A sampling of recent editorials from Colorado newspapers:
NATIONAL:
The Daily Sentinel, Nov. 28, on the election in Egypt for the new parliament:
Millions of Egyptians waited in long lines Monday to cast votes for the election of a lower house of the country’s new parliament, even though they don’t know how much power that parliament will have.
The voting, which continues today, is one more faltering step toward what we hope—and more importantly, millions of Middle East residents hope—will one day be a region dominated by democracies.
The greatest uncertainty in Egypt now involves how much power the country’s military leaders are willing to cede to citizens. There are also concerns the country could be taken over by Islamist leaders who have little sympathy for the rights of those who don’t share their religious views.
Egypt’s generals, who worked closely with former dictator Hosni Mubarak and assumed control after Mubarak was deposed in February, have said they will not give up authority to the new parliament, even though they authorized this week’s elections.
Elections for the upper house of parliament are scheduled for March, with presidential elections expected in mid-2012.
As a result of the generals’ intransigence, the mood of Egyptian voters was less jubilant than that of their Tunisian counterparts, who cast ballots in that country’s first free elections a month ago. According to several news accounts, there was black humor among Egyptians waiting to vote, fears that what they were doing would make little difference and concerns they would be electing a puppet parliament that would simply do the military’s bidding.
And in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, where the uprising against Mubarak began, thousands of people continued to protest the authority of the military leaders.
Despite all the concerns and questions, however, Egyptians turned out to vote in such large numbers Monday that polling places were kept open hours longer than scheduled. And they did so with few reports of violence or disruption at the polls. Many told news reporters they believed that, despite their doubts, voting now sends a signal to the military and it is a necessary first step toward eventually wresting power from the generals.
There are nearly 50 political parties fielding a total of 6,000 candidates for 500 seats in the parliament. The largest and best organized is the Freedom and Justice Party, an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. The once-banned Islamic group is now expected to win the largest share of seats in parliament, setting up a potential confrontation with the military.
All this points to significant turbulence as Egypt continues its break from its past, and great uncertainty about what direction it will take in the future.
However, the fact that so many Egyptians were willing to endure lengthy waits to cast ballots, despite the uncertainty, demonstrates that they want a real voice in their government and they are not going to give in easily to those who would deny them that voice.
Editorial:
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The Daily Record, Nov. 28, on open government:
America’s ongoing search for answers on how to ensure the most honest government possible took an unusual turn recently when former lobbyist Jack Abramoff, out of prison for about a year after serving three years, decided to offer suggestions on how to improve the rules and their enforcement in our nation’s capital.
And in Illinois, former high level political fundraiser “Tony” Rezko apologized for his actions before his pending sentencing for wrongful political activities related to what is known as “pay for play” in Illinois. Related to the activities of Rezko, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is awaiting sentencing for his improper activities.
These high-level political operators and others like them have had serious difficulty in maintaining the important role of separation between legitimate public service and wrongfully enriching themselves and others financially or to stay in power.
Some officeholders and others in the political system seem to become confused about what is allowable as they navigate the political process. At the highest levels, successful campaigning requires a substantial amount of money. But the fundraising is not to be confused with the trading of favors to those making donations in exchange for favorable official actions. Confusion as to the rules may be one explanation, but simple dishonesty may be another.
Those who operate improperly cross legal and ethical lines that are so important to the proper functioning of our government.
Abramoff pleaded guilty in 2006 to engaging in fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion. He was ordered to make restitution for more than $20 million, according to USA Today.
Although legislation was passed in the wake of Abramoff’s misdeeds, the former lobbyist says the relationship between elected and appointed officials and the lobbying world is still too close and the “revolving door” still exists, despite tighter restrictions.
And there is still too much opportunity for elected government officials to profit from trading of stocks based on inside information. More disclosure of stock trades by officials and staff might be an improvement.
On a wider level, Americans should be grateful to the thousands of people who serve their fellow citizens in elected and appointed positions at all levels of government. Without these people who offer their time and talents, our grand experiment in self-government would be impossible to achieve.
