WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.520 This is Dan Caplis and welcome to today's online podcast 2 00:00:03.640 --> 00:00:05.719 edition of The Dan Caplis Show. Please be sure to 3 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:08.240 give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind, 4 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:11.599 and to subscribe, download and listen to the show every 5 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.679 single day on your favorite podcast platform. 6 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:17.719 Welcome back to The Dan Caplis Show tonight. I'm Christy 7 00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:18.359 Burton Brown. 8 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:20.839 Happy to be with you all, and very happy to 9 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:25.079 have our guest joining us, Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer Is. I 10 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:27.359 call her one of the most powerful Republicans in our 11 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:29.359 state Senate. If you want somebody to get done, you 12 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:33.520 should definitely talk to Senator Kirkmeyer. So, Senator Kirkmeyer, welcome 13 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:34.719 to the Dan Caplis Show tonight. 14 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:36.759 Oh thanks, Christy. 15 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.359 It's great to be hearing. Great to hear from you. 16 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:41.600 Yes, absolutely, I'm so glad you were able to come on. 17 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:45.280 I'm sure you're quite busy with the legislature starting next Wednesday, 18 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:47.240 but I also know you've already been busy on the 19 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:48.479 Joint Budget Committee. 20 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:52.439 Yeah. Correct, We started pretty much right after the election. 21 00:00:53.320 --> 00:00:56.159 The governor has to present his budget to the Joint 22 00:00:56.159 --> 00:01:00.799 Budget Committee on November first, but we started right after that. 23 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:03.439 The election was over. We started in we're or full time. 24 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:05.879 We've had the last couple of weeks off sort of, 25 00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:09.079 but we'll be back full time again on Monday. 26 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:09.799 Yeah. 27 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:13.079 Absolutely, and that's because of your expertise on the budget committee. 28 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:14.400 Is why I wanted to bring you on the show 29 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:18.040 today because so many people are asking questions about the 30 00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:21.239 budget shortfall, and to my understanding, there's discrepancy too between 31 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:23.599 the numbers of the shortfall. The Democrats, i think, are 32 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:26.159 claiming a lower shortfall than the Republicans. But maybe you 33 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:26.719 can shed some. 34 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:27.120 Light on that. 35 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:29.599 You know, it varies. 36 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.920 We just got another forecast the end of December, December twentieth. 37 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:36.480 We you know, we have quarterly forecasts and so things change, 38 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:39.840 you know, because we have more information as twitch to 39 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.840 base the budget on. But their reality is it's not 40 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:46.359 a shortfall. It's a structural deficit that we're in. So 41 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:50.480 what that means is year over year over spending and 42 00:01:51.359 --> 00:01:53.280 you know for four years there with all of the 43 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:57.000 federal funds that we received in so you know, we 44 00:01:57.159 --> 00:01:58.920 just keep overspending. They say it's going to be one 45 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:00.879 time funding. We're going to start a these programs just 46 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:03.120 because of COVID and the next thing. You know, they're 47 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:07.400 continuing them, and it's it's outrageous overspending. I mean, we 48 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:10.159 are we are clearly on a disastrous course right now. 49 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:11.520 I mean sure sounds like it. 50 00:02:11.879 --> 00:02:15.159 And are there particular programs you would say you could 51 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.639 point out that where the Democrats are wanting to continue 52 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:19.719 them even though they really were based on one time money. 53 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.000 There's things like in the let's see it's not a 54 00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:27.639 new department, but in the Behavior Health Administration that was 55 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.960 pretty much started with, you know, federal funds, and we 56 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:34.759 received billions of federal dollars because of COVID. So there's 57 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:38.680 there's programs there. They're just they're just kind of spread out. 58 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:42.319 It's like, for example, in the Department of Public Health 59 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:45.319 and Environment, they've had a two hundred and seven percent 60 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.560 increase in the number of fte that they have. 61 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:50.599 Oh my goodness, right, I mean, I think. 62 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:53.560 Just keep increasing. We have departments that while the state 63 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:56.759 appropriation over the last six years and I'm talking general 64 00:02:56.759 --> 00:02:59.840 fund money here. So our state budget is about forty 65 00:03:00.159 --> 00:03:03.439 forty three billion dollar budget, but that includes general fund 66 00:03:03.479 --> 00:03:08.599 operating budgets budget dollars in that about it's about seventeen 67 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:12.479 a little over seventeen billion. Right now, they're maybe closer 68 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.240 to eighteen billion. And I'm just rounding off here. You know, 69 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.199 there's cash funds, there's federal funds. So I'm talking about 70 00:03:18.520 --> 00:03:21.919 that seventeen to eighteen billion dollars general fund operating budget. 