If you missed last night's W(h)ine and Cheese Party you missed a lot. Rather than doing a boring end of legislative session review we matched our wines with our whines and talked about what cheesed us off.

 

We toasted the good bills that were passed by the legislature and roasted the bad bills. As you can imagine there was a lot more roasting than there was toasting.

 

We also presented our beloved Vern Bickel Award for Grassroots Leadership to Cory Gaines who you read on CompleteColorado.com. His Colorado Accountability Project has become a powerhouse for citizen knowledge and sunshine on government activities throughout Colorado.

 

I thought you might enjoy the wine list from last night's soiree. You'll find that below along with my latest column on our case for reducing Colorado's legislative session to 90 days from its current 120.

 

On that point The Denver Gazette and the Colorado Springs Gazette have endorsed our idea and potential initiative.

In Complete Colorado, Rob Natelson lambasts the idea of a national popular vote.


Ari Armstrong makes the case Colorado should build, baby, build.


Lastly, Jake Fogleman breaks down the legislative session Clint Eastwood-style highlighting the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Luke Niforatos of SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) is working to get the state to reverse course. But how? Even if that genie could be put back in its bottle, should it? I put those questions to them in our latest Devil's Advocate.

Our Wine List…


Ammunition Cabernet Sauvignon 2020


Introducing "Second Amendment" Ammunition Cabernet Sauvignon—a wine that hits the target like a marksman's precision shot! Crafted from the finest Sonoma County grapes, this 2020 vintage pays homage to the essence of 1791, when quality was king and a good Cabernet was as essential as a loaded firearm. Blending varietals like Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc to create a dynamic flavor profile, this wine strikes a balance as precise as a well-calibrated rifle. Fermented traditionally and aged in 50% new French oak, with an additional 5% double barrel-fermented for an added kick, it's a blend that packs a punch. The result? A wine smoother than oil on a gun barrel, with refined tannins that challenge your expectations of bold reds. Each sip delivers a burst of dark fruit and spice, hitting your palate with the impact of a sharpshooter's shot. So raise a glass of the Second Amendment Reserve, because when it comes to wine, we aim high and never miss the mark! Cheers to hitting the bullseye with every pour!

 

Martinelli’s Sparkling Cherry Apple Cider


Introducing "Edu-Cider: The Policy Edition," a fizzy celebration of the dynamic world of education policy. Just like Martinelli's Sparkling Cider, our approach is non-alcoholic—because let's be honest, navigating policy waters requires a clear head. Blended from a mix of the finest educational theories, our cider achieves the perfect harmony between innovation and tradition, with no added bureaucratic preservatives. Why Edu-Cider? At the Independence Institute, we've been pioneers in educational reform long before the era of TikTok. So, raise a glass of Edu-Cider, where every decision gleams with potential, and the flavor of success is as delightful as the concept of school choice, without the sour aftertaste of opposition from entrenched interests like teachers’ unions. Here's to crafting a brighter future! Cheers!

 

Unshackled Sauvignon Blanc


Behold, Unshackled Sauvignon Blanc: a wine that embodies the spirit of liberation from the carbon-neutral and green energy legislation passed this legislative session. This Sauvignon Blanc boldly challenges the government’s disregard for the reliability of our power grid and the undue financial burden placed on consumers. With aromas evoking the untamed wilderness and a palate bursting with the freedom of open skies, each sip becomes a declaration of independence from bureaucratic constraints and regulatory oppression. Unshackled Sauvignon Blanc breaks free from the chains of conformity, delivering a taste of rebellion with every pour. So raise your glass and join the resistance against the folly of overreaching green energy policies, one sip of defiance at a time. 


Cheers to Unshackled Sauvignon Blanc – a wine that tastes as reassuring as a robust fossil fuel industry, as liberating as a wildcat well among wind turbines, and as invigorating as the promise of nuclear energy innovation!

 

Squealing Pig Rosé

 
Indulge in the playful whispers of Squealing Pig Rosé, a wine that dances across the palate with the grace of a well-crafted government document. Like a carefully scrutinized open records request, each sip unveils layers of complexity, revealing a tapestry of flavors reminiscent of juicy strawberries, ripe raspberries, and a hint of citrus zest.  Just as government transparency illuminates hidden truths, this Rosé basks in the light of its transparency, boasting a delicate pink hue that sparkles like sunlight through a redacted document. With a refreshing acidity that cuts through bureaucracy like a sharp pen, Squealing Pig Rosé leaves a lingering finish that beckons for another taste, much like the insatiable curiosity fueled by a trove of disclosed records.


