¡Wey-No-Manches!
Note to Mike Coffman: “Que juevos, amigo,” which is vulgar Spanish for, “that took serious guts last night to get up on live TV and debate Andrew Romanoff in Spanish for 30 minutes.” More importantly though, don’t do that ever again.
I actually dropped my jaw a little when I saw Coffman and Romanoff stare into the live TV cameras as they stood on yet another red-white-and-blue election debate set, and then launch into a debate — in Spanish.
I knew it was coming. For weeks, the two combatants for Aurora’s 6th Congressional District have been trumpeting the event, which came just days before we have a countin’ here in Colorado. It came when most folks have already made up their minds or voted.
If you don’t know these two guys, Romanoff, the Dem, actually talks the talk. He lived in Nicaragua when he worked for the Peace Corps. So he has cred with Latinos because he’s also walked the walk when it comes to understanding what Third World means when you’re living in it. Coffman, who once had a Republican job for life in the 6th Congressional District he inherited from Tom Tancredo — yes, the district was that far right — was unceremoniously realigned in 2012 into a new 6th Congressional District that has equal numbers of Rs, Ds and I-Hate-’Em-Alls. And, he’s now the representative of one of most ethnically diverse and culturally disparate places in the state. In short, this is not anyone’s father’s Republican stronghold.
So coming into this election, Coffman has had to drag votes, quips and slogans that endeared him to Douglas County tea partiers up the leaning-liberal campaign trail. As the polito-mats have said, Coffman’s views on illegal immigrants, abortion, global climate change and even El Español have “evolved.”
Romanoff and his critics don’t buy it, and so there’s where the election battle lines have often been drawn.
But here’s where Coffman got smart. He started learning Spanish after a near slaughter in the 2012 election by a Denver carpetbagger. And after months of hard work, he stood up on live TV last night as local Latino journalists peppered him and Romanoff with election questions.
I would be lying if I didn’t say I really was holding my breath when Coffman took the first question. It was, surprise, about immigration.
In a pretty decent Central Mexico-like intonation, Coffman launched into his stump response about Congress having to make election law instead of President Obama, and how he is a leader in immigration reform because a congressional Democrat once said so and he does support some people here illegally becoming some sort of legitimate and,well, you’ve heard the same thing for months, only in English.
What became clear — inmediatamente, amigos — is that Coffman had worked to memorize pat responses, and he was reading them from notes. He was talking in Spanish, he was not speaking Spanish.
No here’s the thing, my Spanish is lame. I became as fluent as I ever would be when I was young and living in South and Central America for several weeks, trying to get enough work to get me home. My entire life, I’ve traveled quite a bit, and I can get through anything but automated train ticket machines in Germany, I can keep from getting killed in Paris. I can even park a car in Norway. I have no qualms about sounding like an idiot in any language. It takes guts to pull out your worst French in Colmar and watch your victims struggle to listen to you as much as you struggle to speak. But what almost always happens is they, first: become charitable toward you because you’re so pathetically slaughtering their language and, second: show you a great deal of respect because you have the guts to try. You risk being the fool by offering them respect instead of just barking loudly in English, like so many Americans do, or stand there mute as if any word spoken my result in an international incidence. A smile and a “oh, merde/pedo/sheisse” go a long way.
Coffman was right when at the end of the evening, he’s learning Spanish because he wants to show Latinos respect.
But While Coffman did pretty good at moving his stump speeches along last night, he didn’t really answer the questions. He talked to issues. Just because the audience spoke Spanish, it doesn’t mean they didn’t get that. Had he just tried to talk as best he could in the considerable Spanish he knows, he would have come across as endearing. And an endearing Coffman could be somewhat forgiven for having just a year or so ago defended a measure that would prevent the government from printing election ballots in anything but English, and quipping that immigrants would just have to “bring a dictionary” to the polls.
A sympathetic Latino immigrant could overlook that what Coffman is proposing as immigration reform actually means that some illegal immigrants can stay if they join the U.S. military. And some illegal immigrants can stay if they were brought here as children by illegal immigrant parents — if they comply with a lot of stuff. But their parents who’ve also lived here that long? Bueno suerte, amigos.
