Democracy Wire

President Obama's valedictory State of the Union last week brimmed with optimism. Refraining from a traditional laundry list of policy proposals, he stayed rooted in big themes about America, our future and the challenges ahead. He spoke eloquently about how our democracy is built upon "voices of unarmed truth and unconditional love."

Nearly fifty years ago, Dr. King advised that “voting is the foundation stone for political action.” It was that constitutional right for which the civil rights community fought – with blood and life – to secure for all Americans, not just the few.

The pterodactyl, also known as the 3rd Congressional District, has become something of an unofficial state bird since then-Gov. Martin O’Malley and the General Assembly hatched it in 2012.

In last night’s State of the Union speech, President Obama laid out his vision for the country, highlighting a future of “opportunity and security for our families; a rising standard of living and a sustainable, peaceful planet for our kids.”

Sometimes the best way to talk about wonky public policy issues is over drinks. Last night, we did just that at our first informational happy hour of the New Year. Participants learned about redistricting, an issue that has been in the spotlight both nationally and in Colorado. Here are a few questions that came up, along with some short answers.

Campaigning over the weekend in Iowa for the Republican presidential nomination, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio announced his support for a dangerous idea: a national convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose constitutional amendments on term limits and a balanced federal budget.