Having become a tradition of sorts, there was an uprising when I did NOT write up a voting opinion piece. I sent it to the requestors, but am also sharing it here.
One of the hallmarks of freedom in our voting system is ballot secrecy. I don't think under any circumstances you should be required to reveal to anyone what you voted for/against. CHOOSING to share your voting is not for the faint of heart...
Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.
-L
Original Email:
You are receiving this email because:
- You specifically requested receiving my writeup.
- You have asked about it in the past.
- I know you well enough to be comfortable foisting my opinion upon you.
IMPORTANT:
This message should not be interpreted in any way as to instruct or intimidate you on how to vote. I am sharing my personal opinion based on my personal experiences and also should not be interpreted as the opinion of the Attorney General’s office just because I work there.
- I’m not writing this to convince you. I might write a little or a lot about my reasons, and my method of deciding on voting about judges. You may or may not agree with HOW I even reached my conclusions.
- Detailed arguments for/against any measure, and the judges’ reviews, can be found in the “Blue Book” you probablby received at home, and at http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Document_C&childpagename=CGA-LegislativeCouncil%2FDocument_C%2FCLCAddLink&cid=1251656822259&pagename=CLCWrapper
- I’m addressing all of the state-wide issues and sharing on the local races ~I~ voted on. Yours may be different.
- Your own location county and//or will have additional elections that may include candidates like school board, mayor, clerk,etc) AND more specific measures (should taxes be raised to pay for ____, etc.)
You can usually easily find more info on the arguments for and against such measures- search for
“(your)_____ county clerk and recorder elections” As for candidates or other local measures, you’ll have to use your own discretion, but usually you can easily find the most significant arguments for/against something by searching “why vote YESfor _____(name of ballot measure) Colorado”, but be sure to follow it up with “why vote NO for _____(name of ballot measure) Colorado”
Here’s the Goods:
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FEDERAL OFFICES
United States Senate
VOTE: Cory Gardner
Udall is a stodgy snake of an old politician who’s been there too long and is more concerned about the game of politics
District 4- Representative to the 114th U.S. Congress
VOTE: Jess Loban
I don’t agree with Vic Meyers on the issues, but Ken Buck weirds me out in the way he handles things he announced in March 2013 that he was diagnosed with cancer, and by May he said he was miraculously healed. God CAN heal people, but the way he was doing things made people really scratch their heads.
Jess Loban is a veteran supportive of our personal and property rights. He seems to be common-sense and I think he’d do much less playing of the “game” as a congressman in D.C.
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STATE OFFICES
Governor/Lieutenant Governor
VOTE: Bob Beauprez/Jill Repella
Bob Beauprez is a leader, and cares about what’s happening. Colorado is engaged in a number of “fights” for the rights of the state. Hickenlooper has not taken a strong position on any of them. He came into office as a moderate, saying he’d compromise a lot. Instead of a compromise or standing strong on “meet-in-the-middle”options, he just cowers doesn’t make decisions and delays important issues. Being moderate means standing for things, but giving way in compromise, NOT never standing strong for anything. When the issue came up what to do about a convicted death row killer, people for sure thought he would “stay” (stop) the execution because of his own personal beliefs, politics, and convictions. Instead, he issued a wimpy, “I don’t wanna” decision that really did nothing at all except keep that issue out of the governor’s race about a year later (which is now).
Secretary of State
VOTE: Wayne Williams
Williams is highly qualified for this position and has a firm grasp of the responsibilities required. Certainly he could possibly go further in politics in the future, but in regard to THIS election I think all the other candidates are focused more on their political careers than the responsibilities of the office. Joe Neguse is just another lawyer-politician that’s trying to push an agenda. Wayne Williams seems to agree that there ARE reforms that should be made but advocates making those reforms legally and in a way that protects ALL Americans equally.
State Treasurer
VOTE: Walker Stapleton
Walker Stapleton is the incumbent and has done a great job. He’s been solid and diligent for everything he’s encountered during his term. Betsy Markey just wants to climb the political ladder and is trying to step on Stapleton’s face to do it. As a personal anecdote, I’ve had contact with Walker Stapleton and his team, namely Deputy treasurer Brett Johnson. The U.S. (Federal) credit rating was downgraded in 2011, and Stapleton worked long, hard, and without much thanks to help settle some of the significant impacts that action had at the STATE. http://www.stapletonforcolorado.com/record.html
Attorney General (State of Colorado)
VOTE: Cynthia Coffman
This has the most impact on me, and is the race about which I have the strongest opinion. I have worked in Cynthia’s office for nearly two-and-a-half years now. She has been the “Second” in-command to Attorney General John Suthers, who has served his maximum-allowed term. Cynthia is reasoned, thoughtful, firm, experienced, and VERY well-respected. I am quite proud to vote for Cynthia. One of the things I’ve appreciated about our current AG (and by extension, Cynthia) is that though they may technically be a member of one party, there are NOT politics played in the office. They’ve represented Colorado on issues they agree with, but also on items that they vehemently disagree with, enforcing both with equal priority and force.
