2013 Colorado Capital Conference

I just returned from the Colorado Capital Conference, hosted by Colorado Mesa University, the University of Colorado, and Senator Mark Udall’s office.  Hopefully the conference organizers will post Congressman Tipton’s opening remarks, or even the session where Treasury Secretary Jack Lew dropped in for a quick visit.

There were several points where the legislators emphasized how well both parties work together to help Colorado, and how we need to work together to begin making progress on unemployment, the deficit, and other problems.  Senator Udall reiterated his support for a Simpson-Bowles type of compromise, as well as his support for a balanced budget amendment.  The Budget Hero exercise we discussed demonstrated just how hard it will be find a solution.  While meeting within our diverse groups, the face-to-face time led to a more civilized conversation, but it is also much more difficult to slash and burn programs when personally faced with an advocate for that issue in the group.

At the end of the conference, it was hard to understand how our legislators are having as much difficulty as they are.  The people I met were hard working, smart, open to other ideas – even from the other party.  Still, we asked them tough questions about the irrational formulaic budget cutting method we’ve adopted (sequestration), trillion dollar deficits, cumbersome and nonsensical education regulations and tax rules, and an arrogant bureaucracy that wants to dictate how many days a week the local school cafeteria can serve potatoes. (More than one day?  It literally took an act of Congress to get them to change.)

Should we blame Congressional leadership?  The Administration?  Is it the fault of Congressional gerrymandering?  Would redistricting or more open primaries help?

It was a fascinating opportunity to meet some of the problem solvers and public servants who are working together to solve some of these problems.  I came away with more of an appreciation for our representatives in Washington.  However, I am even more convinced that government has over-reached and is crazy out of control.  When even good people can’t make the bureaucracy listen, what hope to mere citizens have?  Because even the lawyers acknowledge that the laws are strangling the teachers and businesses and doctors trying to help people, there is hope that something might be done to change the status quo.  I do hope they’ll try more, smaller solutions and fewer 2,000-page legislative opuses (like Dodd-Frank).

Personally, meeting the lawmakers helped me come to terms with our blue state status.  While I may not have personally supported a number of the folks whom I met at the conference, these are sharp, experienced people, with Colorado-moderate tendencies, and worthy of support for the hard work that is ahead of them.  I wish them luck, but at election time we should hold them accountable, too.  While the problems are dire, I think that we’ve put capable people in charge.  I wish them the best and am far more optimistic about the future than I was before making the trek to the Capital.

Douglas B. May is President of May-Investments, LLC and author of Investment Heresies.