Republican Colorado State Senator Ray Scott can’t even fix a typo

Ray Scott

Denver Post: State Senator Ray Scott (R- Mesa County) cast a “spiteful, obstructionist vote” against fixing an error in a bill passed in Spring, 2017 that is costing western slope transportation districts crucial funds needed to operate

Governor Hickenlooper called a special session in early October so legislators could fix a mistake in Senate Bill 17-267, passed last spring, that is costing public entities across the state millions of dollars in lost pot tax revenues.

Legislators passed the bill with an error in it that keeps voter-approved special districts across the state from collecting marijuana sales taxes to fund their services. Many of the affected districts, like the Denver Regional Transportation District, the Denver Zoo, the Denver Botanic Gardens and Museum of Nature and Science are on the front range, but western slope entities are losing critical funding as well. Western slope districts losing funds because of the error include the Gunnison Valley Regional Transportation Authority, the Summit Combined Housing Authority, the Roaring Fork Regional Transportation Authority, the San Miguel Regional Transportation Authority and the Edwards Metropolitan District.

At a special session convened to address the problem during the first week of October, a bill to fix the error that originated in the Democratic-controlled House passed by a 37-25 vote, mostly along party lines. Our very own Rep. Dan Thurlow (R-Mesa County), was the only Republican House Representative who voted for the fix. In arguing to pass it, Thurlow said, “We’re here. We spent the money [for the special session]…I think we should just go ahead and fix it.”

Ray Scott is one of Three Responsible for Tanking the Fix

Representative Dan Thurlow voted for the fix

Sounds like common sense, right? Well then, Thurlow was the only Republican with common sense.

State Senator Ray Scott, a Republican of Mesa County who even serves on the Senate Transportation Committee, voted against the fix. 

Scott was one of three Republican senators who blocked the measure from passing, resulting in the special session ending without the bill being fixed.

Why would any legislator refuse to fix an error in a bill that is hurting his constituents, when he’s at the Capitol at a special session called for that very purpose?

Ray Scott wouldn’t say. The Denver Post editorial board called the vote “shenanigans” by Republicans, saying the “three GOP lawmakers [who tanked the fix] cast a spiteful, obstructionist vote to score political points and punish innocent government entities with small but significant erroneous budget cuts.”

The most likely reason Ray Scott voted against fixing the typo? The two bills introduced to fix it (one in the Senate and one in the House) were both drafted by Democrats.

 

 

 

  21 comments for “Republican Colorado State Senator Ray Scott can’t even fix a typo

  1. Seamus, AP has a decisive point in regards to our political parties. Look what happened when one female Democratic Representative Sanchez stepped out to state the obvious…Pelosi and Schumer need to step aside for the younger generation of leaders to take the lead. My Gods, you think the Earth shook Washington DC to the core for blasphemy. In my profession, as an RN, it was not only imperative, but my DUTY to teach and support my less experienced colleagues to enhance their knowledge base. See one, Do one, Teach one. The Democratic party heads smell of necrosis. Can you not smell it? I was a registered Republican for decades. I saw the writing on the wall change under the demands of Reagan. Clinton’s sexual foolishness as President and subsequent loss of reticence to go to war by Bush, convinced me that revolution in some form ( I hope we can awaken the masses peacefully), is in this nation’s future. That is scary because we no not where or what will trigger the tipping point. I think it is going to be healthcare over race, over wealth, over education. Just-out-of-reach healthcare to the masses will be the trigger. When your children die needlessly in war its a “mistake” but if they die because you are not insured, the wrong gender, the wrong color…THAT is not “Christian” and not right. Flint is an example. Now Puerto Rico. And if poor whites think they are going to get better treatment….well that’s just foolishness.

  2. I attended a Chamber meeting that was attended by Ray Scott (to the surprise of everyone there), Yuellin Willet, and Dan Thurlow. Willet and Scott sat at a table corner and had multiple one to one private interactions. Thurlow did not sit with them. Schwenke asked Thurlow for an explanation of why the issues with the legislation was not fixed. His explanation was concise and thorough. He tried not to show his frustration, but it was apparent. Then I asked Willet why he did not vote for the corrections. Schwenke restated the question at Scott who immediately through it to Willet because he is the “lawyer speaker.” Willet basically fell on the TABOR sword. But it was clear that he followed the Republican-lemming over the cliff. If TABOR was the reason, then Willet is not the lawyer I thought he was as the courts backed up the measures needed to make corrections without special and costly election processes. The people at this meeting came from all spectrums of the political rainbow. But Scott and Willet definitely saw this a a “win” against Hickenlooper, who I personally do not approve of his attitude towards the health and safety of Coloradans when it comes to oil and gas development. We have to stop supporting a kakistocracy and Scott and Willet are a symptom of that.
    PS AP I am always right about everything…just ask me. You did sound tough.

