Debate? Or more political ads?

Kent, I got your letter (copy below.) Rather than waste money on an ad campaign, why don't you and I sponsor  a series of talks where both sides of the issue will be presented by national experts? We are today starting to raise money to fight for the defeat of 140 and 98. I'll pledge to contribute what we collect for Save the Caucus if you'll do the same with the committee you have formed. Call me. (303)861-1447 ok? Can I buy you lunch today? John Wren, registered agent, Save the Caucus, a Colorado Political Committee. John – I signed on to be chairman of the Let Colorado Vote initiative because I think that the more people who participate in our democracy, the stronger our country becomes. And the way Colorado is doing things – closing elections to unaffiliated voters and depressing turnout with terribly inconvenient and unrepresentative caucuses – isn’t healthy. We have to do better. Let Colorado Vote is working on two ballot initiatives: one to reinstate a presidential primary and another to open primaries to all voters. I’m thrilled both initiatives have qualified for the ballot and are going straight to the voters this November. But we’re facing a critical end-of-month fundraising deadline, and we’re still short of our goal. Not closing that gap means we’ll have to cut back on our plans to hire organizers, run ads and educate voters. I’m asking for your help. Can you make a donation before our midnight deadline to help us hit our goal? Here’s the link to donate: https://letcovote.nationbuilder.com/donate_em Really appreciate your support, Kent Paid for by Let Colorado Vote 2016. Let Colorado Vote · United States  This email was sent to johnswren@aol.com. To stop receiving emails, click here. Created with NationBuilder, software for leaders.

Thinking: wonderful servant; terrible master.

Powerful poem below, dramatic alarm on this first day of the short time here on earth even the youngest of us has left.

Keats reminds that each of us can do many things with those remaining days, but not everything. The temptation is to get stuck thinking about the Possiblities and then do nothing.

Ben Franklin asked himself each morning, "What good may I do today?" Then he went and did it. He believed the best way to worship God was to do Good for those He had created.

What good may I do TODAY? Then go do it! Don't think it away! Trust the little I can do with God's help is enough.

To do nothing because I can't do everything is greed. 

Poem of the Day: When I have Fears That I May Cease to Be Poem of the Day today from @PoetryFound 

BY JOHN KEATS

When I have fears that I may cease to be 

   Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain, 

Before high-pilèd books, in charactery, 

   Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain; 

When I behold, upon the night’s starred face, 

   Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance, 

And think that I may never live to trace 

   Their shadows with the magic hand of chance; 

And when I feel, fair creature of an hour, 

   That I shall never look upon thee more, 

Never have relish in the faery power 

   Of unreflecting love—then on the shore 

Of the wide world I stand alone, and think 

Till love and fame to nothingness do sink.

The Startup Show: "Starting a career in politics."

Each Friday at noon MDT we talk about startup. To be on the show call (303)861-1447

US Trust in Federal Government 1958- now

American dream vs Make America Great Again

What does "American dream" mean?

First usage said to have been by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of America. 1931:

"... the American dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position…

“The American dream, that has lured tens of millions of all nations to our shores in the past century has not been a dream of merely material plenty, though that has doubtlessly counted heavily. It has been much more than that. It has been a dream of being able to grow to fullest development as man and woman, unhampered by the barriers which had slowly been erected in the older civilizations, unrepressed by social orders which had developed for the benefit of classes rather than for the simple human being of any and every class.”

Trends

Save the Caucus!

140 and 98 kill the best friend of young people who want to make a real difference! Vote no! Http://Facebook.com/Colorado.Caucus.News

