GOP Senate Candidate Bob Shaffer Battles the Odds in Colorado
It's a tough time to be Republican in Colorado — or anywhere else. But Bob Shaffer fights on.
U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, a former state senator and Congressman from Colorado’s 4th District, sports a 99% rating from the American Conservative Union, is a model family man and boasts of expertise as an executive in a Denver-based energy investment firm. But those are difficult credentials in a year that is shaping up to make the tsunami of 2006 look like a ripple for Republicans. He is up against popular Congressman Mark Udall and running in a state where Barack Obama has moved into a small lead.
I interviewed him on Friday about the financial crisis and his views on energy, judges, and race-based preferences as well as the prospect of a Democratic-dominated federal government. He speaks briskly with little trace of Washington-ese that hampers many candidates. And despite the dismal outlook for many Republicans appears remarkably upbeat about his prospects.
What did he think about the Paulson rescue bill and the bank nationalization?
“I’m not in favor of it.” He quickly contrasts himself with his opponent: “My opponent Mark Udall’s views are very centered on government and having government nationalize banking institutions.” He voices two objections. First, he says Congress went on “a five week vacation, came back for two weeks and then left again.” This, he says, made for situation where Congress had to move “fast and not think about it.” He objected to the approach of Secretary Hank Paulson and the Bush Administration which presented “just one solution.” He contends that was the most expensive option, a $700B bailout, which essentially left the government in the position to “borrow more money and print more money.” The result he says is that the value of the dollar will be diminished and “your buying power is dropping.” He points to the total cost of $1.1-1.5 trillion, a large percentage of what is an average annual budget of $3 trillion.
What would he have done differently?
“I would have kept Congress in session. I would have put the budget committee in a room and found real savings. I would have put the tax writing committee in another room and found deep, serious and meaningful tax relief.” He suggests taking capital gains tax rates to zero for a year and passing legislation to allow firms “to repatriate funds from foreign banks — drop that rate to 5 ¼%.” He says, “We should treat this as a full scale crisis.”
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Jennifer Rubin is PJM's Washington, DC, editor. She also blogs at Commentary’s Contentions.
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9 Comments
1. Marc Malone:One thing that doesn’t get hit on enough during the campaigns is how poorly most Dem areas are doing. They blame the woes on the Pubs and get away with it. The statistics are very clear. When the Dems take over an area, government gets out of control, and small businesses take a hit.
The worst areas are the ones which have been under Dem control for a long time. At least in CO, they can point to the downturn happening just recently. We have, fortunately, a very clear situation in WA. The previously balanced bduget has jumped to $3.2B in the 4 years since the Dems stole the 2nd vote recount with a box full of suddenly-located ACORN ballots.
In the rematch, I fully expect Dino Rossi to win. How do you argue with a $3.2B debt increase in 4 years, with no results? Rossi’s been the guy actually balancing our budgets for years, as a state legislator.
Oct 21, 2008 - 2:43 am 2. Paul Hsieh:I used to be a Republican because I support individual rights, free markets, gun rights, and a strong national defense. I voted Republican in 1996, 2000, and 2004. But I won’t in 2008.
My views are still the same. However, the Colorado Republican Party has been alienating former supporters such as myself because it is emphasizing various issues that the “social conservatives” care about — such as banning abortions, opposing embryonic stem cell research, and stopping gay marriage. And as the son of legal immigrants from Taiwan, their anti-immigrant stance is a real turn-off.
Although I dislike the leftist economic agenda of the Democrats, I view the Religious Right as far more serious threat to the long-term future of America.
To paraphrase a classic quote from Ronald Reagan, “I didn’t leave the Republican Party; the Republican Party left me”. (He was of course referring to the Democratic Party in his original).
If the Republicans are willing to return to their roots and support individual rights and limited government, and endorse the separation of church and state, then I’d be happy to support them again.
But if they want to get in bed with the Religious Right, then they’ll lose voters like me and they’ll continue to lose elections in Colorado. And they’ll deserve to.
This essay by Ari Armstrong summarizes my views perfectly:
“Faith-Based Politics Costs Colorado Republicans”
http://www.seculargovernment.us/blog/2008/10/faith-based-politics-costs-colorado.shtml
Paul Hsieh, MD
Oct 21, 2008 - 9:11 pm 3. nick:Sedalia, CO
Co-founder, Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine (FIRM):
http://www.WeStandFIRM.org
Udall will get more votes than Obama in Colorado
he is white!
and Shafer is a far right candidate,
Oct 21, 2008 - 11:39 pm 4. Cojacket:Colorado has become purple because of changing demographics. We have a lot of liberals who are fleeing high cost high tax democrat bastions like California where their policies have created problems. But, these people bring those very same disastrous liberal policies with them. So Colorado has become purple.
I only wonder what these people will do once they screw up Colorado.
Oct 22, 2008 - 9:42 am 5. nick:its still GOP edge
Oct 22, 2008 - 8:24 pm 6. nick:but they dont win Statewide
becasue Focus on family picks the candidates for them
hseih – we need to pressure dems after election to be fiscal aware,
it might happen
Oct 22, 2008 - 8:55 pm 7. Dave Barnes:For fun reading about how “Big Oil , Sweatshop” Bob Schaffer is tanking, please surf to http://www.coloradopols.com/
Oct 23, 2008 - 7:23 pm 8. Mary K. Allen:Bob Schaffer is the best thing to happen to our state of Colorado in a long time. Hopefully, he will defeat the far left liberal, Udall, and be victorious on Nov. 4th. Odumbo has a very slight lead right now. That will hopefully be erased by the excellent GOP ground game in this state.
Oct 23, 2008 - 8:49 pm 9. nick:GO JOHNNY GO!
mary allen was another of he Focus on family MORONs
who think dinosaurs lived 6000 years ago
Nov 9, 2008 - 11:30 am