Repealing the death penalty. Offering in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. Raising car registration fees.
Colorado Republicans cite those Democratic-sponsored proposals, only the last of which actually became law this year, as evidence the state is taking a sharp turn to the left — too far left of most Coloradans — under Democratic rule.
Democrats have controlled the legislature and governor’s office for three years, but Republicans say Democrats aren’t behaving like a party that’s only recently gained control of government. Their conduct is more like another party Republicans say they know all too well.
“They’re acting like a party that does not believe that it can ever be in the minority again, which is precisely the kind of arrogance that contributed to us losing control of the legislature,” said Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.
“We didn’t lose control of the legislature because of one vote or issue. It was just that over time, the public believed that the Republicans had lost touch with the issues they should be dealing with.”
Some Democrats chalk up Republican criticism as sour grapes from a party that can’t get used to being in the minority, and Democratic leaders, not surprisingly, say their party is reflecting mainstream ideals and the will of the voters.
Pat Waak, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, said Republicans were “whining.”
“Basically, the Republican Party is in decline in this state and nationwide, and they’re going to find everything they can to complain about,” she said.
“This (the GOP) is ‘the party of no.’ I have yet to see them come up with any reasonable solutions to any of these problems.”
Waak noted that Democrats were on both sides of the death penalty and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants issues.
“I really reject this idea of left or right. Every bill that goes up, goes up because there’s a sizable contingent of people who want something done on certain issues.”
High-profile GOP support
Democrats also point out that the bill to offer in-state tuition to illegal immigrants had the support of a few high-profile Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, echoed Wadhams.
“Especially on fiscal issues, the Democrats have moved the state of Colorado in a dramatically different direction,” Penry said.
Penry also pointed to legislation that would have required Colorado to allocate its electoral votes in the presidential election to the winner of the nationwide popular vote (assuming enough other states agreed to the plan), regardless of which candidate won in Colorado.
He said legislation to expand benefits to the same-sex partners of state employees, which passed, also was flouting the will of voters who in 2006 rejected Referendum I, which would have granted rights to gays approximating civil unions.
“It seems to me that there is even some recognition within their own party that they’re going too far,” Penry said.
“That’s way left”
On some issues, a few Democrats in competitive districts do say there’s been a noticeable swing to the left.
“Abolishing the death penalty and using the funds to create a centralized cold-case fund in Denver? That’s way left,” said Sen. John Morse, a Democrat from Colorado Springs who opposed the bill repealing the death penalty.
“I think everybody has to be careful about overreaching,” he said. “You win primaries from the left or right, and you govern from the middle.”
Sen. Lois Tochtrop, a Thornton Democrat from a conservative, blue- collar district, opposed repealing the death penalty and granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants.
“I do not have a progressive district, and a lot of these issues that came up this year leaned a little progressive,” Tochtrop said. Even though the state overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama, she said: “We cannot swing too far to the left.”
House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, said Democrats should dwell on doing what’s right.
“It’s not about whether you’re left or right,” he said. “It’s about whether you have the courage of your convictions.”
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
