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Have Conservatives Lost Colorado for Good, and Will America Follow?

Mar. 21, 2013 10:58pm Mytheos Holt

Colorado has been at the epicenter of major political controversy pretty much since the national election, and has recently witnessed a string of progressive victories. But does that mean the centennial state is permanently in the bag for Democrats? That’s the argument that Salon columnist David Sirota makes today, claiming that Colorado is a case study in “How to Turn a State Liberal,” with nine reasons why. We decided to take a look at each of his arguments individually and see how much reason conservatives have to be worried.

#1. Colorado embraced gun control!

Is Conservatism Dead in Colorado, And Will it Spread to the Rest of America?

Photo Credit: Guns Save Lives

Sirota: Colorado’s decision to implement “serious gun control” is evidence that gun rights are on the retreat everywhere. If it can be done in Colorado, it can be done anywhere.

His evidence: Colorado’s governor, John Hickenlooper, had to devote political capital to the issue of gun control after public outcry forced him out of his previous cautious stance. Moreover, a Republican state legislator told the Wall Street Journal, “This is ground zero on this issue … If these bills pass — and the Democrats survive the next election cycle — we’ll see gun-control groups spreading to other parts of the country, saying, ‘We did it in Colorado, we can do it here.’”

Does it matter? Colorado’s gun control law certainly is a landmark in terms of Colorado politics (the state is deeply pro-gun, as the New York Times noted in a piece on the fight over gun control). On the other hand, it is also the home of last year’s infamous Aurora shooting, as well as the Columbine massacre, and the political moment favors anti-gun laws nationwide, and in Colorado, especially. Perhaps no other state except Connecticut, home of the Newtown shooting, faces the same degree of homegrown political pressure over the issue. Moreover, gun restrictions were passed in Colorado after Columbine as well, but were relaxed the following year. In other words, this is an issue which has local advantages that don’t exist in other states, or nationwide, and may cease to exist shortly even in Colorado. Finally, while polls show majority support for gun regulations, those who feel most strongly about the issue still oppose gun control.

#2. Colorado legalized civil unions for gays!

Photo Credit: AP

Sirota: Colorado is the “home of Focus on the Family,” yet it legalized civil unions, and is on the path to repealing the state’s ban on gay marriage.

His evidence: Last year’s bill to legalize civil unions passed “on a voice vote,” whereas before it had been scuttled by Republican lawmakers, and social conservatives in Colorado had waged a “scorched earth campaign” on the issue, but those responses have ceased occurring. Also, a paper posted an editorial calling for a repeal of the state’s ban on gay marriage.

Does it matter? Firstly, saying “the home of Focus on the Family” allowed civil unions says about as much as saying that Washington, DC, “the home of Americans for Tax Reform,” has high tax rates. Just because an organization is headquartered somewhere doesn’t mean that place is a hotbed of that organization’s politics. Secondly, support for civil unions is by no means an exclusively liberal position. Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck have endorsed the idea, and many libertarian Republicans want to go further and make gay marriage legal everywhere. To that end, it’s worth noting that according to a 2009 study by the libertarian Mercatus Institute, Colorado ranked as the second most libertarian state in the union. Socially liberal issues of personal freedom are of a piece with this mindset, and Colorado acting on them is arguably not evidence of a cultural shift, but of Colorado retaining its culturally Western (IE libertarian) atmosphere. Also, one editorial board calling for repeal of a bill is hardly evidence of a massive push for that cause.

#3. Undocumented immigrants can pay in-state tuition rates!

A local illegal immigrant fills out an application for the “deferred action” program at the Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County headquarters in San Jose, Calif. on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012. (Photo Credit: AP)

Sirota: Colorado has rejected “Tancredo-style” politics, and is now allowing children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates, thus promoting an influx of Latino voters.

His evidence: Colorado is already over 20 percent Latino, which is well ahead of demographic trends everywhere else. Eventually, it will be impossible to win in Colorado without support from Latinos. This is in contrast with seven years ago, when Democrats backed bills that cut off benefits for illegal immigrants.

Does it matter? Yes, Colorado’s demographics are shifting such that it is no longer friendly territory for immigration hawks. On the other hand, backing immigrant-friendly policy is not necessarily evidence of a Leftward shift. Texas Governor Rick Perry, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio have all recently defied immigration hawks, with Perry having pushed this very issue (some say to his detriment) all the way back at the start of the 2012 Presidential primary. None of these men could be considered squishy moderates. On the other hand, there is cause for concern about increased illegal immigrant populations, given that Latinos currently skew Democratic.