    • Benita,
      Did I sound tough? Well maybe that’s because I are poor white working class. And I’ve had to fight my way through life. It’s extremely frustrating for me having been there and done that (and I have the scars to prove it) to listen to the talking points.

      You, Benita, are probably more familiar with the knock down drag out dog fight on a daily basis that it took to overcome the status quo party politics, that we were confronted with. You were there when we made serious mistakes. Because we had to start from scratch. On the job training, on the cheap. And we were half beaten to death before we could figure out what we were doing right. And just as an aside, I bailed out of the Republican Party years before you did. And I doubt that you’d argue with me if I were to tell you it was a twenty four/seven/three sixty five knife fight in a phone booth.

      We have a shot. It’s a thin one, so thin at times, it seems to have only one side. If we blow it, we’re screwed, glued and tattooed. We got half the job done. And now it’s hurry up and wait. But I am seeing no movement where my experience tells me there will have to be movement. This is not something that we can do for you. If it were, you’d see me right in the middle of the fur-ball, killing snakes with a hoe. We can advise you, and even to a certain extent back you up, but this is your fight. And either you’re going to do it or it ain’t going to get done. And the only problem I have with that is that we’re all stuck here on this blue marble. But even that is better than the alternative.

      I really have nothing against Seamus. The fact is, I kind of enjoy his learned by rout rhetoric. But he’s not going anywhere, and I can’t stand still. We’ve just come too far for that. We’ve invested too much and we have too much to lose. Trump was sent to Washington for two reasons. First to rattle cages. And second because he could finance his own campaign. And love him or hate him, he’s definitely rattling cages.

      The idea is to break the paralysis, and fight the hard fight now, so that our children and grandchildren will be privileged to argue partisan politics in their time. I am a soldier, that my son may be a farmer, that his son may be a poet.

  3. Which means that Yeulin Willett, also obstructed the passing of this fix. Does what these Republican legislators have done make ANY logical sense?
    This is why I am no longer a Republican after almost 30 years of being registered as a Republican. After Reagan took the reigns, moderation, logic and common sense began to breakdown in the Republican party. Look at what they are doing to and with the health of the very citizens they are suppose to be serving…especially women. Our government is so out of balance that it can no longer govern and protect this country.
    One side would say the imbalance started with a black President. One side would say it started with the moronic present President.
    Historically, as mature nations age, this type of dehiscence in a government heralds disintegration. That disintegration took time. Many in our generation would point to the VietNam war as the beginning. But greed is somehow a factor in the rapidity of the disintegration.
    I hope this nation wants to continue to exist and I hope 2018 will be the start of its healing. We have to vote in better representatives at the local, state and federal levels which means that people have to leave these self-serving “political” parties behind as they will never support the culture of democracy.

    • Benita is correct in one thing. Political parties represent political parties. That was the revolt that you saw with the genesis of the Tea Parties. We did not attack the Democrats. We did in fact attack the Republican party. We were the insurgency. And Donald Trump is our President.

      Now the Bernie folks have an opportunity to do the same thing on their side. But rather than do that, they’re spending their time cow-towing to the status quo. Now, that’s not the beginning of something, it’s the end of something; the peaceful transfer of power. That is, unless those of the Democrat persuasion have convinced themselves that all will be forgiven should they ever regain power.

      Well, that’s not a happening thing. You may well regain power in time, but you’re going to face what you’ve been trying to dish out on steroids, when and if you do. No, your best shot is to follow through with your threat to impeach Trump, which according to your Clinton News Network is low hanging fruit.

      Your real problems will begin the day after, and they won’t have one damn thing to do with the GOP. And everything to do with a one party system. And what you should know. All of that is coming, regardless of what happens to Trump. You see, Trump didn’t invent the deplorables. We invented Trump. And Trump or no Trump, we intend to have government out of our lives and off the back of the working people.

      And my advice is not to get any of that on ya. Because I can guarantee you Babbo won’t wash it off. We didn’t start this thing, but we’re damn well going to finish it. And that’s a promise. So just any old time you guys feel froggy, then jump. We were expecting you yesterday. But we’ll be here for ya anytime you’re ready.

