Yes, Democrats Should Want The RNC In Denver Too

As the Denver Post’s Allison Sherry reports:

In its attempt to woo Republican officials to Denver to host the Republican National Convention in 2016, Denver put a party in a Broncos-bedecked bag.

At the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting held here this week, a handful of cities were throwing schwag, amenities, appetizers and alcohol to party bigwigs in hopes of winning the ultimate prize: The chance to host 50,000 Republicans, VIPs and guests for five days ahead of the next presidential race.

The RNC expects to make its decision around the time of its summer meeting, in August.

The Post’s Lynn Bartels reports that Democrats in Colorado, as well as competitor host city Las Vegas, back their counterparts’ respective bids–with a fair share of smack talk, of course.

…Nevada Democrats back efforts by state Republicans to host the RNC in Las Vegas that year, according to a November memo to RNC chairman Reince Priebus.

“The reason is simple,” they said. “Putting the national spotlight on Nevada Republicans for a week-long national convention will do more to damage the Republican Party’s brand than anything Democrats could possibly do.” [Pols emphasis]

Here’s the full statement on Denver’s bid to host the 2016 Republican National Convention from Colorado Democratic Party chairman Rick Palacio:

“While we may disagree on matters of public policy and politics, I support Chairman Call, and his Party’s efforts, to bring the Republican National Convention to Denver,” Palacio said.

“As we learned from 2008, a political convention of this size can mean increased revenue to the small businesses of our state, as well as help to showcase our world-class city,”

“However, I would caution the GOP; as long as their party demonizes immigrants, ostracizes women, and pushes an outdated and extreme agenda, nothing, let alone a convention, will help them win over the independent minded voters of our great state.” [Pols emphasis]

Bottom line: there is absolutely no good reason for Democrats to oppose the Republican National Convention coming to Denver in 2016. Partisan leanings aside, the 2008 Democratic National Convention was a huge and sustained economic boon to the city of Denver and state of Colorado as a whole. It would be hugely counterproductive for Democrats to oppose an event that will result in millions of dollars in the pockets of every kind–and we mean every kind–of Colorado business. When such opportunities present themselves, smart leaders put aside partisanship and take the money.

But if that’s not enough to stay your partisan rectitude, consider this: Colorado is the home of the nationally-recognized (and feared) “Colorado Model” of well-organized and highly effective Democratic-aligned political groups (see: Adam Schrager and Rob Witwer’s Blueprint). Bringing the entire national Republican establishment to their proverbial parlor could be considered an epic opportunity. In fact, if we were the RNC, we might be a little worried about that.

But in terms of a downside for anyone in our state? No, we can’t really see one.

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BREAKING: Democrats To Probably Kill Republican Bills, Republicans Very Unhappy About It

From left: Sens. Owen Hill, Ted Harvey, Vicki Marble, Greg Brophy, Kevin Lundberg, George Rivera, and Kent Lambert. Photo by Colorado Senate GOP

Oh my stars!

In a remarkable press conference at noon today in the Colorado Capitol press room, Republican Senators complained bitterly that many of their bills are being sent to the Senate State Affairs Committee, known as the "kill committee" for its longstanding role as the place majority leadership in both parties sends unwanted bills to die.

.@ColoSenGOP holds noon presser to say Dems are sending their bills to "kill" committee.Can you say majority? #coleg #copolitics

— Lynn Bartels (@lynn_bartels) January 15, 2014

What's remarkable about this press conference, especially coming on the heels of Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman's bizarre freak-out yesterday over what turned out to be absolutely nothing, is that Republicans are now complaining about one of the most routine practices in our legislature. Every majority in both the House and Senate regardless of party sends unfavored bills to the State Affairs committee. Sometimes a legislator does a really good job advocating, and they pass despite this–as they sometimes do in other committees. We've seen no evidence that any higher proportion of bills are being sent to "kill committee" this year than other years.

Either way, it does appear that this press conference to complain about a routine development is connected to Cadman's embarrassing tantrum yesterday. They are both petty, belligerent reactions, wholly out of proportion to actual events. Based on the response by even our fair-to-a-fault local political journalists, they are wildly overplaying their hand. Even relatively green reporters know better. If there is a strategy among Republicans to artificially ramp tensions to a fever pitch early in this year's session, they need to rethink it.

Because that only works if it's believable, folks.

