This is the ProgressNow Colorado main blog. Join the conversation by clicking on the "comment" link on any post. To post a blog entry of your own, click on the "Write a Post" tab at the top. To read all the great posts from our network members, click here. Need help? Contact info@progressnowcolorado.org.
Sometimes, people send out emails that they realize later they should not have, and when that happens there's a "recall" procedure in some email clients you can try. It usually doesn't work, in fact it often makes people more likely to open the email they don't want you to open.
I have to imagine that the mood at RNC headquarters was pretty grim after the BP "$20 billion shakedown/slush fund/etc." talking points the GOP handed out on Thursday morning turned into a disaster. I'll bet they hit the 'recall' button.
Unfortunately, says the Denver Post, Jane Norton's press aide didn't get the message!
A press aide to Republican Senate candidate Jane Norton said today that President Obama had forced BP to create a $20 billion “slush fund,” and that Obama is heading toward “autocracy.”
Coming on the heels of another Republican’s apology to the giant oil company, the remarks quickly drew a rebuke from Democrats and a distancing from the rest of Norton’s campaign.
At a Colorado Republican Business Coalition luncheon at Brooklyn’s restaurant, Aindriu Colgan introduced himself as a press aide to Jane Norton, and then said, “Apparently, in the past few weeks, America has turned into an autocracy rather than a democracy or a republic. The president thinks he can unilaterally decide that ‘Ok, we’re not allowed to have drilling in the Gulf anymore.’ He can force BP to put $20 billion in a slush fund. And he can do whatever he wants without congressional approval.”
The remarks were captured on tape by ProgressNow Colorado, a liberal watchdog group that frequently sends monitors to public forums to follow candidates. ProgressNow Colorado executive director Bobby Clark said the latest defense of BP shows Republicans in general are more interested in defending large corporations than in helping people hurt by BP’s massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill...
The full story: http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/06/18/norton-aide-says-obama-strong-armed-the-20-billion-bp-slush-fund-in-move-to-autocracy/
Here's the recording of Mr. Colgan's remarks, note how he introduces himself as a representative of Norton's campaign, and ends with a request to sign Norton's circulating clipboards:
You'd think what happened to Joe Barton after his "apology" was enough of a warning. It could be that Mr. Colgan gets a forwarded copy of RNC talking points, and they arrive a day or so late. Normally that's not a big deal, but this time it undeniably would have been a problem.
Or it just might be the case, we at ProgressNow would ask you to consider, that Republicans are more interested in defending large corporations than in helping people hurt by BP's oil spill.
The city of Colorado Springs is the adopted hometown of right-wing crusader Doug Bruce. Thanks in part to local ballot initiatives sponsored by Bruce, restrictions on the ability of the city to meet basic needs have seriously harmed Colorado Springs--and adversely impacted the quality of life of every resident. The area's chronic shortfalls for basic services like health inspectors, police and fire, and even streetlights have repeatedly made national news.
Now, we've learned that Bruce wants this reality for all of Colorado.
Last week, a judge found that Bruce has been deeply involved with three controversial initiatives proposed for this November's ballot (Colorado Springs Gazette, 6/11/2010). Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101 are some of the most radical and destructive changes ever proposed for our state. A product of simpleton "drown government in a bathtub" ideology, these initiatives would slash taxes and vehicle registration fees to unsustainable levels and make it virtually impossible for state and local government to finance new construction. They have been denounced as dangerous and irresponsible by virtually every local government and fiscal policy group in the state, as well as leaders from across the political spectrum.
Hypocritical demands by Penry ignore his own "sweetheart deal"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 3, 2010 CONTACT: Bobby Clark, Deputy Director at 303-905-8375
DENVER: Learning of statements made today by former gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry regarding the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization, demanded that Scott McInnis immediately disclose the terms offered to Penry to exit the GOP gubernatorial race.
