Did Owens Pull a Fast One on the Donkeys?

We hear that Governor Bill Owens and some Republican leaders are privately patting themselves on the back over how the TABOR agreement went down.

As the story goes, Owens played Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff and Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald off of each other, telling Romanoff one week that he couldn't deal with Fitz-Gerald, then a week later telling Fitz-Gerald that Romanoff was impossible. This went on for weeks, with one of the results being that both Romanoff and Fitz-Gerald ended up signing essentially the same proposal that they had rejected in December. Some Democrats are privately scratching their heads over why Romanoff and Fitz-Gerald had them on record as opposing greater concessions in the TABOR discussion when they ended up with the same deal that they could have had months ago.

Of course, this is just the Republican version of the story. Democrats could just as easily claim that they gave more ground for the good of Colorado and are the true bi-partisan leaders in this mess. Believe what you will.

Comments

[Phoenix Rising]

Owens certainly didn't his own agreement out of the TABOR reform measure. Neither did anyone else, from what I've been able to read. The Democrats are certainly happy with what they got, though I think they gave up some important points to get it through.

The agreement will be good for Colorado, and I think that's what matters. Owens is happy; Fitz-Gerald is happy; the House Dems are happy. OTOH, Bruce isn't happy and Norquist isn't happy - I'd say that means it's a real reform at some level...

[vladimir]

Hey -- Not a bad deal made -- but, Joanie, and little Andrew had the same deal on the table in December -- instead they had their minions vote on more liberal measures and than doubled back and took exactly what they could have had without the potentially politically damaging votes --
1. Don't send Joanie and Andrew to negotiate the purchase of a new car -- you'll pay double the sticker
2. There is a reason why Ownes is the Governor and Joanie and Andrew never will be -- Owens played those two like a violin
3. Maybe the Dems should elect real leaders --
leaders that don't allow themselves to be played --
How 'bout Alice Madden challenging Andrew and Dan Grossman challenging Joanie -- we'd have been a whole lot better off with those two in charge

[Phoenix Rising]

I don't recall the Gov ever offering a package even marginally like the one agreed upon. The only thing that looks like the Gov's plan is the date of re-authorization: 5 years.

[Ralph]

Andrew Romanoff gives the impression that he's a complete rookie who stomps his feet and holds his breath like a petulant child until he gets his way.

That's not what Democrats need.

[vladimir]

Mr. Phoenix R -- just read the December stories where the Guv had a news conference announcing what he was willing to do -- take the content thereof and compare with the final deal -- note similarities
Sorry, but the Dem leadership should have decided how far they were going in December before having members cast votes that will bite them in the ass later