Email from Caucus Killers

Exciting news, John! Both of our Let Colorado Vote initiatives have officially qualified for the ballot. This is an important milestone in our work to strengthen our democracy. Reinstating a presidential primary and opening up primaries to Colorado's 1.3 million unaffiliated voters will make our elections more open and more fair for all Coloradans. We can’t let our focus slip, though, because qualifying for the ballot was just a first step. Now the real work begins: getting these propositions passed. That means building a dedicated on-the-ground team that will connect with voters to make sure they know what a “yes” vote will mean – especially unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up more than one-third of the electorate. With Election Day coming up fast, we don’t have time to make up for a missed fundraising goal. Can we count on you for a donation to restore fairness and increase participation in our elections? Donate now to help us go straight to the voters to enact these propositions and expand voter engagement in Colorado. We can’t thank you enough for helping make sure every Coloradan’s voice is heard. Now let’s go win. Jesse Hassinger Campaign Manager Let Colorado Vote 2016 Contribute   Paid for by Let Colorado Vote 2016. Let Colorado Vote · United States   This email was sent to John@JohnWren.com. To stop receiving emails, click here.  You can also keep up with Let Colorado Vote on Twitter or Facebook. Created with NationBuilder, software for leaders.

Public Hearing Friday on Blue Book

To Participants in the Ballot Analysis Process:

Senate Bill 05-94 requires the Director of Research of the Legislative
Council to conduct a public meeting before the draft of the ballot
information booklet is finalized.  At that meeting, the director and other
members of the legislative staff have the opportunity to ask questions that
arise in response to the written comments received.  An excerpt of the
pertinent statute is included at the end of this e-mail.

As required by Senate Bill 05-94, the Director of Research will convene a
meeting on Friday, August 26, 2016, at 11:00 a.m., in House Committee Room
0109 of the State Capitol on the following ballot analyses:

Amendment T:  No Exception to Involuntary Servitude Prohibition
Amendment U:  Exempt Certain Possessory Interests from Property Taxes
Amendment 69:  Statewide Health Care System
Initiative #101:  State Minimum Wage
Initiative #145:  Access to Medical Aid-in-Dying Medication
Initiative #96:  Requirements for Constitutional Amendments
Initiative #75:  Local Government Authority to Regulate Oil and Gas
Development
Initiative #78:  Increased Setback for Oil and Natural Gas Development
Initiative #98:  Unaffiliated Voter Participation in Primary Elections
Initiative #140:  Presidential Primary Elections
Initiative #143:  Increase Cigarette and Tobacco Taxes


At this time, the legislative staff does not have any unanswered questions
of the individuals who submitted written comments on the drafts of the
ballot analysis.  It is anticipated that the meeting will be very brief.
No public testimony will be taken at the meeting.

Thank you for your interest and assistance thus far in the process.

Mike Mauer
Director of Research
303-866-3521


Excerpt from SB 05-94:

1-40-124.5. Ballot information booklet. (1.7)(a) After receiving written
comments from the public in accordance with section 1 (7.5) (a) (II) of
article V of the state constitution, but before the draft of the ballot
information booklet is finalized, the director of research of the
legislative council of the general assembly shall conduct a public meeting
at which the director and other members of the legislative staff have the
opportunity to ask questions that arise in response to the written
comments. The director may modify the draft of the booklet in response to
comments made at the hearing. The legislative council may modify the draft
of the booklet upon the two-thirds affirmative vote of the members of the
legislative council.

Save the Caucus! Take a minute to share with your online friends!

Save the Caucus! Check this out: https://t.co/QvJZlGTLvy #Colorado #COPolitics #COleg #COCaucus DO YOU CARE ENOUGH TO RETWEET THIS MESSAGE?

— John Wren +++ Start! (@JohnSWren) August 21, 2016

Save the Caucus! Start where you are, do what you can!

President?

It won't matter who is elected President of the United States if we loose our wonderful Colorado Caucus, the best chance the common person has of serving in elected public office.

Founded in 1912, it was part of the package of progressive reforms that gave more power to the grassroots. Party bosses didn't like it back then, and today's party bosses are trying once more to kill it. Those who love the Colorado Caucus have to make a choice.

Do we raise millions of dollars to fight the well funded campaign that is expected? Or do we get on the phone and call our neighbors?

Check out our media release posted just below this. Then if you are willing to help in your neighborhood by making a few phone calls let us know with your comment here or phone call to John Wren (303)861-1447. (Photos: Denver Post)

Colorado Caucus

Presidential Primary

Join us! New Colorado Caucus Clubs.