"Physician, heal thyself," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "For Josh Penry, a former candidate for governor who left the race last fall under pressure from wealthy Republican donors, to throw around incendiary accusations of a 'deal' in the Democratic Senate primary--an accusation easily refuted by the facts--is the absolute height of hypocrisy."
According to the Denver Post today, Democratic Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff had applied for numerous positions in the Obama administration in 2009. Last September, the White House responded to those inquiries, but Romanoff and the White House both maintain that no job was ever offered or promised. (Denver Post, 6/3/2010)
On the other hand, ex-gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry was successfully pushed out of the gubernatorial race last November, an incident widely reported as the direct result of "pressure" by wealthy Republican donors. (Denver Post, 11/10/2009) This spring, it was reported on local political blogs--and widely rumored at the state Capitol--that Penry had been assured a high-level position in Scott McInnis' administration in exchange for withdrawing from the race. (ColoradoPols.com, 5/11/2010)
"How can Penry make accusations about the Senate race, where no candidate has been forced to withdraw on the Democratic side, when he was himself forced from the gubernatorial race? How can Penry assert charges of 'corruption,' after he reportedly bragged about the deal he received from Scott McInnis?"
"Josh Penry is making a hypocritical fool of himself, and it's time for him to come clean."
Unless you act now, our children will bear another burden of the economic crisis brought about by the failed policies of George W. Bush.
Our kids need your help. Thousands of Colorado teachers are facing layoffs, and students from all across the state could be forced into larger classes with less personal attention, fewer course choices and even cuts to instruction time.
Add your name to our petition asking Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet to stand up for Colorado's students, teachers and schools and support the Keep Our Educators Working Act. Senators Udall and Bennet have been true champions for public education. We need their proven leadership now more than ever.
The Keep Our Educators Working Act will provide desperately needed money to Colorado school districts, save or create over 3,300 jobs in Colorado and ensure our public schools, one of the most important factors in a sustained economic recovery, remain strong and able to provide a top-notch education for our kids.
Sign our petition today: Tell Udall and Bennet you support this bill.
Your voice can have a big impact in making sure our schools remain strong and our students have the best chance for academic success. Take two minutes and add your name in support of the Keep Our Educators Working Act - we'll make sure Senators Udall and Bennet hear loud and clear from you.
It only takes a moment to help keep Colorado's schools strong. Please sign on in support of the Keep Our Educators Working Act and we'll make sure Senators Udall and Bennet get your message about the importance of standing up for Colorado's students. Thanks!
With the 2010 Colorado legislative session coming to a close, here is a list of winners and losers among your Colorado State Representatives and Senators--who stood up to do right by their constituents and our state's future, versus those who devoted the session to pandering and disingenuous partisan politics. We are proud of the hard work done by our progressive majority this session, from renewable energy and clean air to improving health care. Please enjoy this brief summary of those you have to thank--and those you don't.
Progressives Celebrate Passage of Critical Predatory Lending Regulations After three years of fighting for reform, payday lending "loan sharks" must play fair
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, May 4, 2010 CONTACT: Bobby Clark, Executive Director at 303-905-8375
DENVER: Responding to news that Colorado House Bill 1351, a bill to regulate excessive interest rates and onerous terms of the payday lending industry, achieved final passage in the House today by a vote of 33-32, ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark offered the following statement:
"There are no words to adequately express the gratitude we, and progressives across Colorado, have for legislators who stood up to an onslaught of lobbyists for the payday lending industry and passed House Bill 1351," said Clark. "For a decade, predatory payday lenders have abused an exemption granted them in Colorado's usury laws and unfairly lured unsuspecting citizens into giving them tens of millions of dollars. Payday lenders brazenly offered 350% and higher interest rate loans on unemployment and Social Security checks, preying on taxpayers as well as Colorado's most economically vulnerable citizens."
