Ideology or reality?

As December opens, that is the choice facing the returning Democrat majority in the legislature. The early signs are that true to form, the House and Senate will continue on the same tired road where there are only left turns. 

What Colorado does not need is another 120-day session that will either worsen — or completely ignore — the many self-inflicted maladies afflicting all corners of Colorado. But if that is what comes, it will be a massive opportunity lost for Democrats — and a huge opening for Republicans. 

Interestingly, the target audience for success for both parties is the same: Trump Democrats. And if the party in power follows its same progressive anti-blue collar, anti-education quality, pro-criminal, pro-Boulder agenda, it will help cement the shifting alliances that marked the election season just concluded. 

A good first step would be to cease putting targets on the backs of family-sustaining energy and manufacturing jobs. 

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The pro-jobs warriors at the Colorado Chamber of Commerce are sounding a red (or actually blue) alert that liberal lawmakers are planning the introduction of nearly two dozen bills that are candy to extreme Boulder environmentalists — and kryptonite to working families. 

These bills, often divorced from sound science, make big promises to further tighten environmental laws even though they are often impossible to implement. For some, the technology doesn’t exist to achieve what’s required; in other cases, the cost is beyond what companies can afford. 

Either way, governing by progressive talking points ends up — as in past years — creating a deep and productive alliance between blue-collar businesses and the unions that represent their workers. 

The message to working families? The Boulder-Denver axis doesn’t care about you.

Then there is the issue of crime, which the liberal legislature has either refused to confront, or nibbled around the edges to pretend they care about crime victims. They have ignored the data, the cries of citizens complaining about the reality they are facing, and common sense.

So, voters backed two measures to do what progressives would not. And rather than embrace this clear message from across the political spectrum, liberals are already looking for ways to dismiss, discount or delay the public safety improvements. 

Talk about election denial. 

The most popular citizen initiative in 2024 was a measure to ensure violent criminals serve at least 85% of their sentences, which earned nearly two-thirds of the vote. “Truth In Sentencing” is a common-sense correction to the status quo average of inmates serving just 46% of their sentences. It comes as no shock when criminals are turned loose early, the state has an excessively high rate of repeat offenders. 

But recent media reports, including in The Gazette, signaled the legislature may take action to make “adjustments” to sentencing laws, ostensibly to reduce the cost of keeping criminals in jail longer. They plan to take this tin-eared step even though a massive percentage of Colorado voters just told the pro-criminal left their pace of “reform” was too fast and doing too much damage.  

It’s another step by progressives to remind former Democrats why they voted for Trump. 

It’s also been reported some liberal lawmakers may want to slow-walk the flow of funds to law enforcement earmarked by a second public safety initiative. Through “Back The Blue” voters ordered the investment of $350 million in existing funds to put more well-trained cops on our streets.  

It’s been said crime doesn’t discriminate, but the fact is too often it does — finding a higher percentage of victims in poorer communities including communities of color. Pueblo, under first-year Mayor Heather Graham, has wisely placed a focus on boosting public safety in a city where crime has spiked. The big concern? Pueblo is short dozens of police officers and needs these new funds.  

But, hey lefties, delay the dollars voters have demanded you spend. One can hear the GOP leadership saying, “Go ahead. Make our day.” 

The best gift voters provide to lawmakers in elections is clarity and direction. It’s a biennial, real-time reality check that causes good legislators to consider the certainty with which they embraced rigid ideology may require some humility and circumspection. 

The year to come will show whether the legislature will heed the voters’ message — or if they need political hearing aids. 

Sean Duffy, a former deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Owens, is a communications and media relations strategist and ghostwriter based in the Denver area.