-By Warner Todd Huston
Nationally, Americans are beginning to again trust Republicans over Democrats on taxes and the economy. The overreach in spending and the constant Democratic drum beat of wanting to raise taxes on “the rich” to pay for a massive enlargement — and engorgement, really — of big government has dug into the high approval rates that Democrats had enjoyed for well over a year. So, what does the National Republican Senatorial Committee want to do in Colorado? You guessed it, they want to endorse a tax raising, squishy moderate for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate for the 2010 race.
My friend Ben DeGrow of the Mount Virtus blog has discerned the rumblings beginning to come out of the NRSC and it looks like that wayward group is about to land four-square behind former Lt. Governor Jane Norton as the GOP race for the Senate gets rolling in the Centennial State.
So, what is Norton known for? Raising taxes. Great, huh? I’ll let my Colorado friend tells us more:
1. The only election for public office ever won by Norton was on the coattails of the Owens-Norton ticket in 2002. She was chosen as a replacement to run after the then-popular Owens’ first term.
2. The only issue stance of note taken by Norton as Lt. Gov was to join Owens in backing Referendum C, the biggest tax increase in the state’s history that also has had the ripple effect of dividing the state GOP ever since.
3. The only public role Norton has played in the 2.5 years since she has left office was to co-chair the state campaign for John McCain, starting early in the primary process (November 2007). McCain was squished by Romney & others at the caucuses, and is hardly the first choice of Colorado Republicans or Coloradans in general.
4. Norton formerly was the director of the state’s Department of Public Health, but no one has any idea exactly where she comes down on the current health care reform issue. Yeah, she’s pretty much against Obama Care, but what is she advocating instead?
5. Norton doesn’t have the name ID of Charlie Crist, which makes the NRSC’s actions here even more absurd.
6. Norton’s one attempt at campaign fundraising (2002) was hardly stellar.
7. The track record of GOP coronations of statewide candidates in recent elections (Pete Coors for Senate 2004, Bob Beauprez for Governor 2006) have led to disasters.
I find this such a harbinger of bad GOP picks all across the country. Just when we should be coming out forcefully in favor of low taxes, spending cuts, and making gubbmint smaller, the NRSC is picking a tax raiser to run for Senate in Colorado!
Is this what we can expect from these people for 2010? If so, it certainly looks like no conservative can expect help from the national party… again.
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Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as NewsBusters.org, RightWingNews.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.
He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
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