| Request new password
COLORADO'S FRONTPAGE

Face the State

Content Index: Jon Caldara

Follow this topic by RSS

1/29: States' rights to the test

Do states' rights mean anything in the 21st century? We're about to find out.

Play audio - 1:00 minutes
More >

Will Colorado say 'no' to ObamaCare?

Independence Institute president Jon Caldara has proposed an initiative that would assert states' rights in exempting Colorado from a new federal health care regime. Will it pass muster with voters, and would Washington listen?

Play audio - 18:29 minutes
More >

Slideshow: 'Patients First' rally at the state capitol

A Face the State Staff Report

July 28, 2009

Obama 1984 sign

Hundreds rallied on the state Capitol steps Tuesday to protest a massive overhaul of the nation’s health care system they say will only make it worse.

Liberty never takes a day off, especially not July 4

July 3, 2009

Revolution brewing sign - tea party

Colorado will play host to another round of "Tea Parties" this July 4 holiday weekend. The rallies are a follow-up to the grassroots movement that began on April 15 - tax day - and drew a crowd of over 5,000 people to the capitol in Denver.

Tancredo sets sights on drug legalization

A Face the State Staff Report

June 16, 2009

Tom Tancredo at LoTR

Former Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo's 2008 presidential bid was an admitted opportunity to speak against current immigration policy. And while immigration reform remains in Tancredo's sights, his new policy stomping ground may come as a surprise: marijuana legalization.

A CU fee to make Tony Soprano proud

A Face the State Staff Report

May 22, 2009

The University of Colorado at Boulder has adopted a new "Forever Buffs" fee. The one time $70 charge goes directly to the alumni association and grants all undergraduate students membership status. The move is causing many students, alumni, and critics to cry foul.

Jon Caldara, Great American

May 14, 2009

"Just how messed up is the Colorado Legislature? So messed up that a leading Democrat on the Senate floor called me a “Great American.” Being surrounded by Democrats all the time, I can see how Sen. Chris Romer could make the mistake."

Read More

Romer and Caldara sittin' in a tree...

May 2, 2009

caldara-hs.jpg

Is state Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, trying to position himself as a moderate? Or maybe his infatuation with one of Colorado's most compassionate conservatives just got the better of him Thursday.

Turns out, mill levy increase isn't really 'for the children'

April 30, 2009

In light of a controversial Colorado Supreme Court decision that upheld a property tax increase billed by liberals as good for schools, it is truly amazing how fast Democrats have changed their tune about school funding.

RTD's Cal Marsella will tout rail transit in private sector

A Face the State Staff Report

April 29, 2009

RTD General Manager Cal Marsella announced Tuesday he will resign effective July 31. While some critics see the decision as "jumping ship" of sorts, Marsella says the move is about what's best for him and his family.

Slideshow: Tax Day rally draws thousands

A Face the State Staff Report

April 15, 2009

Jon Caldara at anti-tax rally


Anti-tax protesters rallied on the steps of the state Capitol in Denver this afternoon as members of the House were simultaneously debating this year’s contentious budget bill.

Slideshow: FTS Hottest Politicos heat up Cherry Creek

April 8, 2009

Hottest politicos buzz promo art

It was standing room only at Cherry Creek hotspot Campo de Fiori Tuesday night as Face The State revealed its inaugural "Hottest Politicos" award winners.

Segment 3 - State supreme court upholds tax increase without public vote

The Colorado Supreme Court issued a ruling Monday upholding certain provisions of the 2007 School Finance Act which allow the state to collect increased property tax revenues without a public vote. FTS takes a look at the decision, with reaction from the plaintiff's attorney, Richard Westfall, Independence Institute president Jon Caldara, and Nina Lopez of the Colorado Children's Campaign.

Play audio - 6:34 minutes
More >

Goodbye to my man-crush

March 20, 2009

"Colorado Media Matters was the only state affiliate of the national Media Matters, which I’ve gotta tell you was pretty damn flattering. Their goal was to “Imus” a conservative broadcaster, like me, out of a job. Starting with 12 full-time employees, which apparently dwindled down to five, they were never able to do it in their three years trying. What was impressive about the whole operation was the out-sourcing of the politics of personal destruction by the Tim Gill machine to leftist organizations."

Read More

Colorado Supreme Court upholds controversial tax increase

A Face the State Staff Report

March 17, 2009

Richard Westfall re: Sup Court decision

The Colorado Supreme Court, widely regarded as one of the most liberal in the country, has upheld a property tax increase that raised $118 million in its first year and was previously ruled unconstitutional by a Denver district court judge.

Segment 3 - Marostica's remarks cloud budget debate

The capitol was abuzz this week with controversy sparked by state Rep. Don Marostica, R-Loveland, who called two high profile conservative leaders "losers" and "has-beens."

Play audio - 8:59 minutes
More >

Armstrong v. Huttner Round Two: Quit with the swastika hypocrisy

A Face the State Staff Report

February 20, 2009

Michael Huttner at rally

Tuesday's anti-stimulus rally at the Capitol drew hundreds of people protesting President Obama's signing of the $787 billion economic stimulus bill. Among the protesters was an unknown man identified only by his "swastika sign" that likened Obama to Adolf Hitler.