"Each year, nearly 200,000 of our friends and neighbors in Colorado become trapped in a cycle of debt by payday lending products that pray on those most vulnerable in our community. The legislation just passed by the General Assembly is not perfect, but it is an important step toward providing far greater protection for our fellow Coloradans against these predatory lending practices. ProgressNow Colorado has fought for payday lending reform every time it has come before the legislature, and thousands of our members made phone calls and wrote letters in support of this legislation."
"Thanks to the patience and persistence of Rep. Mark Ferrandino, the bill's primary sponsor in the House, and the bridge-building efforts of key negotiators like Sen. Rollie Heath of Boulder, meaningful reform of predatory payday lending is now a reality. This bill will help break the cycle of debt and provide an alternative for consumers who need credit, keeping millions of dollars right here in Colorado's economy--dollars that otherwise would be siphoned off by predatory lenders. It's a huge win for progressives and consumers in Colorado."
As we slowly pull back from Colorado's most severe budget crisis in generations, we need to continue looking for solutions to protect the things that matter most--like our public schools and teachers this Teacher Appreciation Day.
In Colorado, we have a paradox with regard to education: home to a highly-educated workforce and some of the nation's premiere research and educational institutions, Colorado ranks near the very bottom of education funding. Our students are not getting the education they need to compete for good paying jobs because years of budget cuts have damaged our ability to compete. Worse, it has led to teachers losing their jobs, a blow to hard-working educators and their families across the state.
In just three states--California, New York and Illinois--60,000 K-12 teachers face layoffs. Job cuts of this magnitude threaten to stall Colorado’s economic recovery and damage our educational system by forcing larger class sizes, fewer elective courses and reduced services for all students.
When schools get cut, it’s more than just students, teachers and their families who suffer. The entire community pays a price, too. Businesses have long said they invest in communities with strong services, and that includes good schools. 21st century companies won’t invest in places where schools are crumbling and students, cramped into crowded classrooms, are denied a world-class education.
That’s why Colorado’s congressional delegation needs to put partisan politics aside and put our students and teachers first, by supporting S. 3206, the Keep Our Educators Working Act. This important bill will provide millions of dollars for Colorado, to ensure that teachers can stay on the job and students can get the world-class education our economy needs to compete.
Keep Our Educators Working will provide $23 billion to keep the successful State Fiscal Stabilization Fund under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) going for another year, providing continuing relief to state education budgets just now beginning to recover from the recession. Please--say thanks to your teacher this week by calling your Senators and congressional representatives, and urging support for the Keep Our Educators Working Act.
First the good news. Payday Lending Reform (HB 1351) has passed the Colorado House, and the Senate Finance Committee, and will come up for a vote in the full Senate as soon as today.
Now the bad news: the payday lending industry is pulling out all the stops to protect predatory lending in Colorado. From TV ads that you've probably seen this past week to high-powered lobbyists, they are fighting tooth and nail to kill this important legislation.
Everyone who supports this legislation needs to call our Colorado Senators and make sure they know that you support payday lending reform. It's now or never. The following Colorado Senators have not yet committed to a "yes" vote on payday lending reform. They are crucial to getting this legislation passed. Please call them right now, this morning, and let them know how important it is they support this legislation.
Sen. Rollie Heath - 303.866.4872 Sen. Mike Johnston - 303.866.4864 Sen. Linda Newell - 303.866.4846 Sen. Abel Tapia - 303.866.2581 Sen. Paula Sandoval - 303.866.4862 *late word is Sen Sandoval has committed to vote YES but could use calls in supporting this decision
When you call, please remember that these are honest Senators who are under, in some cases, the most intense pressure they've ever felt from corporate lobbyists. Please be respectful when you call, and remind them of these simple arguments in favor of House Bill 1351:
Payday loans are a bad product that harms people. A defective product should not be sold, even if it is "all people can afford.
Payday loans don't solve a financial emergency, they create a new financial emergency every two weeks over and above the original amount loaned.
Payday loans leave hundreds of thousands (estimated somewhere between 100,000--200,000 Coloradans) in debt they can't climb out of.
