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I suppose the interesting substantive point in this report about Governor Owens’ meeting with the legislature’s Republican caucus is that there really isn’t a tremendous difference between the two parties’ current proposals to resolve the state budget crisis — both are advocating some form of permanent tax cut coupled with relief from the TABOR “downward ratchet” that prevents the state government from keeping increased revenues after the economy recovers from a recession.
But if you want to look past the substance to the tone, what could be more revealing than this?
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Referring to the governor’s veto power, Rep. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, opened the caucus with a prayer that Owens wield “a mighty pen that can serve our purposes.”
These days Colorado Republicans like to remind everyone that Democratic Governors Lamm and Romer didn’t hesitate to veto Republican-sponsored bills they thought went overboard. But I’ll bet the Democratic caucus never openly prayed for those vetoes.