Former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff sent an e-mail today to supporters of his bid to be the Democratic nominee in the 2010 election for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by appointed Senator Michael Bennett. Please note that additional copy regarding volunteering for the Romanoff campaign has been deleted toward the end of this excerpt:
“You gotta dance with them what brung ya.”
Most candidates for Congress spend the bulk of their time raising money from powerful interest groups - the same groups they’re expected to regulate once in office. No wonder so many politicians are reluctant to rock the boat. You can raise more money, and stay in office longer, by playing it safe.
That’s not acceptable, especially not now. History has handed us a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make meaningful and lasting progress on a host of issues, from health care to the economy to the fate of the earth itself. To make the most of this opportunity, we need bold leadership in the U.S. Senate. Timidity won’t do the trick. Real reform requires risk.
If we are serious about curbing health-care costs, for example, we’ll need to reform the ways in which we deliver and compensate care, so that providers are rewarded for improving outcomes, not simply for prescribing procedures and ordering tests. If we are serious about securing a higher standard of living for ourselves and our children, we’ll need to retool our schools, retrain our workforce and rebuild our infrastructure, rather than rely on financial gimmicks and foreign debt. If we are serious about safeguarding our environment, we’ll need nothing less than a revolution in the production and use of energy, so that we no longer have to spill our blood or spoil our skies just to power our planet.
None of these steps will be easy. But few will even be possible unless we reform our political system. Too many elections are foregone conclusions - contests in name only - or yard sales, in which public offices are auctioned off to the highest bidder. The politicians who prevail pose little threat to the status quo; their victories are bought and paid for by an incumbent-protection racket that regards democracy as bad for business.
How do we break the grip of these plutocratic potentates and reclaim our democracy? We restore the power of people. That’s why I’m writing to you today. We are building a broad, grassroots campaign, fueled by and focused on the people of Colorado. I’m proud to have enlisted more than 2,500 Coloradans in this cause, covering every county in the state.
Join Us. Together, we’ll prove that you can get elected to national office not just by trolling for dollars on Wall Street but by talking to people on Main Street.
Someone once said there are two kinds of politicians in the world: those who want to be somebody and those who want to do something. I’m running for the Senate because I want to get some things done. I will not flinch from tough decisions. I will fight every day for the far-reaching reforms we deserve in health care, job growth and energy policy. And I will jam the revolving door on Capitol Hill, so that lawmakers and lobbyists can no longer form job-sharing agreements that turn public office into private gain.
If you believe, as I do, that we need to change the tune in Washington, not just the politicians who dance to it, sign up right now.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Communicating with your constituents is not just a good way to get elected; it’s the best way to govern. That’s how I approached my job in the legislature - and how I’ll conduct this campaign. Last weekend took my team and me to Golden, Evergreen, Idaho Springs and Georgetown. Here are some upcoming events in Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood:
Wednesday, Nov. 4 Denver Organizational Meeting 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. East Montclair Community Center, 6740 E. Colfax Ave., Denver
Friday, Nov.6 Breakfast Forum with Sen. Suzanne Williams and Rep. Nancy Todd 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Panera Bread, 12293 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora
Friday, Nov. 6 Jefferson County Organizational Meeting 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Jefferson County Democratic Headquarters, 8745 W. 14th Ave. #110, Lakewood
Saturday, Nov. 7 House District 2 Monthly Meeting 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Colorado Democratic Headquarters, 777 Santa Fe Dr., Denver