#4. Coloradans are opposing fracking!

Gillie Waddington of Enfield, N.Y., raises a fist during rally against hydraulic fracturing of natural gas wells at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, N.Y., on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (Photo Credit: AP)

Sirota: Citizens are resisting fracking even in the “ultra-conservative” parts of the state, and environmental concerns are finally having purchase in Colorado.

His evidence: “Local uprisings” everywhere from Colorado Springs to Boulder are showing citizens don’t want anything to do with fracking. Also, the oil and gas industry is becoming economically irrelevant in Colorado because as of 2008, it employed a paltry number of people in the region, whereas huge numbers of retirees and other people looking for “open spaces” are flooding Colorado and demanding an end to the practice.

Does it matter? While it is true that environmentally minded voters are moving to states like Colorado because of their relatively untarnished natural beauty, Sirota might be overstating his case about “local uprisings.” Yes, bills have been drafted by concerned citizens, but the “ultra-conservative” Colorado springs case actually ended with the local city council deciding to study the issue for a longer period of time before passing any regulations. The fact that environmental alarmism produced a bill says very little in that case. Moreover, Governor Hickenlooper himself is fighting for fracking, to the point of actively drinking fracking fluid to prove it’s safe, which Sirota acknowledges, but dismisses, even though it’s evidence of an emergent rift in Colorado’s supposedly bulletproof Democratic coalition. Finally, Sirota seems to ignore the fact that, if people really are entering Colorado looking for “open spaces,” that might mean Colorado will go liberal, but it doesn’t exactly bode well for the places they left, which will lose environmentally-minded liberal voters. That’s a trade many conservatives might be willing to make, especially in energy rich states like West Virginia, Alaska or Pennsylvania. In other words, the economic shift that is producing this particular policy preference is not a nationwide issue for Republicans, and states have pursued environmental policy without damaging the GOP before.

#5. Marijuana was legalized!

A box of marijuana starts sit in a display case during the grand opening of the Seattle location of the Northwest Cannabis Market, for sales of medical marijuana products, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013. (Photo Credit: AP)

Sirota: Colorado did something unprecedented and legalized pot. This is a sign that the drug war is on the retreat.

His evidence: California tried and failed to pass a similar law, but Colorado has succeeded. Therefore, the issue is a loser.

Does it matter? This fits in with the above point about how Colorado is a libertarian state. Libertarians tend to support drug legalization. In fact, so does National Review, one of the premiere conservative publications. Once more, this might be an issue for established Republican policy-makers, but it’s not de facto evidence of progressive influence.

#6. Colorado is less tough on crime!

(Photo Credit: Deloc.org)

Sirota: Colorado no longer endorses the “hang ‘em high” approach common in Western states.

His evidence: Colorado has passed laws reforming drug sentencing, and weakening the ability of prosecutors to charge juveniles as adults.

Does it matter? See above regarding drug sentencing. Moreover, reforming the criminal justice system is not a solely liberal issue. Virginia attorney general, Tea Party favorite and gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli argued for prison reform at CPAC, and reforming the prison system has been a longstanding cause of antitax libertarian activist Grover Norquist. This is, again, evidence of a more libertarian attitude in Colorado, though not necessarily a more liberal one.

#7. Public funding for education and health care has increased!

Pro-Obamacare protesters rally outside the Supreme Court last year (Photo Credit: AP)

Sirota: Colorado has moved away from its fiscally conservative mindset as evidenced by the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights (TABOR), and has instead opted to fund education and health care with more revenue.

His evidence: Two bills that have recently been introduced in the Colorado legislature — one increasing funding to preschool and kindergarten programs, and one allowing Obamacare’s Medicaid expansions to go into effect — and that’s a sign of Coloradans rejecting TABOR.

Does it matter? The education funding bill is in its infancy, and it’s too early to tell whether it will engender opposition with time. It’s also a relatively technical bill, and hasn’t been portrayed as a giant progressive power grab by anyone but Sirota, suggesting that he may be over-optimistic. As to the Medicaid expansion, while many conservatives look on this as a betrayal, similar initiatives have been embraced by Republican governors around the country, citing funding and business concerns. With that said, the absence of any public resistance to one of the flagship initiatives of Obamacare is arguably concerning.

#8. Coloradans don’t like Citizens United!

In this Jan. 20, 2012 photo, people hold signs during a gathering on the anniversary of the Citizens United decision in Montpelier, Vt. (Photo Credit: AP)

Sirota: Colorado overwhelmingly passed a bill asking Congress and the Colorado state legislature to overturn the (among liberals) infamous Citizens United case via constitutional amendment.

