Bye, Bye, Bye: The Finale of The Heartland POD

18 november 2024 | 64 min

BONUS POD: Crystal Quade For Missouri Governor

1 november 2024 | 21 min

November 1, 2024 | Dudes... Pay Attention

1 november 2024 | 25 min

October 21, 2024 | Panic Sells

21 oktober 2024 | 88 min

October 14, 2024 | Misinformation, Disinformation, and Lies in 2024

14 oktober 2024 | 99 min

2024 Debate: Certified Pet Meat Free + Taylor Swift Endorses Harris

11 september 2024 | 39 min

September 9, 2024 | The "Facts" Of Life, Missouri Abortion Amendment, Harris Raises 3x Trump In August

9 september 2024 | 64 min

September 6, 2024 | Down Ballot Races and Upward Momentum

6 september 2024 | 30 min

September 4, 2024 | Antitrust, Google, and The Future of Journalism

4 september 2024 | 66 min

August 30, 2024 | The 2024 Electoral Map Flyover View

30 augusti 2024 | 47 min

DNC (Fist) Bump: Rachel and Adam react to the Democrats big week, plus JD Vance keeps being weird

26 augusti 2024 | 120 min

THAT'S MY DAD! - The Walz Family Feel Good Moment (and Sean and Adam predict...)

22 augusti 2024 | 31 min

August 21, 2024 | Adam's Guide To Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

21 augusti 2024 | 43 min

August 19, 2024 | Josh Hawley Can't Stop Lying About "The Debate" That Wasn't with Guest Host Don Looney

19 augusti 2024 | 88 min

August 16, 2024 | Lucas Kunce and Josh Hawley State Fair Bro Down

16 augusti 2024 | 34 min

Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams Is Innocent, But Still Sitting On Death Row

14 augusti 2024 | 35 min

August 12, 2024 | Republicans Endorse Harris/Walz 2024, Pies and Crowds In Rural Missouri, JD Vance Is Still Weird (Just Ask Trump)

12 augusti 2024 | 111 min

August 9, 2024 | Coach Walz and JV Vance; Missouri Primary Reactions; Kansas Police Chief Charged; Gov.Kelly Moving Up

9 augusti 2024 | 40 min

August 5, 2024 | Trump Losing Fuel as Harris Fills Tank, VP Reaction, and Mo Dem Primary

5 augusti 2024 | 93 min

August 2, 2024 | Missouri Primary Primer Prediction Special w/ Jenna Roberson

2 augusti 2024 | 96 min

July 31, 2024 | Crystal Quade, Teen Vogue, and "Girls State" the documentary, with Cecilia Bartin

31 juli 2024 | 37 min

July 29, 2024 | What A Year Of A Week It Was

29 juli 2024 | 101 min

July 26, 2024 | Lizz Callahan for Missouri 103, Political Mailers, Polling and Prediction Malpractice

26 juli 2024 | 63 min

July 24, 2024 | From Roe to Dobbs And Beyond w/ Devon Heinen of States News Room + BONUS 2024 Democrat VP Mt. Rushmore Draft

24 juli 2024 | 118 min

July 22, 2024 | There Is Risk Everywhere...

22 juli 2024 | 99 min

July 19, 2024 | Chuck Summers for Congress - MO 2nd

19 juli 2024 | 32 min

July 17, 2024 | Amanda Taylor for Missouri's 103rd

17 juli 2024 | 28 min

July 15, 2024 | A Moment Of Reflection

15 juli 2024 | 19 min

July 12, 2024 | The Potential Impacts of Ending Chevron

12 juli 2024 | 63 min

July 10, 2024 | No, Really, Project 2025 Y'all

10 juli 2024 | 30 min

July 8, 2024 | Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation, and 2024

8 juli 2024 | 87 min

July 1, 2024 | The Immunity Case

2 juli 2024 | 72 min

July 1, 2024 | Confirmation Bias

1 juli 2024 | 79 min

Biden blunders in debate, SCOTUS throws out MO AG Bailey's censorship case, Colorado Dem establishment defeats progressive State House incumbent Elisabeth Epps and more

28 juni 2024 | 11 min

Biden bombs, Trump pounces in first debate of 2024 | Supreme Court rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media platforms | The unemployment rate in Kansas has been under 3% for 30 months | Sean Diller mourns the senseless loss of another progressive Colorado Democrat, as incumbent State Representative Elisabeth Epps was defeated in a primary this week | IL Gov JB Pritzker announces new Department of Early Childhood

From Eugene Daniels at Politoco: Dems freak out over Biden’s debate performance
1. https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/27/biden-debate-opening-concerns-00165595

One prominent operative texted, “Time for an open convention.”

President Joe Biden stage during a commercial break in a presidential debate at CNN Studios.

President Joe Biden stands on stage during a commercial break in a presidential debate at CNN Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27, 2024. | Francis Chung/POLITICO

By EUGENE DANIELS

06/27/2024 10:15 PM EDT

Updated: 06/27/2024 10:27 PM EDT

President Joe Biden opened the debate with a raspy voice and disjointed, rambling answers, reigniting Democratic concerns about his age and ability to take on former President Donald Trump.

Many of the president’s answers were hard to follow. At one point, seemingly losing his train of thought, Biden said “we finally beat Medicare,” misspeaking about his own policy on earned benefits.

In text messages with POLITICO, Democrats expressed confusion and concern as they watched the first minutes of the event. One former Biden White House and campaign aide called it “terrible,” adding that they have had to ask themselves over and over “What did he just say? This is crazy.”

Another veteran Democratic operative texted, “Biden seems to have needed a few minutes to warm up. I wonder if the lack of an audience was the right decision. And poor guy needs a tea. Maybe a whiskey.”

An attorney and Democratic activist from New Hampshire said, “Biden is toast — calling it now.”

Biden’s rambling answers provided Trump multiple opportunities to jump in with retorts. At one point, after an answer ostensibly on immigration, Trump said, “I don’t know what he said at the end there. I don’t think he knows what he said.”

The president’s performance was widely panned online and will likely reinforce the impression that he’s lost a step. The 81-year-old president’s age has long been a liability, with poll after poll showing even many Democrats concerned about his age.

Biden aides and allies had hoped the on-stage split screen between the two men would help to focus voters’ attention on the race. But during the debate, many Democrats have begun to doubt that strategy would actually work out in Biden’s favor.

A person familiar with Biden’s health claimed that his performance is due to a cold. But the president’s team hadn’t mentioned that to reporters until Biden began to answer questions in the debate.

One prominent operative texted, “Time for an open convention.”

Better call the waaaambulance! Supreme Court rejects Missouri AG’s petition trying to connect the government, to social media, to his own challenges and inadequacies.
https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/26/scotus-rejects-suit-alleging-federal-government-bullied-social-media-into-censoring-content/

SCOTUS rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media into censoring content

The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Missouri and Louisiana, along with seven people who were either banned or throttled by social media companies

BY: JASON HANCOCK - JUNE 26, 2024 9:15 AM

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected arguments by Missouri and Louisiana that the federal government violated the First Amendment in its efforts to combat false, misleading and dangerous information online.

In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court held that neither the states nor seven individuals who were co-plaintiffs in the case were able to demonstrate any harm or substantial risk that they will suffer an injury in the future.

Therefore, they do not have legal standing to bring a case against the federal government.

Plaintiffs failed to prove that social media platforms acted due to government coercion, Barrett wrote, rather than their own judgment and policies. In fact, she wrote, social media platforms “began to suppress the plaintiffs’ COVID–19 content before the defendants’ challenged communications started.”

Plaintiffs cannot “manufacture standing,” Barrett wrote, “merely by inflicting harm on themselves based on their fears of hypothetical future harm that is not certainly impending.”

The ruling overturns a lower court decision that concluded officials under Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump unlawfully coerced social media companies to remove deceptive or inaccurate content out of fears it would fuel vaccine hesitancy or upend elections.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey called the federal government’s actions “the biggest violation of the First Amendment in our nation’s history.”

But those arguments were greeted with skepticism by the court in March, with justices from across the ideological spectrum punching holes in the lawsuit and raising concerns about the consequences for public safety and national security.

In an emailed statement, Bailey made no mention of the court’s decision to dismiss the case, instead declaring that his office will continue to pursue evidence of social media censorship by the federal government.

“Missouri is not done,” Bailey said. “We are going back to the district court to obtain more discovery in order to root out Joe Biden’s vast censorship enterprise once and for all.”

The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Missouri and Louisiana, along with seven people who either were banned from a platform or whose posts were not prominently featured on social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and X, then known as Twitter.

Among the co-plaintiffs is Jim Hoft, founder of the St. Louis-based right-wing conspiracy website Gateway Pundit. Hoft has built a career on promulgating false conspiracies on a wide range of topics, from the 2018 Parkland school shooting to former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

His company recently filed for bankruptcy as it faces defamation lawsuits in Missouri and Colorado filed by people who say they faced threats after being vilified by Gateway Pundit in false stories.

Hoft claims claims that Twitter, in December 2020, censored content about the Hunter Biden laptop story at the urging of the federal government. But Barrett wrote that Twitter acted according to its own rules against posting or sharing “privately produced/distributed intimate media of someone without their express consent.”

There is no evidence, Barrett wrote, that Twitter adopted its policy in response to pressure from the federal government.

3. Kansas unemployment has been under 3% for almost 3 years running

https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-unemployment-rate-climbs-for-second-consecutive-month-to-2-9-in-may/

Kansas unemployment rate 2.9%

BY: TIM CARPENTER - JUNE 24, 2024 3:30 PM

TOPEKA — The unemployment rate in Kansas was 2.9% in May, for an unprecedented 30 consecutive months with unemployment under 3%. The state’s unemployment rate has remained under 3% since October 2021, after reaching double-digits in the twilight of Trump’s presidency in 2020.

In the past 12 months, Kansas’ total nonfarm employment climbed by 24,000 jobs. The Department of Labor says that was due to a surge of 18,700 private sector positions and the addition of 5,300 government jobs.

The average nominal hourly earnings in Kansas for private sector workers has increased 3.4% over the past 12 months to $30.09.

4. Go along to get along type wins Colorado blue seat primary

https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/06/25/camacho-leads-epps-in-closely-watched-colorado-statehouse-race/

Camacho beats Epps in closely watched Colorado statehouse race

BY: SARA WILSON - JUNE 25, 2024 10:07 PM

Challenger Sean Camacho defeated Rep. Elisabeth Epps in the Democratic primary for state House District 6, according to early results from the Colorado secretary of state.

Camacho was ahead with 63% of the vote, according to the results as of 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, and Associated Press-subscribed outlets reported that the AP called the race for Camacho.

Camacho was the establishment-backed candidate. Epps was the more progressive, yet controversial, first-term lawmaker. The race was seen as a bellwether among many state Capitol observers.

Epps, who heads the Colorado Freedom Fund, won her first term in office in 2022 after another tough primary challenge from Katie March. During her two years in office, she championed progressive legislation including a ban on most semi-automatic firearms and a bill to allow overdose authorization centers. She also publicly criticized House leadership over their handling of floor speech and open meetings practices. She was reprimanded by House leadership after she joined pro-Palestinian protestors in the chamber gallery during a special session last fall.

Epps was backed by labor and grassroots groups including the AFL-CIO and SEIU Local 105.

Camacho had endorsements from the Democratic establishment of Colorado, including Gov. Jared Polis, Attorney General Phil Weiser, House Speaker Julie McCluskie and Senate President Steve Fenberg.

Camacho vastly outraised and outspent Epps, according to campaign finance records. He also benefited from outside spending. Various committees spent over $120,000 for communications opposing Epps and over $250,000 supporting him. That included a series of negative mailers targeting Epps.

5. IL Gov JB Pritzker signs bill creating new Depaartment of Early Childhood

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzker-signs-bill-creating-new-department-of-early-childhood

Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood

Gov. JB Pritzker holds up Senate Bill 1 after signing it into law, flanked by Reps. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, and Will Davis, D-Homewood (left) and lead Senate sponsor Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood (right). Pritzker said the agency is expected to be up and running in 2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Dilpreet Raju)

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

New agency to bring multiple programs under one roof

By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
[email protected]

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday creating a new cabinet-level state agency dedicated to early childhood education and development.

The new Department of Early Childhood, which will become operational in July 2026, will take over programs currently housed across three state agencies, including funding for preschool programs, child care centers and the licensing of day care centers.

Speaking at a bill signing ceremony at a preschool in Chicago, Pritzker said the streamlined agency should make it easier for new parents to access critical services for their children.

“It's hard enough juggling all the responsibilities that fall on the shoulders of parents,” he said. “And on top of that, they shouldn't have to navigate a complex bureaucracy to get the care that they and their children deserve.”

A chalkboard welcome sign for Gov. JB Pritzker inside Eyes On The Future Child Development Center in Chicago’s far north side neighborhood of Rogers Park. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1 there, which will create the framework for a new state agency geared towards early childhood development. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Dilpreet Raju)

Pritzker first unveiled his plan for a consolidated agency last fall, just as lawmakers were beginning their annual fall veto session, when he issued an executive order establishing an Office of Early Childhood within the governor’s office.

That order directed the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the Illinois State Board of Education to begin working on a transition plan to move the administration of their early childhood programs into a new agency.

The formal bid to establish the new agency was part of Pritzker’s budget proposal to the General Assembly in February, along with a second year of increased funding for those programs under Pritzker’s Smart Start initiative.

Under the plan, the new agency will take over the Early Childhood Block Grant program from the State Board of Education, which funds the Preschool for All and Prevention Initiative programs; the Child Care Assistance Program, Home Visiting programs, and Early Intervention Services currently housed in the Department of Human Services; and licensing of day care facilities, which is currently managed by the Department of Children and Family Services.

The legislation authorizing the new agency, Senate Bill 1, passed unanimously in the Senate in April, and last month passed with bipartisan support in the House, 93-18.

“The foundation of a child’s success and well-being is built starting the moment they are born,” Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, the lead Senate sponsor of the bill, said in a statement. “As a state, it is our duty to provide the necessary support and resources to build such stability. The creation of this unique agency will break ground on our transition to a whole, trauma-informed approach to meeting children’s diverse needs.”

Gov. JB Pritzker poses for photos with early childhood advocates following a signing event for Senate Bill 1, which creates the Department of Early Childhood. Pritzker said the agency will immediately “make life simpler, better, and fairer for tens of thousands of Illinois families.” (Capitol News Illinois photo by Dilpreet Raju)

Much of the debate over the bill in the legislature focused on the cost of launching a new state agency. Lawmakers appropriated $14 million in the upcoming fiscal year for initial startup costs, which include such things as hiring executive staff and opening new office space.

But administration officials were reluctant to provide estimates of how much the new agency would cost annually once it’s fully operational, and whether those administrative costs would outweigh what the state is spending currently.

Responding to questions from reporters Tuesday, Pritzker again declined to offer specific cost estimates but suggested consolidating the programs into a single agency could result in efficiencies and cost savings. But he did chide “people who want to complain” about how new state agencies will “cost...taxpayers.”

“I really don't think it will,” Pritzker said. “I think there's real efficiency and taking programs that are desperately located in different departments and bringing them all together.”

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

June 26, 2024 | Quilts For Democracy with Sally Brooks

26 juni 2024 | 27 min

The Heartland Pod for June 24 2024 - Supreme Court sides with gun control advocates - Missouri polling on Democratic and Republican primaries - Biden and Trump to debate on Thursday and more

24 juni 2024 | 67 min

U.S. Supreme Court issues major gun case ruling | Missouri Democratic primary draws major questions | Montana progressive with interesting family ties running for office | 2024 Election Era Rolls On Now with a Pro Biden Fox News Poll!

SCOTUS issues major gun case ruling
https://www.npr.org/2024/05/23/1252764853/supreme-court-guns
Major Missouri Race Poll: https://emersoncollegepolling.com/missouri-2024-poll-ashcroft-23-kehoe-20-lead-republican-primary-for-governor-46-undecided/
True or False: Missourians might hit a soft reset in 2024
- Major Missouri Race Poll: https://emersoncollegepolling.com/missouri-2024-poll-ashcroft-23-kehoe-20-lead-republican-primary-for-governor-46-undecided/
- “Kehoe’s strength is older voters: 26% of voters over 60 support Kehoe while 18% support Ashcroft. Ashcroft performs best with voters in their 30s, 40s, and 50s: 31% of whom support Ashcroft while 15% support Kehoe,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said.
- In the November presidential election, 53% of Missouri voters support former president Donald Trump, 40% support President Joe Biden, and 7% are undecided. With third-party candidates on the ballot, Trump’s support decreases to 50%, and Biden’s to 35%, while 7% support Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and 1% support Cornel West and Jill Stein respectively.
Yeah.. NO: Missouri Democratic primary draws major questions
- https://www.huffpost.com/entry/wesley-bell-republican-campaign-manag_n_66747f65e4b069d92e24ad5e
- As of May, Bell has raised more than $65,000 in contributions from donors who normally give to Republicans. They include a former GOP speaker of the Missouri House, the billionaire hedge fund founder Daniel Loeb, and the former finance chair for Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-S.C.) presidential super PAC.
- “I am pro-life and I will support a constitutional amendment to protect the rights of the unborn,” Byrne told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I will protect our Second Amendment right to bear arms. … I will increase funding for the border patrol and crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.”
- “It is a little strange to me that this is where you’d be putting your efforts in 2006, when there were a good number of Democrats running for office that needed help and support,” she said. “Friendship is one thing. But empowering friends who have problematic viewpoints to get into positions of power, that’s concerning.”
Yeah… YEAH: Montana progressive with interesting family ties running for office
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/19/dakota-adams-oath-keeper-son-montana-elections
- He ain't no senator’s son, that’s for sure
2024 Election Era Rolls On
- Trump camp might have asked for help from Missouri senator… or not?
  - https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article289363355.html
- Turning Point USA is going to handle the ground game? aiming to ultimately spend $108 million on a get-out-the-vote effort in key battleground states, according to two sources familiar with the plans. The “Chase the Vote” program has built out infrastructures in Arizona, Wisconsin and Michigan, all states that Trump won in 2016 but lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. While Trump speaks to the crowd this weekend, the group is planning to sign up more local volunteers as well as pass out job applications to beef up their program, particularly in the Wolverine State.
- Democratic operatives have mocked Trump’s campaign for their limited hired staff on the ground, as Biden’s team has continued to build out its own massive ground game operation.
- “You need boots on the ground to win an election,” said one veteran Democratic strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak candidly. “(The Biden campaign) is far outpacing Trump’s operation on this front.”
- https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/15/politics/trump-campaign-turning-point-charlie-kirk
- Big Money: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/21/billionaire-tim-mellon-trump-donation
- Buy or Sell: Farmers for… Biden? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/21/trump-biden-agriculture-policies
- Then, not long after, Trump began trade tariffs against many of the US’s international allies.
- “Our allies retaliated by going after our soft underbelly: our agriculture,” Gibbs says. “When China retaliated by no longer taking our soybeans, I lost 20% of the value of my crop overnight.”
- Gibbs is among a small but perhaps growing group of US farmers who fear that Trump’s threats of renewed trade wars and immigrant deportations could ruin their businesses should he prevail in the November presidential election
Polling From Fox “not toooo good” but again, just one poll
- We talked last week about IF the economic indicators would have time to catch voters attentions going into the fall
  - https://www.foxnews.com/official-polls/fox-news-poll-three-point-shift-biden-trump-matchup-since-may
  - Biden got improved marks on: Economy and Immigration
  - There was also a 4-point shift in the expanded ballot. When other potential candidates are included, Biden tops Trump by 1 point (43%-42%), Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. receives 10% and Cornel West and Jill Stein get 2% each. Last month, Trump was ahead of Biden by 3 points (43%-40%).
- https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-devastating-poll-fox-news-joe-biden-election-economy-1915063
- In a previous Fox News poll from May, Trump was leading Biden by one point (49 percent to 48 percent). The former president was also enjoying a five-point lead over Biden in March (50 percent to 45 percent), meaning there has been a significant swing in favor of the Democrat incumbent in the past three months
- From the Fox Summary: Three-quarters of voters say it matters "a great deal" to them who wins the presidential election, and they favor Biden over Trump by 5 points. More women than men (by 7 points) feel like the outcome matters a great deal, as do more voters ages 65+ than young voters (+24) — that could be a big help to Biden if it holds.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Kansas passes huge incentive bill to lure KC Chiefs and Royals, Illinois families look forward to new Child Tax Credit, Trump thinks must-win Milwaukee is horrible and more

21 juni 2024 | 12 min

The Heartland POD, Friday June 21, 2024

Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kanas City Chiefs and Royals
Rather than preside over clown show convention, IL GOP chair resigns
Illinois families cheer $300 state Child Tax Credit
Dems confident, Republicans morose in ongoing IVF battle
This week in ‘unforced errors’ Trump calls Milwaukee a ‘horrible city’ causing his pollster to be… also morose.

We’re glad to have you with us. If you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5-star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at https://theheartlandcollective.com

Lots to do, so let’s go!

Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kansas City Chiefs, Royals

BY: ALLISON KITE - JUNE 18, 2024 3:26 PM

Brady Singer of the Kansas City Royals throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium in April. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images).

TOPEKA — The Kansas City Royals and Chiefs could receive hundreds of millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to move from Missouri and build new stadiums across the state line under legislation passed Tuesday by Kansas lawmakers.

The House voted 84-38 and the Senate voted 27-8 to approve legislation that would expand a state incentive program in an attempt to lure one or both teams from Kansas City.

The bill now heads to Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, who said in a statement following the Senate vote that the effort to bring the teams to Kansas “shows we’re all-in on keeping our beloved teams in the Kansas City metro.”

“Kansas now has the opportunity to become a professional sports powerhouse with the Chiefs and Royals potentially joining Sporting KC as major league attractions, all with robust, revenue-generating entertainment districts surrounding them providing new jobs, new visitors and new revenues that boost the Kansas economy,” Kelly said.

Neither team has promised to move to Kansas, though both actively lobbied for the legislation’s passage. The Chiefs said in a statement that the team appreciated Kansas leaders reaching out for input on the legislation.

“We look forward to exploring the options this legislation may provide,” the statement said.

The Royals said the team was grateful to the legislature for its vote.

“The Kansas City Royals look forward to additional conversations as we evaluate where we will play baseball in the future,” the team said. “We will always prioritize the best interests of our fans, associates and taxpayers in this process.”

State Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Republican from Stilwell, said during debate in the House that Missouri had a history of losing professional sports teams and implored fellow House members to pass the legislation.

“I ask you today, do you really want to put that type of an economic generation in the hands of the state of Missouri?” Tarwater said just before the vote.

Rep. Sean Tarwater speaks on the floor of the Kansas House of Representatives in favor of expanding economic incentives in an attempt to bring the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Passage of the bill represents a monumental step in Kansas lawmakers’ attempts to court the teams. Both teams have signaled a willingness to move from their current stadiums at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Missouri.

While neither team has announced a proposed site for a Kansas stadium, legislators speculated it could land in Wyandotte County near the Sporting KC soccer stadium, NASCAR track and outlet shops.

“We have the history of building amazing projects that have brought in retail commerce, restaurants, hotels and have improved an area that was largely just a field and turned it into a tax-generating machine for our state,” said Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican.

The legislation, he said, would put Kansas in a “very good position to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals in the Kansas City metro area.”

The bill, which was not voted on by any legislative committee, would expand the state’s Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond program, which is meant to help finance tourism and entertainment districts to help pay for a professional football or baseball stadium of at least $1 billion.

A developer building a stadium under the program would be eligible to finance up to 70% of the project cost by issuing bonds and repaying them with the increased sales tax collections from the stadium site. The expansion would have initially allowed up to 75% of project costs but was tweaked before introduction. Debt on a stadium constructed under the expansion wouldn’t have to be repaid for 30 years instead of the normal 20.

The project could also receive a boost from liquor taxes generated in the STAR Bond district and revenues from a fund Kansas created when it legalized sports betting.

During House debate, Rep. Paul Waggoner, a Hutchinson Republican, argued subsidized stadiums never generate the economic activity that they promise. He was alarmed by what he called “minimal transparency” in the deal-making process laid out in the legislation.

The bill says any agreement between the state and a team would be confidential until after it has been executed.

Waggoner called the legislation “bad public policy.”

“This is not your mother’s STAR Bonds,” Waggoner said. “This is a jacked up super-sized version of STAR Bonds.”

Patrick Mahomes throws pass against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 23, 2022. Kansas lawmakers could offer the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals millions of dollars in tax incentives to move from Missouri to Kansas. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images).

The bill limits the eligibility to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams currently near Kansas. The financing mechanism could be used for both stadiums and training facilities.

