Oil and Gas Task Force Accomplished its Mission, But Democrats Still at Risk

It was never likely Governor John Hickenlooper’s Oil and Gas Task Force was going to satisfy either its anti-fracking members or the broader anti-hydrocarbon interest groups. They wanted, at a minimum, local control that supersedes state regulations of oil and gas and many wanted an outright statewide ban.

But Hickenlooper, industry supporters and more moderate participants accomplished a number of goals. They created a process that produced some modest improvements for local governments’ effort to manage the industry’s exploration and production. Also important, they improved their position vis-à-vis the inevitable ballot initiative. They can now argue that they made the effort and accepted a series of increased regulations in the state with the most regulations. The anti-frackers and anti-oil and gas groups appear increasingly unreasonable and extreme.

Of course, the Governor and his fellow Democratic leaders accomplished their main goal of keeping the initiatives off the 2014 ballot. But, it will be back, and if supporters can find a deep pocket supporter(s) they might get to the ballot and cause problems for Senator Michael Bennet, a more gas and oil-oriented Democrat than Mark Udall. Hence, the recent tension between Democratic leaders in the Colorado Legislature and the Party’s broader leadership. Frankly, it wasn’t clear, even with Congressman Polis funding anti-frackers, if they were going to win in 2014. But, they were likely to be a distraction. The anti-frackers appear to have even less political strength today outside Boulder and the immediate impacted areas.

But the issue is a major test for Hickenlooper and should produce continued political drama.

See:
Denver Post: As Colorado oil and gas task force finishes, obstacles remain
Denver Post: Colorado oil, gas task force sends 9 measures on to governor’s desk
CPR: Hickenlooper: Oil and gas task force recs ‘probably should be enacted’

Netanyahu Makes Case, White House Very Irritated

Israeli PM Netanyahu

President Obama, Secretary Kerry and NSC Advisor Rice all dedicated substantial time criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu for his speech before Congress. In fact, while trying to anticipate and reduce the effectiveness of Netanyahu’s arguments, the White House increased the audience and drama.

The impact of the speech will be played out the next several weeks, but Netanyahu commanded the House and received a series of thunderous ovation.

Going into the speech, Netanyahu had a 45 percent favorability rating, with 24 percent unfavorable. The nearly 2-to-1 positive rating reflects an increase in his favorability from 35 percent in 2012. Hence, conflict with the White House the last few years hasn’t hurt. In fact, Netanyahu’s favorability with Democrats is up since 2012 by 6 points, and among Republicans, up 10 points.

Hickenlooper Recovers With Colorado’s Economy

Governor John Hickenlooper now has a 53 percent approval rating – not spectacular, but above 50 percent and a recent high for him. He was consistently below 50 percent in a series of 2013 Quinnipiac surveys and survived a tough 2014 re-election by only three points, or 60,000 votes (49%).

Hickenlooper is now 10 points above President Obama and 14 points ahead of his fellow Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Both Bennet and new U.S. Senator Cory Gardner had more than 30 percent of the electorate unable to rate them.

Some of Hickenlooper’s recover in approval stems from his victory in November and from a new divided legislature, which is less likely to produce controversial liberal legislation or conflict with conservative proposals. But mostly the Governor is benefitting from his association with an economy that the public appears finally upbeat about.

The poll showed 69 percent of voters now claim to be satisfied with the way things are going in the state (only 32% of Americans believe the country is moving in the right direction). And 76 percent claim the state’s economy is “good” or “excellent.” Also, more than half (54%) say “it’s getting better.”

See 9News: Brandon Rittiman and I review Colorado politics

Photo: 9News Balance of Power

Diana DeGette “Skipping” the Speech

Rep. Diana DeGette

Denver Congresswoman Diana DeGette, representing the state’s largest Jewish community, is “skipping” (CNN, March 3, 2015) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech before a joint session of Congress. She joined 53 other Democrats, many of whom said they were boycotting the speech due to it being an unwelcomed high-profile challenge to the Obama administration’s Iranian
negotiations.

DeGette is Colorado’s longest serving congressperson having been first elected in 1996 and starting service when she was 40 years old in 1997. She is in her 10th term. Re-election in 2016 would make it 20 years.

Is DeGette in her last term? Is she thinking about retirement? There is regular talk about when she might retire. There would be a scramble for the seat since it produces considerable job security. The previous occupant, Pat Schroeder, served 24 years.

Congratulations Denver International Airport

A celebration of the Denver International Airport’s (DIA) twenty years of operation is underway. It has turned out to be one of the greatest economic decisions in which the Denver metro area ever participated.

Planning began a decade earlier, shortly after the election of Federico Peña in 1983. Once a decision was made to move the airport from Stapleton and not expand it onto the nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal, much of the civic and business community went to work promoting the massive site 20 miles northeast of downtown Denver.

The new president and CEO of the Denver Chamber Dick Fleming and chair of the Denver Chamber Board Dick Kirk (board chair and CEO of United Bank of Denver) authorized a regional survey of residents as to the level of support for a new airport and some of its characteristics, such as how far out from the city would be acceptable.

Ciruli Associates Poll

Denver Airport

March 1987

• 72% very or somewhat important to build (49% very important)
• 38% moving too slowly on project
• 74% taxpayers will pay to build it (not correct information)
• Make drive to new airport within 25 to 40 minutes

Shortly after this poll was released, Federico Peña was re-elected mayor of Denver, and in 1989 a successful vote in Adams County approved annexation of the land to Denver.

Political Families With Baggage

Both Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush benefit from the public identifying their last names, but suffer from baggage – more for Bush.

Hillary Clinton beats Jeb Bush by 44 percent to 36 percent in the latest Colorado Quinnipiac poll. One of Bush’s handicaps in Colorado is the Bush presidential history. Thirty-nine percent of voters said his “father and brother” both serving as president made them less likely to vote for him. Due to Bill Clinton’s presidential stint, Hillary has a quarter (24%) of voters saying they are less likely to support her.

Hillary Clinton’s most serious handicap will be the current Democratic president. The poll showed 58 percent of the electorate want the “next president generally…change direction from Barack Obama’s policies.”

See The Buzz: Clinton ahead by less than margin of error

Putin and Nemtsov

Assuming Russian President Vladimir Putin is not stupid enough to be involved with the murder of one of the few high-profile opponents who hasn’t been driven off the political stage, the picture of Boris Nemtsov’s body framed by St. Basil’s Cathedral and the brightly lit Kremlin wall captures the state of Russian political freedom.

Regardless of Putin’s and his government’s direct responsibility, a decade of Kremlin-led political repression, now joined with a war fervor, which labels all dissidents as traitors and representatives of foreign agents, has all but ended political liberties in Russia.