Comments for Clear the Bench Colorado

Comment on Evaluating the Performance of Colorado Supreme Court Justices by Cheryl Hayes Littlejohn

Cheryl Hayes Littlejohn — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:48:40 +0000

I enjoyed hearing you speak today in Grand Junction. I hope that people will wake up..

Thank you for what you are doing.

Regards,

C Hayes Littlejohn

Comment on Clear The Bench Colorado is the event Guest Speaker at Saturday’s South Denver Candidate Search 2010 Forum by Clem

Clem — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:20:09 +0000

Just wanted to say Matt and his team did a great job today at the forum. We let everyone know who came by our table about CTBC and it was a unanimous agreement for Clearing the Bench in 2010. Thanks Matt for taking this on and letting everyone know we can stop activist judges.

Comment on Sound Off! by Vincent

Vincent — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:19:18 +0000

I remember well James Madison’s caution against the “tyranny of the judiciary.” Consequently, I have NEVER voted to retain a judge at any level. This is perhaps the most critical issue facing us today and always, but the least appreciated and understood. Thank you Matt for what you are doing. I look forward to assisting in your efforts.

Comment on Clear The Bench Colorado Director Matt Arnold testifies against unconstitutional “Doggy Bag Tax” enabled by Colorado Supreme Court by Alfred Costanzo

Alfred Costanzo — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:49:04 +0000

I’m a New Mexico resident and have been looking for property in the Pagosa Springs area as a possible retirement home or second summer home. After reading the kinds of repressive taxes that are being imposed on my neighbors up North I have given very serious reservations to ever moving or buying property in Colorado. It looks like they are trying to grab and squeeze every possible nickle out of it’s residents. “A doggy bag tax” If I purchase a meal in an establishment and ask for a doggy bag to bring home to my pet after I have already paid for the meal and the taxes which go with it, the idea of paying another tax to get a bag to bring home the food already purchased is absurd. Furthermore the Candy Tax is equally absurd and the repressive tax on auto’s well put it this way, I’m glad that when deciding to move from New York City out West, I looked seriously at Colorado Springs and Albuquerque as possible places to move, I picked Albuquerque New Mexico instead of Colorado. I brought my Advertising business and established a new location and employed 12 people. I’m glad I drew from the creative people I found here. It is tough enough to run a business with all the laws and regulations and taxes that are required to get and keep it going. The last thing I need is to be in a place that has this atitude that they can create any kind of loophole to drain more money out of the people, that is an enviornment I will not be part of. I’m retired now and had been very successful here in New Mexico because it was an enviornemt that encouraged business not repress it. I’m not sure what dollar amount I had paid over the 28 years I’ve had the business but I assure you I had paid my fair share in taxes. I’m glad that I did not have to contribute my tax money to encourage such government leeches as you have in Colorado. I’m happy to have made the move to New Mexico instead of Colorado. Furthermore the idea of living in a state which allows these people to remain in office is a sad reflection on the people who live here.

Comment on Sound Off! by Kirk

Kirk — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:08:39 +0000

I would also like to mention a conversation I had with Senator Kevin Lundberg and appointed Representative B.J. Nikkel at a Wellington town meeting. They were just elected and were meeting their new tax slaves. We talked about a lot of things concerning government corruption and I was wearing my, “JUST SAY NO TO GOVERNMENT” ball cap.

I asked Senator Lundberg a direct question, “With the house prices dropping, do you believe that my unconstitutional property taxes will be reduced accordingly or do you think the state will come up with some scam to keep steeling from me at higher and higher rates.” Senator Lundberg then explained that the assessment is on a two year cycle so I would expect that if your house goes down in value that it will be fairly assessed and you would see a tax reduction.” I then chuckled because I realized that these two have no clue what they are up against in this country and they had no intention of getting rid of any taxes that pay their wages.

He also read a blurb out of the local newspaper about TABOR and then read from the actual law to show how the paper was clearly wrong about the true meaning of the TABOR law. I then asked him why he would still take seriously such a disinformation rag as our local newspaper.

The USA is in a lot of trouble. As long as representatives believe it is OK to steal my wages for their good cause to support a huge and growing government employed body, we will all be squarely under the boot of socialist tyranny and can expect no mercy or redress of grievances.

Comment on Sound Off! by Kirk

Kirk — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 16:40:24 +0000

It is the opinion of this tax slave that the 2010 Colorado supreme court justices are all compromised: The judges’ benefits are good wages, sweet perks, and wonderful retirements gained directly from the wages of tax slaves. Of course they are going to “commit crimes” that benefits them and their government employed friends. They did not do the people’s work and never will. They saw money that they wanted and then colluded with each other to make it appear legal to take our wages. The only differences between these justices and any other thieves are they wear a robe instead of a mask and they used law enforcement instead personal weapons to rob the people. I will vote “not to retain” any of this scab. As a side note I did not capitalize “supreme court” on purpose.

