Philosophical split for GOP (Colorado) [View All]

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The 2004 General Assembly has faced a growing number of bills from conservative Republicans designed to expand government's reach into courts, classrooms, college campuses and more. As the legislative session heads into the final 10 days, bills to censor left-leaning college professors, limit teachings on homosexuality, require waiting periods for abortions, loosen gun controls and restrict racial preferences in college admissions have been squelched by moderate Republicans with the help of Democrats. On Friday, a bid to support a federal anti-gay marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution and a measure proposing that state employees help round up illegal aliens were defeated.

"Colorado is not an extreme state. We just are not," said Rep. Mark Larson, a moderate Republican who has led the opposition to much of the conservative agenda. "Citizens of this state are reasoned, educated the majority of the time on issues. I'm pleased to see that representative government does work."

Still, with a May 5 adjournment looming, conservatives are pressing forward with efforts to impeach a sitting judge for ordering a Denver woman to shield her adopted daughter from anti-homosexual religious teachings and rid the courts of "activist judges."

"What you have is extreme Christian conservatives ... using government to try to place into statute matters having to do with their religious beliefs and lifestyles," said Colorado State University professor John Straayer, author of books on Colorado politics.

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~64~2108382,00.html