Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) has announced a “special session” to deal with what he’s calling a budget shortfall, and like clockwork, he’s pointing fingers at Washington — more specifically, at Republicans and the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB). But let’s get one thing straight: the real culprit behind Colorado’s budget woes isn’t Congress — it’s the Democrats’ addiction to reckless spending and blatant fiscal mismanagement.
Polis and his allies are crying foul, trying to blame the OBBB — a Republican-led initiative that saved Coloradans from one of the largest tax hikes in the state’s history. But the truth is far less convenient for Democrats: they were counting on taxpayers coughing up more money, and they spent it before it ever existed.
While Republicans in Washington worked to remove fraud, waste, and abuse from federal programs — including Medicaid and other entitlements — Colorado Democrats were busy funneling taxpayer dollars into programs that don’t serve hardworking Coloradans. From giving free healthcare to illegal immigrants, to sending Medicaid payments to dead people, Colorado’s budget isn’t suffering because of federal cuts — it’s imploding under the weight of its own waste.
Let’s also not forget the overtime tax Colorado Democrats recently imposed — yes, you read that right. Workers already giving extra time to support their families are now being punished with a new state tax. This is what happens when Democrats govern without accountability: higher taxes, more handouts, and fewer services for the people who actually pay the bills.
The OBBB was designed to cut through this kind of waste and protect the most vulnerable — seniors, single mothers, children, and people with disabilities. But instead of applauding efforts to root out corruption and inefficiency, Governor Polis wants to drag the state backward and undo Republican reforms — all to keep the cash flowing into programs that benefit noncitizens and bureaucracy.
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Republicans are rightly sounding the alarm:
“The Big Beautiful Bill saved Coloradans from the largest tax hike in history. However, state Democrats were banking on that tax hike and already spent the money. Democrats’ reckless overspending is why there's a budget shortfall and now a special session.”
— Congressman Gabe Evans
“CO Dems need to learn to stop reckless spending and create a budget that works for Coloradans, not against them. Maybe start by examining how much the state has given to illegal aliens.”
— Congressman Jeff Crank
“Instead of asking state agencies to find savings or eliminate waste, the Governor is demanding a blank check from taxpayers.”
— CO Rep. Carlos Barron
“[Polis] wants you to believe Washington is to blame... The truth: while Congress delivered tax relief to families & small businesses, CO politicians took your TABOR refund, taxed overtime pay, & cut healthcare for over 1.2 million Coloradans.”
— Senator Barb Kirkmeyer
These aren’t just partisan talking points — they reflect growing public frustration. Recent polling shows that 71 percent of voters are concerned about waste, fraud, and abuse in programs like Medicaid and Social Security. And nearly 70 percent support efforts to cut that waste.
But Democrats in Colorado aren’t listening. In fact, they’re doubling down. One even admitted their entire legislative strategy is just doing the opposite of what President Trump did — not out of principle, but out of sheer partisanship:
“Whatever the Trump administration does, we are protecting Colorado by decoupling that.”
This is what Trump Derangement Syndrome looks like in practice — not just performative outrage, but activelyundermining policies that work just because Republicans support them.
The Governor’s special session is nothing more than a distraction — a political stunt designed to shift blame away from the people who truly caused the mess. Colorado’s budget isn’t broken because Republicans passed a bill; it’s broken because Democrats wasted your money, refused to rein in spending, and tried to grow government programs far beyond what taxpayers can sustain.
It’s time for Colorado Democrats to take a hard look in the mirror. The people of Colorado deserve fiscal discipline, responsible governance, and policies that prioritize legal residents and taxpayers, not political theater and runaway spending.
Republicans are ready to stand up and fight — for accountability, for sanity, and for the taxpayers who’ve had enough of footing the bill for failed leadership.
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