“Personhood” Claims Credit For Rivera Recall Win; Vows More

Personhood USA.

As the Colorado Statesman's Peter Marcus reports–you might not agree, but be aware of this spin:

Motivated by a grassroots uprising this summer that ousted two sitting Democratic state senators, proponents of a ballot initiative that would ask voters in 2014 to define an unborn child as a “person” say they are likely to target Republicans who don’t support their anti-abortion movement…

Keith Mason, president of Personhood USA, said his organization and its followers feel empowered after gun rights activists and liberty groups were able to take down Senate President John Morse and Sen. Angela Giron last month with limited financing compared to recall opponents. Similar to personhood, the efforts were assembled by a grassroots base that felt overlooked by state officeholders.

Mason points out that his volunteers inserted themselves into the recall elections, where personhood once again became an issue. Political attack ads highlighted the Republican successor candidates’ support for personhood. Bernie Herpin in Colorado Springs and George Rivera in Pueblo faced the assaults.

Herpin found himself on the defensive, vowing that he did not support personhood. But Rivera unapologetically stated his support for the drive.

In response, Mason said personhood supporters sent volunteers to Pueblo to help Rivera, but ignored Herpin in Colorado Springs because he rejected the initiative.

Supporters of the "Personhood" abortion ban constitutional amendments, which appeared on the ballot in Colorado in 2008 and 2010 and only narrowly missed the ballot again in 2012, have at times been quite belligerent with their fellow Republicans who express an insufficient degree of support. The reason is simple: the issue of banning abortions can be as damaging to Republicans campaigning in a general election as it is a litmus test in a Republican primary. The best example was probably the assault on U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, who faced withering criticism for his failure to endorse the 2008 initiative–complicated by Schaffer's defense of labor practices in the Mariana Islands which allegedly included forced abortions on pregnant female workers. In 2010 and to a greater extent 2012, Personhood proponents softpedaled their criticism of Republicans who were by then in full retreat on the issue–at least publicly.

Well, folks, antithetical to the desire by most Republicans to keep themselves out of this toxic wedge-issue fray, the Personhooders evidently think the recent recalls prove they were right all along. Sen. George Rivera's victory in Pueblo, whatever the true reasons, seems to have persuaded the anti-abortion movement to double down–which means taking a public stand for or against Republican candidates based on their support.

However giddy with victory they may be, we know Republicans who will find that prospect absolutely horrifying.

View the original article here

Gardner Won’t/Can’t Back Up Health Premium Hike Claims

UPDATE: Via the Colorado Independent, Rep. Cory Gardner's insurer, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, appears to dispute Gardner's claims of a massive premium increase:

The chief marketer for Rocky Mountain Health Plans told the Colorado Independent on Wednesday that policy-holder Congressman Cory Gardner, whose current plan is being canceled, can choose from a “ton” of different plans offered by the company on the Connect for Health Colorado “Obamacare” exchange that opened Tuesday and that he’d find a comparable plan.

“The Congressman can go on the exchange. We’re offering tons of different policies with different benefit levels,” said Neil Waldron. “Probably one of our medal plans would be best. Without knowing particulars, I’d say the cheapest plan available to the congressman would be our Bronze Plan. Looks like that might be in the price range he’s paying now.” [Pols emphasis]

Rep. Cory Gardner (R).

—–

A terrific followup to our questions about the shocking allegation of well over a 100% premium hike in Rep. Cory Gardner's health insurance due to the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. "Obamacare." As FOX 31's Eli Stokols reports this morning, Gardner turned unhelpful when asked for the details supporting this claim–a claim that, without his help, nobody can corroborate.

Gardner, in just his second term, has been using highlighting own personal experience with the Affordable Care Act.

In an interview last Friday, Gardner told FOX31 Denver that his current insurance plan was being cancelled and that premiums for a comparable plan under “Obamacare” are more than double what he’s been paying…

“We were paying about $650 a month for our plan. And the plan that’s most similar to replace it through our current provider goes up by 100 percent more, so it’s from $650 to $1,480.”

Later that same day, Gardner appeared on CNN’s Crossfire and told the exact same story.

Since then, FOX31 Denver has asked Gardner to provide a copy of the letter or to provide additional details about the policies.

Five times.

But Gardner’s office chose not to help corroborate his claims.

We were immediately suspicious of Gardner's claim of a $650 monthly premium increasing to nearly $1,500–not necessarily due to the unreasonableness of either figure, but the simple idea that anyone would be subject to such an increase for coverage Gardner insists is "comparable." Now that consumers are seeing the rates for insurance to be offered through the health care exchange, his claims just don't add up with real-world experience. It shouldn't be a problem to show how these plans are "comparable" in terms of coverage, deductibles, and so forth.

But for whatever reason, it doesn't appear Rep. Gardner wants to do that.

Why do you suppose that is, folks?

View the original article here