CO-04 (Special Election)
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(R) Greg Lopez
(R) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
President (To Win Colorado)
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(D) Joe Biden*
(R) Donald Trump
80%
20%↓
CO-01 (Denver)
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(D) Diana DeGette*
90%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
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(D) Joe Neguse*
90%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
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(D) Adam Frisch
(R) Jeff Hurd
(R) Ron Hanks
40%
30%
20%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
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(R) Lauren Boebert
(R) Deborah Flora
(R) J. Sonnenberg
30%↑
15%↑
10%↓
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
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(R) Dave Williams
(R) Jeff Crank
50%↓
50%↑
CO-06 (Aurora)
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(D) Jason Crow*
90%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
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(D) Brittany Pettersen
85%↑
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
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(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
(R) Janak Joshi
60%↑
35%↓
30%↑
State Senate Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
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DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
February 28, 2017 10:02 AM UTC
37 Comments
On one hand, I feel like we may be seeing a renaissance of journalism. My wife and I put in a subscription to the New York Times Digital. Then I look at the Denver Post. I had become mildly irritated with them for probably 12 years now. The Gardner endorsement in 2014 was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Yes. Udall ran a bad campaign. But they have endorsed candidates who have had worse problems than that. Some of them lost. Some of them won.
But, one thing was glaring. People were sending many correspondence with Gardner's office about ACA. He then posted a video of himself on his FB page reading a letter on the Senate floor calling for repeal of the ACA. The comments on that post were brutal, as well they should have been. The DP doesn't want it's delicate sensibilities subjected to another story of how ACA repeal will affect those with preexisting conditions. Think about the sensibilities of those people who would be affected by repeal.
Honestly, I wouldn't entirely blame Gardner for not going to the "with or without you" town hall. But he could and should have had one of his own. He would have been able to field questions in a less hostile environment. But the reason the WOWOY townhall was held is because he won't do his own townhall.
Cory Gardner is doing a great job in Washington. Where is Michael Bennet?
Senator Bennet is not in the majority party. He is also not in the President's party. 8 years ago, you laid everything at the Dems feet. Now, you have the trifecta and you (including your hero Senator Gardner) are in the hot seat. Also, he is the one that wants to advance Trump's agenda. Not Bennet. You made being accountable to angry mobs a consequence of being in power when the Dems were in charge. Now, it's your turn.
Expecting Con Man Cory to be accountable (like most Republicans now that they control all branches of the government) is like expecting to catch a greased pig with your bare hands. Very messy and not very effective.
The protests will continue to build and as the elections come around again, we'll need to make sure they hear us loud and clear.
Let's just hope that with Gardner and Bush, Hindsight is 2020
Elections? I thought this was building up to revolution! How can the libtards of America wait until 2020? Demand satisfaction now!
Unlike you, I believe in democracy. 2018 will be here before you know it, or have you already forgotten?
BTW, I think RepugTurds describes you and your ilk pretty accurately 🙂
How about 2018? Huh Moldy?
Man. U mad bro? Wait. You always are. You always seem so angry in your posts. Trying to brandish your "troll" cred by calling us libtards? I don't think that will get you on the payroll with Koch, Inc.
There are worse things than being a libtard. We could be you.
No, nameless, you can't be moldyanus. You can't afford the lobotomy.
Especially not after ACA is repealed.
Is anyone concerned Michael Bennet would vote to repeal the ACA (instead of fixing it)? Gutting EPA? State Department? Fund the Great Wall? Repeal protections for transgender students? Great job? For which part of our purple-state electorate?
Bennet can't win a primary if he votes against the ACA. Sort of like Gardner can't win a primary if he doesn't vote to repeal. That's the problem with the collapse of the Republican Party. At least Obamacare is squarely in the middle.
Of course, if the Republicans kill Obamacare, then the swing of the pendulum would probably come back to Single Payer. Is that what they want?
I'm looking forward to 2018, and the end of the 100 day Reich.
