relationships changes, and not only in the Middle East. Obviously, a nuclear-armed Iran is an existential threat to Israel, and it would also...
Gray: Kamala melts down after brief run-in with journalism on 60 Minutes
Approved, Commentary, National, The Spectator

Gray: Kamala melts down after brief run-in with journalism on 60 Minutes

By Freddy Gray, commentary | The Spectator Somebody give Bill Whitaker a prize. In his 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, which aired last night, the CBS correspondent did what no other journalist has successfully done since the vice president was thrust to the top of the Democratic ticket: journalism. He asked Harris challenging questions about the matters voters care about most. He was civil, unaggressive, but professional enough to push her for clear answers. And Harris just couldn’t cope. Her performance was Prince Andrew-like in its awfulness.  On immigration, for instance, Whitaker asked Harris why the Biden-Harris administration had only recently started tackling the issue, after almost four years and an unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings...
Grabar: Kamala Harris is poised to revive the worst aspects of FDR’s socialist agenda
Approved, Commentary, National, The Federalist

Grabar: Kamala Harris is poised to revive the worst aspects of FDR’s socialist agenda

By Mary Grabar | The Federalist At the Economic Club of Pittsburgh, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris recently said she would “engage in what Franklin Roosevelt called ‘bold, persistent experimentation,’” as he had told the 1932 graduating class at Oglethorpe University. But she did not mention FDR’s vision of “remaking the world,” which included fundamentally changing “our popular economic thought” to see to “a wiser, more equitable distribution of the national income.” Instead, she said she would seek “practical solutions” and even declared, “I am a capitalist.” She said she’s “been working with entrepreneurs and business owners” for her “whole career.” (No one has yet even been able to verify Harris’ job at McDonald’s.) She also professed her b...
Wallison: The case for an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities
Approved, Commentary, National

Wallison: The case for an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities

By Peter J Wallison | Commentary, peterjwallison.substack.com Most of the discussion about how Israel should respond to the latest Iranian missile attack fails to consider that Iran is not an ordinary aggressor country, driven by a desire to dominate its neighbors or its region. Instead, Iran is a “theocratic republic,” headed by a Shi’ite religious figure, appointed for life, who makes all important governmental decisions. As such, the country cannot be appeased by any Israeli effort to reach an accommodation; Iran’s hostility to the very existence of Israel is fundamental to its current system of government.   This is demonstrated by Iran’s continuing support of Hezbollah’s presence in Lebanon—a hostile army right on Israel’s border—with an estimated 100,000 missi...
Kalam: Denver’s double standard on immigration policy
Approved, Commentary, gazette.com, Local

Kalam: Denver’s double standard on immigration policy

By Ahnaf Kalam | Commentary, The Gazette Denver, with its progressive credentials, decided not long ago that it would be a sanctuary city — proudly throwing open its gates to the world’s downtrodden. The rhetoric was lofty: a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and justice for those who had the misfortune of being born on the wrong side of international borders. It was a stance seemingly forged in moral superiority, one that the city could proudly broadcast to other, less “enlightened” parts of the nation. However, in reality, the story has been quite different. Since the Biden administration took office, more than 20 million people have crossed the southern border — many illegally. Denver, like so many other sanctuary cities, quickly found itself woefully unprepared for the influx. ...
Billington & Koeppen: Hunting is an honored tradition that preserves heritage
Approved, Commentary, State, thefencepost.com

Billington & Koeppen: Hunting is an honored tradition that preserves heritage

By Carly Billington and Christine Koeppen | The Fence Post Throughout history, hunting has served as a vital part of our nation’s heritage and culture. It embodies the rural community and lifestyle, with many hunters describing a deep connection to the land and reverence for wildlife. Each year, sportsmen invest significant time immersing themselves in nature to understand wildlife behavior, and actively participate in ongoing conservation efforts. Now this time-honored way of life is being threatened in Colorado by Proposition 127 — a proposed ban on hunting mountain lions, bobcats or lynx. Colorado rancher and hunting activist Christine Koeppen is aiming to break stereotypes and raise awareness on the hunting and fur pelt ban being proposed on the ballots in November, and why it’s ...
Hillman: Poor roadway conditions make for undriveable Colorado
Approved, Commentary, gazette.com, State

Hillman: Poor roadway conditions make for undriveable Colorado

By Mark Hillman | The Gazette Colorado highways are among the worst in the nation. That’s hardly news to anyone who travels across our state. Only two states report a larger share of interstate highways in poorer condition than Colorado. Less-traveled highways in our state are even worse. In 2021, the Democrat-controlled Legislature passed a $5.4 billion package of new “fees” — including a yearly increase in fuel taxes and that irritating 29-cent charge Coloradans pay on every Amazon order — supposedly to boost the transportation budget. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE GAZETTE Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the const...