November 23, 2009 07:42 PM UTC

Contract for Colorado: Right Politics, No Answers

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• by: Colorado Pols

The Denver Post reports on the Republican unveiling of the “Contract for Colorado”:

The agenda out today – dubbed the Contract for Colorado – includes such promises as limiting state spending and requiring employers to verify new hires’ immigration status.

The plan specifically vows to undo a number of Ritter’s policies, including an executive order that allows state employees to unionize and a recent increase in vehicle-registration fees.

Ritter defended his record, touting improvements to renewable-energy efforts, education and the state’s business climate.

The platform’s focus is largely on fiscal issues, though it also outlines reinstating a ban on state funding for health providers that support abortion rights, such as Planned Parenthood.

The platform was forged during two weeks’ worth of meetings among top Republicans, who also included former Gov. Bill Owens, state legislative leaders and state GOP chairman Dick Wadhams. It is planned to be a ticketwide agenda that lends its message to dozens of Republican candidates at all levels, Penry said.

Politically speaking, the “Contract for Colorado” is a good move for Republicans who have left voters wondering for years just what it is that they stand for. But on the other hand, the “Contract” is really just the same old Republican talking points that haven’t changed in years. There’s new packaging, but not much else. For example, the standard talking points of limiting spending and reducing taxes sounds great, but it isn’t going to actually fix Colorado’s massive budget problem.