Who pointed out what are clearly painful shortcomings in Coffman’s new-immigrant-friendly philosophy, in the eyes of the Latino community, was Romanoff. He was more ruthless than he has been yet on the trail so far about how Coffman’s past and current views on immigration reform would rip families apart and do little to solve the problem of 11 million people or so living in Aurora’s shadows.
In any language, Romanoff pointed out that Coffman was lost in the real Latino world in Aurora, which has families living openly in fear of being in a car accident, of getting sick, of having ICE show up at work, of deciding whether they would abandon their children and leave them here if they were deported. And guess what? Most of them don’t want their children to join the Army and risk duty in the Middle East. They don’t want a deal in Congress that lets their children stay and actually puts them at a greater risk for having to abandon them because they will get the boot.
If there was a winner last night, it was the Spanish-speaking community that has become so viable that Coffman would try as hard as he did to hold a political debate in a foreign language. This would never have happened in Coffman’s old 6th Congressional District. The debate legitimized the tens of millions of Latino-Americans that so much of the country has sneered at for so many years. Every one of those people owe a nod to Coffman for a real watershed moment in America.
But Latinos owe their votes to Romanoff, who made it clear that he has their backs when it gets ugly in Congress and someone has to stand up for real people in Aurora who risked their very lives to get here, and would risk them again to keep their children from being taken from them under any circumstances or conditions.
Coffman is a gutsy, confident man who really, really took a chance last night, but he’s also a man who is tragically mistaken about how to solve the complex issue of illegal immigration, and he’s unwilling to “evolve” far enough to get it right.
—Dave Perry, editor
Then lets compare Andy Romanoff with who he was in 2006. He was speaker of House, and Gov. Owens called legislators back in June to write immigration laws that could be enforced in Colorado, and were. At that time, I was on friendly basis with Andy, exchanging regular emails as I volunteered and was Secretary to UVC, Colorado 2001-2005. I sent Andy email asking how many Colorado Cabinet Officers could certify their employees were American citizens, and Colorado citizens.
In early October, I arrived early for candidate forum at Heather-Garden, and met Sheriff Robinson, Arapahoe County and we had private discussion for about 20-25 minutes, before meeting. I told him of email I sent Andy about citizenship. Sheriff Robinson exclaimed, so that is where that question came from”? He explained he was among first, and could so certify his deputies. He sat through others, and was surprised of the hem-hawing by Directors in remainder of questioning. And some found they did have non-citizens in their departments following laws of 1 July 2006.
So lets get the full facts out. Those elected officers who return to, or go to Washington in January 2015, will be passing laws and having discussions in English. Will be printed in English. I don’t care how many languages anyone can speak or write, BUT IN USA ENGLISH SHOULD BE THE REQUIRED LANGUAGE FOR CITIZENSHIP. And it is when being Naturalized, as I helped a friend with flash cards, of questions that might be asked, when she gained citizenship from Philippines. Had completed all other requirements but verbal, which she did at Regis College, Denver about 5 years ago. And Andy moved to 6th District, from Denver, to campaign. Same as 2012 candidate, and the others before him, who campaigned against Tom Tancredo.
Sir, this country is based on the immigrants that came unless you are native American, where English was not the native language. So perhaps we should be speaking the language of native Americans. Mr. Coffman is a chameleon of stances. I lived close to Elbert county when he spoke of his belief that President Obama was not born here. I believe the name of this is a birther. Then his district changes and he no longer panders to the base he had in Elbert and Douglas County. So who can trust anything he says if he is so willing to change his position to fit his only goal, to be elected. He certainly did not care of the Latinos or other minorities needs then and I believe he still does not. A snake is a snake no matter where he pops up. Andrew is sincere in his want to represent all the people and his position is not for sale.
