Our Man; Lamm!
For Dick Lamm, the Governorship had laid in reach, the people were hungry for change, they wanted someone from the Left of the American political spectrum to come in and change Colorado for the better. Indeed whilst the rescinding Governor Love pointed out his moderation, Lamm pointed out his Radicalism, on abortion, environment and economics (it was the 70s, limiting growth was fairly radical).
And in the end, Lamm would lose. Not by much, indeed a few percentage points here and there, a couple more people voting Prohibition here and there would have swung it to Lamm. But the blow was hard for a man who had put his blood and sweat into trying to become Governor. Lamm would skulk off and ponder what now. He was popular and well liked and sometime in the State Legislative would continue to do him good.
But the itch to do more, kept on bugging him, especially as Nixon started slowly beginning to wind up his Presidency to be replaced by a another dull Moderate Conservative. And he’d been noticed, the Colorado Democratic Party impressed with dynamic man. Talks would be held and Lamm would be informed that a Colorado Representative Pat Schroeder would be resigning for the upcoming 1976 election to gain a job with the Education Department and Lamm would have a clear shot for the nomination and the seat.
Whilst 1976 would in the grand scheme of things be a disappointment for the Democrats with Fred Harris winning the popular vote but losing by a couple of electoral votes to Bob Dole. But for Lamm it gave him a seat in the House of Representatives easily trouncing his Republican rival with his low growth, environmentalist message. Whilst initially just a fairly hum drum Congressman, his support for the Environment would see him gravitating towards Environmental Committees in the late 70s and additionally catching the eye of Dan Rostenkowski.
Whilst finding Lamm strange, he realised that Lamm was a hard working enough individual who could be useful in the coming years, particularly if 1980 brought about a Democratic Presidential Victory. In 1980 would find himself becoming a Democratic Whip in the House of Representatives, coinciding neatly with the election of Birch Bayh as President. Suddenly more eyes began to turn to Lamm as the first couple of years of the Presidency began.
Indeed Lamm’s belief in reform, environmentalism and equal rights for women gelled well with President’s Bayh’s aspirations for the Presidency. Whilst Lamm’s legislation for A Zero Growth Economic Trial would die in Committee, his support for ERA would get the controversial legislation passed by a whisker, permanently enshrined within the Constitution. Lamm would be one of those gleefully smiling as Bayh signed it into law in the halcyon days of 1983.
But the itch to go back home to Colorado and battle for his people there remained. Particularly after Sam Brown Jr., a charismatic and talented operator from the Left of the party would lose reelection after his Workplace Democracy program would anger the type of people you would expect.
Lamm saw an opportunity, to go back and claim the Governorship for himself. In the chaotic days of 1986, Lamm would find himself back in Colorado campaigning for Governor. But this wasn’t the same Lamm that left, whilst he was only in his Fifties and was still incredibly energetic, there was something different about him, an older more respected appeal than before. Indeed, Lamm despite the establishment candidate in some respects ran a Populist campaign, he was the valiant outsider who fought for what he stood for and was a great Colorado figure.
Lamm won handily and took on the task of continuing to modernise and reshape Colorado for business, the people and the environment. But as Bayh’s Presidency continued the slow march Leftward, Lamm started but firm dividing lines between himself and the Bayh administration. His support for health care was, schizophrenic, in many respects. Telling old people they had a duty to die at some point to ensure that social security and healthcare could withstand the age shift that was occurring shocked many, and made many call him ‘Doctor Gloom’ as a result.
Anti-Workplace Democracy, Anti-Economic Growth, Anti-Highway development, Anti-Radical Right, Lamm managed to thread the hole of pissing off the Left and Right of America. Indeed the Left of the Colorado Democrats were out for his blood when he refused to endorse Ed Markey’s Campaign for Democratic Nominee and from the Colorado Democrats themselves when he refused to endorse Harris Wofford.
Indeed Lamm was beginning to find himself in trouble waters, the Democrats dominated by the UCLA and Lawyers and the Republicans just outright fascists on the other side was what he thought in his mind. America needed a third option, Lamm said, though unlike Tom McCall, he actually put the money where his mouth was. 1990 was probably the year of ‘Folks Establishing Third Parties to battle the chaotic forces of Left and Right’ with Lamm, Weicker, Ventura, McCloskey and Silber all creating Third Parties to compete in differing elections all with different results.
