News Miner 48
Herod the libertarian, politically defined news media, the Republican meltdown, The Church, free lunches, and more.
Herod the . . . Libertarian?
Complete Colorado published my new column, “Rep. Leslie Herod plays the libertarian card.” Not only does Herod acknowledge that legislation does not always have its intended effects (speaking specifically about gun laws), she explicitly says she has a “libertarian streak.” She also complains about overly bureaucratic permitting processes in Denver:
But there are also times when the government needs to get out of its own way. I’ll tell you what that looks like. It looks like an eighteen-month permitting process right now, in the city and county of Denver, to build houses. That’s absurd. And it’s because we’ve built bureaucracy on top of bureaucracy, and we won’t get out of our own way. There are things that, sometimes—I’m a . . . good Democrat—that Democrats add too many layers, too much red tape. And it creates so much confusion that it stalls out the entire process. And having an eighteen-month permitting process is absurd when our number one issue is affordable housing. So there are definitely times when government needs to just get out of the way.
Read the entire piece. Also listen to Herod’s interview with Craig Silverman, the basis of my piece.
Politically Defined Journalism—Updates
On March 14, Complete Colorado ran my column on a legislative effort to legally define “news media” for purposes of granting preferred access to public records. The next day, I discussed some commentary by others on the matter.
Yesterday, Complete published Sherrie Peif’s report on the draft bill in question. Peif gets into the details of the proposal.
Also yesterday, 9News journalist Kyle Clark, reacting to a Tweet of mine, wrote, “Having the government decide who is and is not a journalist? What could go wrong?”
Rebecca Wallace of the Colorado Freedom Fund replied:
Many government watch dogs aren’t media. In my policy work for nonprofits, I’ve filed 100s of open records requests and written dozens of public letters and reports to reveal/change abusive practices. Those records requests warranted a rate cut at least as much as paid media.
More on the Republican Meltdown
Dave Williams, the new Conspiracy Monger in Chief for the state GOP, says, “I’m only here to go attack Democrats.” That’s part of the problem. Voters don’t want a party capable only of trashing their opponents; they want positive leadership. The Colorado Sun article also quotes me on leaving the party, as I’ve discussed. Also, Williams is planning to give Tina Peters, currently awaiting trial for election-related offenses, a formal position with the party, something also discussed by the Times-Recorder.
Krista Kafer wonders if there’s room in the Republican Party for “rational, evidence-based thinkers who get, at a minimum, that Trump lost the 2020 election, vaccines save lives, and Trump’s repellent, mendacious style has hurt Republicans’ standing in a once purple state.” But Kafer sees reason to stay in the GOP, given the left also is pretty nuts and some good leaders remain in the GOP.
Quick Takes—Colorado
Forfeiture: Years ago I was involved in an effort to curb asset forfeiture in Colorado. Now the legislature is taking another look at the issue. “HB23-1086, titled the Due Process Asset Forfeiture Act, would allow agencies to seize assets only if defendants are found guilty of a crime,” Fox31 reports.
Housing: The legislature is intent on micromanaging rental contracts when it comes to pets (among other things). The House passed Bill 1068, which I’ve discussed previously.
Police: Denver Police paid a “settlement of $575,000 . . . to Gabriel Schlough, whom a Denver police officer shot in the face with a rubber bullet, according to his lawsuit. The projectile severed off a portion of his chin, the lawsuit states.” Check out the photo for a better indication of what happened—if you have a tough stomach.
Crime: “With car thefts spiking in Colorado the past few years, . . . Allstate, State Farm and Progressive are passing over new owners of some Kia and Hyundai vehicles,” the Denver Post reports.
Regulations: Red tape is costing Coloradans money, argues J. J. Ament.
Court Access: “CFOIC [the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition], news associations urge judicial branch to permit livestreaming of trials and evidentiary hearings.”
Insurance: “The Senate Health and Human Services Committee tackled Senate Bill 189, which would require health insurance carriers that serve large employers—those with more than 100 employees—to pay for abortion coverage without deductibles, copays or coinsurance,” Marianne Goodland reports. Government should stay out of insurance contracts. All this does is force people who do not need abortions to subsidize people who do. If insurers and purchasers of policies want to negotiate the inclusion of abortion services, great. However, not every health expense has to be insured!
Litigation: You know what we need in Colorado are more vampiric lawyers seeking to suck Colorado businesses dry. Ed Sealover reports: “Individuals with disabilities could file legal actions against businesses more easily and receive greater monetary awards under a legislative proposal that advocates say is long overdue but that skeptics say will lead to an increase in ‘drive-by lawsuits.’” I’m all for using the power of public pressure and media attention to promote access.
Litigation II: Jon Caldara warns that using lawsuits to punish gun makers sets a dangerous precedent for other fields, including abortion and publishing.
The Church: This Australian band played Denver’s Gothic last night and put on a great show despite Steve Kilbey having a finger injury, their regular drummer getting held up with visa trouble, and a traffic accident on the way into town. The band played several songs for the new album Hypnogogue, which is very good. Hear the songs “Hypnogogue” and “No Other You” on Youtube.
Quick Takes—General
Free Markets: Jacob Soll’s book Free Market has some serious problems, writes Jerry Muller.
AI: “Work life has never changed so quickly,” observes economist Alex Tabarrok in response to Google rolling out (as Ben Parr reports) “Generative AI across ALL of Google Workspace.” See also links to videos on Microsoft Copilot. See also Tyler Cowen’s take on how AI might affect childhood in terms of play, babysitting, education, and even therapy. Tabarrok and Cowen have out a paper on how to learn and teach economics using Large Language Models.
Free Lunch: Who first said “There ain’t no such thing as a Free lunch?” Milton Friedman? No, Robert Heinlein used the phrase earlier. But there’s an even earlier use, as David Boaz relates. In 1938, someone, probably Walter Morrow, wrote an essay, “Economics in Eight Words.” Those words: “There ain’t no such thing as free lunch.”
Drag: Billy Binion wrote that, although “Drag shows are inappropriate for kids,” “The recent hysteria over it is a classic moral panic, and reactions like these are just as performative as any drag show.” I replied to the first claim, “Come on now. There’s a huge difference between someone in drag reading a children’s book and someone in drag performing a hyper-sexualized dance. You might as well say ‘movies are inappropriate for kids’ because some movies are rated R.”