Independence Institute

Reader: Second Amendment meant to fight tyranny, not kill burglars

A post yesterday featured the Independence Institute's Dave Kopel talking about a lawsuit targeting Colorado's new gun-control laws -- and featuring the support of Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith and 54 of his colleagues around the state. As you can imagine, this topic fired up folks on both sid ... More >>

Nuggets never win in Utah -- except for last night

Denver blog posts are feelin' it. Denver Stiffs' Andrew Feinstein enjoys lauding Danilo Gallinari and (yes, it's true) Evan Fournier in recapping a rare Nuggets victory in Utah. The Cauldron's Jon Caldera on the Independence Institute's latest court victory. Denver Frank quotes Bob Costas quoting ... More >>

Nuggets' season debut v. 76ers was a Halloween horror show

Denver blog posts make the most of what they've got. Denver Stiffs' Andrew Feinstein on the terrible performance by the new-look Nuggets in a loss to Philadelphia. Weren't those big contracts for Ty Lawson and JaVale McGee supposed to be inspiring? Free Range Longmont's Kaye Fissinger on the Denve ... More >>

Federico Pena = Mitt Romney, says Jon Caldara about Obama for America co-chair

Federico Pena -- one-time state legislator, mayor of Denver from 1983-1991, and former director of both the federal Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy for President Bill Clinton -- is now in private business. But as national campaign co-chair for Obama for America, he'll join ... More >>

Independence Institute Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms party celebrates "perks of adulthood"

The Independence Institute's annual Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms party is "the most politically incorrect event of the year," as we tagged it years ago, and the tenth annual ATF event lived up to that billing Saturday even if it didn't make the news that the 2010 incarnation did -- when then-Senate ... More >>

Supreme Court doesn't have to use Commerce Clause to end Obamacare, says Jon Caldara

Denver blog posts want you to want them. The Colorado Independent's John Tomasic chats with Jon Caldara about two "game-changing" Obamacare briefs the Independence Institute has filed with the Supreme Court. The Grazing Mind's Jarod Ballentine presents a Trinder Farms tour. South Stands Denver's ... More >>

Rush Limbaugh made mistake but he's still a hero after "slut" controversy, senator says

Denver blog posts fight the good fight. Colorado Pols shares Senator Greg Brophy's tweets about the college student Rush Limbaugh dubbed a slut, including one that calls him a hero and an icon. The Independence Institute's Jon Caldara: It's time to sink or swim. Mile High Hockey's Mike offers the ... More >>

Jared Polis rips DEA agent Barbara Roach for anti-medical marijuana dispensary quote

Denver blog posts think it's nice to be nice to the nice. Colorado Pols on Jared Polis's slam of DEA agent Barbara Roach, who wants to move to a city where dispensaries are banned. The Independence Institute's Amy Oliver on which lawmakers put rate-payers above Xcel. 5280's photo of the week spot ... More >>

Jon Caldara, Tom Tancredo, Andrew Breitbart & Independence Institute demonic convergence

Jon Caldara.​Jon Caldara's Channel 12 show is now called Devil's Advocate, and plenty of politicians are dancing with the devil. Not only did Caldara get his job as head of the Independence Institute after Tom Tancredo moved on to Congress, but Tancredo was at the Institute's annual ATF party ... More >>

Signed, sealed and rejected: These political activists are rabble with a cause

Republican moms should support marijuana reform, says Jessica Peck Corry

The fight over medical marijuana in the state legislature is ramping up, with Republicans being perceived as the group most resistant to policies that allow the proliferation of dispensaries across the state. An exception to that rule is the Independence Institute's Jessica Peck Corry, who looks a ... More >>

From the week of November 19, 2009

The Independence Institute is 25 years old — and still shooting from the lip

The Independence Institute is twenty-five years old -- and still shooting from the lip

President Jon Caldara helps celebrates 25 years as Denver's premier conservative free-market think tank.​ Editor's note: This week's Westword cover story is a cartoon by Kenny Be that celebrates twenty-five years of the Independence Institute. Check it out in its entirety below:

