Why do we call him Both Ways Bob?

On June 23, 2006 The Rocky Mountain News reported that Both Ways Bob Beauprez's nickname was (wait for it...) Both Ways Bob. Why did former GOP candidate Marc Holtzman invent this nickname? And why did liberal activists pick it up? Let's recap.

Immigration - Both Ways Bob is publicly blasting illegal immigration, but has done little to oppose it in his years in congress.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter. Update here.

Water - Both Ways Bob has played both sides of the transmountain transfers issue.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Energy - Both Ways Bob voted to cut and then restore funding for the NREL in Golden.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

The military - Both Ways Bob publicly supports our troops, but in DC, his voting record has earned him Disabled American Veterans' lowest rating. And his own military non-record is extremely suspect.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Fiscal responsibility - Both Ways Bob privately told business leaders he supported Referendum C, and then tried to publicly oppose it. And he has voted for Washington DC spending that has increased our country's debt. On the campaign trail, Beauprez makes appearances at the very youth clubs, community colleges and senior centers that may have faced closure if C had failed.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Healthcare - Both Ways Bob stated that "we need to let doctors and patients make medical decisions rather than lawyers and insurance companies." But he accepted tens of thousands of dollars from insurance PACS and voted to restrict damages aginst insurance companies.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Amendment 38 - Both Ways Bob signed a statement of "unequivocal support" for Amendment 38. He changed his position on June 30.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Western Slope voters - Both Ways Bob claims to support the local governments on the Western Slope. But he'll quickly reverse his stand if voters stand in the way of oil drilling, as was the instance with the Deep Ocean Energy Resource Act.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Gun control - Both Ways Bob supported Amendment 22, which required background checks at gun shows. But in The Denver Post, he blasted Bill Ritter for supporting background checks at gun shows. (This flip-flop is in dispute. Please read my post here.)

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Community college - Both Ways Bob stressed his commitment to Colorado's community colleges in The Pueblo Chieftain. "The beauty of the community colleges is that kids don't have to leave town to get a quality education... This is a system we need to continue to strengthen," he said. But Beauprez opposed Referendum C, without which community colleges would have faced their fifth straight year of budget cuts. Community colleges received more than $16 million dollars in state funding because voters passed the legislation which Beauprez attempted to defeat.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Corruption - Both Ways Bob attacked Bill Ritter for having a sometime-lobbyist as one of his fundraisers. But Beauprez has spent the last several years chumming around Washington DC with Steve Durham, Duke Cunnigham and Tom DeLay.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

527's - Both Ways Bob refused to condemn the first series of 527 attack ads against Ritter. But as soon as a 527 launched a series of ads about Beauprez, he rushed to the microphone to demand Ritter renounce the ads.

Same sex unions - The Denver Post reports Both Ways Bob told 5280 that he does not oppose same-sex unions. But he opposes a ballot measure that supports them.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Matricula consular - Both Ways Bob claims to be a crusader against illegal immigration, but the former banker voted to allow banks to accept a form of immigrant ID that, as Evan Dreyer of the Ritter campaign points out, "the state of Colorado does not recognize and the FBI says is unreliable."

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Wildlife and the environment - Both Ways Bob tried to go green. But in Washington DC, he has consistently voted for anti-environment interests.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Defensive medicine - Both Ways Bob claimed that 80% of doctors practice defensive medicine, and then said that Colorado's laws effectively thwart it.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Severance taxes - Both Ways Bob said "Hell no" when asked if he'd consider raising severance taxes. Just two days later, he told a conservation group he'd consider it.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

In-state tuition for illegal immigrants - Both Ways Bob supported giving in-state tuition to an illegal immigrant in 2002. But on the campaign trail, he speaks out against it.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Illegal campaign advertising - In a Fox debate, Both Ways Bob pledged to reveal whether he illegally tapped the NCIC database to hunt for ways to smear Bill Ritter. Moments later, the Beauprez campaign told the Post it would not reveal its sources.

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

Misuse of federal crimefighting data - Both Ways Bob voted to strengthen protections for a national crime database, and then portrayed a Republican crony who violated them as "heroic".

In contrast, Democratic candidate Bill Ritter.

This post was updated on June 26, 2006 to include information about healthcare from bothwaysbob.org. It was updated again on July 1, 2006 with information about Amendment 38. It was updated again on July 5, 2006 with information about the Deep Ocean Energy Resource Act. It was updated again on July 27, 2006 with information about gun control. it was updated again on August 3, 2006 with expanded information about fiscal responsibility. It was updated again on August 5 with information about community colleges. It was updated again on August 7 with information about lobbyists and corruption. It was updated again on August 14, 2006 with information about 527's. It was updated again on August 15, 2006 with information about same sex unions and matricula consular. It was updated again on August 24, 2006 with information about the environment. It was updated again on September 8, 2006 with information about defensive meedicine. It was updated again on October 7, 2006 with information about the severance tax. It was updated again on October 10, 2006 with information about in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. It was updated again on October 16, 2006 with information about illegal campaign advertising. It was updated again on October 23, 2006 with information about Beauprez's NCIC database voting record.