Government Efficiency

Minary: Common principles of Conservatism and why they matter in Colorado

Approved, Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories / / , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The majority of Coloradans have become disengaged and disillusioned with Party politics and rhetoric, for good reasons. Both major parties, R and D, have lost their way. So, the largest bloc of voters in CO is now “Unaffiliated.”

In political discussions, we often use ‘labels’ to describe ourselves and others. These labels include terms like Republican, Democrat, Moderate, Right, Left, Liberal and Conservative. Unfortunately, if you ask 10 people to define exactly what their own political label means, only one can do it with any clarity. That leads very quickly to stereotyping, misunderstandings and disagreement. Rather than listening, we talk over, rather than with, each other.

Minary: Common principles of Conservatism and why they matter in Colorado Read More »

Cole: Bureaucracy is crushing the people SSDI was meant to help

Commentary, Approved, National, Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories / / , ,

When my mom applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the ‘90s, it was a grueling multi-year ordeal that left her feeling invisible. She was sick, unable to work, and the wait for help stretched across years, each one heavier than the last. 

Now, a loved one who applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in August 2024 is still waiting for an initial decision, caught in the same slow grind. The SSDI system, meant to be a lifeline, feels like a treadmill you can’t step off—exhausting, endless, and indifferent to the people it’s supposed to lift up.

Cole: Bureaucracy is crushing the people SSDI was meant to help Read More »

Treta: Denver’s broken permitting system is driving up housing costs—and it’s time to fix it

Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories / / , , , , ,

I’ve been designing and building homes in Denver for 28 years. I pulled my first permit in 1997—for a small room addition on a house. It took one day. One.

That kind of efficiency used to be the norm. Permitting was straightforward, business-friendly, and a basic example of how local government should work. But over the past two decades, I’ve watched the city’s permit approval process become increasingly bloated, inefficient, and damaging—not just to builders like me, but to every Denverite who rents or buys a home.

Treta: Denver’s broken permitting system is driving up housing costs—and it’s time to fix it Read More »