71 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:24.439 That's what you know, when we pay in income tax 72 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:27.639 and we pay sales tax, that's what I'm talking about. 73 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:31.120 That's where we're having this year over year outrageous spending. 74 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:33.400 So over the course of the last six years we've 75 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:37.199 had about our state appropriations has increased by eleven point 76 00:03:37.240 --> 00:03:40.120 three percent. Yet we have departments like the Department of 77 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:42.960 Agriculture and even though it's a very small department, fifty 78 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:47.080 six percent increase in their general fund appropriations. And all 79 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:49.240 the departments there are anywhere, you know, with the exception 80 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:52.599 of corrections, actually, but all of the governor's departments are like, 81 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:55.639 you know, twenty seven percent, thirty six percent, forty six percent, 82 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:58.319 and it just keeps going on. You cannot have that 83 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:02.599 kind of overspending. And the governor came back with the 84 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:05.520 budget of budget you know that he presented on November first, 85 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:09.080 that just it wasn't even balanced. I mean, I don't 86 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:11.680 sure what he says. He's on this disastrous course. You 87 00:04:11.719 --> 00:04:15.639 can say, we're anywhere from eight hundred million to one 88 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:19.319 point three billion dollars, you know, in the hole, essentially, 89 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:21.600 depending on what you're going to fund, what you're not 90 00:04:21.639 --> 00:04:24.000 going to fund. But the governor just keeps playing like 91 00:04:24.040 --> 00:04:26.199 this show game. You know, I think we've all been 92 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:28.879 watching football, so I like him to. He's in the 93 00:04:28.920 --> 00:04:32.600 fourth quarter of the game and he keeps doing three 94 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:35.240 and outs and punning the ball. So he's punting right now, 95 00:04:35.480 --> 00:04:37.800 that's what he's doing. And he's got this show game going. 96 00:04:37.800 --> 00:04:41.040 He's moving cash runs around, you know, those are not 97 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:44.639 necessarily ongoing general fund money. And then he's trying to 98 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:47.199 say we've got a balanced budget while he's cutting different 99 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.560 programs that are critical core services to the state of Colorado. 100 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:52.160 Quite frankly, we have to. 101 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:55.639 Fund right well exactly, we're talking now to Senator Barb 102 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:59.000 Kirkmeyer here on the Dan Kapla show, and Senator, so 103 00:04:59.160 --> 00:05:02.600 you're saying it is a symptom of a giant overspending 104 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:06.319 problem generally run by the Democrats and liberals and the legislature. 105 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:08.959 What do you think is going to happen like how 106 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:09.480 how is. 107 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:13.040 The legislature, especially the Democrat majority, going to actually fix 108 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:14.800 this problem. 109 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:17.959 Well, so the Legislature does write the budget, and it's 110 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:20.319 up to the Joint Budget Committee to really present the 111 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.240 budget to the General Assembly, to all of the you know, 112 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:27.079 the one hundred members of the General Assembly. So it's 113 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:29.560 going to be a long budget year, you know. I'm 114 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.759 I'm that Joint Budget Committee and are four Democrats two Republicans. 115 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:35.480 But quite frankly, this is the place where regardless if 116 00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:38.240 you're in the minority of the majority, you're kind of 117 00:05:38.240 --> 00:05:41.519 on equal footing if you will. I mean, before any 118 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:43.680 bills can come out of the Joint Budget Committee, it 119 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:46.240 has to be every member of the Joint Budget Committee 120 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.639 has to support it, you know. So I think it's 121 00:05:49.639 --> 00:05:52.199 going to be just like last year when Representative Taggert, 122 00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:55.279 who's Republican, out of Grand Junction and myself just said, 123 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:57.519 look enough enough, we got to start cutting some things. 124 00:05:57.560 --> 00:06:00.519 We can't we can't go in We have to constitutionally 125 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:03.000 have a balanced budget, right. We don't get to be 126 00:06:03.120 --> 00:06:05.319 like the federal budget where you go into debt and 127 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.279 keep doing continuing resolutions and you do all these other things. 128 00:06:08.519 --> 00:06:12.800 We have to have a balanced budget. And so last year, 129 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:15.600 last session, in the twenty fourth session, we were over 130 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:17.839 a week late with presenting the budget to the General 131 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:21.240 Assembly because it just took that long for myself and 132 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:25.160 Representative Tagert to get our colleagues across the aisle to say, 133 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:27.000 we're going to make some cuts and we're not going 134 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:29.199 to fund everything, and we're going to have to do 135 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:33.240 some things differently. Unfortunately, we didn't make enough cuts, and 136 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:38.360 after the budget was shined and approved, they still approved 137 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:43.360 even more spending and we basically depleted our reserves, you know, 138 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:45.160 which I mean by statute we have to have a 139 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:48.759 fifteen percent reserve. We're at like thirteen point eight or 140 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:50.000 seven or nine somewhere in. 141 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:52.639 There reserve now, So we don't even follow. 