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Walcher: Who decides what’s a public road?
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Approved, Commentary, Greg Walcher, National

Walcher: Who decides what’s a public road?

By Greg Walcher | Guest Commentary, GregWalcher.com Several years ago, Utah filed a suit insisting that the federal government turn over to the state 12,000 roads that cross federal lands within Utah. Few officials noticed, as disputes over who controls public roads on federal lands are nothing new. But the federal judge hearing this case just sent shock waves through Washington with an 80-page ruling containing an analysis worthy of the highest court, refusing to dismiss the case, and excoriating the government for trying to thwart the clear intent of the law. It is at least the 10th time in recent memory that federal courts reigned in federal agencies asserting absolute authority over public roads across public lands. The case cannot be understood without historical context...
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Sloan: The conservative’s duty in a second Trump presidency
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Approved, Commentary, National, Rocky Mountain Voice

Sloan: The conservative’s duty in a second Trump presidency

By Kelly Sloan | Contributing Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice We are now a week past election day, and it is time for a bit of circumspection. Donald Trump won, convincingly, both the electoral college and the popular vote. He is due his victory lap, as are Republicans in general, after having endured months of being called every rotten thing in the book. And yes, there is, in that vein, some amusement to be had at the expense of those on the left who are –- to put it mildly -- not handling the results well. But schadenfreude is an emotion best indulged in small doses, lest it eventually corrupts the soul. The Democrats are forced to undergo a considerable degree of introspection as they travel their post-election "Via Dolorsa". But conservatives too, after the celebratory firewo...
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Lundberg: In ‘Griswoldgate’, it is time to prove we have the ‘gold standard’
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Lundberg: In ‘Griswoldgate’, it is time to prove we have the ‘gold standard’

By Kevin Lundberg | Guest Columnist, Rocky Mountain Voice When Tina Peters was accused of sharing Mesa County election equipment passwords, all of the machines were replaced and she got several years in prison. But, when the shoe is on the other foot and Secretary of State Griswold (SOS) is caught publicly exposing more than 600 complete BIOS passwords of election machines from all across Colorado and kept it a secret for several days right before the election, it becomes an honest mistake and no big deal. I say either pardon Tina or arrest Jena. Or, better yet, do both, for Jena is clearly guilty of withholding the facts from the public and Tina was just trying to get to the truth, so everyone could know those facts. But the fate of Jena Griswold is not the biggest issue. The ...
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Devotional: Refined through trials, the gift of suffering well
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

Devotional: Refined through trials, the gift of suffering well

By Drake Hunter | Devotional, Rocky Mountain Voice Suffering and flourishing may seem like opposites, yet they often walk hand-in-hand. Some of our deepest growth springs up from our darkest trials. Just look at Christian history: Jesus’ suffering wasn’t a detour, but a central part of His journey— and many of His earliest followers faced the ultimate cost for their faith. Their sacrifices remind us that we, too, share in Christ's suffering. When Jesus spoke of drinking of the same cup and being baptized similarly (Mark 10:39), He invited us to follow Him even through suffering, knowing that it has the power to transform us and resurrect us to a new life. So, when suffering hits, we shouldn't be caught off guard. Life inevitably comes with challenges that test us to our core. Stan...
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Krannawitter: The lessons those most in need of them should learn from election
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Approved, Commentary, National, Thomas Krannawitter

Krannawitter: The lessons those most in need of them should learn from election

By Dr. Thomas Krannawitter | Commentary, Thomas Krannawitter The 2024 presidential elections offer many important lessons for political scientists, campaign consultants, partisan activists disguised as journalists, comedians, or professors, and ordinary citizens. It seems many of the people most in need of those lessons refuse to learn them. I, however, am not one to give up easily. I will try to reframe some of the lessons from our recent history-altering elections in ways that might grab the attention of those who are currently staging protests and denouncing those whose votes they desperately want to attract. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THOMAS KRANNAWITTER Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the...
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Carr: Why risk-limiting audits are risky (software is auditing software)
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Carr: Why risk-limiting audits are risky (software is auditing software)

