Legislators Listen

Your state legislators listen from time to time – even some of the Democrats. Four Democrat state senators followed Ron Tupa (D – Boulder)’s lead and voted in favor of referring a Defend Colorado Now-type measure to the ballot for November:

But after his vote, four Democrats then switched their “no” votes to “yes.”

They were Betty Boyd, of Lakewood; Ken Gordon, of Denver; Moe Keller, of Wheat Ridge; and Lois Tochtrop, of Thornton.

“It seemed like the right thing to do,” said Boyd.

But Capitol observers noted that Boyd faces probably the toughest Senate contest in November, squaring off against Rep. Matt Knoedler, R-Lakewood.

Several polls show Republicans and Democrats alike are fed up with illegal immigration and want lawmakers to do something about it.

“My constituents truly wanted it to go to the vote,” Tochtrop said, saying her earlier vote was “in error.”

It should also be noted that Ken Gordon is running for Secretary of State in a tough battle against Mike Coffman, and Moe Keller has a serious re-election challenge on her hands from Golden’s Dick Sargent.

But just when you think it might be okay to leave the Democrats in charge, you are quickly reminded why they can’t be trusted with majority status:

In other action, the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party-line vote killed a Republican bill that would have required proof of citizenship for those registering to vote.

Slow down, read that again, and ponder it for a minute. Democrats in the State Senate voted against even having a debate on the question of whether valid proof of citizenship should be given by someone who wants to register to vote.

Could they be afraid such a simple requirement might dwindle the ranks of their constituent support? If you can’t bus illegal immigrants to the polls to cast a ballot for you, do you have to resort to resurrecting deceased Democrats onto the voting rolls?

One more reason to vote for Bob Beauprez, Mike Coffman, and a Republican state legislature.