      • Wow. a bunch of empty badass talk from a querelous old wannabe tough guy who’s actually powerless to implement most of his dreams of power and relevance.
        How Presidential.

        • An anecdotal, but astute observation Seamus. Which might give you a clue as to why Trump is your current President. And how’s that working out for ya?

          • We’ll survive him, just like we’ve survived all the others. The reputation of the Republican party will take a serious hit, however, as will the reputation of the fools who put him into office. I remember when people crowed about being proud they voted for Nixon; now, it’s hard to find anyone who admits they did. That kind of attitude works fine in the echo chamber of the Grand Valley, but once you leave this valley, covered in its fog of belligerent, willful ignorance and self-satisfied bigotry, you’ll find the rest of the world regards you as a joke and an embarrassment, just like your President. In order to avoid that and protect your ego…you have to stay here. That’s your sentence.

          • Why shouldn’t I be here? This valley used to be a lot more reasonable. I have a nice piece of property, it’s not my fault you people have gotten stupider, meaner, and crazier with age. The valley will progress or die out. I have time.

            Your vicarious authority is as toothless as any other threat you make. Which is why Trump makes you feel so powerful. Aside from sucking off of his authoritarianism, you have nothing except your own hilariously bloated self-importance. History is on the good guys’ side. Not yours. You’ll be long gone before it’s fixed, of course, and yo can enjoy that as long as you can…but your legacy will be shameful and downright laughable.

          • “Why shouldn’t I be here”? Well logic would dictate probably your attitude Seamus. And of course, your conviction in all the reasons you listed for not wanting to live here. I know I certainly wouldn’t want to live in a place as you describe in your previous Trump derangement syndrome infused rant.

            Have you ever tried breathing into a paper bag? Or perhaps getting one of your amigos to hold your head under water for a little while? Calm down sir. Just judging by your writing, the veins in your neck are bulging.

            And endure it you must.

          • You keep fantasizing that you’re having an effect that you’re not, and that’s sad in itself. I’m not upset. You and your ilk don’t scare or threaten me; when I was stationed in Asia, we called guys like you Paper Tigers. All talk and badass self-granted nicknames, like…well…”American Patriot”. Again…so much like your President.

            As for staying here…it’s pretty simple. I have the right to, and, after all…someone has to watch out for the people you and your ilk like to victimize because they’re “different”.

          • “Because they’re “different”. Perhaps that’s who you were referring to in your post at 4:20PM when you interestingly used the term “you people”? If you find yourself in a hole Seamus, you probably should quit digging. Why open your mouth and remove all doubt?

            Tell me Seamus, when you did your tour ”in Asia”, did you see much combat? And oh yeah, thank you for your service. And I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that I stand for the National Anthem. And I’m even empowered to salute. Tell me Seamus, is it still hot in Asia, or has it cooled down some since last I was there? (Global Climate Change)

          • Now, you’re just babbling. And no, I was a cold warrior, but I still qualify for membership in the VFW. Not that I would; I leave that to people who actually saw combat. Although there are plenty of people who like to leave out that they never actually saw combat, just that they were war-era veterans, and they let others assume they were. That’s another kind of cowardice.

            I could care less whether you stand, or sit, or kneel during the National Anthem.
            The Constitution (that I took an oath to defend) says you have to the right to do what you like in that respect. Hell, it even “empowers” anyone to salute. I mean, has anyone ever been arrested for saluting?

          • So you’re a cold war era veteran? Now, that was a long war, I mean as wars go. Oh, I’m sorry, did break your constipation? What does “you have to the right to do” exactly mean? Is that the same Constitution that the rest of us use? Now, ordinarily I would think that was just a typo, like perhaps misspelling constipation, but with your mood swings, I find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to ask.

            Well, at least you’re not still on your “Trump derangement syndrome” hissy fit. Glad I could help.

          • Check your meds. Now you’re just babbling.
            Everyone can see what I said, pretty clearly.
            And everyone can see why you’re losing control over it.
            The self-described Patriot, to use a historically comparable term, is nothing but a sniveling Tory, groveling at the feet of his bloated, depraved, came-by-everything-by-birth master who openly threatens to abolish freedoms you claim to hold dear. You’re okay with that, as long as they’re abolished for other people.

        • Here’s your problem Seamus. You’re conflicted. You can’t be the insurgency and the status quo at the same time. They’re like oil and water. Now, I gave you the benefit of the doubt when I noticed you keep referring to “Republicans”. And of course, that means you’re stuck on stupid.

