Guest Columns

All this bloviating about the future of the Republican Party and how it should reinvent itself reminds me of a family finally acknowledging that an aged relative has crossed the bar into dottiness: What should we do with the Grand Old Party?

Over the years I have had my gripes with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). They can really be a pain in the … neck.

You will always be aware when they develop an interest in something you are doing. They show up in significant numbers, frequently in red T-shirts, and sometimes with a good deal of noise. They are never, to my knowledge, violent or physical.

By Judie Brown
GUEST COLUMNIST

I am always concerned when public figures who claim to be Catholic make a point of denying Church teaching, or even worse, misrepresenting it for political gain. This is particularly true when the question involves the identity of the preborn child and his inherent right to life. Such has been the case during these past few days with Colorado’s governor, Democrat and “Catholic” Bill Ritter. On the capitol steps, he spoke at a pro-abortion media event during which heasserted,

This time of every even-numbered year is a veritable feast for political writers. National elections, state elections, county elections, and ballot issues abound. It’s political nirvana.

We readers of The Colorado Statesman all see more political writing than we can possibly absorb. Every writer has opinions, and each writes about and talks about them ad infinitum.

While evaluation and finger-pointing continues in the financial crisis of investment conglomerate American International Group (AIG), one fact emerges as certain: The states regulating AIG’s insurance subsidiaries can — and should — take credit for preventing a run on insurance company assets by AIG that could have affected the ability to fully pay claims presented by policyholders.

Colorado has a serious problem with thousands of illegal aliens who cycle through our jail system and encounter local law enforcement in traffic stops but are seldom referred to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) for possible deportation.

Three recent deaths in Aurora have focused the spotlight of public controversy on the huge gaps in immigration-related law enforcement. The victims’ families and the citizens of Colorado want to know why Francis Hernandez, the unlicensed driver and illegal alien who has been arrested and charged with manslaughter, was still on the streets after 16 arrests in the Denver metro region since 2003.

My legs, feet and butt are very tired. My heart is soaring because of an inspiring speech and the promise of the renewal of the American spirit. And I have never been so very proud of my hometown, Denver, Colorado.

The sh-- is finally hitting the fan at City Hall, as Democratic National Convention planners prepare for protests through various protection mechanisms. The latest ordinance presented and adopted by City Council makes sure that protesters don’t use containers of human waste or other noxious liquids to stop police or disrupt the convention.

It’s not often I quote Jesse Jackson. But after listening to Barack Obama’s speech to La Raza on July 13, I finally understood what Jackson was saying. This time, however, Obama was not speaking “down to black people.” Instead, he was speaking down to brown people — to the Hispanic community.