The weight of our support
Re: “A metro area suburban dad’s unconventional guide to ballot issues,” Oct. 30 commentary
George Brauchler makes the nonsensical assertion that, if the National Popular Vote law passes, “a whole bunch of people who root against our Broncos, Rockies, Nugs and Avs will get to force us to support their choice for president, even if we disagree.” No one is forced to “support” a candidate who defeats the candidate you support. In a representative democracy, you’re stuck with the winning candidate until the next election, just as tens of thousands of Coloradans have been stuck with a president elected by a whole bunch of people who root against our Broncos, Rockies, Nugs and Avs.
Likewise, opponents of Proposition 113, the National Popular Vote law, who argue that voters would forfeit local control of their vote by designating Colorado’s electoral vote to the popular vote winner, misread the effect of current law. In 2016, about 1.2 million Coloradans voted for President Trump. Their votes contributed nothing to his victory. All of Colorado’s electoral votes went to Clinton. Trump supporters were gratified by the results, but they piggybacked on a whole bunch of people with little or no connection to Colorado.
In a representative democracy, each voter gets to control their own vote. To win any office (other than president) each candidate needs to assemble at least a plurality of voters. Thatap all 113 proposes to accomplish.
Randy Livingston, Denver
Gardner, reinvented
Re: “Gardner, the great pretender, can fool us no more,” Oct. 25 commentary
Megan Schrader nailed the hypocrisy of Cory Gardner’s campaign. Gardner would have voters believe that he is a conservationist concerned with Colorado’s environment. Nonsense. He has one of the worst pollution records in the Senate. He touts his support for protecting those with pre-existing conditions, yet he has repeatedly voted to overturn this protection. He even shamelessly recruited his mother to participate in an ad that falsely touts his efforts to protect those suffering from such conditions.
When a candidate finds it necessary to run an entire reelection campaign that paints himself as something he’s not, itap time for him to go. Cory Gardner is, indeed, the Great Pretender.
John McDermott, Carbondale
Trusting the experts
As for me, I stand with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Robert Redfield, Dr. Deborah Birx and the thousands of scientists who serve to save this country from itself. I pray these people don’t give up on us.
Bruce Jacobsen, Denver
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