Political differences will always generate a healthy debate, but over time the dialogue has become more hateful and at times violent.
I brag on the Democratic Party. We’re libertarian on social issues, it’s live and let live. Fiscally, we’re conservative and responsible, and were environmentally conscious.
We all recognize that Colorado and our nation have a long and storied tradition of gun ownership for hunting, outdoor recreation and self-defense. However, I am not convinced that combat weapons are necessarily part of that heritage.
While expanding market access for American industry, financial markets and farmers is critical, I believe it needs to be done responsibly, accounting for the treatment and protection of workers and the environment.
There is no question that we must do more to secure our borders – but how we go about securing them is also important.
Stem cells have the potential to be used to treat and better understand some of the world’s most deadly and disabling diseases.
When I talk about the importance of the institution of marriage, I think of the commitment and the significance of standing in front of those closest to you and promising fidelity to your partner ‘til death do you part.’
I’ve learned from being in the woods that titles don’t mean much and that actions speak a lot louder than words – even in Congress. I always look for the people who want to act – people who want to run the river or climb the mountain – even if they’re not members of my political party.
Our livelihood is intimately tied to the food we eat, water we drink and places where we recreate. That’s why we have to promote responsibility and conservation when it comes to our natural resources.
I believe climate change is real – and I believe we have to act to protect the climate as fast as we possibly can.
It is deeply shocking and incomprehensible to me that despite volumes of documentation and living witnesses who can attest to the horrors of the Holocaust, there are still those who would deny it.
Reform is not for the short-winded. I’m committed to making sure the Senate is more than just a graveyard for good ideas.
Truth be told, I’m much more comfortable in a pair of hiking boots or with a rack of climbing gear than in front of a laptop.
Any doctor will admit that any drug can have side effects, and that writing a prescription involves weighing the potential benefits against the risks.
President Ford was a devoted, decent man of impeccable integrity who put service to his country before his own self interest. He helped heal our nation during a time of crisis, provided steady leadership and restored people’s faith in the presidency and in government.
The choreographed standing and clapping of one side of the room – while the other side sits – is unbecoming of a serious institution and the message that it sends is that even on a night when the president is addressing the entire nation, we in Congress cannot sit as one, but must be divided as two.
On the mountains mistakes are fatal. In politics, mistakes are wounding emotionally, but you recover. Personally, wilderness helps me get back in touch with natural rhythms, helps me reflect and, in the process, restore my creativity.
Climbing has worked for me in a number of ways on Capitol Hill. I’m much more inclined to look at what people do, as opposed to what they say. Also, it’s about working together – we’re all on the rope together, and you don’t get to cut the rope if you’re not getting along with someone.
In a country as large and diverse as America, compromise is how we get things done. It isn’t always pretty, but we have to find solutions to our problems that, at the end of the day, most people can live with.
I’ve come to the conclusion that military style weapons really don’t have any place in our society. We ought to reinstate the assault weapons ban that served us well for 10 years from 1994 to 2004.
It’s my belief that, like every other American, gay and lesbian couples should be able to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and protect their families.