Marostica apologizes

February 20, 2009

"State representative Don Marostica reportedly has apologized for yesterday’s bizarre comment that Mark Hillman, Jon Caldara, and other fiscally conservative Colorado leaders are “losers” and “has-beens”. The apology was a public sign of good behavior and good taste, and perhaps a political necessity."

Read More

Beware of the 'vampires' at the Independence Institute

February 2, 2009

Caldara as vampire

Through a recent open records request, Face the State obtained dozens of e-mails sent and received by tenured CU law professor Melissa Hart. While this proved to be a story in and of itself, one e-mail from a prominent Denver attorney stood out, referencing Hart's opposition as "social vampires" who "will seek to rise from the grave."

This email was sent by James Lyons, a partner at the Denver law firm Rothgerber, Johnson & Lyons.

Lawmakers: Bill's defeat leads to 'Blagojevich-ization' of Colorado politics

A Face the State Staff Report

January 28, 2009

Amy Stephens and Ken Buck

The House State Affairs Committee killed a bill Tuesday that would have made it illegal to remove a ballot initiative in exchange for compensation of any kind.

Pfiffner explains Colorado's budget cut

January 17, 2009

"The Colorado media are filled with claims that the state budget faces around a $600 million shortfall. Penn Pfiffner explains the details in an Independence Institute podcast.

Pfiffner explains: "Really the bottom line that we need to talk about when we talk about that $600 million, is that about two-thirds of that is a lower amount in the increase. Now there will be some real cuts in the general fund operating budget from last year to this year because of the recession."

Read More

Coming soon to the Internet: Colorado's checkbook

A Face the State Staff Report

January 9, 2009

Before Gov. Bill Ritter delivered his State of the State speech Thursday morning, Face The State reported he was going to throw his support behind a Republican plan to put the state's checkbook online. Hours later, it's clear he plans to bring Democrats on board with the idea first proposed by two Republican lawmakers.

Ari Armstrong interviews Jon Caldara

November 22, 2008

"In the recent election, Colorado's Amendment 49, which I supported, lost. It would have prevented government from withholding a portion of the income only of government employees for transfer to unions. Meanwhile, Amendment 54, which I opposed, won. Unless it is overturned in court, it will prohibit certain government contractors from making certain campaign contributions, which I regard as a violation of free speech. I was surprised by this outcome, so I asked Jon Caldara about it at the November 13 Independence Institute banquet.

Read More

Independence Institute Founder's Night brings packed house to DCPA

A Face the State Staff Report

November 14, 2008

Michelle Malkin


Nearly 500 lovers of liberty and free market thinkers got together Thursday night to celebrate the Independence Institutes's annual Founders Night, with national commentator and author Michelle Malkin headlining the event.

Caldara's interview with Michelle Malkin

November 13, 2008

"Michelle Malkin did me the honor of coming on my radio show last night, and I have to say, it was plainly obvious she has a major crush on me. Don’t sweat it Michelle, it’s completely natural. We are really excited to have her as the keynote speaker at our annual Founders’ Night dinner tomorrow. We talked about that of course, in addition to the power of blogging and new media, the attack on her during the DNC, the misery of November 4th, and the future of the GOP. Here is the whole conversation we had, courtesy of 850KOA."

Read More

Get a piece of YouTube, Caldara history

October 22, 2008

"By now I’m sure you’ve seen the popular Amendment 49 - the Ivory Tower Explanation YouTube video, so you are familiar with the 3 stars of that video: Susie the State Worker, Bernie the Bureaucrat, and Larry the Lobbyist. In order to raise a little dough, we have put them up for sale on Ebay! Which means this is your opportunity to own the sock puppets that captured the hearts of the YouTube community. To help raise awareness of the auction, we made another video. Help spread the word - the popular, and friendly puppets, are up for sale!"

Read More

Jon Caldara's socks now available on eBay

October 22, 2008

Caldara with sock puppets

With his Amendment 49 campaign operating on a shoestring, Jon Caldara is hoping to turn a pair of socks into a stack of cash.

But these are no ordinary socks. Up for bid on eBay are the authentic sock puppet stars of Caldara’s recent video advertisement explaining how Amendment 49 works.

CoDA whistleblower goes public on 850 KOA

October 9, 2008

koa

850 KOA radio host Jon Caldara, sitting in for morning man Mike Rosen, today interviewed Isaac Smith, the whistle-blower who leaked documents detailing the inner workings of the Colorado Democracy Alliance. Face The State first made those documents public in a series of reports last week. Smith addresses the authenticity of the documents and details his time as an intern at the now-defunct Bighorn Center.

Caldara's reasoning for rejecting $800k

October 9, 2008

"I was offered a fair amount to pull Amendment 49 off this fall’s ballot by its opposition. I was tempted. But I just couldn’t do it. The offer did spur me to make an ask to help our educational effort on Amendment 49."

Read More

With just one vote, you too can help a starving lobbyist

October 8, 2008

Lobbyist suitcase

Lobbyists have banded together to voice their collective opposition to a ballot initiative seeking to eliminate the government's ability to use public payroll systems to transfer money directly to special interest groups. Well, maybe the site is satirical, but it's still dead on.