Both teams have pressed lawmakers in recent weeks to pass the bill with representatives from the Royals hosting dinner for Democratic lawmakers at a steakhouse Monday night and the Chiefs throwing a lunchtime block party Tuesday steps from the Capitol.

Earlier this month, a nonprofit called Scoop and Score Inc. launched to advocate for a Kansas stadium deal. The organization, which does not have to disclose its donors, hired 30 lobbyists to advocate for the STAR Bond expansion legislation.

In a statement, former Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., a lobbyist for Scoop and Score and the Chiefs, said the Legislature “stepped up in a big way, paving the path to make sure the Chiefs stay right where they belong — in Kansas City with their loyal fans.”

“The votes show overwhelming bipartisan support because Kansas lawmakers know what the Chiefs mean to us and how big of an economic opportunity this is for Kansas,” Ryckman said.

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

After 3 ½ years as ILGOP chair, Don Tracy cites intraparty fighting as reason for quitting

By HANNAH MEISEL
Capitol News Illinois
[email protected]

Halfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party.

Tracy, who’d held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in a two-page letter that cited intraparty “power struggles.” He also said he is concerned about the direction the party is taking under the current membership of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee – a 17-person body that steers the ILGOP, with one member elected from each congressional district.

“In better days, Illinois Republicans came together after tough intra party elections,” Tracy wrote. “Now however, we have Republicans who would rather fight other Republicans than engage in the harder work of defeating incumbent Democrats by convincing swing voters to vote Republican.”

Tracy was narrowly elected Illinois Republican Party chair in the wake of the 2020 election and Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol by those who sought to stop certification of the election for its winner, President Joe Biden, over former President Donald Trump. Even as Republicans publicly reckoned with the events of Jan. 6, hardline conservatives on the state central committee were pushing for a more ardent supporter of Trump and his politics than the previous chair, who was hand-picked by former Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Instead, the party got Tracy, another Rauner ally who served as chair of the Illinois Gaming Board during the one-term governor’s administration. Tracy had unsuccessfully run for lieutenant governor in 2010, and in 2002, he lost a bid for a state Senate seat – but as a Democrat.

Tracy’s electoral history, as well as his experience as an attorney and co-owner of his family’s food distribution business, fit the mold of previous ILGOP chairs in a state where fiscally conservative and socially moderate suburban Republicans for decades were a political powerhouse.

But as Republican politics have changed both nationally and in Illinois, Tracy’s run as party chair proved tumultuous.

Additionally, Tracy wrote that he was “concerned about the current infatuation” of some state central committee members “with certain individuals they call ‘grass roots’ leaders.”

One such self-proclaimed grassroots Republican, former state Sen. Darren Bailey, celebrated Tracy’s resignation on social media Wednesday, calling it a “cleansing” of the state GOP.

“Fake republicans got us into this mess,” wrote Bailey, who earlier this year lost a primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Mike Bost and unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022. “Real Republicans standing firm will get us out!!!”

Democrats panned the state GOP as “defined by a litany of electoral disasters, constant infighting, meager fundraising, and a strict adherence to a losing set of anti-choice, anti-worker, pro-Trump policies.”

“While we don’t expect new leadership to change any of that, we do wish the best of luck to the inevitable MAGA extremist who will succeed Don Tracy as Chair,” the party said.

Tracy’s letter indicated he would resign upon the election of a successor, “preferably no later than” July 19 – the day after the RNC is scheduled to conclude.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

(Capitol News Illinois illustration by Andrew Adams)

Thursday, June 13, 2024

$50M tax credit program will provide up to roughly $300 for low-income families

By ANDREW ADAMS
Capitol News Illinois
[email protected]

In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children.

The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although it has exceptions, that credit is generally available to married couples earning up to about $60,000 and single people earning up to about $50,000, depending on the number of children they have.

For taxes on 2024 income, the tax credit will cap at just over $300 for tax filers with three or more children who meet certain income requirements. Taxpayers with two children face a cap of about $270 and taxpayers with one child face a cap of about $170.

The child tax credit equates to 20 percent of the state’s EITC, which allows Illinois taxpayers a credit equal to 20 percent of the federal EITC.

Starting in tax year 2025, the state’s child tax credit will double to 40 percent of the state EITC, meaning that it will max out at a bit over $600 for families with three children. Because the federal tax credit that determines its size is tied to inflation, the actual size of future years’ child tax credits is yet to be determined.

In its first year, the program is expected to cost the state $50 million, with a cost of about $100 million in subsequent years.

The idea of a permanent child tax credit in Illinois has been floated for several years, with various proposals being put forward by legislators in the General Assembly as well as advocacy groups and think tanks.

Gov. JB Pritzker pitched a child tax credit in his proposed budget earlier this year that was smaller than the version that passed in the final budget. It would have applied to children under three years old and cost about $12 million.

Proponents of the idea say that in addition to helping low-income families, programs like this help local economies.

“Every dollar we invest in the child tax credit is immediately spent locally,” Erion Malasi, the policy director for Economic Security for Illinois, told Capitol News Illinois.

Researchers at the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, a labor movement-affiliated think tank, found in a January report that child tax credits have a higher economic impact than cuts to corporate income taxes or to capital gains taxes.

That report also cited several research teams that found the temporary expansion to the federal child tax credit between 2021 and 2023 reduced child poverty in the U.S. by between 25 and 36 percent. That credit provided an additional $1,000 per child on top of an existing $2,000 credit, with increases for younger children.

State Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, sponsored legislation that would have created a $300 million child tax credit program that was more expansive than the version that passed.

Aquino told Capitol News Illinois he will be watching the rollout of the child tax credit to see if there is room for an “expansion” in future budget years or if there is a route for the credit to be automatically applied for qualifying taxpayers.

The Illinois Department of Revenue is working on guidance for next year's filing season and will provide information about how to claim the child tax credit on its website.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Kansas’ Davids lauds court decision on abortion pill; Marshall critiques Democrats’ IVF bill

BY: TIM CARPENTER - JUNE 13, 2024 4:56 PM

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a 3rd District Democrat, hailed actions 70 years ago to create the U.S. Small Business Administration. She said the federal government needs to further expand broadband access to help companies grow and prosper. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kansas, applauded a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to turn aside a lawsuit seeking to direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to significantly limit access to the abortion pill mifepristone. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of an attempt to undermine the federal Food and Drug Administration’s authorization of a widely available abortion medication wouldn’t be the final act by opponents of reproductive rights.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court said the plaintiffs, comprised of anti-abortion physicians and organizations, didn’t have standing to pursue the lawsuit against the FDA aimed at curtailing access to the drug mifepristone. It’s possible other plaintiffs capable of showing they were harmed by availability of the pill could challenge FDA approval of the drug. It is used in approximately half of all abortions in the United States.

“I will always stand with Kansans who overwhelmingly rejected extremist attempts to limit reproductive health care access,” said Davids, the 3rd District Democrat. “Yet, for the second year in a row, a vital and safe reproductive health care medication was under attack, threatening to strip Kansans’ ability to freely make health care decisions that are best for their families and futures.”

Davids said the Supreme Court opinion was “a victory for our freedoms,” but the legal fight regarding abortion access was far from over. She vowed to continue opposing attempts to “interfere in our most private health care decisions.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, signed an amicus brief urging federal courts to rule the FDA overstepped its authority years ago in regard to use of mifepristone. U.S. Reps. Ron Estes, Tracey Mann and Jake LaTurner, signed a brief that argued the Supreme Court should reverse the FDA.

These Kansas lawmakers said the FDA’s action to deregulate “chemical abortion drugs” subverted Congress’ public policy interests and patient welfare.

Mifepristone, which is authorized for up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy, was part of two-drug regimen that included misoprostol as the second pharmaceutical.

Meanwhile, both U.S. senators from Kansas, Republicans Jerry Moran and Marshall, voted Thursday to block legislation offered by Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois that would affirm the right of women attempting to become pregnant to seek fertility treatments that included in vitro fertilization or IVF.

The Senate vote on that measure was 48-47, short of the 60 votes required to advance the measure.

On Wednesday, Marshall said the Duckworth bill contained “poison pills” that violated the religious freedom of physicians and would unnecessarily broaden access to reproductive technology. He praised a piece of IVF legislation sponsored by Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

Marshall, a physician who delivered babies for 30 years in Kansas said, “The country needs to know that Republicans believe in IVF. I happen to believe IVF is a gift from God.”

Sean: Unfortunately for Senator Marshall, he doesn’t speak for all Republicans, many of whom are far out of the mainstream on whether they believe families should be able to access IVF.

And today in unforced errors…

Trump tells House Republicans Milwaukee is a ‘horrible city’

BY: HENRY REDMAN - JUNE 13, 2024 10:51 AM

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally on Wednesday, May 1, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. (Scott Olson | Getty Images)

In a closed door meeting with Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, Donald Trump reportedly called Milwaukee, the location of this summer’s Republican National Convention, a “horrible city.”

Trump’s comments were reported by Punchbowl News’ Jake Sherman.

“Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city,” Trump is reported to have said on Thursday.

The former president visited Wisconsin in May, holding a rally in Waukesha. During that visit, he talked about the RNC coming to Milwaukee, making fun of Democrats — who planned to hold the 2020 Democratic National Convention in the city but canceled it due to the COVID-19 pandemic — for not showing up to the city.

Wisconsin’s House Republicans responded to the report with varying stories about what happened. Rep. Glenn Grothman told reporters Trump was talking about “election integrity” in large urban centers, Rep. Derrick Van Orden said the report was a lie and that Trump was talking about the city’s crime rate and Rep. Bryan Steil denied that Trump made the comment at all.

In response to the comment, Democrats said if Trump doesn’t like Milwaukee, he doesn’t need to come.

“If Donald Trump hates Milwaukee so much, we have one message for him: don’t come, we won’t miss you — your campaign is barely here in the first place,” Democratic National Committee spokesperson Addy Toevs said in a statement. “In November, Wisconsinites will show Trump how the dislike is mutual and will reject him again once and for all.”

Other Democrats touted Milwaukee’s beer, food and sports teams while connecting the comments to regular Republican attacks against Wisconsin’s largest and most diverse city.

“Donald Trump attacking the great city of Milwaukee as a ‘horrible city’ exactly one month before he shuffles out on stage at the Fiserv reflects the backward, twisted man Donald Trump has always been,” Wisconsin Democratic Party Vice Chair Felesia Martin said. “With entertainment, recreation and a quality of life that is unparalleled — to say nothing of a great basketball team — I am blessed to call Milwaukee home. We’re used to Republican politicians like Donald Trump showing nothing but contempt for Milwaukee and the folks who live here: they know our power, and they’re afraid of the city we are building here, together. Once again, Trump has demonstrated why he should not be elected to the highest office in the land. He does not possess the discipline, respect, thoughtfulness, nor the maturity necessary to lead our country.”

Trump is expected to visit southeastern Wisconsin again next week, for a planned rally in Racine on Tuesday. Because he knows if he wants to be president again, he has to win there. Wild.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Moms For Missouri 2: The Activation Grows | The Heartland POD for June 19, 2024

19 juni 2024 | 46 min

The Heartland POD for June 17, 2024 | Less Burgum, More Sharks?

17 juni 2024 | 91 min

Abortion opponents lose bigly at the Supreme Court, Missouri set to expand I-70, and more

14 juni 2024 | 28 min

Mifepristone remains legal after major Supreme Court ruling | Trump lackey running for Michigan’s state supreme court | Nebraska’s competing abortion petitions | Kansas Farmers Faced With Major Water Shortage | South Carolina Ripe For Full Abortion Ban | Missouri begins major project to improve Interstate 70 | Indiana musician hitting the scene in a big way

SHOW NOTES

Mifepristone remains legal after major Supreme Court ruling
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/13/breaking-u-s-supreme-court-rejects-attempt-to-limit-access-to-abortion-pill/

Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the opinion in the united ruling from the Supreme Court, with Justice Clarence Thomas writing a concurring opinion.

“Plaintiffs are pro-life, oppose elective abortion, and have sincere legal, moral, ideological, and policy objections to mifepristone being prescribed and used by others,” Kavanaugh wrote.

The four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion doctors who originally brought the lawsuit against mifepristone have protections in place to guard against being forced to participate in abortions against their moral objections, he noted.

“Not only as a matter of law but also as a matter of fact, the federal conscience laws have protected pro-life doctors ever since FDA approved mifepristone in 2000,” Kavanaugh wrote. “The plaintiffs have not identified any instances where a doctor was required, notwithstanding conscience objections, to perform an abortion or to provide other abortion-related treatment that violated the doctor’s conscience.”

“Nor is there any evidence in the record here of hospitals overriding or failing to accommodate doctors’ conscience objections,” he added.

Trump lackey running for Michigan’s state supreme court
1. https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/deperno-announces-michigan-supreme-court-run-amid-election-related-criminal-charges/

Matt DePerno, a Republican lawyer who ran for Michigan Attorney General in 2022 with the support of former President Donald Trump, is running for the state’s supreme court while facing charges for reportedly tampering with voting machines after the 2020 presidential election.

Michigan’s 4-3 Democratic majority state supreme court is falling short of doing its duty, Deperno said in an emailed statement to Michigan Advance.

“After watching the abuse of our legal system both here in Michigan, as well as across the country, it is clear that the Michigan Supreme Court needs members that are committed to following the constitution and rule of law,” DePerno said. “Activist judges, prosecutors, and attorney generals are using their power to prosecute their political enemies. This has to stop. And that is why I am running for Supreme Court.”

Nebraska’s competing abortion petitions
1. https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/06/13/sorting-through-nebraskas-abortion-ballot-initiatives/

Nebraska voters who want to weigh in this November on the future of abortion in the state have three petitions to consider signing.

One group that is circulating petitions wants to make abortion a state constitutional right. Two other groups circulating petitions both oppose abortion. But their petitions approach the path to further restrictions differently.

Organizers of all three petition initiatives have until July 3 to turn in signatures from 10% of Nebraska registered voters, or about 123,000 people, to the Secretary of State’s Office. Of those, signatures are required from at least 5% of registered voters in at least 38 counties.

Kansas Farmers Faced With Major Water Shortage
1. https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/13/time-for-a-reckoning-kansas-farmers-brace-for-water-cuts-to-save-ogallala-aquifer/

After 50 years of studies, discussions and hand-wringing about the aquifer’s decline, the state is demanding that local groundwater managers finally enforce conservation. But in this region where water is everything, they’ll have to overcome entrenched attitudes and practices that led to decades of overpumping.

“It scares the hell out of me,” farmer Hugh Brownlee said at a recent public meeting in the district on the changes to come.

Last year, Kansas lawmakers passed legislation squarely targeting the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District, which spans a dozen counties. Unlike the two other Kansas districts that sit atop the crucial aquifer, this one has done little to enact formal conservation programs that could help prolong the life of the aquifer. The new law aims to force action.

South Carolina Ripe For Full Abortion Ban
1. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/13/south-carolina-abortion-ban

The right to legal abortion in South Carolina is in a “dire” condition, said the state senator Penry Gustafson, who lost her seat on Tuesday to a primary challenger prepared to vote to ban abortion at conception.

Gustafson is one of five female lawmakers dubbed the “sister senators” who blocked legislation to outlaw abortion from the point of conception in the state. The three Republicans among them – Gustafson, Sandy Senn and Katrina Shealy – each drew male primary challengers who competed for conservative primary voters seeking more restrictive abortion access.

Missouri begins major project to improve Interstate 70
1. https://www.missourinet.com/2024/06/13/shovels-come-out-to-break-ground-on-missouris-historic-i-70-expansion/

A groundbreaking ceremony was held today to celebrate the start of construction for the Improve I-70 project, which will widen the interstate to at least three lanes each in both directions from St. Louis to Kansas City.

Construction on the $2.8 billion Improve I-70 Program is set to begin in July. The first phase of the project begins in mid-Missouri, with the interchanges of U.S. Route 63 in Columbia and U.S. Route 54 in Kingdom City.

Gov. Mike Parson was on hand to commemorate the occasion. One of his top priorities throughout his tenure has been to improve Missouri’s infrastructure system.

“What we’re doing in infrastructure in this state is going to set us apart from many, many other states and it’s just, for the future of our state, I can’t even explain how much of an impact it’s going to have. But it’s fun. It’s exciting to finish up your term on a high note like this,” he told reporters.

Indiana musician hitting the scene in a big way
1. https://www.stephenwilsonjr.com/

Stephen Wilson Jr. is a singer/songwriter from rural Southern Indiana. Self-described as “Death Cab For Country,” Stephen Wilson Jr. draws upon indie rock, grunge and country to create a distinct sound that is influenced by artists as diverse as The National, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Nirvana.

Wilson was raised by a single father who was a boxer and had him boxing from age seven through adulthood as an Indiana State Golden Gloves finalist. The self-taught guitarist moved to Nashville to pursue a degree in Microbiology at MTSU, where he started indie rock band AutoVaughn after finishing his degree. After five years of touring the world as lead guitarist with AutoVaughn, Wilson turned his creative focus toward songwriting and singing. After the band, Wilson relied back on his education where he worked for several years as an R&D scientist at Mars until signing a publishing deal with BMG Nashville in 2016. His songs were soon recorded by acts like Caitlyn Smith, Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, MacKenzie Porter, Sixpence None the Richer and Leigh Nash.

SOURCES: Missouri Independent, The Guardian, Michigan Advance, Nebraska Examiner, Kansas Reflector, Missourinet.com, Stephenwilsonjr.com

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Iowa Has A Cancer: A Chat w/ Shawn Ellerbroek (D) For Iowa State House 57

12 juni 2024 | 37 min

The Heartland POD for June 10, 2024 | Summer 2024 Is Heating Up

10 juni 2024 | 89 min

Friday Flyover | June 7, 2024: A Special Missouri Only Episode!

7 juni 2024 | 30 min

The First Amendment Lives at Pride Fest | June 4, 2024

5 juni 2024 | 37 min

Matthew Krayton Guest Host | June 3, 2024

3 juni 2024 | 90 min

Flyover Friday 5/31/24: Trump Is Guilty and Stories From The Heartland

31 maj 2024 | 22 min

Trump Takes A Break (From Court) To Get Booed

29 maj 2024 | 49 min

Oklahoma legislature wants textbooks to push traditional gender roles, Ranked choice voting ban on the ballot in Missouri and more

24 maj 2024 | 31 min

Political Orphans w/ Jared Young, Independent candidate for Senate in Missouri, 2024

22 maj 2024 | 49 min

50 Hours In Missouri | May 20, 2024

20 maj 2024 | 85 min

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signs $75 Million in new special ed funding, MO Republicans can't get out of their own way and more

17 maj 2024 | 11 min

Political News from America's Heartland - Friday, May 17, 2024 - KS Gov Laura Kelly signs $75 MM boost to special ed funding

Missouri Senate Democrats 50 Hour Filibuster | New “youth core” program focuses on mental health | Minnesota Gov. announces boost for child care funding

KS Gov Laura Kelly signs $75 MM boost to special ed funding

https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/16/kansas-governor-signs-school-funding-bill-with-75-million-boost-for-special-education/

BY: SHERMAN SMITH - MAY 16, 2024 11:38 AM

TOPEKA — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation this week that allocates $6.6 billion to K-12 public schools, including $75 million in new money for special education, and vetoed language designed to funnel safety grant cash to a specific software company.

The Democratic governor and Republican legislators separately claimed credit for continuing to fully fund schools, as required by the state’s constitution and mandated by the Kansas Supreme Court. House Bill 387 passed the House 115-2 and the Senate 35-2 on April 26, shortly before the Legislature adjourned for the year.

The legislation includes $4.9 billion in state spending for the public school system.

Gov Kelly’s message to lawmakers in signing the bill referenced the state’s historical failures to provide adequate and equitable resources to public schools.

In 2018, when Kelly was still a state senator, the Legislature adopted a five-year plan to fully fund schools by the 2022-23 school year. As governor, she worked with lawmakers in 2019 to correct a math problem and add an ongoing inflation adjustment to win approval from the Kansas Supreme Court. The court retained oversight of the case to ensure the Legislature didn’t pull the rug out from under schools as it had repeatedly in the past, then let go of the case earlier this year.

Gov. Kelly said, “When I became governor, my first order of business was to end the cycle of school finance litigation caused by years of underfunding. Reckless leadership and mismanagement of the state’s finances made it impossible for the state to adequately fund our schools. Since then, we’ve seen how investment in our education system pays significant dividends for our entire state. Students now have more opportunities than ever to explore their educational and professional interests. Our commitment to fully funding public education better supports teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators.”

Lawmakers agreed to address a longstanding shortfall in special education funding by adding $75 million to the budget. But they stopped short of meeting recommendations from a special task force, which said lawmakers should add $82.7 million annually for four years to comply with a law requiring the state to cover 92% of extra costs for serving students in special education.

“This funding will provide critical support to districts that have been shouldering the burden of the state’s decade-long failure to meet its statutory obligation and ultimately its promise to the next generation of Kansans,” Kelly said.

At one point this year, the Legislature considered rewriting state law to permanently underfund special education.

Kelly said the new money would allow districts to “properly invest in special education educators” rather than redirect funding that otherwise would be used on teacher salaries and other instruction programs.

“While this funding is a critical first step, it is just a first step. We must continue to increase special education funding in future years.”

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said lawmakers this year focused on crafting a bill that better addresses the needs of students, teachers, and staff members.

She said, “Our commitment to distributing increased special education funding in a more equitable way to Kansas school districts was accomplished by collaborating directly with the Department of Education leadership team. This is an important change for children that receive these special services.”

The governor vetoed language that would have required schools to use the $5 million available through the School Safety and Security Grant program on firearm detection software made by ZeroEyes. The company hired lobbyists in multiple states to try to corner the market on security contracts by inserting restrictions in legislation to undermine the ability of rival vendors to bid.

Kelly said the restrictions amounted to a no-bid contract and would restrict schools from using the money on other types of safety needs. She has the authority to use a line-item veto on the policy because it was embedded in a budget bill.

Schools should be able to invest in other school safety efforts, Kelly said, such as updating communications systems, hiring more security staff, investing in physical infrastructure, and buying automated external defibrillators.

“We must continue to work together to ensure our students have a safe, conducive environment for their learning. To do that, we should not hamstring districts by limiting this funding opportunity to services provided by one company.

Missouri Senate Democrats 50-Hour Filibuster

https://missouriindependent.com/2024/05/15/50-hour-filibuster-forces-more-negotiations-on-gop-backed-initiative-petition-changes/

50-hour filibuster forces more negotiations on GOP-backed initiative petition changes

BY: ANNA SPOERRE, RUDI KELLER AND JASON HANCOCK - MAY 15, 2024 6:48 PM

A 50-hour Democratic filibuster forced the Senate’s divided GOP majority to finally yield Wednesday evening, stalling a vote on a bill seeking to make it more difficult to amend Missouri’s constitution.

Democrats have blocked all action in the Senate since Monday afternoon, demanding that the legislation be stripped of “ballot candy” that would bar non-citizens from voting and ban foreign entities from contributing to or sponsoring constitutional amendments, both of which are already illegal.

The Senate passed the bill without ballot candy in February. The House added it back last month.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, an Independence Democrat, on Tuesday said the situation presented an existential crisis for the Senate, as Republicans openly considered a rarely-used maneuver to kill the filibuster and force a vote on the bill.

“Are the bullies going to win?” Rizzo asked. “Or is the rest of the Senate finally going to stand up for itself and say ‘no more.’”

He got an answer just before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, when state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, an Arnold Republican and the bill’s sponsor, surprised many of her colleagues by asking that the Senate send the bill back to the House for more negotiations on whether to include “ballot candy.”

Republicans simply didn’t have the votes to kill the filibuster, she said, and Democrats showed no signs of relenting before session ends at 6 p.m. Friday.

The sudden change in tactics was not well taken by members of the Freedom Caucus, who argued sending the bill back to the House with only two days left before adjournment puts its chances at risk.

Tim Jones, a former Missouri House speaker and current director of the state’s Freedom Caucus, wrote on social media Thursday evening that Coleman “effectively killed her bill today.”

If the bill passes, Missourians would have the opportunity to vote later this year on whether or not to require constitutional amendments be approved by both a majority of votes statewide and a majority of votes in five of the state’s eight congressional districts.

Right now, amendments pass with a simple majority.

A possible vote on abortion in November is a catalyst behind the battle over the bill, as a campaign to legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability is on the path to the statewide ballot.

Republicans have said that without raising the threshold for changing the state’s constitution, a constitutional right to abortion will likely become the law of the land in Missouri.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican and a member of the Freedom Caucus, tipped his hat to the Democrats’ “wherewithal” before scorning some of his Republican colleagues.

