Author: Morgan Smith
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Reforms in Mexico could mean more business for local telecom, energy industries
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To the great surprise of most observers, Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto has pushed forward three major reforms that could lead to dramatic political and social improvements for Mexico as well as new business opportunities for Colorado companies. He has broken the telecommunications monopoly, meaning that Mexicans should soon have better and cheaper phone…
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Serving with Regis Groff was uplifting
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Regis Groff not only brought great class and dignity to the Colorado General Assembly but he was able to lift us from what often seemed like the day-to-day grind of our work and enable us to see that being an elected official was both a special opportunity and a unique responsibility. I served in the…
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Steak, biscuits and now lemon pie with former Rep. Bob Shoemaker
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It’s August 26, and I’ve driven to the ranch of Helen Shoemaker and her husband, former State Representative Bob Shoemaker in a beautiful valley north of Cañon City to visit. Sunday, August 31 was Helen’s 90th birthday and Bob, her husband of 67 years, will be 90 next June. Bob and I served together in…
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Immigration crisis can be an opportunity, but only if leaders really come forward
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Governor Rick Perry orders 1,000 National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border. President Obama urges the presidents of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to focus on their “shared responsibility” for the influx of migrant children from their countries. But where are Governor Perry’s troops going to go and what are they going to do? And…
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Supporting our vets is a commitment for all of us, not just for Veterans Administration
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When former Senator majority leader and presidential candidate Bob Dole says that it’s time for VA Secretary Erik Shinseki to go, we better listen because Dole, a war hero, wounded veteran, great public servant and frequent user of VA services has more credibility on this issue than any American. Having introduced Shinseki at his confirmation…
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Influential lobbyist Wally Stealey is a much beloved figure in Colorado’s political world
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I wanted to invite you and Julie to his 80th birthday party. There will be lots of people there you know… It will be a SURPRISE,” wrote Sharon, Wally Stealey’s wife of 57 years. Well, it was a surprise, a wonderful one. For me, as well as for Wally, the legendary lobbyist from Pueblo who…
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Lifetime achievement award fitting for Valdez
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When we took the majority in the 1974 elections because of the Watergate scandal, there never was any doubt but that Ruben Valdez would be our leader and Colorado’s first Hispanic Speaker of the House. He had a quiet charisma, a sense of determination, an innate sense of politics and a calm self-assurance. I was…
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Three little Colorado non-profits build personal, political relationships with Mexico
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Now that preparations are beginning for Governor John Hickenlooper’s June trip to Mexico, it’s worth looking at the importance of building relationships there — relationships with your business partners if you’re a company but also relationships with other countries or regions if you’re a state like Colorado. Colorado has worked hard on this with Mexico,…
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The recent capture of Mexican drug cartel leader El Chapo was muy importante
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On Saturday, Feb. 22, Mexican officials with help from various U.S. law enforcement agencies captured the notorious leader of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. In what seems like a tremendous coup, it took place without a shot being fired. Even though there are questions like — “Was this too easy?” or “Will the…
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Lauen’s efforts to reform prison sentences in Colorado ended up being right after all
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Roger Lauen was a man before his time. Back in the 70s he was one of the few to stand up against the growing movement to pass harsher sentencing laws, build more prisons and expand Colorado’s prison population which had increased ten-fold from about 2,000 prisoners to over 20,000. Those were the years of “getting…