Opinion Columnist
Representative Ray Scott (R) from Colorado House District 55 bears an uncanny resemblance to every mafia boss you’ve ever seen in media. Whether he’s stuffing his face with pasta or profit, it’s clear his transparency should be as high of a priority as his cholesterol management.
Last Monday, 15 Western Slope LGBT activists, including CMU’s own GSA, found themselves locked outside their congressional representatives office when they took to Capital Hill as part of One Colorado’s LGBT Lobby Day. The goal was to appeal to Scott’s ‘family values’ as an incentive for him to support Senate Bill 11, a bill that will grant civil unions to same-sex couples. In hindsight, considering Scott’s voting record on family issues includes nothing but charging juvenile felons as adults and restricting abortion as an option for pregnant women, it was foolish to assume he’d truly understand the complications same-sex couples face in raising a family.
Scott had completely ignored LGBT activists last year, so it came as a surprise when he opened the door and invited everyone in with uncomfortable hospitality. In the spirit of a true businessman, he wasted no time getting to the point. “Look, you guys know this is going to pass,” he said.
While the bill has already passed the Senate and is expected to pass the democratically-controlled House sometime Monday, it’s also about representative support, and Scott knows that. Switching quickly back to the role of a politician, Scott was happy to explain his planned vote in negation is nothing personal. He just doesn’t like new legislation. In fact, tiptoeing further from the issue at hand, Scott referred to the legislative process as a “sh*t storm.” What a true conservative.
For someone who doesn’t like political games, Scott seems to be an expert at playing them. Having deep ties to the natural gas and fracking industries within the state, Scott spends an increasingly large amount of time on the Front Range, exploring new business ventures instead of improving opportunities for his local community. Nevermind the local scandal that erupted when Colorado’s redistricting put Scott outside District 55. Reports both uphold and deny Scott’s residency, but considering the strong Republican base here on the Western Slope and the lack of other Republican challengers, what alternative do we have? And when it comes to the rights of his constituents, Scott would rather see the LGBT members of his community be further disenfranchised because he doesn’t like paperwork. That, Ray Scott, is what I call a political “sh*t storm.”
If Scott were half the Republican he claims to be, surely his stance on civil rights would reflect his knowledge of the Constitution, that it was intended to protect the minority from the majority. However, as a member of the Congressional Prayer Caucus in the Colorado Legislature, the goal to uphold Judeo-Christian values obviously takes higher precedence.
Luckily for us, most of Scott’s fellow representatives don’t share the same values, and dragging behind eleven other states, Colorado will likely join in gay matrimony come May. But, at the end of the day, it seems that none of it truly matters to Scott. As long as he can still eat spaghetti and keep collecting profits from all over the state, the rights of his constituents can wait.
The title of this little gem should be “Ray Scott Upholds Values of Constituents Who Voted in Past to Ban Gay Marriage in Colorado.” This trite little attack piece fails to recall that Coloradans used their constitutional right to vote just two years ago and just said ‘NO!’ to ‘civil unions’ and ‘gay marriage.’ Ray Scott respects the majority of voters in Colorado, as well as the traditions that make America great. Not unlike other little snark-fests, this little gem attacks Scott’s character, casts false claims, and forgets that Scott and others like him are actually HONORING their oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. You might try injecting a little truth into your next article. This gem is full of lies. Oh, and to the author of this little gem, the word “gem” in my part of Colorado, refers to the little mounds of crap left behind when a smelly bovine moves his bowels.
Caleb:
If you are going to be a columnist, you might want to try and get some facts incorporated into your writing and leave the personal insults to the more juvenile.
Fact: Ray Scott owns and has invested business in mesa County for 35 years. He has a large business that has employed and been used by several of your fellow Maverick classmates. This business investment has cost thousands of dollars and Scott has yet to reap any of those profits you bemoan.
The oil and gas industry which you disdain, happens to provide some of the only high paying jobs here in Western Colorado. The only profit Scott has made from this industry is the profit his business, Gas Products, would gain from the Construction of new homes in the area. Since there is very little new home construction going on in this area, Scott was forced to go where the economy could support his business, hence the move of some of his offices to Denver, where the company is managed by Scott’s son in law. They sell and install fireplaces in new homes and businesses. The fact that you do not know this shows your lack of journalistic integrity, but then again, that probably does not matter to you.
If you have half the knowledge of the Legislature you claim to have, you would realize that a similar law was passed in 2009 that granted many of the rights the new Civil Union Bill claims to have. If you had any knowledge of Colorado Politics, you would realize that the voters of Colorado rejected this bill on the ballot in 2006. If you truly believed that the majority of Coloradans supported your point of view, this measure would be on the ballot, instead of using a Judicially altered majority in the State House to go around the will of the voters of Colorado.
However, you and your self centered supporters have no regard for the will of the voters, unless it supports your viewpoint. I find it amazing that you and your constituency have no problem crossing the separation of Church and State to force your views on what is and should only be a religious issue, marriage.
Your might want to avoid lecturing someone about the Constitution until you actually know what it means. Your writing shows the woeful education you have received up to date, and makes me fear for the future of Colorado in general and the Country in particular.
Representative Scott is protecting the rights of the 65% of Mesa County voters who rejected civil unions in 2006. That is his job. Your ignorance of this fact shows you should not be allowed the forum you have.