Get More Smarter on Thursday (April 23)

The news conference – organized by former Govs. Bill Owens, a Republican, and Roy Romer, a Democrat – comes as the Legislature debates several measures aimed at reducing assessments and increasing flexibility.

“That system is under attack,” Owens said. “Our friends from both the left and the right, for differing reasons, don’t want to test, don’t want to measure, don’t want to have accountability. This is stunning to me.”…

…“This is so nonsensical and illogical to raise the possibility you’re not going to test in ninth grade,” said Romer, who served as the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2000 to 2007.

► Ken Buck took some time out from Tweeting stupid stuff to vote against legislation dealing with consumer protection. The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Advisory Boards Act was approved by the House nevertheless.

► Congressman Mike Coffman has been fundraising off of problems with the Veterans’s Administration. Although his spokesperson angrily denied this was happening, the online ads Coffman was using have disappeared.

► The guy who thought up TABOR, convicted felon Doug Bruce, is facing a new assault charge. 

► Senator Gardner is not making a lot of friends with his opposition to protecting the Greater Sage Grouse. That ugly-ass bird has enough problems without having to worry about losing its habitat.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► Colorado lawmakers want to see more Presidential candidates visiting our state. As John Frank
of the Denver Post explains:

Democratic and Republican leaders are drafting a measure to create a presidential primary in Colorado, a significant shift in one of few states with a caucus system.

The tentative bill would put the primary in a prominent spot on the 2016 calendar and make the swing state a top prize in the nominating process…

…As anticipated, the legislation would maintain the state’s complicated caucus system and keep the June primary election for state-level contests, such U.S. Senate and governor.

Wait, why do we want to maintain the caucus system that nobody understands? Maybe nobody knows how to change it anyway.

► Republican Rep. Gordon “Dr. Chaps” Klingenschmitt plans to take over the world run for the State Senate.

► Aurora Police Chief Nick Metz is asking Aurora drivers to please stop killing each other.

► Florida Senator and GOP Presidential hopeful Marco Rubio may have convinced an old man to give him a lot of money. Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who spent some $100 million for Republicans in 2012, is reportedly going to back Rubio for President.

ICYMI

► Aurora Sentinel editor Dave Perry warns readers not to be fooled by the latest Republican attempt to advance Personhood legislation.

► Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback may well go down in history as the worst governor ever. 

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