By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice
It quite possibly is the strangest conversation former Colorado Sen. Kevin Lundberg has had in a while.
As he walked into the Larimer County Republican Party monthly meeting last week, Lundberg briefly stopped at the door to engage with protesters to the meeting he was about to attend.
“There were 8-10 people holding signs,” he said, retelling the story during his weekly call with grassroots conservatives. “I greeted them pleasantly.”
One protester was holding a sign which read, “please support the Constitution,” which struck Lundberg as odd. The protestors were being allowed their First Amendment freedom to assemble at the entry to the meeting.
He responded to that protester that he agreed, and it was a reason he was going in to do the work of the board.
Lundberg reflected on the use of the Nazi terminology toward Republicans and feeling as if some misunderstand the meaning of fascism. He notes, academically, it refers to a system in which the government controls the private sector, “they control the whole economy.”
That sounds a lot more like the Democratic Party and the State of Colorado, Lundberg told those attending his call on Monday, than Colorado Republicans.
“If you look at what is happening in the legislature, the regulation is getting worse by the moment,” he said.
The 75th General Assembly is controlled by Democrats, with only 34 of the 100 seats held by Republicans. It means in both chambers Democrats control the calendar, control which bills advance from committee to the floor, and can kill any Republican bill they want. It means bills which satisfy the Democratic agenda have a better chance at advancing. Like Senate Bill 25-003, restricting the purchase, sell and transfer of ownership of firearms, which many say is an unconstitutional measure in violation of the Second Amendment.
Lundberg gave the example of House Bill 25-1286, which would require employers to “implement protections for workers who are exposed to extreme hot and cold temperatures at the worksite, including temperature mitigation measures, rest breaks and temperature-related injury and illness prevention plans,” the bill’s summary reads.
He calls it the “Nanny-State Bill of the Year” in a state which Republicans often remind Democrats is already the sixth-most regulated state in the country.
So, what does he want the protesters to know about Republicans?
“We’re freedom-loving Americans, exercising our civil responsibilities,” he said, also noting revenues and expenses of the Larimer County Republicans are “accounted for in a very public way”.
“You can find out who gave the money, and then every dime that is spent,” Lundberg said. “We report who got the money, and for what purpose.”
Sandy Aste is the chairwoman of the Larimer County Republican Party.