(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
 . . . . . . . . . .



Voting Season. A Colorado State Open Thread, 10/23/2023 [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-10-23  

I’m very happy I live and vote in Colorado, where I get mailed my ballot, a “blue book” to explain the various ballot measures, and I can mail it in, turn it in at many drop boxes as well as at a polling place if I’m running behind. Many of our Kosack friends don’t have such luxuries or considerate governments that want people to vote. Oh, I know, some do want the “right” (in more ways than one) people to vote, but Colorado takes all registered voters as they come.

This year, my ballot includes a school board election featuring one of my neighbors as one of four candidates for two open seats. I am not sure why my neighbor is running for this position — he is 65 or older, he’s only lived in town for about six years and his family, for the most part, including his grandchildren, live in Oklahoma. I do know his politics — he’s a Republican, and while I don’t remember his wearing any Trump gear, I know he has a Blue Lives Matter flag flying from his deck (amongst others that support a couple of universities that were his and his wife’s alma maters, a USMC one, and he may still have his Gadsden flag flying). We don’t talk politics. As a matter of fact, once he got re-married 2-3 years ago, we don’t see each other or talk much at all. The local newspaper interviewed the various school board candidates recently and posted results in the most recent edition. Both candidates who start their names with a “K” are in favor of reconsidering the failed effort for a charter school for Estes, and they’re not in favor of things like sex education in the schools. I gather they’re in favor of religious teaching since the charter school was going to be held in a church in town. The enrollment of students has been going down the last several years, in part because of lack of affordable housing for families with school-aged kids. I am not against charter schools, but I am very much in favor of public schools so that kids aren’t educated in a bubble where they’re insulated from different views, cultures and backgrounds than what they’re raised in. I feel that’s where a lot of the divisiveness in this country comes from. I am very much against any charter school, especially a religious one, taking money that would otherwise go to the public school and putting that into a charter school. One of the other questions put to the candidates was about boys competing in girl’s sports if they’ve transitioned to girls. I know this is a hot-button issue for many, especially Republicans, but really, is that an issue in Colorado? I’m voting for the two non-Republicans on my ballot.

My ballot also includes the two statewide propositions — HH and II. If you haven’t explored HH, that’s the one that tries to address the rapid increase in property taxes many people have been hit with this year because of the rapid rise in their property valuations. There is a debate tonight on the 9News website at 7PM and if you don’t see it live, it will be available to stream once the live debate is over. Governor Polis is on the same side of the debate with Arthur Laffer, the economist (and whom the “Laffer curve” is named for, and there’s a Republican state legislator and someone else on the other side of the debate. In addition, many of the newspapers of the state have analyzed both of these propositions and you should read multiple reviews to understand their complexity, especially HH.

And that’s my ballot. One race and two propositions. Easy peasy. How about on your ballots?

In another issue, I’ve been making some dried apple slices with cinnamon and sugar both in my oven and in my dehydrator machine. I like the dehydrator better. The apples came from a special sale at my Safeway for (I think) $1.29 per pound for the apples, so I bought several pounds and am now getting them prepared. I know from experience that I still can enjoy them after even three years in the freezer.

How are things going for y’all? Are you ready for winter hitting at the end of this week? Well, I guess that’s a bit optimistic, but many of us may get some snow, though I don’t know how long it might stay around. Let us hear in the comments what’s going on in your corner of our squar(ish) state.

The floor is yours...

[END]
---
[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/10/23/2201223/-Voting-Season-A-Colorado-State-Open-Thread-10-23-2023?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web

Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.

via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/