Author Topic: Colorado a microcosm for American politics  (Read 1063 times)

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Offline Cincinnatus

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Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« on: November 17, 2013, 05:54:51 am »
Can CO be saved? We have talked in the past as to how the "progressive" forces saw CO as a laboratory in their attempts to capture formerly red states and turn them blue. In this they were quite successful but the policies they imposed are now in great disfavor and Coloradans are beginning to fight back.

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Colorado, writes National Journal‘s always insightful Ronald Brownstein, is “America, writ small.” “A microcosm,” he goes on, “of the forces destabilizing American politics.”

Of course, Colorado is not entirely typical of the nation. It has America’s lowest rates of obesity, for example — because of a young population and because most Coloradans live a mile or more above sea level. You burn more calories there just getting out of the car and walking to the mall.

Colorado has also been a success story for the Democratic Party. It voted twice for Barack Obama after years of voting Republican for president. It has a Democratic governor and legislature, and two Democratic U.S. senators

– a complete reversal from 10 years ago.

Much of that Democratic success can be ascribed to a few high-tech millionaires and trust-funders who banded together and shrewdly spent big bucks to advance Democratic and liberal causes, a process described definitively by Fred Barnes in the Weekly Standard.

But in the second Obama term, as things go sour for the president, they’re also going sour for Colorado’s liberal Democrats.

Like Obama after 2008, Colorado Democrats may have over-interpreted their victories. Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, despite many advantages — the congenial personality of a brew-pub proprietor, a popular record as mayor of Denver — won in 2010 with only 51 percent of the vote. And he was helped when the Republican nominee’s campaign imploded and firebrand former Rep.

Tom Tancredo ran as an independent.

Democrats have had only narrow majorities in the Colorado legislature.

Nevertheless, they went ahead with a liberal agenda, passing civil unions for same-sex couples, in-state college tuition for children of illegal immigrants and renewable energy requirements.

After the movie theater massacre in Aurora, they passed a gun-control law with universal background checks and limits on gun magazines.

Like Obama Democrats in Congress, they were heavy handed. On gun control, they didn’t allow citizens against the law to testify, contrary to Colorado custom. In response, gun control opponents got the necessary signatures to force recall elections of two Democrats.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other gun control advocates spent thousands against the recall. And both Democrats held seats where Barack Obama won about 60 percent of the vote in 2012. But both were soundly defeated last September.

In the meantime, Hickenlooper’s job rating plunged below 50 percent when, though theoretically a supporter of capital punishment, he granted a reprieve to a murderer convicted of killing four people at a Chuck E. Cheese in 1993.

Worse was to come. Hickenlooper has some credibility as an education reformer, from his appointment of Michael Bennet, now U.S. senator, to run Denver’s schools, to his support of state Sen. Mike Johnston’s teacher tenure reform bill.

In 2013, the legislature passed an education bill promising new reforms and a new school finance formula that would take effect once voters approved

$967 million in additional funding. Amendment 66 included raising the state income tax from 4.63 percent to 5 percent for incomes under $75,000 and 5.9 percent for those over.

Amendment 66 supporters — including Bill and Melinda Gates, Michael Bloomberg and Colorado teacher unions — spent some $12 million in support of the amendment.

Last week, Colorado voters rejected Amendment 66 by a 65 percent to 35 percent margin. It carried only in Denver and Boulder counties. Voters in the other 62 counties turned it down.

This was a much more smashing defeat than political insiders expected.

Coming as it did during the rocky Obamacare rollout, it looks like a rejection of big government generally and of the proposition that more government spending will produce better results.

It was an especially stinging defeat for teacher unions, which also failed to oust a reform-minded school board in exurban Douglas County, south of Denver, and saw a pro-union school board thrown out in Jefferson County, the mixed suburbs west of the city.

This does not necessarily spell defeat for Hickenlooper or the Democratic legislative majorities. As Brownstein points out, Colorado Republicans have been fielding stunningly weak candidates for major office in recent years.