But the effort must continue to make sure that all who enter public service are aware of what’s allowed and what isn’t, and that they don’t take advantage of the system for personal gain. If public service with all of its challenges is the true motivation for running for office, people should go ahead. But if the motivation is enriching themselves or others to gain or stay in office, that must be discouraged at every turn.
Editorial:
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STATE:
The Pueblo Chieftain, Nov. 28, on access to public assistance:
The state of Colorado has adopted a simplified new process for people to get onto the dole.
During a rollout of the program last week, Gov. John Hickenlooper justified the change thusly: “To be able to more easily get people into the services they need rather than doing a whole bunch of red tape and paperwork means they have more time to train themselves, more time to go out and find a job and get back to work.”
Call us skeptical, but we’ve noticed a whole lot of people who will take public assistance as long as its offered before they take the time to train themselves and get back to work. Public assistance originally was meant to be temporary help to those down on their luck, but since Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society public assistance has created a mind-set among many Americans that they’re due financial support no matter what.
The new application process announced last week screens applicants for eligibility to receive a gamut of local, state and federal assistance programs. Officials in the Hickenlooper administration believe the new process “will only accelerate our efforts to make sure that more Coloradans who are eligible for these programs get into the programs at the right time in the right way without having to be confronted with undue bureaucracy.”
We know a lot of taxpaying Coloradans who wish the state would make getting a driver’s license as easy.
Meanwhile, the larger question looms: Where will the money for adding a lot of new people to the dole come from? The state continues with budget problems, reining in support for education and other important functions.
Where is the leadership to challenge Coloradans down on their luck to take any job available over the short haul until the economic climate brightens? With last week’s glowing announcement about the new application process, we don’t see it.
Editorial:
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The Denver Post, Nov. 27 , on the state economy:
One by one the economic indicators for Colorado offer a glimmer of hope. The jobless rate is down, there are fewer foreclosures, and home prices are rising.
And not a moment too soon.
Over at the statehouse they’re talking about cutting services again in order to balance the budget. Families around the state continue to figure out ways to trim their personal budgets. It’s tough all over, and we’re not deluded that’s going to dramatically change any time soon—particularly given widespread evidence of a besieged middle class.
Last month, Denver Post reporter Aldo Svaldi wrote about people struggling to achieve the standard of living they enjoyed as kids. And earlier this month, a study conducted by Stanford University concluded that the portion of Americans living in middle-class neighborhoods has declined over the past four decades. As reported by The New York Times, the study said 44 percent of families now lived in middle-class neighborhoods, down from 65 percent in 1970. Meanwhile, the percentage in both upper- and lower-income neighborhoods grew.
Higher education is one gateway to upward mobility, of course, but rising tuition threatens to price it beyond the reach of many.
As the economy improves, Colorado must position itself to succeed in an economy driven by information and technology—because the sad fact is that many jobs lost in the recent recession are not coming back.
To that end, the recent announcement that the headquarters of Arrow Electronics would relocate to Arapahoe County from New York is good news with implications far beyond the number of jobs that it could generate.
We are not scoffing at the 1,250 jobs the company is expected to create in Colorado, which would come in addition to the 1,000 people it already employs here. Moreover, these are good-paying positions.
Arrow is a bridge between electronic parts suppliers and those who need them to make electronic products in a wide array of markets, including telecommunications, medical, consumer electronics and information systems. It is a Fortune 200 business predicated on tech know-how.
To be sure, just about every economic development director in the country wants a company like Arrow. The key for Colorado is to pay attention to creating the conditions that these sorts of businesses find attractive.
You’ve heard it all before: The things that make Colorado a desirable place for businesses and families alike are good schools, an educated workforce, nice neighborhoods, reasonable taxes. The natural beauty doesn’t hurt, either.
As the economy rebounds, we hope policy makers and taxpayers keep in mind the investments and priorities necessary to continue to position Colorado for a better future.
Editorial:
