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More strong-arm tactics from Penry?

by: Athenian Stranger

Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 00:31:16 AM MST

( - promoted by Colorado Pols)

POLS UPDATE: It's been reported to us that Sen. Al White has indeed removed his name from the bill in question, though he, um, continues to support it: a clear indicator of the pressure being brought to bear on him. Sen. Penry, you can probably pull your boot out now--hope this little smackdown is worth what it's going to cost you. Original post follows.

I'm hearing rumors that Josh Penry is pressuring Al White to remove his name from a bill to undo the Arveschoug-Bird amendment. I don't know if the bill has been introduced yet or if it will be some time soon, but I hope for the sake of moderates in my party that White will hold strong. Kudos to White for signing on in the first place.

If Penry really is whipping his caucus this hard, then he is no different from the extremist Congressional Republicans: both Penry and the federal Rs seem to have decided that bipartisanship undermines their message discipline, and therefore is unacceptable (regardless of a bill's merits).

Apparently, things went down in a similar manner on the transportation bill: http://www.coloradopols.com/sh...

But as the day wore on, two things became clear: the dissenting Democrats--in a powerful position with just enough votes to swing the chamber, as demonstrated--could be reasoned and negotiated with, with a number of moderate Republicans like Sen. Al White who gamely tried to get his caucus serious about making a deal. But GOP leadership, led by Josh Penry, would have none of it.

Athenian Stranger :: More strong-arm tactics from Penry?

On SB-108, it sounds like White was ready to offer a reasonable amendment and then vote for the bill. Penry, who likely never had any intention to vote for the bill, decided that bipartisan support for it would undermine his opposition, and so he strong-armed White and Kester into voting for it.

I hope that's not happening again.

Two data points makes a pattern, and it would be sickening for me to watch Republicans in Colorado follow the same fundamentalist dogma that the Republicans in Congress have adopted. It's a losing gambit, and I wish they'd drop it.

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More strong-arm tactics from Penry? | 10 comments

Abosuletly correct

Penry is more concerned with process (and it's politics) than with policy. How sad that he thinks posturing and strong arming will shore up his bid for higher office.

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

by: Go Blue @ Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 06:52:13 AM CST

by: you @ soon

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I hope White stands up on this

The bill is sponsored by him and Rep. Marostica, but it's really White's bill. He's very concerned about what will happen if the state gets into a high inflation scenario under the current economic crisis, and it's a scary picture.

It's tied to Amendment 23 at its heart. Amendment 23 requires K12 funding to increase at inflation plus one percent until next year, and then at inflation thereafter. K12 already takes 45 percent of the state general fund budget. What would happen if we had a situation, as White has explained, where the state had 10 or 15 percent inflation? That would mean K12 would have to increase by that higher inflation factor, and White says such a scenario will shut down state government. Getting A-B out of the state fiscal picture is the first step in undoing the collossal mess created by TABOR and Amendment 23.

I'm hoping White has the courage to tell Penry to back off on this one.

by: Awen @ Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 07:28:33 AM CST

by: you @ soon

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Shows Republican's True Colors

This really shows you the Republicans' true colors. They say they're interested in solutions to Colorado's problems, but the second their most moderate, rational member -- the one they trusted enough to deal with the budget day in and day out -- signs on to a potential solution to a significant problem, they bully him into submission.

Let's see Schultheis or Lundberg deal with the details of Colorado's budget! They're irresponsible rhetoric wouldn't last a day.

Senate Republicans must be really afraid of tackling Colorado's fiscal knot. Perhaps its all they feel they have left.

Let's hope Sen. White finds the courage to stand up to the extremists who have hijacked his party.

by: stevezissou @ Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 08:49:50 AM CST

by: you @ soon

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GOP - don't go down Hawaii's road

In Hawaii the majority of the GOP officeholders follow the Penry model of selling to the base to hold their few seats and bitching about the fact that they cannot win state-wide.

There are a few GOP moderates like Governor Lingle and my mom who work to bring the GOP back to the middle. But they are lone voices in the wilderness.

And yes Lingle got elected Governor. But she was a moderate Republican who was mayor of Maui with an independent base to work from. The economy was in the toilet and the top Dem running had to drop out because of a corruption probe. And still she won by just a couple of points.

This would be like a Republican getting elected mayor of Boulder, we Dems screw up the economy, the main Dem candidate has to drop out, and the GOP mayor of Boulder is running for Governor.

If the state GOP gets to the point that this is the only way to win statewide, they're going to be in the wilderness for a long time.

Where you gonna go for business reporting software?

by: DavidThi808 @ Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 10:47:15 AM CST

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Penry is much more moderate then you think

Have you been outside of the Denver Green Zone following enactment of this Oinker called the stimulus bill?

The Denver Green Zone is a known safe zone used to protect myopic strategerists in their pursuit of government solutions to the problems government provided to you last time they were active.

Myopic Strategery, you know the policy crowd that understands if you create a government program, they will come.

I recommend you take the temperature again. The people are upset at DC, Denver, and their big government approaches (Denver Green Zone).

I'm stunned Penry, Mitchell, et. al. haven't gone nuklear. The strategy must be ... 'give'm all the rope they want boys'

by: Libertad @ Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 14:59:44 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Planet 'tad

Obama is hugely popular, the stimulus is popular, and GOP congresscritters are hugely unpopular.

I don't know what planet you're reporting from but the opinion polling shows a clear trend - people like Obama and the Democrats and they think Republicans suck.

Its going to take the American public a long time to forget the last 8 years. They know who got us here and they know who they trust to get us out of this mess (hint, they voted for them last fall).

by: Steve Balboni @ Thu Feb 19, 2009 at 15:36:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]