142 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:55.720 Our own law that we tasked for ourselves. So it's 143 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:57.920 just it's going to be a long budget year and everybody, 144 00:06:58.240 --> 00:06:59.959 you know, they just need to understand we need to 145 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:03.120 down to the business of governing, of really looking at 146 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:05.480 the budget. It is up to the Joint Budget Committee, 147 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:09.360 and we're going to have to make some substantial reductions. 148 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:12.399 And this is not like during the COVID period. This 149 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:14.560 is not you know, we're kind of in a self 150 00:07:14.600 --> 00:07:17.240 imposed recession. But this isn't like during COVID where they thought, 151 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:19.000 oh my god, we're going to have all these things 152 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:20.839 where we have to cut we don't have enough money 153 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.759 because you know, we're in like a type of recession 154 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:26.759 with because of COVID. It's not like that. This is 155 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:29.040 they just were overspending. 156 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:30.800 Right, And I think they're pitching it very much in 157 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:32.600 the media as oh my goodness, we're gonna be able 158 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:35.959 to fund key programs. But if I remember correctly, I 159 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:39.680 believe the entire state budget has increased by nineteen billion 160 00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.839 dollars over the last ten years, and certainly at a 161 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:45.120 much higher rate than our budgets do at home. 162 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:48.079 Yeah, I mean absolutely, But that has to do with 163 00:07:48.120 --> 00:07:50.000 federal funds. I mean that's why I was telling you. 164 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:52.959 So really, when we're talking about what we're doing with 165 00:07:53.000 --> 00:07:56.240 the budget, it is that general fund operating portion of 166 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.279 the budget, which is about eighteen billion dollars, and that 167 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:02.519 has increased substantially. Like I said, it's increased by eleven 168 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:05.800 point three percent over the last six years. Unfortunately, our 169 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:08.959 spending has increased dramatically more. 170 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:11.439 Right exactly would you expect, And we have about a 171 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:13.480 minute left before I have to let you go, do 172 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.839 we or would you expect bills with fiscal notes to 173 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:19.160 all just get shut down this session? Or do you think, 174 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:22.240 despite the budget constraints, that Democrats are still going to 175 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:25.399 try and slam through some pet bills that cost money. 176 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:27.759 I would tell yeah, I would tell all my colleagues 177 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:30.879 in the Senate and in the House, all my colleagues 178 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:32.879 down to Capitol, and I say this to the Senate 179 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:35.720 Republicans all the time. Don't bring a bill forward with 180 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:37.600 any kind of fiscal note on it because we can't 181 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.919 afford it. Don't start a new program we can't afford it. 182 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:43.600 We need to be looking to cut programs, cut spending. 183 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:46.440 So you know, and I actually had a republic who said, well, 184 00:08:46.440 --> 00:08:48.519 what if I can find where I can cut the spending, 185 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:50.639 can I then bring this bill forward if it's you know, 186 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:53.679 I've got this great idea. And I said no. I said, 187 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.360 tell me where you want to cut the spending. I'll 188 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:57.519 take that cut, and then don't bring your bill forward. 189 00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:02.039 So every Democrat, every Republican needs to understand we are 190 00:09:02.039 --> 00:09:05.440 in a structural deficit. It's the foundation. We are way 191 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:08.679 in over our heads. We have overspent for six years 192 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:11.559 and now it's fine to pay the hyper We've got 193 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:14.240 to cut spending. That means, you know, there are things 194 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:17.039 that we have to fund, like education. The constitution requires 195 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:20.480 a fund education. There are things like you know, provider 196 00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:23.840 rates across the board, think medicaid, thank the course of 197 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:27.639 the poor, that we have to provide services to those 198 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:31.080 type of critical functions. We have twenty five counties in 199 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:34.080 our state that are in a maternal health care district. 