“Unfortunately, this Republican Party has no backbone to fight for what is right for life,” he shouted from the Senate floor. “ … They will have the blood of the innocent on their heads. Shame on this party.”

Coleman’s move also came as a surprise to state Rep. Alex Riley, a Republican from Springfield who sponsored the initiative petition bill in the House.

“We’re going to have to have some conversations tonight to figure out what exactly it is they have in mind,” he said.

New “youth core” program focuses on mental health

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/15/youth-mental-health-corps

New program creates "youth corps" for mental health

Hundreds of young adults will be trained to help their peers access mental health care and other supports in a first-of-its-kind service program aimed at addressing the youth mental health crisis.

Backers of the new Youth Mental Health Corps, which is funded by a mix of private and public dollars, also hope to create a new talent pipeline to address shortages of mental health workers.

How it works: Young adults ages 18 and up will spend about a year working at a school or nonprofit to help connect other young people to mental health support.

Corps members will conduct check-ins with students, run trainings for caregivers, conduct community outreach and more.

They'll receive training, a stipend, earn state-specific mental health worker credentials, and credit toward higher education degrees in behavioral health. Participants will receive training in therapeutic communication, crisis intervention, behavioral health systems and other skills. They'll receive a minimum of $20 per hour.

Administrators expect hundreds of young people to join the program in its first year, and thousands to benefit from it.

Colorado Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, whose state will be one of the first to implement the program this fall said, "Kids can relate more to experiences and challenges faced by other teenagers. It fosters trust and comfort in seeking mental health support."

In addition to Colorado, programs will start this fall in Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey and Texas. Programs in California, Iowa, Maryland, New York, Utah and Virginia are slated to start next year.

The Schultz Family Foundation, created by Starbucks founder Howard Schultz and Sheri Kersch Schultz, and Pinterest, expect to invest $10 million in the program over three years.

Other funding will come from public sources, including state and national AmeriCorps grants.

Schultz said it expects additional philanthropic and private sector donations in the future

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announces $6MM boost in child care funding

https://minnesotareformer.com/2024/05/15/governor-announces-6-million-in-grants-to-create-more-than-2200-new-child-care-slots/

MN Governor Tim Walz announces $6 million in grants to create more than 2,200 new childcare slots

BY: MADISON MCVAN - MAY 15, 2024 6:02 PM

Twenty-one Minnesota organizations will receive funding to open or expand childcare centers this year, Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday, with more than half of the grants going to providers outside the Twin Cities.

Lawmakers boosted funding for the Department of Employment and Economic Development’s child care grant program last year.

Gov Walz said Wednesday that child care is an example of a “market failure” during a visit to the St. David’s Center for Child & Family Development in Minnetonka, which received a $270,000 grant to create more classrooms and educational spaces.

Nationwide, the childcare industry is in crisis. Minnesota is no exception, facing a shortage of childcare providers and high costs for families. Minnesota has some of the highest childcare costs in the country, which could be one explanation for a lower birth rate in recent years.

The Legislature last year voted to continue a COVID-era program that raised the pay for childcare workers, averting a funding cliff.

A coalition of childcare advocates this session pushed for a subsidy program that would reduce the cost of child care for families making less than 150% of the median income. If fully funded at around $500 million per year, families with low income would have their childcare bills covered by the state, while qualifying families making more than the median income would pay around 7% of their household income on child care, a target set by the federal government. Advocates are hoping to move that bill successfully, next year.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

MO Senate Dems Filibuster Parfait and SCOTUS Deep Dive w/ MIchael Podhorzer

15 maj 2024 | 39 min

Tik Tok, The New York Times, and Utah Bathrooms | May 13, 2024

13 maj 2024 | 81 min

MO Gov Mike Parson says legislators should be held liable, Minnesota passes House File 1989 Taylor Swift bill, and more

10 maj 2024 | 24 min

"I'm Kicking My A**!" | May 8, 2023

8 maj 2024 | 58 min

Signatures, Senators, and Signaling | May 6, 2024

6 maj 2024 | 58 min

MO Freedom Caucus Fails... Again | Friday, May 3, 2024

3 maj 2024 | 60 min

Wayback Wednesday & The Signatures Are In... | May 1, 2024

1 maj 2024 | 49 min

Actions, Meet Consequences | Talkin' Politics for April 29, 2024

29 april 2024 | 74 min

MO GOP State Senator unloads on Jay Ashcroft, Adam Sommer analyzes SCOTUS arguments on absolute immunity, salaried workers getting a raise, and more

26 april 2024 | 51 min

Swing Senate Seats in MO with Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, Candidate for MO Senate 17th | April 24, 2024

24 april 2024 | 37 min

Education, Mike Johnson, and Senate Maps | April 22, 2024

22 april 2024 | 58 min

Sarah Huckabee Sanders podium problems persist, Biden campaign talks abortion in Wisconsin, KS Rep. Jake LaTurner leaving Congress and more

19 april 2024 | 10 min

Missouri’s House Speaker accused of absolute obstruction | Sarah Huckabee Sanders Podium Continues To Dominate | Michigan GOP can’t take a hint on right-to-work | While Trump’s In Court, women put his policies on trial in Wisconsin | Another GOP Congressman is headed for the door

The Heartland POD, Friday April 19, 2024: Flyover Friday

Learn more about our shows and sign up to become a PODHead Patreon supporter today by visiting patreon.com/theheartlandcollective - sign up today for extra shows and access including a member’s chat, and more.

1. Missouri House Speaker Plocher The Blocker

https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/15/speaker-dean-plocher-accused-of-absolute-obstruction-in-house-ethics-investigation/

BY: JASON HANCOCK - APRIL 15, 2024 9:34 PM

On Monday of this week, bipartisan leaders of the House Ethics Committee alleged that Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher obstructed an investigation of his official acts through pressure on potential witnesses and refusing to issue subpoenas.

Some potential witnesses allegedly refused to speak out of fear Plocher would use his power as speaker to retaliate against them. And Plocher refused to cooperate with the attorney hired to collect evidence for the committee.

A report laying out findings from the ethics committee’s months-long investigation that was released Monday night concluded the committee lacked direct evidence of ethical misconduct in Plocher’s advocacy for a six-figure software contract, in his firing of a former staffer, or in years of filing false expense reimbursement reports.

But Republican state Rep. Hannah Kelly of Mountain Grove, the committee’s chair, and Democratic state Rep. Robert Sauls of Independence, the vice chair, said the report demonstrates “absolute obstruction” that hindered the committee’s efforts to get to the truth.

Plocher, a candidate for secretary of state, declined to comment.

The report recommended a formal letter of disapproval for Plocher, that he hire an accounting professional to manage his expense reports moving forward, and that he refrain from retaliation against any legislator or House employee who cooperated with the committee.

The report also recommended further review by the House into allegations of threats made against legislative employees during the course of the investigation.

The report states Plocher’s actions “substantially impair public confidence in the General Assembly,”

Plocher’s troubles spilled out into the public in September, when he was accused of engaging in “unethical and perhaps unlawful conduct” as part of a months-long push outside the normal bidding process to get the House to award an $800,000 contract to a private company to manage constituent information.

As part of that contract push, Plocher allegedly threatened the jobs of nonpartisan staff who raised red flags.

A month later, The Missouri Independent reported Plocher had on numerous occasions over the last five years illegally sought taxpayer reimbursement from the legislature for airfare, hotels and other travel costs already paid for by his campaign.

As for the threats against nonpartisan staff, there was also no direct evidence implicating the speaker, though the report states that several employees testified under oath about threats and a “negative work environment.”

The attorney hired to collect evidence for the committee marveled at the overarching fear of retaliation among House staff, saying “I have not encountered more unwilling witnesses in any investigation in my career. The level of fear expressed by a number of the potential witnesses is a daunting factor in completing this investigation.”

2. Speak into the mic Mrs. Sanders, The People Paid Good Money For it

https://www.axios.com/local/nw-arkansas/2024/04/17/podiumgate-audit-sarah-huckabee-sanders-arkansas

Alex Golden

The Arkansas Legislative Audit this week wrapped up its investigation into the purchase of a $19,000 podium by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' administration.

The audit report reveals the governor's office may have broken state law in several instances, including:

Applying the purchase to operating expenses when it didn't meet criteria.
Not notifying the Department of Transformation and Shared Services, therefore preventing the purchase from being properly recorded.
Not seeking an exemption from the state procurement director for disposal of state property.
Shredding the delivery note
Altering a public record. Auditors found three versions of an invoice, two of which contained a handwritten notation made after the record was entered into the Arkansas Administrative Statewide Information System.
Transformation and Shared Services also may have violated state law by excluding multiple invoices paid for with the governor's office credit card.

Days before the release of the report, state Attorney General Tim Griffin said the governor is not subject to two state laws that if she were, could be problematic. The AG says the laws do not apply to the Governor of Arkansas.

3. Michigan GOP Is Gonna Try Again On Right To Work

https://michiganadvance.com/2024/04/17/house-gop-announce-plans-to-bring-back-right-to-work-snyder-era-economic-policies/

BY: KEN COLEMAN, SUSAN J. DEMAS AND KYLE DAVIDSON - APRIL 17, 2024 5:18 PM

A day after state House Democrats won two special elections to regain a majority, Republicans on Wednesday announced a plan “to grow local economies”. Bringing back so-called Right to Work - a policy meant to reduce the power of labor unions - is one of the GOP’s top priorities.

Last year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation repealing the 2012 Right to Work law that had been on the books since 2012. The controversial law allowed workers to get all union benefits without having to pay dues.

4. Women harmed by abortion restrictions campaign against Trump in Wisconsin

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2024/04/17/women-harmed-by-abortion-restrictions-campaign-against-trump-in-wisconsin/

BY: BAYLOR SPEARS - APRIL 17, 2024 5:45 AM

Two women, who said their states’ abortion restrictions exacerbated their experience with medical difficulties during pregnancy, told their stories Tuesday while campaigning for President Joe Biden at a round table event in Madison.

Their visit is one of four stops they are making this week in Wisconsin — a battleground state that could play a decisive role in the 2024 presidential election. Democrats are focusing on abortion as an issue that could help drive voters to the polls.

Amanda Zurawski of Houston, Texas said she underwent “grueling” fertility treatments for a year and a half. She and her husband, Josh were “over the moon” when she finally became pregnant. While her first trimester was pretty easy, she said she suffered from “catastrophic complications” at 18 weeks. She said she needed an abortion, but her state’s abortion ban made it illegal.

“My doctor would have been at risk of losing her license, hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines and even jail time, so I was told to just wait until I got so sick that my life was considered in danger, which is one of the rare exceptions in Texas,”. She waited three days before she developed sepsis — a potentially fatal condition resulting from infection — and doctors finally provided her care, stabilizing her and ending her pregnancy with the baby she named Willow. She was in the intensive care unit for several days afterwards.

Zurawski said she realized in her “dark and lonely hospital room” that she was “actually lucky because I lived and I knew others might not be so lucky.”

“What I went through was nothing short of barbaric and it did not need to happen,” said Zurawski, who was a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against Texas due to its abortion ban. “It was completely avoidable. It was completely preventable, and it happened because of Donald Trump.”

Kaitlyn Joshua of Louisiana, said that she and her husband, Landon, were thrilled to learn that she was pregnant. They already had one daughter, who was 3, and it made sense for them to add to their family.

Early in her pregnancy, Joshua said she started experiencing cramping and spotting, and at 11 weeks, she experienced major blood loss and pain. She sought care at a Baton Rouge emergency room, where she was told she was experiencing a miscarriage, but was provided no support.

She said, “We’re simply asking for the most basic level of internal health care but because of Donald Trump’s laws, we are being denied basic care.” (Baylor Spears | Wisconsin Examiner)

“Because of the state’s abortion ban, the health care team was afraid. They instead sent me home, sent home on prayers. I remember the young lady said ‘We’ll be praying for you and you’re just gonna have to handle this at home.’”

Joshua went to a second hospital where she was also told to wait. She said it took her almost a month to complete the miscarriage on her own.

Women across Louisiana and across the country are having similar experiences.

“Because of abortion bans, physicians simply cannot do their job and practice medicine based on their training expertise. We’re simply asking for the most basic level of internal health care, but because of Donald Trump, we are being denied basic care.”

Former President Donald Trump has said in recent weeks that abortion policy should be left to the states. He has also said that he would support a 16-week nationwide ban.

The U.S. has been left with a patchwork of abortion laws with many states having implemented bans due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade.

Abortion services were halted completely in Wisconsin until recently, due to an 1849 law that many thought was in force on the reversal of Roe.

Rep. Lisa Subeck (D-Madison) said, “We didn’t have abortions available in Wisconsin for a year. Due to a court decision, right now they’re available, but we know how fragile it is, we know that that can change at any time. We also know that if Donald Trump is elected, that will almost certainly change.”

5. KS Congressman Jake LaTurner turns toward home.

Andrew Solender

https://www.axios.com/2024/04/18/jake-laturner-retire-house-gop-kansas

A 36-year-old House Republican who has served in Congress just three years said Thursday he will not seek reelection in November.

Rep. Jake LaTurner's (R-Kan.) retirement is a stark addition to a trend of House Republicans sprinting for the exits after a year filled with infighting and discord.

Two House Republicans told Axios they expect more retirement announcements in the coming weeks.

LaTurner, who was first elected in 2020, said "the current dysfunction on Capitol Hill is distressing." LaTurner makes nearly 20 House Republicans who have left or are planning to leave Congress without immediate plans to run for another office. Another five are seeking higher office.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wisc.), a 40-year-old onetime GOP rising star, is planning to resign in the middle of his term to take a job in the private sector.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), the 48-year-old chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who reached the zenith of his political career last year as the House speaker pro tempore, is also retiring.

The retirements come as a growing number of right-wing hardliners are threatening to join an effort to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).

Johnson is moving ahead with plans to hold a vote on a foreign aid package that includes aid to Ukraine, which Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has said would trigger a vote to remove him. The three-week speaker vacancy last year spurred a wave of retirements, particularly within the GOP.

LaTurner has $676,000 cash on hand and no Republicans were running against him; this sets up a likely wild primary and maybe even a flip opportunity for Democrats.

SOURCES: Michigan Advance, Wisconsin Examiner, Axios, Politico, The Missouri Independent,Pro.STateaffairs.com, Kansas reflector,

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Spreading The Word with Mark Bland: 4/17/24

17 april 2024 | 50 min

Is Arizona's Abortion Law The 2024 Event Horizon?

15 april 2024 | 79 min

Education, Child Labor, Water, Accountability, and Deer

12 april 2024 | 23 min

TRUMP CAN’T CARRY ABORTION POSITION TO TERM

10 april 2024 | 52 min

Talkin' Politics - April 8, 2024 | The Polls, They Are A Changin'

8 april 2024 | 92 min

No Labels is no more | WI bars county election offices from accessing private grant funds | IA legislators don't want folks suing Bayer | MO GOP stars getting sued and more

5 april 2024 | 22 min

No Labels has No Candidates and is No More | One Suit, Two Suit, Red Suit Defamation Suit Filed against Missouri Lawmakers | Wisconsin Voters Restrict Themselves | Iowa State Senate Favors Chemical Creators over Citizens | Missouri House Speaker Investigation Continues | Tennessee woman sues over abortion access | Kansas Newspaper Raid Investigation Wrapping Up

SOURCES: The Missouri Independent, KMBC news, Iowa Capital Dispatch, Kansas Reflector, St Louis Post-Dispatch, and The Guardian

SHOW NOTES

3 Missouri State Senators Sued
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/04/three-missouri-state-senators-sued-for-defamation-over-posts-about-chiefs-parade-shooting/
2. https://www.kmbc.com/article/olathe-kansas-man-wrongly-identified-as-chiefs-parade-shooter-sues-3-missouri-lawmakers/60388311
Three Missouri Republicans – including one running for statewide office – are being sued for defamation over social media posts incorrectly identifying a Kansas man as an undocumented immigrant and the shooter at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl victory celebration.
On Tuesday, Denton Loudermill of Olathe, Kansas, filed federal lawsuits against state Sens. Rick Brattin of Harrisonville, Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg and Nick Schroer of Defiance. Loudermill last week filed a similar complaint against U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett of Tennessee. The four lawsuits are almost identical in their allegations against, which involve the lawmakers using social media platforms to repost a photo of Loudermill in handcuffs shortly after the shooting. “The publication of the false representation that plaintiff was an ‘illegal alien’ and a ‘shooter’ was not made in good faith nor was it made by defendant with any legitimate interest in making or duty to make such assertions,” the lawsuit against Brattin states.
Wisconsin Voters Vote To Limit Voting… No Seriously
1. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/04/wisconsin-amendments-harmful-voting-elections?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
2. Wisconsin voters enshrined in the state constitution on Tuesday two amendments that election officials and voting rights advocates worry will hurt election administration in the state.
3. The first bans election offices from accessing private grants – a source of revenue that election officials relied on in 2020 to run elections during the pandemic and have since used to stock voting equipment in polling places.
4. During the 2020 elections, election offices across the country – already chronically underfunded – accessed grants from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a non-profit organization funded by Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta CEO, and his wife, Priscilla Chan. The grants were doled out with the explicit purpose of funding Covid-19 mitigation in polling places, and election offices used the money for things like personal protective equipment and to set up drive-through, contactless voting.
Iowa Senate Says “Suck It Up” to folks hurt by mega corporation chemicals
1. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/02/iowa-senate-votes-to-limit-lawsuits-over-roundup-other-farm-and-lawn-chemicals/
2. A bill that would partially shield the maker of a widely used agricultural and lawn herbicide from lawsuits over its health effects was adopted by the Iowa Senate on Tuesday.
3. Senate File 2412 would protect Bayer against claims it failed to warn people about the potential health effects of Roundup so long as its product is labeled as required by federal regulators.
4. The legislation would apply to all domestic producers of herbicides and pesticides, but eliminating the failure-to-warn claims is part of Bayer’s public strategy to “manage and mitigate the risks of Roundup litigation,” according to its website.
5. The company hopes the U.S. Supreme Court decides that the claims are overruled by federal law, which the company predicts “could largely end the Roundup litigation.” But a federal appeals court rejected that argument in February.
6. Bayer says about 167,000 lawsuits have been filed by people who claim their exposure to Roundup caused ailments such as cancer, often non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The herbicide has been used to kill weeds for about four decades. The litigation has cost the company billions of dollars.
7. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said Roundup’s primary ingredient, glyphosate, is not likely to cause cancer in humans and that it poses no health risks “when used in accordance with its current label.” But in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer determined glyphosate is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Missouri House Speaker Plocher, Now Candidate for Secretary of State, Narrows Focus
1. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/investigation-of-missouri-s-house-speaker-zeroes-in-on-lobbyist-aides-and-advisers/article_f77bc748-f203-11ee-8b90-d33ac8c58ed3.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
2. An investigation of the leader of the Missouri House appears to be focused on his efforts to steer an $800,000 state contract to a software vendor.
3. Meeting for the seventh time since launching a probe into House Speaker Dean Plocher, the House Ethics Committee was expected to take closed-door testimony Wednesday from a handful of aides and advisers.
4. If Plocher appears, it would mark his second time before the bipartisan panel, which has hired an investigator to conduct interviews and help prepare a report outlining any findings.
5. Among those on the schedule is Rod Jetton, whom Plocher hired as his chief of staff last year as the scandal was unfolding. Jetton told the Post-Dispatch Wednesday he was not sure what information the committee wanted from him.
Tennessee Woman Sues State Over Abortion Restrictions
1. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/04/tennessee-abortion-ban?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
2. January 2023, whenever Kathryn Archer took her young daughter out to the local playground in Nashville, Tennessee, strangers often noticed her visibly pregnant stomach and wanted to make small talk.
3. “When are you due?” they would ask Archer. “Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?” “Oh, I bet your daughter’s so excited to be a big sister.”
4. Archer did not know how to tell them the truth: in early January, Archer’s fetus had been diagnosed with several serious anomalies that made a miscarriage likely. If Archer did give birth, her baby could only be treated with surgeries and lifelong help – pain that Archer was unwilling to put a newborn through. Without those surgeries, which the infant might not survive, Archer’s baby would die shortly after birth.
5. But due to Tennessee’s near-total abortion ban, Archer could not terminate her pregnancy in her home state and, instead, had to wait more than three weeks for an appointment at an out-of-state abortion clinic.
6. “I don’t want to confide in a stranger that I’m having to get an abortion because my baby can’t survive outside of my womb and I can’t get the care that I need as soon as I need it,” Archer recalled thinking. “Those three weeks were really bizarre, challenging, painful – beyond what it needed to be.”
Investigation Into Marion Co. Raid That Killed Former Publisher in Kansas Is Winding Up
1. https://kansasreflector.com/2024/04/02/colorado-authorities-wrapping-up-investigation-into-marion-police-who-raided-kansas-newspaper/
2. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is nearly finished with its inquiry into potential criminal activity surrounding the raid on the Marion County Record last year and will turn over findings to special prosecutors later this month, state authorities said Tuesday.
3. The announcement comes a day after the Marion County Record filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking damages for alleged violations of civil rights.
4. Melissa Underwood, a spokeswoman for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, said Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson and Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett would determine whether to file criminal charges against journalists, law enforcement officers or anyone else.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

RNC... WTF? April 3, 2024

3 april 2024 | 50 min

Talkin' Politics, April 1, 2024: Election Framing Is The Game

1 april 2024 | 64 min

750,000 fish are dead after IA fertilizer spill, TN Congressman sued by KC Chiefs fan, MO GOP targets St. Louis again, $2 Billion in cuts to MO Gov Parson's budget, Alabama Democrat dominates in special election, and more

29 mars 2024 | 26 min

On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, March 29, 2024 - a Flyover Friday including:

Fertilizer spill kills hundreds of thousands of fish
Missouri GOP cuts taxes… for corporations
Kansas Man Sues Tennessee law maker
Missouri legislature defunding STL?
Texas Immigration Law Back On ICE
Alabama Election Blowout Win… for a Democrat?
Missouri AG gets slammed
Arizona state senator’s personal abortion appeal
Missouri GOP members tripping over each other to file for… Secretary of State?

SOURCES: Missouri Independent; Lawdork.com; Kansas City Star; 1819 news; Democracy Now, associated press; St. Louis pos

Revisiting A story From last week: 750,000 fish have died in the fertilizer spill

https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/28/fertilizer-killed-more-than-750000-fish-iowa-missouri/

A fertilizer spill this month in southwest Iowa killed nearly all the fish in a 60-mile stretch of river with an estimated death toll of more than 750,000, according to Iowa and Missouri conservation officers.

That is the biggest fish kill in Iowa in at least a decade and the fifth-largest on record, according to state data.

And it could have been worse: Fish populations were likely smaller than normal when the spill happened because of cold water temperatures and low river flows.

“Thank goodness, in a way, it happened when it did,” said Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ fisheries bureau. “But this is a big one. It’s a lot of river miles that have been impacted.”

Missouri GOP Tax Cuts To Phase Out Corporate Taxes

https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-again-votes-to-cut-corporate-income-taxes/

The bill sponsored by state Rep. Travis Smith of Dora would cut the tax rate, currently 4%, to 3% on Jan. 1 and make another one percentage point cut each year until the tax is eliminated in 2028.

“When you reduce the corporate income tax you are helping workers more than anything else because the corporation is not going to be paying those taxes,” Smith said. “They’re putting it back in improving their facilities and paying wages.”

The corporate income tax is paid by larger companies with many stockholders. A fiscal note for the bill estimates it would reduce state revenues by at least $884 million when fully implemented. The state collected $13.2 billion in general revenue in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

The bill passed on a 100-50 vote with Republicans voting for it and Democrats opposed.

“We are one of the lowest corporate income tax states in the nation,” said state Rep. Joe Adams, a University City Democrat.

Legally, Adams noted, corporations are people with many of the same rights as humans.

“As people they should pay part of the freight for the operation of the government of this state,” Adams said.

Texas Immigration Law On ICE

https://www.lawdork.com/p/fifth-circuit-texas-sb4-stay-denial

Texas’s new immigration law creating Texas crimes of “illegal entry” and “reentry” and setting forth a process for removal of people convicted of those state laws will remain blocked for now, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled on Tuesday night in a decision holding that Texas’s S.B. 4 is likely preempted by federal law on multiple grounds.

“The Texas laws at issue permit state authorities to prosecute an individual for being unlawfully present and remove individuals who are unlawfully present or removable, without any consultation or cooperation with the Attorney General of the United States,” Chief Judge Priscilla Richman, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote for the court’s 2-1 majority keeping S.B. 4 on hold.

it is the first ruling of substance analyzing S.B. 4 from an appeals court, which is good whenever courts take actions — but particularly when those rulings are affecting the enforcement of national and state laws. And, second, this is same panel of judges that will be hearing the merits of the S.B. 4 next week, meaning we have a fairly good idea that the same outcome will likely result from the full appeal.