So, uncork a bottle of Squealing Pig Rosé and raise your glass to the pursuit of knowledge, transparency, and the delightful discoveries found within every sip. Cheers to embracing the unexpected, just as one might stumble upon unexpected revelations in the depths of government archives.

 

Frico Sangiovese


Indulge in the essence of fiscal responsibility with Frico Sangiovese, a wine that embodies the fine balance of wise spending with every luxurious sip. With aromas reminiscent of freshly printed bills and subtle undertones of financial prudence, Frico Sangiovese invites contemplation of the consequences of state government overspending while reveling in the delight of a wine that offers exceptional value.


Its velvety texture and refined flavors glide across the palate, reminiscent of the calculated maneuvering of policymakers navigating around budgetary constraints. But Frico Sangiovese is not just a wine for fiscal hawks. It's a toast to those who appreciate the delicate balance between quality and restraint. Cheers to savoring the finer things in life while keeping a watchful eye on the bottom line – one sip at a time!

The case for a 90-day Colorado legislative session

By Jon Caldara

(You can listen to this column, read by the author, here.)


I was that kid in high school who would wait until the night before the term paper was due to even get started, as you can tell, a practice I honor to this day with this column. Of course, it was good enough to slide through high school; the paper was always lousy.


That’s OK, coming from a sloppy high school kid. But would you trust that kid to spend $35 billion of your money and make the laws that govern every aspect of your life? Because, you have.


The Colorado legislative session is 120 days long and, yet again, almost all the important work was left to the last few days and done to the quality my high school teachers came to expect of me.


A 120-day session is remarkably long. Texas, for example, has a 90-day session only every other year.


We have 100 legislators. Each one is allotted five bill titles, for a total of 500. Of course, like the high school teacher who keeps allowing late assignments with no consequence, legislative leaders allow late bill status, which this year pushed the count to more than 700 bills.


Nearly 300 of those 700 bills were dealt with in the last three days of their four-month-long session! By law, it takes at least three days to pass a bill. They waited until legal night before starting their term papers.


I have an initiative to amend the state Constitution working its way through the process that would reduce the legislative session from 120 days to 90 days. I now realize I made a serious error with my initiative. I should have written it to reduce the session from 120 days to three.


Decades ago, the legislature referred a measure to the people to limit their own session to 120 days. The legislators did it themselves. So why does it take an initiative now? You’d think lawmakers would be thrilled to get back to their lives sooner.


The sad fact is an increasing number of legislators want the legislature to be their life. They don’t want to be a citizen legislator and have a real job and then donate a few months to represent their constituents.


Too many legislators desire their “real” job to be “legislator.” They want to emulate the California system and have a full-time, yearlong legislature.


So, instead of working in your community, dealing with the very issues you deal with and driving on the same pot-holed streets, your representatives want to make their living from government and live mostly out of your district. You know, just like the U.S. Congress.


Their wish might come sooner than you think. Although our constitution clearly limits it to “120 calendar days,” Gov. Jared Polis, during COVID, decided the session could be broken up into pieces. The Colorado Supreme Court agreed, saying “calendar days” don’t need to be consecutive days.


Try that trick with your mortgage company sometime. “Oh, I’ll pay you in 30 calendar days, like in three or four months.”


As the elected industrial complex tries to become more like California, they could split those 120 days up and spread them throughout the year. And we can assume a healthy pay raise for legislators would come with it.


Legislators are giving full-time benefits to their part-time workers now. So, it’s pretty clear which direction they’d like to go.


Therefore, my proposed initiative clarifies the session would be 90 consecutive calendar days. Because we have to say that now?


Legislators whine they’re not getting paid enough. By shortening the session we’d be giving them a sizable raise, the same amount of pay for a fourth less work. I’m guessing you would take that deal in a heartbeat.


Of course, there’s a political reason they wait to the last week of session to drop important deals like property tax reform, “fees” on oil and gas, and TABOR refunds. It’s so there’s not enough time to have the scrutiny of the public on these big issues.


How do constituents even digest a proposed bill when dropped with three days left to pass it and no testimony allowed?


So, let’s shorten the session to 90 days. If they still keep treating their constituents like the procrastinating high schooler treats his English teacher, let’s just shorten it to three days.