God Bless those in Colorado

[Anagram]

and how much damage can he do in the mean time? I don't say make it a show of hands and out he or she goes, but recall is a deterrent. It would only cause chaos for the first 1 or 2 times, than politicians would start thinking twice. It's a helluva lot easier bringing people to a special election than miraculously lengthening their attention spans...

Less damage then would be done if we were having recall elections all the time. National climates change all the time. If you made it so much easier to recall people whenever the national climate shifted you'd have recall elections in the competitive districts all the time. It's not a good thing.

 

[ChezC3]

Less damage then would be done if we were having recall elections all the time. National climates change all the time. If you made it so much easier to recall people whenever the national climate shifted you'd have recall elections in the competitive districts all the time. It's not a good thing.

I don't believe so. As james pointed out the electorate learns slow and forgets quick. No greater example of a successful recall that actually failed than that of WI Scott Walker. What happen? A HUGE blow was struck and a Recall was issued, and what happen? Walker won. Thus showing that WI voters had confidence in what he was doing. Did they try again? No. They gave it a go and lost. This shows that it isn't a case of political ping pong, it shows that when major life changing legislation is undertaken that the politicians better be voting the way of the people or the people will know the reason why.

 

[Bob Blaylock]

I'm happy with the result, but I don't like recall elections in general, and don't think they should be used unless there is gross incompetence or some sort of incapacitation.

Defying the will of the people that an elected representative is supposed to represent, and violating the Constitution, certainly should count, at the very least, as gross incompetence, if not criminal-level malfeasance.

 

[Anagram]

I don't believe so. As james pointed out the electorate learns slow and forgets quick. No greater example of a successful recall that actually failed than that of WI Scott Walker. What happen? A HUGE blow was struck and a Recall was issued, and what happen? Walker won. Thus showing that WI voters had confidence in what he was doing. Did they try again? No. They gave it a go and lost. This shows that it isn't a case of political ping pong, it shows that when major life changing legislation is undertaken that the politicians better be voting the way of the people or the people will know the reason why.

And Democrats won the State Senate in those recalls. Luckily the recall of Walker wasn't the year they tried to do it, unlike the Wisconsin and Colorado senators, because he would've lost. Making it easier to recall people would just make politicians subject to the whims of the people. The feelings on public are too volatile to go around changing our elected politicians every time the people change their opinions. Giving them a nice full term to show the public their positions and letting them get acclimated to them, rather than falling for the first propaganda about the positions they hear is much better.

 

[Anagram]

Defying the will of the people that an elected representative is supposed to represent, and violating the Constitution, certainly should count, at the very least, as gross incompetence, if not criminal-level malfeasance.

Politicians shouldn't have to agree with the sum of the constituents on every issue. They should state their positions and let the people decide whether or not to elect them and then pursue those positions. If the politician strays from that or the people change their minds, then they can vote him out next election.

 

[Buck Ewer]

Democrats in Colorado still hold majorities in both the state senate and the house. None of the gun regulation laws passed by the Colorado legislature have been rescinded or altered.
The gun manufacturers lobby ( the NRA ) poured tens of millions of dollars into these recall elections.
Some victory... In the next general election the Dems will win those seats back.


Jus'sayin'

 

[Mycroft]

I don't know why some of you complain about easy and frequent recall elections in Colorado. I've lived here over 20 years and, while I haven't looked up the stats, I don't remember very many recall attempts. It actually seems to happen more on the county and local level than on the State level.

In any event, I support the recall.

Some of you who suggest that Morse might win his seat back must have not read the OP's article. It clearly states that Morse cannot run again because of term limits. He's...out of there!

I did a quick search and the Denver Post states in their article that this is the first time a State lawmaker has been ousted in a recall. So those of you who are concerned that this is something that happens frequently and easily don't know what you are talking about.

Colorado recall election voter turnout mixed, figures show - The Denver Post

 

[Anagram]

I don't know why some of you complain about easy and frequent recall elections in Colorado. I've lived here over 20 years and, while I haven't looked up the stats, I don't remember very many recall attempts. It actually seems to happen more on the county and local level than on the State level.

In any event, I support the recall.

Some of you who suggest that Morse might win his seat back must have not read the OP's article. It clearly states that Morse cannot run again because of term limits. He's...out of there!

I did a quick search and the Denver Post states in their article that this is the first time a State lawmaker has been ousted in a recall. So those of you who are concerned that this is something that happens frequently and easily don't know what you are talking about.

Colorado recall election voter turnout mixed, figures show - The Denver Post

I did not remember the term limits, you're right. I am not concerned about the frequency of recall elections in the past, but in the future. I know they haven't been a problem, but they are beginning to. There have been as many recall elections in the past 10 years as the previous hundred. I had no problem with the way they were used in the past.

 

[jamesrage]

Politicians shouldn't have to agree with the sum of the constituents on every issue. They should state their positions and let the people decide whether or not to elect them and then pursue those positions. If the politician strays from that or the people change their minds, then they can vote him out next election.

