Eye on the Legislature

"After the Session"

June 27, 2016

Since the beginning of this writer's website, “Doris Beaver's Eye on the Legislature” has appeared while the legislature was in session. This year brings change.

In this writer's opinion, the most critical ballot measure facing Coloradans is Amendment 69, the one supporters are fond of referring to as “Medicare for All.” That measure will be addressed over several columns at different times as information becomes available. What follows is the Amendment 69 Ballot Language as of May 30, 2016 provided by the NoOn69 opposition website. (Each point of the ballot language is set off in a separate paragraph for ease in reading and understanding.)

Interesting are those “headlining” the opposition to Amendment 69:  Former Governor Bill Ritter, Governor John Hickenlooper and Colorado State Treasurer Walker Stapleton.

AMENDMENT 69 BALLOT LANGUAGE

State taxes shall be increased $25 billion annually in the first full fiscal year, and by such amounts that are raised thereafter, by an amendment to the Colorado Constitution establishing a health care payment system to fund health care for all individuals whose primary residence is in Colorado,
And, in connection therewith, creating a governmental entity called ColoradoCare to administer the health care payment system;
Providing for the governance of ColoradoCare by an interim appointed Board of Trustees until an elected board of trustees takes responsibility;
Exempting ColoradoCare from the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights;
Assessing an initial tax on the total payroll from employers, payroll income from employees and nonpayroll income at varying rates;
Increasing these tax rates when ColoradoCare begins making health care payments for beneficiaries;
Capping the total amount of income subject to taxation;
Authorizing the Board to increase the taxes in specified circumstances upon approval of the members of ColoradoCare;
Requiring ColoradoCare to contract with health care providers to pay for specific health care benefits;
Transferring administration of the medicaid and children's basic health programs, and all other state and federal health care funds for Colorado to ColoradoCare;
Transferring responsibility to ColoradoCare for medical care that would otherwise be paid for by Workers Compensation Insurance;
Requiring ColoradoCare to apply for a waiver from the Affordable Care Act to establish a Colorado Health Care Payment System; and
Suspending the operations of the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange and transferring its resources to ColoradoCare.
The 2016 Presidential election is proving to be like none other in this country's history. Like or hate Donald Trump, the man has turned politics on its ear, presidential and otherwise;
Traditional voters such as those so obsessed with a party line vote may stay home in November because they cannot bring themselves to vote for either candidate running for President.
Then there are those who will hold their noses and vote regardless of affiliation.
The next group are those who are voting, many for the first time, because they are so fed up with Congress and how it runs the country. Like it or not, Congress runs this country as we found when government was shut down not so long ago. Flies in the face of the off-quoted “Government by the people, for the people . . .” does it not.
As election year politics gains momentum, the “Get Out The Vote” drives kick in. Such drives are based on the chiseled in stone slogan, “those who show up and vote . . . The “majority rules” idea is a favorite ploy in such drives, but in that context, it is in actuality a misnomer and downright inaccurate when used in the context of elections.
Why? In the context of elections, the proper term would be, “the majority of registered voters rule.” BUT that disregards the rights of two segments of the population:  1) the minority possess their equal rights (Thomas Jefferson's 1801 first inaugural address); and those who for whatever reason refuse to register to vote (which is a very huge segment).
With Eye on the Legislature Wrap Up for 2016 now history, Eye on the Legislature “After the Session” will take readers up to the November election with some in-depth analysis. Note:  Some columns may run for more than one week, depending on all the  volatility of the candidates.

The reader's comments or questions are always welcome. E-mail me at doris@dorisbeaver.com.