Steve Barton for District 60 is now out of the race

I am now out of the race as the only technical problem-solver was rejected at the assembly.  Jim Wilson--the congenial smooth-talking crony who MUST be defeated-- is now front runner, with a primary v. Steve Collins, the parrot who readily recites conservative theory.

During a campaign, one forms opinions of the competition. I found Collins friendly and easy to get to know. Wilson was much more aloof, clearly regarding all other candidates as interlopers on his turf.

One of my strongest political beliefs is: The country gains from politicians and officials who are not in politics for themselves and their cronies, but in politics for the benefit of the country and the people. As a result, I'm suspicious and often say "follow the money--where did it go?"

Just after the assembly, I spoke to Jim Wilson. Wilson displayed the thinking capacity of firewood throughout the campaign, so I was trying to see if he could think in what should be his comfort zone--education.

Good teachers with Math and Science majors are scarce because they make more in industry. I asked: "I've done some checking, I see that Salida schools (also Canon City schools in Fremont County) underperform in Science and Math. When you were superintendent, did you consider breaking the union one-pay-fits-all scale to pay Math and Science specialty teachers more, so you could pull those scores out of the mud?"

Jim Wilson's instant, unthinking, response was to lean back in his chair and say: "I wish I could have broken those scales, so I could have paid myself more. <pause> Why shouldnt I pay myself more, when I did all the work...." The conversation then covered how sports and especially Band were where the money went, and Band was too popular to reduce.

In later conversation (recorded), He spins the story by accusing me of "misunderstanding" him, saying the remark came from discussing life as a teacher -when he felt underpaid. He points out that he did not give himself a raise until after winning raises for his teachers. No trace of apology for mis-speaking, no hint of repentance that might win my respect.

Sorry Jim -- the conversation was about your period as an administrator-superintendent. The question was clearly about improving scores throughout the district--your role as a superintendent. There was no discussion of your pre-administrator life. Also, as you know, there are lots of ways an administrator or legislator can pay himself -- or cronies -- a little bit more bypassing the paycheck, all it takes is a little spending guided to cronies--the way the BO administration has misused "stimulus" for the likes of Solyndra. Your spinning things this way is just as bad as your mentor Massey who, called to account for sponsoring horrible legislation, brags of having tabled it--when it was tabled despite his advocacy of it.

The way to tell what a politician really thinks is to catch him off guard -- and Jim really stepped into it when I accidentally asked the right queston. He betrayed that he would consider paying himself more from the public trough. Further, he also betrayed that, for him, popular Band outweighs the necessary--preparing students for the future in Math and Science. Virtually no graduates will make a living as musicians in a marching band.

I must throw any support I have to his opponent in the primary -- and thus support Steve Collins, www.collins4co.com.

Why?

Our country is dying for want of incorruptible poiticians who will stop the cronyism, tell truth instead of spin, and dare to axe the popular in favor of funding the necessary, and that's not Wilson.

State legislatures are full of school administrators, teachers, "people persons," marketing people, who do favors for the few they take a special interest in. Do we need any more of those in Denver?

NO!!  While we need some of them, we have plenty now, and their weight must be balanced!

We need technical representatives who can see unintended consequences & costs of favors, or concealed goals of lobbyists, and who can remind legislators of harm caused by those favors; ones who will support what is logical and works technically; and thereby prevent unintended disaster.

Who am I? Why am I running?

With a Master's in Engineering, as well as degrees in Law and Medicine, and an MBA finishing this summer, I see, and am frustrated by, gross mismanagement and technical incompetence in government at both State and Federal levels.

THIS IS THE MOST CRITICAL ELECTION -- the BO administration MUST be overturned; logic, fiscal soundness, and technical sense must replace emotional, misrepresented, "hope and change" if our State and Nation are to survive.

I've been based in Colorado for 30 years, except from 1995-mid 1997, and for school. From 1985-1994 I lived in the ghost town of Eastonville, near Peyton, in El Paso County. From 1998 to present I've been based in Fremont County, originally in Penrose, and now just north of Canon City.

Since 1976, my employment has been in the private sector, working as an engineer for Intel and Ford Microelectronics,then later as a patent attorney. Current employer is Lathrop & Gage. I telecommute - look for my bio under the Boulder office (I telecommute).

I am unconnected with lobbyists, traditional politicians, or big government. I seek to save Colorado and the USA from gross mismanagement. I adhere to strong conservative principles, and attend Church regularly.

Yes, I'm not the greatest "people person", being more of a "Mr Spock" technocrat who loves rural Colorado, trees, and mountains, and who has never yet been elected to public office. Yet, I read YOUR email and facebook posts.

On State issues:

My $70/month Black Hills Electric bill is up sharply from a year ago, despite using less than 400 kWh. This from Colorado's sellout to the Natural Gas lobbies, at the expense of Colorado coal -- plus high renewable energy quotas. Colorado needs low cost and abundant power for jobs and housing. There are tradeoffs, see Environmental below.

Obamacare, and Amycare, with coming cuts in Medicare subsidies could cause many doctor training programs to close -- aggravating doctor shortages in rural counties--including Fremont and Chaffee counties. The State can fill the gap.

Colorado must reduce spending, not disguise taxes as "fees" to avoid TABOR. Fees for registering trailers may exceed their value. End those fees, Live within the TABOR limits. We must clarify any fee expected to be paid by more than 5% of the population as a tax subject to TABOR's requirement for voter approval.

PERA's assumed 8%-above-inflation interest is actuarially unsound--PERA must be reformed or, later on, either the State will have to step in to pay the pensions, or retirees will take sudden, severe, cuts.

Colorado House District 60's term-limited incumbent Tom Massey has introduced legislation to create a new State "childhood" agency to govern all aspects of childraising from birth to 8. Do we really need yet another agency? Also, his name was on a bill requiring fingerprints for prescriptions! With government, less may be better!

On Federal issues:

The United States is well on the way to becoming Greece -- whose private bondholders just took an effective 70% bath, with 20% cuts in pensions (their social security equivalent), massive government layoffs, and unemployment of youth running 50%. Business regulation is still stifling, and many businesses have closed.

Borrowing 40% of each dollar wasted can not be sustainedwithout severe risk to our future. Cut spending now.

When the time is ripe, Colorado, together with other states, needs to call a constitutional convention (they are provided for in the US Constitution) to impose balanced budget rules on the Feds. Rules with teeth, that prevent payment of House and Senate members until the budget is balanced.

Amy/Obamacare is seriously flawed and must be repealed.  Then we must consider other care for uninsured.

IWe CAN and MUST Restore America At The Ballot Box You Can Make A Difference:

1. Study The Issues.

2. Write State legislators, Congress & News Editors often.

3. Study the Candidates: Check their websites; Who would make a difference in Washington? Who values the USA v. Who wants power?

4. Tell Your Friends About Candidates. Go viral with email and facebook!

5. Pick Favorite Candidates, it important that you be involved. Avoid splitting the conservative vote.

6. Contribute to Campaigns Help with Fundraising

7. Volunteer Time to Campaigns

8. Vote in the Primary Help get others to vote

9. If Your Candidate Loses, Don’t stop! Pick another and contribute and work for him/her.

10. Vote in November 2012

11. Report Voting Fraud

Currency Denominations to expect if the USA keeps spending the way it has---the "Inflation Tax" has been triggered by many countries who dont balance their budgets.

Colorado must prepare!--------------->>>

Imagine 100 trillion as -- small change!