Is Doug Lamborn a Leader or Follower?

I must say that Representative Lamborn has raised eyebrows with his threatening phone message to a constituent couple for exercising their free speech, but what has he raised in congress? Has anything he has done shown leadership? Is the representative more content as a follower?

I don’t know but based on his record, Representative Lamborn has one issue; abortion. Now don’t get me wrong, the issue of abortion is an important one but is it one that should engulf the representatives entire agenda? Lamborn is the choice of the people who believe abortion is the one and only issue that matters, but what about the rest of the district? What has he outlined for them?

Doug Lamborn has a 99.2% “party unity score”, the highest in the house. What that means to the district is he is a good follower of the Republican Party line. That’s great if the Republican Party controlling power is all you care about, but what about the republicans, democrats, and unaffiliated voters that want leadership and change in the budget, national defense, and the border? What about the Pinon Canyon expansion funding that was recently removed from the budget? Where was the fight? Where was the leadership? Where does he stand? I will go out on a limb here and say that if Representative Lamborn is content with following, he will be following the soldier’s departure to Texas or some other state willing to accommodate our troops. If we don’t resolve the expansion issue at Fort Carson, our military leaders will find someplace else to house their (our) troops. Military leaders are just that and eventually they will move on if they don’t feel the community has the leadership necessary to resolve the issue. Where is our leader protecting the district’s interests?

Representative Lamborn seems willing to chalk up a lack of engagement as the consequences of being a freshman in the minority. I see it as an excuse not to do the hard work. If the “rules” are stifling for a freshman, then build coalitions to get the rules changed. If you didn’t get a seat on a committee it doesn’t mean you can’t participate in your government. Representative Lamborn is an example of what is wrong with the system and he seems more than willing to just go along to get along.

Representative Lamborn is party first and foremost. He is not willing to make the changes so many American’s are clamoring for in our government. Representative Lamborn is not representing the majority of the district because he is not trying to make a difference. Representative Lamborn is in DC but why? If he is there to wait for the republicans to gain a majority, he may be waiting a long time. If he believes the current system is in our best interest then he will make us all a victim of this system.

Leaders make a difference. Leaders take risks. Leaders fight for many issues on many different fronts. What fronts has he opened for us? Or is he waiting for other leaders to introduce legislation that he can vote on and keep his “party unity score” intact? Representative Lamborn has stated “He will build up more pull as he spends more time in congress.” My first thought is; doing what in congress, waiting? My second thought is why would we want to give him more time? Leaders instinctively use the status quo as an opportunity to make change for the better. While he’s waiting, maybe he could spend some time figuring out why it is right that a freshman can be marginalized in congress because he holds no “clout”. Clout doesn’t come from time, it comes from action. So far I don’t know how you can ask for another term if you are content just waiting around for your turn to be a leader. Just a thought…