Does Ritter Have a Problem With Democrats?

It is one of those gifts of coincidental timing that my first Huffington Post Denver piece is on the day when the celebration of Mexico's independence from Spain begins. Tonight at midnight an old and tired bell will ring in Mexico City. It is the same bell that rebels rang when declaring Mexicans free to determine their destiny outside of Spain's control. Spain's power -- initiated through bitter and ruthless invasion -- never became familiar and seamless in Mexico. One of the big reasons that Spain's authority never fully took hold was its policy of keeping those of Mexican lineage as second-class citizens. While the policy served to preserve the Spanish hierarchy's power and privilege it also created an atmosphere of quiet disdain that eventually grew into a coalition of forces that built an insurmountable rebellion. On the 16th of September the bell of freedom rang.

There is a saying in politics -- "If you have problems with your base you have problems everywhere"; Governor Ritter has problems everywhere he looks. Whether it's with union organizers, youngish progressives, or with emergent Latino voters, there are problems as far as the eye can see. Ritter's problems were all so avoidable and most of them were predictable.

The emergence of Latino voters as a political power hitters in Colorado was entirely predictable. In fact, it was predicted. Problematically for Colorado's mainstream Democratic political establishment, it was only foretold by Latinos, and no one is ever a prophet in their own home. If the truth had been researched and integrated, Colorado's top political advisers may have avoided a significant problem now at their doorstep. The problem is Latino "discomfort" with the status quos within the halls of power. Alone that is problematic enough, but when added with the other unhappy members of the Democratic base, Ritter has huge problems.

That is not to say that Ritter is an innocent victim of the problems he faces -- in fact, he may be a significant factor. Whether it is moving against key labor bills or ignoring Latino leaders for key appointments, the combined impact of his own decisions has hurt him. Additionally, when added together younger progressives and independents recognize a pattern they believe to be outdated and felt they had actually voted against in the last election.

As evidence of the political sea change, Ritter is witnessing open party rebellion. Key Latino Democrats have joined with disgruntled progressives and union workers to mount a campaign against the governor's appointed U.S. Senator, Michael Bennet. Whether consciously by some, or unconsciously by others, the real target here is Governor Ritter in particular and the political direction of the Colorado State Democratic Party in general. Bennet is basically an innocent bystander, a witness to history.

Those who dismiss the forces encouraging Romanoff as wild-eyed disgruntled activists should be ignored. There is real pragmatic strategic thought at play here. As proof it is worth note that Romanoff's role in the special session on immigration, while he was speaker, may make him potentially unsupportable to a number of Latino activists. However, Latinos supporting him believe that Romanoff has accepted the challenge of gaining Latino voter trust, and those close to him tell me he is willing to address the special session issue head-on and believe he will overcome it.

So it seems Romanoff has a challenge he is ready to face, and Ritter has a problem he is yet to acknowledge. Ritter and the party elite need to take internal stock. If my sources are correct Romanoff is only the warning bell, which coincidentally rings tomorrow, the 16th, at about ten hours after midnight.

Mario Solis-Marich is a progressive talk show host who can be heard on AM 760 in the Denver metro area and on www.GoToMario.com worldwide.

For more news and commentary from Colorado, check out HuffPost's just-launched Denver section.

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Comments

[JohnHKennedy]

Ritter should not be surprised that his base is upset with him. Ritter got plenty of feedback from the base prior to the Bennet appointment. For a so called Democrat to dis unions is just suicide. Either Ritter is a man of the people or he isn't. While I don't think he can be called a bad governor, we Democrats get so few opportunities to govern that when we do we have a right to expect that those we elect will adhere to the Democratic Party Platform and fight for what "we want" more than what they want. They work for the Base not just the wealthy corporations.

As an aside, I think our US congressional representatives need to be calling for enforcement of our Federal Laws prohibiting any form of Torture. Bush, Cheney and their torture advocating appointee lawyers have obviously violated this law through a conspiracy to render it moot. If our elected representatives' Oath of Office has any meaning, they will soon call for indictment of all having anything to do with the Bush-Cheney Torture Conspiracy.

KEEP ASKING ALL POLITICIANS AT ALL PUBLIC EVENTS

"WHY DO YOU SUPPORT TORTURE?"
If they aren't actively calling for enforcement of our Federal Torture Laws,
They DO Support Torture.

SIGN THE PETITIONS
Demanding
both a Commission of Inquiry
and prosecution for all those leaders
in Bush's Administration that
Conspired to Torture at ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG

Only Prosecution Stops Torture, Abuse of Power, Constitution & Rule Of Law

[brindle]

Mario - you have listeners in western Nebraska as well. I hear you 4 hours/week on my dinner break. It's too hard to try & call in, but I enjoy both you and your supporting cast. I lived in Colorado nearly 30 years from college on, and cannot tell you how disappointed I am with Ritter, Bennett, et. al. I lived there with good governors such as Dick Lamm and Roy Romer, who were hamstrung by Republican legislatures. I lived in SW Colorado when Ben Nighthorse Campbell was elected to the US Senate as a Democrat, then switched to Republican. I attended the state Democratic Convention that nominated Gary Hart for Senate. I voted against TABOR and the incredibly bad Amendment 2 against GLBT folks. I am no longer in my 30s, and there is not much progressive happening in Nebraska. Go Romanov!!

[MsDee]

Yes, Ritter is in trouble. There is no doubt about it. Lots of Democrats are disappointed with him and his choice for Senator. Both of them have a lot of work to do. The other side really doesn't have anything to offer, but as of right now, things are not looking good for the blue.

I would hate to have to stay home.

[CaddylackSprings]

Ritter has been bad news for Democrats in Colorado and i'm watching blue dog Bennet with a keen eye

[thbriggs]

Thanks for all you do Mario! Love your show and am thrilled to read you on HuffPost! My husband and I are celebrating the debut of Huffington Post in Denver, what a welcome change following the demise of the Rocky Mountain News.

[WhiteDelyte]

Put me on that list Mario. IUEC Local 25. I voted for a bad democrat and got a good republican. I want a recount!