Today's Opinions

When witnesses testified about being in untenable situations before legislative committees on which Cliff Bryan served in the mid-’80s, the folksy appliance salesman-turned-state representative from Loveland often said, “It seems like we’ve put these people between the fire hydrant and the dog.”

Colorado voters find themselves in the dog’s direct line of fire this fall as unnecessary and competing citizen initiatives have found their way onto our ballot.

Immediately following the Democratic National Convention, a USA Today/Gallup poll showed Barack Obama leading John McCain by a comfortable 50-43 margin. USA Today/Gallup’s prior poll, released before the convention, showed Obama leading 48-45. The net difference of four points was the “bounce” provided by the convention.

As chief of the Colorado State Patrol and a motorcycle rider for the past 14 years, I know there is nothing like the freedom and exhilaration of riding a motorcycle in our beautiful state. But with that freedom come responsibility and certainly some danger. Every year for the past nine years, the number of motorcyclists killed on our nation’s highways has increased. And sadly, motorcycle fatalities in Colorado are on the rise — from 45 fatalities in 1995, doubling to 90 deaths in 2007. The majority of last year’s deaths occurred between May and October.