“I’m just here for the party” -John Hickenlooper
Gov. John Hickenlooper’s likes to claim his indecisiveness has much more to do with him wanting to consider all sides carefully rather than him just being a wishy-washy, weak leader who is more concerned with people liking him than standing firm on any issue. His love for beer, live music, and being smarmy fit better with a “I’ll study tomorrow” frat-boy attitude, than a Governor who is serious about thinking deeply and discerning the hard choices a governor must make. His go along, to get along, lackadaisical attitude results in such classic moments like at this week’s debate, where one gets the feeling Hickenlooper completely flipped on two major issues on the merest of whims.
Whereas before, Hick’s stance on climate change in 2009 had him saying this:
“I’m saying that clearly the climate is changing, clearly mankind’s activities are causing it.”
To 2010 where he said this:
“I don’t think that the scientific community has decided with certainty that climate change is as catastrophic as so many people think.”
To 2013, where he said this:
“Every study I’ve seen, climate change is happening. I’m not saying it absolutely is…”
To last night’s debate where Hick answered to a question on whether humans are significantly contributing to climate change:
“Significantly? Yes!”
So let us get this right, Hick was sure there was climate change, until he wasn’t , until he read some studies that made him think so, but he couldn’t be absolutely sure, to sounding last night like there was never any doubt. For fun, let’s get him in front of some coal-miners next week and see how he flips and flops for them.
Not to be outdone there, Hick was at his indecisive best last night, when he committed himself to President Obama’s $10.10 minimum wage—a policy that would have a dramatic effect on many small businesses throughout the state—with this classic Hick answer:
HIckenlooper: “…yeah… sure… yes,” his indecisive answer drawing a reaction from the crowd, to which he replied, “That’s the first time we’ve been asked the question!”
Yeah, not like it was one of the main talking points of Democrats across the country this last spring, an issue they were hoping they could use as a major talking point this election cycle. Good thing, Hick is keeping up on current events.
His statement to Colorado Sheriffs earlier this summer where he said he didn’t have all the details about the gun control laws, now makes more sense, as Hick appears to create his positions without much thought, and only goes back later to memorize the facts to justify his flip-flop. All claims by his staff that he labors through studies and reports throughout the weekend ring false, as he seems to have no mastery of subjects beyond a few choice statistics they’ve hand-fed him. He’s much more excited telling Yahoo News (and anyone who will listen) that Denver has more live music venues than Austin or Nashville, which, if we step back to consider, fits much better with his bro-tastic, brewpub personality, than a man studiously studying throughout the weekend.