With Republicans in control of the state House and Democrats the state Senate, both parties can expect to see their bills killed in the chamber they don't control. It's common sense. Yet Democrats have succeeded in getting gobs of coverage for having their bills blocked in the House. Republicans, unsurprisingly, have not found the same luck in the press for their bills blocked in the Senate.
Last week, Democrats succeeded in getting not one but two Denver Post process stories about their tough time in the House minority. The first was a lame story about how Rep. Matt Jones (D-Louisville) supposedly gets passed over for speaking slots on the House floor. The second about Democrat sponsored bills that failed to win a majority vote.
Boo hoo. That's what happens when you don't have the majority in the chamber.
At least that's the reception Republicans have received when their bills fail in the Senate.
When Republicans had a business impact statement bill killed last week there was not a word in the only statewide newspaper. The bill even originated with the Democrat Governor's 2011 State of the State address, and Democrats still killed it. Still, no story.
Both parties send out near daily press releases complaining of killed bills. Yet, recently only one side has seen their press releases turn into full blown mainstream media stories.
The lesson from this is simple: Democrats need to suck it up and realize they don't control all three legislative levers anymore and the press needs to stop rewarding their childish whining with lame process stories.