Recall
Elections and
Accountability
[A Lesson Learned in Colorado]

[For those who have read this column in the printed version of the Daily News a quick clarification. We inadvertently sent the paper an earlier draft and by the time we realized we had not sent the final version it was too late to make a substitution. The final version is displayed below:]

Last week the headlines were all a flutter about the recall elections in Colorado.  The LA Times reported “In an unprecedented backlash, two state lawmakers who helped stiffen Colorado's gun laws were ousted Tuesday in a recall that turned into a nationally watched referendum on gun control.” 

The Washington Post story read  “Outspent by about 5-to-1, recall supporters cited a big anti-recall donation from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to make one of their main points — that Democrats controlling the state Legislature were more interested in listening to the White House and outside interests than their own constituents.”

But there is a bigger story here, many of us (and apparently including some in Colorado) are tired of politics as usual. We don’t like it when our elected leaders say one thing at home and then go off do something completely different.  We’re not pleased when we see our elected representatives are more interested in being reelected and keeping their “power” than they are in doing what is right and what they promised to do.  And for House Republicans, this includes standing up against the their own leadership when it goes astray.

For example, last week the House Speaker and the GOP leadership  floated an alternative to standing firm on defunding ObamaCare.  According to The Hill newspaper, under the plan, the House would vote on a continuing resolution (CR) that maintains federal spending at sequester levels. The measure would include a separate "enrollment correction" resolution that is not in the core of the CR itself.  This correction would defund the healthcare law.  All the Senate would need to do is to vote down this “enrollment correction” and then pass and send the CR without language defunding ObamaCare directly to the President for his signature. 

What this meant was, the GOP House leadership was pushing a measure that would not defund ObamaCare while allowing Members of Congress to tell their constituents “I voted to cut off funding for ObamaCare.” Call it what you want but whatever you call it, it is deceitful and voters across the country see it for what it is!  As a result of the hue and cry from conservatives and our friends in the TEA Party, Speaker Boehner has pulled this bill from the floor but he has not said he will drop the idea entirely.

Now back to what happened in Colorado last week.  The recall election showed that once voters understand what is happening they will act and hold their elected leaders accountable.  This should be a wakeup call to all those who represent us and for those seeking public office.  Stop being career politicians! Stop focusing on getting elected and keeping your job.  Instead, be citizen legislators or public officials who see their role as serving their constituents for a short period of time and then turning over the reins to others who will continue the fight for liberty.  And while they are serving, be about the people’s business.  There have been many good people serving us, but not all.  Our recommendation?  Be honest with yourself and with us and always remember you serve us.

[See an interesting related story from Fox News]

Bill, Mark, and John