To C.H.B.'s point below, we can give credit where credit is due. His vote on public lands was in step with the Colorado electorate. The real test would have been whether McConnell needed his vote on that particular issue, which he didn't. He's really good on the federal hemp legislation. That doesn't mean I get to give him a pass on other things. He sprinted across the eastern plains as a Congressman, from town hall to town hall, with his Repeal and Replace routine. Fanning the flames of division.
To your point, ParkH, it's what he had to for re-election. In fact either one of two things could be true now as we look back: 1) he knew all along there was no plan for replacement, or 2) there was a plan and at some point the House leadership abandoned the plan. Which begs the question: if the answer is behind door number two, when did you know this?
But these issues go deep for me. He also advocated for the gutting of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. Gutted. Zero. Because it was what Chuck and Dave wanted. He even bucked the Colorado Farm Bureau on that one – and clung to the boys from Wichita.
I think we can all agree we should strive to make this a nation that is measured by how we treat the least amongst us. I'm just not buying what they're selling right now.
"advocated for the gutting of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program………" There are savings to be had; sometimes substantial savings; in every government social program. Issues are not black and white; as those on the far right who want to gut everything; or those on the far left who want to preserve every last dollar; would have us believe.
And, Michael, did you see the recent Post write-up about the town of Burlington? They appear to have placed the bulk of their "economic eggs" in one basket, a private prison in their community that has closed. Seems to me they need a good dose of wind turbines and industrial hemp to revive things.
My understanding is that Drumpf is reversing the Obama order that closed it. They will be back in the money as soon as we can resume filling the beds with immigrants and pot smokers.
What "substantial savings to be had" do you see in SNAP, and how would you go about taking advantage of them?
For sure, Curmie. I would also like to see CHB back up that claim with some data. I am not saying he is wrong, (there is some anecdotal evidence of abuse, but not much empirical information), but I would love to see some real numbers..from somewhere besides NewsMax.
More than 100 Billion (That's Billion, with a "B", people!) in administrative waste at the Pentagon:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/pentagon-buries-evidence-of-125-billion-in-bureaucratic-waste/2016/12/05/e0668c76-9af6-11e6-a0ed-ab0774c1eaa5_story.html?utm_term=.da20061b6c4f
But, by God, let's focus on Social Programs, because my cousin's stepfather's niece said she once saw someone drive up to the Piggly-Wiggly in a Cadillac, and use her Food Stamps to buy Twinkies! Twinkies, do you hear???
Typically, that $125 billion will wind up in the pockets of those who already have much more than they need. Read waste to meant "theft" and "graft" and such.
I'm a long time occasional contributor to the Center for Defense Information, started in 1971 by several retired military officers to try and combat waste in the Pentagon. CDI is now part of the Project on Government Oversight. Another worthwhile group to consider is Taxpayers for Common Sense. Also, Citizens Against Government Waste. For Michael's information, TCS is a strong supporter of the BLM's methane gas rule.
Recall, folks, that I spent a lot of years working in social service programs, including work on direct caseloads. Did I write down every instance of fraud or suspected fraud? No, but one does get solid "gut feelings" when one knows so much about peoples' personal lives. As in, relatively able bodied persons not wanting to work, even with counseling, and getting onto food stamps due to lax eligibility rules.
There are forms of abuse in every federal program. Some by the rich, some by the poor. We give a pass to the crooks on Wall Street, let them tank the economy and bail them out. But we choose to focus on the relatively small percentage of people who game the social services system. By and large, the numbers show that food stamps are relied upon by children, the disabled, the elderly and the military.
So, what kind of "gut feelings" did you get, and what information were you getting from your observations into other people's personal lives?
Food stamp fraud is practically a myth. I think if I hear the Ronald Reagan
dog whistlewelfare Cadillac story one more time I'll puke. I could, however, point you to a few ag producers who had little issue gaming the crop insurance program over the years. Sadly, that kind of fraud is OK…you know, "it's OK if you're a white guy" thing.Sure, you could reap bushels of money (see what I did there?) from actual large-scale waste and abuse, but how can that rival the pleasure that apparently comes from taking access to food away from poor people?
