New Democrat Update - December 1997
FEELEY AND SNYDER PREDICT SESSION
State Senate Minority Leader Mike Feeley and House Minority Leader Carol Snyder shared their views about the upcoming legislative session at a Colorado DLC Board of Advisors breakfast meeting last week. Snyder reviewed issues likely to receive much attention, including the disposition of future excess state revenues and reducing coverage limits on insurance. Feeley forecasted that the session will be politically charged due to term-limited legislators having a last chance to “leave their mark,” many of those remaining jockeying for leadership positions and others running for higher office.
Feeley was elected in 1992, becoming the first Democratic State Senator to represent Jefferson County in 20 years. Only 17 months later, his fellow Senators elected him Senate Minority Leader. Representative Snyder was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives, defeating a three-term incumbent. Before becoming House Minority Leader in 1997, she served as Minority Caucus Chair and Assistant Minority Leader.
Feeley is planning on running for Governor while Snyder is looking at the race in the 2nd Congressional District. We are proud to say that both are Colorado DLC members.
DOTTIE LAMM RUNNING AS NEW DEMOCRAT
“New Democrats” may have reason to feel good about Dottie Lamm's message in her upcoming US Senate race. In a column by Charlie Roos of the Rocky Mountain News, Lamm sounds a lot like a new and different kind of Democrat.
The Colorado DLC is especially pleased at her comment that she is leaning “more and more” toward our ideas.
ON THE STUMP...
DLC President Jim Gibson will be speaking to the Downtown Democratic Forum on Friday, December 12th at 7:00 AM on “Why Democrats Must Change.” The talk is at the Executive Tower Inn, 1405 Curtis Street in downtown Denver. Call 303-832-8242 to RSVP.
Last month, Gibson made a presentation to the Colorado Democratic Business Coalition, a group of businesspeople and professionals advocating pro-business policies. He emphasized that voters want public solutions but fear government will only make the problems worse. The Guide the Ride campaign along the Front Range is only the latest example.
To break that stalemate, New Democrats must take the lead to reinvent the public sector so that it is more responsive to those it serves and more accountable to taxpayers. New strategies must include non-bureaucratic approaches to governing, market-oriented solutions and giving citizens more choices in public services. Gibson used this model to advocate radical changes in job training and welfare-to-work programs.