200 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:37.000 That is not something we should be proud of, and 201 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:39.240 we need to figure out how to fund those areas 202 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:41.759 of the state to ensure that people have health care, 203 00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:45.039 you know, things of that nature that we just are 204 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:47.320 going to have to other things who have fun Department 205 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:49.559 of Corrections. I don't care how much you dislike the 206 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.360 Department of Corrections if you're on the other side of 207 00:09:51.399 --> 00:09:54.000 the aisle. We have to fund Department. 208 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:54.799 Of Corrections absolutely. 209 00:09:54.840 --> 00:09:57.120 So you know there'll be things like that that we 210 00:09:57.200 --> 00:09:59.879 have to fund. And there's other things, other new program 211 00:10:00.200 --> 00:10:02.120 all those new offices that have been created over the 212 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:04.600 last six years. I mean it's up in the forties 213 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:06.480 or fifties of new offices I think that have been 214 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:10.039 created under the police administration. They probably are gonna have 215 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:10.519 to go away. 216 00:10:10.600 --> 00:10:12.679 Yeah, no, they should go away, and I have to 217 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:13.399 go to a break now. 218 00:10:13.399 --> 00:10:16.960 But Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, thank you for explaining how we 219 00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:18.759 need to cut the state budget here on the Dan 220 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:19.399 Capitola Show. 221 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:30.000 Thank you absolutely thanks for having me, and now. 222 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:31.720 Back to the Dan Kaplas Show podcast. 223 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:38.200 Colorado has at least three new driving related laws that 224 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:40.879 came into effect this month. I'm pretty sure everyone has 225 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:42.879 heard about the first one, which is that you can't 226 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:47.159 have any handheld cell phone device whatsoever in your hands 227 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:49.039 while you drive. There's been a lot of social media 228 00:10:49.080 --> 00:10:52.440 and news law enforcement attention on that one, and texting 229 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:55.200 while driving has already been banned since two thousand and nine. 230 00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:57.799 But this actually bans you from using your phone at all. 231 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.399 So not for maps, not for making phone call in 232 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.879 your hand. You have to have a device that enables 233 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:06.480 you to use it without your hands, a hands free device. 234 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.639 That is what you're allowed to use in Colorado from 235 00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:11.559 now on. It is a secondary violation, so they have 236 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.799 to pull you over for something else, some other violation, 237 00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:16.440 but then you can definitely lose points on your license 238 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:19.639 and get fines for using a handheld cell phone device 239 00:11:19.960 --> 00:11:24.480 at all. Number two, gun owners must store their firearms 240 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:27.480 in a locked container out of plane sight if you're 241 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:29.879 leaving it in your car and you are not in 242 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:32.600 your car, so it's sort of the catch twenty two 243 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:34.720 on this one is if you leave your gun in 244 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:37.279 your car and it gets stolen and you want to 245 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:39.399 report it as a theft, which you obviously should do 246 00:11:39.519 --> 00:11:42.519 because if someone steals a gun, they are stealing and 247 00:11:42.519 --> 00:11:44.919 breaking into your car, they're probably a danger to the community. 248 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:47.600 You would have to admit that your gun was not 249 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:51.120 in the container and not locked away. So anyway, that's 250 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:55.120 an interesting scenario that could happen, but that's a new requirement. 251 00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:57.759 And then the third one relates to children in vehicles. 252 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:00.639 The age at which you must keep your children in 253 00:12:00.639 --> 00:12:03.559 booster seats has been increased in Colorado. They now must 254 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:06.200 be in booster seats until they're nine years old, and 255 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:08.600 they have to be in rear facing seats until they're 256 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:13.279 two or over forty pounds. If they're either over the 257 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:15.960 age of two or over forty pounds, you can forward 258 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:19.600 face them. But along with that law is that now 259 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:22.200 if you are eighteen or under, you must have a 260 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:24.759 seat belt used to be sixteen or under in Colorado. 261 00:12:24.799 --> 00:12:27.320 So we have a lot of changes to driving laws 262 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:30.720 in Colorado. So many things take effect in January. People 263 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.360 often forget about them when they're signed the year before. 264 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:36.440 But most laws, that's not necessarily true about most laws. 265 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:40.080 I'd say a good portion of laws don't take effect immediately. 266 00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:43.000 Here in Colorado, the legislators are allowed to attach a 267 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:46.159 health and safety clause, which they do to a lot 268 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:48.120 of laws that have nothing to do with health or safety. 