Payday lenders brazenly advertise that they make these abusive loans against unemployment, disability and even Social Security checks. That's millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded assistance being sucked up by the payday lending industry.
Responding to a controversy in Weld County this week over an Army officer "refusing to deploy" based on discredited questions about President Barack Obama's citizenship, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization, called on state Rep. Cory Gardner to firmly repudiate the officer's statements.
"What Lt. Col. Terry Lakin has asserted in the past week is an embarrassment to residents of the 4th Congressional District, and Colorado as a whole," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "These ridiculous conspiracy theories about President Obama's citizenship are beneath contempt, have been examined all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and discredited repeatedly."
The Colorado Independent reported Monday that state Rep. Cory Gardner's campaign "declined to comment" on the Lakin affair, after having made several confusing statements about President Obama's citizenship last August. After a congressional candidate forum in Ft. Collins where Gardner would only affirm that the "White House claims he is a citizen," Gardner's campaign manager said that the representative "finds it very curious that this could all be ended if he just released the long-form birth certificate and put it to bed."
This Friday, Gardner is holding a fundraisier at the Brown Palace in Denver featuring Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. Blackburn was profiled last summer by Salon.com in an article titled "The Birthers in Congress," and a co-sponsor of legislation in Congress meant to encourage "birther" conspiracy theories (Salon.com, 7/28/2009). Through a spokesperson, Rep. Blackburn claimed that 'constituents' were 'surprised' "candidates don't have to establish that they meet the constitutional requirements for the office."
"Cory Gardner has tried to have it both ways on this issue from the beginning," continued Clark. "When in front of 'Tea Party' and other far-right groups, he doesn't want to say outright that they are embracing racist nonsense, even though he knows that's what this is. Only when pressed by major news outlets like the Denver Post will he concede that Obama 'is a citizen.' Now, his vague pandering to extremist fiction is giving license to an Army officer to reject civilian authority. That's wrong, and we are calling on Gardner to speak out against this: as a state representative, a congressional candidate, and a patriotic American."
ProgressNow will conduct online outreach and advertising campaigns in the coming weeks, urging Coloradans to expect better from public officials, and to demand Gardner make a clear statement, one way or the other, on Col. Lakin's allegations.
Just hours after Congress passed health insurance reform, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers foolishly joined a partisan lawsuit to block it. He joined 11 other attorneys general, 10 of whom are Republicans, who are pledging to "take it to the Supreme Court" if necessary. The Denver Post says that Suthers' lawsuit is "without merit," and "looks politically motivated." (Denver Post, 3/24/2010)
Suthers is using our tax dollars to sue the federal government in an effort to block health care reforms that offer huge benefits to the people of our state. What's more, the overwhelming majority of legal experts say he is wasting money on a fool's errand. Who is he representing?
We know Suthers isn't representing the thousands of Colorado residents with pre-existing conditions who will be guaranteed coverage, or the small businesses who will receive tax credits and other assistance to help them afford coverage, or the hundreds of thousands who will receive improved Medicare benefits, or the rest of us--residents with health insurance who are now protected from arbitrary premium hikes and insurance cancellations if they get sick.
If you don't want Suthers to press this suit in your name, now is the time to speak out! We need Suthers to hear from thousands of people across the state: don't sacrifice Colorado's health for partisan politics. Please click on the link below to sign our petition.
http://progressnowcolorado.org/StopSuthers
This reform will benefit nearly every family in Colorado. A congressional analysis found that this bill will provide this year:
* Tax credits for small business to purchase health insurance for their employees.
* Children can no longer be denied insurance due to a pre-existing condition.
* An end to lifetime limits and most annual limits on benefits: the lives of Americans no longer have a cost/benefit ratio.
* A temporary high-risk insurance pool for Americans uninsured due to a pre-existing condition will be immediately established, and immediately begin saving lives.
* Individual policyholders can no longer be dropped by their insurer if they get sick.
