Divided We Fail Ramps Up for Super Tuesday

By Jon Looney
State Director, AARP Colorado

The Divided We Fail premise is simple and compelling: every American, from every generation, should have access to affordable health care and long-term financial security. It sounds easy enough, but these two basic goals have eluded us so far.

With Super Tuesday on the horizon, Divided We Fail volunteers in 24 states will be increasing efforts to press candidates and elected officials to make health care and financial security top issues in the national political debate.

We are particularly excited about the attention Colorado is suddenly starting to receive from the candidates. The morning of January 30th kicked off with bundled volunteers, clutching steaming coffee standing in lines to attend a Barack Obama rally and the day ended with another cadre of volunteers doing the same thing twelve hours later at an event where Bill Clinton was representing Senator Clinton. So far, we haven't seen any foot traffic from the Republican candidates, but we are on high-alert in case they come in town before Tuesday's caucus.

The early state exit polls are crystal clear: health care and financial security are two of the top issues in this country right now. Many of the candidates have made statements about their positions on the issues, which we've published as In Their Own Words.

In Colorado, we have started running radio ads reminding voters of the important Divided We Fail issues of access to health care and financial security. And we are encouraging our volunteers to be involved in the process and ensure that the Divided We Fail issues remain highlighted in their caucus discussions.

As the year progresses, the political fervor should soon reach record highs in preparation for the Democratic National Convention which Denver is hosting in late August, as well as at the Republican Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul in early September.

Colorado and the other states in the West are pleased to receive attention from the candidates. We'll be ready, with staff and volunteers wearing their red Champions of Change shirts and asking the hard questions of the candidates.

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