I voted for Debbie Stafford, Republican. I did not vote for Debbie Stafford, Democrat.
Saying the Republican Party no longer represented her values, Republican state Rep. Debbie Stafford of Aurora announced today she is switching parties, becoming the 40th Democrat in the state House of Representatives.
Ms. Stafford, no one that voted you into office voted for a Democrat. We voted for a Republican. While that distinction is obviously not important to you, it is to us. Something that also may not be obvious to you or the people you work with is that YOU WORK FOR US.
“Ideally, I find myself a moderate and I think I would be best suited for a third party. However, the reality that our political system is not designed for a third party voice to be strong,” said. “My answer was to join a party that better reflects my values and respects my contribution. I am not leaving the Republican Party as much as I believe the Republican Party left me.”
Good riddance to bad rubbish, as they say. As I’ve always said though, regardless of who is switching or which party that person is switching to/from, you should run for re-election before you’re allowed to change parties. Doing otherwise is dishonest to the voters.
6 Comments
Did ye complain whin Ben Nighthorse Camble wint from Dimocrap to Republ’cn? I didn’t.
I did, actually. Made exactly the same observation. The people that originally voted for Campbell voted for a Democrat. His changing horses midstream - just like Stafford - cheats the voters who voted for the party, not the person.
Well OK then. I certainly understand th’ logic and principle behind that ‘un. It’s jus’ that th’ principle o’ represent’tive gummint is tricky bizness, wut with republicanism bein’ a check on pop’lar pashun and all. Fur instance, elected reps gotta vote they conscience no mattah wut, even if’n this puts ‘em at odds with they constituensee. They then faces the musik come elekshun time. So, same thing’ll happen with Staffird: she’ll either sirvive the nixt round o’ she won’t. Nighthorse Camble did, which a-means his constituensee wuzzn’t so librul that they necessarily wanted a Dimocrap for they senator. Many CO libby-left Dimocraps o’ course squealed like stuck pigs at th’ time, jus’ a-like you doin’ now ’bout Staffird, and rightly so like we sorta agree. But come elekshun time, they cudn’t put another Dim back in, so I gis the elecorate’s will wuz dun. Like I say, we’ll see what happens in Staffird’s case.
Looks a little like th’ voters kin be ’bout as fickle and unpredicturbal as some of they represent’tives. Oh the gloahray of dimocracy!
Seems we’ve reached the point where Dimmocrats and Repubs forgot what Representative government is. This is ANOTHER reason for term limits! I’m with you, Rich, on this one. We, as a populace, haven’t yelled loud enough that elected officials work for us–not the other way around. Snaggle Tooth is suggesting we wait until election time to determine what constituents want–heck, no! A politician could do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. He also suggests that politicians vote their own conscience–we didn’t elect them to vote THEIR conscience–they’re elected to vote OURS. Ms. Stafford should resign her position since she is no longer representing those who voted for her. Using Nighthorse-Campbell as an example doesn’t fly with me–he is and always will be a RINO.
But, like Snaggle, I love our republic and it’s wild and crazy democracy!!!!
Well, I vote that you post something new soon. Or else I might change parties, and we know how much you like that. I hear the food and music are better at the other party.
There is one addiction all politicians have they cannnot resist - money. Therefore there is sufficient reason to believe this change in political affiliation was driven by money, no doubt promised by the Democrats.
Thank you for your time.