We bet there are very few times Jared Polis wishes Tom Tancredo was still in Congress. They are pretty much polar opposites in everything from immigration to tax policy, which makes them agreeing a newsworthy event. With Polis introducing a doomed marijuana legalization bill in Congress this week, it reminded us they share more than just a reputation for being frumpy dressers.
Tancredo, during the Gubernatorial race last fall, came out in support of marijuana legalization, saying "Legalize it. Regulate it. Tax it." Polis could certainly use a co-sponsor like Tancredo on a bill like this. Instead, he has Barney Frank, a Congressman infamous for allowing a male escort service to be run out of his house. Not the best face (or voice) to put on a controversial, libertarian-minded bill.
Of course the bill has no chance of passing in Congress. It’s just a fanciful waste of bill paper given the nature of the challenges facing America.
But it would have been a ton of fun to see Jared Polis and Tom Tancredo stumping for the bill together. With talks of a legalization ballot initiative in Colorado for 2012, maybe we'll see them on the cannabis campaign trail after all. It would be a Westword wet dream.
Tancredo could help educate Polis on the threat posed by multi-lingual educational systems, undocumented workers, and ways to improve our immigration system and maybe even how to hunt.
Polis in turn could teach Tank what cheeses to pair with white wine, which scarve to wear with khakis and of course the ins-and-outs of really making your living room fabulous!!!