His evidence: 74 percent of Coloradans voted for the initiative, and it passed with almost no funding, in almost every Colorado county.

Does it matter? For conservatives worried about free speech, this one is definitely cause for concern. It is, however, understandable that this reaction would exist, given Colorado’s status as one of the most swinging swing states. As such, ad fatigue may have played into the result as much as ideological hostility to money in politics. Moreover, one thing conservatives can console themselves with is that free speech is not up for debate, and any constitutional amendment of the type described would die before it even got out of Congress.

#9. Republicans are dead in Colorado!

Republican voters in Colorado watch the election returns last November (Photo Credit: AP)

Sirota: Democrats have not suffered any political penalties for advancing a progressive agenda in Colorado. In fact, the GOP has only marginalized itself by opposing them.

His evidence: In a radio interview, major Colorado Republican and Denver Post publisher Dean Singleton said the following:

I think [the GOP] is dead in Colorado … It really doesn’t matter whom the Republicans put up. Republicans, in my view, won’t win another presidency in our lifetime … Republicans have [three] elected state-wide office holders, the Treasurer and the Attorney General [and Secretary of State]. The Attorney General is not running for re-election, so that will go Democratic … The party has shifted so far right that that’s the kind candidates they pick. And they pick candidates that aren’t in the mainstream … I think Colorado is probably a Democratic state from now on. It is a Democratic state today, and I don’t think it’s going back.

Does it matter? First of all, Republicans everywhere are beginning to wonder about their relevance after the last election, and the problem is especially acute in Colorado, given its demographic trends and recent policy changes, which have either been liberal, or libertarian in ways that make many Republicans uncomfortable. However, it’s worth noting one passage that Sirota left out of his quotation of Singleton that add a little nuance:

The Republican Party is not dead. The Republican Party controls 30 State Houses. Because of redistricting and gerrymandering, Republicans have the chance to hold the House from now on, because most their congressional members come from safe seats.

Now, granted, Singleton did say he thought Republicans were shut out of the Presidency for the foreseeable future, and did say the party was dead in Colorado, and in its present form, Sirota is arguably right to be optimistic. However, one of the most reliable means by which parties regain power in hostile areas is when the opposing party overreaches, as Sirota’s fellow Salon writer Steve Kornacki acknowledged in a different context in 2011. As such, arguably the quickest way for the GOP to get its groove back would be for it to react to Colorado’s Democrats becoming too progressive for the state’s electorate, say, by lionizing Hugo Chavez, or turning on the party’s leaders for being “Wall Street co-conspirators.”

In other words, the GOP should pray that the Colorado Democratic Party decides to act…like David Sirota!

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (136)

BlasberryStrat
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:16am
I’m thinking that since the major amount of mass killings were in fact in Colorado, that maybe Colorado might want to take a close look at the actual people who take residence there, and not so much at what “tools” they choose to enact said mass killings. That State has been a welfare haven for years, which draws the most undesireable people to live off the pot of gold. As for the Aurora killings, pretty much MOST people who know the Denver area heard about the Aurora murders and said “go figure”. Anyone who truly understands the area, knows that the Aurora area can only compare to “Dog Patch” Kansas City.

After living in Thornton CO for a short time as a musician, and seeing what goes on in the entire Denver area, I would NEVER take my family to a secured hotel let alone risk my neck and my wifes private part by camping outdoors.

Seriously, Colorado going completely liberal and closing themselves from the rest of the Nation isn’t that bad of a deal. The State is like a vacuum cleaner that sucks up all the fat blond single mothers with their five different color children, and every other pro-welfare trash from the rest of the Nation.

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- Brasil2520
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 5:40am
  In the big picture, with the low white birth rate eventually all of America will look like a combination of Mexico & South Africa, and with it comes the increase in crime, riots . . .
  
  Report this comment
- NoSleeper
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 5:44am
  My son and I took a tour of the west via car last summer. Visited about 25 states and over 20 national parks. The one exception was CO – went out of our way to avoid it. Went there when I was young, but won’t go now. Even go out of my way to get business airline tickets that do not go through Denver.
  
  Report this comment
- Motoko53
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:21am
  What struck me about this article is the fact that not only have conservatives lost Colorado (due to liberals moving there from California), we also seemed to have lost The Blaze to libertarianism.
  