The immediate question is whether Texas seeks further review, from the full Fifth Circuit en banc or from the U.S. Supreme Court, on its stay pending appeal request, or whether the parties wait for the April 3 arguments on Texas’s appeal of the preliminary injunction before taking any further action.

For now, though, Texas’s S.B. 4 remains blocked and will remain blocked for the duration of the Fifth Circuit appeal.

Republicans in Missouri Continue Going After St Louis

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/measure-targeting-st-louis-earnings-tax-passes-missouri-house-heads-to-senate/article_b0b9f348-ec59-11ee-9492-8b5dfe93499d.html

Kansas Man Sues lawmaker for comments after super bowl parade shooting

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287072190.html

Denton Loudermill, a Johnson County resident, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas against U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, who last month shared a photo of Loudermill and erroneously wrote that one of the Kansas City shooters had been identified as an “illegal alien.” Burchett’s false post caused Loudermill to receive death threats, incur damages totaling more than $75,000, anxiety and loss of sleep, according to the lawsuit, which accuses Burchett of false light invasion of privacy. The lawsuit asks a judge to issue damages “to punish” Burchett or deter him and others from similar conduct in the future.

Missouri Budget Slashed, Without A Chance To Ask Why

https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/26/democrats-gripe-over-limited-time-for-debating-proposed-50-billion-missouri-budget/

The biggest fight Monday between Republicans and Democrats on the House Budget Committee as they finalized a spending plan for floor debate was over the time allotted to do the work, not any particular item in the $50.7 billion plan.

Throughout the daylong hearing, Democrats said state Rep. Cody Smith, the committee’s chairman, wasn’t allowing enough time to propose amendments or hear why he cut $2 billion from Gov. Mike Parson’s January budget proposal.

And to show their displeasure when the time came to vote, many Democrats voted “present” and state Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, invoked a little-used rule to force a reading of each roll call and how members voted as each of the 17 spending bills was completed.

Smith had no patience for that maneuver, and the committee voted to suspend the rule on “verifying the roll” to speed up its work.

Smith delivered his budget proposal to the committee on March 14 but declined that day to answer questions about his changes. On Monday, when the committee convened shortly after 10 a.m., Smith said he would allow four hours for discussing amendments.

Alabama Democrat Blows Out GOP Opponent

https://1819news.com/news/item/hd10-lands-62-powell-38-after-democrat-special-election-blowout-republicans-asking-what-happened

State Rep.-elect Marilyn Lands (D-Madison) won the special election for House District 10 on Tuesday, making her the first net-gain Democratic pick-up in the Alabama Legislature since 2002.

1819 News surveyed local and state Republicans, political consultants and elected officials to find out what they believe occurred and what they see for the future.

One prominent GOP official said that national Democrats had nationalized this small campaign around abortion to scare Republicans in other states and help them fundraise off the issue.

One complaint was that the Republican nominee, Teddy Powell, took too much of a moderate approach and said that if Republicans were to win in purple districts, they must run as full-on Republicans, just as Lands ran as a full-on Democrat — even more so in a special election where turnout is smaller and only the parties' most loyal show up to vote.

However, the consultants did mention that this race would be a potential pick-up for Republicans in 2026 when the next gubernatorial election occurs, and more turnout will be expected.

Arizona State Senator Shares Her Abortion Story, In Real Time

https://www.democracynow.org/2024/3/27/eva_burch_arizona_abortion

Democratic Arizona state Senator Eva Burch made headlines last week after speaking on the floor of the state Senate about her plans to obtain an abortion after receiving news that her pregnancy was nonviable. Arizona has banned all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. “I felt like it was really important for me to bring people along, so that people could really see what this looks like,” says Burch, a former nurse practitioner who worked at a women’s health clinic before running for office, about why she decided to publicly tell her story. “I wanted to pull people into the conversation so we can be more honest about what abortion care looks like” and “hopefully move the needle in the right direction,” she adds.

Missouri Attorney General Gets Slammed

https://apnews.com/article/dei-diversity-school-beating-missouri-hazelwood-928cd2980047d9f6c37351901f7d0e29

Days after Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey blamed an after-school fight on a school district’s diversity programming, a lawyer for the majority Black district in suburban St. Louis said that the state’s chief attorney is showing “obvious racial bias.”

Bailey, who is campaigning to keep his seat, said last week that he is investigating possible violations of the state’s human rights laws by the Hazelwood School District, after a March 8 fight left a girl hospitalized with severe head injuries.

Bailey blamed the school district’s diversity, equity and inclusion programming as a cause for the fight, which St. Louis County police say happened after school hours in a neighborhood about two blocks from Hazelwood East High School. He said were it not for the programs, a school resource officer would have been present at the school.

Host: Adam Sommer

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Moms Are Pissed... Moms For Missouri - March 27, 2024

27 mars 2024 | 38 min

Talkin' Politics, March 25, 2024: The GOP calls IVF “Morally Dubious”

25 mars 2024 | 78 min

Josh Hawley breaks with Trump on Jan 6 pardons - IA fertilizer spill causes longest fish kill in state history - MO town drops appeal after losing Sunshine lawsuit and more

22 mars 2024 | 21 min

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

Missouri’s new presidential primary; Iowa’s massive fertilizer spill; Hawley signals some break with Trump on Jan 6th; Missouri town paying big for open record violation; Texas immigration law seesaw; Sustainability in St. Louis; Turns out, young white republicans at turning point events MIGHT be a bit racist

SOURCES - river front times, missouri independent, missouri democrats.org, nbc news, newsweek, and WOWT Ohama channel 6 news

Missouri democratic primary TOMORROW - March 23
1. Details: https://www.missouridemocrats.org/mdp-primary-information-2024
Back to the poopy water in Iowa
1. https://www.wowt.com/2024/03/19/experts-detail-environmental-impact-fertilizer-spill-southwest-iowa/
2. Experts detail environmental impact of fertilizer spill in southwest Iowa
3. DNR experts are still examining the environmental impacts of a massive 1,500-ton liquid nitrogen fertilizer spill near Red Oak, Iowa caused by a New Cooperative valve that was left open last Monday.
4. They know liquid nitrogen fertilizer traveled along the East Nishnabotna River in Iowa for 50 miles down to the state of Missouri where it’s estimated to have traveled at least another 10 miles.
5. “(It’s) probably the longest fishkill that we’ve experienced in this area,” said Brent Marten, an environmental specialist for the Iowa DNR.
6. As the fertilizer plume swept through the water, the home of aquatic wildlife soon became their grave. Native species of varying sizes were found dead ashore and floating in the water.
7. “Just acute toxicity basically burned tissue on the outside and if they ingested it, on the inside of the fish,” said Lorenzen.
8. Water testing showed that where the spill happened, nitrogen levels were at least 60 times higher than they should’ve been.
Josh Hawley (drop) says Trump Shouldn’t Issue Blanket Pardon for Jan 6th
1. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article286871930.html
2. In a rare showing of a possible spine in the face of Trump’s crazy, Missouri’s soon to be one term senator Joshua “Yes these are my boots” Hawley breaks with Trump and suggests that CRIMINALS WHO ATTACKED THE GOVERNMENT might be best to be left as criminals, real novel take
Missouri Town who abused open records law drops appeal of penalty
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/15/phelps-county-town-drops-appeal-of-80000-missouri-sunshine-law-judgment/
2. Rebecca Varney sued after Edgar Springs banned her from visiting city hall to see records or attend town board meetings
3. Edgar Springs, a town of 200 in southern Phelps County, must now pay Rebecca Varney $750, plus almost $80,000 in attorney fees, to satisfy a November court decision that found it violated Varney’s First Amendment rights and the Missouri Sunshine Law.
4. Circuit Judge John Beger ruled that the city’s violations began in 2018 when it barred Varney from entering city hall to view records open to the public under the Sunshine Law. The initial order allowed her to attend meetings of the town’s Board of Aldermen but was expanded in 2019 to bar her from entering city hall at any time after she questioned whether a gathering that included several town officials was an unposted meeting.
5. “Our rights are worth it,” Varney said. “It’s been hard but I go to city council meetings, I get to sit down just like everybody else. And they have to treat everybody that way.”
6. In her lawsuit, Varney asked for only nominal damages in addition to legal vindication. Berger’s ruling gave Varney $100 for the constitutional violation, $650 for the Sunshine Law violation and $78,966 for litigation costs and attorney fees. Interest is accruing at the rate of 9% per year.
7. “This was not a close case,” said Dave Roland, the attorney who represented Varney. “They should have seen from the very outset, it was going to be a loser and they were going to be on the hook for both their attorneys fees and ours.”
8. Roland runs the Freedom Center of Missouri, providing pro bono Sunshine Law legal services for people unable to afford an attorney. Money gained from rulings like the one against Edgar Springs is used to support other litigation.
Texas Immigration Law Back On Hold After Multiple Court Rulings In Last Weeks
1. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/appeals-court-blocks-texas-immigration-law-supreme-court-action-rcna144193
2. The decision comes just hours after the Supreme Court said the measure, known as SB 4, could go into effect while litigation continues.
3. A three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals split 2-1 in saying in a brief order that the measure, known as Senate Bill 4, should be blocked. The same court is hearing arguments on the issue Wednesday morning.
4. The state law would allow police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the border from Mexico and impose criminal penalties. It would also empower state judges to order people to be deported to Mexico.
Meet Me In (Sustainable) St. Louieeee
1. https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/bloomberg-taps-st-louis-as-1-of-25-american-sustainable-cities-42136549
2. The City of St. Louis has been selected as one of Bloomberg Philanthropies' 25 sustainable American cities and will receive resources to combat climate change locally.
3. The three-year program will utilize federal funding in the area to “proactively build low-carbon, resilient, and economically thriving communities,” according to a news release from Bloomberg.
4. St. Louis was chosen to take part in the program based on the city’s leadership and ambition, according to the St. Louis Development Corporation.
Black Gay Republican Says Missouri Republican Heckled Him at MAGA Even
1. https://www.newsweek.com/black-gay-republican-says-missouri-republican-heckled-him-maga-event-1879832
2. Rob Smith (conservative commenter) accused a state legislator from Missouri of being among the individuals who allegedly heckled him at a MAGA event in December.
3. Smith, a Republican who is Black and gay, alleged that Missouri State Representative Chris Lonsdale joined a group of conservatives accused of heckling him while attending a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix in December 2023.
4. Video sent by Smith to Newsweek appears to show Lonsdale near a crowd that heckled and chanted a homophobic slur against Smith. Lonsdale was seen pointing his finger toward Smith. However, the video was taken from behind the lawmaker, and it remained unclear whether he was among the individuals chanting the slur.
5. "One of the individuals is a Republican elected official named Chris Lonsdale, a State Rep for MO district 38," Smith wrote in an X message to Newsweek.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Strategy Session with Frank O’Brien, Progressive Strategist

20 mars 2024 | 46 min

Talkin' Politics, March 18, 2024 | MAGA takes over the RNC

18 mars 2024 | 93 min

Lauren Boebert is butt-hurt at Ken Buck, Jay Ashcroft leading MO GOP primary, MO voters support abortion rights, IL Gov JB Pritzker pushes health insurance reforms and more

15 mars 2024 | 15 min

Lauren Boebert won't compete in special election to replace Rep. Ken Buck | MO voters favor abortion rights | Kansas GOP’s flat tax favors the wealthiest 20% | JB Pritzker wants to end prior authorizations in mental health | Texas right-wing billionaires get their way

ELECTION 2024

Missourians back initiative to restore abortion rights by small margin, new poll finds

The St. Louis University/YouGov poll found many undecided voters as ballot campaign gathers signatures. The poll also found strong support for repealing the sales tax on food and sports wagering

BY: RUDI KELLER - MARCH 13, 2024 6:00 AM

https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/13/missourians-back-initiative-to-restore-abortion-rights-by-small-margin-new-poll-finds/

In June of 2022 The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established federal constitutional protections for abortion. Under current Missouri law, abortions are only allowed to save the life of the mother or when “a delay will create a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.” This has made abortion virtually inaccessible in the state.

Now, a group called Missourians for Constitutional Freedom is collecting signatures to put abortion rights on the November ballot. They must gather at least 171,000 signatures from registered voters by early May.

A new poll shows plurality of Missourians support restoring abortion rights as they existed under Roe v. Wade, but a large undecided group holds the key to victory.

The St. Louis University/YouGov Poll conducted in February found that 44% of those surveyed would vote for abortion rights after hearing the ballot language, while 37% were opposed. Almost one-fifth of voters, 19%, said they were unsure how they would vote.

71% of Democrats and 24% of Republicans support the proposal.

If the measure makes the ballot, poll director Steven Rogers said there are enough undecided voters to sway the result.

A sports wagering initiative campaign is also underway and the poll found 60% of those surveyed back legal betting on professional sports.

That poll surveyed 900 likely Missouri voters between Feb. 14 and Feb. 26, with a 3.74% margin of error. Along with the major initiatives, the poll included questions tracking attitudes toward President Joe Biden, Congress, major Missouri political figures and the General Assembly.

The poll also questioned voters about their choices for governor and their views on the biggest issues confronting the state as well as current legislative debates like school choice.

37% of those surveyed said they approve of the job President Biden is doing, a rating similar to the findings in four previous surveys dating to July 2021.

Gov. Mike Parson, who will leave office at the end of the year due to term limits, has an approval rating of 52%, among the highest ever found by the poll. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican seeking re-election this year, has an approval rating of 50%.

The race to succeed Parson is wide open, at least for the August primaries. Without named candidates, the poll found 52% of those surveyed will vote for the Republican candidate for governor while 38% selected the Democrat.

When those who said they would vote Republican were asked which candidate they preferred, “not sure” was selected by almost half of those polled. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft had the largest number of committed voters, with 28%, followed by Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe at 10% and state Sen. Bill Eigel at 8%.

On the Democratic side, “not sure” was selected by 66% of respondents, with House Minority Leader Crystal Quade chosen by 21% and Springfield businessman Mike Hamra chosen by 4%.

New Kansas flat tax proposal would mainly benefit state’s top 20% of earners

BY: RACHEL MIPRO - MARCH 13, 2024 11:19 AM

https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/13/new-kansas-flat-tax-proposal-would-mainly-benefit-states-top-20-of-earners-analysis-shows/

TOPEKA — A revamped flat tax plan touted by Kansas Senate lawmakers on Tuesday would cost the state nearly $650 million annually, give 40% of the benefits to the state’s wealthiest 20%, and reap billionaire Charles Koch a half-million dollar windfall, according to independent analysis.

During the Senate Committee on Assessment and Taxation hearing, Republican lawmakers claimed the bill, Senate Bill 539, would address Kansans’ needs.

Committee Chair Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who requested the bill’s introduction said, “It is a product of listening to people and trying to come up with the best solution,”

The state currently uses a graduated income tax rate: 3.1% for income under $15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for income above $30,000. Couples filing together have those income amounts doubled.

SB 539 would change income tax rates over six years, starting with a universal income tax rate of 5.7% in 2024, and reduced by .05% each year until 2029, which would set the rate at 5.45%. Under current law, the standard state deduction for income taxes is set at $3,500 for single filers and $8,000 for married couples filing jointly. The bill would set the deduction at $4,000 for single filers in 2024 and increase the standard deduction for all taxpayers by the cost-of-living adjustment published in the Internal Revenue Code beginning in tax year 2025.

However, researchers estimate the top 20% of earners – those with annual incomes of over $315,000 – would see nearly 40% of the benefits. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan research organization that favors a progressive tax system, estimated the plan would cost the state nearly $650 million annually once fully implemented.

A Kansas household making less than $55,000 a year would see $237 in benefits. Billionaire Charles Koch would receive an estimated annual $485,000 in tax breaks under the proposal.

The bill would also cut the standard tax rate for banks from the current 2.25% rate to 1.94% in tax year 2024, and down to 1.63% in 2025. For savings and loan associations, taxes would be reduced from the current 2.25% rate to 1.93% in 2024 and down to 1.61% in 2025. Other provisions include eliminating the state’s 2% sales tax on groceries by July 1. Currently, the tax is set to end on Jan. 1, 2025.

Earlier in the legislative session, a Republican-driven effort fast-tracked the 5.25% income tax plan that would have reduced tax collections by more than $300 million per year and primarily benefited the state’s top earners. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the proposal in late January, characterizing it as “reckless.”

Despite the GOP supermajority in the House and Senate, a veto override attempt failed in the House due to opposition among conservative and moderate Republicans who felt the proposal didn’t do enough for the state’s lower-income residents.

Governor Kelly has said she will continue to veto “irresponsible flat tax proposals.”

House panel opens hearings on Pritzker’s health insurance reforms

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Bill seeks to reduce denials of coverage, improve provider networks

By PETER HANCOCK

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/house-panel-opens-hearings-on-pritzkers-health-insurance-reforms

SPRINGFIELD – A panel of Illinois lawmakers began hearing testimony Wednesday on Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposals for sweeping changes in the state’s health insurance industry.

The changes, which Pritzker first unveiled in his State of the State address in February, would limit the ability of companies to deny claims or steer patients toward cheaper, and possibly less effective, treatments. They are contained in an amendment to House Bill 5395.

They include banning prior authorization requirements for people to receive in-patient treatment at a psychiatric facility as well as all forms of so-called “step therapy” for prescription drug coverage. Step therapy refers to the practice of requiring a patient to try one or more cheaper, alternative medications before being allowed to access medications prescribed by their doctor.

Other changes in the plan include requiring insurance companies to publicly post the types of treatments and therapies that do require prior authorization; requiring them to maintain accurate lists of the providers who are in their networks; and banning the sale in Illinois of short-term, limited duration insurance plans that don’t meet the minimum standards under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Emily Miller, a senior advisor in Pritzker’s office, tried to assure the House Human Services Committee Wednesday that the administration was not waging war against the health insurance industry.

“Insurance has a role to play, and I'm not here to demonize the insurance industry,” she said. “I am here, though, to say that it is time for consumers to have a say in how insurance companies are administering their health care plans. And we want to make sure that consumers are protected.”

During the hearing, the committee heard personal stories from individual patients and their families, including some legislators, who spoke about their experiences having claims denied by their insurers.

Among them was state Sen. Patrick Joyce, D-Essex, whose son was born with a rare heart malfunction that requires treatments for which he needs prior authorizations. He also had a daughter who died following a long battle with leukemia.

He said, “We had her stay four days in the hospital because we couldn't get a nausea medication that we knew worked after chemo (round) two. We couldn't get it authorized in chemo (round) three. Very frustrating. Four days in the hospital, and I'm not sure how that saves somebody money.”

Dr. Mary Dobbins, a pediatrician and psychologist who is a past president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, testified about what she called a “mental health crisis” among children and youth in the United States. She said the crisis has been “artificially magnified by the requirements that tie up our clinical time.”

She said “I've had multiple patients who destabilized because medicine they'd been doing well on was now denied, and the parents couldn't afford to pay for it out of pocket. The appropriate level of care is commonly denied.”

The committee took no action Wednesday, but Chair Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, said the committee plans to hold more discussions and could vote as early as next week to advance the bill to the full House.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Amid white supremacist scandal, far-right billionaire powerbrokers see historic election gains in Texas

All told, 11 of the 28 House candidates supported by Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks won their primaries outright, and another eight are headed to runoffs this May.

BY ROBERT DOWNEN

MARCH 8, 2024

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/08/tim-dunn-farris-wilks-defend-texas-liberty-election/

West Texas oil billionaires Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks entered the 2024 primary election cycle wounded.

Their political network was in the middle of a scandal over its ties to white supremacists. Republicans were calling on each other to reject the billionaires’ campaign money. And their enemies believed they were vulnerable — one bad election day from losing their grip on the state.

Instead, Dunn and Wilks emerged from Texas’ primaries last Tuesday perhaps stronger than ever — vanquishing old political foes, positioning their allies for a November takeover of the state Legislature, and leaving little doubt as to who is winning a vicious civil war to control the state party.

In race after race, more moderate conservative incumbents were trounced by candidates backed by Dunn and Wilks. Their political network made good on its vows for vengeance against House Republicans who voted to impeach their key state ally, Attorney General Ken Paxton, advancing more firebrands who campaigned against bipartisanship and backed anti-LGBTQ+ policies. Tuesday’s election also paved the way for the likely passage of legislation that would allow taxpayer money to fund private and religious schools — a key policy goal for a movement that seeks to infuse more Christianity into public life.

All told, 11 of the 28 House candidates supported by the two billionaires won their primaries outright, and another eight are headed to runoffs this May. And, in a sign of how much the state party has moved rightward, five of their candidates beat incumbents in rematches from 2022 or 2020 — with some House districts swinging by double-digits in their favor. Of the candidates they backed, they donated $75,000 or more to 11 of them — six who won, and four who went to runoffs.

Among the triumphant on Tuesday was Mitch Little, aided by at least $153,000 in Dunn and Wilks cash, who defeated Rep. Kronda Thimesch in a campaign that focused on Little’s defense of Paxton from impeachment charges in the Senate trial last summer. Three days before he won, Little appeared at an event in Denton County with Paxton and, among others, Steve Bannon, the political operative who helped rally the far right behind then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016.

And another Dunn and Wilks candidate, David Covey, stunned the state by winning more votes than House Speaker Dade Phelan — the No. 1 target of the state’s far-right in part because of his role in the Paxton impeachment and refusal to ban Democrats from House leadership positions. Phelan now faces a runoff from Covey and the prospect of being the first Texas Speaker since 1972 to lose his primary.

This election cycle, the billionaires’ targets also overlapped with Gov. Greg Abbott, who poured more than $6 million into his quest to rid the Texas House of Republicans who defied his calls for school voucher legislation last year.

Meanwhile, Paxton barnstormed the state as he sought retribution against incumbents who supported his impeachment. And, perhaps most importantly, former President Donald Trump was active in many contests — following the lead of Paxton and his other ally, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and offering late endorsements that bolstered right-wing candidates.

We can’t wait to welcome you to downtown Austin Sept. 5-7 for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival! Join us at Texas’ breakout politics and policy event as we dig into the 2024 elections, state and national politics, the state of democracy, and so much more. When tickets go on sale this spring, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.

Here’s how the special election to replace Ken Buck will work in Colorado

Lauren Boebert indicates she will not compete in special election

BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 13, 2024 5:01 PM

https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/03/13/special-election-to-replace-ken-buck-colorado/

Colorado voters in the 4th Congressional District will vote in two separate elections on June 25: the congressional primary for November’s general election, as well as a special election to immediately replace Republican Rep. Ken Buck, who announced on Tuesday that he is resigning and leaving Congress nine months ahead of schedule.

It could add confusion to the a competitive and crowded race in Colorado’s Eastern Plains.

Buck had already announced his intention to retire and not seek reelection this year, but he surprised the political world this week by announcing that he would leave Congress on March 22, versus sticking around until the end of his term.

That sets off a seldom-used process to fill a congressional vacancy via special election that, according to a decision announced by Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday, will coincide with the June 25 congressional primary election. The winner of that special election will fill the remaining months of Buck’s term, but would still need to win the party’s nomination that day and then the general election in November to secure a full term in Congress.

Each party will convene a special convention made up of party insiders to select one nominee for the special election. According to state statute, those special conventions need to happen within 20 days of the governor issuing a formal order for the special election, which hasn’t technically happened yet.

The 4th District leans more Republican than any in the state, so whoever wins the special Republican nomination will likely go on to win the special election, and whoever wins the Republican primary will likely go on to win the general election.

That opens up a couple possibilities: The district will be represented by the same person from June 25 onward because they win both elections, or the winner of the special election will hand the seat off to the winner of the general election — almost certainly the winner of the Republican primary — early next year.

The state Democratic Party said on Tuesday night that it will hold its special convention no later than April 1. The convention will include the district’s central committee members and all the precinct organizers in the district. Ike McCorkle and John Padora have both signaled they will seek the Democratic special nomination.

The state Republican Party has not yet made its special convention plans public and leaders did not reply to requests for comment Wednesday. That gathering will involve officers of the congressional district and the county chairmen in the district, according to party bylaws. The state party’s assembly, where delegates will pick candidates to appear on the primary ballot, is already set for April 5 in Pueblo.

Nine Republicans were vying for the Republican nomination in the district before Buck’s early retirement announcement: current 3rd Congressional District Rep. Lauren Boebert, former state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf, conservative radio host Deborah Flora, former state lawmaker Ted Harvey, businessman Chris Phelen, businessman Peter Yu and Justin Schreiber.

Those candidates can all put themselves forward to be considered for the special election nomination.

