In case people haven’t realized it by now, politics require finesse. Not every issue is black and white, and sometimes what’s popular isn’t always what’s best. That’s why we live in a Republic and not a true Democracy – we are ruled by elected representatives and not the whims of the masses.

So when we hear about elected officials whose decision-making is wholly dictated by polling data, we get worried.

Rep. Salazar

Case and point: a slew of bills has just been introduced by Democrat Reps. Max Tyler, Joe Salazar, Faith Winter, Dominick Moreno and Jovan Melton that would impose a litany of new employer mandates that could slow job growth or even lead to layoffs. These House Democrats told the Denver Business Journal that their reason for introducing these bills was because “they have polling data showing their ideas are popular with voters, even if business groups don’t like them.”

These guys need look no farther than failed former Sen. Mark Udall to understand why blindly follow polling data is not always a good strategy. Udall’s polls told him that if he just attacked Cory Gardner for his pro-life stance and past support of the unpopular Personhood measure that he would win. We all know how well that worked out for him.

The Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry came out strong against the House Democrats new measures, questioned the timing of their introduction and even the committee the bills were sent to. The bills were sent to committees other than the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, which doesn’t make sense since they are bills that affect businesses.

Obviously, the House Democrats are trying to play politics with these measures that seem so popular in the polls, but they’re doing it without any finesse. In the process, they risk further alienating job creators who, let’s face it, do more to prop up the middle class than the Democratic Party could ever hope to.