  The last thing I want to hear my airline pilot say before the cabin door closes is “pass the joint”. Oh, but they’ll have rules against that……yeah, right.
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:26am
  Actually most of the points used aren’t anti-conservative they’re anti republican or anti-constitutional.
  Conservativism in it’s true form is freedom CONSERVING OUR RIGHTS TO BE FREE BY LIMITING GOVERNMENT.
  That’s what conservatives want to Conserve FREEDOM
  So what this write wrote was that coloradians are pro-government slavery
  
  Report this comment
- redfish52
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:05am
  I have been to Colorado and have friends in Denver. My opinion of the state is when going there it is like going to France….
  
  Report this comment
- kenboo1
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:17am
  Colorado will implode just like Detroit on a larger scale… Then all the cockroaches will scurry to other states… Kinda like California…
  
  Report this comment
- Duke One
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:37pm
  This is what happens when Bloomberg sends his billions of $$$ to turn Colorado blue ! We need to have a full court press from the Conservatives from the top down and be active in ALL states. We need to be proactive and not reactive. Constant activisim from the Right is needed to flip Colorado back as well as other states !
  
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- redfish52
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:54pm
  Texas is next….
  
  Report this comment
- flysail
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:54pm
  Why is it that none of the disturbed evil men, who steal guns and then go kill movie-goers and children in schools, have ever been identified as a conservative NRA member?
  
  Ft Hood ~ Registered Democrat ~ Muslim.
  
  Columbine ~ Too young to vote; both families were Registered Democrats and progressive liberals.
  
  Virginia Tech ~ Wrote hate mail to President Bush and to his staff ~ Registered Democrat.
  
  Colorado Theater ~ Registered Democrat; staff worker on the Obama campaign; Occupy Wall Street participant; progressive liberal.
  
  Connecticut School Shooter ~ Registered Democrat; hated Christians.
  
  Common thread is that all of these shooters were progressive liberal Democrats.
  
  INTERESTING, isn’t it?
  
  Maybe Democrats shouldn’t have guns!
  
  Report this comment
- lillypup
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:11pm
  Being a resident of Colorado, I am not ready to abandon it to the dregs of society. The real reason that the state went liberal is the pot law. It was created soley to bring the dregs to the poles. Here in the southland, Canon City, they lined the roads with signs to get fellow dregs to the poles. Once there they voted not just for pot, but for the entire liberal agenda. If you look at the long line of mass shooters, like at Columbine high school, you will see they are all very liberal democrats, loons all. If you want to stop mass shooting, just shop liberals from owning guns.
  
  Report this comment
- aKnightofNI
  Posted on March 24, 2013 at 11:55pm
  Yeah – you’re an expert on Coloradans because you lived in Thornton. puh-lease
  
  David Sirota doesn’t even qualify as a half wit on a good day, and theBlaze is quoting him? Really? He’s a total dumbass who lost his job after only a couple months playing a liberal radio co-host opposite Michael Brown on KHOW. Sirota was so unbelievably stupid & out of touch that Brown does the show solo now, and the ratings for the time slot are up. Quoting Sirota as if he has any credibility confirms that theBlaze is as low as MSNBC – you must be pathetically desperate for sensationalism here. TheBlaze’s credibility just dropped below MSNBC levels – congratulations.
  
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DAYWATCHER
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:11am
Please Lord watch over your people here in Texas, as we pray to you for strength and guidance.

Please Lord forgive me and my countrymen of our weaknesses and lead us out of our wicked ways.

Please Lord open the eyes of those who have turned away from you and my they repent.

Please Lord keep those foolish people that call themselves progressives/Communist out of Texas.

I ask these things in JESUS name.

Amen and Amen.

Now, pass the ammo…..

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- tbl10
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:54am
  As a fellow Texan I say Amen to that. Unfortunately this state is turning blue right before our eyes, between illegal immigration and California Progressives moving here it is a recipe for disaster. Perry needs to stop petitioning California Companies to come to Texas, they bring their distorted ideas with them. Once Texas is lost the country is lost, you can forget about ever having another Republican President.
  
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- Bookster
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:57pm
  Ahhh encinom, I see you were able to chew through the restraints again and climb up the basement stairs to get on you mom’s computer. Go back down to your mom’s basement so you can be with your own kind, cockroaches. If you ask nicely, your mom will probably be willing to put you back in the restraints without any punishment.
  
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ssanda
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:06am
I live in Colorado Springs, historically the most conservative area in Colorado, and have to agree with TRSK. On our block alone, we had 6 Obama signs pop up in this last election. 5 of those signs belonged to recent California and Mass. transplants who, after screwing up their own states, came to Colorado because “it’s such a great place to live”. Now, they’re brought their idiocy to our state and will no doubt repeat their magic here. Hickenlooper as governor? It is the joke of all time–8 years ago he couldn’t have been elected prom queen.

