Colorado Political Draft: The Sleeper Picks

by: Colorado Pols

Fri Apr 23, 2010 at 09:00:00 AM MDT

Today, we're taking a look at the "Sleeper Picks." These are the picks that a team makes in the NFL Draft that initially have you scratching your head because you've never heard of them; but then the more you think about it, and the more you hear about the player and the rationale, the more you start to really like the selection.

With that in mind, check out our "Sleeper Picks" after the jump. For a refresher on the "guidelines" under which our picks are being made, check out yesterday's post.

Ritter Signs SB 228, Republicans Attack from...Grand Junction?

by: Colorado Pols

Wed Jun 03, 2009 at 11:56:12 AM MDT

Senate Bill 228, sponsored by Republican Rep. Don Marostica and Democrats Sen. John Morse and Rep. Lois Court, establishes consistent and reliable funding for transportation projects, while also removing an arbitrary allocation formula that prevents the recovery of vital state services when the economy recovers...

..."This is a fiscally responsible approach to creating a rainy day fund and ensuring that we are adequately funding transportation and capital construction," Rep. Marostica said. "More importantly, this accomplishes those goals without raising taxes."

Republican Rep. Don Marostica's deservedly praised sponsorship on this issue has made it tough for the right-wing of the GOP to really gain traction against the legislation, so how did they fight back?

Well, yesterday afternoon Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry and House Minority Leader Mike May held a press conference in Grand Junction.

Seriously.

The GOP leadership had to take its traction-less attack on a needed piece of legislation sponsored by a Republican member of the Joint Budget Committee to the tiny Grand Junction market in order to get somebody to pay attention to their cries.

We've been saying for months that Colorado Republicans would have been better off trying to find compromise on budget solutions rather than just saying no to everything. But instead they've held firm to their plan of doing nothing and complaining often, and now they're relegated to holding meaningless press conferences in Grand Junction because every other market won't pay attention any more.

Ladies and gentlemen, your Republican legislative leadership!

Penry for Governor? Um, No

by: Colorado Pols

Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 11:29:35 AM MST

Our prediction? Penry doesn't actually end up running for Governor in 2010. And here's why...

Marostica Won't Run for Treasurer

by: Colorado Pols

Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 09:23:58 AM MST

So much for that.

We hear that Marostica has told State Treasurer Cary Kennedy that he will not run for Treasurer, so the GOP will have Stapleton and Muhammad Ali Hasan for now.

Republican Primary for State Treasurer?

by: Colorado Pols

Thu Feb 26, 2009 at 14:02:15 PM MST

One candidate is already running for the post, at least informally (and we don't mean the silly Muhammad Ali Hasan - not until he proves otherwise). Walker Roberts Stapleton, a businessman who is a cousin of George W. Bush, may soon face a primary from Rep. Don Marostica, who has been eyeing the seat as a launching pad for an eventual run for Governor.

However, Marostica is also being pushed by some to run for Governor now, although he would face a tougher path with Marc Holtzman already assumed to be running. Marostica has emerged as one of the few remaining moderate and rational Republicans in the legislature, but whether he could get through a Republican primary with that reputation remains to be seen.

Post Applauds Marostica for Pragmatism

by: Colorado Pols

Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 13:36:32 PM MST

It's always refreshing to see an elected official shed partisan politics in favor of pragmatism - even if the delivery is botched.

Such was the case this week under the gold dome when Sen. Don Marostica broke ranks with state Republicans in supporting a bill he believes would be good for Coloradans.

Unfortunately, he then spoiled the moment with an offhand remark. No matter. It takes a brave Republican to question the efficacy of anything that might have to do with the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, which is just what Marostica has done.

Working as a member of the Joint Budget Committee, which controls the state's budget, has taught the second-term legislator that sometimes ideology has to bend to pragmatism.

Marostica wants to repeal the state's 6 percent spending cap, known as Arveschoug-Bird. When told that prominent Republicans such as the Independence Institute's Jon Caldara, former Senate president John Andrews and former state treasurer Mark Hillman want to kill the effort to remove the spending limit, Marostica told a Rocky Mountain News reporter: "They're has-beens. They're losers."

Reaction was swift. Marostica had to go, principal's-office style, to a meeting with GOP chairman Dick Wadhams. Rumors blew through the assembly that Marostica would be stripped of his JBC post.

So why is toe-the-party-line Josh Penry the standard for the GOP instead of Marostica? Why, indeed. Marostica can now go back to voters in 2010 and tout his role in trying to make things better in Colorado. This is the way back from the wilderness for the GOP, but instead they tout people like Penry who do nothing but put forth obstructionist politics.

Republicans May Oust Marostica from JBC Post

by: Colorado Pols

Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 14:50:22 PM MST

Marostica's crime? That he dared try to actually fix some of the problems with the state. Marostica has been critical of fellow Republicans, led by Senate Majority Leader Josh Penry, who have approached this legislative session with an eye on throwing wrenches into anything that moves.

Because he's on the JBC, Marostica understands better than most the financial crisis facing Colorado, and he's broken away from hard-liners like Penry in an effort to actually legislate instead of play games of political posturing.

If Republicans actually oust Marostica, it will show, once again, that hard-line, right-wing thinking is more important than actual leadership that solves problems - the kinds of problems that Colorado voters want solved.

Sorry all you Republican voters out there. Maybe 2012 will be a better year, because 2010 is looking like a lost cause.

I'll Wrestle You for Your Seat

by: Colorado Pols

Wed Nov 07, 2007 at 12:27:19 PM MST

Jason Kosena of The Fort Collins Coloradoan had a fantastic blog entry yesterday about a house district race in Northern Colorado:

Well, we took some time off from blogging yesterday but have some fun political tidbits to share, including a challenge for  Rep. Don Marostica, R-Loveland, to wrestle a possible Democratic opponent in 2008.

When Fort Collins Democrat Cross Gambino said he wanted to run against Marostica last week, it soon became apparent that he had a past that was more colorful than generally found with candidates for high office.

Gambino's background includes a felony conviction for attempted check fraud stemming from events he claims occurred during a three- to four-day span when he claims he blacked out after possibly being drugged.

A background search of Gambino turned up more than just his felony conviction though. It also opened another door to a side project of Gambino's - cage fighting.

Yep, that is right. Cage fighting.

In e-mailed conversations between high-ranking Republicans and influential media provided to GovReport, it seems the Rs are having a laugh or two over the issue.

Click on the link and read the emails for a good laugh. And speaking of wrestling matches, which Colorado politician would be the toughest to defeat? We'd have to give the early nod to Gov. Bill Ritter, who is a pretty big guy.