As the health care debate rages on this summer, many of our nation’s political leaders and major media outlets expressed their disbelief that wide-spread citizen outrage and dissent is truly a grassroots movement. In Colorado, expressions of dissatisfaction are hardly orchestrated. Many Coloradans simply feel forgotten and are making their presence known at tea parties, health care rallies and town halls meetings.
Forgotten Coloradans are not “crazies” or “extremists.” They are your neighbors, your patients, your children’s soccer coaches, your accountant, ranchers, senior citizens, postal workers, your local florist, your friendly delivery man, your children’s teachers, grocery store clerks, out-of-work college graduates, oil field workers, local convenience store workers, your minister, factory workers, nurses, carpenters and waiters. In many instances, they are struggling to make ends meet during a time of economic upheaval.
Party affiliation is not what binds or defines the Forgotten Coloradan. In some cases, they have never been engaged in the political process before. Unfortunately, the current political discourse from Congressional leadership has categorized their action as somehow “un-American,” which has the accuracy of an underwater pitcher.
Coloradans are struggling. While Colorado’s official unemployment rate is flat at 7.6%, there are many more Coloradans on the brink of losing their jobs. If you doubt this, ask 20 of your neighbors, friends and family. You will find that uncertainty continues to prevail as businesses and investors persist to pull back in response to mixed messages in Washington, D.C. and Denver.
Forgotten Coloradans hear estimates that the proposed national health care plan will mean more job losses and uncertainty. According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, the plan’s small business tax and mandates plan will destroy 1.6 million jobs. More dramatically, based on the formulas developed by Dr. Christina Romer, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, over the next ten years nearly 4.7 million jobs will be lost under the plan. Yet, Forgotten Coloradans are being shouted down for wondering why a plan that would destroy jobs is even being considered during a period of economic instability.
Forgotten Coloradans are anything but crazy or extreme, rather they are feeling the pain of today’s economy. Many are worried about paying their mortgage or rent. And as likely, they are probably trying to figure out what bill they can pay this month and which will have to wait. As they painstakingly cut back on personal expenses, they are being smacked with new fees or property tax increases masked as a property tax freeze.
In July, some Forgotten Coloradans were surprised to learn about FASTER’s increased vehicle registration fees and late penalties. When some Forgotten Coloradans voiced concern or even outrage, the response was the hiring of security at the local clerk and recorder offices.
As Forgotten Coloradans pay their increased fees under the watchful eye of security officers, they are likely wondering why there wasn’t a vote on this tax increase called FASTER. Coloradans pass Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) years ago, right? Political leadership’s snappish response is that this is a fee not a tax, so no vote is required. Ahhh, while most other states appropriately term such registration costs as taxes, Forgotten Coloradans gets to pay an enlarged “fee” that is supposed to promote “Economic Recovery” – the ER in the acronym FASTER.
And now, Forgotten Coloradans hear about unprecedented deficit spending that is estimated to be four times that of the previous administration (see chart below). They were not thrilled by previous administration’s deficit spending, so promises last fall that deficits would be cut in half sounded like a good start. As evidence builds that deficits will instead grow dramatically, many Forgotten Coloradans can no longer hold their tongue and want to be heard.
SOURCE: CBO, White House Office of Management and Budget | The Washington Post - March 21, 2009
As Forgotten Coloradans filled up their gas tanks this summer, they were left wondering why they still pay over $2.50 per gallon when Colorado and our nation are flush with accessible oil deposits. Moreover, why has our political leadership slapped more regulatory burdens on our State’s number one industry at a time when the energy industry is battling economic impacts as well? The harsh reality is that well-paying jobs were lost statewide and the outlook for recovery remains sadly bleak.
Years of promises that jobs in green, sustainable industries would replace these lost jobs are no longer realistic to Forgotten Coloradans. They want to know why according to the Fraser Institute, Colorado was the number one choice for energy company executives as a place to do business in 2006. However, in just a few years, Colorado’s ranking quickly spiraled to the absolute bottom. Why, in a fragile economy, did our political leadership mess with a key industry that provided well-paying jobs and funded a sizable portion of our State and municipal budgets?
As such, Forgotten Coloradans are likely not surprised that for the first time in 25 years of polling a recent Gallup national survey found that a larger percentage of Americans are concerned about economic growth than the environment. According to the survey, 51 percent of the respondents said economic growth takes precedence over the environment, while 42 percent of the respondents said the environment is more important. In 2008, 49 percent of respondents said the environment was supreme and 42 percent said economic growth was critical. When the survey was first taken in 1985, only 28 percent felt economic growth was most important while 61 percent felt the environment was imperative.
Congressional leadership continues to tout the federal government’s $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as a job creator and a boon for Colorado’s economy. By the end of 2010, the Act was trumpeted as an engine that would create or save 59,000 jobs in Colorado. However, when the Forgotten Coloradan opens her morning paper or turns on his local news, they learn that less than a 1,000 jobs have been created or saved. One is hard pressed to believe the proposition that the Act will create or save another 58,000 jobs in the next five months when a mere 1,000 were created or saved in the first five months.
The change Forgotten Coloradans voted for in 2006 and 2008 was not to work harder for less money. They are not looking for government to solve their problems by taking more of their paychecks and burdening future generations with unprecedented deficits. They are showing up at health care rallies, tea parties and town halls to tell government to avoid creating more problems and focus on creating an environment that creates jobs and restores the American Dream that is quickly slipping away.