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Can Naquetta Ricks Help Democrats Control CU Board of Regents?

Naquetta Ricks, Democrat for CU Regent

Colorado Democrats have had quite a run of success in the past decade-plus, taking control of both U.S. Senate seats, the Governor's Mansion, and the legislature, to name a few. But despite that success, there are still two elected bodies where Republicans still control a majority: the State Board of Education and the University of Colorado Board of Regents.

There are 9 members of the CU Board of Regents; two seats are elected "at-large," meaning in a statewide race, and the other seven are elected by voters in congressional districts. There are currently 4 Democrats on the board: Michael Carrigan (CD-1), Joe Neguse (CD-2), Irene Griego (CD-7), and Stephen Ludwig (at-large). Assuming Democrats can retain control of seats in CD-2 and CD-7, that leaves one 2014 opening that could swing the district…CD-6.

Democrat Naquetta Ricks is kicking off her campaign for Regent in CD-6 tonight with an impressive list of endorsements already under her belt. Ricks is currently the only candidate for the open seat being vacated by Republican Jim Geddes, who was elected in 2008 — before redistricting — and cannot seek re-election because he no longer lives in the district (Geddes was just elected to the Douglas County School Board anyway). The new CD-6, as we all know, went from a safe Republican seat to a toss-up after redistricting; in fact, President Obama carried CD-6 in 2012 by a 52-47 margin (Republican John McCain carried the district 53-46 in 2008).

If Ricks can win her race for CU Regent, and CD-2 and CD-7 remain in Democratic hands, the CU Board of Regents would be under Democratic control for the first time in decades.

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Democrats Pick Morgan Carroll as Senate President

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Democrats Lavish Praise on GOP Rep. Amy Stephens (Yes, Really)

Rep. Amy Stephens (R-Focus on the Family).

A press release from the Colorado House Democratic Majority today celebrates the opening of Connect for Health Colorado, the state's new health insurance exchange and a major component of the federal Affordable Care Act:

“The window to a healthier future for Colorado opened today,” said Rep. McCann (D-Denver), who is chairwoman of the Health, Insurance & Environment Committee and vice chair of the Health Insurance Exchange Legislative Oversight Review Board. “Because our state will be healthier, it will be more productive and more prosperous.” 

Rep. McCann credited the legislators who supported the 2011 bill creating the new system. 

“I want to express again my thanks to Rep. Amy Stephens and the bipartisan majority that made this day possible,” [Pols emphasis] Rep. McCann said. “We have a bipartisan Colorado solution to implement the Affordable Care Act.” 

Rep. Stephens (R-Monument) and former Sen. Betty Boyd sponsored the bill that produced Connect for Health Colorado. Rep. Stephens and 12 other House Republicans, including then-Speaker Frank McNulty, joined House Democrats in support of the bill. The exchange also has strong business support.

It's useful to recall the bipartisan support for the new health insurance exchange when it was passed in 2011 today, since Republicans are doing their level best to portray inevitable startup glitches as catastrophic failures. FOX 31's Eli Stokols reports:

Colorado’s new health care exchange, an online marketplace offering more than 500 policies, experienced problems Monday morning just hours after it went live, as did exchanges in other states.

While opponents of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s landmark health care reform law, viewed the news as evidence the law isn’t ready for primetime, backers of the law argued that the high demand, which they blame for overwhelming computer servers, shows that the law is actually quite popular. [Pols emphasis]

In Colorado, it's undeniably a bipartisan success–even if Republicans who helped create the exchange in Colorado would probably rather not take credit for that today. Remember, today is only the first day the exchange is live for the public to see. Insurance purchased through the exchange takes effect on January 1st of next year, and Coloradans have until December 15th to sign up. Today's startup glitches will get worked out, and we expect there will be a day soon when Rep. Amy Stephens will be delighted to refer to Connect for Health Colorado by its once-derisive name "Amycare."

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Colorado lawmaker: Democrats using ‘mind control’ to make people accept ‘homosexual marriage’

Colorado lawmaker: Democrats using ‘mind control’ to make people accept ‘homosexual marriage’ (via Raw Story ) A Republican Colorado lawmaker on Tuesday asserted that the state’s law permitting civil unions between people of the same sex was a “mind-control experiment” by Democrats to force voters “to believe in homosexual marriage.” In an interview…

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