You know a negative narrative against a Democrat is sticking when even the liberal Colorado Public Radio is pressing him on it. In a revealing interview with Governor Hickenlooper today, CPR’s Ryan Warner pushes the governor to explain why he just can’t ever seem to make up his mind.
Warner: You made your first concrete statement of support for this approach to the tax behind closed doors. It was at a private event. Now I wonder if that tells us something about the intensity of your support for this?
Hickenlooper: Oh no. I think that, uh, I’m trying to look at what’s best for the state of Colorado long term, and as you know there have been a number of people pushing me to support various taxes over the years. This one is different in the sense that this is delivering what Secretary Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education, said is the most comprehensive set of reforms in the history of the United States, right? This is going to set Colorado as the national model in public education.
(snip)
Warner: To this idea of announcing your support at a private event, what we’re talking about there calls up something that your opponents, even some of your supporters say is a theme of your administration. And that is you avoid taking concrete positions until absolutely necessary. So you pass policies to reduce carbon emissions but you leave the door open to the idea that climate change isn’t caused by human activity. You postpone murderer Nathan Dunlap’s execution, but make it possible for a future governor to put him to death. What do you say about this perception of your leadership style?
Hickenlooper: They’re saying that I wait until to make a decision longer than they would wait?
Warner: Or that you take one that’s safely in the middle of the road.
Hickenlooper: I don’t think this decision is safely in the middle of the road. We’re talking about an income tax increase. This is gonna be a very difficult initiative to win. I think unfortunately it’s going to be very divisive for the state. People are going to get very involved. What’s indecisive about that? I mean you can argue I take too long to get to that decision but I don’t think that’s the case here. There’s four months until the election. I bet I talked to 100 people over the previous couple of months.
Two interesting admissions from Hickenlooper in this interview. One is that it’s a fair criticism that he takes (way) too long to make up his mind. The second being that the billion dollar tax increase will be “very divisive.”
We’re not sure what exactly he means by divisive, as the results of 2011’s tax hike campaign were among the biggest margins in recent Colorado history, with 2/3 of voters rejecting it. When is the last time a controversial issue in Colorado politics had the opposition of 2/3 of voters?
Well, other than the death penalty. (Quinnipiac found 67% of voters disapproved of Hickenlooper’s reprieve of Dunlap)
Which is what Hickenlooper probably means — supporting the tax hike will be divisive for his political prospects. No wonder he’s sticking to whispering about it in private settings.
Yeah tax our self into prosperity because we know that's always worked out great in the past ;(.
He's talked to 100 people out of the 5.188 million people in the state of Colorado. Sadly, this poor excuse for a Governor still doesn't seem to understand that there are many more people in this State then the little group of friends he associates with. He also seems to think that Denver is the only city in Colorado.
The Hick forgot to talk to Helen Thorpe. She would have kept him on the leftist straight and narrow instead of the middle road.
Welcome to the Hotel Cal-orado. Take you kids and go to a less socialistic state..
The problem was that Mayor Bloomberg isn't in Denver until today so the Hick couldn't answer these questions until Bloomberg could tell Hiuck what to say. Otherwise, no Eastern campaign contributions for the Hickster.
Hate that Mother Fucker….I've met him in person. DICK
Howdy Doody admits he really is a puppet of the Obama administration.
Hickenlooper is a Democrat by accident. He lives the life of a wealthy landowner and has a history of crushing the "little man"—not liberal at all. He ran as a Democrat because he was advised that Colorado is mostly a Democrat state, which woould give him votes. His decision to block legislation that would require oil companies to release the chemicals that are in the solution that is pumped into the ground go against every liberal principal as does "trying to sneak the billion dollar tax increase on Colorado behind closed doors." While this tax would initially effect anyone earning over $75,000.00 a year, it will be passed down to the poorest people throughout Colorado through layoffs and price increases.
Hick is not fit for the office of Governor it is that simple. He is not a leader, he is an owner. Colorado needs a leader and one with a spine and the ability to stand up in public as a true leader.
If this income tax increase goes through, I'll be sure to reduce my spending on discretionary items to reduce the collection of sales tax. I fear this state is lost.
Hickenlooper admitting something will be divisive? There were numerous divisive issues this year, all went through thanks to a liberal driven agenda supported by a Dem controlled legislature and a Governor that can't say no to anyone from the same party affiliation. The government is turning the people against each other and it has to stop.
Regarding the "I talked to 100 people…" I swear he said the same thing about WHY he signed the magazine ban/limit. Verbatim
Chickenlooper states "I bet I talked to 100 people over the previous couple of months." Let me get this straight. You have only talked to 100 people about the tax hike. Do you live in a cave or a box down by the river? I talk to over a 100 people every day at work. It's your job to sell this thing and you are doing a poor job and I would bet that 67% of the people are going to vote against this. So I guess you really only need to discuss this with 33 people at any given time then.
probably shocked the hell out of hick!