August 22, 2010 05:20 PM UTC

Michael Bennet and card check: has he made up his mind yet?

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• by: H-man

Michael Bennet’s campaign manager, Craig Hughes, was quoted in TPM on Friday August 20th as follows:

“What we see is a very clear race between two candidates with very different views,”

If this is the lens through which this race is to be judged, the question becomes just what are Michael Bennet’s views.

Ken Buck, a man of the people, has been open, accessible and honest in his views on any subject. If anything, he has been criticized because some of his opinions have evolved over time.  Many of his views have been made knowing that they were not going to win a popularity contests, but he has honestly stated them.  His approach offers the voters an insight as to both his opinions on issues and his opinions of them.  

Michael Bennet, appointed Senator, blue blood, DC prep school alum who was a Capitol Page while in Prep School, has taken a different approach. Perhaps it is the approach of a timid soul who is informed by DC experience of how not to disappoint different masters. After 18 months in office, while the Unions consider its passage issue number one on their agenda, and while the business community consider its defeat central to their well being, he has still not stated his view on card check.  

Has he not made up his mind?  Unlikely.

Is it smart politics? Possibly.  If he manages to get backing from both the Unions and the business community by telling both of them what they want to hear, it is brilliant.  Not honest, but brilliant.

But what does it tell the rest of us about Michael Bennet?

If we are to decide who to elect based on their “very different views”, how are we to know the views of Michael Bennet?

Ken Buck is opposed to card check.  Andrew Romanoff was for card check.  Michael Bennet will not tell people where he stands.

Ken Buck is opposed to Cap and Trade referred to as Kerry/Lieberman.  Michael Bennet will not tell people where he stands on Kerry/Lieberman.

We are left with evaluating Michael Bennet based on his 18 month voting record where his votes represent his views.

Twice Michael Bennet has voted to increase the National debt.  Michael Bennet must view increasing debt as something he supports.  Ken Buck does not support increasing debt.

Michael Bennet voted for stimulus programs including cash for clunkers.  Michael Bennet must view those programs as something he supports. Ken Buck does not support the stimulus programs including cash for clunkers.

Michael Bennet indicates he is in favor of “comprehensive immigration reform”.  Those words are often used as code for amnesty.  If that is what Bennet supports, that is another very different view. Buck does not support amnesty.

In order to take up Hughes on his perspective of a “very clear race between two candidates with very different views” we need to know what Michael Bennet’s views are.  So far he has not show the courage to publicly state many of them.  I am left with the feeling that he does not think that the proletariat is entitled to know.