Fitz-Gerald Endorsed by Gilpin County

Interesting...

...not the endorsements...theyre all well and good...congrats to JFG.

But is Jeanne Nicholson implying that JFG's opponents are "single-issue candidates?"  Of course JFG is not...but are WS and JP?

I don't know...it just seem like an odd statement.

Happy Friday all!

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by: Dabee47 @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 17:27:21 PM UTC

I think that's the "simple" definition

Jared is more than just an education candidate, but that's where he's built his reputation.  Same with Will, but on the environment.

I don't think either one of them are "single issue" candidates per say, but I think what Jeanne's endorsement statement was trying to say is that their expertise in the political arena at least is very focused on a single subject.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 17:37:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That's a lot of the county...

That's a pretty good haul of the local officeholders up here.  Joan has a long history of supporting the county, and that support shows in the endorsement list I think.

Jared is in the county this morning for a coffee and conversation session, and I know he's got an endorsement or two up here, but he and Will are both going to have an uphill climb in the areas that Joan has represented for a long time.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 17:28:08 PM UTC

What About??

No one from Black Hawk?????  That's who most people in the gaming industry would look to for their guide.

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by: Craig @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 18:26:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not so much, no.

The third commissioner, Al Price, is a Democrat from Black Hawk.  So far as I know, he hasn't given an endorsement.  Other than that, the law prohibits anyone directly involved in gaming interests from running for office in both Black Hawk and Central City.  Also, there isn't a single Democrat on the Black Hawk city council.  Black Hawk politics is odd; you could write a paper on it (and the Post has written at least one article on it...).

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 18:33:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Casino Support

I suspect that folks in the casino industry are less than thrilled by Joan.

Dems pushed the smoking ban bill through the legslature.  Passage of a no-smoking bill in Delaware cost their casinos about 20% of revenues (and tax revenues, as well).

There was a study done some years ago that compared unionized Las Vegas with non-unionized Reno that concluded that wages in Las Vegas were as much as 40% higher than in Reno.  In October, the UAW, which represents unionized workers in Detroit's MGM casino announced a 4 year contract that gave all employees $1,000, a 4% annual pay raise each year of the contract and enhanced 401 and health care benefits.

Mike Cerbo was the former manager of the union that struck the Frontier in Las Vegas for many years.

Colorado Dems support of unions is seriously bad news for the costs of Colorado's casino industry.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.  Thomas Jefferson

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by: bpilgram @ Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 15:19:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

You're probably right

But as a resident of these parts, I've got mixed feelings about the casinos, and Black Hawk's casinos in particular.  Frankly, Black Hawk has abused the limited stakes gambling law to the point of breaking it; if you can tell me how the Eyesore of Capri blends in with building designs of the mining era, let me know...

The casinos will get over the smoking ban.  I have yet to see a restaurant that has suffered because of the original ban, and I doubt the casinos will lose more than a few truly addictive personalities because of it.  (I probably met one: a lady who approached me, blaming the party for the ban; she was smoking of course, with tubes in her nose connected to an oxygen tank.  Nothing says fire quite like an oxygenator and a burning ember; I kept my mouth shut at the time - I didn't know what to say...)

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 18:30:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Smoking & Casinos

The Federal Reserve Bank (economist Michael Pakko) did a study of the impact of smoking bans on casinos and looked extensively at the Delaware casinos.  The study was presented at the University of Nevada, Reno's conference on all things gaming.

http://www.unr.edu/g...

Pakko's explanation for the revenue loss is that smokers have to stop gambling and leave the casino to light up.  That was a study done by an agency unaffiliated with casinos and unaffiliated with anti-smoking groups.  The explanation seems pretty reasonable to me and was done by top economists with no dog in the fight.

When Colorado considered the smoking ban, the government economists employed to do the fiscal note predicted zero fiscal impact, probably because that was the result Democrats pushing the bill wanted.

Seems to me that if people are annoyed by smoking in casinos, a casino could adopt a no smoking policy and attract customers.  If employees are bothered by the smoke, they can go to work someplace else.  Nobody's forced to go into a casino or work at a casino.

If Pakko's right, the casino revenue loss will result in lower employment in the industry.  A fair number of the folks the smoking ban was supposed to protect (employees) will lose their jobs.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.  Thomas Jefferson

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by: bpilgram @ Sun Nov 11, 2007 at 22:18:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Analysis seems flawed

Empty seats at the casino from people going outside to smoke would be filled if there was demand.

The casinos in Black Hawk are doing far more to attract customers by providing the hotels, entertainment and good food which were in somewhat of a shortage a few years back than any loss in customers they'll feel from the ban.  Considering that Black Hawk already had a larger casino failure rate than the other two gambling cities in the past, they had bigger problems than smoking bans.

No-one I know of who works at the casinos has complained yet.

In short, it isn't likely to be a big issue with voters.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 18:03:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Smoking Ban does not take effect until January 2008

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.  Thomas Jefferson

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by: bpilgram @ Mon Nov 12, 2007 at 21:02:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well congrats on those endorsements

but the fact is that she ought to be out in front in Gilpin, she's represented that district for a while.

Without trying to diminish the value of each voter or issue in the mountain communities, the voters there total about 7% of the total CD-2 voter population.  You could win all of the mountain votes and still lose by alot.

  JP has Boulder locked down.  And Adams is looking good, especially since JFG convened a special session passing some of the harshest immigration stances in this country.  That is not going to go over well.

And I hear JP is in Gilpin this mornin for a visit and had a great crowd show up to hear him speak.

