There can be a great danger in considering yourself an "expert" in any issue. By insisting that your knowledge and view of a particular subject comes from a base of true expertise, two things tend to happen: 1) You end up talking about an issue so much that it grows larger than you can control, and 2) You can back yourself into a corner by relying on your self-appointed expertise over the advice and recommendations of anyone else.
I almost caught a fish THIS big!
It seems these days that Governor John Hickenlooper finds him self in a fracking morass. While concerns over fracking dominate conversations at the local level (Longmont, Ft. Collins), Hickenlooper seems to go out of his way to keep the controversy at the top of the fold both statewide and nationally. It would be one thing if Hickenlooper's positioning on fracking meshed well with the opinions of a majority of Colorado voters, but he has planted himself firmly on the pro-drilling side of the argument — a curious approach, to be sure, for a guy who seems almost obsessive about movement in his approval ratings.
One day he is gleefully telling Congress that he once drank fracking fluid; a few days later, he emails supporters to say. "I don’t think there’s any frack fluid right now that I’m aware of that people are using commercially that you want to drink." In December Hickenlooper said that that the State of Colorado won't sue Longmont over the city's November vote to ban fracking. Then last Wednesday, Hickenlooper defiantly said that the State of Colorado will sue any city that attempts to ban fracking within its borders. Having trouble keeping up with the frackts of the day? You're not alone.
Now, here's where we start to enter a land of complete and utted ridiculousness on the part of Gov. Hickenlooper. Check out his statements that appeared on Saturday in the Grand Junction Sentinel:
He said the debate over oil and gas production needs to be fact-based and respectful, and reflect some willingness to compromise.
“The real challenge is getting everybody on the same facts,” he said [Pols emphasis].
He said he’s probably spent as much time looking into the facts surrounding drilling and fracking as he has exploring any other issue, and started out with a good knowledge base thanks to his work in the industry.
"The real challenge is getting everybody on the same facts." If by "everybody," Hickenlooper means "the Governor," then we totally agree. But it's hard to get everybody on the same "facts" when Hickenlooper changes those "facts" on a regular basis…
There's no doubt that Hickenlooper's support of increased oil and gas drilling is making the oil and gas industry very happy. But why does he continue to put himself out in front of a speeding bus driven by, well, everyone else? The cuts are slow and many, but fracking is killing him politically. Hickenlooper's insistence that he knows the issue because he was once a geologist is like saying you are an iPad expert because you helped build the first Macintosh PC; technology changes at a rapid pace, no matter the industry.
Maybe Hick is correct — maybe he really, truly does know fracking and is justified in his statements that the practice is completely safe. But if that's the case, why is he so bad at explaining the "facts" (whichever they may be) and leading all sides toward even a modicum of political consensus? Maybe, Governor, you don't understand fracking nearly as well as you think you do. There's no shame in that; your days as a geologist were a long time ago, and nobody would expect you to have followed the changing science, technology, and potential health risks over the years.
Maybe, Governor, it's time to take a step back and look at the issue more objectively, because it doesn't take a background in geology and fracking to see that you have no idea how to get this issue under control.
Everybody say "goodbye" to our old Governor Frackenlooper, . . .
and "hello" to Colorado's newest — Governor Frackenflopper
LOL
Of course he does. He just doesn't agree with liberal Democrats. I think he would make a great moderate Republican.
But that would make him an outcast in both parties.
Doesn't it really just piss you off sometimes . . . that about the only chance your party of nutbags has left anymore of fielding a semi-sane, viable candidate, is to hope for the abdication of some flawed Democrat?
You think over 60% of Longmont voters are 'liberal Democrats'?
It's killing him? Really? Who is going to take him on in a primary, let alone beat him?
That said, the way he's handling all of this is a joke. But it's hardly fatal.
agreed. But, I've always thought of him, and I've said so, as a Rockefeller Republican. Which, by todays standards is a very liberal Republican. Nowadays they are moderate Dems
I guess it depends upon his ambitions, as well as whether or not he can piss off enough people and give hope to a challenger (either in the primary or general – and in the latter, I mean a serious contender, not a flunky who is merely saving the GOrP the embarrassment that would come from not fielding any kind of candidate).
As of right now, the governorship appears to be Hick's for as long as he wants it. But there are sometimes whispers that he could be a contender for the presidential nomination in 2016. If he really has hopes for it, his shot has just gotten a lot longer.
"a lot longer", yep. I can't see him as a viable Pres candidate. I CAN see him as a DOE secretary for an R Pres. Just in case Singleton is wrong
@Gertie
Andrew Romanoff?
Doh!
@DaftPunk: are you kidding me? He shows up for gunfights with a knife. Even if he changes his mind and brings a gun, he's got no chance against Hick.
Prediction – some local elected official with no particular political career to lose will challenge Hick in the primary. He/she will lose, of course, but will provide the other side with ammo to significantly damage Hick in the general. Hick still wins – "gosh/gee/shucks" plays well on commericals – but is disabused of the notion that he has any kind of mandate.
A guy can dream, at least.
I do need to say that Hick is showing some guts and integrity re the gun issue