Difference is I can trace my ancestors who came legally, and paid their dues. My immigrant ancestor came from Germany in 1870, as 21 year old, walking to Holland. Came over on ship Neptune to what is now Philadelphia, indentured himself for 7 years to pay passage. At end he was given equivalent of $100, new suit, and walked to what is now Cumberland Maryland, bought some land, married, and became a middle class land owner, in that area. And I suspect everyone including the American Indians came here from elsewhere, so just who owned the land when it first rose from the ocean? And you need to study your snakes a bit more. Mike Coffman never questioned where Obama was born. What he actually said was “In his heart, he is not an American”. And that has been abundantly clear for last 6 years. He is not pandering to any base. He is simply representing his constituents, which Andy Romanoff cannot. We have more military living in Douglas and Arapahoe County, than in Denver city and county. I know Andy and Mike much more than you could possibly, since I have worked with both since 1991. Andy in Denver, and Mike over whole state as Legislator, Treasurer, Secretary of State, and now Representative of District 06. My house has been registered in #06, 01, 07, and now back in #06 since first of years. I came back to it, in retirement when Rep. Schaffer was Rep, dying of cancer, then served on Tom Tancredo’s and Bob Beauprez’s constituent advisory panels. So don’t lecture me. I bought in Aurora, 1963, with about 3,000 residents, and Altura to the east of me.
Sir I was born here.I am a native Coloradoan whose family history in this area is much longer then yours. So we can argue who was here the longest and that is not even what is relevant here. My family are native Americans. You should access Rep. Coffman”s birther statements on UTube. His implications are obvious. I was his constituent and he did not represent me even though we spoke. Coffman had no interest in my needs or those like me. So don”t lecture me on the wonders of Mr. Coffman.
Okay. Let’s cut to the chase. Just what do you think Andrew Romanoff can do for you, that Mike Coffman cannot, or will not? Mike has seniority and is chairman of a Committee. Andrew would not have seniority, or be chairman, and probably would not get to sit on committee of his choice. Mike has experience of being a Legislator, businessman, treasurer of state, Secretary of State, and Federal Legislator. Andrew has none of that experience. Mike served in Army, went to college to gain degree and there joined Marines. Led Marines as Officer. Andrew never served in military, has no experience of what is expected. Mike owns property, Andrew sold his house to pay for campaign for Senate, and lost. Now I don’t know what you think Andrew could do in next two years to influence Nancy Pelosi as a Democrat, and he would have no influence on Harry Reid in the Senate. Neither would pay any attention to him as a new legislator in House. And Democrats are not going to take back the House, so I don’t see what you think he could do for you, that Mike has not.
By the way, my wife is Native Colorado born in Denver in 1935. Her parents worked here in Denver, and her grandparents came from Slovenia when young, worked in hard rock mines in Utah, then came to Colorado. Lived in Globeville and on Race Street in Denver. Also in my family I have Phillipino, Japanese, Chinese, Welsh, German, Indian, Black, so we are pretty well established as USA citizens also. My wife was a Senior at Henderson HS, Nevada, when Harry Reid was a Freshman in that school in 1952-53. I hope that satisfies you, but I still do not see what you think Andrew can do. What has Obama done for you in past 6 years? Or any of the other Democrats?
Mr. Coffman has done nothing for me or the people of this state in the time he has served in Congress. What I do know is he is a partisan voter. You always seem to resort to the same mudslinging as Mr. Coffman resorts to. The Koch Brothers and Karl Rove have no business in this state, my home. Military service well honorable doesn’t mean you are the only ones who love this country.Andrew served our country but in a different way. No less important then military service. Mr. Romanoff will at least reach across the aisle and he will serve the needs and interests of every person in his district. He has experience in our state. He doesn’t say destructive things like Mr. Coffman did in Elbert County. Why are you even speaking of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid? What is your implication or can you not state your case without involving others who don”t matter? Mr Coffman has proven nothing more that is in the best interest of the people of this country other then to deny rights to minorities and women. Owning property means nothing. Andrew selling his house told me that he values his beliefs so much he will give up everything he can to do this. Andrew will earn his way through hard work and his work in our legislature speaks volumes. Mr. Coffman on the other hand has only proven to me how special interest he is. Nothing you can say can change what I saw in Mr. Coffman as his constituent. Are you on Mr. Coffman’s political team? I am just an observant voter who has seen a great disconnect in Mr. Coffman and minority voters.
