OPINION: 'Boulder Liberal' Udall

For Boulder-loyal Coloradans, the title given to United States Sen. Mark Udall during the last election has become a term of endearment of sorts. Republican opponent Bob Shaffer's campaign nicknamed his opponent "Boulder Liberal Mark Udall," and today Boulder natives throughout the state refer to themselves as "Boulder Liberal ... " fill in the blank. Even some conservatives think it is fun.

Fortunately, it turns out that Boulder Liberal Udall has little interest in living up to his nickname. He's among a group of 15 Senate Democrats weathering attacks from the left for their desire to trip up the ultra liberal fiscal policies of President Barack Obama.
"This moderate group is about finding solutions to tough problems. They're helping Obama get important bills passed, but sometimes you have to compromise to make that happen," said Udall spokeswoman Tara Trujillo.

MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow, who reports news with an overt though charming far-left slant, last week flashed pictures of Udall, fellow Colorado Sen. Mark Bennett, also a Democrat, and a few of the other centrists before launching into a five-minute tirade in which she referred to the moderates as "conservadems."

Let's see: "Boulder Conservadem Mark Udall." It just doesn't have the same ring.

The moderate Democrats are wise to put principle and fiscal restraint ahead of party loyalty. Pure loyalty, blind to principled philosophy, all but destroyed the GOP when Republicans held the White House and a majority in Congress. The party may never recover. Fiscally conservative Coloradans must support Sens. Bennett and Udall in their willingness to confront the insanity of unrestrained federal borrowing, spending, and printing of money. Their efforts could help the country, all party politics aside.