March 2010 NEWS
ARTICLES
Don't believe everything you read or
hear
Obama says Drill Baby Drill! No, Not Really….
Just when you think that the president has
finally done something right during his first term of office, the
details come to the fore. See John Hawkin's article at Right Wing News regarding
the announcement that Obama has opened offshore drilling. Go to:
http://rightwingnews.com/#post10561
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Grassroots Activism on Display
March 24, 2010 by Jack
Ott
TThe March 16 Colorado
Precinct Caucuses provided the opportunity for CCM – Denver members to participate in
the most direct form of grassroots activism possible: involvement in the political process
at the local level. Along with its coalition partners in the Operation Avalanche movement,
CCM’ers not only participated in precinct caucuses throughout the Denver area but
several were elected as delegates or alternates to County, Congressional District, and
State Party Assemblies as well as becoming Precinct Committee Persons.
Active and inactive
Chapter members who were elected to their County Assemblies included BILL CONLEY, ROY
CALDWELL, KAREN LECK, BILL LECK, RON MICHEL,
and JACK OTT. In those counties where delegates to the Congressional District Assemblies
were selected, ROY CALDWELL, BILL LECK, AND JACK OTT won elections. Some counties will
elect their delegates to the District Assembly at their County Assemblies, so more CCM
members could be added to this list. BILL LECK and RON MICHEL were elected to represent
their precincts and counties at the State Assembly on May 22 in Loveland.
BILL LECK and JACK OTT
were elected Precinct Chairman to run their Caucus meetings, and both of them, plus ROY
CALDWELL and KAREN LECK, were elected as Precinct Committee Persons. The PCP positions are
for two-year terms, and those elected will be involved with coordinating and promoting
election activities in their precincts.
Overall, caucus attendance
throughout the state was somewhat above normal for an off-year election, but it was far
below the attendance for the 2008 election. A major feature of this year’s caucus was
a non-binding straw poll of Republican candidates running for U. S. Senator and Colorado
Governor. In the Senate poll, Ken Buck pulled out a very narrow but surprising win over
Jane Norton, and Dan Maes had much stronger support than expected for Governor, gaining
about 40% of the vote compared to Scott McGinnis’s 60%. Both of these results
indicated the success of the many Operation
Avalanche groups across the state in making their voices heard.
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March 2010 Chapter Meeting Focuses
on Precinct Caucuses
March 10, 2010 by Jack Ott
The Denver Chapter held its March meeting
last night with limited attendance. It was scheduled to be held one week early this month
because of the Colorado precinct caucuses that are scheduled for March 16, which would
have been the regular meeting night.
The primary focus of the meeting was to
provide detailed information for members who are planning to actively participate in the
caucuses. Using a slide copy of the Caucus Chairman's Agenda issued by the Jefferson
County GOP, Chapter President JACK OTT led the group as it discussed the step-by-step
procedure that are to be followed at precinct caucuses. A slightly modified copy of the
Agenda can be seen HERE.
The discussion also included tips on what those who are elected to become delegates can
expect to take place at the County, State, and Congressional District assemblies that will
be taking place in April and May.
A brief overview of changes and updates that
have been made to this website also took place.
Other items that were the subjects of open discussion
included last Saturday's South Denver Candidate
Search2010 Event in Castle Rock (very good reviews) and several of the candidates that are
running in this year's election.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30p.m.
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Successful Chapter Participation at
the South Denver CandidateSearch2010 Event
March 9, 2010 by Jack Ott
It was in a political convention atmosphere
last Saturday afternoon (March 6) that several hundred political wonks gathered at the
Douglas County Fairgrounds in Castle Rock to meet and listen to political candidates
introduce themselves, answer questions, and mingle with the crowds. Several Operation
Avalanche activist groups were also there to answer questions and distribute
literature. This included both Colorado CCM chapters, who shared a table at the event.
More than 50 event attendees stopped by the table to pick up brochures or sign up to
receive more information about the Denver Chapter.
Chapter members who were at the event
included GORDON CALAHAN, CECIL CRAFT and MARTHA JOHNSON, WILL FREEMAN, RON MICHEL, and
JACK OTT. Also seen were recent chapter speakers State SEN. MIKE KOPP, MATT ARNOLD of Clear
the Bench Colorado, and CRISTA HUFF of the Douglas County GOP. Former CD-6 REP. TOM
TANCREDO and current REP. MIKE COFFMAN were among the notable attendees.
The format of the event was similar to that
used previously at the North Denver event (see below), wherein Republican and Libertarian
Congressional District, Senate, and Gubernatorial candidates. Although they had been
invited, no Democrat candidates participated.
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