Gaines: Regular Coloradans getting shut out of legislative process
One of the many things that makes Colorado unique (and a wonderful place to live) are all the opportunities our state Constitution affords for people to be directly involved in the making of laws. If you have some extra time, and a thirst for some light reading, go look up the Colorado Constitution, Article V, Section 1, and note how much text is given over to the rights of the people in making laws vs. that of legislators.
As part of running my own substack newsletter, I frequently encourage people to get involved with their government, the legislative process especially. I’m not going to hide the fact that I’m conservative (though registered as unaffiliated after switching over from Libertarian), and want more conservative voices speaking up in blue Colorado, but I do sincerely wish everyone of every political bent to get involved. The more voices we have in this state, the better in my view.
Unfortunately, I am afraid that we, the ordinary people of this state, are losing our right to be involved. We’re not losing it by any overt act per se, but rather we are losing it effectively by scheduling, something readily apparent since the passage of the legislation earlier this year that enabled Proposition HH and the current special legislative session.
I have always been a believer in practicing what you preach, and thus I do try my best to be politically involved. I write emails and I speak up at committee hearings. Having a full time job and family means I can’t do as much of this as I’d like, but I pick a few bills or issues and focus my time there. What I am finding more and more, however, is that the people that are speaking up are those I would call the “professional political class”.
If you’ve ever heard a Colorado policymaker discuss stakeholders, that’s one group (oh, and I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you, despite paying for a lot of this stuff, are not what lawmakers consider a stakeholder). You’ll also hear local governments, business associations, trade associations, and the like. I also hear quite often from advocates, people whose job it is to testify at these things. Oh, and let’s not forget the lobbyists.