Sonnenberg, Flora and Harvey have all indicated they will pursue the nomination.

“This new vacancy doesn’t change my race, nor my commitment to proving to Republicans voters why I am the strongest conservative voice to serve them in Washington. I look forward to earning this nomination and getting to D.C. as soon as possible,” Sonnenberg wrote in a statement.

Flora wrote in her own statement that the district can’t afford a “placeholder” between Buck’s retirement and the new term next year.

Holtorf has not indicated if he will seek the special nomination, but he called Buck’s decision a “selfish move” that will “potentially create bias during the election cycle” in a statement Tuesday.

Boebert, however, will not seek the special nomination. If she wins the special election, she would have to resign her current position representing the 3rd District, setting off a vacancy process in that district.

“I will not further imperil the already very slim House Republican majority by resigning my current seat and will continue to deliver on my constituents’ priorities while also working hard to earn the votes of the people of Colorado’s 4th District who have made clear they are hungry for a real conservative,” she said in a statement.

She called Buck’s announcement a “swampy backroom deal to try to rig an election.”

With Buck’s resignation, the GOP’s majority in the U.S. House of Representatives will shrink to 218-213.

The 4th District includes most of Douglas County and the Eastern Plains.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

WARNING: Educational Materials w/ Heather Fleming of Missouri Equity Education Partnership | March 13, 2024

13 mars 2024 | 46 min

Katie Britt Creeps Out America | March 11, 2024

11 mars 2024 | 80 min

Politics News Flyover for Friday March 8, 2024 - Biden's State of the Union, fake electors in WI, MO boarding school founder arrested and much more

8 mars 2024 | 40 min

Not So Super Tuesday; SCOTUS Disappoints; The Danger Of Obsession | The Heartland POD for March 6, 2024

6 mars 2024 | 64 min

Talkin’ Politics

SCOTUS Highly Predictable Let Down

The US supreme court issued its decision in the Trump/Colorado ballot case by now you’ve certainly herald about it - the court issued it’s per curium opinion on Monday, March 4th and since then the reactions have been about as expected, most folks on the left are pissed and Trump thinks he won reelection basically so let’s start there
- Rachel: What was your reaction and what thoughts did it leave you with?
The opinion: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-719_19m2.pdf
- Holding: This case raises the question whether the States, in addition to Congress, may also enforce Section 3. We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency.
Interesting blog from Balls And Strikes a really well written legal and politics blog posted a piece with this headline: The Liberal Justices Backed Down From the Fight
https://ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/trump-colorado-case-what-are-the-liberal-justices-doing/
- Though the outcome in Anderson was a foregone conclusion, the question was just how much incredulous dissent it would elicit. The answer, unfortunately, is basically none. After including a few turns of phrase that are recognizable as barbs only by columnists with an unfortunate affinity for Supreme Court palace intrigue, even the liberal justices, for some godforsaken reason, agreed to help write part of the Constitution out of existence.
This all happens as SCOTUS announces Trump’s immunity case won’t be on the docket until April 22nd which as we all know means more delays in any possible criminal cases

SUPER TUESDAY IS HAPPENING

16 States are voting, counting is happening as we record

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/politics/states-voting-super-tuesday-dg/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/03/politics/what-to-know-super-tuesday-what-matters/index.html

“The primaries at stake include the first three states in the alphabet, as any schoolkid should be able to tell you: Alabama, Alaska (for Republicans) and Arkansas. In addition, there are California and Colorado; Maine, Massachusetts and Minnesota; North Carolina; Oklahoma; Tennessee and Texas; Utah; and Vermont and Virginia.

Tuesday also marks the end of Democrats’ mail-in presidential preference process in Iowa, and a Democratic caucus in American Samoa.”

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Debasing Yourself For The Short List | March 4, 2024

4 mars 2024 | 94 min

Politics and News Flyover for Friday March 1, 2024 - TX wildfires, CO orphan wells lawsuit, anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, filing day in Missouri and more

1 mars 2024 | 26 min

Flyover Friday, March 1, 2024

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

Texas Is On Fire | Colorado Oil Wells Are Not So Well | Missouri Meat Packing Ponds Stink | Kansas legislators behave like bullies | Texas AG Making Lists Of Undesirables

SOURCES: The heartland collective, Missouri independent, Kansas Reflector, Colorado Sun, Associated Press, Advocate and journalist - Erin Reed’s blog, Erin In the Morning

Every thing is bigger in Texas, Including The States Largest Ever WildFire
1. https://apnews.com/article/texas-panhandle-fire-evacuations-cbbb6a279bef1bd020722ed48927114a
2. STINNETT, Texas (AP) — A dusting of snow covered a desolate landscape of scorched prairie, dead cattle and burned out homes in the Texas Panhandle on Thursday, giving firefighters brief relief in their desperate efforts to corral a blaze that has grown into the largest in state history.
3. The Smokehouse Creek fire grew to nearly 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometers). It merged with another fire and is just 3% contained, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service.
4. Gray skies loomed over huge scars of blackened earth in a rural area dotted with scrub brush, ranchland, rocky canyons and oil rigs. In Stinnett, a town of about 1,600, someone propped up an American flag outside of a destroyed home.
Colorado Oil Well Eye Sores Subject of new law suit
1. https://coloradosun.com/2024/02/24/colorado-orphaned-oil-wells-cleanup-lawsuit/
  1. It is just one orphan well among an estimated 1,800 in Colorado, but a lawsuit filed in Adams County District Court contends it is part of a large, fraudulent scheme to dump old, played-out wells onto the state.
  2. Adams County leads the state in orphan wells with 318. “It is a serious concern for the county and a growing concern as the number keeps increasing incrementally,” said Gregory Dean, the county’s oil and gas administrator.
  3. The lawsuit, in which McCormick and her husband, Ronald, are among the plaintiffs, focuses on Denver-based HRM Resources LLC, which was the recipient of hundreds of low-producing oil and gas wells from some of the state’s largest operators.
  4. For Adams County, orphan wells have been a big problem. Since July 2021 there have been 75 leaks and spills from orphan wells and 92% of the orphan well sites checked by county oil and gas inspectors were out of compliance.
  5. The lawsuit is seeking monetary damages. HRM currently has no active wells, according to the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management database, and in the last four years produced the equivalent of 550 barrels of oil.
  6. The company has been financed by Los Angeles-based Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, which according to its website manages $34 billion in investments, many in niche areas including oil and gas fields. The company is mentioned but not named as a defendant.
  7. https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2017/05/02/cut-abandoned-gas-line-caused-firestone-home-explosion/309230001/
  8. In April 2017, in nearby FIRESTONE CO — A home explosion that killed two people was caused by unrefined natural gas that was leaking from a small abandoned pipeline from a nearby well, fire officials said
  9. The April 17 explosion in Firestone about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Denver happened when the odorless gas in the old line leaked into the soil and made its way into the home's basement, Ted Poszywak, chief of the Frederick-Firestone fire department, said Tuesday.
  10. Investigators do not know how or when the small pipe was cut. The house was within 200 feet (60 meters) of the well, and the pipeline was buried about 7 feet (2.1 meters) underground.
Missouri Meatpacking Plant Lagoon Wretched Stench
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/29/missouri-house-bill-takes-aim-at-cesspool-of-meatpacking-sludge/
  1. Between Vallerie Steele, her seven siblings and their children, there’s always a birthday or anniversary to celebrate on the family’s southwest Missouri farm. The summer months are typically a parade of pool parties and barbecues.
  2. Until last year.
  3. The stench coming from the lagoon across the road from Steele’s home has become unbearable. It holds waste Denali Water Solutions collects from meatpacking plants before spreading it as free fertilizer on farmers’ properties.
  4. The smell from the “cesspool of rotting flesh” has forced the family inside, she said.
  5. “Nobody wants to eat a burger or a hot dog if it smells like rotten crap in the air,” Steele said in an interview with The Independent. “It’s just disgusting.”
  6. She tried to stain her porch three times last summer but couldn’t stand to be outside because of the smell. One of her sons was bullied at school because the stench of the lagoon clung to his clothes. Children at her younger son’s combined elementary and middle school beg their teachers to stay inside during recess.
  7. “It literally burns your lungs, your chest,” she said. “I’m an ICU nurse — like, I know this isn’t normal.”
  8. Steele leads a coalition of southwest Missouri residents fighting for more regulation of Denali’s — and similar — lagoons. She implored state lawmakers last month to pass legislation meant to protect rural neighbors and impose more regulations on wastewater sludge haulers.
  9. And on Thursday, the Missouri House voted 151-2 to pass legislation that would require companies like Denali to have water pollution permits and follow certain design requirements for its facilities.
  10. Facilities like Denali’s would have to be at least 1,000, 2,000 or 4,000 feet from the nearest public building or home depending on the size of the lagoon. And the state would have to establish sampling rules for the basins and require groundwater monitoring in hydrologically sensitive areas.
  11. Sponsored by state Reps. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican, and Dirk Deaton, a Noel Republican, the legislation now moves to the Missouri Senate for consideration. The House attached an emergency clause, meaning if it clears the Senate and is signed by the governor the new regulations would go into effect immediately.
Kansas Lawmakers School Yard Bully Routine with LGBTQ+ persons
1. https://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/29/legislative-bullies-target-kansas-lgbtq-kids-for-harassment-with-anti-trans-bills/
2. When Kansas GOP leaders consider three bills Thursday targeting transgender kids in the state, they might as well file into a local high school and line the hallways. From their posts, leaning arrogantly against lockers, they could yell slurs and throw elbows at beleaguered LGBTQ+ kids trying to make their way through the day.
3. They’re bullying our fellow Kansans.
4. If lawmakers actually behaved like that at high school, they would face discipline and possibly suspension. In the Kansas Legislature, however, they will revel in news media coverage and behave as though they’re protecting someone from something nefarious. You know, the same way a high school bully “protects” a target in P.E. class by shoving them to the floor.
5. These lawmakers will profess to be concerned about gender-affirming care for those younger than 18. Here’s the truth: They don’t give a rip about gender-affirming care guidelines. If they did, they would listen to the bevy of medical experts, families and trans folks who explain the lifesaving necessity of this treatment.
6. As American Academy of Pediatrics CEO Mark Del Monte put it, his group wants to “ensure young people get the reproductive and gender-affirming care they need and are seen, heard and valued as they are.”
7. Forget expert opinion. These lawmakers want to harass and exclude kids who look and behave differently.
8. They’re bullies, no matter their age.
Not To Be Outdone In Texas They Are Making Lists
1. https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/retaliation-texas-ag-paxton-demands?publication_id=994764&utm_campaign=email-post-title&r=1n4up&utm_medium=email
2. In a legal filing Thursday, PFLAG (National sought to block a new demand from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that would require the organization to identify its Texas transgender members, doctors who work with them, and contingency plans for anti-transgender legislation in the state. The civil investigative demand, issued on Feb. 5, calls for extensive identifying information and records from the LGBTQ+ rights organization. PFLAG, in its filing to block the demands, describes them as "retaliation" for its opposition to anti-transgender laws in the state and alleges that they violate the freedom of speech and association protections afforded by the United States and Texas constitutions.
3. Founded in 1973, PFLAG is the first and largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for LGBTQ+ people and their families.
4. The demands are extensive. The letter to PFLAG National demands "unredacted" information around claims made by Brian Bond, PFLAG's Chief Executive Officer, in a legal fight against the ban on gender-affirming care in the state. Bond's claims highlighted that PFLAG represents 1,500 members in Texas, many of whom are seeking contingency plans if SB14, the ban on gender-affirming care, takes effect.
5. Per the lawsuit, PFLAG National states that it would be required to disclose Texas trans youth members, including "complete names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, jobs, home addresses, telephone numbers, [and] email addresses." It also states they would need to hand over documents and communications related to their medical care, hospitals outside the state, and "contingency plans" discussed among members for navigating the new laws on gender-affirming care in Texas.
6. Learn more and support PFLAG at PFLAG.ORG

Host: Adam Sommer

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Talkin' Politics - Feb. 26, 2024 | We're Not Trying To Win The Internet

26 februari 2024 | 84 min

Politics News Flyover for Feb 23, 2024 - Texas Democrats battle in Congressional primaries - IL Gov Pritzker State of the State - plus KS and MO leg updates

23 februari 2024 | 19 min

The Heartland POD for Friday, February 23, 2024

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

Primary voting is underway in Texas | Kansas Medicaid expansion update | Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker lays out priorities as a progressive pragmatist | Missouri Democrats filibuster ballot candy | KS Gov Laura Kelly’s veto will stand

Primary voting is underway in Texas
1. https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/21/julie-johnson-brian-williams-congressional-district-32-colin-allred/

BY SEJAL GOVINDARAO

FEB. 21, 2024

WASHINGTON — In 2018, Rep. Colin Allred flipped Texas’ 32nd Congressional District, turning the Dallas-based district into a blue stronghold. Now, as the Democrat vies to unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a crowded field of 10 Democrats is lining up to replace him.

Dr. Brian Williams, a trauma surgeon, and State Rep. Julie Johnson, of Farmers Branch, are leading the field in the Democratic primary with their fundraising efforts, each amassing about a million dollars in campaign donations since their campaigns were registered at the beginning of last summer.

Ideologically, Williams and Johnson are aligned. They both rank health care a top priority if elected, and have touted their ability to work across the aisle.

Johnson, a trial lawyer in her third term in the state House rode the 2019 blue wave to unseat hardline conservative incumbent Matt Rinaldi, by 13 points. Rinaldi now chairs the state GOP. In her three terms, at least 40 of the bills Johnson has co-authored or joint-authored have been signed into law.

As a Democrat in the Republican-dominated state Legislature, Johnson has played a lot of defense trying to kill bills she and other progressives deem harmful. Johnson, who is gay, said she and other members of the House’s LGBTQ caucus have had success in killing anti-LGBTQ bills by mastering the rules of procedure and “being better at the rules than the other side.” In 2019, she took down a House version of the so-called “Save Chick-fil-A bill” on a rule technicality. The bill was a response to a San Antonio airport kicking out the fast food restaurant over criticism of its religiously affiliated donations to anti-LGBTQ groups. It was revived in another bill and passed into law.

If elected, Johnson would be the first openly LGBTQ member of Congress from a Southern state. She’s drawn notable endorsements from Beto O’Rourke, Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, EMILY’s List, Equality PAC, and several labor unions.

Matt Angle, director of Lone Star Project, a Texas group that works to boost Democrats, said Johnson is the frontrunner in the race, but Williams is a formidable challenger.

“Make no mistake about it though,” Angle said. “Julie Johnson has a voter base within the district not only from her old district, but also just from years of being an active Democratic activist and a donor and really a couple of just outstanding terms in the legislature.”

While he may be new to the Texas political arena, Williams is no stranger to the halls of Congress.

Williams was a health policy adviser to U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy — who endorsed him — to help pass the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022 – the farthest reaching gun safety legislation in decades. The legislation, crafted in the aftermath of the shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo New York, allocated millions of dollars to expand mental health resources, strengthens background checks and tightens the boyfriend loophole. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn was a lead negotiator on the bill with Murphy, and Williams worked closely with Cornyn’s office. In his role as a health policy advisor for Murphy, he worked across the aisle with Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana on mental health legislation.

Williams also worked with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California to pass federal health care legislation related to pandemic preparedness and reducing health care costs.

Williams said his experience as a trauma surgeon — operating on victims of gun violence and women experiencing reproductive health emergencies — has fueled his priorities to fight for gun restrictions and increase access to abortions and other womens’ health. Williams added his perspective as a Black doctor seeing racial disparities in health care will resonate with the district’s diverse constituency, given that the district is now a majority-minority district with a 37% Hispanic or Latino population, 22% Black population and 8% Asian population.

“They’re excited that there’s someone that looks like them that can represent them in Congress,” Williams said in an interview.

As Allred opted to stay neutral in the race to succeed him – Williams said he had pursued his endorsement while Johnson said she had not – the tension between Johnson and Williams has been heating up.

Williams has publicly criticized Johnson for a vote she took that would have made some changes and tweaks to the state’s Alternatives to Abortions program, which provides information about resources to women seeking the procedure.

“I draw contrast between myself and Representative Johnson about how I am the better candidate,” Williams said.

Johnson, who is endorsed by Planned Parenthood, said Williams misrepresented the vote, which she said she cast to bring the already-funded program under the scope of the Health and Human Services Commission so it could be subject to public transparency. Her campaign published a fact-check on her website, likening Williams’ misrepresentation of her record to “Trumpian-style, false attacks.”

Planned Parenthood was critical of the legislation.

Johnson said women’s health is also a priority for her, and she stands by her record.

“Texas leads the nation of uninsured folks, and in maternal mortality, and in infant mortality. Obviously, we're leading the nation in an attack on women's freedom for women's reproductive health, and I've been a champion of a lot of these issues,” she said.

Other candidates vying for the open seat in the March 5 primary include businessman Raja Chaudhry, tech entrepreneur Alex Cornwallis, former Dallas City Councilman and real estate broker Kevin Felder and attorney Callie Butcher, who would be the first openly transgender member of Congress if elected.

If no candidate gets a majority of the vote, there will be a runoff in May. The winner of the Democratic primary will face off against the winner of the Republican primary in November but is likely to win given that the district is solidly blue.

And, from Dallas we go to Houston where

After bruising loss in Houston mayoral race, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee faces her toughest reelection yet

Jackson Lee faces off against Amanda Edwards, her most formidable congressional opponent in three decades.

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/19/sheila-jackson-lee-amanda-edwards-democratic-primary-houston/

BY SEJAL GOVINDARAO

FEB. 19, 2024

In 1994, Sheila Jackson Lee, then a 44-year-old Houston city councilwoman, unseated four-term U.S. Rep. Craig Washington in the Democratic primary, securing a seat she’d come to hold for the next 30 years.

This March, former Houston City Councilwoman Amanda Edwards, 42, is hoping to replicate that political upset as she faces off against Jackson Lee in the Democratic primary for Congressional District 18.

Jackson Lee, who did not respond to requests for an interview, has only drawn four primary challengers over her 14-term career, all of whom she defeated by landslide margins.

She’s a household name in her Houston-based district, known for her frequent visibility at constituent graduations, funerals and baby showers.

But last year she ran for Houston mayor against then-state Sen. John Whitmire. It was a bruising primary — unfamiliar territory for Jackson Lee — and her campaign was roiled with negative media after audio of her berating her congressional staffers was leaked. She ended up losing the race by 30 points and then immediately announced she was running for reelection to the U.S. House.

Amanda Edwards, a former intern in Jackson Lee’s office, initially announced she was running for Houston mayor until the congresswoman threw her hat in the ring. At that point, Edwards pivoted — endorsing Jackson Lee as mayor and beginning her own bid for Congress.

By the time Jackson Lee announced she was running for her House seat again, Edwards had already gained momentum. In the fourth quarter of last year, Edwards outraised the congresswoman 10 to 1 — $272,000 to Jackson Lee’s $23,000.

Mark Jones, Baker Institute fellow in political science at Rice University said, “This could be the year that Congresswoman Jackson Lee loses. And given that as a safe, Democratic, seat whoever wins the primary will be headed to Washington in January of 2025”

Jackson Lee holds a narrow lead in primary polls, while 16% of voters remain undecided.

Edwards, a native Houstonian, said her commitment to public service is propelled by her father’s battle with cancer when she was a teenager, where she learned firsthand about the cracks in the health care system and how “policy could be a matter of life and death.”

She served as an at-large Houston City Council member from 2016 to 2020, where she represented a constituency of more than 2 million people.

In her race to beat Jackson Lee, Edwards has garnered some notable endorsements including the Harris County Young Democrats, and the Harris County chapter of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats – both of which endorsed Jackson Lee in past races.

The Harris County Young Democrats rescinded its endorsement of Jackson Lee in the mayoral race — citing a “zero tolerance policy” for staff abuse.

Lenard Polk, Harris County chapter president of the Texas Coalition of Black Democrats, said Jackson Lee's leaked audio tape controversy also factored into the committee’s decision to not endorse her. On the recording Jackson Lee berates a staffer for not having a document she was looking for and calls two of her staffers “Goddamn big-ass children, fuckin’ idiots who serve no Goddamn purpose.”

He said endorsement committee members were still “quite upset” over the tape and it “wasn’t a good look” for Jackson Lee. The leaked tape fueled discourse about Jackson Lee’s reputation as an unkind boss on Capitol Hill – she regularly makes Washingtonian Magazine’s worst of Congress list and her office has high turnover rates.

Polk added that voters felt abandoned by Jackson Lee, who jumped into the mayor’s race without endorsing someone to take her place, only to file for reelection a day after losing.

Jackson Lee’s battle to retain her seat is made tougher by 2021 redistricting, because the 18th district now includes more young white professionals who do not have the same level of loyalty to her as longtime district residents.

But despite any damage she may have incurred from her mayoral run, Jackson Lee remains a powerful political force in her district.

County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, who is backing Jackson Lee, said he doesn’t know anyone in local politics with her “energy level,” and that Jackson Lee has secured meaningful federal grants for her district – most recently $20.5 million to Harris County Public Health Department’s Uplift Harris Guaranteed Income Pilot project. He also said she has a reputation for being a reliably progressive voice in Congress.

Jackson Lee has a long list of powerful endorsements from House Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Minority Whip Katherine Clarke. She’s backed by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other members of Texas’ Washington delegation including Democratic Reps. Lizzie Fletcher of Houston, Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Henry Cuellar of Laredo and Joaquin Castro of San Antonio.

Ellis said Jackson Lee may not be a strong fundraiser but she will benefit from her incumbency advantage.

Linda Bell-Robinson, a Houston Democratic precinct chair, said she is fighting for Jackson Lee to retain her seat because seniority in Congress is important and Edwards would be learning the ropes as a freshman if elected.

“We need fighters,” she said. “We don't need people trying to learn how to fight on the battlefield. We need people who are already fighting and know how to fight their fight.

SEAN: Super interesting race. For my part, I don’t have any problem with members of Congress being extremely tough to work for. I have problems with lying, fraud, criminal activity, and squishy voting records.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee has 100% ratings from Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and AFL-CIO. She has a 95% rating from League of Conservation Voters

New estimate predicts Medicaid expansion would serve 152K at no cost to state

A $509M federal incentive would help offset state cost for first eight years

BY: SHERMAN SMITH - FEBRUARY 22, 2024 4:22 PM

https://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/22/new-estimate-predicts-medicaid-expansion-would-serve-152k-at-no-cost-to-state/

TOPEKA — The Kansas Health Institute on Thursday unveiled its analysis of Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposal to expand Medicaid, predicting 152,000 Kansans would enroll in the first year with no additional cost to the state government.

The Democratic governor has made passage of Medicaid expansion a top legislative priority this year, following her statewide campaign to promote the policy last fall. But Republican leadership in the Legislature opposes the policy and has blocked hearings on Medicaid expansion for four years.

Kansas is one of just 10 states that still haven’t expanded Medicaid since President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

The state-run version of Medicaid, called KanCare, provides health care services to low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities. Currently, those who earn less than 38% of the federal poverty level are eligible. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400.

Under the ACA, also known as Obamacare, the federal government offers to cover 90% of the cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate. The annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.

Kelly’s proposal includes a work requirement with exceptions for full-time students, veterans, caregivers, people with partial disabilities, and former foster kids. Her plan also would add a new surcharge for hospitals.

KHI predicts the change in income eligibility would result in 151,898 people enrolling in KanCare — 106,450 adults and 45,448 children. Those numbers include 68,236 adults and 16,377 children who are currently uninsured.

About 68.9% of the adults are already working at least part-time, according to the KHI analysis. Of the remaining 31.1% KHI determined 19.1% of the unemployed adults have a disability, 16.1% are students and 3.8% are veterans.

KHI calculated the cost to the state for expanding Medicaid over the first eight years would be fully offset — mostly because of a $509 million incentive included in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Other savings would come from the federal government picking up more of the tab on existing services, as well as the new surcharge on hospitals.

The Kansas Sunflower Foundation on Thursday released findings from surveys that found 68% of Kansas voters, including 51% of Republicans and 83% of small business owners support Medicaid expansion.

Steve Baccus, an Ottawa County farmer and former president of Kansas Farm Bureau, said in a news release that expanding Medicaid was about “investing in the well-being of our communities.”

Baccus said “Our rural communities are often struggling to keep Main Street open and to continue to offer the necessary services to the surrounding agricultural enterprises. A community that can offer a total health care package has an advantage in maintaining a viable town.”

The findings are consistent with a Fort Hays State University poll that was released in October.