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- Trigus
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:57am
  This is why there should be a 10 year residence requirement, to vote in Local and State elections, for anyone moving to a new State.
  
  Full Boycott of all Anti-American States, like California, Colorado, and New York, that willfully Infringe on the Rights of Americans. Cancel All Vacations, Conventions, Any and All Outdoor activities, and Stop buying goods and Services. Take your hard earned money and spend it in Pro AMerican States that do not Infringe on the Rights of Americans.
  
  Take back your State Sovereignty and diminish the power of D.C.
  
  The Government and your Community Leaders promote Hate to keep the Country divided and easier to control.
  
  Only you can make this Once Great Nation, Great Again!!
  
  2013 American Patriot Spring, Who will you Stand with?
  
  The distinction between Races is no more. I Am Not (insert race,) I Am An American!!!
  
  Report this comment
- AMERICA4EVER
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:58am
  Real nice here in Illinois too. Here’s the police band for Chicago police. Take a listen, it’s nonstop.
  http://www.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/763/web/?rl=rr
  
  Report this comment
- VRW Conspirator
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 9:46am
  @Trigus
  
  that is a nice thought…your full boycott…but do you really know what it would mean for you…
  
  CA still produces nearly 1/4 of all the fruits and vegetables in the USA…are you willing to pay 25% more for all your produce?
  CA is still the TECH center of the nation, the home of Apple, and many other US tech companies in the Silicon Valley. Are you willing to lose your cell phone, computer, TV, game consoles, and nearly every other electronic in your house, including most of your appliances and auto electronics? Those companies all are headquartered in CA and lend to CA’s nearly $2 T GDP, about 1/8 of the USA GDP.
  Before you bad mouth CA, did you even know that the State is very locally conservative, with 2/3 of the counties solidly Red but the 1/3 that are Blue just happen to have the large cities and 50% of the population? Did you know that the State has voted 55-45 for the Democrats nationally for the last 40 years, except for Reagan? Did you know that even with that national voting record, the residents have approved Traditional Marriage laws 3 times in the last 20 years, restricted funds and access for illegals 3 times in the last 20 years, and reformed education laws as well?
  
  All of which were then challenged in court by the liberal minority, put into the liberal courts, upheld by the CA Supreme Court and then overturned by the US 9th Circuit Court….
  
  Report this comment
- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:12am
  VRW-
  California is the pit that liberalism springs from. You can say what you want about “local” conservatives, but not one idiot liberal idea is ever stopped from spreading. You all sit back and comply as your rights are stripped from underneath your feet. You sit back as the police raid homes to take guns. Any real conservative in California must be buried deep underground. We can live without the few things California provides if it means we will be free of their oppressive communist ideals. The majority of food gets wasted in America, so we can due without the 25% california produces.
  
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KingCoal59
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:58pm
This is biblical, the world will unravel. I don’t really see such a big loss in Colorado if you think of it they couldn’t even prosecute the Jon Benet Ramsey case, I think they never were so tough on crime and they will likely call the bat man murderer crazy, and he will get away with murder. Ohio let those boys get tried as juveniles and they go to detention center for a year and are free, for rape and carrying around that young girl drunk and bragging of what they had done.i don’t see anyone protesting that they were allowed to get off with a year for rape.

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- rml720
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:22am
  There is a simple reason Colorado has turned into a blue state: Ex-Californians.
  
  I moved to Colorado in 2008 from Californa to escape the liberal wackos. The problem with that was as the economy in California tanked, the liberal wackos (who my wife likes to call “worker bees”) started moving in droves to Colorado, spreading their politics to yet another state. When the commie Democrats won every branch of government in the last election, I knew the state was lost.
  
  Despite the fact that a majority of Coloradoans are against a most of the events listed, the Democrats rammed their agenda through without a care because they know that only a small percentage of e population actually votes ad at numerically a higher percentage of those that turn out are Democrats.
  
  I now live in my RV, driving the cuntry, home schooling my kids while wondering where to ultimately end up. I’d move to Texas, but because it has a vibrant economy the worker bees are swarming from California to Texas. Let this be a warning to Texans – it is only a matter of time before the same happens in your state and the comme, liberal wackos control your state government just like in the formerly great state of Colorado.
  
