Keep Hick at the table
Published in the Boulder Daily Camera, 5/21/19
f you love Colorado and want a different president, I have a suggestion.
Colorado is a great place. We have some of the best outdoor playgrounds in the world and have found a special balance between access to and preservation of these natural treasures. Our economy is ranked first among American states by U.S. News & World Report. Coloradans have been at the forefront of cultural waves like legalizing pot and integrating the LGBTQ community into our lives. Environmentally, we have award-winning public transportation and our major electricity supplier has promised that half of our electricity will come from renewables by 2026. We are to America today what California was at the end of the last century — the place to look at if you want to see how a better American future can unfold.
A key part of these 21st century successes has been a government that works faithfully with people and private enterprise to make life better for everyone. One man stands out who has done more than anyone to make this happen — John Hickenlooper.
After an early career in geology, in 1988, John Hickenlooper became a founder in Colorado’s craft beer industry and helped it grow into national prominence. From 2002-2010, he was the mayor of Denver who led the redevelopment of the city and supported a revolution in our region’s public transportation infrastructure. From 2011-2018, he was our governor, and he demonstrated how progressive principles can be sold to conservative lawmakers in ways that benefit the citizens of Colorado. Through his political successes, he turned a reddish state to solid blue without making half of Coloradans mad at the other half.
Now, he wants to do the same thing for America.
He’s the perfect guy for the job. Sure, there may be things about Hick that don’t please us Boulderites, like his tolerance of fossil fuels or that he’s a worldclass nerd. But Hick’s story and demeanor are exactly what Americans are looking for after four years of President Trump’s anger and divisiveness.
While Hick has not claimed fealty to the left wing of American politics, it’s becoming clear that even many Democrats aren’t committed to making America a socialist utopia. When a stinky old centrist fart like Joe Biden jumps into the race and immediately becomes the frontrunner by a mile, you know that many people want someone a bit more mainstream and, dare we say, likely to win.
What America is screaming for is a President who can figure out how our capitalistic system can be changed to cre- ate a more equal society — a topic addressed by Hickenlooper in a Wall Street Journal editorial this month. His plan was realistic in ways that only someone with extensive business and government experience can conceive and sell.
Given the chance to see and get to know Hick, America will love him. Instead of an irritating and divisive real estate tycoon, people can vote for an affable beer guy who has a great Colorado story about making government work. He is the perfect candidate to beat Trump, and if Hick gets a shot to run against the president, he wins.
Even if he doesn’t win the nomination, keeping Hick in the primary campaign will show Americans that the Democratic Party has diverse and practical ideas, not just the dogmatic positions that have dominated early conversations. The problem is, most Americans don’t know Hick. John Hickenlooper has spent his time taking care of Colorado’s business rather than grandstanding for a future presidential campaign. Coloradans who have benefitted from Hickenlooper’s service to our state need to step up to make sure that Hick stays in the game for the next year.
Whether Hick has a seat at the table is being decided over the next few weeks, as the stage is being set for the Democratic debates in June and July. These are where Americans will get to know the candidates. To get onstage, the Democratic National Committee has mandated that a candidate needs at least 65,000 separate donors to their campaign. It doesn’t matter how much money they raise, just that 65,000 different people are willing to contribute at least a buck to their campaign.
Boulder County has over 90,000 Democrats and 80,000 Independents. We alone should be able to deliver 65,000 people willing to support Hick. Do it, Boulder. Take five minutes to go to hickenlooper.com and make any donation you are willing to make — size doesn’t matter.
If you love Colorado today, you owe John Hickenlooper a thanks. If you want to love America tomorrow, chip in to keep the guy who helped make Colorado great at the forefront of the national conversation and, you never know, maybe even our next president.
f you love Colorado and want a different president, I have a suggestion.
Colorado is a great place. We have some of the best outdoor playgrounds in the world and have found a special balance between access to and preservation of these natural treasures. Our economy is ranked first among American states by U.S. News & World Report. Coloradans have been at the forefront of cultural waves like legalizing pot and integrating the LGBTQ community into our lives. Environmentally, we have award-winning public transportation and our major electricity supplier has promised that half of our electricity will come from renewables by 2026. We are to America today what California was at the end of the last century — the place to look at if you want to see how a better American future can unfold.
A key part of these 21st century successes has been a government that works faithfully with people and private enterprise to make life better for everyone. One man stands out who has done more than anyone to make this happen — John Hickenlooper.
After an early career in geology, in 1988, John Hickenlooper became a founder in Colorado’s craft beer industry and helped it grow into national prominence. From 2002-2010, he was the mayor of Denver who led the redevelopment of the city and supported a revolution in our region’s public transportation infrastructure. From 2011-2018, he was our governor, and he demonstrated how progressive principles can be sold to conservative lawmakers in ways that benefit the citizens of Colorado. Through his political successes, he turned a reddish state to solid blue without making half of Coloradans mad at the other half.
Now, he wants to do the same thing for America.
He’s the perfect guy for the job. Sure, there may be things about Hick that don’t please us Boulderites, like his tolerance of fossil fuels or that he’s a worldclass nerd. But Hick’s story and demeanor are exactly what Americans are looking for after four years of President Trump’s anger and divisiveness.
While Hick has not claimed fealty to the left wing of American politics, it’s becoming clear that even many Democrats aren’t committed to making America a socialist utopia. When a stinky old centrist fart like Joe Biden jumps into the race and immediately becomes the frontrunner by a mile, you know that many people want someone a bit more mainstream and, dare we say, likely to win.
What America is screaming for is a President who can figure out how our capitalistic system can be changed to cre- ate a more equal society — a topic addressed by Hickenlooper in a Wall Street Journal editorial this month. His plan was realistic in ways that only someone with extensive business and government experience can conceive and sell.
Given the chance to see and get to know Hick, America will love him. Instead of an irritating and divisive real estate tycoon, people can vote for an affable beer guy who has a great Colorado story about making government work. He is the perfect candidate to beat Trump, and if Hick gets a shot to run against the president, he wins.
Even if he doesn’t win the nomination, keeping Hick in the primary campaign will show Americans that the Democratic Party has diverse and practical ideas, not just the dogmatic positions that have dominated early conversations. The problem is, most Americans don’t know Hick. John Hickenlooper has spent his time taking care of Colorado’s business rather than grandstanding for a future presidential campaign. Coloradans who have benefitted from Hickenlooper’s service to our state need to step up to make sure that Hick stays in the game for the next year.
Whether Hick has a seat at the table is being decided over the next few weeks, as the stage is being set for the Democratic debates in June and July. These are where Americans will get to know the candidates. To get onstage, the Democratic National Committee has mandated that a candidate needs at least 65,000 separate donors to their campaign. It doesn’t matter how much money they raise, just that 65,000 different people are willing to contribute at least a buck to their campaign.
Boulder County has over 90,000 Democrats and 80,000 Independents. We alone should be able to deliver 65,000 people willing to support Hick. Do it, Boulder. Take five minutes to go to hickenlooper.com and make any donation you are willing to make — size doesn’t matter.
If you love Colorado today, you owe John Hickenlooper a thanks. If you want to love America tomorrow, chip in to keep the guy who helped make Colorado great at the forefront of the national conversation and, you never know, maybe even our next president.