You obviously do not read his website, or receive regular updates. Just as I receive from others, serving us. And your statement that Mike Coffman has done nothing for Colorado is so far off-base, it is not worth discussing with you. When you know what they have done, come back and we can then discuss it. If you want to know about South America, then vote for Andy. Since his work with Southern Law was on KKK, then vote for him, if that fits your needs. I won’t waste more time with you. Mike does represent those of us who signed a contract with our country, to protect the Constitution. And the work I did, you could not have done. Go in peace.
I just re-read your posting. I am a partisan voter for the USA. Mike Coffman is a leader, who initiates legislation that benefits me, my peers, and especially our country. Now instead of the drivel you posted, Please tell me what Andrew Romanoff has done in any like positions, and what you expect him to do as one individual, in Washington. There is only one person there who can write Executive Orders, who has by-passed Congress (house and senate) and Supreme Court, so far. And his policies have not been good for 90% of USA citizens, making too many dependent on Government Dole-Handouts, while making top 10% much more affluent. That is at our expense, and also disrupting world-global economy. Now it is your turn. Give a comprehensive listing, not talking points.
Oh, one more comment. Andrew is not for sale. Then have him explain why ActBlue gave him almost $1,000,000 before June. That is a PAC and gives 100% to Democrats across country, spending almost a Billion this year. Democrats love to throw out that challenge to GOP, but check all the PAC ads in MSM this year. And 8 PACS registered in April with Sec. of State with a woman living in Kentucky writing for all 8. You would now try to snow an old guy, would you?
I see nothing Mr. Coffman has done of any significance after 3 terms. I see Mr. Coffman’s site as nothing more then political propaganda. I see votes that are politically partisan and none in the interest of the non-majority voter (women and minorities). Actblue is a common bank for voters like me not like your Koch Brothers. I was wrong to expect that you would be honest in the information you are trying to pass on to me. Mr. Coffman is a master of political spin and I am not buying it. I have seen personally that he does not have the best interests of all his constituents and it time to remove him from his position to someone new who deserves a chance to rectify what Mr. Coffman has or has not done. Give me a break as you are trying to hard to justify What Mr. Coffman and his financial contributors have done to the face of politics. You are showing arrogance in your statement that I could not have done what you have. You don”t know me. You don’t know what I have done in my life. You don’t know Mr. Obama or anyone who does not share your beliefs.Go in Peace.
You say ActBlue is a common bank. Strange: I see a significant difference in their own listing:
Date of last report October 15, 2014
2014 PAC Contribution DataContributions from this PAC to federal candidates (list recipients)
(100% to Democrats, 0% to Republicans)$13,588Contributions to this PAC from individual donors of $200 or more ( list donors)$33,960,051
Official PAC Name:
ACTBLUE
Location: SOMERVILLE, MA 02144
Industry: Democratic/Liberal
Treasurer: HILL, ERIN
FEC Committee ID: C00401224
(Look up actual documents filed at the FEC)
And I also see besides “PAC” that 100% to Democrats, 0% to Republicans. Isn’t that a bit strange, for a common bank.
And I copied and pasted this from their site, with a simple search. What else are you stretching? And tell us also why we don’t know more about you? Are you perhaps working in WH Email watching and replying, as I recently read that office had been reactivated. Don’t know why it would have been de-activated in first place, since Eric Holder does not send IRS, FBI, or his own agents out, unless they are investigating Republicans, Tea Party, or some White policeman doing his duty, shoots a black kid who is stealing or harassing shop keepers.
You are a very funny man. I will not get involved in a dumb argument with you. It seems like you are going to petty arguments and that is why we disagree. I am now more sure then ever I can never learn anything of value from you so it has been interesting.
When presented with a fact- posted by the very PAC you called a common bank, you resort to name calling. In none of your post have you presented any facts, or statements that need research. Don’t you know how to back up your claims? If you paid money for your education, you were cheated. And all who read you will now know that, if they did not before. There is no one so blind, as one who will not see? And we will see in 2 days, which of us have right slant on this election. I think POTUS has shot his legacy in the rear end, and next 2 years will be a drag for him. Lot more vacations, and golfing. Doubt he will be able to go on fund raisers. And If House and Senate follow my wishes, they will ground AF ONE, and give him access to a piper cub, with a trainee pilot.