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- NoSleeper
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 6:00am
  @RML720, I did similar…moved to WA which, although liberal, was not as bad as CA…but the Californicators kept moving in, driving up house prices and taxes and passing new, ridiculous laws…so I moved to Texas. Absolutely loved it there, but got transferred to Florida. Not too bad here (yet), but they are doing stupid crap, too. CA is the #1 exporter of residents, and for good reason.
  
  I have been doing some research and I will be heading to Wyoming in the next couple of years. If CA fails and the state splits in two, I will return to No. California (the state of Jefferson), and I hope other consevative ex-Californians will as well.
  
  Report this comment
Frederick_Douglass_Republican
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:49pm
John Denver and his “rocky mountain high – Colorado” song was a clue. All the stoner hippie snobs were moving out there already in the 70′s.

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- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:17am
  So should all the conservatives donate experimental airplanes to Colorado peeps..??
  
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- GUAPOKOVSKI
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:24am
  FRED, you’re spot on. Arizona used to be a solidly red state until the cali leftist began immigrating here in the late 80′s compliments of Raytheon (Hughes Aircraft) They now infest just about all of Baja Arizona (Pima and Santa Cruz Counties ) as well as the Flagstaff areas, and increasingly the Prescott area.
  
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FISH_BONE
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:42pm
Utah democrats routinely put their money and efforts into Colorado because they know they have zero chance in Utah.

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- Lord_Frostwind
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:26am
  Thankfully they skipped us and headed into Colorado. They’ll burn that state like the last one, until it all comes crumbling down, the nation, the world, all of it.
  
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- termyt
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:16am
  Colorado is also a big importer of Californians. That’s a big reason they are turning blue.
  
  The last Presidential election did show a shift in US politics. We are now a center-left country instead of a center-right. You could say Conservative politics is failing, and that is true.
  
  If you can’t beat ‘em, silence them. Progressives are collectivists, Conservatives are more independent. Conservatives didn’t know they were in a fight until it was already lost. Conservatives elected Republicans in the 90′s and 00′s thinking we still had skin in the game, but the Republicans had already been turned. Now we fight and cling to our principles with no party to call our own fighting uphill against both of the major parties.
  
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- ds7
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 3:08pm
  thankfully the mormons in utah drive the liberal californians bonkers so they completely stay out of this state and nest in colorado.
  
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SorellaTorta
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:41pm
New Mexico considered a swing state for general elections with a lot of military folks, hunters, and retirees, but seeing this list and last election results… yeah, we’ve gone Blue for at least 2/3 of the reasons listed. California is partially to blame, but we leaked some of our libs to Colorado too imho.

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- Marine25
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:08pm
  The GOP is not certain to win military folks, hunters and retirees in New Mexico. Look at the data from the last 5 elections. It’s no longer a swing state.
  
  States are not changing. Conservatism is. Once the christian right aquired so much power in the GOP the party moved right, right past where moderate voters used to meet them.
  Blame the states all you want. You are fools. California voted for Nixon, Reagan, and Bush I, but none of them were as radically anti-environment as the party is today, none of them kissed any evangelical butts, no made a big deal out of sexuality issues. Now the party has adopted extremist stances on those issues. The political middle no longer identifies with the positions of the right, but the left. Until the GOP realizes they have changed as much or more than the electorate, they will be relegated to wining gerrymandered congressional districts and snate races in the old confederacy.
  
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TORCH9
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:41pm
Just like Califonia, alot of people are leaving, and companies to….>>>>>>>>>>>>

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Frederick_Douglass_Republican
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:40pm
In a civil war or economic collapse how will the parasite class fare?

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- MDECKER
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:21am
  Who will care?
  
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- Lord_Frostwind
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:28am
  Their fate will be the same of all parasites when the host dies, some may evolve to the new reality, the overwhelming majority will die.
  
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Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:29pm
Democrats do have the advantage because Democrats are the party of enjoy today and the heck with tomorrow. Humans have a huge weakness for getting “good” things up front and having to pay later. If there’s any comfort in it, the Democrats won’t party long because the world is just about out of other people’s money. Soon the bill will come due and the fall of the Roman empire will be but a whisper in comparison to the fall that is coming.

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- AMERICA4EVER
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:02am
  @DOUGRAL SUPPORTS ISRAEL
  I agree. I am watching the Cyprus situation closely. I do think we will be the last to fall, looking at the situation in Europe. I for the life of me can’t figure out how these libs can’t see what is going on over there and step back a little. The train is about to come off the tracks and they still are climbing aboard.
  
