Colorado has become one of those states, along with NC and VA, I believe, that is on the cutting edge of setting the political direction for the 21st Century America. Up until very recently, Colorado was a largely Republican state. Even today, there are more registered Republicans than Democrats. However, Unaffiliated voters (including yours truly), outnumber both parties. This has been true for quite some time. For example, in 1992 19% of the state voted for Ross Perot, but the state ended up gaving its electoral votes to Bill Clinton.
However, over the last few elections cycles, Colorado has become more and more blue. We now have 2 Democratic Senators (well, 1.5). We have five of our seven Congresscritters as Dems. Dems control both houses and the Governor's Mansion. The reason? As Kos has said many times - the Dems in this state have found a formula where the government engages in responsible governing - while leaving people alone to figure out their own social stances. It has been highly successful in this state. So successful that many longtime GOP members have abandon their party to vote Dem. So successful that many of them are contemplating starting a third party.
There was an article in the Boulder Daily Camera by a gentleman named Jim Martin over the weekend. It discusses the possibility of forming a new third party out of the ashes of the GOP. Before discussing the article, a little perspective. I am not a native Coloradan. I am originally from Orange County California. When my wife and I married in 1990, we wanted to live someplace cheaper where one of us could stay at home to raise kids. We chose Colorado because of clean air, affordable housing and educated population. We have not regretted the move, but it has not always been a smooth ride.
When we were not alone in our quest for a new life. Colorado is made up of many Californians, New Yorkers and Texans that searched for the same things we did. Unfortunately, when we first arrived, we faced two ballot issues that affected Colorado politics for many years. The first was TABOR or the Tax Payer's Bill Of Rights. That bill basically tied the hands of politicians from raising anymore revenue or spending it in a way they saw fit. This meant that the wheels of government ground to a halt because every time anything needed to be done - it would require a voted on referendum to grease the gears. This has slowly erroded with referendums to allow the legislature to have more of a free hand with schools and infrastructure.
The second referendum to face voters when I first got here was known as 'Amendment 2'. This piece of legislation basically wrote into law out and out discrimination against homosexuals. This passed the popular vote, but was later overturned by the US Supreme Court. However, the affects have been lasting in that we have been very slow on progress for gay rights and the victory at the ballot box has given the extreme religious groups in Colorado Springs a lot of credibility and power. Something we have been paying for since I arrived.
Several cycles ago, the Dems finally gained control of the House in Denver. One of the House members quipped, "With the GOP, you would think that that the only problems that we have had to deal with in Colorado have been abortion and gay rights." This statement has proved very prescient, because the Democratic party has enjoyed electoral success in just about every election since then.
Which brings us to the article in yesterday's Camera. Jim Martin is an ex-GOP member that has voted Democratic in the last few election cycles. As for the GOP, he states:
All this bloviating about the future of the Republican Party and how it should reinvent itself reminds me of a family finally acknowledging that an aged relative has crossed the bar into dottiness: What should we do with the Grand Old Party?
This is not the statement of a person who believes the party can be saved by "Just getting back to it's core message." This is a statement of surrender. The party is beyond salvage. And the standard flag bearers are the problem, not the solution.
As much as the Republican Party needs reform, it won't happen. The far right chorus still bellows "We Shall Not Be Moved," with solos by the three tenors of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly.
Ouch. According to Mr. Martin, the loud mouths are just making it worse. He doesn't mention Dobson or Perkins by name, but the disdain for the Religious Right is palpable.
He puts the nail in the coffin with this graph:
The answer comes from history. The Republicans came into being because the Whig Party had a split over slavery, a contentious fight they could not resolve. Progressive people, among them Abraham Lincoln, saw no point arguing with the recalcitrant's, left them to bicker among themselves and formed a new party. Honest Abe ran on the Republican ticket, and the rest was history.
Going the way of the Whigs is something we quote quite a bit here. It interesting to see that many former GOPers have the same feelings. I also find it amusing that he wants to name the new party 'Progressives'.
Mr. Martin goes on to talk about several moderate Republicans and conservative Dems (Including Ben Nighthorse Salazar) that would fit in his mold of a new Party. I don't necessarily agree with his assessment, but I think it is informative none-the-less. And it shows that there are a lot of former GOP members out there that are sick of the Religious Right and the extreme anti-government and anti-science rhetoric. Whatever the outcome, I wish their ilk luck in trying to form a more sane opposition party.
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