Author: Michael Merrifield
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POINT/COUNTERPOINT: Should Colorado increase marijuana taxes to support education?
Point: Bob Gardner This November, Colorado voters have the chance to approve the largest expansion of parental choice in education in the U.S. in more than a decade. Conservatives all across Colorado are voting YES on Proposition 119 — names you trust like our last Republican Gov. Bill Owens, former state treasurer Mark Hillman, Colorado…
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COUNTERPOINT | Prop 119 is a ‘sinister’ scheme
Michael Merrifield Halloween! What perfect timing for a deceptively disguised, wolf-in-sheep’s clothing proposal like Proposition 119, the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress Program (LEAP)! Proposition 119 is no treat for Colorado’s kids, but a scam-bag of tricks to benefit wealthy, out-of-state backers and anti-public education schemers. Also read: POINT | Prop 119 is a lifeline for…
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Darts at Denver school board miss their mark
The recent resignation of Denver Public Schools Superintendent Susana Cordova has sparked a wave of outrageous, farfetched and biased criticism of the Denver Public Schools’ Board of Directors. The linking of the hot-button issues of racism and sexism to Cordova’s decision to leave is clearly an effort to undermine support for the current board. There…
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GUEST COLUMN: Walker Stapleton wrong about pensions
On Dec. 13, The Gazette editorial board wrote an article entitled, “Walker Stapleton fights to save PERA in Colorado.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead of helping PERA, Stapleton has picked an issue to use in his run for governor, while doing nothing but fearmongering. He needs to be a part of the…
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GUEST COLUMN: Betsy DeVos wrong for public education
When The Gazette called me out by name in their editorial endorsing Donald Trump’s choice for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, I felt obliged to respond and explain why DeVos would be an unmitigated disaster for the future of public education. Betsy DeVos has a vision for education filled with dangerous ideas. DeVos, who never attended…
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GUEST COLUMN: Nickels and dimes don’t help minimum wage workers
Imagine doing hard work for minimum wage but not being able to afford rent anywhere near your place of employment. Of course, this is by no means an imaginary situation. It’s a real problem for thousands of Coloradans, and it’s one reason why the minimum wage is a modern-day fairness issue in our state and…
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GUEST COLUMN: Response to Gazette editorial
The state of politics is pretty horrible these days. Campaigns are run by unknown and unaccountable interest groups due to Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United deciding that corporations are people and money is speech. The result – television and radio advertisements, mailboxes stuffed with mail and phone calls that candidates legally cannot fact-check or…
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GUEST COLUMN: Address the real issue at hand, stop being offended by Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg’s quote in the Rolling Stone interview has made quite a splash in the Colorado Springs media. His tasteless comment about “No Roads” indicated he is not well-traveled, not well informed, or not very effective at using sarcasm. This comment should not shake our pride in this beautiful community in which we live. We…
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GUEST COLUMN: SB175 was based on sound policy to protect individual rights
The extremism and unsubstantiated assertions contained in The Gazette’s editorial concerning Senate Bill 175, “The Reproductive Health Freedom Act,” necessitates a more reasoned response. “The Reproductive Health Freedom Act” guarantees every individual the fundamental right of privacy and freedom to make their own decisions about contraception and abortion. The title: “Reproductive Health Freedom Act” for…
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GUEST COLUMN: Why we think TABOR violates the U.S. Constitution
Michael Merrifield, MarcyMorrison AND John Morse — The Framers very deliberately wrote the Constitution to limit the type of government the states could adopt. They understood that the structure of government would be critical in balancing personal freedom and the rights of individuals with the broader needs of the society to pursue and achieve shared…