I always encourage constituents to contact their representatives. In an editorial by State Senator Brandon Shaffer, he asked for his constituents to "engage in a dialog" with him on issues in the upcoming legislative session. Here's one, don't waste time playing games with the Electoral College (EC). It was attempted in 2004 with a ballot initiative that would split up the EC votes by statewide popular vote, and lost. It's been tried behind voter's backs in the Senate, throwing all of our EC votes behind the national popular vote, and lost. Senator Shaffer co-sponsored this and even voted to keep it off the ballot.

Are his constituents clamoring for this change? Or does he give more of his considerations to Majority Leader Ken Gordon, who usually spearheads this pointless, and yearly, exercise?

California is considering changing how their EC votes are split up, in this case by congressional district. To be consistent, Senators Gordon and Shaffer should throw all of their support behind this, why do I get the feeling they wont? Does it not benefit them or their party? What's good for the goose and all that, right?

It doesn't matter if California's idea isn't the same as what's been tried here. Two other states, Nebraska and Maine, already apportion their EC votes by congressional district, how many do it the way our Senates tried? (Answer zero). We should all do it the same way, whether that's abolishing the Electoral College, or some other idea. Cherry picking states for political gain, no matter who's doing it, is not acceptable. But more to the point, why does Senator Shaffer continually beat this drum and who's asking for it? Who does he really represent?

Senator Shaffer said he hopes he's proven he's "always ready and willing to listen to constituents." I know, I'm nobody, but this is an important issue, all that's been proven to me is that he has staffers who can throw out talking points. I know everyone has staffers and they are required, but we didn't vote for them. If their words are representative of his words, and if his votes on the tough issues, not the feel-good issues he often raises in his editorials, kowtow more to the senior leaders in his party instead of his constituents, then he shouldn't get any of our future votes.

©2007 Chris Rodriguez/Wrongmont.Com
(Chris Rodriguez is a Longmont resident, and the editor and publisher of Wrongmont.Com, a community website that raises local issues to increase public awareness and interest