A sampling of recent editorials from Colorado newspapers:
NATIONAL:
Rocky Mountain News, Feb. 26, on Ralph Nader again deciding to enter the presidential race:
It is, as they say, a free country and Ralph Nader has decided to avail himself of that freedom to run for president—again.
The reaction of the remaining presidential candidates was not particularly welcoming, although having Nader, who is turning 74, in the field relieves John McCain, 71, of the burden of being the oldest candidate in the race.
In his two earlier bids, Nader ran as a candidate of the Green Party. He said he has not yet decided how he’ll run this go-around. In 2000, he got 2.7 percent of the vote, but over 96,000 of those voters were in Florida and many Democrats have never forgiven him for, in their view, tipping the election from Al Gore to George W. Bush.
There is something admirable about this splendid futility, but there is also the danger of becoming a modern Harold Stassen, a once-respected and -credible politician who ran for president so often—nine times—he became a figure of ridicule. Any American can grow up to run for president, but that doesn’t mean everyone should.
Editorial: alph-nader/
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The Pueblo Chieftain, Feb. 25, on frivolous government spending:
Another sad chapter from the ongoing saga, “It’s Only Money.”
The inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security has reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency misspent millions of dollars it received from selling used travel trailers.
After Hurricane Katrina, FEMA purchased 200,000 travel trailers and mobile homes. When displaced storm victims leave these housing units, FEMA may sell them to the general public.
Under the law, FEMA must use the proceeds to purchase new trailers or return the money to the Treasury. Instead, FEMA bureaucrats used more than $13 million buying fully loaded sports utility vehicles, or paying travel expenses and credit card accounts.
But the fun was just beginning. FEMA officials used some of the money for tree removal, agency decals and banners, and global positioning systems. Hopefully, with the GPS units, at least some of them might know where they are.
This is nothing new, though. In 2006, a congressional probe found that purchase cards were used improperly and that Homeland Security wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on items such as iPods, beer-making equipment and designer jackets.
Guess we should be glad that stodgy bureaucrats would want to be hip with the latest music, brewing their own beer and wearing cool outerwear. Somehow, though, we don’t think the average taxpayer is impressed.
Yes, as we’ve noted here many times before, it is only money.
Editorial:
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STATE/REGIONAL:
Journal-Advocate, Sterling, Colo., Feb. 26, on Colorado’s ethics law:
The Colorado Supreme Court said Monday that lower courts cannot block the ethics rules law passed by voters. The law outlines that lawmakers and state officials could not accept gifts—including meals—from lobbyists that are valued at more than $50. The measure also mandated that state employees and their families could not accept gifts valued at more than $50.
The concern was that the ethics law could prevent students, for example, from legitimately receiving scholarships to college. A Denver district judge imposed an injunction on the ethics rules in May, citing that the rules went “beyond what was anticipated or intended.”
The court review is a necessary step, but if the approved law is that convoluted, maybe the review process needs to be conducted better before it is taken to the voters.
Newspaper:
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Camera, Boulder, Colo., Feb. 24, By Clint Talbott for the editorial board, on the search for the University of Colorado President:
People who know Bruce Benson say he is a man of his word, that citizens can trust his vow to respect academic freedom and confine himself to the work he is demonstrably qualified to do—raising money for the University of Colorado.
Given the CU Board of Regents’ appointment Feb. 20 of Benson as President Hank Brown’s successor, the state is bound to conduct an experiment that will either prove or disprove his vow. Citizens can only hope the results are positive.
It is worth noting, however, that the process of identifying finalists for the CU presidency is flawed. And it is reasonable to wonder about the long-term effect of the 6-3, party-line vote to hire Benson. If nothing else, it’s an inauspicious beginning. A split vote on a CU presidential appointment hasn’t happened in more than three decades.
Regent Steve Bosley, the Louisville Republican who led the search committee, seems unfazed by the controversy but nonetheless said he’ll launch a task force to study executive searches. He might heed some friendly advice from other friends of the university: those who want CU to follow the state law requiring the naming of three qualified finalists.
By circumventing that law—and flouting the soaring defense of transparency so memorably and often given by Hank Brown—Bosley’s seemingly partisan and inordinately secretive process incubated the controversy. Government transparency has a disarming effect. It allays suspicions and reduces the volume and ferocity of dissent.
As stewards of the university, the regents would do well to bear this lesson in mind. Transparency is not just the law. It’s also a good idea.
Editorial:
