Face the State

"Colorado Governor Bill Ritter's one claim to fame, as he stands at the midpoint of his term, is his over-hyping of what he calls the "new energy economy" -- and the fact that another rising politico, a guy named Barack Obama, stole the phrase from him.

It's more appropriately called the "New Energy Baloney," in my view, since it's largely based on subsidies, mandates and other government interventions in support of niche energy technologies that aren't ready for prime time -- while regulatory and rhetorical war is waged against an "old" energy economy that actually delivers the goods."

"No more need for sneaking into cheap hotel rooms for Colorado state legislators, in order to dodge the prying eyes of ethics enforcers. And no, that doesn't mean adulterous affairs are permitted.

"That we've degenerated into a nation of imbeciles and hapless stumblebums is obvious to anyone with eyes to see. But what choice do we have, really? When government insists on acting like a nanny, citizens naturally assume the role of helpless dependents. Confirmation of just how pathetic it's become can be found in this amazing story in today's Rocky Mountain News, which I paste below for the enjoyment of non-Coloradans who might miss it.

Read it and weep (unless you've forgotten how, and need a few pointers)."

"If you have friends or loved ones in Michigan (which I do, since it's my home state), please forward them this post. They need to know that there's a conspiracy afoot to turn the state into the political pawn of radical millionaires and billionaires. Looking to Colorado, which has moved from deep blue to bright red in the 6 short years I've lived there, will confirm how effective such efforts can be. Michigan already is reliably blue, it's true, so the conspirators have less work to do than they did in relatively conservative Colorado.

""Spreading the wealth around" doesn't just occur at the federal level, despite all the focus that redistribution has received in the presidential contest. It takes place at the local level too, as a story in yesterday's Aspen Times makes clear.