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MeteoricLimbo
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:29pm
Colorado has just been Cali fornicated. The question is where will they go next?

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Small World
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:28pm
Glenn said that Bloomberg has spent millions there how do we fight that.

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- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:44pm
  Of course he has……They can create digital movies anywhere…….many conservatives dont really care about this, but you have to think like a Democrat, they want all the young people…..the rest can can die off and the Dems really dont care…….My only hope is that they all OD on weed and if you want to fight it, don’t buy any Bongs made in Colorado……
  
  I honestly believe we are looking at the end of days anyway……..14,000 pigs floating in a river in China…..yeah these are all signs of the end game.
  
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- Winedude
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 10:56am
  @ ridemodels: Are you really this uninformed or are you just pretending to be? I would love to see evidence that someone has died from marijuana consumption. Thanks…
  
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neverending
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:27pm
Lost them a long time ago.

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KidCharlemagne
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:27pm
“#5. Marijuana was legalized!”
=========================

Prohibition is (and always has been) a decidedly Progressive policy though:

—————–
“Progressive reformers also took to Prohibition for they saw it as a continuation of their efforts to improve society in general. Temperance societies and Progressives alike saw the need for more governmental control and involvement in citizens’ lives. They were successful in passing several laws at the local level. Between 1905 and 1917, states across the nation were imposing laws that prohibited the manufacture and sale of intoxicating beverages. They did not stop there, however. The temperance societies began to push to change American society and elevate morality through national legislation.”
The Volstead Act (1919)

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- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:57pm
  The X Games are held there…..they want the young people…..Dems are pedophiles by nature, they love the young adolescent malleable mush brains……That why they do not want the kids to have guns, so they can pick and chose their victims…..If it sounds like Evil, it very much is……But I have rarely been to church and heard the preacher tell me how great lawyers are…..Maybe Dr. Carson can save us…..
  
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- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:14am
  As marijuana a gateway drug…I would hate and I mean hate to be a cop in Colorado…….and I believe there was a football player who opened a string of pizza places there…he saw the writing on the wall a long time ago……..Daddy’s don’t let your daughters grow up to be Colorado cuties….thats my only advice.
  
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- Puddle Duck
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:24am
  DUI cases will mushroom exponentially now that weed is legal…the law of unintended consequences will pile up fast in this state due to it’s moronic shift away from common god fearing sense.
  
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DADDYWOREAWHITEHAT
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:26pm
Problem: illegals vote illegally as tAkers not as makers!

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- Boulderite
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 2:34am
  and
  Colorado is a safe haven for illegal aliens….even our great governor has employed them in his restaurants
  
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GoodStuff
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:18pm
Another state screwed up by Californians moving in.

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- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:51pm
  Yep….but they have scattered to many other parts as well……..I know one thing for sure, these digital movie companies need fresh meat and I know people who worked for them, they make millions and millions off of a movie while they just turn the kids over and over…..its a crude situation and before you know it you are kicked out on your butt with no job and no other choice but to smoke weed and live off Gov welfare……These companies have only one end game, and that is make money make money…….the Dems have ran this game over and over and over and they own the Tech schools that teach these skills….This is why I have almost stopped going to movies, these kids get screwed while Hollywood elite make millions and millions and will always have armed security…
  
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- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:23am
  I think it is a case of progressives in the cities outnumbering conservatives in the country, plus the illegal vote. The only thing progressives do NOT have going for them is that they don’t seem to want to have children. Conservatives might be able to out-produce progressives, but by then, it might be too late.
  
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soybomb315_II
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:14pm
by the way, what is the argument against civil unions? You can say they cant get married but not letting them get civil unions is really pushing it

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- capitalismrocks
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:37pm
  Civil Unions, fine, its not a religious issue and doesn’t force churches to have to change to accomodate those who have an alternative sexual preference than heterosexuals, so fine, let gays have non religious secular civil unions, then they get their benefits and such. Who cares, but if they want to get married in a church, no… that goes directly against church doctrine and there is no wiggle room for compromise on that.
  
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- DAYWATCHER
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:58pm
  I agree with you CAPTIAL…
  
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- Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:02am
  Soy:
  You are correct in that most people do support civil unions. And even in Colorado, we do support civil unions, but when you say “Marriage”, that is where the line is drawn. Marriage is a religious ceremony, and if a church wants to marry them, they can go there. But what happens, just like in California, the Gays weren’t happy with just civil unions, and pushed to make churches allow them to get married. When it went to the population for a vote, it failed, therefore they took it to court to force churches to marry them. The same thing here in Colorado, if they keep to civil unions, there won’t be a problem, but the first time they start trying to push churches and trying to force the issue farther, that is when they will lose all support in this state.
  
