Election results s ow t e power of freedom
In this election, Coloradans said yes to people- power and no to massive corporations and the wealthy few.
Paid family leave passed with flying colors after years of being killed by corporate lobbyists in the legislature because workers should never have to weigh the need to care for seriously ill family members with skipping a much- needed paycheck that puts food on the table. Voters said yes to tax initiatives that will allow the state to support the public services we need to build a strong Colorado — investments in public education, health care and roads. And we elected candidates like Chris Kolker ( State Senate District 27) and David Ortiz ( House District 38) that will put our interests first rather than tax cuts for the wealthy.
Here’s my takeaway: We the people are the ones who make way for a Colorado future where all of us can thrive, no exceptions. The record turnout shows that when Coloradans vote, we win.
Now we’ll turn to holding our new government accountable to us, the people.
Marilyn Sorensen, Denver
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Much is made of the divided nature of Americans over the past few years. Rather than always considering this to be a negative, it might be useful to look at this in a different light.
I can have one opinion about the politics of our country and my neighbor can have the exact opposite opinion. We can both talk about it over the fence, write about our beliefs and speak about our beliefs anywhere at any time.
But unlike many countries in the world, neither of us need to worry about a knock on our door in the middle of the night and a disappearance to a “reeducation camp”.
Rather than lament the different ways our citizens think about candidates and politics, perhaps we should revel at how well our society and institutions function in these tumultuous times. Divisiveness by another name can be called freedom.
Richard Plastino, Lakewood
I finally get just how divided our country is. There was no blue wave. We’re split almost in half.
I think the only solution we have to heal our country is to listen. Listen to each other. Listen to people with whom we are in disagreement. Leave our positions at the door and listen with our hearts. Leave behind the talking points of our favorite news source. Leave behind the fingerpointing and the accusations of what the other candidate did do or might do. Listen to each other’s fears and hopes. We can do this with our neighbors, family and friends — if we are very brave. But we might need some guidance to show us the way.
Who can step up to be these leaders? Is it middle of the road politicians? Clergy? Social Workers? I know some people have been doing this work for the last four years, but we need it on a larger scale. Maybe the next president can institute a Commission on Unity, so we can learn how to work together again. Like a previous letter- writer smartly suggested, maybe getting rid of the aisle and having our representatives seated by alphabetical order would be a symbolic start -- a goodfaith gesture that they care more about healing our rift, in the best interest of the United States of America, than about gaining or holding power.
Nancy Litwack- Strong, Lakewood