By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project
I wrote recently (see the first link below) about how a political agenda has hijacked the CPW Commission and they’re really not bothering to hide the ball anymore. I mentioned to someone in the comments on that post that I’d heard Commissioner Jay Tutchton had remarked about the nature of the commission’s votes and democracy.
The second link below is to a Yahoo reprint of a 9News article which has the quote I couldn’t find for the commenter. Quoting from that piece:
“Yesterday was 6-5, today was 6-5. I’m happy with democracy working,” said James Tutchton, the commission’s chair.”
Said another way, Mr. Tutchton, somewhat resignedly, commented that the vote going the way he wanted on the day prior vs. the day after was something he could live with; that this was democracy in action and he was glad everyone got a chance to weigh in.
I disagree. Rather than laying that all out here, I will share my thoughts with you and Mr. Tutchton via the open email below.
The email follows the links
An open email to Jay Tutchton and Governor Jared Polis re. how democracy is supposed to work vs. how you’ve got it working at CPW
Hello to both,
My name is Cory Gaines. I am a resident of Logan County.
I wanted to write you both regarding Mr. Tutchton’s comments. Quoting from a recent 9News article, Mr. Tutchton was heard to say at the most recent CPW Commissioner meeting: “‘Yesterday was 6-5, today was 6-5. I’m happy with democracy working,’ said James Tutchton, the commission’s chair.”
In watching the meeting Mr. Tutchton, to be fair to him, was referencing two separate votes, one of which went the way he’d have liked and the other not.
Regardless of the outcome, regardless of whether or not Mr. Tutchton, myself, or anyone else likes or does not like the votes, the way CPW is working is manifestly NOT how democracy works, or is intended to work.
A fundamental tenet of democracy, Mr. Tutchton, is popular sovereignty, that the people’s will be done. With regard to any moves to change the state’s policy around wildlife, a commission of 11 unelected, unaccountable political cronies of the current governor is not a democratic way to go about it.
This is all the more true when one considers that, per the will of the governor, these unelecteds do not, at all, represent the diversity of views in this state, and some even have ties to the very out-of-state monied group pushing the ban you were voting on.
As I have testified in front of CPW, and the multiple other unaccountable boards laden with political appointees doing more and more of the working of our state, this is not what the Founders envisioned for how things would run.
You know that. Governor Polis knows that. Everyone that’s taken civics 101 knows that.
For you to say what you said makes me wonder whether or not you are cynical enough, and have been around career politicians long enough, to utterly, unselfconsciously toss off false statements as easily as I might tell someone the sky is blue.
You and your fellow “representatives” will vote how you are going to vote. That’s why you’re in that job; it’s what the governor wanted.
You can at least, however, spare lying to our faces while you do it.
C
READ THE FULL COMMENTARY AT THE COLORADO ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT
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