Bravo, Senator Allard!
Posted by Richard on January 16, 2007
Colorado’s Senator Wayne Allard yesterday did something all too rare among politicians — he announced that he was going to keep a promise he’d made to the voters. In both his 1996 election campaign and his 2002 re-election battle, Allard pledged to serve only two terms. Unlike many other term-limit pledgers, Allard kept his word:
Appearing with his wife, Joan, at a press conference at the state Capitol, Allard said, "The people of Colorado placed their trust in me based on a promise I made to them and I am honoring that promise. In an age when promises are cast away as quickly as yesterday’s newspaper, I believe a promise made should be a promise kept."
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The term limits pledge was a relic of the so-called "Republican Revolution" of the 1994 election, when the GOP swept to power promising to change the ways of Washington.
As time passed, some one-time leaders of the movement, including Rep. Tom Tancredo, and others who signed pledges, such as former Rep. Scott McInnis, abandoned their promises in the name of continuing public service. Others, such as former Rep. Bob Schaffer, lived up to their pledge and went home.
Time magazine once described Sen. Allard as one of the worst senators. Consider the source. Allard has been a low-profile senator, not given to bombast or currying favor with the media. He’s focused on matters of importance to his constituents, not to the movers and shakers in Washington and New York. Someone once said that as a Senator, Wayne Allard is a pretty good veterinarian.
But Allard’s been one of the most fiscally conservative senators, consistently getting high marks from the Club for Growth and the National Taxpayers Union. Thus his announcement is bittersweet news. I’m glad he’s keeping his promise. But I’d hate to see him replaced by the promise-breaking, deal-making Republican Scott McInnis. And I’d really hate to see him replaced by the Democratic representative from the People’s Republic of Boulder, Mark Udall.
Anonymous said
Would you care to wager on his NEXT GIG? My money is on PAID LOBBYIST! That’s where the real money is!
Are you familiar with the Allard Amendment 116?
Very interesting!
Tabacco