* New health insurance plans must cover preventive care and immunizations without undue burdens on the insured.
* Immediate lowering of prescription drug costs for seniors, the much-maligned "donut hole" begins to close.
* Expanded coverage of dependent children through age 26.
* A new appeals process for claims that puts patients first.
* Real disclosure of how much of your premium dollar goes to "administrative costs" instead of health care.
And that's just the beginning. Despite these benefits for the people of Colorado, John Suthers is putting partisan politics above good policy by trying to maintain the status quo of our broken health care system. We need him to hear from thousands of people across the state: don't sacrifice Colorado's health for partisan politics, and don't waste taxpayer dollars on frivolous grandstands. As former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Jean Dubofsky wrote in a detailed memo this week (Colorado Independent 3/25/2010), Suthers' lawsuit is seriously deficient from a legal perspective, and experts around the nation agree the effort has almost no chance of success.
Help us make sure Suthers understands that he does not represent the people of Colorado if he continues to pursue this suit. Please click on the link below to sign our petition, and then forward it to your friends.
http://progressnowcolorado.org/StopSuthers
We'll share it with Suthers, the media, and other elected officials. Thanks for standing up to defend a victory we have all fought so hard for.
We have consistently and strongly advocated for a public option as a vital component of health reform legislation, and we continue to believe a public option would be the most effective near-term means of bringing down the skyrocketing costs of health care in the long term. Like everyone supportive of a robust public option, we were bitterly disappointed when it was not a part of legislation passed by the United States Senate.
But just a few weeks ago, most observers believed that health reform legislation was dead. It took tremendous political will to resuscitate health reform after the determined efforts of Republicans and their insurance industry benefactors to inject irrationality and hysteria the debate. This, added to the challenge of not having sixty votes needed for conventional passage of legislation in the Senate.
Incredibly, the House has passed, and President Obama has signed into law, the health reform package passed by the Senate last December. Though far from perfect and lacking important reforms such as optional public insurance, many key goals sought for decades by progressives are included, such as a ban on exclusion of coverage for preexisting conditions and subsidies for the poor to obtain health coverage. Over thirty million more Americans will have access to health coverage under this bill, and millions more will benefit from the peace of mind of knowing their coverage cannot be denied them when it is needed most.
The House has also passed an accompanying package of “fixes” to the Senate bill, removing some of the more egregious giveaways to recalcitrant moderates, and making other important adjustments. It is absolutely critical that this bill pass the Senate in the process known as “reconciliation.” Although we welcome workable opportunities to pass additional reforms, the fact is that any amendment to the bill passed by the House will send these fixes back for yet another round of debate and opportunity for obstruction.
We can’t risk any further delays. Failing to pass these fixes would be a travesty.
The public option for health insurance is not dead, and we believe that there will be additional opportunities to pass this needed reform into law soon. When they present themselves, we will rally our fellow Coloradans to action. What progressives need to be, in the meantime, is smart enough to understand the long and arduous process that got us here, and wise enough to know when to take the next step.
Are we really the most moral people walking on the face of the Earth?
Arizona on Thursday became the first state to eliminate its Children’s Health Insurance Program when Gov. Jan Brewer signed an austere budget that will leave nearly 47,000 low-income children without coverage....
...why is he so high on the list of Dems the GOP hates?
(Click on the little one to see the big legible one.)
See, somehow (by accident I SWEAR) I got onto the NRSC mailing list. Today I got this little beauty of a fundraising email, asking me "Which Democrat running for Senate in 2010 do you want to see defeated the most?"
And just look who is right up there on top!!
Now I'll bet my favorite dog the Romanoff campaign is NOT behind this. But it really makes you wonder why the GOP is so against our current Senator.
Payday lending reform is in jeopardy. We've identified three key swing legislators who need encouragement to do the right thing, right now: can you please take a moment to call them?
