New Democrat Update - September 2000
TURNING HARD RIGHT
Very few voters showed up for the Republican primary election last month, and as a result, the stakes for November are now even higher. With the GOP slate of candidates taking a very sharp turn to the hard right, the choices for Coloradans in the upcoming general election could not be clearer.
As described by the Denver Post, “Out of 11 GOP races in which there was an identifiable split between the right and ‘righter’ candidates, moderates won only three.” The term - “moderate Republican” - is an oxymoron.
Even more troubling, far from being part of the solution, Governor Owens is part of the problem. In his latest embrace of the status quo within his party, he directly involved himself in a party primary (a very unusual political move for a Governor), endorsing Rep. Lauri Clapp over Heidi Frey in an Arapahoe County State House race.
Frey’s agenda included mainstream, pragmatic solutions. Clapp boasted of her membership in the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, had the lowest-rated environmental voting record in the legislature and is a fervent anti-abortionist. Picking Clapp was clearly Owens’ way of placating the right-wing extremists and special interests in his party.
During the legislative session, Owens repeatedly refused to take on the tough, fights, missing numerous opportunities to move the GOP back into the mainstream. This latest dose of reality should dramatically lower the expectations of Republican moderates who expect any help from the top in the future.
NATIONAL DLC CHAIR PICKED FOR VP
The message from the national Democratic ticket could not be more different. Vice President Al Gore’s selection of Senator Joe Lieberman to be his running mate sends a powerful statement that this team is focused on the future rather than the past. It strongly demonstrates how Gore wants to lead America and the Democratic Party - focusing on innovative, pragmatic, mainstream solutions to the issues we face today in stark contrast to a GOP ticket consumed with special interests and an outdated ideology.
As the current chairman and founder of the national Democratic Leadership Council, Lieberman is a progressive centrist committed to the enduring values of the Democratic Party but also a strong advocate of its modernization. An independent thinker and reformer with broad appeal across the political spectrum, he has supported President Clinton on his economic agenda of fiscal discipline, expanding trade and investing in people. The Senator has also been a strong advocate of reforming public education, campaign finance and technology policy, and very outspoken about cleaning up trash television.
Congratulations to Senator Lieberman on this great honor and to Vice President Gore for reinforcing the progress the Democratic Party has made in the last eight years in reoccupying the political center.
ONE SMALL STEP, MANY MORE TO TAKE
Members of the New Democrat Caucus demanded that Governor Bill Owens abandon his reactive, “band-aid” approach to fixing Colorado’s Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), which covers children in working families who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough for private insurance.
The Governor’s new proposal to make premiums more affordable was a reaction to earlier pressure from the New Democrat Caucus. While that step is welcome, the administration has still made no progress on its lackluster marketing effort or bureaucratic, cumbersome and confusing application process. In addition, administrative streamlining is needed to stop working Coloradans from being shuffled between Medicaid and CHP+, sometimes having to change health care providers and deal with different eligibility criteria, income ceilings, time limits and copayments.
State Rep. & House Caucus Chair Dan Grossman (D-Denver) emphasized “more comprehensive reform is needed now to assist the very families who are working hard to stay off welfare.” State Rep. Bob Hagedorn (D-Aurora) added, “I applaud the Governor for taking this one step forward. However, the people I have talked to in the field who are trying to enroll kids in CHP+ have told me that the red tape is as big, if not greater, of an obstacle than cost of premiums.”
The Caucus is a group of New Democrat state legislators developing a new public policy agenda that moves beyond traditional conservatism and liberalism - a new “third way” in politics that emphasizes opportunity, responsibility and community, rooted in mainstream values and dedicates its efforts to development and passage of progressive legislation.
ONES TO WATCH
Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, State Reps. Dan Grossman, Bob Hagedorn and Jennifer Veiga were among those named as “ones to watch” in a list of the top 100 New Democrat state and local elected officials across the country. Each of them was featured in the special Democratic National Convention edition of The New Democrat Magazine, a publication of the national DLC.
These four leaders are cited for making a difference in the lives of their fellow Coloradans:
Denver Mayor Wellington Webb - An internationally recognized “Third Way” leader who has made Denver city government “business-friendly” while aggressively promoting parks and other recreational facilities.
State Rep. Dan Grossman - State House Democratic Caucus Chairman and a strong advocate for innovation in criminal justice and environmental policy. Also an in-house lawyer for a Denver-based high-tech company.
State Rep. Bob Hagedorn - A leader in patient protection legislation and in raising awareness of the importance of intervention and prevention strategies in criminal justice.
State Rep. Jennifer Veiga - A fighter for auto insurance reform and innovative law enforcement strategies.
Congratulations to these outstanding Colorado leaders. For more details, get a copy of the magazine by contacting the Colorado DLC.