<\/p>\n
Democrat policies defined the theme of Republican candidates gathered at the Cortez Conference Center last week.<\/p>\n
Political aspersions were cast against the Democrat-controlled White House, U.S. Senate, U.S. Forest Service and the EPA. The traditional election-year roasting triggered applause from the 40 or so GOP faithful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a disconnect between what is going on in Washington and the issues that we face here at home,\u201d said U.S. Rep. Scott Tipton (R-Cortez). \u201cThis election is about the future of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hometown favorite is running for a third term and is facing Democrat Abel Tapia, of Pueblo.<\/p>\n
Lack of cooperation from the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate is stalling important legislation, Tipton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have three of our bills with bipartisan support that have passed the House and are now sitting on the doorstep of the Senate,\u201d he said. But the administration\u2019s attitude is that they are \u201cdead on arrival.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tipton outlined his stalled bills that he said deserve Senate attention.<\/p>\n
The Healthy Forests Management and Wildfire Prevention Act addresses ways to more effectively prevent wildfires through increased logging opportunity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would give states and counties more control on how forests are managed and address the devastation we\u2019ve seen,\u201d Tipton said.<\/p>\n
The Planning for America\u2019s Energy Future Act focuses on developing domestic energy, rather than importing it from the war-torn Middle East.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think it is appropriate in terms of the international challenges we are seeing right now to not develop our own energy resources, and provide local jobs?\u201d Tipton says.<\/p>\n
Tipton also promoted the Water Rights Protection Act. The bill is designed to prevent federal control of local water and reign-in EPA policies. Tipton says the federal government is trying to claim private water rights in violation of Colorado appropriation laws. He says claims would violate the Fifth Amendment because it\u2019s a \u201ctaking\u201d of a private property right.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe EPA\u2019s extreme regulations try to control every drop of water that falls out of the sky onto our state,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cWe\u2019re fighting back to protect our water, but the attacks will keep coming. Ye,t our water bill sits on the Senate doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n
President Barack Obama did sign Tipon\u2019s Small Conduit Hydro-power Development Act into law last year. The bill strips redundant regulations away for small-hydro projects, making construction more affordable, and creating jobs.<\/p>\n
Don Coram, Republican state representative for the 58th District, which includes Montezuma and Dolores Counties, is running unopposed for a third term. He said a hydro project in Montrose County benefited from the Tipton\u2019s hydro bill. Coram also passed bill in the Statehouse that benefits local hydro power projects.<\/p>\n
\u201cHydro is a great base \u2013 our coal and natural gases are great bases,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is nothing wrong with wind and solar, but we need base power sources for when the sun doesn\u2019t shine and the wind doesn\u2019t blow.\u201d<\/p>\n
State Sen. Ellen Roberts represents La Plata and Montezuma county in District 6, and is running unopposed for a second four-year term. She took a few jabs at the U.S. Forest Service for what she feels is poor management.<\/p>\n
Roberts wants the forest service to do something about beetle-ravaged forests because they are an eye-sore and deter tourists. She says increased logging sales are needed to thin out forests in order to deter major wildfires like the destructive West Fork fires last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need more active forest management. The destruction on Wolf Creek Pass reminds me of a Grimms Fairy Tale,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cStanding dead and burned trees are ugly. During the fire tourists were redirected to Chama instead of along U.S. 160 to Pagosa, and onward to Durango and Cortez.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tipton bristled at claims of gridlock in Congress, claiming it\u2019s the Democrats who are stonewalling.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Obama administration and (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid call for bipartisanship,\u201d Tipton said. \u201cI submit that their idea of bipartisan is their way or no way. We need a system that works that\u2019s why we need to elect Cory Gardner to the U.S. Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n