Comment on Sound Off! by Peter Coulter

Peter Coulter — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:20:16 +0000

I have found that the Justice System in Colorado is based on a “country club” mentality. You join the club by passing the bar and from then on, as long as you go along, you get along. It has put attorneys in a precarious position of continually compromising their integrity in order to survive in the system.
The founders of our country would be horrified at the plundering of the Judicial branch by self-serving elitists with hidden agendas. I recognize that there are decent and honest advocates in the system, but they are such a minority and face continued unspoken “winks” from other members of the “club”, that the only thing they can do is stand on the sideline, keep their mouth shut and try to keep from being falling into the abyss. Eventually it will collapse as a majority of common citizens come to the realization that the “safe harbor” of the courts has been decimated. The corruption has been like a cancer spreading to all parts of the system from top to bottom without prejudice to good or bad intentions. If you have a family and you depend on the “club” for your livelihood, one is compelled to compromise one’s honor to put food on the table.
10 years ago the Supreme Court asked for public comment concerning the grievance procedure for attorneys. Out of 50 or so people in the chambers, all were attorneys except myself. I listened to attorneys who believed they had been unfairly disciplined by the Supreme Court committee and others who seemed like puppets pouring accolades onto the Court (like jesters) on how well the system worked. I spoke to one issue which still exists till today, the proverbial “gatekeeper”. The Supreme Court Grievance committee reminds me of some dark midieval tribunal where members of the “club” are admonished (or not) behind closed doors without rhyme or reason; depending and determined only by one’s stature amongst colleagues. I have seen both sides of the fence and it is a bizarre drama to witness. It begs the question, “Why aren’t attorneys disciplined in open court like the rest of us?” And I am afraid the sad answer is that the Supreme Court would then lose control of it’s “members.” And what chance does a citizen have of filing a grievance against an attorney? One must get through the gatekeeper first. A delegate whose job is to filter out grievances that he believes meets the subjective criteria called for by the “club” rules. The problem being that if a guest (read “the public”) files a legitamate grievance that one of the members i.e. “stole your golf ball” the gatekeeper can keep your grievence from being heard by declaring that i.e. “your golf ball is pink, which is illegal,” and proceedes to close the gate on your case. It is all carefully orchestrated to appear legit to the public; until one somehow actually becomes involved in it.
And at the other end of the spectrum where magistrates are used to save money, injustices and politics run rampant. This is where most pro-se litigants are introduced to the Judicial system to hear their grievances. These are the court rooms where it is imperative that the Judge/Magistrate must be very carefull to fulfill his/her sworn job of upholding the Constitution of the United States. Undoubtedly, everyone at this level of the justice system is completely over-worked and probably underpaid. But the fact remains that they took the job and must still fullfill their sworn duty to the letter of the law. It is imperative that judicial decisions at this level not be based on personal feelings or corruption. These are the foundations of the justice system that mainstream America depends on. If/when the majority loses confidence in it; the entire system will come tumbling down. How bad is it today? Unbelievably, I have witnessed a county court magistrate go into the district court and remove a district court jury demand that was properly paid for. You would think that would be easy to prove but it was done in such a fashion that if you look at the official record of the case it looks like a jury trial was never requested contrary to a cash receipt from the clerk for $190 (marked district court jury trial Arap. County 2008CV202587) that indicates it was. And when brought to the attention of the Colorado Supreme Court, again my basic Constituional right to a jury trial was denied en banc. And if you look at the “Official Court Record” again then is no indication that a writ to the Supreme Court ever happened. It was electronically removed defying the fact it ever happened.
So should the 4 justices be removed; absolutely. They have compromised the Constitution and brought shame to a Judicial Branch rife with corruption that affects each and every one of us in some fashion. The only way to kill a snake is to cut his head off and the only possibility of saving our system will be accomplished in the same fashion. My fear then is that they will be replaced by other tainted members of the same club……… A better option would be to amend the constitution with a mandate to replace 1/2 of the Supreme Court with non-attorneys. /pc

Comment on Clear The Bench Colorado Director Matt Arnold testifies against “Dirty Dozen” unconstitutional tax increases by CTBC Director

CTBC Director — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:28:45 +0000

John -

thanks for illustrating the point that supporters of the current Colorado Supreme Court majority (and their unconstitutional rulings) are blindly partisan, willfully ignorant, or both.

For the remainder of the public - we encourage you to become informed, do the research, and then vote accordingly.

We’re confident that the majority of Colorado citizens, once they have been afforded the opportunity to do the research and “connect the dots” between the pain they’re feeling from unconstitutional increases to their property taxes, their car taxes, and now the full spectrum of the “Dirty Dozen” tax increase bills - in addition to other erosions of their rights, and the usurpation of the power & authority of other branches of government - and the anti-constitutional rulings of the Colorado Supreme Court that have “aided and abetted” that pain - will see their way to a resounding “NO” vote on retaining these ‘unjust justices’ in power. Clear The Bench, Colorado!

Comment on Clear The Bench Colorado Director Matt Arnold testifies against “Dirty Dozen” unconstitutional tax increases by John

John — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:29:31 +0000

Thank you for your discourse. Now I do not have do do any research before I vote. Since you want them removed I will vote to have them retained.

Comment on Balancing the Budget with new “Fees?” Ritter Gun Tax joins Colorado Car Tax in Mullarkey-sanctioned TABOR runaround by Gary

Gary — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:11:18 +0000

Just to show how inefficiant the CBI is a local Deputy Sheriff that carries an issued firearm was denied the ability to purchase a private firearm by the CBI. The FBI check cleared him but a clerical error in the CBI found a reason that he should be denied to have a firearm. Yes he finally did get it cleared up and purchased his gun but it cost him to get them cleaned up.
Something is wrong when the very person we depend on to protect us gets caught up in State incompetance.