A good idea is a good idea, an update to Colorado Dem's secret, quadratic voting system, and should our first action be to legislate or should it be to gauge a need?
A good idea is a good idea.
The screenshot attached is from an email I received. I'm not sure how it was I ended up on this email list; the most likely thing I can think of is that they got my email and address off of one of the plant companies I've bought from in the past (I tend to like plants that are pollinator friendly to bring them around for my food/fruit plants).
The context here is that I am in the district of representative on the House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources committee which was to hear a bill about pesticides (yet another Democrat "local control" thing). The group wanted the bill to pass and wanted me to contact my Representative to ask for its passage.
This group wouldn't have asked for this if it didn't have value: legislators pay particular attention to their constituents and thus hearing from one would carry more weight than an email from a run of the mill Colorado citizen.
I was talking with a friend and it occurred to me that I should carry this idea over to my page as well. After all, a good idea is a good idea.
Don't get me wrong. I don't want to, nor do I have the money to, get address and contact info for any of the folks who read this (or the general public frankly), but I think I can adapt this in a way that works for what I do.
It's too late for this Assembly session, but I think in the future, where feasible, I'll mention which part of the state someone serves in the hope that someone reading from that part of the state will contact their legislator.
Something to watch for. Also, if you hear of something and want to share, please let me know if it affects a particular part of the state so I can include that info.
***Related:
While we're on the topic of speaking up to those that might hear it, let me put in another word for writing letters to the editor as a way of contributing.
It doesn't need to be a long letter. You don't need to be an expert. It doesn't need to be a statewide paper.
Like in the example below, it just needs to reflect your voice and what you think is important for those you in your local sphere.
You never know the value of things like this. Your letter could spark someone to talk to someone who talks to someone else. Your letter could convince someone to start paying attention and/or speaking up.
It may not be world changing, but that's okay. It's not nothing and the potential payoff relative to the effort involved is big enough to make it a sound gamble in my view.
https://castlepinesnewspress.net/stories/letter-to-the-editor,430474
An update on the Democrat's (previously) secret quadratic voting system.
I saw the update linked below on the Democrat's secret quadratic voting system. True to their word they did (eventually) release some of the information about their votes and voting system.
Don't expect much in the way of individual results. This is aggregate data.
Do expect to see a quick snapshot of how the Democrats prioritized the bills they wanted at the start of the session (by house and also by budget impact).
I'm glad they kept their word and shared, but I am in line with Mr. Roberts of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition when he says (quoted from the article): "'These are some of the most important decisions that legislators make,' said Jeff Roberts, the head of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. "And I think the public is entitled to know, and probably a lot of people want to know how their legislators weighed in on various measures that cost state tax dollars.'”
Good ideas pass or don't according to funding and money and a vote at the start of the session, a secret vote, that helps decide who gets money is tantamount to a secret vote on which bills will get a reasonable chance of serious debate and/or passage.
Continuing in secret the way the Democrats have since 2019 is not okay.
**More from Mr. Roberts can be found in the open letter he sent legislators which you'll find in the article.
https://www.kunc.org/news/2023-04-23/transparency-concerns-linger-after-colorado-democrats-release-secret-survey-results
I think Rep Frizell, quoted from the article linked below, says it just about as well as it can be said:
“'I’m concerned about all the stances we sometimes take in this chamber that businesses, business owners and managers don’t care about their employees — and that we attempt to legislate for that stance,' said Rep. Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock."
I honestly wonder sometimes how the more progressive legislators (Sen Winter frequently comes up with bills that showcase this tendency) at the Capitol must view their fellow Coloradans, particularly groups like landlords and employers.
The details of the bills vary, but they all seem to carry the same theme: if you are in one of these groups, you cannot be trusted to be a decent human being and thus the government must intrude (sometimes deeply, sometimes shallowly) into the voluntary agreements between individuals.
Maybe it's telling you who you must rent to and what criteria to use. Maybe it's like in the article below where the bill requires employers to allow sick leave to be used for, taking one example, caring for a child if their daycare closes due to a health emergency.
But it's there, removing discretion based on being someone who's actually involved in a situation. It's there making sure one group is looked after while, at the very least, ignoring the concerns of the other. It's there making a value judgment on you for things you may not have ever considered.
https://tsscolorado.com/bill-would-require-colorado-employers-grant-paid-sick-leave-for-more-reasons/