          Why don’t you go back and read my original post back to Benita’s comment. The actual post, not your agenda’s mind eye or interpretation. And you may need to let it soak for awhile, and realize that fight within the Democrat party is long overdue. And the very worst thing that can happen is that fight is delayed beyond 2018, the midterms. Because that will be the harbinger of a one party system. And what you’ll need to know about that is that it won’t be your party.

          The Republicans were at least smart enough to see the handwriting on the wall, and try to hitch a ride on the Trump train. And those that weren’t smart enough, either won’t be running for reelection or won’t be running for reelection as Republicans. Just to be clear, smile and wait for the purge.

          Now, I’m not interested in a one party system. However, I’m sure that the Republicans are. It seems that everybody wants to rule the world, without regard or ordinary care for the balance of power. But the fact is, time is running out for the Bernie folks to make their move.

          Control of the Democrat status quo machine is still firmly in the hands of the status quo. Now, that’s exactly the same folks that gave you Hillary Clinton as a candidate. And that’s fine if you want to hitch your wagon to that falling star.

          However, the direction you’re being led, herded to, will in fact never get you to where you want to be. It’s exactly the same problem we (the Tea Party) faced with the status quo GOP. At the time they were O for 2 with Hillary Clinton waiting in the wings to make it a hat trick. By necessity, we became the intervention and like the calvary we arrived just in the nick of time. Not too soon, not too late.

          The point is, you may feel that you’re breaking trail just because you’re about to go where no political party has gone before. But you’re actually on a well trod path to irrelevance. Same old, same old. And you’ve been provided with a window of opportunity, but that window is closing most ricki tic. And the end game will not be conducive to a harmonious outcome for any of us.

          From experience, I can tell you, what will be required is to step outside the political agenda and do a no BS assessment of where the base is, and where the party disconnect is, and move decisively. Now, I’m reasonably sure that Benita fully understood the urgency in my post. Mainly because we’ve discussed it throughout the ten years that it took us (the Tea Party) to effect the changes that were necessary to establish our relevance, beyond the Republican party.

          Unfortunately, you don’t have the luxury of that kind of time. What you do have is a blueprint; or at least those on your side that have been paying attention to what we’ve done on our side and how we did it have a blueprint. What’s lacking is the will. And you’ll have to find that for yourselves. It’s not an easy thing to do. And no doubt, when and if you accomplish the task, you will have scars. I can assure you that we do. But we’re over the hump, and we’re moving forward.

          Now Seamus, you’re going to do what you’re going to do. And no doubt the time will come when God willing, we will revisit this conversation. In the meantime, no offense, but I really do have bigger fish to fry. And I’d love to stay and bandy words, ad nauseam with you. I don’t know why, perhaps I find some perverse pleasure in allowing you to expose yourself in public. But that won’t get the job done for either one of us. And as I’m sure you’re aware, we do have a country to make great again.

          And your participation in that is elective, and it’s kind of like being pregnant. Either you are, or you are not. But in the meantime, consider yourself exposed to the possibility. And you can get angry, pull your pants up and go home, or you can go to work, in the understanding that only you can hold you back. That’s the epiphany, the revelation and the fundamental transformation that is required. And either you’re up for it or you’re not. Either way, it’s what is happening. And I look forward to the day and the possibility that we might have a civil discussion around the issues, policies and our collective future. Until then, just get on with your bad self. You can lead, follow or just get the hell out of the way. The choice is yours.

          • It’s a tad hard to take any of your “independent” rhetoric seriously when you grovel at the feet of a President who is openly promoting fascism; calling for repercussions against people he disagrees with for simply protesting peacefully, and threatening take governmental actions against the media that disagrees with him. You have abandoned the things you bleat so loudly about supporting in order to be a good supplicant to a narcissistic fool. You can’t expect people to take your brave stance seriously when you’re on your knees, willingly and proudly, to a tyrant.

          • Just out of curiosity Seamus, is it your reading or your comprehension? Or is the implant chip in your head bigger than the chip you carry around on your shoulder?

          • Actually, my reading comprehension is good enough to see the truth in the vague statements you make, as they can be easily interpreted as something else, while giving you enough latitude to say “I never actually said…”. That’s why you’re “bowing out”.

          • I retract my former statement. You’re not stuck on stupid, *********.

            I responded to Benita’s post. Had I any idea you would feel the need to insert yourself in that conversation, I would have dumbed it down appropriately, to assure your complete understanding. You do know of course, that you don’t have to be a complete jerk full time. Take a break.

            (Note: Derogatory name calling has been edited out. Please no name-calling behavior in comments on this blog.)

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