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- DLV
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:03am
  Good let’s hurry this up and get the action started. I’m tired of waiting.
  
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trski617
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:14pm
Colorado has been heading this way for many years. I’m not sure where it started… perhaps Aspen, Boulder… I don’t know, but I haven’t thought of it as a conservative state for many years. Way too many Californians and Easterners moving in. It is and has been a loss cause for a long time.

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pandora665
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:14pm
Grew up in Colorado, I’m glad to be out of there. It was a great state while I was growing up, but the demographics have changed the place for the worse. With all the transplants, I’d say yeah colorado (at least metro) is a lost cause.

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- ScottyK7
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 8:51am
  Same situation here. I grew up in Aurora, and remember that all the liberal freaks were pretty much confined up in Boulder. Moved out in 1993 and I’ve watched it slide downhill fast. Still love watching the Broncos and Avalanche, but Oklahoma is home now. We’re still solidly conservative here, and the illegals don’t seem to like our tornadoes..
  
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soybomb315_II
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:11pm
conservatives may have lost colorado, but the message of freedom and constitution has not

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- DLV
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:06am
  Pfft. This country is brain dead stupid. It’s a miracle we haven’t been reduced to caveman, wacking our clubs against each other or throwing feces. That is how much faith I have in this country and really the rest of the world fare’s no better.
  
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- ColoradoRay
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:01pm
  Im supprized i agree with soy but he’s correct. In my town we’ve had a suprizing number of people letting the law enforcement know when they over step their bounds really quick using the constitution and bill or rights. Hell my local sheriff approved my concealed carry 2 days earlier than the minimum wait in the wake of the aurora theather shooting and then my obama voting boss asked to start carrying at work.
  
  It’s not the Coloradans that have lost sight of liberty, it’s people like Wild Earth Guardians, Californians, and the influx of morons by the dozens. W.E.G. just made the state declare almost 200 species endagered and the first thing our local forest service did was have a closed doors meeting about what land to take from people and for the animals. They then showed up with all of their weapons at the meeting to the public and made no mention of what they discussed in the clossed door meeting, they just said our public lands would be closed for mating and the animal saftey.
  
  The problem is not anyone who lives here because of the heritage or anyone who moved to live the heritage but it is those who moved here for the scenery they dont have in their gov housing back in usefull idiot land.
  
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The-Monk
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:11pm
If you trolls want to contact The Monk…..

…here you go… yoursenseiyoursensi at yahoo dot com.

Can you figure that out? I don’t think so. No one has so far. LOL

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The Big Mick
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:10pm
Short answer. Yes and Yes.
Constitutional Conservationists are a 1/3 Minority. Just like the Original Patriots.
Collectivist Statist Redistributionists and their Moronic Mythical “Moderate” “Middle” ENABLERS are The Majority. This will never change ever again.
You will NEVER be able to outvote them.
What’s your Plan B?
Read Walter Williams’ April 7, 2010 Column “Parting Company” where he implies the solution is to dissolve the Union. How you gonna get that done, and what you gonna do when the Collectivist Statist Majority WON’T LET YOU?

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- soybomb315_II
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:21pm
  “How you gonna get that done, and what you gonna do when the Collectivist Statist Majority WON’T LET YOU?”
  
  nullification. look up thomas E woods, he has put out some good stuff on it
  
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smokeysmoke
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:10pm
i see stupid people…

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SUNTZU
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:06pm
Co. is just another Californication
only a little Higher.

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dawghowse
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 11:03pm
Left Colorado……don’t miss it. All the California immigrants have screwed up a once great state.

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- RIDEMODELS
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:23am
  Nope……The Left is screing up every big city……The nukes are coming and Oprah has an underground bunker in Colorado……They will pick thru what is left and start new colonies……..Its the people in the big cities that are the dumb ones…..they will get hammered just like the Jersey Shore kids got hammered, heck God even wrecked their boardwalk….
  
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- Holy_Crap
  Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:41am
  I too am glad I left that influx of Kalifornians. They screwed up their own state and are now doing the same to other states. Especially Colorado. I do agree that Colorado once was a great state. Some day maybe. I had lots of fun living in Colorado and was pretty well known for one of my hobbies. At my age now, I have many more yesterdays than what I have tomorrows. So, I will just live a peaceful life here where I am currently living and watch the Liberals continue to ruin a once beautiful place to live.
  
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