Senator Nick Hinrichsen 🇺🇸🔰

There’s lots I disagree with Massie on. But he took on the status quo, exposed corruption, and led with integrity. It’s a damn shame that those qualities are valued anymore. They’re the only values that can make a country great.

Courageous move by @SenKirkmeyer . Credit where it’s due.

The commutation of Peters’ sentence, out of fealty to a tyrannical president, to appease his quest for political vengeance, further erodes justice and endangers future free elections. It is a cowardly betrayal of all who have fought to preserve American freedoms.

Fetterman is what you get if you combine the worst policy positions of Democrats and Republicans. He’s a true heir to Hillary Clinton.

We the people of Colorado no longer control our own state constitution. I found this out the hard way. #copolitics #coleg #cogov In Colorado, a government for, by, and of the people is a fib. We lowly citizens no longer have much of a say in altering our own state constitution. Even though that seems to violate the whole meaning of our constitution in the first place. Like the US Constitution, Colorado’s constitution contains a Bill of Rights making clear we are the ones who empower the state government, not the other way around. Check out the first two of these rights: First — All political power is vested in and derived from the people; all government, of right, originates from the people… Second — The people of this state have the sole and exclusive right of governing themselves, as a free, sovereign and independent state; and to alter and abolish their constitution… Did you catch that? We the people have the sole and exclusive right to alter our constitution. It used to be true, too. We used to alter our constitution through the initiative and referendum process. Without that process, we would not have limits on governmental power. Laws reining in the legislature could never pass a vote by those same politicians. They’d never vote for open meetings laws, term limits, the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, ethics laws, and so much more. Recently, when the legislature arrogantly exempted themselves from open meetings laws, it started a chain reaction I’ve never witnessed in all my decades in politics. Independence Institute, which I run, helped bring together nearly 50 highly diverse organizations that are usually at each other’s throats. We all shared a common concern: government in Colorado is turning opaque. Open records are getting harder to access, open meetings are closing. The “people’s” work is being hidden from the people. And when I say organizations from all over the political spectrum worked together, I’m not exaggerating: Independence Institute, the ACLU, Heidi Ganahl’s conservative Rocky Mountain Voice, the progressive Colorado Times Recorder, Colorado Public Radio, League of Women Voters, Colorado Press Association, Colorado Broadcasters Association, Common Cause, Colorado Black Women for Action, and many, many more. ‘ Over a year-and-a-half of work we crafted a constitutional reform based on what many other states already have, called “Right to Know.” It’s simple: a fundamental right for the people to access public records and government deliberations, with reasonable exceptions. But you won’t see this proposed amendment on your fall ballot. The normally sober state Title Board voted 2–1 to block it. The appointees of Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Attorney General Phil Weiser voted against you being able to vote on governmental transparency. Were they ordered to do so? I’ll let others speculate. Their argument was that your “right to know” the affairs of government isn’t a single subject, and only “single subjects” may go to the ballot. Legislators’ bills must also have a single subject. The difference is they get to decide for themselves whether a bill qualifies. By contrast, we “the people” must get permission from an unelected board. A set of rules for them; a different set for us. The powerful Title Board said our amendment was too broad. I countered that the state constitution is supposed to contain broad amendments. That didn’t matter. Our team pointed to existing rights guaranteed by Colorado’s constitution, like freedom of speech, religion and the right to keep and bear arms. I asked if we were bringing one of those rights as a citizen initiative today, would it pass “single subject” muster as they now interpret it? They essentially said no. By their interpretation, such basic rights as freedom of speech or religion might be too broad and vague to be considered a single subject. We considered appealing the Title Board’s bizarre decision to the Colorado Supreme Court, but on the advice of lawyers from across the political spectrum, we decided not to. The high court has shown little interest in expanding the public’s right to know what’s going on in their judicial branch. So now, hiding behind the “single subject” rule, altering our constitution to include fundamental rights — like speech, religion, or even a right to know the affairs of government — can be denied to the very people who are supposed to be the government. Some things you can’t make up.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_….

