colorado WATER RIGHTS ... to assist in or contribute to the protection, conservation and development of water in the state of Colorado WINTER/SPRING 1996 Published by Colorado Water Congress VOL. 15, NO. 1 Presentation and Debate by Representatives of the Democrat and Republican Parties on "Whose Right is the Right Rightfor 1996?" The two speakers are Lieutenant Governor, Gail about. president with 43 percent of the vote - the smallest win­ Schoettler (D) and State Treasurer, Bill Owens (R). We've tried through big government in Washington, ning percentage since the 1960s. But of more importance The proceedings were held on January 26, 1996 at D.C., to solve our problems, but it's clear that the federal is how that base was composed. During exit polling con-. the Colorado Water Congress' 38th Annual Convention. government, and the billions of dollars thrown at prob­ ducted on election day 1992, the day that President Fred 8rown, political editor and associate editor at The lems, does not usually help solve those problems. In fact, Clinton was elected, the voters said by a 55 to 36 percent Denver Post moderated. in many cases, these dollars hurt not only our country but margin that they wanted less spending and less govern­ Bill Owens won the coin toss and, therefore, opened . those who we're actually trying to help. ment. But President Clinton's voters in that same election with his remarks first. Gail Schoettler followed and her For example, the truly compassionate government, exit pole said that they wanted more government and remarks were followed by a 20 minute period of questions one which wants to help the poor, would replace the cur­ more spending by a 55 to 36 percentage. President from the audience after which each of the speakers was rent welfare system with an oppoTtunity system. Clinton's base represents an exact mirror-image differ­ given a brief period to sum up. Welfare's greatest cost is the human cost paid by the ence of the total electorate which by a 55 to 36 percent margin says that it wants a little less govern­ MR. OWENS: Thank you very much, ment~ but President Clinton's base says that Fred, and thank you for joi'ning us this it wants more government. morning. I'm looking forward to this dis­ So on issue after issue, President Clinton cussion, because what we've been asked to has to sound like a moderate when, in fact, talk about is, [really] from a national per- his base is much more liberal, as he in fact pective, which party is right. And I'm not may be. I simply don' t know where he actu­ sure that either party is entirely right, but I ally is and I really don't know what he actu­ am convinccd llml lht; parly thal I rCp're­ ally believes. sent, which is the Republican party, is clos­ I do remember what occurred when er to being right than my friends in the President Clinton and his party controlled other party. not only the White House but also both hous­ I appreciate that introduction. Since es of Congress for the first two years of his becoming treasurer, I've had the opportuni­ presidency. Do you remember the center­ ty to speak to a lot of groups. I have been piece of the Clinton presidency, that ill-con­ invited to speak at numerous meetings, ceived massively bureaucratic Rube­ from Rotary Clubs to large Chambers of Goldberg attempt to socialize one-seventh of Commerce. poor. In the name of compassion, we created a system the American economy we called the "Clinton Health A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to speak to a that's cruel and which actually destroys families. Care Plan"? The "problem" our government was focused large dinner meeting, attended by several hundred people. It is a fact, it's a given, almost a truism, that our wel­ on just two years ago was how to make government big- And as sometimes happens, the speech went really well. I fare system is broke. But when Congress passed a strong ger. could tell from the way the people were listening, and bipartisan welfare reform bill, President Clinton, under Do you remember the largest tax increase in from the questions afterwards. And when we finished, I strong pressure from the welfare lobby and the welfare American history? How in 1993, just one year after had a lot of people come up to the head table to continue bureaucracy, vetoed it. promising to cut taxes in his 1992 election, President the discussion. I was really feeling very good about Friends, this has proven to be a pattern. It's been Clinton instead raised taxes $258 billion. What we were myself. I was driving home that night with my wife, said that Bill Clinton speaks from the middle, but governs discussing just two years ago were tax increases, not tax Frances, and I said, "You know, Frances, I wonder how from the ~eft. Time after time after time, this has been cuts. many really important people there are in this world." true, whether you're talking about welfare or Medicare And then to compound that error, President Clinton And she said, "One less than you think, dear." reform or tax cuts or the need for a balanced budget. The told a bunch of Democrat contributors in 1995 that, "It With all the give and take of politics and with all the fact is, even I agree with what he says; it's just that I dis­ might surprise you to know that I think I raised taxes too rhetoric and charges and point and counterpoint, it's real­ agree with what he does. That simple fact, that Bill much, too." I happen to have been in Washington when ly easy to forget the real problems that we face and the Clinton speaks from the middle but governs from the left, that story hit, and it was the banner headline in The solutions that are being fought over in Washington, D.C. can be explained by the fact that his political base is so Washington Times. And the lead says: "Clinton's tax We talk about the "politics," but there are some very different that the base of the country. confession spurs consternation in both parties. President important principles that the two sides are disagreeing You all know that President Clinton was elected Continued on Page 4 Colorado Water Congress S er Convention The Village at Breckenridge August 22 & 23, 1996 • j CWC OFFICERS NEIL JAQUET . Neil Jaquet, 49, of Golden, was elected CWC Pre ident in 1996. Neil is the Manager of Land and Water Resources Development for Coors Brewing Company. He is in charge of water rights and faciLi­ tie development to supply this Colorado brewer with an uninterrupted supply of water. He joined Coors in 1975. Neil has served on numerous ditch company and volunteer organization boards of direc­ tors. He i serving his second term on the CWC Board· of Directors and has been active on several com­ mittees. Jaquet hold Ma ter's degrees in ground water geology and water resources management from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and a Master's of Bu siness Administration from the University of Denver. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam era. Neil and his wife, Demetra, live in unincorporated Je,fferson County with their two children. COLORADO WATER RIGHTS Published by: PETER NICHOLS Colorado Water Congress Peter Nichols, 47, of Carbondale, wa elected CWC Vice President in 1996. Peter is a management con ultant whose practice emphasize strategic pLanning and the management of water resources. He also direct professional development cour e for the Colorado Outward Bound School. Peter was previously 1390 Logan Street, Suite 312 General Manager of Unocal's oil shale operation in western Colorado. A former Colorado legislative Denver, Colorado 80203 taffer, Nichols has been active on the local, state, regional and federal political scenes. He has served on Phone (303) 837-0812 numerous governmental task forces and is currently vice-chair of the Colorado Water Quality Control Fax (303) 837-1607 Commission. Peter is serving his fourth term on the CWC Board of Directors and was active on the State Affairs Committee in the past. Member of Nichols holds a Masters Degree in administration from the University of Colorado and a Bachelors ' National Water Resources Association degree in political science and biology from Colorado College. He recently built a house on the Roaring Fork River near Carbondale where his daughter visits Dick MacRavey between semesters at Columbia University in New York City. Publisher Linda DeatonlLatitudes North DOUG KEMPER Editing/Production Doug Kemper, 40, of Aurora, was elected CWC Treasurer in January. Doug is the Manager of Water Resources for the City of Aurora. He is in charge of raw water operations, water resources plan­ Publication Printers ning, and one of the largest agricultural revegetation projects in the nation. He is now in his eighth year Printer with the city. Prior to working with Aurora, he worked five years as a consulting engineer chiefly with Rocky Mountain Consultants, Inc. OFFICERS 1996 - 1997 He is currently serving his fourth term on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Water Congress and has been active on mo t of this organization's special and standing committees. Neil Jaquet, Golden Doug has a Ma ter' Degree from the University of Colorado in Civil Engineering/Water President Resources and a Bachelor's Degree from Vanderbilt University in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering.