While I agree with the sentiments regarding this year's field of candidates, you're simply incorrect about Amendment 23: the "negative factor" (which they were earlier this year trying to re-package as the "Budget Stabilization," or "BS," factor) was the result of both parties looking at the Constitution - as legally amended by the voters of Colorado - and jointly concocting a means of avoiding its dictates. That's collusion, and it's no way to govern.

Automatic budgeting increases are no more ridiculous than the "ratchet-down" effect of TABOR, which has stripped the legislature of its Constitutional prerogative/duty to develop a rational budget for our state, and sharply curtailed its ability to return funding to adequate levels once the financial crisis had passed. Between TABOR and the equally-shortsighted Gallagher Amendment, our schools and students have suffered tremendously - Amendment 23 was merely the voters trying to tell the legislature to fix the problem.