January 25, 2020

1. March for Life in Washington DC

2. Blaine Amendment under SCOTUS scrutiny

3. More DC Developments

4. The Bills in Colorado

———————————————————————————————————————-1. March for Life in Washington DC

First, to set the record straight, if you scan the national news media you will only see an occasional story (if you look hard enough), and then buried under a vague headline, claiming “thousands” were a part of the March for Life.

By my observation it was more like a hundred thousand people who marched in our nation’s capitol for life and against the barbaric practice of abortion. I had only one perspective on the march, but as you will read, it was at the very front, leading the procession, and I could watch the rest of the throng march past the Supreme Court Building for a very long time.

Many years ago I was at the Promise Keepers rally on the Mall. The best estimates of that well documented event placed the number around one million. I have seen many of the crowds who have gathered at the Colorado capitol, from a few hundred to hundreds of thousands. I have quite a bit of experience observing and estimating crowd sizes.

There is no doubt in my mind that the true number is more like a hundred thousand who were a part of the DC March for Life yesterday. But those in the dominant media are doing all they can to not admit that support for life and opposition to abortion is a dominant issue in our nation.

This week was an extraordinary experience at the March for Life. Colorado Christian University (CCU) students were invited to help lead the march this year, so the school sent out 180 students. As a trustee for the university I joined them.

A vast army of people were a part of this powerful statement for life. After a stirring rally which, for the first time in history, the sitting President personally spoke at, we marched up Constitution Avenue, past the Capitol building all the way to the Supreme Court building.

From my vantage point I could not get the best pictures, as I joined the CCU students carrying one of the March for Life flags right behind the front banner. Being on the extreme right side of the first line of flags I spent most of my time keeping my flag out of the face of the parade marshal directing our row.

Beyond simply saying that this was an incredible moment, I find it impossible to adequately explain. It was mostly young people who attended, all focused on upholding the value of life and eliminating the scourge of abortion in our land. I have been following and trends and major events impacting this critical issue and it looks to me that the wholesale slaughter of unborn children will end in our time. More and more people are waking up to the reality of this barbaric practice. Today I saw the energy and enthusiasm we have to make this so. It is coming from God’s blessing, the next generation, committed citizens from all walks of life and more and more political leaders, including the President of the United States.

The next step forward in Colorado is the citizen’s initiative which can end late term abortions in our state. If you have not yet signed the petition, and carried a petition for your friends and family, check it out at their website. And hurry to get this done. They must collect all of the needed signatures by the end of February.

2. Blaine Amendment under SCOTUS scrutiny

Also in DC this week were oral arguments to try to end or reduce the Blaine Amendments in about 37 states. This part of Colorado’s constitution prohibits state funding for educational programs that help a religious school. It was born out of 19th century religious bigotry and needs to end now. This has been a major impediment to real school choice for families in much of the country.

On Wednesday, as a part of the CCU dinner at the Museum of the Bible, we heard Education Secretary Betsy DeVoss give her first-hand report on this court case that was heard by the US Supreme Court that very day. This is a case in which I played a smallI role by helping to organize a friend of the court brief signed by 133 state legislators representing over 30 states.

Secretary DeVoss’ assessment was the arguments went well and we hope to see a favorable decision later this year.

3. More DC Developments

And there is the impeachment trial.

Here is the best assessment I have come across. It was written by a friend who was once  a homeschool student in my neighborhood and is now a commentator for Fox News and attorney for the President.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trump-impeachment-trial-four-legal-problems-house-democrats-jenna-ellis

4. The Bills in Colorado

There are now 288 bills listed on the state’s website. Here are the worst parts of the worst ones I have identified so far, including two more introduced this week, both banning plastic products (1162 and 1163). In the coming weeks I will be tracking the progress of these bills.

HB-1006 mental health “consultants” to monitor families from prenatal through age 8
HB-1008 heavy regulations on medical cost-sharing programs
HB-1011 state sponsored PR campaign for preschool education
HB-1018 increase natural gas costs with production of “renewable natural gas”
HB-1019 find ways to end private prisons by 2025
HB-1065 opens up free needle exchange programs to any clinic, without govt. oversight
HB-1081 expands multi-language election ballots
HB-1084 strict controls on dog and cat breeders and bans their sale at pet stores
HB-1141 limits fees for late rent to no more than $20 and only after 14 days
HB-1149 allows 16 year olds to vote in school district elections
HB-1162 prohibit polstyrene
HB-1163 prohibit plastic single use products, including polystyrene
SB-010 allow local governments to ban certain plastics
SB-038 require biodiesel in diesel
SB-065 require hands free cell phones while driving
SB-100 bans death penalty
SB-108 prohibits a landlord from requesting or using in any way a tenant’s                  immigration status

Here are the good bills I have found. Predictably, most have been assigned to the “kill” committees. The new one I added to this list is HB-1114.

HB-1033 pro-life Live and Let Live Act
HB-1034 K-12 tuition tax deduction
HB-1040 allow concealed carry on school grounds
HB-1062 expands campus free speech law
HB-1099 parental rights bill
HB-1068 protects a child who survives an abortion
HB-1070 makes local governments liable for fracking bans
HB-1075 protect human life at conception
HB-1098 prohibits late term abortions
HB-1099 repeals gun magazine ban
HB-1114 Protect Minors From Mutilation And Sterilization
HB-1144 parental rights bill
SB-020 reduce state income tax rate to 4.49%
SB-044 directs some sales and use taxes to transportation
SB-049 expands senior property tax exemption for medical necessity
SB-072 requires more parental notification for sex ed instruction
SB-077 pro life born alive child physician relationship
SB-084 prohibit requiring employee immunization
SB-099 expands thresholds for sales tax collection requirements

For Life and Liberty!

Kevin Lundberg
fmr Colorado State Senator

As the executive director for Republican Study Committee of Colorado, I am working to keep this organization a powerful voice for conservative values in the Colorado legislature. We are a non-profit 501(c)4 organization, relying on contributions
(which are not tax-deductable).

Donations can be sent to:

The Republican Study Committee of Colorado, P.O. Box 378, Berthoud, CO 80513.

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