Obama Selects Channel 9 for Debut Defense of Tax Compromise

Colorado’s status as a 2012 battleground state was reaffirmed by President Obama when he invited Channel 9’s Adam Schrager to the White House.

Obama has launched an aggressive effort to convince voters that he got the message on getting things done and taking on his own party if necessary to do it.

Is it possible Obama may run against Nancy Pelosi for re-election?

See latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll supporting compromise, including most Democrats.

SCFD Rex Morgan Award

Thanks to the SCFD Board, its hardworking staff and all those who were able to attend the Dec. 1 Rex Morgan Award. I was greatly honored by the kind words of friends and supporters of the SCFD.

Attached are my prepared remarks. My theme was that a modest and innovative funding mechanics blossomed into one of the most unique and envied citizen-directed, local government organizations in the country. Its success is partially a reflection for the growth of public and urban leaders’ realization that cultural infrastructure is as important to quality of life and the economy as many brick and mortar projects. The District’s 22 years of performance is also a product of a host of good public policies and good politics embedded in the statute and implemented by successive boards and cultural stakeholders.

As you know, the SCFD has significantly contributed to making Denver a special city in a culturally enriched region. This award is a tribute to all who helped found, preserve and extend this District.

Happy holidays.

Floyd Ciruli
December 7, 2010

SCFD article and Rex Morgan Award Speech

Rise of World Public Opinion

Since the beginning of this century, a world public opinion industry has developed and became a staple of public opinion reporting. The Pew and Gallup organizations are the most visible in America, but there are a large number of organizations that collect data from reputable local polling vendors and aggregate it into studies and reports for private and public consumption.

One of the frequent users of the data was Dan Lund of Mexico-based Mund Group. Sadly, Dan just died from a sudden heart attack, and you can see his last analysis of world opinion published by GlobeScan here.

A few interesting observations from Dan’s final report are that when national populations were asked if they felt the world was going in the right direction, in North and Latin Americas, two of its most pessimistic countries are the USA and Mexico. Assuming the public is both reflecting their views of their own country’s direction and their nation’s position in the world, citizens of both the USA and Mexico are not pleased. And Europe, Italy and France are the least positive on the world direction. Japan joins the least positive group from Asia.

The most positive national populations are the more authoritarian states of Russia and China, who are also benefiting from upward economic surges that have given broad elements of their population hope for the future. In Asia, India is also highly optimistic about the world direction.

2010 PAPOR Conference

The 2010 PAPOR Conference agenda is now set. The San Francisco conference, December 9-10, promises to have a lively discussion on engaging topics.

As the PAPOR President, I will welcome more than 70 participants and some of the nation’s and western U.S.’s top researchers in a range of courses, panels and networking events for two packed days.

This year’s theme, “Research in Changing Times,” has guided panel and presentation development. Of course, the midterm election has provided a rich source of fresh survey research data concerning partisan changes – or, in some areas, the lack of change, and several panels will investigate national, western states and California voter decisions.

See the conference newsletter at: http://www.papor.org/.

Denver Issues are on Soft Side

As the Denver mayor’s race begins, there will be an endless conversation about the top issues. Economy, jobs, budget cuts, traffic and potholes will receive frequent mention. A few of the smarter candidates will try to put their issues into a theme, such as Federico Peña’s “Imagine a Great City,” which skeptics then referred to as “Freddie and the Dreamers.”

But, Peña was right that a city’s greatness is more than just airports, convention centers and viaducts. A new Gallup survey shows social infrastructure and aesthetics may be more important to citizens’ attachment to their city than basic services and bricks and mortar. The soft issues are most strongly related to citizens’ satisfaction with their community and the community’s ability to mobilize people for civic action.

Gallup measured citizen satisfaction in 26 communities nationwide, along with a sense their community was moving in direction, their willingness to recommend it, and their general pride in their community.

The key drivers of citizens’ attachment to their community were:

The key issues in the Denver’s mayor race will be more related to maintaining Denver’s social networks, its welcoming attitude, its overall aesthetics and educational offerings than the basics, which are assumed to be a given. Value is added when a community gains a reputation for its diversity, accessibility and opportunities.

Denver Election Cycles Between Insider and Outsider

The modern era of Denver mayoral politics began in 1983 with the election of State House Minority Leader Federico Peña as mayor. There are many interests that influence Denver city elections. City government interests, such as city workers, especially police and fire unions; neighborhood groups, such as Park and Capitol Hill neighborhoods or the northwest side; ethnic group identities, such as Hispanic and African-American voter blocs; business associations and locations, such as downtown or LoDo. Since 1983, these groups tend to align in a fashion that produces a struggle between candidates and interests from inside city government and those outside.

Peña was outside city politics; Wellington Webb, the City Auditor, was inside; and, of course, John Hickenlooper, the LoDo businessman, outside.

In the 2011 election, the early candidates rumored and announced reflect the inside vs. outside dichotomy, with a few blending both.

Additional themes can become blended into the discussion. Do voters want change or continuity? New vision or steady management? A politician or a non-politician?

In the last election, Don Mares, the insider as City Auditor, won the right to challenge frontrunner Hickenlooper in the runoff. He was crushed. Whereas in the 1991 open seat election, Denver DA Norm Early, representing the outsider interests, won the first round, but lost decisively to insider Webb. Which shall it be in 2011 – insider or outsider?

The Wave Hits County Commissioners

Of the 35 new county commissioners, Democrats lost 10 seats they had held and gained only one.  Republicans also lost a seat to an unaffiliated candidate.

The nationalization of the election that strongly affected congressional elections (Republicans took record number of 63 seats) did not stop with federal officeholders.  Along with winning two new congressional seats, Colorado Republicans picked up six State House seats (taking control) and one in the State Senate.  Republicans also defeated two Democratic incumbent statewide constitutional officeholders – State Treasurer and Secretary of the State.