Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Fiscal Accountability

They built the budget bomb: Now Colorado Democrats say President Trump lit the fuse
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Commentary, State, Top Stories

They built the budget bomb: Now Colorado Democrats say President Trump lit the fuse

By Rocky Mountain Voice Editorial Board They built the budget bomb. Now they say Trump lit the fuse. Colorado Democrats want you to believe they’re victims of the Big Bad Federal Budget Bill. That the state’s $1.2 billion shortfall just... happened. Like a pothole after a snowstorm. Nothing to do with how they’ve governed. Governor Polis says, "The Trump Administration is withholding needed funds from our classrooms," and Senate President James Coleman warns, "There’s no avoiding the fact that these cuts will hurt Colorado families." Convenient. But here’s the part they don’t mention: Colorado’s fee-based revenue—the stealth tax that doesn’t require a vote—blew through the roof to $25.8 billion last year.  That’s right. More than half of the entire state budget now come...
Rand Paul introduces bill to audit the Federal Reserve after $2.5B renovation uproar
Washington Examiner, Approved, National

Rand Paul introduces bill to audit the Federal Reserve after $2.5B renovation uproar

By Washington Examiner Staff | Washington Examiner Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced legislation on Thursday calling for an audit of the Federal Reserve. The senator’s proposal comes after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has faced scrutiny for the $2.5 billion in renovations he authorized for two federal buildings in Washington, D.C. Paul’s bill, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, would require a complete audit of all of the Federal Reserve’s operational activities and mandate an enhancement of its decision-making through increased congressional oversight. The Comptroller General of the United States would complete the audit and include an inspection of “the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and of Federal Reserve banks,” acco...
Girdusky: Want real change, Elon? This strategy would do more than the America Party ever could
Substack, Approved, National

Girdusky: Want real change, Elon? This strategy would do more than the America Party ever could

By Ryan James Girdusky | Commentary, National Populist Newsletter Why the America Party is Not Going to Work Elon Musk believes he is on a rendezvous with destiny, that he and he alone is wealthy and independent enough to lead America into a future free from the overwhelming debt facing the country’s future. So, he’s starting this America Party, hoping to flip enough seats in the House and Senate to mandate Congress get serious about spending. That’s a bit of a fool’s errand. First, there comes a question of ballot access. Can candidates even make it on the ballot in November? Getting on the ballot in many parts of the country is extremely difficult, despite being in existence for decades; neither the Green nor the Libertarian Party had ballot access in all 50 states last N...
$29M in errors, 30% staff vacancy: Audit uncovers years Colorado prison system budget mismanagement
CBS Colorado, State

$29M in errors, 30% staff vacancy: Audit uncovers years Colorado prison system budget mismanagement

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado An audit of the Colorado Department of Corrections has uncovered "erroneous information and incorrect calculations" over four years of budget requests reviewed. An independent third party conducted the audit that resulted in nearly three dozen recommended changes. CDOC Executive Director Moses "Andre" Stancil told the state's Joint Budget Committee he agrees with the recommendations in the 101-page report that found CDOC's approach to budgeting is unlike any other prison system in the country, and not in a good way. "Everything has been such a fluid mess over the years," said budget writer and Republican state Rep. Rick Taggert of Grand Junction. The audit found CDOC's budget requests have had "inaccurate, incomplete, and inco...
“Thank you, President Trump”: Musk exits DOGE, $175B saved—says mission will endure
Approved, Daily Wire, National

“Thank you, President Trump”: Musk exits DOGE, $175B saved—says mission will endure

By Hank Berrien | Daily Wire “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government”  On Wednesday night, Elon Musk made it clear that the reason he was leaving his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project was due to a rule limiting special government employees to 130 days of service rather than any rumored feud with President Donald Trump. This week, Musk publicly criticized the tax and spending package championed by Trump, saying, “I was disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.” Musk’s departure from government work coincides with his recent remarks indicating he would focus m...
Walcher: Want to fix Congress? Break the budget process first
Approved, Commentary, GregWalcher.com, National

Walcher: Want to fix Congress? Break the budget process first

By Greg Walcher | Commentary, GregWalcher.com A popular blogger called Taylor Cone gave some great advice for budding inventors, discussing the process of prototyping: build it, then break it, then fix it. That’s a strategy Congress ought to try. The House Appropriations Committee, Congress’s most powerful panel, has 63 members, only 8 of whom have ever voted to do what the law requires of them, namely, to pass 12 appropriation bills to fund government agencies and programs. In fact, Congress has passed the required bills on time only 4 times in the last 40 years, the last time 26 years ago. Only 25 of the 435 House members and 8 of the 100 Senators were even in Congress then, all of them now in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. They may not even remember how it was supposed to work. The b...