By Tasha Carr | Guest Commentary, Larimer League of Independent Voters As an election watcher, I have witnessed many risk-limiting audits (RLAs) in Larimer County. I was immediately struck by how inadequate they seemed because the most important audit step is hidden within the RLA tool and is not observable by the audit board or election watchers. After reading the so-called “gentle introduction” to RLAs, I quickly learned that my skepticism was justified. The problem is not with the RLAs per se, but that Colorado is not doing the RLAs correctly and as a result cannot guarantee that the election outcomes are correct. READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THE LARIMER LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENT VOTERS Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do n...
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Sturmon: In the next chapter, Trump’s return and the dream team driving change
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Approved, Commentary, National, The Conservateur

Sturmon: In the next chapter, Trump’s return and the dream team driving change

By Dawn Sturmon | Commentary, The Conservateur Is it just me, or has the air suddenly cleared, the sun started shining a little brighter, and everything around us feels less... frenzied? That’s how it feels knowing that Donald Trump will soon take the White House reins again. After years of chaos, broken promises, fake news, and empty rhetoric, there’s a refreshing return to clarity — plans that are firm and unapologetically ambitious. I imagine I’m not alone in this feeling. It’s a collective exhale — a sigh of relief as we prepare for a transformative new chapter in American politics. A New Team of Change-Makers Now, here’s the fun part. I’m not just excited about Trump’s return; it’s the team he’s bringing with him that’s lighting up the stage. This is a lineup of political ou...
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Cleveland: The lesson some leftists have learned from Trump’s win should terrify Americans
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Approved, Commentary, National, The Federalist

Cleveland: The lesson some leftists have learned from Trump’s win should terrify Americans

By Margot Cleveland | The Federalist Since Donald Trump’s landslide victory over Kamala Harris last Tuesday, the legacy press has been hosting a public inquest into her demise. Three competing theories soon dominated the discussions — only one of which accepted the reality that Americans rejected the far-left policies and candidate on the merits. While some Democrats and media outlets took this somber approach to the post-mortem, a second and more vocal segment of the press and Harris voting bloc instead declared that Trump’s election proves a majority of Americans are racist, sexist autocrats. The election of Barack Obama, Harris’ previous victories as a senator and a vice-presidential candidate, coupled with the increase in support Donald Trump garnered from minorities and women, q...
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Carr: Risk-limiting audits in Colorado have little chance of finding and fixing incorrect election outcomes
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Carr: Risk-limiting audits in Colorado have little chance of finding and fixing incorrect election outcomes

By Tasha Carr | Guest Commentary, Larimer League of Independent Voters Voters have the right to ensure that our votes are counted correctly. The Risk-limiting Audit (RLA) is the only method available for Colorado voters to be assured that wrong election outcomes are detected and fixed. Yet, the RLAs in Colorado have little chance of fixing any incorrect outcomes because the Secretary of State is violating key assumptions of the RLAs and not complying with best practices. Fundamental to RLAs is the statistical concept of a risk limit. In plain English, the risk limit is the risk (chance) of not discovering and fixing wrong election outcomes. To ensure our elections are valid, we want the chance of missing a wrong outcome to be very low. But the risk limit only applie...
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Verhoeff: On Veterans Day, we honor service and sacrifice, yet many Colorado schools remain open 
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Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

Verhoeff: On Veterans Day, we honor service and sacrifice, yet many Colorado schools remain open 

By Sean Verhoeff | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As we approach Veterans Day, a day dedicated to honoring the men and women who have selflessly served our nation, we are reminded of the sacrifices these individuals and their families have made. This federal holiday offers the nation an opportunity to reflect on the courage, commitment and resilience of our veterans, and to express gratitude for the freedoms we enjoy as a result of their service.  However, in Colorado, many public schools do not observe Veterans Day as a holiday, meaning students attend classes as usual, and families often miss the chance to celebrate together. For families with a legacy of military service, this lack of observance can feel like a missed opportunity to pass down stories, traditions an...
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