Colorado tax plan getting Republicans heat:-

[Judi Lynn]

Colorado tax plan getting Republicans heat:-
DENVER | August 14, 2005 6:11:37 PM IST


It's Republicans versus Republicans in a debate over government spending in Colorado, The New York Times reports.

Two-term Governor Bill Owens is spearheading a ballot measure that would temporarily suspend a cap on state spending in order to stave off a fiscal crisis.Owens said unless the state can spend an extra $3.7 billion, he'll move to repeal the cap altogether.

Proponents of the Taxpayers' Bill of Rights, passed in 1992, say Owens is stabbing the limited government movement in the back.

The Wall Street Journal has criticized him on its editorial page.

A former Texas congressman and House majority leader, Dick Armey, has visited Denver to stop the proposal and super-lobbyist Grover Norquist has called Owens a cheerleader for the other side.
(snip/...)

http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=106799&cat=World

[gristy]

1. SPEND money to stave off a fiscal crisis?

I thought one had to cut spending to stave off a fiscal crisis. Guess I'll have to read the article. Or not...

[Cha]

2. LOL! If gover norquist calls owens

a cheerleader for the other side does that mean he's doing something right?

[tanyev]

6. We all know who to look for if they find

Gov. Owen drowned in a bathtub.

[Cha]

9. Ain't that the

God's honest truth!

[Soup Bean]

3. Hmmm..debate is now between two wings of the Republican Party

Democrats aren't even the other side anymore?

[Judi Lynn]

4. Coincidentally, Republican vs. Republican fighting's going on in Texas

From the Houston Chronicle:

Aug. 13, 2005, 9:07PM

Legislative long knives in daylight
By RICK CASEY
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

HAVE the Democrats become so irrelevant in Texas politics that the Republicans have only themselves to fight?
How else can we interpret Republican House Speaker Tom Craddick's use of campaign funds to air statewide a radio commercial criticizing the Republican-controlled Senate, and by implication, Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst?

This is a remarkable breakthrough. Historically, party infighting in Austin has been confined to, well, the parties in Austin.

I think it's a healthy development in open government. Traditionally an important part of the political process is hidden from the electorate. The long knives come out only at night.

But here we have the two most powerful men in state government (Gov. Rick Perry being relegated to a spectator's role in this show) duking it out with the whole state as their stage.
(snip/...)

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3308897
(Free registration required)

[MissMarple]

8. The Dems, the governor and a few moderate GOP crafted a compromise.

The wingnut anti-tax crusaders for corporate America are having a hissy fit. The loudest are state representatives and senators from good old Colorado Springs, except for our one lone Dem representative. The mayor and city council support the change.

The mayor also had a good explanation of why it is actually OK for the city to build and own a parking garage downtown. The small to no government folks are having fits of apoplexy and screaming about the magic of market forces. The mayor said there is no real profit in the parking garage and no one is stepping up to build more parking. But the downtown really needs it to keep growing and the city is going to expand on what we have. The city owns at least one other parking facility, a hospital , two golf courses and the city utility company. The pseudo libertarian never met a Republican it didn't just love, rag we have for a newspaper thinks the city should sell everything because private is always better. Riiight.

[tblue37]

5. Kansas is a 3-party state--

with moderate Republicans and fundy Republicans fighting for control of their party. We have a Democratic governor precisely because the moderate Republicans supported her against her RW fundie opponent.

[DBoon]

7. Nothing like a fierce battle

between anti-tax conservatives and reality.

Who do you think will win that one? Reality maybe?