Weak candidates and the ultimately unsuccessful vote by 11 counties to secede from the state “have attached a whiff of extremism” to the state’s Republican Party, Brownstein writes.

But like voters nationally on Obamacare, Colorado voters seem to be rejecting liberal policies Democrats assumed would be widely popular. An interesting lesson from “America, writ small.”


http://www.humanevents.com/2013/11/15/colorado-a-microcosm-for-american-politics/
We shall never be abandoned by Heaven while we act worthy of its aid ~~ Samuel Adams

Offline MBB1984

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #1 on: November 17, 2013, 06:03:47 pm »
Colorado is a microcosm for American politics and follows the Mexiforinication of California.  First bring a wave of naïve and foolish young "progressives."  Then add to that mix thousands upon thousands of illegal aliens.  Stir them up together and you have  a prescription for disaster; Mexifornia has moved from former California to Colorado.

The process will repeat itself in Florida, Virginia and ultimately, Texas.

This setback for leftists will only be temporary.  As the anchor babies reach voting age, they will certainly outvote the first wave of leftist idealists who finally see the light. 

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2013, 10:02:27 pm »
Colorado is a microcosm for American politics and follows the Mexiforinication of California.  First bring a wave of naïve and foolish young "progressives."  Then add to that mix thousands upon thousands of illegal aliens.  Stir them up together and you have  a prescription for disaster; Mexifornia has moved from former California to Colorado.

The process will repeat itself in Florida, Virginia and ultimately, Texas.

This setback for leftists will only be temporary.  As the anchor babies reach voting age, they will certainly outvote the first wave of leftist idealists who finally see the light.

The same thing that happened to Colorado is slowly taking place in Utah and SHOULD be a red flag for Texans........ this is the result of migration to both states from California... and pretty much the same thing that happened to Oregon.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline Cincinnatus

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2013, 10:05:48 pm »
Mexifornia has moved from former California to Colorado.

This is somewhat amusing, in a perverse sort of fashion, since the slogan of CO used to be (maybe still is) "Don't Californicate Colorado".
We shall never be abandoned by Heaven while we act worthy of its aid ~~ Samuel Adams

Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #4 on: November 17, 2013, 10:29:15 pm »
Colorado is a microcosm for American politics and follows the Mexiforinication of California.  First bring a wave of naïve and foolish young "progressives."  Then add to that mix thousands upon thousands of illegal aliens.  Stir them up together and you have  a prescription for disaster; Mexifornia has moved from former California to Colorado.

The process will repeat itself in Florida, Virginia and ultimately, Texas.

This setback for leftists will only be temporary.  As the anchor babies reach voting age, they will certainly outvote the first wave of leftist idealists who finally see the light.
Nothing new, since I've seen my mother's childhood photos including classes with 33% Hispanics in the 1930s in Whittier California.

Mine in the 1950s with 25%  in Hispanics in adjacent LA Habra, California--after we moved back to California from Colorado.

The guy who drove the street water truck in Colorado joked with me that he was the Cisco Kid, an Hispanic character in a western show on television then.

I guess we have Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II and Obama to blame.

The first European language spoken in North America was Spanish. Our two largest states, Texas and California were part of Mexico before becoming part of the US.

I was extremely upset when Reagan approved Amnesty. Later I decided to live out my days in serenity, instead of fighting things which are beyond my control.
"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #5 on: November 17, 2013, 10:48:14 pm »
Nothing new, since I've seen my mother's childhood photos including classes with 33% Hispanics in the 1930s in Whittier California.

Mine in the 1950s with 25%  in Hispanics in adjacent LA Habra, California--after we moved back to California from Colorado.

The guy who drove the street water truck in Colorado joked with me that he was the Cisco Kid, an Hispanic character in a western show on television then.

I guess we have Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II and Obama to blame.

The first European language spoken in North America was Spanish. Our two largest states, Texas and California were part of Mexico before becoming part of the US.

