Colorado Mesa University (CMU) Golden Scholar Scott Beilfuss is currently running as the Democratic nominee for the Colorado House of Representatives District 55.
The Golden Scholar program offers a discounted tuition to those 60 years and older, so that they can take courses without the stress of receiving a grade. Beilfuss has taken part in classes ranging from the Mass Communications department to fitness classes offered by the Kinesiology department.
For him, the Golden Scholar program is a way to learn and stay engaged in current culture. He uses his classes as a way of learning the politics the students believe in as well.
He enjoys being an active member of both the CMU and the Grand Junction community. He finds himself helping with nonprofits in town as well as attending many city council meetings.
Beilfuss decided to run when he found out his opponent, incumbent Republican Janice Rich, was running unopposed. This is his first time running for office, but his team is optimistic about the outcome.
“I didn’t want her to run unopposed […] I wanted to push her a little bit. And we want to change things around here. We want to change the conversation around basic candidates,” Beilfuss said.
The transition into politics came naturally to him with his background as a businessman. He was already used to going door to door talking to people.
“I love the challenge of talking to people and I think it’s hugely important […] So, if you’re not talking to people, you’re not representing people.”
Beilfuss is also interested in bringing some political debates on campus. He encourages CMU students to get involved with politics. He reminisced about the political climate on his own college campus back in the 70’s. Any time there was a big political person on his campus, they would have 500+ people show up to ask questions to him/her.
He believes that students should get more involved with local politics. Politics on the local level are what directly impact our day to day lives.
“And I think it would be very beneficial for students to know who the local representatives are, and what they can do to change government if they want to do something,” Beilfuss said.
Beilfuss expressed that he had run into students on campus who were afraid to organize social justice movements on campus because of CMU President Tim Foster. Beilfuss believes that discourse and conflict is a natural part of politics — voting and interacting with politics is how change is created in this country. He believes that protests, petitions and social justice movements are a natural part of our governmental world in America.
“There’s some big issues that students should pay attention to. Now, because the local representation has primarily been Republican in the past, you know they don’t really reach out to people because they don’t have to,” Beilfuss said.
Beilfuss thought it would be interesting to bring the panel of nominees to have a forum on CMU’s campus to get students asking questions and interacting with local politics.
“So, to me, if you could run a good public forum, you know you can get some real thoughts from people, you can find out where they’re at, you can hear their stories,” Beilfuss said.
He will be pitted against incumbent Republican Janice Rich alongside Green Party candidate Sierra Garcia and Libertarian Candidate Emily Ernstsen in the November 2020 elections.
Does Scott Beilfuss support the policies of Barack Obama? Obama said in 2014 that he has the policies of a 1980’s moderate Republican. Does Beilfuss share those policies? Is Scott prepared to defend the Affordable Care Act against any alternate proposal such as a popular government-run not-for -profit single payer system such as those enjoyed by the people in other industrialized nations?
If Scott is a follower of the moderate Republican Barack Obama then I will not vote for him.
I am a Golden Scholar as well.
Andy, my mantra on health care is everyone should be covered everywhere. I support and have worked endlessly supporting the ACA and all the good things it has done for Mesa County. Our health care system has gotten so complicated that to flip the switch and have universal health care isn’t possible right now, but I will work on it as a goal for the near future. My opponent votes against health care bills as she very much supports for profit medicine. I would like to have a dialogue with the CMU School of Health Sciences about the future of health care in Colorado
Thanks for responding.
“Our health care system has gotten so complicated that to flip the switch and have universal health care isn’t possible right now, but I will work on it as a goal for the near future.”
I do not expect a flipped switch being all we need to do to move to a more rational way to keep our people healthy. We pay the highest prices and have the worst general health outcomes than any developed nation. I don’t think we can wait very long to get rid of the system we now have. In the near future you will support a government run single payer medical care system that eliminates private for-profit insurance? If so, have you a plan to get there? If so, why not state so in your campaign literature?
I know that the ACA has helped improve the access to medical services for many, myself included. I also know that it has many have been harmed by the legislation and many have expensive insurance with very high co-pays and deductibles. As far as serving us during the pandemic I give the ACA an F. As far as otherwise promoting the general welfare I give the ACA a C.
To another, State of Colorado issue:
As a State Representative, will you do everything in your power to repeal the so-called Taxpayers Bill of Rights, one of the most damaging laws we have on the books? One of the main reason that College and University students in the state of Colorado face such high tuition rates and financially crippling liberty killing student loan debt is the existence of that pernicious amendment.