Colo. candidates air it out

In Udall's absence, Libertarian steals show

Just add a Libertarian, a violent McDonald's metaphor and plenty of colorful adjectives referring to communist systems when discussing American entitlement programs, and viola!

David Baker, the Libertarian candidate for Colorado's 2nd Congressional District, utilized a booming oration and an unflinching description of his platform to practically steal the show from his three opponents at Wednesday night's candidates' forum.

His anti-government platform clearly did not appeal to everyone who heard it, but during an otherwise staid procession of measured responses from candidates for a variety of state and municipal seats, his lightening-rod delivery inspired several rounds of enthusiastic applause from some members of the audience.

Baker called for an end to drug prohibition, decried Social Security as an entropic system inspired by Cold War German and Soviet theories, blasted public education as "Prussian" and called President Clinton a criminal for accepting money from "the Red Chinese government."

His rehtorical bombast included a metaphor about what's wrong [continues on page A3] with education in America. Saying public school systems lacked competition, he likened the situation to getting punched in the face every time one orders a Big Mac at McDonald's.

The point, of course, is that there are plenty of other restaurants where staff behavior is more appropriate. Baker said he believes that education problems can be solved through a similar free-market choice of education facilities.