With budget proposal and fiery address, Pritzker paints himself as progressive pragmatist

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Governor’s spending plan advances progressive-backed policies in tight fiscal landscape

By HANNAH MEISEL

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/with-budget-proposal-and-fiery-address-pritzker-paints-himself-as-progressive-pragmatist

SPRINGFIELD – In delivering his annual State of the State and budget address on Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker cast his administration as both progressive and pragmatic – a balance he’s worked to strike as his national profile has grown.

Some elements of the governor’s proposed spending plan, like using $10 million in state funds to eliminate $1 billion worth of Illinoisans’ medical debt, are hardline progressive ideas. Others, including a goal to achieve “universal preschool” by 2027, fit in with a more traditional liberal platform.

But Pritzker has also defined his success in traditional economic terms, putting particular stock into how New York City-based credit ratings agencies view Illinois’ finances, while also positioning Illinois as a hub for emerging technologies like electric vehicles and quantum computing.

As Illinois faces an influx of migrants from the southern U.S. border Pritzker has leaned into a leadership style that prioritizes progressive ideals while projecting an image of fiscal responsibility.

As he outlined a proposal to add $182 Million toward the state’s migrant response, Gov. Pritzker said, “We didn’t ask for this manufactured crisis, But we must deal with it all the same.”

“Children, pregnant women, and the elderly have been sent here in the dead of night, left far from our designated welcome centers, in freezing temperatures, wearing flip flops and T-shirts,” Pritzker said. “Think about that the next time a politician from Texas wants to lecture you about being a good Christian.”

The governor was met with big applause from Democrats in laying out his proposed “Healthcare Consumer Access and Protection Act,” which would, in part, ban “prior authorization” requirements for mental health treatment.

Pritzker characterized the practice of prior authorization as a way for insurance companies to deny the care that doctors have prescribed.

Pritzker is also proposing spending $10 million in state funds to buy Illinoisans’ past-due medical debt that’s been sent to collections. Partnering with national nonprofit RIP Medical Debt, which buys debt for pennies on the dollar on the same market that collections agencies purchase the rights to the debts, the governor said Illinois could “relieve nearly $1 billion in medical debt for the first cohort of 340,000 Illinoisans.”

The governor spent time noting two key places he said Illinois fails its Black citizens: maternal mortality and disproportionate rates of homelessness.

To combat Black maternal mortality rates, Pritzker proposed helping more community-based reproductive health centers to open, citing Illinois’ first freestanding nonprofit birthing center in Berwyn as a model.

He said, “Black women in our state are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.”

Pritzker proposed spending an additional $50 million on the state’s “Home Illinois” program launched in 2021, in part to “attack the root causes of housing insecurity for Black Illinoisans.” He cited a statistic that Black people make up 61 percent of Illinois’ homeless population despite only being 14 percent of the state’s general population.

Additionally, the governor proposed a $1 million pilot program for free diapers for low-income families, as well as a $5 million increased investment in an existing home visit program “for our most vulnerable families” with babies in their first year.

His budget also includes $12 million to create a child tax credit for families with children under three with incomes below a certain threshold.

Among the successes Pritzker pointed to, perhaps the most salient is his claim that Illinois’ new “Smart Start” early childhood program – proposed last year in the governor’s second inaugural address – had exceeded its first-year goals.

The program aimed to create 5,000 new preschool seats last year, but ended up creating 5,823, Pritzker said – a 15 percent overperformance.

“As a result, right now we have over 82,000 publicly-funded preschool classroom seats – the highest number in our state’s history. Staying on the Smart Start plan, we will achieve universal preschool by 2027.”

Echoing his 2022 election-year call for a temporary pause on the state’s 1 percent tax on groceries, Pritzker on Wednesday proposed nixing the grocery tax altogether.

He said “It’s one more regressive tax we just don’t need. If it reduces inflation for families from 4 percent to 3 percent, even if it only puts a few hundred bucks back in families’ pockets, it’s the right thing to do.”

Even while proposing a series of progressive expenditures, the governor also sought to cast himself as a pragmatist when it comes to state finances. The state has seen strong revenue performances in the past few years, But in November, the governor’s own economic forecasting office predicted a nearly $900 million deficit in the fiscal year that begins July 1.

“Our FY25 budget proposal makes some hard choices,” Pritzker said Wednesday. “I wish we had big surpluses to work with this year to take on every one of the very real challenges we face.”

Illinois’ once-paltry “rainy day” fund now has $2 billion socked away, the governor noted, and the state has paid off high-interest debt during his five years in office.

To mitigate Illinois’ previously projected deficit, Pritzker is proposing to more than double the tax rate paid by sportsbooks on profits – a change that would bring in an estimated $200 million annually. He also proposed extending an existing cap on operating losses that businesses can claim on taxes, which could help generate more than $500 million, the governor’s office claims.

Another revenue generator proposed by the governor: raising $101 million by capping a sales tax credit retailers are allowed to claim. But business groups on Wednesday signaled they’d put up a fight.

In his first few months in office in 2019, Pritzker used his fresh political capital to muscle a $15 minimum wage ramp through the legislature – a long-fought-for progressive policy goal – followed closely by a trip to New York City to meet with executives at the influential big three credit ratings agencies.

When Pritzker took office, Illinois’ credit ratings were hovering around “junk” status after a two-year budget impasse under his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. And though Illinois suffered a final credit downgrade in the early months of COVID, the state has since received nine upgrades.

The governor on Wednesday held those upgrades in high regard, saying

“My one line in the sand is that I will only sign a budget that is responsibly balanced and that does not diminish or derail the improving credit standing we have achieved for the last five years,”

Andrew Adams contributed.

Missouri Senate Dems Hold The Line In Ballot Fight
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/20/democrat-filibuster-forces-removal-of-ballot-candy-from-senate-initiative-petition-bill/

BY: RUDI KELLER - FEBRUARY 20, 2024 5:15 PM

A Democratic filibuster that stretched more than 20 hours ended this week when Senate Republicans stripped provisions critics derided as “ballot candy” from a proposal to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petitions.

Ballot candy refers to language designed to trick voters - into thinking the initiative is about ensuring only citizens vote, for instance - when that’s totally irrelevant to the question voters are deciding.

By an 18-12 vote, with nine Republicans and nine Democrats forming the majority, language that stated non-citizens could not vote on constitutional amendments was removed, as were sections barring foreign governments and political parties from taking sides in Missouri ballot measures.

The Senate then, by a voice vote, gave first-round approval to the bill that would require both a statewide majority and a majority vote in five of the state’s eight congressional districts to pass future constitutional amendments.

The proposal would alter the way Missourians have approved constitutional changes since the first statewide vote on a constitution in 1846.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo of Independence, a Democrat, said, “All we’re asking for is a fair fight. And the Republicans know if it’s a fair fight, they lose, which is why they have to pump it full of ballot candy and mislead voters.”

Meanwhile, the House spent much of Tuesday morning debating legislation that would make changes to the signature gathering process for initiative petition campaigns.

Among numerous provisions, the bill would require signatures be recorded using black or dark ink and that signature gatherers be citizens of the United States, residents of Missouri or physically present in Missouri for at least 30 consecutive days prior to the collection of signatures.

Its most sweeping provision grants new authority to the secretary of state and attorney general to review initiative and referendum petitions for compliance with the Missouri Constitution.

The effort to make it harder to get on the ballot and harder to pass a constitutional amendment has been a GOP priority for several years. In the past two election cycles, voters have expanded Medicaid coverage and legalized recreational marijuana, circumventing the GOP majority that opposed both.

The push to raise the threshold on amendments proposed by initiative has taken on a new urgency for Republicans as abortion-rights supporters move ahead with a signature campaign to make this year’s ballot.

The results on abortion amendments in other states has Missouri abortion foes anxious about whether they can defend the state’s almost total ban in a statewide election.

Voters in Ohio last year rejected an effort to increase the majority needed to pass constitutional amendments before voting 57% in favor of abortion rights. And in 2022, Kansas voters defeated an attempt to restrict abortion rights by a landslide vote.

Gov. Kelly Keep Kansas GOP In Line
1. https://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/20/kansas-house-republicans-fail-to-override-governors-veto-on-massive-tax-reform-bill/

Kansas House Republicans fail to override governor’s veto on massive tax reform bill

BY: TIM CARPENTER - FEBRUARY 20, 2024 12:41 PM

TOPEKA — The Republican-led Kansas House failed Tuesday to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly ‘s veto of a tax reform bill anchored by implementation of a single, flat state income tax rate of 5.25% in addition to elimination of the state sales tax on groceries and creation of a tax exemption for all Social Security income.

The GOP holds supermajorities in the House and Senate, but there was skepticism that both chambers could muster two-thirds majorities necessary to rebuke Kelly given opposition among conservative and moderate Republicans to parts of the three-year, $1.6 billion tax cut favoring the state’s most wealthy.

Kelly said the decision of House members to sustain her veto was a win for working-class Kansans who would have seen “little relief under this irresponsible flat tax experiment.” The Legislature should move ahead with her proposal for reducing $1 billion in taxes over three years.

The governor said “I urge legislators to work together to cut taxes in a way that continues our economic growth and maintains our solid fiscal foundation while benefitting all Kansans, not just those at the top,”.

Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said the cost of the tax reform bill could reach $600 million annually when fully implemented, and the plan didn’t do enough for the middle class in Kansas. He said a married couple earning $42,000 to $75,000 per year would only see an income tax reduction of about 75 cents.

Rep. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott was among Republicans who opposed overriding Kelly’s veto. He said the flat tax would force the state’s working class to carry a larger burden of the state tax load. And the 2024 Legislature had sufficient time to develop an alternative that provided tax relief to all Kansans rather than just a select few.

Good thinking! See it’s not just Democrats who think KS Gov Laura Kelly knows what she’s doing.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Stories in today’s show appeared first in the Missouri Independent, Kansas Reflector, Texas Tribune, and Capitol News Illinois. Thanks for listening, see you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The World Is On Fire

21 februari 2024 | 25 min

Public Rights Project: Harnessing Local Government For The Better

19 februari 2024 | 37 min

News Flyover for Feb 16 2024 - MO GOP loses court fight to defund planned parenthood and much more

17 februari 2024 | 11 min

Friday News Roundup for Feb 16, 2024

Missouri Supreme Court again says state can’t deny Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood

BY: ANNA SPOERRE - FEBRUARY 14, 2024 3:46 PM

https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-supreme-court-again-says-state-cant-deny-medicaid-funds-to-planned-parenthood/

for the second time in four years, Missouri’s highest court rebuked lawmakers’s efforts to ban abortion providers and their affiliates from receiving Medicaid reimbursements.

The legislature included a line in the 2022 state budget to spend $0 for any Medicaid-covered services if the provider also offers abortions or is affiliated with an abortion provider.

Abortion is illegal in Missouri. The two Planned Parenthood affiliates operating in the state – Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri – no longer provide abortions in Missouri, though their counterparts in Kansas and Illinois do.

In a decision Wednesday, the Missouri Supreme Court once again ruled the legislature’s attempt to defund Planned Parenthood through the budget was unconstitutional.

The state’s Medicaid program, which serves low-income and disabled Missourians, has long banned funding for abortion, with limited exceptions. Medicaid has reimbursed Planned Parenthood in the past for reproductive health services that do not include abortion, including STI and cancer screenings, as well as contraceptives.

Planned Parenthood has said it hasn’t received any state funds for nearly two years as this legal fight played out in court, though the organization’s clinics continued to treat all patients, regardless of insurance.

Advocates for Planned Parenthood have said cutting off Medicaid funding only hurts those most in need of care.

in a joint statement, Yamelsie Rodriguez, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, and Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, called the ongoing efforts to defund Planned Parenthood “cruel and irresponsible.”

“Today, the Missouri Supreme Court again reaffirmed our patients’ right to access critical care like cancer screenings, birth control, annual exams, STI testing and treatment, and more at Planned Parenthood health centers. Over and over again, the courts have rejected politicians’ ongoing attempts to deprive patients of their health care by unconstitutionally kicking Planned Parenthood out of the Medicaid program. But the fight for patient access is far from over.”

Kansas bill would require abortion seekers be asked for reasons before terminating pregnancy

BY: ALLISON KITE - FEBRUARY 15, 2024 9:45 AM

https://kansasreflector.com/2024/02/15/kansas-bill-would-require-abortion-seekers-be-asked-for-reasons-before-terminating-pregnancy/

Kansas abortion providers would have to ask patients why they are terminating pregnancies under legislation critics argue represents an effort to “harass, intimidate and shame” pregnant women.

A Kansas House committee heard Wednesday from anti-abortion groups — who argued collecting data on abortion patients would allow policymakers establish programs for those who are pregnant — and abortion-rights groups that questioned the motives behind the bill.

The legislation, requested by a group called Kansans for Life, would require providers have patients rank their top reasons for seeking an abortion, such as financial difficulty, a threat to their health posed by pregnancy, or the pregnancy resulting from rape or incest.

Providers would also have to collect demographic information, including age, race, marital status, state or country of residence, highest level of education, educational attainment, and whether the patient has reported domestic violence, has a safe place to live or received financial assistance from an organization that supports individuals during pregnancy. If a patient declined to answer why they sought the abortion, the provider would be required to record that.

The bill would apply even to minors.

Taylor Morton of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes said “Kansans have made it abundantly clear that they do not want politicians in their exam rooms,” referencing Kansas voters’ overwhelming rejection in August 2022 of an amendment that would have removed the right to an abortion from the Kansas Constitution.

“All the legislation would do, is undermine the relationship between patients and health care providers. There’s no reason for the state to demand and collect this deeply personal information from patients.”

“Patients seeking literally any other form of necessary health care are not and would never be subjected to such intrusive and personal questioning, nor are pregnant people subjected to such questioning when they decide to carry a pregnancy to term.”

Rep. Stephanie Clayton, D-Overland Park, questioned how patients’ privacy could be protected if they reported being a victim of domestic violence or rape in a publicly released report. If a child seeks an abortion following a rape, she asked, and there aren’t many such incidents reported each year, could someone connect the dots and identify them?

“If someone is the victim of that terrible crime as a child, they should be able to go on, week therapy and heal and live a full, adult life without having their privacy invaded because they were the victim of a crime,”

Amber Sellers, director of advocacy for Trust Women Foundation, argued the legislation would be unnecessarily burdensome.

She said the right to an abortion required no more justification than the right to free speech.

“These questions are confusing, and they’re stigmatizing. They lack relevance, and they’re medically unnecessary. They’re deeply invasive.”

Ban on sale, transfer of ‘assault weapons’ back at Colorado Capitol

BY: SARA WILSON - FEBRUARY 14, 2024 2:29 PM

https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/ban-on-sale-transfer-of-assault-weapons-back-at-colorado-capitol/

Two progressive Denver Democrats are backing an effort to ban the purchase and transfer of semi-automatic weapons in Colorado, a second attempt after a similar bill died in committee last year.

Reps. Elisabeth Epps and Tim Hernández are the prime sponsors of House Bill 24-1292, which was introduced Tuesday. Epps also sponsored last year’s version. As introduced, the bill has 14 other House Democrats signed on as sponsors.

the bill’s legislative declaration reads, “Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are disproportionately used in public mass shootings, and the reasons are both obvious and irrefutable. Assault weapons are uniquely lethal by design. They entail tactical features designed for warfare, refined to maximize killing large numbers of people quickly and efficiently,”

The bill would prohibit the manufacture, sale, import, transfer and purchase of many semi-automatic weapons. It would define “assault weapon” as a semi-automatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and has at least one of the following characteristics: a pistol grip, a folding or detachable stock to help conceal the weapon, a muzzle brake, a grenade launcher, a shroud on the barrel that lets the user hold it with their non-trigger hand and not get burned, or a threaded barrel. The bill includes a page and a half of specific examples of would-be banned weapons, including AK-47s and all AKs, AR-15s and all ARs, and all Thompson rifles.

It would also ban the sale and purchase of certain .50 caliber rifles, semi-automatic pistols and semi-automatic shotguns.

Additionally, the bill would ban the possession of trigger activators that greatly increase the rate of fire.

It includes exemptions for members of the military and police officers. Gun dealers who still have an inventory of the defined assault weapons by August could sell them to a non-Colorado resident if the transfer takes place out of state.

People who already own these types of firearms would be allowed to keep them.

Ten states and Washington, D.C., have some sort of assault weapon ban, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Virginia’s Democratic-controlled Legislature recently passed an assault weapons ban similar to the Colorado bill, but its future is uncertain as it lands on Republican Gov. Glen Youngkin’s desk.

Suicide is on the rise in Ohio

This article is about suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

BY: ROB MOORE

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2024/02/15/suicide-is-on-the-rise-in-ohio/

Five Ohioans die of suicide every day.

This is just one of the many data points released in a new publication by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio. Here are some of the top findings from the release.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for working-age Ohioans.

Over 1,400 Ohioans died from suicide in 2022, the most recent year we have data for. This makes suicide the fifth-leading cause of death for working-age Ohioans, after cancer, heart disease, COVID-19, and unintentional deaths like drug overdose and motor vehicle crashes.

Suicide rates were highest in 2022 for working-age adults, higher than the rate for young adults, retirement-age adults, and children. Suicide was most common in Appalachian counties, with 15 of Ohio’s 22 counties with the highest suicide rates located in Appalachia.

But Suicide is on the rise for nearly everyone.

Since 2007, suicide rates have increased for men and women, white, Black, and Hispanic Ohioans, and Ohioans in every age group. The only major demographic group that has seen a flat suicide trend are Asian and Pacific Islander Ohioans.

Risk factors for high school students are also becoming more common.

Compared to 2019, female Ohio high school students were more likely in 2021 to feel sad or hopeless, seriously consider suicide, make a plan to commit suicide, or attempt suicide.

The increase in suicide rate is driven by firearms.

Suicide deaths involving a firearm increased 60% from 2007 to 2022. This accounted for 75% of the total increase in suicides over that time period.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 988, the national suicide hotline.

Michigan State University students ask lawmakers how they will prevent the next school shooting

BY: ANNA LIZ NICHOLS - FEBRUARY 15, 2024 8:23 PM

https://michiganadvance.com/2024/02/15/michigan-state-university-students-ask-lawmakers-how-they-will-prevent-the-next-school-shooting/

A year after the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of three students on Michigan State University’s campus, students are still healing and trying to honor everything they lost on Feb. 13, 2023.

And as the MSU, Northern Illinois University and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School communities deal with painful anniversaries of shootings at their schools this week, a mass shooting on Wednesday during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl victory celebration injured more than 20 people, with one death confirmed as of Thursday.

There have been 49 mass shootings in 2024 so far.

A Michigan State student speaking at the Capitol steps said, “It’s everywhere. It’s all the time. We can’t escape it. No words can really describe what the past year has been like, but I can say that despite the anger, sadness, grief, confusion, and just trying to be a college student, we never stopped showing up. I’m proud of the tireless work of students who showed up right here at the Capitol a year ago, and every day since to demand change.”

MSU student and gun violence prevention organizer Maya Manuel recalled meeting with lawmakers last year, including state Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), saying “I remember looking at you, directly in your eyes and saying that the next one is going to be on you. And you took that and you went to your colleagues and you pushed out those bills just two days later.”

The new laws, written in response to the MSU shooting, require gun owners to safely store firearms from minors, implement universal background checks when purchasing a firearm, create extreme risk protection orders and expand prohibitions on firearm ownership for those convicted of crimes involving domestic violence.

But more progress is needed to prevent gun violence in Michigan, Manuel said.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Rural Organizing Rethought with Paolo Cremidis of The Outrun Coalition

14 februari 2024 | 38 min

Talkin' Politics - Feb. 12, 2024 | The GOP Face Plant Week That Was

12 februari 2024 | 80 min

SHOW NOTES

TALKIN’ POLITICS

True or False: Political fatigue will be more important than Biden’s age for election
1. Special Counsel’s report - a 330 page book written to conclude that Biden did nothing wrong regarding documents (see Mara Lago case where Trump is INDICTED…) that was written as a right wing reply to the Mueller report
2. Report includes references to paint Biden as a doddering old man who means well but isn’t with it in the head
3. But does it matter?
Yeah Yeah!
1. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom have managed to clear the playing field thanks to the STRONG initial support from Missourians
  1. Events across the state
  2. HUGE turnout, pics showing crowds showing up on a week night with short lead time
2. More conservative Republican petition now being withdrawn
  1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/08/initiative-petition-abortion-rights-rape-incest-missouri/
Yeah Yeah! (Again)
1. Climate scientist wins $1million in defamation suit
  1. https://www.axios.com/2024/02/09/climate-scientist-michael-mann-defamation-lawsuit-win
  2. From Article: Leading climate scientist Michael Mann was awarded $1 million in damages after winning his defamation lawsuit against two conservative writers over their response to his pivotal work on global warming.
2024 Election Era - GOP Trifurcation Edition
1. Past week saw GOP lose an impeachment vote, Trump loses on the immunity case, RNC chair “stepping down”; GOP shuts down a border deal to shut down the border
2. https://statuskuo.substack.com/p/the-dangers-of-disarray
3. https://www.semafor.com/article/02/08/2024/as-republicans-stumble-democrats-look-to-make-2024-a-referendum-on-chaos
4. MAGA Mike is weak https://newrepublic.com/post/178818/mike-johnson-pathetic-viral-reaction-day-losing-impeachment
5. McDaniel OUT: https://www.semafor.com/article/02/06/2024/reports-ronna-mcdaniel-to-step-down-as-rnc-chair
6. SCOTUS likely to overturn the Colorado ruling but most legal folks I’ve talked with seem to agree that they are UNLIKELY to even grant Cert for the immunity case - so while they will allow Trump to remain on ballots they will also allow for his criminal prosecution

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

News Flyover for Feb 9, 2024 - School voucher scam update, MO GOP looks to change the rules, and more

9 februari 2024 | 8 min

Wisconsin Democrats look to boost local journalism | Missouri Republicans cobble stupid ideas together | School voucher boosters need some extra help with math | Key Attorney General races in the 2024 elections

Wisconsin Dems Propose Legislation To Support Journalism
1. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/democrats-propose-ways-of-bolstering-local-news/

Amid widespread layoffs in the journalism industry and ongoing concerns about newsroom closures and consolidations, Wisconsin Democrats are proposing some ways of boosting the local journalism industry.

A package of bills — coauthored by Reps. Jimmy Anderson (D-Fitchburg), Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) and Sen. Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) — would create a tax credit for people who subscribe to local newspapers, a fellowship program to get individuals into the field, and a Civic Information Consortium Board that would award grants to local news.

Rep Anderson said “Local journalism is essential to our democracy. It keeps voters informed and engaged on the issues that matter most to their communities, and local reporters also play an important role in keeping officials accountable to their constituents. But local news is dying.”

“News deserts are disproportionately located in rural areas, low-income areas, and communities of color. The three bills in this package are designed to ensure that all Wisconsinites can access high quality, reliable local journalism.”

The journalism fellowship program would be administered by the University of Wisconsin System. Under the program, a panel of UW journalism professors and industry experts would choose 25 fellows to match with participating newsrooms for a one-year fellowship.

Participants, who would be required to hold a two- or four-year degree in journalism, media, communications or a similar program, would receive a $40,000 salary.

Another bill would create a nonrefundable tax credit as a way of encouraging people to subscribe to their local newspaper. When subscribing to a qualifying local newspaper, taxpayers could receive a tax credit equal to 50% of the amount paid to subscribe. The credit would be limited to a maximum of $250 in each taxable year.

Missouri Proposed Change On Initiative Petitions Creates An Electoral College Outcome
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/05/as-few-as-1-in-5-voters-could-defeat-initiative-petitions-under-missouri-senate-proposal/
2. BY: RUDI KELLER - FEBRUARY 5, 2024 10:00 AM

As few as 1 in 5 voters could defeat initiative petitions under Missouri Senate proposal

The legislation set for debate in the Senate would require a majority vote in 82 state House districts and a statewide majority to approve constitutional amendments

Called a concurrent majority, an analysis of voting patterns by The Independent shows that the change would make it possible for as few as 20% of voters to determine the outcome of statewide ballot measures.

Tim Jones, state director of the Missouri Freedom Caucus, pushing the change, said “This to me is a very similar concept to the electoral college.”

The proposal is taking on new urgency for GOP leaders because a proposal to overturn Missouri’s abortion ban could be on the ballot in November. Republicans see changing the rules as the only way to defeat it.

Opponents claim the idea undermines majority rule, which has determined the outcome of constitutional questions in Missouri since 1846.

