Health Care Exchange Survives "Amycare" Onslaught; Will Amy?

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by: Colorado Pols

As the Colorado Independent’s Joseph Boven reports:

A bill to create health insurance exchanges in Colorado passed out of the Senate today, becoming one of the few bills to make it through the fires of Tea Party and other conservative groups this year. While Republicans largely voted against the bill, it passed with no discussion in the Democratically controlled Senate and is now on its way to the governor’s desk.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Westminster, and House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, R-Monument, survived heavy opposition from “conservative grassroots organizations” and an attempt to add a poison pill amendment by Stephens on its way to final passage…

Tea Party and “grassroots conservative” activists said Wednesday that they would look at influencing Republican primaries and might begin working on recall efforts of Republicans who voted in favor of the bill.

While Stephens said during a press meeting Wednesday that she did not want to turn the bill into a Tea Party debate, she said that she encourages political involvement and conversation. She said she would have been remiss in her job to govern if she did not work to pass SB 200.

We said earlier that Rep. Amy Stephens, regardless of the ultimate fate of Senate Bill 200, did severe damage to her credibility by threatening a ‘poison pill’ “anti-Obamacare” amendment under pressure from conservative activists both in and outside of her district. This silly, potentially dealbreaking move infuriated everyone she had worked with on the bill, up to and including a rare flash of public anger from Gov. John Hickenlooper. Stephens’ work since then to pass the bill without her amendment confirms widespread rumors that she was severely rebuked by the many powerful interests backing SB-200–interests whose support, or lack thereof, matters much more to Rep. Stephens’ career than anything the “Tea Party” can do to her.

Unless we’re wrong about that, of course, and reportedly we’re going to find out.

9 thoughts on “Health Care Exchange Survives “Amycare” Onslaught; Will Amy?”

MADCO says:

May 5, 2011 at 11:16 pm

It’s a free market solution – or partial solution – to a major pricing problem.

All Senator Stephens needs to do is explain it to the tea partier opposition. ONce they understand it, they’ll get on board, right? I mean why wouldn’t they?

Personally, I don’t care as long as the gov’t keeps their hands off my Medicare.

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1. MetaData says:
  
  May 6, 2011 at 3:06 am
  
  There is no reason on earth why one of the exchange options couldn’t be a public option. That could be run by the state of Colorado, a non-profit, a consortium of health providers.
  
  This scares the pants off Republicans.
  
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  1. MADCO says:
    
    May 6, 2011 at 4:26 am
    
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Gilpin Guy says:

May 6, 2011 at 12:08 am

Will anyone now want to allow Heath Care cooperatives with SB 168? It is a unique Colorado solution and targets a different demographic than the exchanges. Could this legislative body be that enlightened?

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Craig says:

May 6, 2011 at 1:01 am

I bet she gets recalled before the next session.

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1. Gilpin Guy says:
  
  May 6, 2011 at 2:10 am
  
  How dare any Republicans work to hold down health care costs.
  
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2. DavidThi808 says:
  
  May 6, 2011 at 3:29 am
  
  It takes a lot for people to vote out an incumbent and she’s a damn good campaigner. She might have a tough primary but I’ll bet she wins if she is challenged.
  
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  1. abraham says:
    
    May 6, 2011 at 6:09 am
    
    This is a tempest in a teapot. The wingnuts have targeted her and McNulty going back to the election when they stood by their responsibilities as party leaders and supported Mayes instead of Tancredo – both held their noses, but did their duty. The El Paso County wingnuts all ran to Tancredo but never gave up their Republican registrations. Now they have come back into the party and are seeking vengenance against McNulty and Stephens.
    
    The party should toss them out on their butts rather than allowing the wingnuts to implode the party.
    
    Both McNulty and Stephens will be fine. They cannot really be recalled and the wingnuts do not have the discipline to stay on target for the 2012 cycle. They will probably field someone at the precinct caucuses, but will fall short at the nominating assemblies.
    
    Incumbency is a powerful foundation, and incumbency of someone who is in leadership is even more powerful.
    
    Besides, Schultheis has probably misplaced his jack boots and you can’t run a hate campaign without jack boots.
    
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nancycronk says:

May 6, 2011 at 9:48 am

activists Nathan Wilkes, Patty Sullivan, Dede DePercin, Kellie Fritts, Micki Farrin, Carol Blackard, Dave Bean, and so many others who have worked on health care reform for years. They are truly inspiring people, and deserve a lot of credit for selfless efforts! Thank you!

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