I was extremely upset when Reagan approved Amnesty. Later I decided to live out my days in serenity, instead of fighting things which are beyond my control.

Until Palos Verdes High School was completed I had to go to 9th and 10th grades in Torrance where we had classes comprised of White, Mexican and Black.  The interesting thing back then is all three races got along just fine.   It was not until the Watts Riots in 1965 that it started to change.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2013, 11:36:30 pm »
Blacks were virtually nonexistent in Orange County in the 60s, the exceptions being Santa Ana (retired and military families), Fullerton (sports) and San Clemente (Marine Corps at nearby Pendleton).

Plenty of Hispanics, and a few Asians too, both of whom were included in my circle of friends.

My high school town's demographics have changed quite a lot, toward Hispanic--but neighborhoods are still very nice. These are 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation people that are essentially living the middle class American lifestyle.

When we were in Colorado a few years ago, we visited the town I lived there. We walked the street where my father built a home, and we lived for awhile.  I approached an older fellow, sitting on his front porch, but he spoke little English. His daughter came out, and we talked awhile. It turns out the family moved away from Lost Angeles, seeking a better area--after the 1992 Rodney King riots.

"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2013, 01:23:14 am »
and want to guess how that family is voting in Colorado, TS?
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2013, 01:47:16 am »
and want to guess how that family is voting in Colorado, TS?
The article says Colorado is a microcosm of the nation. In other words, reality.

If I woke up one morning, and discovered reality was changed, I could complain (to no avail) or busy myself with the task of adapting.

GW Bush and Chris Christie did quite well with Hispanics, so it can be done. To discover how to do well with Hispanic voters, I suggest studying what they did.

"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2013, 01:51:08 am »
The article says Colorado is a microcosm of the nation. In other words, reality.

If I woke up one morning, and discovered reality was changed, I could complain (to no avail) or busy myself with the task of adapting.

GW Bush and Chris Christie did quite well with Hispanics, so it can be done. To discover how to do well with Hispanic voters, I suggest studying what they did.

Except that wasn't my question. I commented up-thread the reason Colorado has gone blue is because so many have moved there from California which is basically a mess today because of the way the people you're holding up as an example here voted when they lived in California. Now these voters move out of the mess they helped create and instead of seeing WHY they had to leave they take the same voting patterns with them and screw up a perfectly good state... they did it to Oregon, they are doing it to Utah and they have done it to Colorado.  I have a lot of good friends in Colorado and they are not shy about sharing this factoid... and they are not happy about it..., many are multi-generation Colorado citizens.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2013, 01:52:41 am »
and since you want to make this about Hispanics - polls say they will not vote for Republicans because the newly installed Hispanics LOVE big government. Don't believe me. Actually go read the polls, in huge numbers they want free healthcare and they love all the other freebies they can get from big government.. no matter how you want to try and slice and dice it that is not your Republican voter.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776

Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2013, 02:50:07 am »
I get tired of just reading about problems, without solutions.

If conservatism can only bemoan the changing world, I not surprised by inability to convert sufficient voters to win.

I prefer looking for solutions.
"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline Rapunzel

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Re: Colorado a microcosm for American politics
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2013, 03:02:08 am »
I get tired of just reading about problems, without solutions.

If conservatism can only bemoan the changing world, I not surprised by inability to convert sufficient voters to win.

I prefer looking for solutions.

The solution is dismantle the entitlement society, but when people on welfare are making more money tax free than most working Americans you tell me how they are going to change it,  People on medicaid (free) food stamps (free) section 8 housing, and more... with iphones, big screen TV,s money for beer, drug and tattoos...

I would start with mandatory drug testing for any benefits and mandatory work of some sort in return for the welfare checks... even if that means cleaning the road ways.
�The time is now near at hand which must probably determine, whether Americans are to be, Freemen, or Slaves.� G Washington July 2, 1776