By following your suggestion of waiting until their terms expire that elected official will cause further damage. It is idiotic to let a bad employee run amok for 2-6 years before firing that employee, No company on the planet would do this.

 

[ChezC3]

And Democrats won the State Senate in those recalls. Luckily the recall of Walker wasn't the year they tried to do it, unlike the Wisconsin and Colorado senators, because he would've lost. Making it easier to recall people would just make politicians subject to the whims of the people. The feelings on public are too volatile to go around changing our elected politicians every time the people change their opinions. Giving them a nice full term to show the public their positions and letting them get acclimated to them, rather than falling for the first propaganda about the positions they hear is much better.

I don't want my politician to get acclimated and have a nice toasty, warm bum from a full term if he has made an egregious decision which directly conflicts with what the people in my district, county, town, State want. That's the point. As it is you're supporting the status quo, the continuing of the political class to do as it pleases, wait out any backlash that takes place, play the odds that the electorate will forget about whatever it was they did wrong and then smile on into another term. That's the way it has always been and as you hopefully can see, it hasn't worked out too well for us. So again, while I said I don't believe it should be as easy as a show of hands but there definitely needs to be some sort of check or balance since the original foundation of this electoral system has gone by the way of the buffalo and all we're doing is crowning princes who reign with impunity causing untold damage and irreparable harm.

 

[Mycroft]

I did not remember the term limits, you're right. I am not concerned about the frequency of recall elections in the past, but in the future. I know they haven't been a problem, but they are beginning to. There have been as many recall elections in the past 10 years as the previous hundred. I had no problem with the way they were used in the past.

Why do you think a successful recall election might be a problem?

I see it as the People enacting a solution to a problem...namely, an elected politician who has enacted legislation that is contrary to the will of the people who placed him in Office.

 

[WCH]

I prefer recall elections over revolution.

For now....

 

[Fishstyx]

Democrats in Colorado still hold majorities in both the state senate and the house. None of the gun regulation laws passed by the Colorado legislature have been rescinded or altered.
The gun manufacturers lobby ( the NRA ) poured tens of millions of dollars into these recall elections.
Some victory... In the next general election the Dems will win those seats back.


Jus'sayin'

"Jus'saying" incorrectly. The money donated to the recall effort amounted to about $500k, $350k coming from the NRA. The money donated to support Morse and Giron was around $3 million. They outspent the recall effort 6 to 1 and still lost. The real intersting aspect is the Giron numbers. She resides in a district that is majority Democrats and lost by 10 points. That means Democrats, Republicans and Independents recalled her.

 

[Ockham]

The gun manufacturers lobby ( the NRA ) poured tens of millions of dollars into these recall elections.

Is there some verifiable money trail you can link that supports your assertion?

Some victory... In the next general election the Dems will win those seats back.

This wasn't about Democrats, it was about those politicians views on gun control.

Jus'sayin'

Indeed.

 

[CalGun]

Please demonstrate with links the evidence showing the pro gun lobby poured tens of millions into this? I'd like to see you back that up please?

Democrats in Colorado still hold majorities in both the state senate and the house. None of the gun regulation laws passed by the Colorado legislature have been rescinded or altered.
The gun manufacturers lobby ( the NRA ) poured tens of millions of dollars into these recall elections.
Some victory... In the next general election the Dems will win those seats back.


Jus'sayin'

 

[EdwinWillers]

Ballot Issue State Senate 3 - Recall Giron

100% reporting
Yes
56.0%
(19,355)
No
43.9%
(15,201)
Updated 0 minutes ago

Ballot Issue State Senate 11 - Recall Morse

100% reporting
Yes
50.9%
(9,094)
No
49.0%
(8,751)


Both liberal anti gun democrats recalled. Bloomberg and friends spent $3,000,000 for 24,000 votes and LOST

 

[Anagram]

Why do you think a successful recall election might be a problem?

I see it as the People enacting a solution to a problem...namely, an elected politician who has enacted legislation that is contrary to the will of the people who placed him in Office.

Because of how fickle people are. Take Scott Walker for example. If Wisconsin'a rules were like Colorado's and allowed them to recall Walker the same year as the State Senate like they wanted to he would have lost. The voters went for the early controversial media reports about him and were already to throw him out. Later though, they realized they actually supported his policies. If you have more recall elections you open up the possibilities of short term media frenzies to throw out politicians who would later be elected by wide margins. Almost every elected official goes through periods where it'd be possible to recall them despite eventually becoming popular. People are very susceptible immediate media attacks and don't always know what they want right away.

 

[Anagram]

By following your suggestion of waiting until their terms expire that elected official will cause further damage. It is idiotic to let a bad employee run amok for 2-6 years before firing that employee, No company on the planet would do this.