Jon Caldara's animated attack on Obamacare is plane crazy

The Independence Institute's Jon Caldara last foray into YouTubery was decidedly low rent: He pimped 2008's Amendment 49 using sock puppets. This time, he's opted for a more high-tech approach, creating the animated video above to attack the Obama administration's version of healthcare reform. In h ... More >>

Jon Caldara doesn't like being ignored, Mr. Ritter

Jon Caldara makes his feelings known.​Late Thursday afternoon, the Independence Institute, a right-leaning think tank, published an article revealing that only one of Governor Bill Ritter's cabinet members had filed a conflict-of-interest report despite an executive order requiring that everyo ... More >>

Chantell Taylor: Colorado Ethics Watch really is nonpartisan!

Chantell Taylor.​While crowing earlier today about an Institute exposé focusing on uncompleted conflict-of-interest forms that embarrassed the Bill Ritter administration, the Independence Institute's Jon Caldara scoffed at the notion that Colorado Ethics Watch might take action against the De ... More >>

Sick response to Obama's speech to kids

A banner from the Independence Institute's "Ed Is Watching" website.​ Our item yesterday about a Douglas County school allowing parents to opt out of letting their kids watch a Tuesday speech to the nation's schoolchildren by President Barack Obama has been followed by plenty of mainstream cov ... More >>

Independence Institute cries foul on cost of public-records request

The logo for the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments.​In the past year or so, a number of state and local agencies in Colorado have begun charging members of the media higher fees for completing public-records requests. Take the Denver Police Department, which used to make copies of dail ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Hit the road

Governor Bill Ritter is heading down to Colorado Springs today, where he'll host a town-hall meeting and sign a number of bills. And along the way, he'll no doubt pass a handful of unauthorized signs along I-25, all asking, "Why does Ritter hate El Paso County?" Why indeed? I asked Evan Dreyer, ... More >>

Jon Caldara on today's Barack Obama protest

In addition to buying a full-page ad needling President Barack Obama, who's in town today to sign a $787 billion economic-stimulus bill, Colorado Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams is also taking part in a protest at the Colorado State Capitol co-starring a number of big names in local conserv ... More >>

Fred Barnes Takes a Shot at Colorado Dems -- With Jon Caldara's Help

Fred Barnes Takes a Shot at Colorado Dems -- With Jon Caldara's Help

Shooting From the Lip with Jon Caldara

Capitalism: It's Nifty

Independence Institute Seeks Investigative Reporter

Tequila Pocket Shot

Kiowa Creek Sporting Club

Trigger Happy

The Independence Institute’s Jon Caldara shoots from the lip. Again.

More Messages: Upon Further Analysis

Slants

A think tank levels a bias accusation.

Off Limits

Sealed With a Kissoff

The Alternative Voter’s Guide

The Legislative Council’s ballot-analysis booklet has inspired so many fights, it should be called the black-and-blue book. Here’s our cure.

Shotguns, Scotch and Stogies

The Independence Institute raises funds the American way

Armed and Dangerous

Guns, alcohol and tobacco fuel the sport of politics.

Off Limits

Write-off

Independence Day

The Independence Institute got a jolt from its Italian leaders.

Off Limits

Think big

Letters to the Editor

From the week of August 8, 2002

Pack Mentality

A media column about secondhand smoke stirs up a cloud of controversy.

Minor Irritants

A declaration from independents.

Lighting a Fire

Jon Caldara has been unmatched at using the media during this election season. He couldn't be prouder.

Off Limits

Letters

A Whole New Ballgame

The man who drove a stake through Guide the Ride may take aim next at Pat Bowlen's stadium tax.

Letters

Off Limits

OFF LIMITS

INDEPENDENCE'S DAY

A CONSERVATIVE THINK TANK IN GOLDEN MAKES THE DEMOCRATS THIRST FOR ONE OF THEIR OWN.

STOP THAT TRAIN!

A GROUP OF LIGHT-RAIL SKEPTICS GETS READY TO COME ON BOARD AT RTD.