For a fleeting moment last week — about as long as it takes to kneecap a photographer, let’s say — I felt some solidarity with Rep. Douglas Bruce.
Self-proclaimed Mr. TABOR was back in the spotlight again, this time snubbing a statehouse resolution honoring veterans. The move was so despicable, I figured he was simply standing on principle. Year after year, lawmakers spend our money passing pointless resolutions, and someone, I guessed, was finally saying no to the nonsense.
The part of my heart that belongs to small government began to swell like the Grinch’s when he hears all those Whos down in Whoville caroling.
Four years ago, when state lawmakers should have been crafting a compromise to patch up a state budget in tatters, they busied themselves instead by passing resolutions trying to change the name of Republican Mountain to Mount Democrat, and Mount Democrat to Republican Mountain. You see, one is higher than the other. They also proposed a resolution to remind kids that “name-calling reinforces unhealthy peer hierarchies and a rigid social order” and they even gave China a piece of its mind, chastising the country for its deplorable human rights record.
It was the proverbial fiddling while Colorado burns. (Of course, the literal fiddling would come three years later when they would name country boy (and homeboy) John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” as Colorado’s second official state song. Every state should have at least two, right?
In my moment of solidarity, I figured Bruce must vote no on all resolutions. After all, he even passed up the chance to once again ride Ronald Reagan’s coattails, and no self-respecting Republican would ever do that. When lawmakers introduced an unnecessary resolution honoring the late president on what would have been his 97th birthday, Bruce and a handful of Democrats squawked.
Good on ya, brother.
But before my heart could swell and bust through that measuring device like the Grinch’s, I read that Bruce co-sponsored resolutions honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Colorado 4-H Day.
Say what?
Even better, he’s listed as a co-sponsor on a resolution titled . . . wait for it . . . “Civility in the General Assembly.” You can’t make this stuff up. It was introduced just two days before he gave veterans a one-finger salute — not very civil — and a month after kicking a photographer — again, not civil.
The resolution is full of little gems, too, including this one: “Each member takes full and personal responsibility for his or her own conduct through both language and action.” Weren’t we all required to sign one of those keep your hands (and feet) to yourself pledges in kindergarten?
In reality, resolutions don’t suck up a lot of the lawmakers’ time. They can be poignant, such as honoring those brave men and women who defend our country, and they can be pointless, such as this year’s quest to name skiing and snowboarding as the “official state winter recreation sports” of Colorado. (All this time I thought our official winter sport was idling in traffic on snow-clogged roadways.)
But mostly, they’re unnecessary. And, judging from the civility pledge, they’re not worth the parchment they’re printed on.
Fortunately, only a handful have been introduced this year.
But if they continue to become a distraction, then maybe, just like in kindergarten, Douglas Bruce’s actions should ruin it for everyone, and legislative leaders should limit resolutions to only those necessary to do the people’s work.
The people’s work. Now that would be a nice change of pace.
Well, only if we can bear to live with only two official state songs.
Dan Haley can be reached at dhaley@denverpost.com.