People are bad at determining if an employee is bad right away. Most of those elected go through at least one period where it'd be possible to recall them, even though later their policies would make them very popular and have them re-elected by wide margins. If we open up recall elections to an ever greater frequency we would likely have a significant number of politicians recalled who would otherwise be elected due to a short term media set of attacks around them.

 

[LaMidRighter]

I could accept them with more stringent requirements. I'm a little concerned with the frequency they've been occurring lately though with Colorado and Wisconsin.

I'm not sure don't that is due to any kind of ease though, recall elections are overall not very easy. I think we finally got to the point that our politicians are so lacking in principle and intelligence that a lot of people have had enough. We had a failed recall attempt of former Governor Blanco here when she botched the hurricane Katrina operations, and then when the Democrat party had an opportunity to strike at Jindal for payback they struck, neither one was successful because I think they were obviously political, no one could point to any one thing that was so bad that it warranted a recall.

 

[LaMidRighter]

Because of the cost of the elections and the fact that politicians work better when they aren't spending their entire terms worried about staying in office. For some cases I think they're ok but they shouldn't be frequent occurrences. If a politician wins by 1% and the national climate changes by a percent or two the other way we shouldn't have a recall election just because of that. It just causes turmoil.

That is absolutely true, it should be that they did something so universally against their own voters that said voters feel there is no choice but to remove the bad representative. In Colorado the reps dealt with a majority of angry citizens telling them firearms were a red line and they passed oppressive gun control anyway, in situations where the people feel that slighted I have no problem with a recall election.
But, it is also true that if a representative simply isn't the same lean as the community or simply they regret electing because of minor disagreements then no, it definitely isn't fair to anyone to engage in the painful and expensive recall process.

 

[Anagram]

I'm not sure don't that is due to any kind of ease though, recall elections are overall not very easy. I think we finally got to the point that our politicians are so lacking in principle and intelligence that a lot of people have had enough. We had a failed recall attempt of former Governor Blanco here when she botched the hurricane Katrina operations, and then when the Democrat party had an opportunity to strike at Jindal for payback they struck, neither one was successful because I think they were obviously political, no one could point to any one thing that was so bad that it warranted a recall.

I think the recall election requirements for Louisiana are fine, requiring 33% of eligible voters signatures. That's a number that would only be reserved for something seriously wrong. In Wisconsin and Colorado its only 25% of those who voted in the previous election, which is only about 15% of eligible voters if the turnout rate was about as high as it is nationally, which is unlikely for a state senate election so even less. California its only 12% of those who voted in the last election or about 7% of the eligible voters. Those standards are too low in my opinion.

 

[LaMidRighter]

Me too. But I'd prefer voting them out en masse in 2014 more than either of those two.

They should have recalled DeGette too. That's the woman who said limiting magazine capacity will dry out the larger magazine supply as they spent. She wants stricter controls and doesn't even know magazines can be reloaded. And I "think" she is also the senator who told a passionate woman concerned about rape that the lady would be better off without a gun during an active forcible rape situation because she might shoot herself or regret shooting the attempted rapist or something like that.

 

[LaMidRighter]

I think the recall election requirements for Louisiana are fine, requiring 33% of eligible voters signatures. That's a number that would only be reserved for something seriously wrong. In Wisconsin and Colorado its only 25% of those who voted in the previous election, which is only about 15% of eligible voters if the turnout rate was about as high as it is nationally, which is unlikely for a state senate election so even less. California its only 12% of those who voted in the last election or about 7% of the eligible voters. Those standards are too low in my opinion.

I was surprised anyone was lower than 33% to be honest, I would say even we are too low, though that is a hard number to get to. I think it should be closer to half the electorate like 40-45%, it's an impossible number to get to unless a representative is so bad that it's just a given they need to get tossed.

 

[Anagram]

They should have recalled DeGette too. That's the woman who said limiting magazine capacity will dry out the larger magazine supply as they spent. She wants stricter controls and doesn't even know magazines can be reloaded. And I "think" she is also the senator who told a passionate woman concerned about rape that the lady would be better off without a gun during an active forcible rape situation because she might shoot herself or regret shooting the attempted rapist or something like that.

Yeah I wouldn't mind seeing her get kicked out. Unfortunately, it looks like her district's in the heart of Denver, so she's probably safe.

 

[Mycroft]

Because of how fickle people are. Take Scott Walker for example. If Wisconsin'a rules were like Colorado's and allowed them to recall Walker the same year as the State Senate like they wanted to he would have lost. The voters went for the early controversial media reports about him and were already to throw him out. Later though, they realized they actually supported his policies. If you have more recall elections you open up the possibilities of short term media frenzies to throw out politicians who would later be elected by wide margins. Almost every elected official goes through periods where it'd be possible to recall them despite eventually becoming popular. People are very susceptible immediate media attacks and don't always know what they want right away.

That's a good point, but I don't think that'll be a real problem here in Colorado. The gun control issue is kind of a special case...many liberals are pissed off at the Democratic controlled legislature over that issue.