Release: PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TO KICK OFF NEW EFFORT IN CIVIC EDUCATION. Tickets will be marketed through local chambers of commerce that join new Colorado Caucus Clubs.

Announcement today. Release will be posted below after the live release at 12 noon MDT. We will be doing this each Friday from now until the elections. Here's last week's release. Hard copy on http://www.COCaucus.org

Don't let Newcomer Kent make Colorado elections like California's!

Here is how Colorado has selected our candidates for the primary election since Gov. John Shafroth and the Colorado legislature institute our wonderful Colorado Caucus, the system that gives control of the major political parties to their rank and file members, not the political bosses:

 Ever since we first gathered for the Colorado Caucus in neighborhoods across the state in 1914, this is what the political bosses and other powerful people like Newcomer Kent have been trying to force us into, a Presidential Primary, or worse, a convention system where party hacks instead of the rank and file decide who gets on the ballot.

Photos: Denver Post

Great practice for Colorado Caucus

#Discussion Sat, 6:30 pm; Wed, 7 pm; Fri, 6 pm. Meetup.com/Colorado-Socrates-Cafe-Society #Philosophy #Politics #CriticalThinking  @DUActiveMinds @TrinityDenver

Changing the Colorado Caucus Culture.

Colorado Caucus Culture, Changing it for 2018. Organizational meeting for new Caucus Club educational effort August 8, for an invitation check out http://Meetup.com/Caucus-Corp

Lisa Jackson, Colorado Caucus Culture

Every two years Colorado has the opportunity for a state-wide civic lesson. This year it was a disaster. 

John Wren will talk with culture change expert Lisa Javkson on the Startup Show, see http://www.SmallBizChamber.org then join us for the organizational meeting for Caucus Club August 9, more about it on today's show. 

Gary Johnson

Unless things change over the weekend, Im declaring Gary Johnson's campaign DOA. (If Im wrong, call me, 303-861-1447.) John Wren 

Newspaper article about new Caucus Corp.

New caucus network for communications and education being formed

Caucus Corp is the working name for a new effort to bring civic education to each neighborhood in Colorado.

“The Colorado Caucus is under attack again from powerful forces and their dups who have been conned into thinking that a drive by vote in the astro-turf of a presidential primary is better than the grassroots of their neighborhood caucus for a couple of hours every two years,” said John Wren, long-time community activist.

“I’m the registered agent for Save the Caucus, a Colorado political committee. We may have to raise as much as $1 million if out of state money funds a campaign to kill the caucus as expected,” said Wren, “but we are hoping we can get all sides of the issue involved in an educational, not political, campaign in the next couple of weeks.

“We just won the fight in the Colorado State House, and it made clear an educational process is what is needed now. We are recruiting a statewide network of volunteers and a steering committee,” says Wren, registered agent with offices at 1881 Buchtel Blvd., #401, Denver.

Caucus Corp will not take positions on issues, candidates or party leaders.

Free informational meetings will be held Fridays and Saturdays through the end of June about this new Caucus Corp effort. For more see Meetup.com/Caucus-Corp or call (303)861-1447.

From: Villager Newspaper

A message to Gov Gary Johnson

Some one nearly everyone agrees was at least a prophet told us to give our government what it is due. Give what?-- nearly 2000 years later Ignatius and Martin Luther both helped us all as they taught us to each: Love God, Love (thru Good Work) Those in Our Life (Jesus said Neighbor, Adam Smith explained the same process of doing Good Work with the Invisable Hand. For more about the Ignatius/ Luther common teaching see: http://www.lnkd.in/eU56YrY )

Gov. Gary Johnson, please read this powerful article, it describes a path that your spiritual trail blazer Martin Luther and Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, both followed that I believe is open to you with an institution today much in need of reform. We certainly don't need a new constitution, we need renewed citizens, which I believe God is calling you to teach us all as President.

God bless you Gov. Johnson. Please pray for me as I will be praying for you. Please let me know what you would like me to do to help you. John Wren, Denver cell (720)495-4949