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by: NeilJackson @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 18:30:49 PM UTC

Never underestimate the power of small counties

Gilpin may be small, but we show up.  Boulder politics is sometimes so complacently Democratic that some of the precincts regularly fail to represent at the various Assemblies.

You're right, though, in that Gilpin (and Clear Creek, and...) are small enough that they don't make up an large portion of the CD-2 Assembly.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 18:38:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Boulder "Locked Down"

Wondering if you can elaborate on Polis having Boulder locked down?  Do you just mean that you think as a progressive and being from Boulder (as opposed to outlying counties) he'll do better there?  I do agree that Polis will likely do well with the "Boulder Activist" crowd but was wondering if you were referring to anything specific.

Anybody know anything about polling on this race?  I heard a rumor that somebody recently polled the district and it showed Polis & Fitz-Gerald inside 10 which would be impressive for Polis if true given some of the mis-steps an the beatings he's taken here and in the press.  No announcement from any campaign makes me think it didn't come out looking how they'd hoped so I'm curious if it was Joan or maybe Wil hoping for better than expected?

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by: CD2Watch @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 18:42:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No official numbers for Boulder, no.

Just responding to how 'Gilpin has endorsed JFG'.

But that poll you speak of intrigues me as well.

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by: NeilJackson @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 18:54:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Please do elaborate

on the Boulder lock-down comment. I couldn't find any endorsements listed on the Polis for Congress website.

"Suddenly, it may be cool to be American again" - William J. Kole

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by: Go Blue @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 20:07:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I hear JP mentioned a lot more than JFG

However I'm in the high-tech industry and JP appears to have that segment locked up. I don't talk much to the political types here in town - too liberal :)

Where all the cool kids will be on Saturday - Code War!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 23:46:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think that's Jared's strongest suit...

He's tech-savvy, and Congress is terribly short on tech-savvy members.

Personally, I think this beats out his education record, or his support of Democratic issues and candidates, or Amendment 41 in (theoretical) terms of why I'd vote for him over the other candidates.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 23:49:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes

Because being tech-savy is an important skill for a member of Congress. Oh wait, I mean for someone in the congressional IT department.

Are you serious that you would vote for a lawmaker based on their understanding of technology? I sure hope not.

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by: WinstonSmith @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 23:55:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, most certainly

Aside from the total cluster-fsck that is the current Administration and its policies, one of my biggest gripes about Congress has been its complete lack of understanding about technology.  Laws that focus on technology are all too frequently misguided and poorly written because the people who are responsible for writing them have no clue when it comes to IT.

It isn't a one-issue wonder - I don't vote that way - but if I'm going to vote for someone because they know about military issues, or education, or the environment, then I certainly put tech-savvy people in the same category of "informed" as those others.

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 00:05:16 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I think given the emerging problems with IP and net governance

having a tech background is a helpful lawmaking tool.  I say that even though I am no JP fan.  His tech background is a strength, one that is decidedly missing in the Congress.

A series of tubes anyone?

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by: Danny the Red (hair) @ Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 05:39:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

IT is important now

Just recall those phrases such as "the internets" and the internet being a "Bunch of tubes." 

At least Al Gore knew what it was before most people and got funding to make it accessible to all.  Our first IT president.

"Politics determines who has the power, not who has the truth." Paul Krugman, 9/2010

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by: parsingreality @ Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 16:58:09 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Congress is also short on realistic representatives of the people...

who truly identify with working families. Most Congress people are out of touch because they are independently wealthy or have quickly forgotten how difficult it is to make it in the real world.

  I want a congressperson who can identify with raising a family, keeping kids safe, taking care of an aging parent, sacrificing to put kids through college, feeling the effects of serious illness in their lives, lost a job, been without health insurance or sent a child, brother or sister to Iraq.

  Being tech savy is a great thing, but living in a wealthy bubble of like minded people in an upwardly mobile society doesn't cut it for the average voter. I want my congressperson to cast his or her vote because their life experiences give them greater depth and understanding of the American people.

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by: Chipeta @ Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 04:05:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Poppy Bush out of touch...

Remember that incident back in 1992 when asked, he didn't know the price of milk, a stamp, or a gallon of gasoline?  Talk about detached!

Someone (or more) has done surveys of the major candidates on such questions since then in election years. Most fail miserably, R and D alike. 

"Politics determines who has the power, not who has the truth." Paul Krugman, 9/2010

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by: parsingreality @ Sat Nov 10, 2007 at 17:00:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Congress with an upper case "C"

I would have thought Joan's press people would have caught that for you.

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by: WinstonSmith @ Fri Nov 09, 2007 at 22:42:43 PM UTC

Kind of a misleading headline

The Gilpin County Democratic Party didn't endorse anyone.  These people are mostly friends of Joan's who has represented them and made frequent visits to the county.

Gilpin County only has about 3,000 actual voters in a general election.  It is more of a bell-weather county.

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by: Gilpin Guy @ Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 02:01:32 AM UTC

Um, it was a joke

The headline was was tongue-in-cheek. Of course the ENTIRE county didn't endorse Fitz-Gerald.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 02:04:51 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's okay, we can take it

We know we're small, but we still kick butt politically.

Just to be clear though, Gilpin Guy is right - the Gilpin County Democratic Party is committed to remaining strictly neutral throughout the primary.  Any analyses I post on this race are strictly my observations of actions in the race or conditions "on the ground".

"We're below sharks and contract killers." -- Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), speaking on Congress's 9% approval rating

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by: Phoenix Rising @ Tue Nov 13, 2007 at 05:11:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]