Outside the Springs

In 2020, 1,477 Coloradans died of drug overdoses. That's an increase of 38 percent from 2019. Final 2021 drug overdose data has yet to be released, but preliminary data shows that 2021 was worse than 2020 — the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment estimates that over 1,800 Coloradoans died of drug overdoses in 2021.

In 1973, two cases decided by the Supreme Court made abortion available on-demand and for almost any reason. In Roe v. Wade, the Court found that a fetus is not a person and is instead a "potential life," and a woman's right to privacy means the state can't regulate abortion for any reason during the first trimester.

It might be early in the 2022 state legislation session, but one proposed bill has already failed once it was presented to the committee. Once bill SB 22-031 made it to the committee it was voted down after around 100 people showed up to speak against it.

On Nov. 8, 2022, Coloradoans get to decide if they want to give Governor Jared Polis four more years in office. For some, this decision will come down to their political affiliation — some Democrats will vote for Polis simply because he has a "D" in front of his name. Many Republicans will vote for their candidate for the same reason.

As I previously detailed in "The Green Dream: Zero-Emission Vehicles Big Lie," one of Governor Polis' goals for Colorado is a dramatic reduction in Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. To accomplish this goal, Polis released his "Roadmap to 100% Renewable Energy by 2040 and Bold Climate Action" report, which outlines what steps the his administration is taking to reach 100% Renewable energy by 2040 and reduce GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2030.

If you’re a consistent reader of The Maverick Observer, you know we like to keep our readers informed when it comes to bills passing through the Colorado state legislature and give you advice on what you can do to support a bill or oppose it. But you may be wondering about the big picture — how does Colorado's state legislature work?

When I was in college, I took a "Philosophy of Language" class that examined how language shapes our realities and impacts our ability to think. Think that's crazy?

Previously, we examined what it means for Colorado to be a "Sanctuary State" as well as the pros and cons that go with this designation. We also learned that Colorado is one of the top five safest states for illegal immigrants.

When I was 12 years old, I had a paper route delivering Albuquerque Journal newspapers in a neighborhood not far from my family’s house. Before sunrise each morning, I rode my Schwinn 10-speed bicycle to an empty Walgreen’s parking lot where a stack of newspapers was left for me. I quickly rolled them into tight bundles with rubber bands and then stuffed them in a vest containing deep pockets in front and back that I wore as I rode my bike.

When it comes to illegal immigration, you've probably heard the term "Sanctuary City" or "Sanctuary State," bandied about by both news pundits and politicians. You may have also heard that Colorado is one of 11 states classified as a Sanctuary State. But what does this mean, and what are the pros and cons of being designated a Sanctuary State?