Rep. Sue Schafer - 303-866-5522
Rep. Nancy Todd - 303-866-2919
Rep. John Kefalas - 303-866-4569
Please be respectful when you call, and remind them of these simple arguments:
--Payday loans are a bad product that harms people. A defective product should not be sold, even if it is "all people can afford.
--Payday loans don't solve a financial emergency, they create a new financial emergency every two weeks over and above the original amount loaned.
--Payday loans leave hundreds of thousands (estimated somewhere between 100,000--200,000 Coloradans) in debt they can't climb out of.
--Payday lenders brazenly advertise that they make these abusive loans against unemployment, disability and even Social Security checks. That's millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded assistance being sucked up by the payday lending industry.
At a press conference on Monday, Armey acknowledged that Democrats "will most likely pass health care reform legislation that has been debated for the last year and is expected to come to a vote this week."
Once HCR is passed and signed into law by President Obama then the heavy lifting will really begin to pass the public option, defeat the Stupak/Nelson amendments, and work on single payer.
This is not the time to rest a la once Obama is elected then everything will be "sweetness and light" because as we have seen that policies that Bush implemented like extraordinary rendition and indefinite detentions have continued under the Obama administration.
For progressives and liberals- Never give up and never surrender!
I've been laid off from work twice in the past 40 years, and both times i applied for, and received unemployment insurance. There are certain requirements, i.e., make job contacts, and confirm during each two week period that you are eligible for those two weeks of pay.
I've discovered two bureaucratic hurdles that probably routinely deprive unemployed workers of funds which, by law, should rightfully be theirs.
As Coloradans of both parties gather this week in the first step toward selection of nominees for the state's highest offices, ProgressNow Colorado, the state's largest online progressive advocacy organization, launched a new website called PuppetJaneNorton.com and called on Coloradans of all political persuasions to hold former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton accountable.
"Jane Norton's longstanding ties to Washington D.C. lobbyists are a major problem in her campaign," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "Conservatives and progressives alike are wary of her connections to lobbyists for health insurance companies, defense contractors, and even foreign dictators. Whose interests would she truly represent in Washington?"
The new website, http://puppetjanenorton.com, features an animated "Puppet Jane" and links to information about certain campaign donors, longtime associates, and family members involved in lobbying on behalf of corporations and foreign governments. Included are well-known Washington D.C. insiders such as former chief of staff for disgraced Rep. Tom DeLay Susan B. Hirschmann, Benjamin Ginsberg, lawyer for the Bush 2000 Florida recount and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, and Charlie Black, Jane Norton's brother-in-law, and consultant for clients ranging from African dictators to mercenary contractor Blackwater.
Recently, conservatives in Norton's own party have questioned Norton's pervasive ties to lobbyists and other Washington D.C. insiders. Many grassroots conservatives complained that Norton was 'forced' on them by party insiders when her candidacy was announced last fall. (Colorado To The NRSC: Stay Away, PPC 8/28/2009).
"While we don't often agree with our conservative friends on the issues, we share growing concern that Jane Norton is the choice of Washington D.C. lobbyists and political insiders, not the people of Colorado," said Clark. "We call on the public to sign our petition at PuppetJaneNorton.com, asking Norton to reject the influence of lobbyist donors and family members, and put Colorado's best interests first."
Less than 48 hours into the effort, support is growing rapidly for ProgressNow Colorado's call to boycott online retail giant Amazon following its decision to terminate relationships with affiliates in the state.
The editorial board of the Aurora Sentinel writes in today's edition (click here to read) that "a clearly punitive act by online retailer Amazon not only invites retribution from Colorado consumers, it practically demands it...it's important for consumers to press back against Amazon for trying to bully their way into making more profit at your expense. Send Amazon an e-mail message telling them of your displeasure at their mean-spirited and politically motivated antics instead of an order, and take your wallet to an Aurora store instead."