Lamm’s, The United Party would win, with Libertarian Rancher Activist Michael L.Strang by his side, Lamm would win the Governorship. In power again, his tenure was pretty much the same as he been doing before but every motion or legislation that he supported that was passed was a political manifesto for him. Supporting Small businesses, stopping large corporations taking hold and polluting the land, anti-immigration points, anti-free Trade, balanced budgets and much more, Lamm’s combination of varying ideas into a philosophy he called ‘Progressive Conservatism’ would be the reasoning for the United Party.
As McDermott was voted in, and the Republicans shifted increasingly Rightward, Lamm saw it as his mission to bring moderation back to America. Meetings with Weicker, Perot and Zschau would provide base upon which he could build his United Party into a nationwide party. Leaving Michael L. Strang to fight for the Governorship (and lose against charismatic Democrat Ruben Valdez), Lamm would pursue his ideas on a national scale, going on talk shows, writing several books (fiction and non-fiction) on his talking points and supporting independent and third party candidates across America against the ‘Dark Insidious Machines that dominate our lives’.
The pundits took little notice of this odd man, nor did the establishment politicians as they prepared for a battle between McDermott and Gramm. But America was listening, indeed the Americans on the Political Centre as it were, those who had happily voted for Nixon, Bayh and then Vander Jagt saw themselves in this strange man, the man of the Suburbs who was liberal but not too liberal. The force of moderation.
It surprised many when Gramm did awfully, his free trade message washing against the shores of Lamm, all fire and brimstone about the coming apocalyptic chaos that free trade would bring. McDermott too found himself being harangued for his support from Labor Unions and the ‘Liberal Lawyers’, a conspiratorial cabal in Lamm’s mind. It was a shock on a election night when Lamm over shot expectations, winning several key states and beating the Republican Candidate. Whilst unable to throw things to the house, Lamm didn’t mind, America had heard his message.
Maybe in 2000 as the Millennium began anew, they would be ready for a New Century of Progressive Conservatism...
Governors of Colorado:
1963-1979: John A.Love (Republican)
1962 def. Stephen McNichols (Democratic)
1966 def. Robert Lee Knous (Democratic)
1970 (With John Vanderhoof) def. Mark Anthony Hogan (Democratic)
1974 (With John Vanderhoof) def. Dick Lamm (Democratic)
1979-1983: Sam Brown Jr. (Democratic)
1978 (With Ruben A.Valdez) def. John Vanderhoof (Republican)
1983-1987: Ted L. Strickland (Republican)
1982 (With Bill Daniels) def. Sam Brown Jr. (Democratic)
1987-1990: Dick Lamm (Democratic)
1986 (With Nancy E.Dick) def. Ted L.Strickland (Republican)
1990-1995: Dick Lamm (United)
1990 (With Michael L. Strang) def. Nancy E. Dick (Democratic), Bill Daniels (Republican)
1995-: Ruben A. Valdez (Democratic)
1994 (With Josie Heath) def. Michael L. Strang (United), Tom Norton (Republican)
Presidents of the United States of America:
1969-1977: Richard M. Nixon (Republican)
1968 (With Spiro Agnew) def. Hubert Humphrey (Democratic), George Wallace (American Independent)
1972 (With Spiro Agnew) def. Ed Muskie (Democratic), George Wallace (American Independent)
1977-1981: Bob Dole (Republican)
1976 (With John Tower) def. Fred Harris (Democratic) won the popular vote, John Lindsay (Independent)
1981-1989: Birch Bayh (Democratic)
1980 (With Reubin Askew) def. Bob Dole (Republican), Roger MacBride (Libertarian)
1984 (With Reubin Askew) def. Bill Simon (Republican)
1989-1993: Guy Vander Jagt (Republican)
1989 (With William L. Armstong) def. Harris Wofford (Democratic)
1993-: Jim McDermott (Democratic)
1992 (With Harvey Gantt) def. Guy Vander Jagt (Republican), Larry MacDonald (Independent)
1996 (With Harvey Gantt) def. Dick Lamm (United), Phil Gramm (Republican)