269 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:49.879 And if they attach to that clause, the law can 270 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:52.840 actually take effect immediately. But a good portion of laws 271 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:55.320 actually do have to wait, often until the next year 272 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.320 to take effect. 273 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:57.120 So there you go. 274 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:00.320 There are your new driving laws in Colorado. I want 275 00:13:00.360 --> 00:13:04.080 to play this clip from a Democrat Congressman Connolly talking 276 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:07.320 about his reasons why CALFH. Pattel has no business being 277 00:13:07.480 --> 00:13:09.519 President Trump's FBI director. 278 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.279 I think some of them are fairly funny. 279 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:13.879 I did want to ask you a followup, quick follow 280 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:17.600 up to that, if Cash Battel is made the director 281 00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:21.159 of the FBI, are you worried about some of the 282 00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:24.360 things that Donald Trump says and believes, the conspiracy theories 283 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:28.000 that he follows and so on, perhaps tainting the work 284 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.440 of the FBI. You're going to be a ranking member 285 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:34.159 on the House over side committee, is that something you're 286 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:37.240 going to be looking out for if cash Mittel becomes 287 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:37.759 the director. 288 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:42.120 Absolutely, I think cash Battel has no business being the 289 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:45.720 FBI directory is not qualified. He's already showing his hand 290 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:49.000 right he wants to purge the FBI of people who 291 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:52.759 are doing their jobs. Yeah, the FBI knocking door makes 292 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:56.519 you very uncomfortable, But the FBI has to be relied 293 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:58.799 upon to be the chief law enforcement agency of the 294 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:03.879 federal government, and they're professionals, they're not partisans. And to 295 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:08.000 inject partisan political leadership at the top of the FBI 296 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:11.639 is a very troubling development. And that's something we're certainly 297 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:16.159 going to watch carefully and resist to the maximum possible extent. 298 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:18.600 Okay, I think that is funny that he's saying the 299 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:21.840 reason he's not qualified to be the FBI directors because 300 00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.600 he was to purge the FBI of agents doing their jobs. 301 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:27.639 Uh, not whatsoever for the case. 302 00:14:27.840 --> 00:14:30.039 He's actually trying to purge the FBI of people who 303 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:32.759 are not doing their jobs, who are partisan and politically 304 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:35.679 focused and aren't actually solving the major crimes going on 305 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:39.080 in the United States today, but are focused on political enemies. 306 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:42.039 So also very funny that he thinks the appointment of 307 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:45.879 Cappital by President Trump is now suddenly injecting partisan politics 308 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:48.039 at the head of the FBI, like who's been running them. 309 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:49.799 For the last several years. 310 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:52.480 So I think it's very funny when people have no 311 00:14:52.600 --> 00:14:56.320 basis to actually stop at President's appointment, but want to 312 00:14:56.440 --> 00:14:59.879 whine about it and make complaiants that are highly hypocritical, 313 00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:02.240 and they're basically just exposing what's been done in the 314 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.279 FBI for many years. If you have thoughts, you can 315 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.480 call in eight five five four zero five eight two 316 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:09.480 five five. I'm Christy Burton Brown here on the Dan 317 00:15:09.559 --> 00:15:12.399 Kapla Show. In a few minutes, we're going to bring 318 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:15.120 in Michael Fields, who's the president of Advanced Colorado. He's 319 00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:17.519 going to join me for a couple segments on the show. 320 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:21.399 Especially with the special not a special session. We had 321 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:24.039 a special session last year, but the legislative session about 322 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:27.600 to start on Wednesday at Advanced Colorado. We release a 323 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:29.879 legislative policy agenda ahead of that. 324 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:32.200 We'll be really see on Monday, but Michael. 325 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.360 Will give you a preview of some of the issues 326 00:15:34.440 --> 00:15:37.440 on that agenda. It's basically issues that we think the 327 00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:40.600 legislature should be passing, should be dealing with, but if 328 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:42.840 they don't, there's often a lot of opportunity to bring 329 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.960 those issues to the ballot and let the people decide. 