Colorado Democrats
by D. Cambetas

The Colorado State Democratic Party holds the same beliefs and standards as the National Democratic Party.  They believe in economic opportunity for small business and the working class citizens, national standards of education, etc.  Although there similarities in their belief systems, it is important to note certain characteristics of the state of Colorado.  These characteristics not only describe their state but also help understand the motives behind the actions of elected officials while in office.             The state of Colorado is located in the mid-west nestled in between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain Range.  The state as a whole is geographically distant from other populous regions of the United States.  For this reason Colorado is often compared to an island.  Their most populated region is the state capital of Colorado, which is the city of Denver.  Of the four million residents in Colorado, more than half of the population lives in the city of Denver. Many of the people in Colorado live in the urban setting which is the home to more than 82% of the citizens of Colorado.  The five major urban regions in Colorado are Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Lakewood, and Pueblo.  The rural areas of Colorado, such as the Great Plains, are home to only 18% of their population.  The population under the age of 18 consists of 18%, 64% of the population are between the ages of 18-64, and 10% of the population are above the age of 65.  Although the Colorado Democratic Party believes that, “ diverse people, ideas, backgrounds, cultures, and lifestyles add to the excitement of living in Colorado,” their population does not reflect diversity.  The Caucasian population encompasses 79%, the African-American population encompasses 4%, and the Asian or Pacific Islander’s population encompass only 2% of the total population.            Voting Statistics have shown that the state as a whole is moving towards voting for Republican candidates.  Colorado Democrats are in a great minority.  Registered Republics account for 36% of the registered voters in Colorado whereas, registered Democrats impose compose only 30% of registered voters.  The Democratic Party has the burden to try and win the votes of the 34% of registered voters.  The Democratic Party has the burden to try and win the votes of the 34% of the registered voters who are unaffiliated.  The past three presidential elections have shown that there is a shift towards voting for Republican candidates.             The last Party Platform that the Colorado Democratic Party has written was in 1996.  Although the party has not written a platform for the upcoming election, they expressed that the 1996 platform accurately expresses their beliefs for the presidential election in the year 2000.  The platform states their beliefs in strong economic structure, protected workforce, and strong education.              The Colorado Democratic Party believes in providing a strong economic structure, which will facilitate as a public/private partnership for its citizens.  Their platform expressed their desire to work towards, “ leading cooperative efforts between business and government to enhance the stability of small businesses.” Their belief is that, “strong competitive businesses can produce high-paying jobs and end wage stagnation.  The Colorado Democrats believe that if the government starts by supporting business, the result will be the financial stability of its citizens.” They plan on investing in education, eliminating many regulations for small businesses, and changing tax policies in order to reach this end.  Their ultimate goal is to help Americans save their assets, buy homes, and increase their spending power.  Not only do Colorado Democrats want to protect businesses, but they also want to protect the workforce.  They suggest that the government accomplish this by increasing the minimum wage and guaranteeing a safe and healthy workplace.  They believe that workers should be able to join unions and protest and picket their place of employment, as the situation deems necessary.             A major concern of most Colorado citizens is the impact of industrial growth on the state of Colorado. The Colorado Democratic Party recognizes this and proposes that government, “balance the needs for open space and recreation and at the same time preserve agriculture as a traditional base of Colorado’s economy.”  Since rapid growth is connected with their transportation system, land use patterns and the balance of rural and urban economic development.  The Colorado Democratic Party, “urges policy makers at all levels of government to look at transportation in evaluating the environmental impacts of development and to promote alternative modes of transportation which will enhance air quality and ease congestion.” The Colorado Democratic Party not only believes in protecting Colorado’s Natural and Historical Heritage but also preserving its environment and preventing future environmental damage.             The Colorado Democratic Party has stated that, “Education is the single most important investment we can make for the future of our democracy and the preservation of our planet.” They believe that America’s stable economy, safe environment, good health, and sound values all depend on the quality of education.  They are committed to the future of this country, which are the children of today.  Although they do not believe in providing school vouchers, they are willing to go as far as implementing national standards of education.