September 22, 2015 10:40 AM UTC

Get More Smarter on Tuesday (Sept. 22)

• 3 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

After today, there are just 100 days remaining in 2015; somebody had better hurry up with those damn hover boards. 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…

► Congratulations, Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Aurora). Your spokesperson might have provided the most absurd attempt at spin that we’ve seen all year, and that’s really saying something. Cinamon Watson, take a bow (or a curtsy, or whatever):

“Using Planned Parenthood’s expression of support is not the same thing as saying it’s a good organization.”

► Oooh, super scary TV commercials! The Republican-aligned group Advancing Colorado is out with a new TV ad criticizing Sen. Michael Bennet over his position on President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. Or, perhaps, this is all a Skynet conspiracy. You had better unplug your toaster before it goes rogue.

► Shutdown Countdown: Colorado’s two U.S. Senators are working on a plan that they hope will help avert the second federal government shutdown in three years. From Mark Matthews of the Denver Post:

With a possible federal shutdownjust days away, Colorado’s two U.S. senators are pleading with their colleagues to support a proposal that would force lawmakers to stay near Capitol Hill until the government re-opens — or else face the possibility of arrest…

…The idea is to prevent senators from skipping town and to compel them to work on a solution. If that’s not enough, the Bennet-Gardner resolution also ensures the upper chamber has the power to seek the arrest of senators who miss the once-an-hour quorum call.

In those scenarios, delinquent senators would be brought to the floor and not to jail. The sergeant at arms would have the power to seek the help of other law enforcement agencies to find any missing senator.

Look, we know that the intent is not really to put Senators in jail, but maybe we should, It’s not like the Republican-led Congress would be any less productive.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker exited the Republican race for President on Monday with his poll numbers hovering around one-half of one percent. Who will be the next Republican candidate to abandon Presidential ambitions in 2016? Click here to cast your vote.

► Scott Walker isn’t the only person who won’t be attending the Oct. 28 GOP Presidential debate in Boulder, Colorado. The Republican Party is capping the audience size at 1,000 despite the fact that the debate will be held in the 11,000-seat Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus.

► Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler, who is considering a bid for U.S. Senate in 2016, won’t talk policy with reporters — but he will talk freely on right-wing radio.

► Senator Udall is planning legislation in the wake of the Gold King Mine spill in Silverton in August. No, not that Udall. As the Associated Press reports:

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall is expected to announce legislation aimed at compensating communities affected by the torrent of toxic wastewater from a Colorado mine that fouled two Southwestern rivers.

The New Mexico Democrat scheduled a conference call Tuesday to discuss his plans. His office says the legislation would require water quality monitoring of the Animas and San Juan rivers.

► Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-Denver) plans to introduce federal legislation that would protect Colorado’s legalized marijuana laws from being nixed by the next President of the United States.

► Greeley Congressman Ken Buck is a big supporter of trying to end the oil export ban in the U.S. So much for the idea of self-dependence where energy is concerned — oil companies need more money, man

► Oil and gas production in Colorado has been slowing down of late, a trend that may trigger  an automatic increase in transportation funding in Colorado. Ed Sealover of the Denver Business Journal tries to explain another TABOR quirk.

► The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that the “negative factor” gimmick that allowed the state to cut education funding despite Amendment 23 is constitutional. Public school supporters are generally displeased, while budget bean-counters stand relieved.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► Everybody agrees that you should vote to let the state keep weed tax money, though the fact that you have to do so yet again is kind of silly.

ICYMI

► A new study says Colorado Hispanics are more politically active than their counterparts in other states. Tom Tancredo hopes that’s mistaken.

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