HOPPY BIRTHDAY

We’ve all heard about the Tea Party and its politically conservative approach that blames government in general and Democrats in particular for all the nation’s problems.

Now, in response, we have the Coffee Party emerging to applaud more liberal views, such as viewing government as merely an expression of our collective will, so it sort of seems like it should be named the Espresso Party. Anyway, it already has 350 coffee shops signed up in 44 states.

Now, I’m hearing rumblings of another new political party starting up, one that might really solve the many troubles that threaten to sink the greatest nation on earth, the Microbrew Party. It doesn’t have a website yet, or staff, promotional webcasts, offices, or anything formal, so lots more news to break in coming months, but here’s what I’ve heard so far.

A CHANGE THAT'S LONG OVERDUE

UPDATED Friday, March 12, 1 pm:
I used this headline once before when writing about Mark Rey, former Bush Administration Undersecretary of Agriculture and boss of the Forest Service. Prior to Rey’s Reign of Terror, California Republican Congressmen Richard Pombo held the honor of being the biggest enemy of public lands. Voters booted him in 2006, but he’s back, running for Congress again this year.

Now, we have a new Public Lands Enemy No. 1, none other than current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

CAN ANYTHING MOVE SLOWER THAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?

Lately, it seems, I’ve been doing a lot of bemoaning about our inept political system, but alas, sometimes it does work.

Back on November 5, I devoted my column to pushing the USDA to fund a new hunting access program called Open Fields that Congress passed as part of the 2008 Farm Bill.

HANDS OFF PLAN NOT WORKING

It isn’t the American people who aren’t eager for change.  It’s Barack Obama.

The President spent his first year in office either unwilling or unable to change his approach to the Congress. His virtually hands off, milk toast attitude toward providing legislative leadership has stymied the public’s demand for change. But it appears that the President may have stepped on a bold new path.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR GEEZER POWER!

The bad news is we’re getting older, and the good news is we’re getting older.

Nobody likes the older-slower-fatter succession, but at least when you get to be a geezer--and yep, I’m officially a geezer, so I take it personally--you usually have more time, but less money, to enjoy the outdoors and our public lands for camping, hiking, fishing, or scenic driving.

But not if the Forest Service has its way.

CONSERVATIVES MOCKING CONSERVATIVES

I might as well disclose my little problem right upfront. I’m a sci-fi nut. That’s even worse than being a gun nut and fishing nut, but I’ve learned to cope with my problem. Along the way, though, I’ve had to go to almost every sci-fi flick ever made, even some really bad ones, and I think Avatar is a fascinating showpiece of ground-breaking technology and no doubt the best 3D film ever. Not the best sci-fi movie ever, though, but close. I’d rank it as the fourth best.

What makes Avatar even more fascinating is the ironic political battle raging in the background.

Colorado Politics

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, an enormously popular Democrat, will run for governor of Colorado following incumbent Bill Ritter’s decision not to seek re-election. Hickenlooper, a one-time petroleum geologist and successful restaurant and real estate entrepreneur, will likely face former Republican congressman Scott McIniss in the general election this fall.

Hickenlooper is scheduled to make a formal announcement his afternoon, according to the Denver Post.

Hickenlooper has emerged as a classic new-generation Western Democrat since winning the mayoral election in an upset in 2003. He was urged to run for governor three years ago but declined on the grounds that he had barely gotten started in Denver.

Hickenlooper was considered by far the strongest potential Democratic candidate after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said last week that he would stay in Washington rather than seek the top office in his home state. President Obama even called Hickenlooper to urge him to run.

HICK UP

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he won’t run for Colorado governor, and he’s endorsing Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

Here’s the statement he released on Thursday:

Colorado needs a strong, experienced leader with optimism and new ideas for carrying our state forward. That is why I am endorsing John Hickenlooper for Governor of Colorado. John Hickenlooper is a uniter. He transcends political and geographic divides to bring people together to develop solutions. If he decides to run, he will make an excellent Governor for the State of Colorado.

I know John and Helen will seriously consider this historic opportunity that will define the future of State of Colorado and her people. This is a personal decision they must make and I will fully respect that decision.

As for me, I have a job to do as Secretary of the Interior to implement President Obama’s vision for a clean energy economy and to better protect America’s great outdoors.

GUN LOBBY ON A ROLL

UPDATED, January 8, 10 am. See Update at end of article.

I’ve left 2009 behind, almost. Bear with me for one more look back.

Remember the insane paranoia among gun owners during the 2008 election season and throughout most of 2009?  The gun lobby whipped firearm owners into a fervor before and after the election of Barack Obama and a Democratic Congress with dire predictions about the impending demise of the Second Amendment if not all freedoms we cherish.

I wrote several commentaries saying the opposite--basically that a lot of Democrats are pro-gun, pro-2A and many others wouldn’t touch the gun issue because it’s a political poison pill.

So, what happened?

Election '09

The elections that attracted national attention Tuesday were all on the East Coast, with New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (suddenly burdened by his previous job as head of Goldman Sachs) going down to defeat and conservative Republican activists like Sarah Palin failing in their effort to override the local party and elect a fellow-traveler to an open Congressional seat in upstate New York. Unsurprisingly, voters across the country were worried about the economy, not too keen on incumbent office-holders, and wary about measures that might cost them money.

In Colorado, open space and marijuana were the issues of the night, in Boise, the streetcar desire played a role in the elections and in Montana, the liberal bastion that is Missoula finally has a liberal city council.

Here’s a quick and dirty roundup of highlights from election night: