No more secret PAC donations
Re: “Coloradans deserve to know who is funding negative campaign ads,” April 30 opinion column
I completely agree with our secretary of state that all campaign donations must be transparent and open to public scrutiny. It is not an invasion of anyone’s privacy to make these donors declare themselves, whether the money be given individually or through a PAC.
Secret donations conceal the motive behind the money and the sources of those funds so we are left to wonder who “they” are. Even the SCOTUS ruling on corporate rights did not include a reference to such private money, only that the sources are free to contribute. Personally, I think the decision was wrong but at least, we can minimize the impact by making sure that all who contribute are identified.
No more secret PAC donors, no more under-the-table money, no more “wink wink, nod nod” politics in the shadows and backrooms. Just think, things might just get better.
Allen Beck, Montrose
Embrace immigrants to solve the labor shortage
Re: “How to retain employees during the labor shortage,” April 28 news story
In the Business Section of the Sunday Post, Gary Miller writes about the epidemic proportions of the labor shortage throughout the country. The Labor Department states that at the end of January 2019, the U.S. economy had 7.6 million unfilled jobs, but only 6.5 million people looking for work.
Every sector of the workforce cannot find enough workers to keep their businesses functioning. The cost of building in the construction industry is skyrocketing, making owning a home impossible for many. The agriculture industry is desperate to find a way to get food from farm to outlets.
This problem is and will continue to keep the economy from progressing, and it is all unnecessary and fueled by politics that are all about unrealistic fear of “immigrants stealing jobs” and “taking over.”
There are thousands of families who have fled persecution in the countries they love to find a new life where they can contribute and be free. Latino people are known for their hard work, dedication and love of life. This country was built on the shoulders of immigrants willing to do whatever work was presented to them, and now more than ever, we should be finding a way to connect these families at the border with immediate jobs from every state. Our country is “not full.” On the contrary, we could be enjoying a tremendous surge in the economy that would benefit everyone if we can get by ignorant, prejudiced concepts that keep fueling hate instead of forward thinking that Americans have always championed.
Susan Badrena, Conifer
Colorado GOP tactics inconvenience the public
The minority party (Republican) has adopted a course of action designed to disrupt the effective function of the legislative process. This includes requiring “excess” reading of bills and filibustering the actions of both the House of Representatives and Senate.
The result is: legislators just work longer hours, but probably important actual legislation is unaffected. But it is an incredible disservice to citizens who want to engage in the process.
Those who are most negatively affected by being required to spend inordinate time trying to participate include: persons who took time off of work, those who are handicapped and made it to the Capitol with great effort only to find a committee hearing has been delayed or postponed, and parents who have limited time available before they leave to pick up their kids.
The minority party owes an apology to all the ordinary citizens that were egregiously affected by their behavior.
Ed Shackelford, Denver
