On Friday, Saxton decided to trot out a new "report" by the corporate-financed Cato Institute to bash Governor Kulongoski. As the Washington Post reported in 1995, Cato has "a soup-to-nuts agenda to reduce spending, kill programs, terminate whole agencies and dramatically restrict the power of the federal government."

The "report" cited by Saxton is produced by Stephen Slivinski, who interestingly is a zealous advocate of TABOR limits like the one on the November ballot.

Last fall, while Colorado's political, business and civic leaders (including conservative GOP governor Bill Owens) were convincing voters to suspend the measure that was choking needed state services, Slivinski wrote that it must be kept in place to start a new national taxpayer revolt. He wrote in National Review:

During the past 13 years, TABOR has rightly been viewed as America's best and most effective revenue limit. It has restricted the growth of government, provided tax relief, and is viewed as a model by fiscal conservatives across the country.

[..]

If fiscal conservatives are to be successful in promoting budget limits in other states, TABOR's reputation needs to be rehabilitated. A vote of confidence by the people of Colorado on Nov. 1 could provide a vital kick-start to what could become the next nationwide tax revolt.

Saxton himself, of course, has been all over the map on TABOR.

But Friday's release just goes to show that this campaign is really about rolling out the welcome mat to the corporate-financed national Republican agenda.