Isabella Carter
Amendment 71, also known as 'Raise the Bar', is a ballot initiative that would make it harder to amend the state's constitution. The amendment has been supported by diverse politicians and groups, including the Colorado Farm Bureau, who say that protecting our state's constitution from gamesmanship is a cause that unites us. However, critics argue that it would give veto power to a small portion of the population and make it prohibitively expensive to amend the constitution. Oil and gas industry groups have been the largest contributors to the initiative.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amendment number | 71 |
| Supporters | Colorado Farm Bureau, Building a Better Colorado, diverse politicians and groups, oil and gas industry groups |
| Opponents | Colorado Right to Life, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, Conservation Colorado, Sierra Club, Independence Institute, Libertarian Party of Colorado, TABOR Committee, Colorado Union of Taxpayers, Bell Policy Center, Colorado Fiscal Institute |
| Effect | Would make it harder to amend the state's constitution |
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What You'll Learn
Amendment 71
Supporters of Raise the Bar tout their broad support among diverse politicians and groups, saying that "protecting our state's constitution from gamesmanship is a cause that unites us". However, opponents argue that it would burden a fundamental right by making it prohibitively expensive to amend the constitution and giving veto power to a very small portion of the population.
Oil and gas industry groups have been the largest contributors to the initiative by far. Protecting Colorado's Environment, Economy, and Energy—a group funded by oil and gas corporations Anadarko and Noble Energy—has been a major supporter.
The Colorado Farm Bureau is also a strong supporter of the amendment, arguing that Colorado has been used as a playground for outside interests that end up impacting rural Colorado. They believe that Amendment 71 is necessary to protect the state's constitution and give more power to the people of Colorado.
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Oil and gas industry groups
Supporters of Raise the Bar tout their broad support among diverse politicians and groups, saying that "protecting our state's constitution from gamesmanship is a cause that unites us". However, opponents argue that it gives veto power to a very small portion of the population and allows special interests to launch expensive opposition campaigns and block something popular from moving forward.
The amendment would make it harder to amend the state's constitution. Colorado Farm Bureau Associate Director of Communications John Dooley said: "Colorado Farm Bureau is pleased to hear that Amendment 71, Raise the Bar Protect our Constitution will officially make the ballot this November. This is a ballot measure that we are strongly supporting and it needs to be passed. Colorado has been used as a playground for the last 10 or so years from outside interests that end up impacting rural Colorado."
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Diverse politicians and groups
Raise the Bar, also known as Amendment 71, is a ballot initiative that would make it harder to amend the Colorado state constitution. It has been described as burdening a fundamental right by making it prohibitively expensive to amend the constitution and giving veto power to a very small portion of the population.
Supporters of Raise the Bar claim that it has broad support among diverse politicians and groups. They argue that protecting the state's constitution from gamesmanship is a cause that unites people across party lines. The initiative grew out of an effort from a group called Building a Better Colorado, a bipartisan alliance organized by former University of Denver Chancellor Dan Ritchie and other business and political leaders.
The opposition to Raise the Bar is also diverse, ranging from groups with differing political ideologies such as Colorado Right to Life and NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, to environmental groups like Conservation Colorado and the Sierra Club, and anti-regulation groups like the Independence Institute and the Libertarian Party of Colorado.
Oil and gas industry groups have been the largest contributors to the initiative by far. Protecting Colorado’s Environment, Economy, and Energy—a group funded by oil and gas corporations Anadarko and Noble Energy—has also been a major supporter.
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Colorado Farm Bureau
Amendment 71, also known as "Raise the Bar, Protect our Constitution", was supported by the Colorado Farm Bureau. The Colorado Farm Bureau is a strong supporter of the amendment, which would make it harder to amend the state's constitution. The Colorado Farm Bureau is not the only supporter of the amendment, as it has also received bipartisan support from elected officials and diverse groups such as Colorado Right to Life and NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado.
The Colorado Farm Bureau's support for the amendment stems from its belief that Colorado has been used as a "playground" by outside interests, impacting rural areas of the state. The amendment is a response to the ease with which the state's constitution can be amended, and the Colorado Farm Bureau believes that it will help protect the constitution from "gamesmanship".
The Colorado Farm Bureau is not alone in its efforts to raise the bar for amending the state's constitution. Oil and gas industry groups have been the largest contributors to the cause, with Protecting Colorado's Environment, Economy, and Energy—a group funded by oil and gas corporations Anadarko and Noble Energy—playing a significant role.
The Colorado Farm Bureau's support for the amendment highlights its commitment to protecting the interests of rural Colorado and ensuring that the state's constitution is not easily manipulated by outside influences. By raising the bar for amending the constitution, the Colorado Farm Bureau and its allies believe that they can safeguard the state's future and prevent "gamesmanship" from special interest groups.
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Building a Better Colorado
Raise the Bar, also known as Amendment 71, was an effort to make it harder to amend the state's constitution. It was supported by a group called Building a Better Colorado, a bi-partisan alliance organised by former University of Denver Chancellor Dan Ritchie and other business and political leaders. The group toured the state to find out what voters thought was necessary to better Colorado's future.
Supporters of Raise the Bar touted their broad support among diverse politicians and groups, saying that "protecting our state's constitution from gamesmanship is a cause that unites us". However, opponents of the amendment argued that it would make it prohibitively expensive to amend the constitution and give veto power to a small portion of the population.
Oil and gas industry groups were the largest contributors to the effort, with Protecting Colorado's Environment, Economy, and Energy—a group funded by oil and gas corporations Anadarko and Noble Energy—being particularly influential. The Colorado Farm Bureau also strongly supported the amendment, arguing that it would protect the state from outside interests that impact rural Colorado.
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Frequently asked questions
Oil and gas industry groups have been the largest contributors to Raise the Bar.
Anadarko and Noble Energy.
To make it harder to amend the state's constitution.
The Colorado Farm Bureau.