"After only one email alert to our list, thousands of Coloradans have pledged to shop elsewhere until Amazon stops using their business partners as political pawns," said ProgressNow Colorado Executive Director Bobby Clark. "We've heard from individual citizens, angry ex-Amazon affiliates, elected officials, and local retailers, virtually all expressing their support."
Anne in Fort Collins writes in response to ProgressNow's call to boycott, "Amazon doesn't want to follow the law and wants to strong-arm Colorado into backing off...sorry, Amazon--I would rather support local businesses than do business with a company that employs unfair tactics to compete."
Tannis in Greeley replied, "I've been thinking I need to do a better job of supporting local businesses. Thanks to your decision to protect your unfair advantage, I will be shopping at stores which actually benefit my community."
Jim in Denver writes, "As a Denver retailer for the past 45 years, you bet I'll support this campaign. A level playing field is what I want to see." Read More »
It’s been a great night. Romantic dinner for two. Fine organic wine. A little dancing in the living room. John Klemmer’s saxophone is putting you in the mood. It’s the right time of the night…for making love. Good thing you have the right tool in your hands to save the polar bear – an endangered species condom.
Scientists estimate that 25 years ago our population and consumption levels began to exceed Earth's capacity to sustain us. Yet for years it’s been politically incorrect to suggest we humans ought to put a lid on our impulse to reproduce. So incorrect, in fact, that many environmental organizations have been unwilling to admit human population growth is a major contributor to the environmental devastation they’re fighting. Most groups settle for just slowing down the rate of destruction, for fear that campaigning for responsible population policies would limit membership or funding.
So I was impressed when the Center for Biological Diversity came up with Endangered Species Condoms (for use by humans!). Here is an environmental organization that dares to tell the truth about the causes of species extinction. I enthusiastically volunteered to pass out the condoms, and I’d like to share my adventures with you in this video. Read More »
Yesterday, one of the world's biggest online retailers, Amazon, announced that it will no longer pay referral fees to Colorado bloggers and nonprofit charities who advertise Amazon's products on their websites. The reason? Amazon is unhappy about a law passed in our state, asking online retailers to help in the collection of the state's longstanding 2.9% tax--a tax we all already pay to merchants every day, both online and offline.
That's right: in a move leaders from around the state have called 'tyrannical' and 'pure duplicity,' Amazon, with no warning, closed the accounts of Colorado website owners--many of whom are individual bloggers and nonprofit organizations--in protest of routine collection of state sales taxes. What they've done won't allow them to evade the new law. All they have done is punish our neighbors in order to score cheap political points.
Sign our pledge to shop elsewhere until Amazon stops using Colorado residents as pawns:
After profiting from millions of dollars in tax-free sales to Colorado residents for years, Amazon is determined to protect their unfair advantage over local brick-and-mortar retailers. When the state legislature passed a law to enforce collection of taxes for online purchases, lawmakers understood that one of the key effects would be leveling the playing field between massive online merchants like Amazon and local retailers who pay their taxes and employ Coloradans.
It's true that online sales have enjoyed preferential tax benefits in many areas, giving them a needed competitive advantage during the industry's early years. But today, the logic of that approach has been turned on its head: online sales are proliferating while Main Street goes out of business.
Local businesses like Tattered Cover Books and Ultimate Electronics, who employ thousands of Colorado residents and pay their sales taxes back into the community, have suffered greatly while giant corporations like Amazon profited from their tax-free sales advantage. Today, with Colorado in the midst of the greatest fiscal crisis since the Great Depression, properly collecting taxes owed on these purchases means millions of dollars in badly-needed revenue for schools, roads, and health care.
That's the choice: stand up for our local job-creating businesses, and collect the revenue the state is already owed to help pay for vital public services. Or, get bullied by a giant corporation that has already helped put retailers in your neighborhood out of business, and now is willing to do the same to its own partners out of spite.
Thanks for everything you do every day to stand up for our common interests. We'll share your name and comments with Amazon, elected officials, and the press, and keep you up to date about further developments.
Posts
