Admitting mistakes is not a trait commonly associated with politicians. However, in his statement regarding education, Udall admits that his vote for No Child Left Behind was not one that he would give again.

Udall: In 2001, I voted for the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act because I felt it was an important bipartisan step toward the establishment of higher academic standards and accountability. Unfortunately, I believe it must be acknowledged that NCLB has fallen short of our expectations.

In an attempt to fix the damage caused by NCLB, Udall introduced the CLASS ACT which would provide more adequate funding and better instruction to meet both student and faculty requirements.

It's very simple. The Republican party got us to where we are today- disgraced abroad, displaced at home. The economy is in the tank, the environment is in peril, and federal support for education is a joke. I live in Colorado, and I am excited at the thought of having two senators with a little "d" by their name. And, from the amount of lawn signs in my area (Wash Park, Denver) I have many neighbors who feel the same.

How Udall Will Fund Alternative Energy

The environment has received more attention this year than in any before. Yet the economy may put a wrench in the plans of environmentalists. How would Udall fund new technology? Udall answers in the video below, “The way we pay for these new tax credits and investments in a whole new energy economy is first and foremost redirect all the tax breaks and subsidies that go to the oil companies today into theses new technologies.”

He attacks his opponent for being oil and gas executive. He frames the energy policy as an American bipartisan issue that could lead to a better environment, energy independence, and a growing economy. Eastern Colorado’s wind industry would particularly benefit from a new direction in energy policy.

When all the talk about Joe the Plumber started up, it brought to mind a similar incident where Bob Schaffer used an ordinary citizen for political gain, but unlike our pal Joe, the citizen Schaffer used was an unwilling participant. When Schaffer was a Representative for the House of Rep. from Fort Collins, he decided to make some hay out of naming Post Offices after ordinary citizens facing life's "extraordinary challenges". He pushed through a bill in congress naming the local post office after Barney Apodaca, who did not want that to happen, and asked for it to be taken back. You can read about it in the humorous book Bush-Whacked, Chronicles of Government Stupidity (available on amazon)- it's on page 67. Just another example of how out of touch the GOP really is with the common man.

Former Democratic Congressman and now Senate Candidate for state of Colorado Mark Udall, as Big Iron stated, was opposed to the Patriot Act however, a bill introduced into the House by Democratic Congressman from New York Gary Ackerman has 273 co-sponsors and Mr. Udall is one of them.

This bill may come off as peaceful by many political officials when discussed in the media but just like the Iraq resolutions throughout the 90s and earlier this decade, this is a drumbeat for War with Iran. In 1998 the Clinton Administration had the Iraq Liberation Act passed, which made the key United States Foreign Policy to remove Saddam Hussein.

When tensions exude between Iran and the United States and war breaks out Mr. Mark Udall will be one of the instigators of this war.