330 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.200 We'll probably also cover some of the things that Jared 331 00:15:48.200 --> 00:15:51.240 Polis claims he wants to do for Colorado versus what 332 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:53.399 he actually should be focusing on. 333 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:54.360 But before we. 334 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:55.960 Get into that, we have a few minutes before we 335 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:57.960 have to hit the next break. And I'm not sure 336 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:00.399 if you're aware of some of the new bylaw being 337 00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:04.840 proposed by the Colorado Republican Chairman. Dave Williams has been 338 00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:06.600 if you know, I used to be the Colorado State 339 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:09.159 Republican Chairman or the first woman to be elected to 340 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:12.679 that position in forty years, and really loved running the 341 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:14.720 party for a couple of years. But now Dave Williams 342 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:17.159 has been over it. Unknown if he's going to run 343 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:20.480 for another term or not in March that's when the 344 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:23.919 party typically has its elections March or April of every 345 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.279 off year. But he's proposing to pass six new by 346 00:16:28.440 --> 00:16:31.399 laws at the end of January. Since I got elected 347 00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:33.600 to the State Board of Education, I'll actually be a 348 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:36.519 voting member again of this body. So I was reading 349 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:40.639 an analysis of the bylaws he's suggesting. One I particularly 350 00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:44.000 found was interesting, and it would be to actually pull 351 00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:47.159 people off the State Central Committee, to take away the 352 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:51.039 vote of almost every single elected official who has a 353 00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:53.600 vote on the state Central Committee. So every state representative, 354 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:56.679 every state senator, all the congressmen, state Board of Education 355 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:00.360 members have votes on the state Central Committee because represent 356 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:02.039 your party at the state level A and you get 357 00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:05.240 to represent their policy as well and have a vote 358 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:07.680 on their bylaws and on their leadership. Well, he wants 359 00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:11.119 to take that away and let every elected body pick 360 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:14.160 one representative. So basically all the state representatives would get 361 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:16.960 one vote, all the state senators one vote, all the 362 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:20.400 congressmen one vote. I'm never sure why you want to 363 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:22.680 take votes away from people. I don't really care who 364 00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:24.960 they are, who they support. I'm not a fan of 365 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:30.000 limiting participation and interaction with your own party, and so 366 00:17:30.119 --> 00:17:33.519 I think that's a very misguided amendment. Another one I 367 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:36.839 actually found to be interesting was to put restrictions on 368 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:40.400 appeals processes. Basically, county parties can complain into the state 369 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:42.680 party and say here's what's going on. You need to 370 00:17:42.680 --> 00:17:44.279 solve it right now. You have to hear it. As 371 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:46.000 a state party. I heard a whole lot of controversies 372 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:49.559 as chairman. He wants to give the executive team at 373 00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:52.680 the party the ability to say, that's a frivolous appeal. 374 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:54.680 You can't make it, We're not going to hear it. 375 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:56.960 On one hand, that sounds very attractive having been the 376 00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:59.559 chairman before. But on the other hand, I think shutting 377 00:17:59.559 --> 00:18:02.440 off people's voices and not giving them recourse at this 378 00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:05.119 state level just isn't how we operate. If you believe 379 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:07.559 in the constitution and in due process, you've got to 380 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:10.319 let people bring their issues and hear them make their 381 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.720 case and make a decision one. 382 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:12.240 Way or the other. 383 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:14.799 It's kind of your job if you run the state party. 384 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:17.640 So that's my take on a couple of the bylaws proposals. 385 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.440 Dave Williams is making. You're on the Dan Kapla show. 386 00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:22.559 I'm Christy Burton Brown. When we come back after the break, 387 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:25.559 we're gonna have Michael Fields, president of Advanced Colorado, joining 388 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:27.960 us and talking about the agenda that the state legislature 389 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:29.799 should have here in Colorado. 390 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:45.559 And now back to the Dan Kaplas Show podcast. 391 00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:48.920 Ills president of Advanced Colorado, where I also work, but 392 00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:52.480 we wanted to talk to you about the policy agenda 393 00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:54.440 that Advanced Colorado is setting out. We're gonna release it 394 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:56.599 on Monday in full, so you can definitely check it 395 00:18:56.599 --> 00:19:01.119 out on Advancecolorado dot org on Monday podcast up where 396 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:03.680 we talk through every piece of the agenda. But this 397 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:06.720 is what we think the legislature should be dealing with. 398 00:19:07.079 --> 00:19:10.079 And Michael, some of the issues we focus on our economics. 399 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.880 Some are education, some are crime, and some are mental health. 400 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:16.359 But I think one of the most important is affordability. 401 00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:19.599