(John Andrews one week after) The split verdict on Nov. 1 from the voters, yes on C for higher taxes, no on D for deeper debt, dealt a blow to TABOR. Yet our Taxpayer's Bill of Rights remains a vital protection to liberty and a political asset to be envied by Americans elsewhere. The glass is way more than half full. We made the spenders really sweat for once, made them beg. That's a lot. The valiant losing fight against Ref C can be for conservatives here, what the Miers fight was for conservatives nationally -- an important new beginning. Let's make it that. Let's come together, do some honest self-examination, then get going and get back on offense. For starters, we might explore five questions:
1- What lessons can we learn from this defeat, not about money or tactics, but about the kind of state and country this is today -- the American mind in 2005?
2- What will now be the rallying cause and vision for Reagan conservatives in Colorado?
3- How do we bring our state's Republican Party home to its constitutional and moral roots?
4- How can we work with Rep. Stengel, Sen. McElhany, and yes, Gov. Owens, in pushing a realistic legislative strategy for leaner government in Colorado's 21st century?
5- How we continuing reaching out to other states, and Washington DC, with TABOR's still-powerful principles of voting on taxes and restraints on spending?