Colorado Politics’ coverage of the abortion bill recently signed by Gov. Jared Polis states that this new law will guarantee a right to abortion in Colorado. This seems to overlook and re-frame the facts from a specific advocacy position.

For example, the federal case law at “risk” of being changed is a series of cases that prevent states from restricting access to abortion. In other words, no state is allowed to restrict abortion access beyond a certain point. However, although completely ignored and never mentioned, Colorado is already one of the states that has expansive abortion rights and will not be affected by any overturning of Roe because it is so permissive of abortions. Even before this new law, Colorado allowed abortion in late-term, past 20 weeks. In other words, while the article and politicians quoted seem to want to scare everyone about abortions being limited if the Supreme Court overturns its precedent, even under current Colorado law, no limitation would occur.

The “news” about the Colorado law is that it goes well and far beyond what the existing law did already by opening up abortions in the most extreme of circumstances, and for any reason whatsoever, and whether or not the child is viable outside the womb at the time of the abortion.

The “news” is that Colorado Democrats on a straight-line vote took the opportunity of the alleged “threat” of overturned Supreme Court case-law to push a radical piece of legislation that only three other states have dared to pass so far.

The “news” is that Colorado will now be the only state in the region with such extremely-permissive laws and is likely to see an influx of forum selection by people who want to get abortions.

The “news” is not that the Democrat Legislature overcame the longest hearing and most citizen-organized opposition to a bill in the history of Colorado to do the will of the people, but that they ignored, discounted and rejected the in-fact huge level of opposition and motivation to challenge this radical agenda.

The “news” is, despite the fact that the strategy for the bill was to introduce it quickly and rush it to hearing with strong proponent support already prepared, that the opposition was able to mobilize so quickly to make such a strong – if not refined and sophisticated – showing despite the time and procedural barriers.

It is also very misleading to call it a guarantee. The statutory grant of abortion rights is not any kind of “guarantee” unless there is some reason that this statute cannot be changed by the legislature next year.

What is also left out and is implicitly attacked is that for 46 years since Roe v. Wade, abortion opponents have democratically and through the political process worked tirelessly to raise awareness, to seek court appointments and to challenge the “Constitutional” right to abortion in the Roe and progeny cases. And, now that they are in a position to see the fruit of those efforts, Colorado is going to respond by pushing abortion even further. Meanwhile, that long-term civil engagement is constantly derided and discounted. And, instead, the redoubled efforts of abortion activists to expand their agenda in the face of such opposition is celebrated.

I push back because the credibility of the press and reporting continues to be at stake.

Douglas Griess

Centennial

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