September 17, 2015 11:11 AM UTC

Get More Smarter on Thursday (Sept. 17)

• 3 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Happy Citizenship Day! Or, Happy Constitution Day! You choose. It’s time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example).

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► The second major debate among Republican Presidential candidates concluded last night on CNN, and political pundits say former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Florina appears to be the big winner. Colorado Pols covered the first hour of the debate before succumbing to the temptation to stop listening to the nonsense. As Politico reports, we weren’t alone in the thought that CNN produced an absolutely horrendous 3-hour debate:

By the third hour of CNN’s GOP presidential debate, the candidates looked like long-distance runners fading in the final lap: A sweating Marco Rubio ran his hands through his hair, Chris Christie’s face turned red, a sagging Donald Trump grasped his lectern for support and, at times, seemed to crumple into his suit.

By the time moderator Jake Tapper asked each of the 11 participants to pick a Secret Service code name, a question meant to provoke bright responses but that fell flat, the combatants were out of gas and operatives were getting restless for the post-debate spin room.

The second GOP debate was, in the nearly unanimous opinion of the campaigns, both too long and too loosely governed.

To that criticism, we would add that the CNN debate was indeed fairly absurd. Moderators were obsessed with trying to get the 11 candidates to attack each other, to the detriment of asking questions that might have some meaning to someone watching. The entire debate quickly devolved into a contest of who could shout the loudest and interrupt others. By the end of the first hour, candidates were falling over themselves trying to yell something about Planned Parenthood selling baby parts.

Dear CNN, if you’re not going to provide any structure to the debate, for the love of sanity, don’t make it three hours long.

► The U.S. Senate is taking its turn discussing the Gold King Mine spill in Silverton last month. As Mark Matthews reports for the Denver Post:

The morning hearing opened with Colorado’s two senators, Democrat Michael Bennet and Republican Cory Gardner, putting their weight behind what’s been dubbed ” Good Samaritan” legislation that would make it easier for outside groups to clean up polluted mines — many of which have been left vacant for decades.

Supporters of the idea are concerned these groups could be held liable for the cleanup and its aftermath, and the main thrust of the Good Samaritan approach is to shield them from legal harm…

…Other Democrats at the hearing, including Bennet, voiced support for another idea: amending an 1872 mining law and forcing mining companies to pay new royalties for work they do on public land.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is still running for the Democratic Presidential nomination, and he’s going to be in Colorado to talk about legal marijuana.

Elsewhere, marijuana came up during Wednesday’s Republican Presidential debate, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie repeating his promise to end legal marijuana use in Colorado if elected President. Also, Jeb! Bush admitted that he smoked weed 40 years ago.

Since we’re still on the subject, Wednesday’s tax-free marijuana day in Colorado turned out to be a big hit (pun intended).

► Governor John Hickenlooper announced plans to spend some $100 million over the next four years to make Colorado “the best state for biking.” Not everyone is thrilled with the idea, however, including state Sen. Randy Baumgardner and his mustache. 

► Retired Durango teacher Barbara McLachlan will try to win back a State House seat formerly held by her husband, Democrat Mike McLachlan. Republican Rep. J. Paul Brown is the incumbent in HD-59.

► The Jefferson County recall election has the green light from the Secretary of State’s office to be held on Nov. 3. Recall questions will appear on Jeffco ballots alongside other local races and ballot questions.

► Residents in one rural Adams County area are not happy about 20 potential oil and gas wells operating in their community. As the Denver Post reports:

Residents of Wadley Farms in unincorporated Adams County, as well hundreds of people living in surrounding Thornton neighborhoods, peppered Synergy Resources Corp.’s chief operating officer, Craig Rasmuson, with questions  about the effects of energy extraction on water and air quality, and quality of life.

Synergy’s proposed site in a field surrounded by homes between York and Franklin streets, just north of East 136th Avenue, would rank as one of the largest residential drilling operations in the state.

Several hundred people, including three state lawmakers who represent the area, packed the auditorium at Rocky Top Middle School Wednesday to make their voices heard. The line to the microphone topped 20 people much of the evening…

…Christine Nyholm, who lives on Franklin Street, said she is meeting with the head of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission later this week to discuss the controversial proposal. The agency is tasked with issuing permits for oil and gas wells in Colorado.

“It’s getting closer and closer to densely populated areas,” she said. [Pols emphasis]

 

► The Colorado Springs City Council has decided to delay a vote on a controversial “sit-lie” proposal aimed at making homeless people uncomfortable. The City Council will wait until Nov. 24th to cast formal votes on the ordinance.

► Sorry, Highway 36, but there will be more tolls for thee. As Cathy Proctor reports for the Denver Business Journal:

With the first few months of tolling on a section of U.S. 36 under their belts, state officials are gearing up for Phase 2 — initiating tolls between 88th Avenue and Table Mesa Drive in Boulder as well as possibly charging special rates to handle traffic during special events.

On July 22, toll collections began on the inside lane of the newly expanded U.S. 36 highway between Federal Boulevard and 88th Avenue. Phase 2, an extension of the project from 88th Avenue to Table Mesa Drive that includes rebuilding the road and expanding it with a new toll lane, is expected to open in early 2016.

► Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger is resigning from office in order to accept a position with the federal government.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► Famous rich person Donald Trump says that vaccines cause autism. Famous neurosurgeon Ben Carson refused to refute Trump’s claims despite a softball question in last night’s GOP debate.

► Donald Trump spent his first Republican Presidential debate as the acknowledged frontrunner in the race, and that pole position didn’t fit The Donald very well.

ICYMI

► New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has endorsed Donald Trump for President. 

► Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has a career record of 13-1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Broncos play at Kansas City tonight.

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