U.S. Senate
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(D) J. Hickenlooper*
(R) Somebody
80%
20%
Governor
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(D) Joe Neguse
(D) Phil Weiser
(D) Jena Griswold
60%
60%
40%↓
Att. General
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(D) M. Dougherty
(D) Alexis King
(D) Brian Mason
40%
40%
30%
Sec. of State
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(D) George Stern
(D) A. Gonzalez
(R) Sheri Davis
40%
40%
30%
State Treasurer
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(D) Brianna Titone
(R) Kevin Grantham
(D) Jerry DiTullio
60%
30%
20%
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
(R) Somebody
90%
2%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(R) Jeff Hurd*
(D) Somebody
80%
40%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert*
(D) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Jeff Crank*
(D) Somebody
80%
20%
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) B. Pettersen*
(R) Somebody
90%
10%
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(R) Gabe Evans*
(D) Yadira Caraveo
(D) Joe Salazar
50%
40%
40%
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
October 05, 2013 04:04 PM UTC
11 Comments
There is nothing cheap about coal. And there is an irony in the region's claim they are "fiercely independent". When you need the loan forgiveness of the American taxpayer to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and the circumvention of the financial and judicial process to build a plant that you tout to your members as "cheap", perhaps its time to step back from the Kool-Aid and ask ones self the hard questions.
seen the tip of the iceberg of "what's possible". It's time to end the faux media campaign, the
Ding dong, the plant is dead!
Thanks for this thoughtful post, Michael. Our state and nation need more people in political leadership who profoundly understand our energy, natural resource, environmental and economic challenges, as you clearly do.
Given the opportunity, I would most assuredly cast a ballot for Michael…unless, of course, he was running against me…
Me too.
Thanks Duke and BC – perhaps someday. In the meantime, let's buy some popcorn and get ready for the "Orville Redenbacher Classic", formerly known as the Quiznos Pro Challenge and officially known as the 2014 Republican primary. I'm waiting with anxious anticipation for the first Brophy commercial where he's on a mountain incline, crouched on his cabon fibre racing bike, speeding by Tom T. – who is frantically peddling his electric-assist bike made in a sweat shop somewhere beyond our borders, near exhaustion. And they aren't even half-way up the hill. That will become a metaphor or how the Colorado economy would differ under the two administrations. But the commercial will leave everyone wondering this.
Yesterday's Pueblo Chieftain ran an Associated Press article on rural energy. It was a nice, often-neglected glimpse into the pioneers in rural America who are embracing a new energy future. The article focuses on the spirit of a 70-year old farmer who has installed solar panels on his Illinois farm – to the chagrin of his wife.
The future for the continued support of ag-related energy programs through USDA looks dim: the House majority is playing hand-maiden to the fossil-fuel interests on Capitol Hill that own the hallowed halls. This, an industry that has been the beneficiariy to the tune of $630 billion in subsidies to date. This, an industry that enjoys the ONLY permanent, energy tax credits in the US tax code.
A 2011 Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that 74% of Americans support “eliminating tax credits for the oil and gas industries”. According to a recent Gallup Poll, nearly the same percentages of Americans support further expansion of the wind and solar industries. Yet, the corporate dollars choking Capitol Hill deliver us a much different outcome to an anxious John Q. Public.
Without a hint of irony, the "American Energy Alliance", founded by Thomas Pyle, former Koch lobbyist and staffer to Congressman Tom Delay Thomas Pyle, made this statement through their spokesman regarding the continuation of wind and solar tax credits:
"The last thing we need is the federal government injecting itself into the system.”
So, there you go. The Koch Brothers, who have gathered billions in taxpayer subsides and have funded the majority of the suicide caucus in the House, have decided there should be no more subsidies for wind and solar development. Because, you know, the government "shouldn't be involved".
In today's Washington, the climate is hostile for any program without stout political backing and with opposition from other interests. Unfortunately, for the citizens of eastern Colorado's CD4 we have the worst of both worlds: our Congressman seems to care not a whit about the USDA program that supports rural energy – and he is one of the largest political benefactors of Koch, Inc.'s largess.
It should come as no surprise that the House version of the Farm Bill limits the program to $45 million and designates it as "discretionary". Which is Washington-speak" these days for "not going to happen".
Ikea (UK) sells solar panels now.
Just sayin.
Republican Icon Barry Goldwater, Jr. has joined "team solar":
Great diary! There is hope that sanity will prevail, and smart energy choices are being made.
Thank you for this good news.
Tri-State has expended tens-of-millions of rate-payer dollars into this now fatally-flawed project – so they aren't going down easy. They were banking on a favorable decision; the Kanas high court was one of their last hopes for a plausible path forward. They're still attempting to "undo" the May decision by the US District Court of Appeals via the House-passed amendment to the pending Farm Bill. The Senate conferees [which include Senator Bennet] are aware they will have to address the amendment in conference. So "technically" it isn't "dead" – just like "technically" there are "300 years of domestic coal" reserves for the taking. As the economics and geology of coal mining are driving an end to the "coal era", the economics and changing nature of the nation's coal-fired power sector would lead any prudent executive tasked with fiduciary duty to his/her members to conclude the Holcomb fiasco "is over".
Again, if it weren't for Tri-State committing their balance sheet and purchasing power of its Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico ratepayers, this project would have never have seen the light of day in the first place.
Great diary! I know a few folk in KS however that see this as the feds harming KS. After all the company is called Sunflower so many think it is to allow affordable elec for rural KSans
Why is it that a "Red State American" can always find a way to make this about the very federal government that subsidizes their everyday everyday lives? I've really had to restrain my tongue this week as I'm watching the pontificating of Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-1) regarding "government spending out of control" and his support of the shutdown. These folks have absolutely no boudaries around their hypocrisy. His district has received $9.06 billion in farm subsidies over the past decade.
Not surprisingly, it's Huelskamp who is the ring leader on the amendment to the Farm Bill that's attempting to effectively nullify due process as mandated as by the US Federal Court decision in May. (Holcomb is in his district). So, add up the billions in federal subsidies his district receives (and btw, just 10% of all farms in his district took 67% of the $9 billion) – and the fact they have to be granted loan forgiveness on existing federal loans to even make the Holcomb financial model plausible – all one can really do is laugh. And then cry. And then summarily dismiss anything that falls out of his mouth.