Rocky Mountain High

So elsewhere in the country:

In Colorado, Sen. Michael Bennet has won reelection over teabagger Ken Buck. This race was reminiscent of the Gary Hart’s 1980 reelection campaign. Running in the year of the “Reagan Revolution,” Hart was running against the popular Secretary of State, Mary Estill Buchanan. Hart only won by 19,000 votes out of over 1 million cast (it was the first time that over 1 million Coloradans had voted in a single election). Bennet rolled up huge margins in the Democratic strongholds, and even won the GOP stronghold of Arapahoe County south of Denver.

In the race for governor, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper easily beat anti-immigration candidate Tom “I didn’t know they were illegal” Tancredo (American Constitution Party) and Dan “Abortion Bikes” Maes (Teapublican). What is not known is if the GOP will now be classified as a minor party in Colorado. Conflicting reports show Maes with anywhere from 9.7% – 11.1%. Also unknown is whether the GOP recaptured the state House of Representatives.

Colorado has ballot initiatives, which sometimes can wreak havoc on state government. In the early 90’s Doug Bruce (think St. Bodie Girl, but meaner), authored the Tax Payer Bill of Rights (TABOR), which put severe restraints on spending. But TABOR has been whittled back over the years and yesterday, Bruce went down to defeat when his 3 initiatives, known as the “Ugly 3” were rejected by over 70% of the voters.

And for the second time in 2 years, a “personhood” amendment was voted down. Apparently, the backers of Prop 62, which would have granted constitutional rights to individuals “at the beginning of biological development,” learned their talking points from Chrissie-pooh. They saw their loss as a victory because supposedly women stopped having abortions during the campaign. But the best line came from the head of the opposition “No on 62” group:

“What part of ‘no’ don’t they understand?” asked “No on 62” campaign director Fofi Mendez.

Prop 62 was voted down by 75% of the voters. In 2008, a similar measure put up by the same group lost by the same margin.

Coloradans also voted down an amendment to the state constitution which would have made it illegal to require anyone to have health insurance lost 53%-47%. The amendment was drafted by a Colorado version of CRI.

And Denver voters defeated Initiative 300, which would have required the city to create the world’s first government-sanctioned extraterrestrial-affairs commission.

The measure would have required the mayor to appoint seven members to the new commission. At least one would have to be an expert “who had consulted at least 100 people regarding their alleged close encounters with extraterrestrial intelligent beings.”

Ballot language allowed that commission members “who are not Denver residents may participate from anywhere in the universe by any means available.”

The duties of the board — financed by grants, gifts and donations — would have included evaluating the risks and benefits of encounters with extraterrestrials. The city also would have to inform the public on its website of any extraterrestrial evidence.

And do not fear, Asshat of the Day will be coming back after taking Election Day and Return Day off. You are all coming to Return Day tomorrow, aren’t you? Joe will be there.