Chuck Hatfield, an attorney representing Protect Majority Rule, which is raising money for a possible campaign against the amendment said, “Their goal is to make sure that even when an overwhelming majority of Missourians overall support a measure, rural voters can still defeat it,”

Democrats in the Senate, who have been content to let the GOP civil war play out without interfering, are “vehemently” opposed to any effort to change the current simple majority to pass ballot measures

Red State School Voucher Programs Need To Go Back To School For Basic Math
1. https://www.thenation.com/article/society/school-vouchers-red-state-budgets/
2. JENNIFER C. BERKSHIRE and JACK SCHNEIDER

For GOP lawmakers who view public education as a quasi-socialist project, the gaping hole in state budgets left by subsidizing private school tuition is a feature, not a bug.

In Arizona, taxpayers are now staring down a $400 million shortfall, with an even bigger bill coming due next year. How did the Grand Canyon State go from sitting on a huge cash reserve to facing a rising tide of red ink? Simple. Voucher proponents suggested that paying for private school tuition would cost taxpayers $65 million a year; but as it stands, the program is on track to cost roughly 15 times that. All told, Arizona taxpayers are likely to spend close to a billion dollars reimbursing the cost of tuition and luxury expenses—including ski resort passes, pianos, and theme park tickets—for families whose children were never enrolled in the public schools.

It isn’t just Arizona’s problem. Over the past two years, multiple states have enacted universal or near-universal voucher programs that far exceed initial cost projections. In Iowa, Governor Kim Reynolds pushed an expansive voucher program that gives $7,500 to any Iowa family for private school tuition. But demand for the program among parents who already send their kids to private schools, most of which are religious, has far exceeded expectations. Now Iowans are on the hook for the tuition of 17,000 private school students—a bill that will total $345 million a year next year. The same story has unfolded in Ohio, Arkansas, West Virginia, and elsewhere.

It wasn’t just the price tag that voucher proponents were deceptive about—it was also the projected beneficiaries of such programs. Advocates promoted vouchers as a benefit for poor students, students with disabilities, and students in struggling schools. Yet the reality has looked very different. As The Wall Street Journal recently reported, the vast majority of parents taking advantage of these tuition coupons are those who already send their kids to private schools.

Key State Level Attorney General Elections for 2024
1. https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/this-years-key-attorney-general-and-secretary-of-state-races/
2. By Louis Jacobson 2024 State Races

This year, there will be 17 elections for Secretary of State and Attorney General in states across the U.S., but only a few are on track to be competitive. Today we’ll talk about the Attorney General races in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

North Carolina: Open seat (Josh Stein, D, is running for governor)

In a hot election cycle in North Carolina with lots of competitive races and open seats, the AG contest could prove unusually compelling. It has been over a century since the state elected a Republican to this office, although this race could be exceedingly close—just as the last few contests have been.

The two frontrunners for the open AG seat are both sitting members of Congress: Republican Dan Bishop and Democrat Jeff Jackson. Bishop is a favorite of the GOP’s conservative wing, having been a member of the House Freedom Caucus and a thorn in the side of former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Jackson—who joined the AG race after effectively being drawn out of his seat in re-districting last year—has attracted a national following for his posts on TikTok.

While Bishop appears to have a clear shot at the GOP nomination, Jackson must first win a March 5 primary against Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry, and attorney and veteran Tim Dunn. Louis Jacobson at Sabato’s Crystal Ball says if Jackson and Bishop do meet in November, the race could go either way and is a true toss-up.

In Pennsylvania’s AG election this year, Both party primaries are on track to be competitive.

The Democrats have five credible candidates: former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan, former top Philadelphia public defender Keir Bradford-Grey, veteran and state Rep. Jared Solomon, and Jack Stollsteimer, the district attorney in populous Delaware County near Philadelphia.

The Republicans have two: York County District Attorney Dave Sunday, who has been endorsed by the state party, and veteran and state Rep. Craig Williams.

In the Democratic primary, DePasquale, as the only candidate from western Pennsylvania, and Bradford-Grey, as the only Black candidate, may have an edge in a contest where as little as 21% of the vote could be enough to win the nomination. On the GOP side, Sunday should have a modest edge.

The general election should be highly competitive, and it could swing depending on the dynamics on the rest of the ballot, including how the competitive races for president and Senate play out. There has been some ticket-splitting in Pennsylvania in recent presidential cycles, though. In 2016, as Republicans won the presidential and Senate races, Democrats won the contests for Attorney General, Auditor, and Treasurer. In 2020, as Joe Biden flipped the state, Republicans took back the Auditor and Treasurer posts.

If you’re not registered to vote, get on it! To check your registration anywhere in the U.S., go to Vote.gov.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

MAGA Mike Can't Count; Trump Lacks Immunity Even Though He Got Vaxxed; FDR "Denny" Roth Is Running For Congress In The MO8th

7 februari 2024 | 55 min

Talkin' Politics 2/5/24 | Senate Preview 2024; Taylor Swift Scares MAGA; Missouri GOP spitting into the wind

5 februari 2024 | 88 min

Friday News Flyover - MAGA is losing it over Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, UAW endorses Joe Biden, and more

2 februari 2024 | 30 min

Missouri Marijuana Sales Bring Big Funding For Veterans Care

https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-marijuana-revenue-will-mean-nearly-20-million-to-support-veterans-this-year/

Biden wins endorsement of United Auto Workers

Biden was joined by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and other Michigan leaders at the UAW union hall in Warren in Macomb County to celebrate the union’s accomplishments in the last year and its endorsement of Biden’s reelection campaign.

Biden told UAW members “Supporting you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. The single biggest reason why we have unions growing, the single biggest reason the economy is growing … because you are the best workers in the world.”

Michigan is expected to play a key role in the November general election, as Biden looks to win the state again.

This is the second time in recent months that Biden has come to Michigan to talk with UAW members. He became the first sitting U.S. president in modern history to visit a picket line in September during a historic strike against Detroit’s “Big Three” automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.

UAW President Shawn Fain announced the union’s endorsement of Biden’s campaign on Jan. 24 and drew a sharp comparison between Biden and GOP frontrunner former President Donald Trump.

“Rarely as a union do you get so clear of a choice between two candidates. It’s not about who you like, it’s not about your party, it’s not about this b—–t about age. It’s not about anything but our best shot at taking back power for the working class.”

In September, Trump also traveled to Michigan during the UAW strike, but he visited a non-union plant in Macomb County where he advised the UAW to endorse him for president.

Trump said, “Shawn, endorse Trump and you can take a nice two-month vacation, come back, and you guys are going to be better than you ever were. The other way, you won’t have a vacation, Shawn. And in a short period of time, you’re not going to have a union. You’re not going to have jobs. You’re not going to have anything.”

“Trump is a scab,” Fain said recently. “Donald Trump stands against everything the UAW stands for. When you go back to our core issues — Wages. Retirement. Health care. Time. That’s what this election is about,” Fain said. “Instead of talking trash about our union, Joe Biden stood with us.”

By November, the UAW ratified new contracts with all three companies that included significant worker raises, an end to the tiered wage system and improvements to the automakers’ retirement benefits.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said Biden is a “jobs president,”

“Under President Biden, we’ve seen 14 million jobs created, including 800,000 manufacturing jobs, which is more than any president in a single term

Biden wrapped up his time at the union hall calling Whitmer “the best governor in the country” and Dingell a “fighter.” To the UAW Workers in Warren he said, “Thank you and the whole country owes you,” Biden said to the UAW workers in Warren. “You’re not only helping auto workers, you’re helping every worker in the world.”

Oklahoma Teachers Likely To Keep Bonus Money

https://oklahomavoice.com/2024/01/31/oklahoma-teachers-may-not-have-to-return-errant-bonuses-walters-says/

OKLAHOMA CITY — State Superintendent Ryan Walters said Wednesday errant bonuses his administration paid to educators might not have to be clawed back.

In a press conference he called to accuse reporters of lying about the situation, Walters said the Oklahoma State Department of Education is coordinating with the teachers who wrongly received signing bonuses to find another solution. He said that could include longer contractual commitments in exchange for keeping the money.

“There is a path forward that does not require a payback from those teachers,” Walters said.

But at least one affected teacher got no such promise, her attorney, Mark Hammons, said.

Oklahoma County teacher Kristina Stadelman heard from the state agency in the past two days, informing her a Feb. 29 deadline for repayment no longer applied, Hammons said.

But that included no guarantee she would never have to repay the bonus, he said, and that’s why she joined a lawsuit on Wednesday to challenge the demand.

“They extended the time for the deadline and said they were looking into other possibilities,” Hammons said. “We don’t know what that means, and they didn’t explain that to her, but they certainly made no promise that she wouldn’t have to pay back all or any portion of that money.”

Both of Hammons’ clients, Stadelman and Osage County teacher Kay Bojorquez, said they were awarded $50,000 bonuses in the fall from a teacher recruitment program Walters created last year.

Colorado’s New Coal Mine… Maybe

https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/environmental-groups-epa-colorado-coal-mine/

Conservation groups are asking EPA to block permit for new coal mine in colorado

Two conservation groups have formally petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to intervene in state air-quality regulators’ decision to issue an operating permit to Colorado’s largest remaining coal mine.

Colorado’s Air Pollution Control Division issued the permit to the West Elk Mine in Gunnison County in December, more than six months after a federal judge’s ruling that the agency had illegally delayed its decision on whether to approve or deny the permit, which a subsidiary of mine owner Arch Coal first applied for in 2020.

But two of the groups involved in that litigation, the Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians, call the permit issued by the APCD a “free pass” that doesn’t do enough to limit emissions of volatile organic compounds, a class of hazardous air pollutants, or methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Iowa Lawmakers Keep Protections for Gender Identity In Law… after considering taking it away

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/31/iowa-house-lawmakers-reject-bill-to-remove-gender-identity-protections-from-iowa-civil-rights-law/

Protection of “gender identity” under the Iowa Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in areas like employment, housing, education or public accommodations. Under the proposal, a diagnosis of “gender dysphoria or any condition related to a gender identity disorder” would be classified a disability under Iowa Code – another protected class under the civil rights act.

Aime Wichtendahl, a Hiawatha City Council member, criticized lawmakers for considering legislation that would make Iowa the first state in the country to remove civil rights protections for a group of citizens.

Missouri Speaker Plochs Another One Into The Bowl

https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/embattled-missouri-house-speaker-dean-plocher-dismisses-another-top-staffer/

Embattled Mo House Speaker Dean Plocher has lost another staff member

https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/embattled-missouri-house-speaker-dean-plocher-dismisses-another-top-staffer/

Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher fired his legislative director Wednesday, the latest in a series of departures from his office as he continues to face an ethics investigation into allegations of unlawful conduct.

Erica Choinka had worked for the Missouri House since 2016, first as a legislative assistant and then as legislative director for former Speakers Elijah Haahr and Rob Vescovo. She continued to serve under Plocher until Wednesday, when she was fired.

Choinka declined to comment, and a spokesman for Plocher did not immediately respond to an email about the dismissal.

The staff shakeup follows the firing of Plocher’s chief of staff in October and the resignation of his chief legal counsel in November. And it comes as an ethics inquiry into his alleged misconduct enters its fourth month.

The investigation was launched late last year after The Independent reported that Plocher on numerous occasions over the years illegally sought reimbursement from the legislature for airfare, hotels and other travel costs already paid for by his campaign.

In each instance, Plocher was required to sign a sworn statement declaring that the payments were made with “personal funds, for which I have not been reimbursed.”

Finally… In another story out of Missouri, sorry, that’s Kansas, no wait, my bad from Iowa, oh, nope, that’s Oklahoma… wait, Indiana, or… was this Ohio? Ah, I see now - from Kentucky…

GOP supermajority: Silly, unserious, unconcerned by Kentuckians’ real problems

Author: Teri Carter
https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/02/01/gop-supermajority-silly-unserious-unconcerned-by-kentuckians-real-problems/

On Jan. 31, I began my day reading a story that opened with a stunning sentence. “Some residents of a county in Kentucky are going on two weeks without running water, forcing them to use public toilets and catch rainwater to bathe.”

As I was reading this news, a 7:31 a.m. tweet popped up from Rep. Josh Calloway. “Actually, what it means to be a good parent is to tell your children the truth. The truth is men are men, women are women, and neither can become the other. The truth is, they were not born in the wrong body, they are perfect just the way God made them. It is Evil to lie to children.”

Yes, this is anecdotal, but it is also reflective of a maddening reality. We are one-third through the all-important budget session of our 2024 General Assembly, and the GOP supermajority in Frankfort is wasting their days focused on problems we do not have and, well, sex. Always sex.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Trump Is Counting On SCOTUS To Save Him, But He Shouldn't

31 januari 2024 | 42 min

Talkin' Politics | Jan. 29, 2024: The GOP Is Having Big Feelings

29 januari 2024 | 84 min

Can Colin Allred beat Ted Cruz? Sean and Rachel unpack the 2024 U.S. Senate race in Texas

24 januari 2024 | 30 min

THE DELTA IS B-A-C-K - The Delta E1 - Alternative Methods Of Instruction, Days

23 januari 2024 | 41 min

Talkin' Politics 1/22/2024: Missouri's Abortion Petition; Child Tax Credit Moves Forward; Missouri GOP Infighting; 2024 Election Coverage Era - Trump v. Haley v. Biden v. No Labels

22 januari 2024 | 88 min

Friday News Flyover for Jan 19 2023 - Abortion rights, Child Tax Credit, Medicaid Expansion and more

19 januari 2024 | 12 min

Friday News Flyover, January 19, 2024

Oil train delayed | Abortion rights advocates speak with Senators | Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and GOP-dominated legislature’s priorities | and OH Sen. Sherrod Brown and MO Rep. Jason Smith make big bi-partisan deal on Child Tax Credit

If you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at thehearltandcollective.com

This train is not leaving the station
Forest Service withdraws key permit for controversial Utah oil-train project opposed by Coloradans

Project would dramatically increase hazardous shipments through Colorado communities

BY: CHASE WOODRUFF - JANUARY 18, 2024 9:18 AM

A controversial Utah oil-train proposal opposed by Colorado communities and environmentalists was dealt another blow this week when the U.S. Forest Service withdrew a key permit for the project.

In an announcement published Wednesday, Ashley National Forest Supervisor Susan Eickhoff blocked the issuance of a permit to the Uinta Basin Railway to construct 12 miles of railroad track through a protected area of the national forest in northeast Utah. The stretch of track in question is part of the proposed railway’s 88-mile connection between the oil fields of eastern Utah’s Uinta Basin and the existing national rail network.

The project has drawn fierce opposition from Coloradans. A federal “downline analysis” estimated that 90% of the resulting oil-train traffic — as many as five fully loaded, two-mile-long trains of crude oil tankers per day — would be routed through environmentally sensitive and densely populated areas in Colorado, en route to oil refineries on the Gulf Coast. The oil trains would more than quadruple the amount of hazardous materials being shipped by rail through many Colorado counties.

Colorado’s Eagle County and five environmental groups sued to overturn the Uinta Basin Railway’s approval, and in August 2023 a panel of federal judges ruled that the approval process contained “numerous” and “significant” violations of the National Environmental Policy Act. The ruling vacated portions of the project’s environmental impact statement and ordered the federal Surface Transportation Board to redo its analysis of key environmental risks.

Because the Forest Service’s decision in August 2022 to grant a right-of-way permit to the project was based on that flawed analysis, the agency has withdrawn its decision pending further proceedings at the STB.

Ted Zukoski, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that sued to block the project. “This is wonderful news for the roadless forest in Utah’s Indian Canyon and the wildlife who call it home. It’s a victory for the Colorado River and nearby communities that would be threatened by oil train accidents and spills. If the oil train’s backers attempt to revive this dangerous scheme, we’ll be there to fight it again.”

In a press release, Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, who had urged multiple federal agencies to put a stop to the project, applauded the Forest Service’s move.

“A derailment along the headwaters of the Colorado River could have catastrophic effects for Colorado’s communities, water, and environment. I’m glad the Forest Service has taken this important step to protect the Colorado River and the tens of millions of people who depend on it.”

U.S. Senators and Abortion Rights Advocates Discuss State Abortion Access Limitations

BY: JENNIFER SHUTT - JANUARY 17, 2024

WASHINGTON — During a Capitol Visitors Center briefing, abortion rights advocates and Democratic U.S. Senators called for reinstating legal and safe abortion access nationwide. The nearly three-hour session featured physicians discussing the difficulties faced in states with restrictive abortion laws following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Dr. Austin Dennard, a Texas OB-GYN involved in a lawsuit against the state's abortion laws, spoke about the validity and personal nature of each abortion decision. He highlighted patients' fears about family planning in states with restrictive laws, noting the adverse impact on what should be a joyful life chapter.

The briefing preceded the annual anti-abortion March for Life, with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Chris Smith scheduled to speak. Senate Democrats criticized efforts to limit abortion access and discussed two upcoming Supreme Court cases with significant implications.

One case focuses on mifepristone, a key medication in abortion and miscarriage treatments, while the other revolves around the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). The Biden administration argues that EMTALA should protect doctors performing abortions as emergency medical treatment in states with strict anti-abortion laws.

Dr. Serina Floyd, a Washington, D.C. OB-GYN and Physicians for Reproductive Health fellow, expressed confusion over Republican efforts to target EMTALA, emphasizing the potential life-saving importance of emergency abortion care. She noted research indicating severe consequences for patients denied abortion access, including health risks, economic hardship, and staying in violent relationships.

Dr. Floyd advocated for non-interference from the government in medical decisions, stressing that patients are capable of making informed choices about their health and lives with their healthcare providers.

Senator Patty Murray of Washington highlighted her state's influx of abortion patients from restrictive states like Idaho. Murray and other senators at the briefing expressed concern that residents in states with abortion protections might not realize the impact of a potential nationwide abortion ban or Supreme Court decisions.

Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan pointed out that even states with constitutional reproductive rights, like Michigan, are not fully shielded from the effects of a national abortion ban. After hearing doctors' testimonies, Stabenow expressed astonishment at the challenges facing both physicians and women needing abortion access, questioning the progress made in women's rights, asking, “is it 2024 or are we back in 1984?”

Kansas Legislature Fast-Tracks Tax Reform Opposed by Governor Kelly

BY: TIM CARPENTER - JANUARY 17, 2024

TOPEKA — Kansas Republican legislative leaders are expediting a tax reform bill focusing on income and sales tax changes, including a single-rate state income tax of 5.25%, which Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has threatened to veto.

The bill, bypassing regular committee processes, is set for early-session debate in the Senate.

The proposed tax overhaul would lead to a state revenue reduction exceeding $1.5 billion over three years, surpassing Governor Kelly's proposed $1 billion cut. The plan to implement a flat tax rate of 5.25%, replacing Kansas' three-rate income tax structure, has been met with opposition from Governor Kelly because it disproportionately benefits the wealthy.

The bill also proposes eliminating the state income tax on Social Security benefits, aligning with Kelly's proposal. Additionally, it seeks to remove the state sales tax on groceries starting April 1, advancing the timeline from the previously set January 1, 2025. The measure includes an exemption for the first $100,000 in state property taxes from all Kansas homeowners for school finance purposes, adjustable for inflation.

Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both Republicans, view the bill as a compromise, claiming it addresses issues faced by retirees and families while tackling inflation.

Governor Kelly vetoed two major tax reform bills in 2023, which the Republican-dominated Legislature couldn't override.

“We must get that money back into Kansans’ pockets — and we will — in a fiscally responsible and targeted way,” Kelly said. “In a way that doesn’t threaten progress on all the other issues Kansans care about.  Unfortunately, that’s exactly what one proposal — the flat tax — would do. ”  

Kansas’ Governor Kelly calls for hearing on Medicaid expansion bill that would cover 150,000 Kansans

BY: RACHEL MIPRO - JANUARY 17, 2024 2:35 PM

TOPEKA — A Medicaid expansion proposal has been enrolled into state House and Senate committees despite continued opposition from top legislative Republicans.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who has spent the months leading up to the legislative session rallying across the state for Medicaid expansion, called for a hearing on the bill by Jan. 29.

“It’s easy to sum up the Cutting Healthcare Costs for All Kansans Act: health care coverage for 150,000 Kansans, cost savings for everyone else. We protect our rural hospitals, and Kansas taxpayers pay nothing extra,” Kelly said in a Wednesday announcement of the proposal’s enrollment. “The legislature should listen to the over 70% of Kansans who support Medicaid Expansion and give this bill a hearing by Kansas Day.”

Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka, introduced the bill in the House Appropriations Committee and on the Senate side, Sen. Pat Pettey, D- Kansas City, introduced the bill into the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

“Medicaid expansion is not only popular, but it saves lives, creates jobs and saves our rural hospitals. Hardworking Kansans shouldn’t die because of legislative inaction,” Miller said.

Medicaid expansion would unlock $700 million in annual federal funding and could potentially save 59 rural hospitals at risk of closing. Kelly unveiled her latest Medicaid expansion package in December, but Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins remain opposed to expansion, calling the move a way to expand the “welfare state.”

Lawmakers last came close to expansion in 2020, when former Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning worked out a bipartisan deal with Kelly. But the deal fell apart as Republicans, outraged by a Kansas Supreme Court ruling that established a constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, focused on placing a constitutional amendment on abortion before voters instead,

Child Tax Credit and Business Incentives Merged in New Tax Proposal

BY: ASHLEY MURRAY - JANUARY 16, 2024

WASHINGTON — Leading members of Congress released a bipartisan, bicameral tax proposal Tuesday, promising a middle-path deal to help low-income families and provide incentives for businesses as Trump-era tax breaks expire.

The framework led by U.S. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Republican Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri would raise the child tax credit incrementally through 2025 and restore tax relief for affordable housing projects.

The three-year proposal would also make exempt disaster payments to wildfire victims and to those who suffered losses after the massive train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Sen. Wyden, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, said in a statement that “(f)ifteen million kids from low-income families will be better off as a result of this plan, and given today’s miserable political climate, it’s a big deal to have this opportunity to pass pro-family policy that helps so many kids get ahead.”

Democrats have been pushing to permanently raise the tax credit that low-income families receive per child after a temporary increase during the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated significant reductions in child poverty.

Wyden also praised the deal’s potential to spur affordable housing construction and said that his goal “remains to get this passed in time for families and businesses to benefit in this upcoming tax filing season, and I’m going to pull out all the stops to get that done.”

Rep. Jason Smith, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, said “American families will benefit from this bipartisan agreement that provides greater tax relief, strengthens Main Street businesses, boosts our competitiveness with China, and creates jobs.”

“We even provide disaster relief and cut red tape for small businesses, while ending a COVID-era program that’s costing taxpayers billions in fraud. This legislation locks in over $600 billion in proven pro-growth, pro-America tax policies with key provisions that support over 21 million jobs. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation,” Smith continued in a statement Tuesday.

And for those who file 1099 forms, a provision tucked away in the framework would increase the threshold to file to $1,000 from the current $600.

The proposal won praise from across the tax policy spectrum.

Business Roundtable, an advocacy organization representing a wide range of U.S. CEOs, described the deal’s pitch to revive expired pro-business policies as “critical to strengthening America’s global competitiveness.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat and key supporter of the child tax credit, urged his colleagues to pass the deal, calling it a “win-win for Ohio families and Ohio manufacturers.”

Sen. Brown said, “The deal’s expansion of the Child Tax Credit will help parents keep up with the rising cost of living and ensure that their hard work pays off. The business provisions will support American companies that invest in our nation’s research and manufacturing. The deal also ensures that residents of East Palestine won’t get hit with a surprise tax bill for payments they received from Norfolk Southern after last year’s derailment.”

Pretty, pret-ty good.

Welp that’s it for me, from Denver I’m Sean Diller. Stories in today’s show can be found in the Missouri Independent, Ohio Capital Journal, Kansas Reflector and Michigan Advance. Thanks for listening, see you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Open AI Law Suits

17 januari 2024 | 35 min

Collective Bargain: Missouri Jobs With Justice

16 januari 2024 | 40 min

Talkin' Politics 1/14/24 | St. Louis Cardinals Big Sports Bet; Child Tax Credit; Missouri AG Suddenly Cares About Sunshine Law; Our 2024 Election Coverage Era Is Here

15 januari 2024 | 78 min

Friday News Flyover - Jan 12 2024 - MAGA Mike Johnson on the way out - MO SOS Jay Ashcroft whiffs again and more

12 januari 2024 | 23 min

Friday Flyover of politics and elections news from America's heartland | TX GOP Rep Chip Roy says he'd boot MAGA Mike over funding bill | Missouri Sec of State on track to waste more money and lose more court cases | Lauren Boebert switches districts, CO GOP Rep Doug Lamborn announces retirement

SOURCES: The Heartland Collective, Axios, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri Independent, Fox17 WZTV Nashville, Iowa Capitol Dispatch

Is Speaker Mike Johnson Already on the way out? https://www.axios.com/2024/01/11/mike-johnson-house-speaker-motion-vacate
1. From Article

Driving the news: A dozen right-wing House Republicans blocked a package of their party's bills and ground the House floor to a sudden halt on Wednesday in protest of Johnson's spending deal with Senate Democrats.

