DROP THE INITIATIVES: Democrats Turn Up Heat on Polis, Dangle DCCC

Colorado Peak Politics - DROP THE INITIATIVES: Democrats Turn Up Heat on Polis, Dangle DCCC

DROP THE INITIATIVES: Democrats Turn Up Heat on Polis, Dangle DCCC

Published on July 14, 2014 by ColoradoPeakPolitics

Rep. Jared Polis, Colorado job killer

Democrats are begging their own Rep. Jared Polis to back off his proposed ballot initiatives for fear they may cost them the U.S. Senate, but nothing, not even a reported call from President Barack Obama has been enough to convince Polis to back the truck up.  Of course, Polis is well known for not caring about anything or anyone other than himself.  Even a former Howard “Send Republicans to Russia” Dean fears that the initiatives could be toxic to Democrats this election cycle, according to Time:

“The concern among many Democrats is that the ballot initiatives that we’re talking about are very very appealing the farther left you go; troubling at the center; and on the right, they are turn out machines,” says Steve McMahon, a Democratic strategist and Howard Dean’s 2004 campaign manager. “If you’re in a safe district, you’re not concerned. But if you’re a Democrat that has to win statewide these things look a lot different.”

And, that is where Rep. Nancy Pelosi comes in.  Polis is actively campaigning for a huge promotion, the leader of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  That’s basically the same job that Sen. Michael Bennet has on the Senate side.  That means that Polis would be in charge of helping Democratic Congressional candidates make it across the finish line. This would be a big freaking deal.
The Beltway Buzz says that Nancy Pelosi is trying to talk Polis out of the initiatives.  Is this the carrot that she’s dangling to force his retreat?
Will Polis roll the fractivists and his “great concern” about his garage turned guest house the pace of oil and gas development just for a chance to be Pelosi’s top deputy?  Or, does Polis actually want to affect policy in a way that would protect communities from the “nightmare” of high-paying jobs and responsible energy production?  Was this all a vanity campaign that Polis will shelve in order to become Pelosi’s campaign pimp?
Or, does Polis really care about oil and gas in Colorado?  Better yet – does Polis really care about Coloradans?  We suspect we know the answer to that.