February 16, 2016 02:40 PM UTC

Get More Smarter on Tuesday (Feb. 16)

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• by: Colorado Pols

We’re counting down to the next three day weekend! It’s time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example).

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► With Colorado’s Democratic presidential caucuses fast approaching, campaign hands for both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are pouring into the state:

The Clintons have a history of losing here in Colorado—Bill Clinton lost the 1992 caucuses to Jerry Brown, and Hillary Clinton lost them to Barack Obama in 2008.

That’s not the only reason Bernie Sanders’ campaign is making a stand here on Super Tuesday March 1. The state is also the Rocky Mountain linchpin for his March strategy, when Sanders hopes to run the table in a series of caucus states.

Sanders and his aides are confident that the four Western caucuses in March, here in Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, are prime territory for his populism among the most committed of party activists who show up for those votes…

This time around, the Clinton campaign is looking to this state as the first big test of learning from their wipe out in the caucuses against Obama eight years ago. In 2008, Obama proved it was possible to win the nomination while losing nearly all of the delegate-rich primary states. This time, the Clinton campaign is looking to play hard here — even if that means investing heavily only to pick up some delegates and ultimately losing the state.

There’s lots of coverage from this weekend’s Democratic Party events featuring both candidates–and we’ve not seen the last of them before March 1st.

► Following the sudden death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia this weekend, Colorado Senate President Bill Cadman almost bucked Washington Republicans on the matter of stonewalling Scalia’s successor:

Colorado’s top GOP state lawmaker has a message for Republican leaders in Washington who want to block any Supreme Court nomination to replace Antonin Scalia.

“Dear Congress, do your job,” said Senate President Bill Cadman.

Except no, not really:

Cadman’s stance drew significant reaction on social media — spread even by a White House spokesperson — and his office later issued a clarification. In a statement issued by his spokesman, Cadman said if the Senate delays confirmation it fits within its constitutional duty.

► Meanwhile, a new organizing campaign focused on young Latino voters hopes to turn out a huge new demographic this year that the pollsters aren’t counting on.

► Planned Parenthood’s Colorado Springs clinic reopened yesterday after being closed by a domestic terror attack in November.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► There’s a lot of talk about “bipartisanship” in criminal justice reform legislation this year, including the so-called “Cosby Bill” extending the statute of limitations on sexual assault cases. Other bills getting the “bipartisan” label in the press might prove decidedly less so in the GOP-controlled Senate.

► The Durango Herald’s Peter Marcus provided some valuable coverage of the death of GOP abortion ban bills in the Colorado House last week, doing his job while other reporters talked themselves out of covering the story:

“Planned Parenthood people are defiant. People are like, ‘go get ’em, you show ‘em,’” Cowart said. “They stand up to those bullies. Some of them operate with legislation and some operate with protest. But let’s call them what they are – bullies.”

Two bills were before Democratic-controlled House committees last week.

One measure would have allowed prosecutors to charge someone with murder for killing an unborn child. The bill was rejected, mostly by Democrats.

The other bill that was rejected would have made abortion illegal in Colorado.

► A statewide measure raising taxes for roads looks increasingly likely.

► There are a bunch of fracking ballot measures in various stages of development as well, our advice is to not get worked up about any of them one way or the other until we know who is backing them and how much backing they’ll receive.

► Single-filer taxpayer in Colorado? Congratulations! While the state is forced to cut programs and services you depend on, you’ll be getting a  piddly refund of between $13 and $41 thanks to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Our advice: save it for repairs to your car from potholes.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► Citing big cost overruns, the feds have cancelled plans for an immigrant children detention center at Lakewood’s Federal Center complex.

► Making lemonade from…mining pollution? Colorado hopes the Gold King mine blowout results in more attention to other polluting mines in our state.

ICYMI

► Weed and strippers in one place. Who cares what it’s about? Just click.

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