Apparently, Disney can Star Wars. 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).
► The GOP-controlled Congress has done something they have frequently failed to accomplish in the Obama years, that is, their job:
Congress on Friday approved a $1.1 trillion spending bill with a pair of overwhelming bipartisan votes, capping a frenzied final few weeks of legislating before lawmakers head home for the holidays and gear up for the 2016 election year.
The House moved first, passing the government funding bill on a 316-113 vote. The Senate followed suit just a few hours later, clearing the legislation —which also included a $680 billion tax package that the House cleared on Thursday — on a 65-33 tally…
Democrats and especially progressives were upset the measure ends a decades-long ban on oil exports and fails to address Puerto Rico’s fiscal problems. In a letter to her colleagues on Friday morning, Pelosi once again repeated that Ryan had vowed to “take action” on Puerto Rico-related legislation by the end of March 2016.
Among the “no” votes in the House was Rep. Jared Polis of Boulder, who posted his list of objections to the bill on social media:
In the few hours I’ve had to review it, I’ve already found huge amounts of special interest corporate welfare, wasteful spending programs, and privacy abuses in this monstrosity. If I could amend it, I would. But Republican leaders are prohibiting amendments and demanding a straight yes-or-no vote. I am doing my best and will be reading it all night, but I don’t like many of the things I’ve already discovered. In addition to this ridiculous process of dumping a $1.1 trillion spending bill and $700 billion corporate tax cut on our desks and demanding we vote on it without modifying it or having the time to read it, here are the top ten reasons I’ve found so far that I’ll be voting No, even though it’s likely it will become law over my objections.
► In the Republican presidential primary, frontrunning candidate Donald Trump is receiving praise from…well, either an unlikely or entirely unsurprising source depending on your point of view:
Donald Trump has said that he would “get along very well” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The feeling is apparently mutual.
Putin offered high praise for the billionaire businessman-turned-Republican presidential front-runner on Thursday during an annual news conference with reporters.
“He is a bright and talented person without any doubt,” Putin said, adding that Trump is “an outstanding and talented personality.”
Get even more smarter after the jump…
► Boulder County is coming out in support of the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, placing themselves on the side of Gov. John Hickenlooper and against “rogue” Attorney General Cynthia Coffman:
Boulder County is joining a coalition of local governments seeking to side with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in defending against a lawsuit challenging its ability to restrict coal-fired plants’ carbon emissions.
Commissioners Elise Jones and Cindy Domenico voted Thursday to authorize the county attorney’s office to join as a friend of the court, in supporting the EPA in a multistate lawsuit led by West Virginia that contests the agency’s authority to impose its Clean Power Plan.
► Business interests with GOP sway are getting in line behind a small TABOR-forced change to the status of the stat’s hospital provider fee revenue, lest that money force cuts elsewhere. It’s a small technical thing with big consequences if it doesn’t pass–just the way Doug Bruce likes it.
► After lots and lots and lots of hand-wringing, some called for and some politically motivated, Colorado health insurance exchange officials are reporting high demand and improved customer experiences for insurance buys. (Translation: Obamacare is working)
► Surprise! Local governments reaping the benefits of marijuana legalization are pleased that the Obama administration is backing them up.
► In northwest Colorado, local officials are pushing for the federal government to complete its review of the Trapper coal mine. A similar review of the Colowyo Mine was completed this year after significant political sturm and drang.
Meanwhile, controversial drilling in a residential area near Battlement Mesa was approved by the right-wing Garfield County Board of Commissioners:
The decision carried a lot of heartache and a lot of angst, both of which are likely to continue, Commissioner John Martin said just before the first vote.
Nonetheless, they’re gonna drill next to your house folks.
► Apparently they are overrun with concealed weapons permit requests in El Paso County. Let’s hope those trigger-happy well intentioned citizens don’t add to any future body counts.
► The clown car that is increasingly the Colorado U.S. Senate primary may need to become a clown bus–and yes we get that a lot of clowns can fit in a clown car.
Get More Smarter by liking Colorado Pols on Facebook!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
BY: DavidThi808
IN: Wednesday Open Thread
BY: DavidThi808
IN: Wednesday Open Thread
BY: JohnInDenver
IN: Wednesday Open Thread
BY: Chickenheed
IN: Wednesday Open Thread
BY: spaceman2021
IN: Wednesday Open Thread
BY: 2Jung2Die
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: joe_burly
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: harrydoby
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: Pam Bennett
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
BY: JohnInDenver
IN: Tuesday Open Thread
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay in the loop with regular updates!
Jared, I started reading the 2009 page monster yesterday. Some of the changes are stupid (Republican trait), other parts are like the CEO of a company telling the mail room what to do and they cannot talk to the other departments unless the Chief Information Officer blesses you.
But, it is a Republican budget and crap is expected.