C.H.B. re: the Kit Carson situation it reminds me of the Marley quote: "In the abundance of water, the fool is thirsty". Kit Carson county is an ocean of wind, sunshine, land and water. Had they not bought in to the faux hysteria (see my post on today's thread re: Brophy) by Tri-State and the Colorado Rural Electric Association a decade ago that 'Coal good', Renewables Bad' they might even, as a community, own the shimmering white towers just north of Burlington that are owned by out-of-state Duke Energy. The same people who would eschew someone who lost their job for taking unemployment or food assistance have now taken $9mm from our legislature to soften the blow and are back wanting more. Instead of giving hand-outs, the state could focus particularly on building partnerships between the organic food entrepreneurs on the Front Range and small communities on the plains. I know of one specific food company in CO poised for explosive growth that goes out-of-state to find its organic grains; they're also looking to expand their production lines. A well-regulated marijuana industry in the City of Burlington could provide any number of jobs and tax revenue. Hell…build it next to the Sheriff's department. A focus on CBD production could bring them all kinds of jobs.
It's a sad state of affairs when you're community has to hope the prisoners come back so you can save yourself….from yourself. (Trump may be solving that conundrum as we speak).
RE: Cory on the SNAP program. I wrote a diary about the plight of the most-challenged in CD-4 on Father's Day, 2013. You'll need to read it in the context of 'time'. A time when there were (and still remain) significant challenges amongst the working class on the Plains. The need for food security and medical access is well-documented. My point: Cory's votes – to zero out the food stamp program – was driven by Chuck and Dave. His voting record and actions at that time were 100% in line with the boys from Wichita. While Chuck and Dave are more in the shadows today, I remain unconvinced that any of his positions rest upon what's good for his constituents – they're predicated on what someone else wants.
I don't revel in having to make an issue of these things. It's not often you have a US Senator that is both a 'homey' and you've known for a long time. My grandfather bought every wheat drill he ever owned from the Gardner family. I wish we had a different dynamic between the Senator. I just don't see him taking any brave position on the issues that could make life significantly better for the bulk of the people on the Plains, sans the ones who already feed at the federal trough.
You are probably right, Fluffy. When you consider for whom he is actually working. The Koch Brothers, Big Oil in general, Big Pharma, Monsanto, Goldman Sachs, etc….Yep, he is doing a great job for his employers
Notwithstanding his understanding of the value of outdoor recreation on public lands, by what measure can Senator Spokesmodel be considered a moderate?
Survey says….. Nada. Also, could go with "Nothing", "0", "Null", "Zip" and "Zilch".
Oh those damn social engineers. Radicals!! You know, the ones who just want a robust middle class, clean air, clean water and good public schools. They. Must. Be. Stopped.
DaftPunk: re-read what I said.
Pluck Funkett !!!
Pluck Funkett is fun to say! FunkPluckit! PluckFunkit! Everybody say pluck funkett!
"Fricking" now has some serious competition in la casa de mamajama…
Senator Gardner joined Governor Hickenlooper and Senator Bennet in a joint letter to Emerald Expositions, owner of the Outdoor Retailer shows, urging them to bring the shows to Denver when their Utah contract is done. Gardner also had very positive things to say about public lands in today's print edition of the Post, and in the on line article yesterday (2-27).
Compared to other Western Republican senators, Gardner IS a moderate, especially when compared to Senators Hatch and Lee in Utah who want to roll back the Bears Ears National Monument designation and last session, co-sponsored a bill to open up designated wilderness areas to mountain biking. And then there is good old Dean Heller (R-NV) who is sponsoring a bill to roll back the Gold Butte National Monument designation in that state. Got to make that BLM land safe for the Bundy clan to graze their cattle. In contrast, Gardner has been totally absent in any effort to roll back the Chimney Rock and Browns Canyon monument designations here in Colorado.
Color me unconvinced…one issue does not a moderate make.
And his absence on a specific bill now and then only means he is too busy fundraising in some sunny location.
Name some politicians who DON'T fundraise in sunny locations.