I have referenced the Colorado Centrist Project in this space.  The organization’s mission is exactly what the name suggests.  It is dedicated to fielding and supporting independent candidates who might someday break the partisan ice jam that has become government’s status quo.

The project recently renamed itself Unite Colorado (UC) and affiliated with the national independent organization Unite America.  The Centrist cause has been gaining momentum, much to the chagrin of Democrat and Republican operatives, so when UC showed up backing a few independent candidates for state House and Senate, the Major Party Mafia decided enough was enough.  The Democrats were the first to mobilize, and the Colorado Pols* website authored the first strike.

Colorado Pols (CP) is the leftwing equivalent of Breitbart News, committed to the defense of the Democrat party and the public disparagement of anything or anyone who poses a threat to its influence.  Aside from snide inferences and general effrontery (“so-called Centrist Project” “failed congressional candidate Nick Troiano”) and out-of-context quotes (“It doesn’t matter where you stand on the issues”), CP’s hit piece relies mostly on the old conspiracy theory of vote-splitting.

Independent candidates, so goes the myth, do nothing but draw votes away from one party which allows the other party’s candidate to win with less than a majority.  Think Ross Perot, supposedly sucking the Presidency away from G. H. W. Bush and dropping it in Bill Clinton’s lap.  Why throw away your vote? CP asks.  Are you stupid?  Stick with us, or the Evil Others will seize power!  A vote for an independent is a vote for Donald Trump!!!

What the Dems are trying to paper over with this line of distraction is that in Colorado there are more unaffiliated (read independent) voters than there are Democrats, and if trends continue independents will very soon outnumber Republicans, who are losing registrants in droves – thank you, Mr Trump.  If Colorado independents all “threw away” their votes on an actual independent candidate that candidate would win.  Moreover, if an independent candidate or two should prevail in Colorado Senate races, neither party would hold a majority in that chamber, and both parties would be beholden to non-dogmatics in order to govern.  Does that not sound like a better alternative to the rancorous partisan stalemate we are living with?

The CP piece concludes by stating that the “post-partisan” branding of the Centrists is really a “post values” campaign, as if the “values” of the two major parties are anything more than a sop to their extremist bases and cudgels with which to thwack any who wander from the Party Line.  More than anything, the Democrats and Republicans appear to see their “values” as an excuse not to cooperate with, or even show common respect for, each other.  The only ”value”  they seem to actually value is power.

There are some easily readable tea leaves at the bottom of this bitter cup.  The only reason that Colorado Pols is the first major party proxy to start attacking the Centrist Project is because the present Unite Colorado slate is seen by Democrats as a greater threat to them.  But the Republican response will be the same or worse as soon as the state GOP wakes up to the budding threat from the Center.  Because the emergence of a strong political movement not their own is the worst nightmare of Democrats and Republicans alike, and they will use every weapon in their arsenal to derail such a movement.  The stronger the Centrist movement becomes, the bigger the guns we will see unlimbered against it.  Wait and see.

So, Colorado independents, we have a choice to make.  Do we continue to support evermore dogmatic politicians who offer us character assassination in place of reasoned debate?  Or do we try something else?  If this CP article proves anything, it is that state Democrats. at least, are scared spitless that we might.  I’m not calling anyone stupid, but I will note the fallacy of reason that is repeating the same action and expecting a different outcome.

* coloradopols.com – *”It’s Official: The Centrist Project Thinks You’re Stupid”