The Sage said, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
How stupid did Colorado’s Democratic delegation in Congress do?
Well, every single one of them voted in favor of an amendment introduced by Thomas Massie, the most anti-Semitic Republican in Congress, to stop military assistance to Israel, America’s most loyal (and democratic) ally.
To be fair, Rep. Massie also introduced a measure to end funding for the anti-democratic Kingdom of Jordan, but every Colorado Democrat voted against that amendment.
Massie’s amendment to terminate support for Egypt’s military dictatorship did not even make it to the floor.
How stupid is it for a bunch of Democrats to aid tyranny and oppose democracy while standing in support of a Republican so odious that even Kentucky doesn’t want him? If you’re a Colorado Democrat in Congress, the preceding question is what we call a “rhetorical question,” meaning it is used to make a point rather to get an answer, but let me help you, it’s really stupid.
Since our representatives are preoccupied with performative, pandering to a presumptively ascendant socialist wave within their party, let me pause here to let you in on some information that apparently cannot penetrate these Democrats.
It’s hot outside. Really hot. And, guess what, it didn’t snow very much this past winter. Do you know what happens when snow melts in the spring and summer months? It turns to water. Do you know what happens when there is very little snow and very little water? A drought.
Colorado Democrats in Congress and those running for Congress are so obsessed by their desire to prove they are bona fide Israel-haters that they lack any will to focus sensibly on the actual issue of utmost concern to the people of Colorado.
Water, stupid!
Snowfall is the driver of Colorado’s largest tourism sector and drought conditions threaten the ski industry’s billions of dollars in revenue and tens of thousands of jobs.
Insufficient snowfall breeds dry conditions that increase the danger of wildfires, wreaking hundreds of millions of dollars in damage while the state is cutting funding for mitigation efforts due to budget constraints.
When there is meaningful rain and snow, the loss of vegetation due to fires will increase the danger of flooding, causing still more damage with the combined disasters resulting in higher insurance costs for all Coloradoans.
Speaking of budget constraints, Colorado’s biggest source of tax revenue is the oil and gas industry, which relies heavily on hydraulic fracturing. For members of Congress, the prefix “hydra” means “water,” and water scarcity means less production, lower tax revenue and higher gas prices, which seem to be of concern to you ever since the start of the war with Iran.
But wait, there’s more!
Let’s not forget the farmers. Did you know that water grows crops? If you’ve been enjoying your Palisade peaches, you should know that those are basically 90% water and agriculture is major contributor to Colorado’s economy. Do you like beer? You guessed it! Beer is mostly water and Colorado’s national leadership in this industry is also impacted by drought.
Despite the fact that many lake and reservoir levels are at historic lows, and despite the fact that these conditions are potentially catastrophic for Colorado’s economy, Colorado’s Democrats could not muster the courage to repudiate a hateful Republican while demanding that Congress spend time addressing real problems for their constituents. That’s just stupid.
Instead of collaborating on stupidity, Colorado’s Democrats need to start collaborating with Republicans on real solutions to water scarcity. The most important item for the Western states is the expiration of the Colorado River Compact and the looming imposition of a federal solution to the impasse amongst the seven states who are parties to that agreement.
The intervention of the Trump Administration (which is not exactly an agent for anti-stupidity) heralds a new era of federal involvement in water policy. Let me help our representatives to understand the implications of that.
Even though water is our country’s most important natural resource, the US does not have a national water policy.
What we do have is asymmetric power in the governing body that will create one. California, the country’s largest water consumer, has 52 seats in Congress. Though it is bordered by the Pacific Ocean, it also has a powerful state environmentalist lobby opposing water-producing solutions like desalination plants (just one of many elements required for a national water strategy).
The other six Colorado River Compact states, all landlocked, only hold 29 seats combined.
Since California’s delegation makes up about 20% of the entire Democrat membership, the power to make future decisions about water in a potentially Democrat-controlled House is heavily in favor of California.
All this means that Colorado’s Democrats better be ready to cooperate with Republicans to ensure that water policy does not prioritize California plankton over Colorado’s people.
In the current election cycle, Democrats seem to think that relentless, socialist, AIPAC- and Israel-bashing, which anyone who is not stupid understands is politically sanitized anti-Semitism, will win them elections.
They also seem to think that the flood of candidates who are running on extremist platforms and committed to refusal to compromise will suddenly join the Democratic mainstream instead of the party flowing in the other direction.
If your candidate in the upcoming election is talking about anything other than water (or maybe Social Security for a bit, but I only have so much space here), they’re stupid.
The people of Colorado urgently need bipartisan cooperation and compromise to create fair water policy. We most definitely do not need more grandstanding and populist pandering.
Water powers our state’s economy.
Water impacts the cost of food, insurance and housing.
Water drives spending and tax revenue.
In short, it’s the water, stupid!
