Coyote Gulch

Saturday, November 4, 2006

Referendum I and Amendment 43
Colorado Confidential: "If Colorado voters respond with the calm, cool collectedness of Lee Badgett, the will of the voters may still win the day on Referendum I and Amendment 43 despite the media hoopla surrounding the unfolding Ted Haggard scandal.

"Local talk radio is rife with complaints that Mike Jones' allegations were politically motivated in order to influence the election. The two ballot measures represent key legislative and moral victories to both the evangelical and gay communities.

"Badgett studies sexual orientation and its affects on economic policy as a visiting professor at the Charles A. Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy at the UCLA Law School. She has a different perspective.

"'I would argue that people need to take a little step back,' she said. 'My perspective is not affected by the emotional responses that are happening. I think that there is recognition that Ref I is good for the state economy and that equality is good too.'

"Colorado is the only state in the union with competing ballot measures to define marriage Constitutionally while legislating domestic partnerships. The proponents of both initiatives are actively mining their bases to turn out on election day. Recent advertising by Amendment 43 supporters complain that domestic partnership is 'counterfeit marriage' and will damage not only the traditional definition but will somehow weaken the bonds between millions of heterosexual married couples throughout the state.

"The latest polls reflect an interesting dynamic: Ref I support is neck and neck while there is overwhelming affirmation for the marriage definition."
"denver 2006"
8:19:44 AM

Get out and vote

Tuesday is now your last chance to vote in this year's election. If you're like Coyote Gulch you love voting at the precincts, with your neighbors. Alas, this year, in Denver, you have voting centers. Here's a handy application for finding the vote center nearest you from DenverGov. We'll be heading over the Scheitler Recreation Center in Berkeley park to stand in line, make jokes, and hopefully catch up on some gossip with a few neighbors.

Here's a recap of a recent Rocky Mountain News/9News poll for Tuesday's election. From the article, "It's a great time to be a Democrat running for office. Voters want Democrats running the legislature. They want Democrats in Congress. And for the first time in recent history, Democrats are ahead in the race for state treasurer and have at least a shot at secretary of state. Those are the conclusions of a Rocky Mountain News/CBS 4 poll on high-profile measures in Tuesday's election. The poll of 500 registered voters was conducted Oct. 28-30 by Public Opinion Strategies. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.38 percentage points...

"The names on the ballot might as well be 'Bush' and 'Iraq.' For many Coloradans, this year's congressional contests are a referendum on an unpopular president and the ongoing war, according to the poll...

"Republicans hold a slight lead in the secretary of state race, the poll shows, and a more comfortable margin in the contest for attorney general. But in the treasurer's race, Democrat Cary Kennedy, architect of the school funding measure passed in 2000 known as Amendment 23, holds a nine-point lead over Republican and former state legislator Mark Hillman, 44-35, with 20 percent undecided.

"In the secretary of state race, where both candidates are viewed as bipartisan and with little nastiness in the campaign, state treasurer Mike Coffman, the Republican, holds a slight edge, 41 percent to 38 percent, over Democrat Ken Gordon, senate majority leader. State Attorney General John Suthers, a Republican, holds a six-point lead - 38 percent to 32 percent - over challenger Fern O'Brien, a Democrat who has run a low-profile campaign."
"denver 2006"
8:12:33 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor?
Bill Ritter and U.S. Congressman Bob Beauprez had another showdown last night, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Bob Beauprez and Bill Ritter went at it for the 27th time Friday night - one last debate to argue who should be Colorado's 41st governor. Republican Beauprez cited his proven leadership as a suburban Denver congressman, dairy farmer, developer and banker, saying he wouldn't need "on the job training" to be the state's chief executive. Former Denver District attorney Bill Ritter said that he's the kind of pragmatic problem-solver that voters will want to solve problems in education, transportation and more affordable health care...

"One thing both candidates agree on - Tuesday will be a watershed election for Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region. If Ritter, who is leading in the polls, wins Tuesday's election, it would give the Democrats control of the governor's office and quite possibly both chambers of the state legislature for the first time in nearly a half-century. Beauprez has warned that without a Republican governor to balance a Democrat-controlled statehouse, Ritter might approve a raft of anti-business legislation that could harm the economy."
"denver 2006"
8:00:56 AM

Ritter for governor?

Bill Ritter was stumping out on the high plains yesterday, according to the Sterling Journal-Advocate. From the article, "Bill Ritter said he knows water is the lifeblood of northeast Colorado. The Democratic candidate for governor of Colorado brought his 'Colorado Promise' statewide campaign to Sterling Thursday, speaking to community members and students at Northeastern Junior College and having lunch at the NJC cafeteria. On the topic of water, he said that while he has touted reusing water as one way to deal with the state's water shortage, he knows the water cannot be reused to extinction - that a percentage of it must come down the river to supply northeast Colorado. He also expressed concern with the 'water grab,' with Front Range cities buying up more and more of eastern Colorado's agricultural water."

Coyote Gulch would remind the candidate that when farmers, or other water rights holders, sell their water rights, it's a business transaction, an exchange of property rights for some dough, not a "water grab." The water rights holders are not the villains in the the story around unbridled growth along the front range. You may not like the outcomes but that's life (and water law).
"denver 2006"
7:52:40 AM

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