To uphold current CO law is the primary job of the Attorney General, no matter the law. Frequently, there are bad laws, and many of them are subsequently changed by the legislature, voters, or judge with appropriate authority that may determine a law is unconstitutional. Don Quick has stated that if he knew something was a bad law, he wouldn’t necessarily take steps to defend the law. That would directly abandon the responsibility of the Attorney General and would basically put the power to decide the laws in the hands of one person.
Judges (a vote to retain them)
Colorado Supreme Court Justice
Brian D. Boatright- NO
Attorneys voted only 66% to retain; evaluation reflects (FAULTS) “concerns in the areas of writing opinions that adequately explain the basis of the Court’s decision and making reasoned decisions based on the law and facts.” The commission that reviews judicial performance found that “they [opinions he wrote] often lacked the quality of composition expected of a Supreme Court Justice, and at times did not adequately set forth the analysis supporting them.” In my own words, he often decides things without understanding the issues, and without explaining why in the final decision. This is NOT the kind of person we want on our Supreme Court panel.
Colorado Supreme Court Justice
Monica M. Marquez - YES
Politically, I actually disagree with much of what Justice Marquez says. Though I may even disagree with her leanings on decisions, she is a solid legal thinker and I think that she’s an experienced and thoughtful jurist.
Colorado Court of Appeals Judge
Terry Fox- NO
Those surveyed (consistently) replied that she is “weak in the areas of making reasoned decisions, writing opinions that are clear, writing opinions that adequately explain the basis of the decision, and refraining from reaching issues that need not be decided.”
Basically, she decides things without telling why, and includes in those decisions factors that were not part of what should have been considered.
Colorado Court of Appeals Judge
Alan M. Loeb- YES
He’s been described as “Thoughtful, fair, and well-prepared for oral argument… Thoughtful and writes clear and well-reasoned opinions.”
In considering your local judges, I look in the blue book, which shows the Judicial Commission’s evaluations. They almost always recommend that judges “Be Retained”, but that’s only because it takes a LOT for them to recommend a judge be removed from the bench. When I’m reading those reviews, I watch what attorneys have thought about them. Attorneys are much more objective than the clients they represent, and for the most part will be balanced in a survey- reporting not based on whether things “went their way”, but whether the judge understood the law, the issues, etc. I also pay extra special attention to what the judge’s stated weaknesses are.
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**Please Read** AMENDMENTS- General
The Colorado Constitution is RIDICULOUSLY easy to change. It’s become a gathering place for all the “misfit toys” to jump in to CO law with a great deal of enforceability, and NO flexibility. Special Interest politicians use this intentionally (rather than changing the law the way most people do) to make their causes strong. Think Amendment 64 legalizing pot. There’s a lot about it being implemented in Colorado that could have been avoided and made more reasonable if it had been a change in LAW (statutes) not put it in the constitution. BEFORE YOU CONSIDER ANY Amendment, take a moment to ask yourself, “Is this an appropriate change to the Colorado Constitution?”
Make that comparison considering that this is AMENDING the CONSTITUTION- would a similar change in the Constitution of the United States be ridiculous?
U.S. Constitution: Amended 33 times (some haven’t remained)
Colorado Constitution: Amended 150 times (some haven’t remained)
Amendment 67- “Personhood” Amendment
VOTE: NO
This measure is tried almost every election. My issue is not with the cause- it’s certainly a worthy cause. My issue with this is that it DOES NOT BELONG IN THE CONSTITUTION the way it’s currently written. Opponents of the measure have made ridiculous claims like, “they’re going to make it a crime to have a miscarriage!” That IS ridiculous, but it’s not as far off as you’d think. The current wording could make legal interpretation very ambiguous, which is extra problematic if you enact it as an amendment, rather than change applicable statutes. ** (see above, Amendments- General)
Amendment 68- “Racetracks/Casinos”
VOTE: NO
First, see above** - this is a STUPID thing to write into our state constitution.
Second, it’s a perfect example of one specific group trying to get something written in to the constitution to make it really hard to change/remove. They ALWAYS do this by claiming that it’s about schools because the taxes will go to schools. There’s nothing that would force tax revenue to go to schools the way they claim, so if you’re considering voting for this, pretend for a moment that school funding/education has NO PART in the amendment at all- except, it’s not really pretending. They’re just lying to get you to vote “for education”.
*Note that these next two are propositions (statutory), NOT an amendment (constitutional). Taking these two out of the consideration entirely for a minute- If you want to change laws, this WAY of changing law is one of the fair and intended ways to do it.
Proposition 104- Open Meetings
VOTE: YES
Open meetings laws require that certain public interest decisions not be made behind completely closed doors. There are some exceptions to those laws. The down-and dirty version is that this law makes it so that school boards can’t negotiate with labor unions in closed meetings- it has to be open to the public.
Proposition 105- Genetically Modified Organisms “GMO Labeling”
VOTE: YES
This requires companies to label foods as GMO or genetically modified. This measure is not a perfect solution, but I think it’s a great step toward knowing where our food comes from and what’s in it (hint: sometimes it’s scary stuff.) http://www.righttoknowcolorado.org/resources
Well, that’s about all I have, because everything else on your ballot is going to be specific to your county, town, school district, etc.
Get on out and VOTE! (That includes dropping your mail ballot off in person, which I think is what most of you will be doing.)
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