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For many years, I have taken solace from the knowledge that, even though I was on speaking terms within only one Republican of statewide proportions, that GOP eminence was Bill Owens, currently state treasurer.
He also faces an excellent chance of becoming our next governor, given that he had raised more money than any of his primary opponents. Colorado Republicans are expecting a great year because our dedicated real-estate promoters have been so successful in persuading white suburbanites from California to join the Colorado electorate.
But it's just my luck to see that potential high-level connection start to disintegrate. Back in 1969-71, Owens attended Austin State University in Texas. While many other students wore black armbands and rallied against the Vietnam War, Owens said he wore a red, white and blue armband and organized pro-war demonstrations.
Owens and I are the same age, 47, and so I feel considerable sympathy -- I, too, committed many youthful follies during those years.
However, Owens claimed at one point that he hadn't taken advantage of the student deferment from the military draft, and then, when the records were examined, it turned out that he had. Then he blamed a memory lapse.
Again I began to feel some sympathy. There are many
episodes from that era that I don't remember, either. As
the saying goes, If you can remember the 60s, you
weren't there.
But draft status isn't one of those things I forgot.
Every man my age I know -- except for Owens, apparently --
can recall chapter and verse of his dealings with the
Selective Service System: registering on his 18th birthday,
applying for deferments, the night of the lottery drawing
and what number one received, rumors of the dentist in
Golden and the psychiatrist in Boston and the lawyer in
Englewood who might keep you out, the Greetings
letter from the President of the United States, physical
examination day at AFEES, etc.
If Owens forgot things that the rest of us remember, well, it gives me a whole new perspective on those clean-cut pro-war types that infested every college campus. We thought they were living the pure life, keeping their minds sharp, and now, well ...
Some mysteries remain. The Owens story says that he was too old to be drafted after his college deferments ran out after 1971. My student deferment ran out in 1972, and that fall, I began a study of the manual of arms at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. (After seven weeks, the Army agreed that I wasn't military material, and I was honorably discharged.)
Fortunately, Owens has Dick Wadhams on the campaign payroll, and Wadhams is a man of considerable talent. For instance, he made Wayne Allard sound vital and interesting in 1996. That may not have looked like an accomplishment then, but consider this -- have you even heard of Allard, one of our two U.S. Senators, since Wadhams left his staff?
I'd support Wadhams -- coherent, relevant, forthright -- in a heartbeat for any office he ran for, but it appears that he is content with constructing candidates rather than actually being one himself.
The unfortunate aspect of Owens and the draft is that it's a distraction. The governor commands the state militia, but that role hasn't mattered much since 1914 when they opened up with machine guns at Ludlow to teach striking coal miners not to interfere with important people, like the mine owners who contribute to Republican campaigns.
There are issues that matter now, and I'd like to see Owens addressing them.
For instance, does he believe in enforcing the provisions of our state constitution, or is he like Roy Romer?
Does he believe in private enterprise and limited government, or would he continue Romer's policies of courting and subsidizing big companies?
Would he try to bring some fairness to Colorado's tax system by eliminating the enterprise zones that now cover 70 percent of the state?
Does he think sprawl growth is a problem, or is it evidence of a buoyant economy and something for which we should feel grateful?
Should Interstate 70 be expanded? Or supplemented with mass transit? Or should Vail Resorts lose its welfare benefits?
When it comes to the economy, why did he say in 1995 that the growth cycle had peaked and that growth wouldn't be an issue henceforth?
And there are also telecommunication policy, electric deregulation, education at all levels -- a host of issues that matter a lot more than Owens's Selective Service System records.
So I hope this blows over quickly, because I'd like to hear what Dick Wadhams has to say about the things that really matter to Colorado.
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