Basic income works, and does so without the administrative overhead or paternalism of government bureaucracy.

@Dan_Gehrke_ @joewrote Dan, you very much want the government in people’s lives all the time, as long as it’s to control people who don’t share your beliefs.

@joewrote @NickForCO This is tremendously stupid and only someone who sees the world with a Marxist lens agrees with you. True empathy is getting the government out of lives.

Riley Gaines and Libs of TikTok are complaining about medical bills. David French says adopting a Black child opened his eyes to systemic racism. Laid-off TPUSA employees say workers need stronger protections. Conservatism is the rejection of empathy for others. Once an issue affects them personally, they adopt the progressive position.

I’m convinced that there are congressmen, like this, who get into name-calling matches that end with “I know you are, but what am I” at the Capitol cafeteria.

Willfully retreating from our foundational freedoms is a moral failure to meet the most critical challenge of this moment.

The refusal to address the rapid advancement of unconstitutional spying on American citizens by an increasingly authoritarian police state has been the most disappointing thing I’ve seen in my time in office.

boebert.house.gov/media/press-re… Excellent legislation by…. Lauren Boebert?!?!

@libbychambe “After nominating supposedly safe candidates, who lost this seat three cycles in a row, Dems are likely to nominate a riskier candidate. That’s a risky choice. I am very smart.” - Chris Cillizza

These two sentences, especially taken together, make no sense. HUGR

I do not appreciate anyone - Democrat or Republican - taking this moment to make TACO jokes to say Trump “chickened out.” The president was threatening genocide against 90 million Iranians. I’m grateful there’s a ceasefire & scores of innocent people didn’t die tonight.

@croptopsllc … Because y’all are abolitionists, or because it’s unrealistic that barrons of industry would ever be held accountable for their crimes?

Will and I have also eliminated the jail space in Monopoly. Doesn’t exist as far as we are concerned.

@GovofCO we should annex all of New Mexico. All chiles could (should) rightfully be Colorado chiles. End the chile wars. Win Nobel Peace Prize. Make POTUS jealous.

Really sucks having someone maliciously lie about what’s actually in your bill, eh @RepHartsook ?

@KyleClark Okay, but did anyone think to check if maybe this is why no one showed up to his press conference where he declared himself the front runner? Maybe there were actually hundreds of people who attended… in Strasburg!

COMMENTARY: A gubernatorial candidate's badly-botched map of Colorado is a silly mistake, not a cause for outrage. It's a reminder to journalists that we don't need to participate in bad faith fake outrage. Even if that means we're accused of bias.

@cocatholicconf Re-reading this, I see the distinction between decrim v legalization. I appreciate that. The outcomes between the two are VERY different. Government can’t dictate individual morality. It can, and should, look to other models for better efficacy re: safety and autonomy.

We are sorry to hear you are no longer practicing, but once confirmed you are still Catholic. Bishop Berg is always happy to meet with you, @NickForCO, on this bill or the other 40+ bills the Colorado Catholic Conference has taken positions on this session. In regard to SB 97, we reiterated your argument on decriminalization v legalization; the societal ills are no different. It’s a terrible and extremely damaging bill, and our hope is that you come to realize this and stop promoting it.

SB26-97 sponsored by @NickForCO (a Catholic) and Sen Lisa Cutter would have decriminalized prostitution in the state of Colorado. Data show in places where legal prostitution exists, more sex trafficking is the result and more abortions occur. Sen Hinrichsen announced this week that he would ask the committee to postpone the bill because he lacked the votes for passage, and there would be no public testimony. In the hearing, he instead presented his argument at length without allowing any opposition in public record. It made a mockery of the Sen Judiciary committee and a denial of the democratic process. Sen Hinrichsen’s argument is that there is a distinction between legalization (creating a regulatory framework) and decriminalization (removing criminal penalty). Both decriminalization and legalization of prostitution are a failure to respect the dignity of the human person and will result in a more destructive society for all Coloradans— more prostitution, more human trafficking, and more abortion. @coloradodems @cosendem #COLeg #COpolitics