It's a repeat of of what hardliners did under former Speaker McCarthy over his bipartisan debt ceiling deal – which ultimately foreshadowed his removal months later through a motion to vacate.
The move came as Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) has been flirting with the idea of trying to remove Johnson, saying in a radio interview on Tuesday: "If they totally botch [the appropriations bills] ... I don't know why we would keep him as speaker."
One Republican leadership ally described the revolt as a "shot across the bow."

Missouri AG and recent melted blob of flesh on CNN, Jay Ashcroft, gets smacked down in court
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/judge-rejects-jay-ashcroft-s-bid-to-dismiss-high-profile-lawsuit-against-his-office/article_01f1fdc6-af1c-11ee-8076-27fdb2bf7fa8.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share
1. Complaint https://business.cch.com/srd/20231023_SIFMA-v-Ashcroft_amended-complaint.pdf
2. From the article
  1. A federal judge rejected an effort by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to dismiss a lawsuit against his office over new, politically charged rules aimed at limiting the impact of environmental, social and governance factors in investment decisions.
  2. In a ruling Friday, U.S. District Judge Steven Bough ruled unanimously in favor of a trade group that is suing the Republican gubernatorial candidate and his office on the grounds that the rule imposed by Ashcroft fails to acknowledge that federal law already requires financial advisers to act in the best interest of their clients when providing personalized investment advice.
  3. “The court finds that Plaintiff adequately alleges that the rules violate the First Amendment,” Bough wrote. “The court finds that Plaintiff adequately alleges that the rules are unconstitutionally vague.”
  4. And Bough said the trade organization can continue its pursuit of the case because it has the legal standing to represent financial advisers who object to Ashcroft’s rule.
  5. Ashcroft issued the rules — the first in the nation — after a similar “anti-woke” investing proposal died in the Legislature last year.
  6. Ashcroft, who is facing Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Sen. Bill Eigel in the August 2024 GOP primary, has used the lawsuit to raise money for his gubernatorial campaign, where culture war issues have played a prominent role.
  7. And, he is using taxpayer funds to pay a campaign donor to represent his office in the lawsuit.
  8. Instead of using the Missouri attorney general’s office to fight the challenge to the rules, Ashcroft hired the politically connected Kansas City law firm of Graves Garrett to represent his office.
  9. Law firm partner Todd Graves, a former head of the Missouri Republican Party, was named to the University of Missouri board of trustees in 2021 and Greim was mentioned as a possible pick for attorney general when Eric Schmitt vacated the post to become U.S. senator in 2021.
  10. Greim also represented the Office of the Governor in 2018 when former Gov. Eric Greitens was under investigation for possible impeachment.
Tennessee Dems Pushing Back on Abortion Bans With New Reproductive Rights Bills
1. The bill is sponsored by new Tenn. Dem. State rep, Aftyn Behn, who can be heard at length on this week’s episode of the Dirt Road Democrat with Jess Piper
2. https://fox17.com/news/local/2024-nashville-tennessee-rep-introduces-new-abortion-reproductive-rights-bill-politics-general-assembly-government-davidson-county-middle-tn
3. From Article
  1. A new abortion bill aims to amend Tennessee's current law which bans the procedure in early stages of pregnancy.
  2. House Bill 1626 enacts the "Fundamental Right to Reproductive Health Care Act," meaning the state cannot interfere with abortion services because it falls under an individual's "fundamental right."
  3. The bill states every person has a right to make decisions about their reproductive health care, including "the fundamental right to use or refuse contraceptive procedures or contraceptive supplies as defined in 68-34-102." It adds a pregnant person has a right to continue a pregnancy or to terminate it.
Michigan GOP Collapsing?
1. https://theheartlandcollective.com/2024/01/09/michigan-gop-is-collapsing-in-on-itself/
2. From article:
  1. Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan Republican party, said an effective new leader could help the party “right the ship” before the November 2024 elections, but that a drawn-out fight in court could hinder that progress.
  2. To date, the chaos engulfing the party has prevented it from fulfilling its traditional role of organizing and fundraising for Republican candidates, former party officials have said.
  3. “I think the chaos is far from over,” Roe said. “If this turns out to be a binding vote, I don’t think she [Karamo] or her supporters will go quietly and there will probably continue to be skirmishes throughout the election cycle.”
Boebert Says Bye Bye - Tucks Tail And Seeks Easier Path Back To DC
1. In a move stunning no one, CO GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, best known for her lewd and lascivious behavior, plus that time she cranked her dates honker in public, is running from the fight in her seemingly doomed reelection bid in the Colorado 3rd against Adam Frisch
  1. Article on THC
    1. https://theheartlandcollective.com/2023/12/29/lauren-boebert-says-bye-bye-to-her-current-swing-district-and-hello-to-colorados-4th/
    2. Frisch was close to winning in 2022 and most assumed he would take the 2024 race against the highly damaged Boebert
    3. The seat in the 3rd was home to Ken Buck who’s own failed speaker bid was his last hurrah as he calls it quits.
Missouri water way gets needed recognition, but for horrible reasons
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/08/coldwater-creek-to-finally-have-warning-signs-after-decades-of-nuclear-contamination/
2. Nuclear waste stored outside St. Louis was found to pose a risk to nearby Coldwater Creek as early as 1949. The contaminated creek will finally have warning signs almost 75 years later.
3. From article
  1. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a statement Monday that it was working with the Environmental Protection Agency to add signs along the creek to help it monitor areas “that may pose a risk if disturbed.”
  2. Coldwater Creek has been contaminated for decades with radioactive waste left over from the World War II-era effort to build an atomic bomb. But though the creek winds through some of St. Louis’ busiest suburbs and past public parks and schools, the federal government had resisted calls to post signs warning visitors of the contamination.
  3. “This is decades of potential exposure that could have been prevented that they drug their feet on,” said Dawn Chapman, co-founder of Just Moms STL, an organization formed to advocate for communities affected by St. Louis-area radioactive waste.
  4. Despite the delays, Chapman said she’s thankful that the signs are finally going to be installed.
  5. The St. Louis area has long struggled with a radioactive waste problem. Uranium for the Manhattan Project, the name given to the effort to develop the first atomic bomb, was refined in downtown St. Louis.
  6. After World War II, radioactive waste left over from those efforts was trucked to the St. Louis airport and dumped — some on the open ground and some in barrels — next to Coldwater Creek. As early as 1949, Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, the company that refined uranium for the federal government, was aware the waste could escape the barrels it was stored in and contaminate the nearby creek
  7. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded in 2019 that children and adults who played in or near Coldwater Creek or lived in its floodplain between the 1960s and 1990s may have been exposed to radioactive materials that raise the risk of certain cancers. The agency — part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — recommended signs be placed along the creek to warn residents of the potential exposure risk.
  8. The Army Corps said there was nothing specific that caused the agency to change its mind on installing the signs. The decision was “driven by our commitment to continuous improvement,” George Stringham, a spokesman for the Army Corps, said in an email.
Stringham said the Army Corps would “continue to prioritize the health and safety of the community.”
Iowa - Gov. proposed budget is a major cut for higher ed
1. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/01/10/gov-kim-reynolds-budget-for-state-universities-falls-30m-short-of-regents-request/
2. From article:
  1. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed allocating about $30 million less than what the Iowa Board of Regents requested for itself and the universities next year, though each of the universities would receive some increase in state funding.
  2. Reynolds’ budget proposal, released Monday, included recommendations for administering money from the state’s general fund and other sources to the regents, the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University. The regents requested just over $609 million from the state’s general fund and about $40 million from other state sources. Reynolds recommended allocating almost $619 million.
Colorado - Congresswoman Diana DeGette introduces discharge petition to ban high-capacity magazines:
1. https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/degette-house-vote-high-capacity-magazine-ban/
2. From article:
  1. U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette used a mechanism in the House of Representatives that would force a vote on a bill without leadership’s approval to bring forward a vote on a gun safety bill.
  2. DeGette, who represents Denver in Congress, alongside House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chair Mike Thompson, a California Democrat, filed a discharge petition to force a vote on the Keep Americans Safe Act.
  3. The bill would ban large capacity magazines - those that can hold 30-100 rounds - with a few exceptions and will likely struggle to get through the Republican-controlled House.
  4. DeGette said high-capacity magazines were used in all of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in the country. She said the only purpose of these magazines is to kill a lot of people in a short amount of time. “These events continue to re-traumatize our community and our nation, because no community has been untouched by this deadly epidemic,” DeGette said. “In mass shootings with four or more people killed between 2015 and 2022, high-capacity magazines led to more than twice as many people being killed and nearly 10 times as many people being wounded per incident on average.”
  5. The petition requires 218 signatures to force a vote on the floor, and with 213 Democrats in the House, at least five Republicans would need to sign. DeGette said she thinks some Republicans in the House represent districts impacted by mass shootings and may be under pressure from their constituents to ban high-capacity magazines.
  6. U.S. Rep. Jason Crow, a Centennial Democrat, joined DeGette and members of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol after DeGette filed the petition and applauded Colorado leadership for its gun safety measures, particularly banning high-capacity magazines.
  7. “In Colorado, we are fortunate to have a state legislature focused on gun reform when Congress fails to make significant change due to Republican stonewalling over and over again,” Crow said.
  8. Crow highlighted several high-profile mass shootings in Colorado where the perpetrator used high capacity magazines: the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Littleton, the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting, the 2021 Boulder King Soopers shooting, and the 2022 Club Q shooting in Colorado Springs.

Closing Note: Doing anything this weekend?

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Biden's Admin Big Impacts On Sustainable Energy w/ Renew Missouri's James Owen

10 januari 2024 | 31 min

Collective Bargain | Leslie Jones for Missouri State House, Dist. 130

9 januari 2024 | 37 min

Talkin' Politics Jan. 8, 2024 | Iowa School Shooting and Book Banning; Farm Land Politics; Abortion Center Stage; SCOTUS to hear Trump ballot case; Biden opens 2024 strong

8 januari 2024 | 84 min

Friday News Flyover Dec 22, 2023 - STL Police crash controversy - KS Gov Laura Kelly fights for good and much more

22 december 2023 | 42 min

Flyover Friday, December 22, 2023

SOURCES: The Heartland Collective, Wisconsin Examiner, Missouri Independent, River Front Times, Kansas Reflector

The saga of a STL bar owner and police crash continues
1. https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/st-louis-police-didnt-do-toxicology-test-after-bar-pm-crash-41488321
2. From article: The St. Louis police officer behind the wheel of the SUV that smashed into Bar:PM in the early hours of Monday morning had no toxicology test done on him in the wake of the incident.
3. At their weekly briefing, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Lieutenant Colonel Renee Kriesmann said that no such test was conducted on the officer because the police only do those tests when there is a "reasonable suspicion" of drug or alcohol use, which police didn't feel was the case following the crash.
4. The fact that police crashed their vehicle into the LGBTQ bar and then arrested one of its co-owners, Chad Morris, made news nationwide and drew condemnation from city leaders. President of the Board of Aldermen Megan Green wrote on twitter that the "incident demonstrates the need for greater oversight of law enforcement — citizen oversight in particular."
Missouri GOP loses again, in Court
1. https://theheartlandcollective.com/2023/12/19/missouri-gop-loses-in-court-again/
2. From Article: This past January, a law went into effect that the degenerate GOP Missouri lawmakers passed into law in 2022. Said (and now overturned, we’ll get to that in a sec) law criminalized sleeping on state-owned land, making that a Class C misdemeanor. Cities, per this ridiculous travesty of a law, could have been penalized by our unelected attorney general if the law wasn’t enforced.
3. Advocates for unhoused people took immediate action, filing suit against the state. In a unanimous decision, the Missouri Supreme Court struck down the law. This is a win for the Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, a Springfield homeless shelter, and Public Citizen Litigation Group. Because the bill was passed as an amendment to another piece of legislation, the court found that it violated a constitutional mandate for legislation to have a “single subject and clear purpose.”
4. In the unanimous opinion, Judge Paul C. Wilson wrote: “It takes an extraordinary showing to convince this court to engage in judicial surgery to save a bill infected with the otherwise fatal constitutional disease of multiple subjects…and no effort was made by any party to make such a showing here.”
5. Unlike my producer Adam Sommer, I don’t speak law for a living, but I’m pretty sure that a unanimous court opinion citing “fatal constitutional disease” is…bad. That’s bad, right?

President Biden made a stop in Wisconsin recently
1. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/12/20/bidens-wisconsin-visit-highlights-black-small-business-growth-milwaukee-revitalization-project/
2. From Article: With his visit to Milwaukee, including a talk at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce as well as a stop at the shop of a Black plumbing contractor, President Joe Biden underscored his administration’s economic focus on the middle class Wednesday.
3. Biden touted the addition of 15 million jobs since he took office after the brief COVID-19 pandemic recession. “We’re doing it by building an economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down. Not a whole lot trickled down on my dad’s kitchen table with a top-down economy,” he said. “But when you [build from the middle], when you increase the middle class, the poor have a shot and the wealthy still do very well, the middle class does well, and we all do well.”
4. In his remarks to the chamber, Biden highlighted the administration’s $15 billion project to replace lead pipes across the country, including in Milwaukee, part of the bipartisan infrastructure law enacted in 2021.
Missouri GOP Speaker of the House spent $29,000 tax payer money on furniture, including $5,000 for a custom fridge cabinet
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/20/in-a-statehouse-short-on-space-dean-plocher-converted-an-office-into-a-liquor-pantry/
2. From article: For four years, state Rep. Mike Stephens occupied prime real estate on the third floor of the Missouri Capitol.
3. His office in room 306B certainly wasn’t the biggest in the space-starved statehouse, where staff often work out of musty, windowless rooms, and many lawmakers are stacked on top of each other in non-ADA compliant mezzanines.
4. House Speaker Dean Plocher took over that space and converted it into what has been jokingly referred to as his “butler’s pantry,” a makeshift storage room stocked with liquor, beer, wine and soda to complement the supply in his office.
5. The move was part of a $60,000 renovation of Plocher’s office in late 2022 and early 2023, paid for with public funds by the House. Half the costs stemmed from expenses resulting from repairs to walls, baseboards and ceilings in the speaker’s office.
6. The other half, according to records obtained by The Independent through Missouri’s Sunshine Law, went towards new furnishings — to the tune of about $29,000, including $8,600 for a black leather sofa and armchairs, $2,500 for a new walnut table, $2,500 for a refrigerator with an ice maker, $5,000 for a custom cabinet to hold the refrigerator and $385 for two walnut trash can bins.

Kansas Gov Kelly Stands Firm On Education and Medicaid
1. https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/21/kelly-not-drawn-to-horse-trade-compromise-on-school-choice-to-win-medicaid-expansion/
2. From article: Top priorities of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican Senate President Ty Masterson collide in January when the Kansas Legislature convenes for the 2024 session.
3. Kelly left no doubt her central objective would be to convince at least 63 representatives and 21 senators — simple majorities of the House and Senate — to vote for passage of a bill expanding eligibility for government health benefits through Medicaid to 150,000 lower-income Kansans.
4. Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, the GOP centers of power in the Capitol, are committed to advancing a bill delivering millions in state tax dollars to private schools through scholarships, savings accounts or vouchers. Their numerical challenge is bigger than Kelly’s. They’ll likely need two-thirds majorities — 84 in the House, 27 in the Senate — to override a Kelly veto on private school funding.

Finally, reporting in Missouri is highlighting a private group working hard to push private religious schooling and its connections to other “school choice” organizations
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2023/07/10/nonprofit-near-kansas-city-seeks-to-become-epicenter-of-the-school-choice-movement/
2. From article: The headquarters of the Herzog Foundation sits on the edge of Smithville, in an 18,000-square-foot stone and glass building on a corner lot across the street from a cornfield on a gravel-lined highway.
3. Few Missouians have likely heard of the Stanley M. Herzog Charitable Foundation, or the organization’s namesake. But the unassuming locale masks what has been described as the “epicenter of the school-choice movement.”
4. Stan Herzog’s political largesse bankrolled a generation of conservative candidates and causes in Missouri, pouring through a constellation of political action committees and nonprofits. When he died in 2019, he set aside $300 million to start a foundation dedicated to expanding the reach of Christian education.
5. That mission kicked into overdrive in 2021, when Missouri lawmakers created a tax credit to support scholarships to help low-income students and those with disabilities attend private schools. Since then, a subsidiary of the Herzog Foundation has distributed almost half of the scholarships in the state.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

It's Worth A Google... w/ Pat Garafalo of American Economic Liberties Project

20 december 2023 | 54 min

Collective Bargain 12/19/23: Glenn talks with Adam Moore, Candidate for Kentucky State Rep.45th District

19 december 2023 | 39 min

Talkin' Politics 12/18/23: Waiting For Action In Missouri On Abortion; Criminalizing Women Continues; Trump's Hail Mary; Last Call On MO-1st District Primary of Cori Bush

18 december 2023 | 83 min

Friday News Flyover 12.15.2023 - Insanity in the MO State Leg | Abortion politics | Red state blues | Colorado rail planning grant

15 december 2023 | 33 min

Flyover Friday, December 15, 2023

Intro: On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, December 15th, 2023

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

Welcome to The Heartland POD for a Flyover Friday, this is Sean Diller in Denver, Colorado. With me as co-host today is Adam Sommer, how you doing Adam?

We’re glad to have you with us. If you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media with @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at thehearltandcollective.com

SEAN: Speaking of - the website over at THE HEARTLAND COLLECTIVE DOT COM - if you have not yet checked it out, it is full of not just shows but articles too, including a recent on on abortion laws by Rachel Parker, really sharp stuff.

ADAM: Yeah, hats off to you and the team, shout out my and special thanks to Allyn for all the work, I think folks will like what they find over there at the site, and that article by Rachel goes great with the pod from Wednesday which was Rachel with Jess Piper and Laura Belin was back from Bleeding Heartland, a powerhouse group of women talking about abortion laws, absolutely not to be missed.

SEAN: Plus, we’re back in the saddle this coming week with the LAST CALL shows, which are for members only, we have a lot of fun on those shows and that’s for patreon members, you can sign up today, $5 per month unlocks that feature, go to THE HEARTLAND COLLECTIVE DOT COM and click the button to sign up today to join us for those member only bonus shows.

Alright! Let’s get into the stories

SOURCES: Wisconsin Examiner, Missouri Independent, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Ohio Capital Journal, Colorado Newsline; Indiana Capitol Chronicle

Rep. Sarah Unsicker has pulled out of the Dem AG primary after a two week period in which she appears to have had serious issues pop up

Very odd turn of events, disgusting anti-semetic smears and a final move of a Dark Night jOker like video

Missouri Dem leader and candidate for Governor, Crystal Quade, is taking the charge on the abortion issue in Missouri.

https://x.com/crystal_quade/status/1735330641967759416?s=20

Sen. Josh Hawley (drop) has failed to include funding for nuclear waste cleanup for Missourians.

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/12/defense-radioactive-senate-st-lous/

Wisconsin Secretary of State calls for removal of fake elector who was part of 2020 scheme for Donald Trump

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/12/11/wisconsin-secretary-of-state-calls-for-removal-of-election-commissioner-who-served-as-fake-elector/

Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski and the two Democrats on the Senate elections committee are calling for Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) to remove state elections commissioner Robert Spindell from his position.

Democrats are calling for Spindell’s removal because he served as a fake elector following the 2020 presidential election, casting a false Electoral College vote for former President Donald Trump despite Joe Biden’s victory in the state. Last week, Spindell and the nine other Republicans who joined him settled a lawsuit against them for their actions — stating publicly that Biden had won the election and agreeing not to serve as electors for Trump again.

On Monday, Godlewski said Wisconsinites can’t trust Spindell to have a say in how the state’s elections are run.

“Wisconsin Election Commissioner Robert Spindell Jr. admitted that he was not a qualified 2020 presidential elector and co-signed a fraudulent Certificate of Votes and submitted them to my office,” Godlewski said in a statement. “That unlawful certificate was used as part of a larger scheme to overturn the election. The people of Wisconsin cannot trust the integrity and moral compass of Commissioner Spindell to administer our elections. Senator LeMahieu should immediately remove him from Wisconsin’s Election Commission.”

Democrats on the Senate elections committee, Sens. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) and Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) said Monday that Spindell’s admission that he participated in an effort to overturn the election results should be enough for him to resign or for LeMahieu to remove him.

“Bob Spindell has continued to serve without any repercussions for his actions and statements celebrating lower turnout and successful voter suppression,” the two senators said in a statement. “Now, Bob Spindell has admitted his involvement in the scheme to illegally overturn the 2020 presidential election, and it is abundantly clear that the Senate Majority Leader’s excuses and deflections must come to an end. Bob Spindell has admitted to signing and sending false documents claiming that he was a presidential elector for the state of Wisconsin. If there were any remaining questions about whether Bob Spindell should go, they were answered when he finally acknowledged that he signed falsified documents submitted to public officials despite President Joe Biden winning the 2020 election in Wisconsin. Bob Spindell should resign. If he doesn’t, Senator LeMahieu must remove him. We understand the Wisconsin Elections Commission is made up of partisan appointees, but surely Senator LeMahieu can find a different Republican who didn’t attempt to illegally overturn a presidential election. The people of Wisconsin deserve better than Bob Spindell.”

Democratic Rep. Keri Ingle of Lee’s Summit calls for removal of STL area Shrewsberry Rep. Unsicker from Democratic caucus in Missouri

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/missouri-house-democrat-calls-for-ouster-of-shrewsbury-state-rep-from-caucus/article_8b475036-9945-11ee-b25d-e3f3e17972df.html

Rep. Keri Ingle, D-Lee’s Summit, said in a news release that state Rep. Sarah Unsicker of Shrewsbury “failed to denounce” antisemitic attacks, as well as accusations that members of their caucus worked for the Israeli government, in a recent livestreamed conversation with conspiracy theorists.

Her press release said Democratic caucus leadership should “begin the process” of removing her.

“As long as she persists in enabling and spreading this kind of rhetoric, I believe my Democratic colleagues must take swift action to uphold our caucus’ commitment to fight and confront hate and intolerance by ousting her from our ranks,” Ingle said.

Her press release added that Unsicker had helped “propagate hateful, antisemitic, and conspiratorial and racist rhetoric which has hurt people and sparked online harassment campaigns.”

Ohio Legislation for so called “Parent’s Bill Of Rights” gets push back

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/12/13/counselors-psychologists-and-school-officials-speak-out-against-parents-bill-of-rights/

Dozens, including school counselors and psychiatrists, testified Tuesday against a bill in the Ohio Senate that would force schools to notify parents on “sexuality” content, and possibly on a student’s sexuality, calling it “censorship” and potentially risky for students.

“Young people are people who are entitled to their own privacy,” said Mallory Golski, of the Kaleidoscope Youth Center. “Young people are people who should have the freedom to read stories that reflect their own lives and experiences.”

Ohio House Bill 8 could be up for a vote this week, as the bill seeks to put the control of education more into parent’s hands, by allowing them to opt out of certain curricula based on the “sexuality” content. According to one of the bill’s sponsors, state Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, school districts would also be “prohibited from keeping changes in the health of the student from their parent, and the school district is also prohibited from encouraging the student to hide these issues from their parents.”

Amanda Erickson, also of the Kaleidoscope Youth Center, worried about the impact the bill will have on teachers, who may not only be required to speak with parents about information they were told by a student, but could also be impacted themselves, based on their own life choices.

Erickson herself trained as a teacher, before she moved on to the nonprofit sector after graduation. A career in a classroom did not appeal to her after the efforts of the Ohio legislature, now and in the past.

“Why would I want to be a teacher in Ohio when my legislators are so obsessed with gender and sexuality that they do not have time to pass legislation that would actually improve our schools,” Erickson asked of the Senate Education Committee.

Erickson also argued that the law might ban her and others from putting family pictures on her desk, as it might suggest a discussion she’s not allowed to have.

“Since this bill does not define ‘sexual concepts’ or ‘gender ideology,’ there are those who would argue that my wedding photo or the questions it could prompt would qualify as one or the other,” Erickson said.

The committee heard from some that currently are in the education field with members of the Ohio School Psychologists Association and the Ohio School Counselor Association both submitting in opposition to the bill, saying the bill is “not workable,” and ignores parents as an already “key tenet” in a student’s education.

The Missouri and Kansas border war went from civil war to friendly sports rivalry, and is reemerging as a political battle about health care

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/11/university-of-kansas-deal-with-missouri-hospital-feels-terribly-wrong-to-lawmakers/

The proposed takeover of Liberty Hospital in Missouri by the University of Kansas Health System is being greeted with scorn by lawmakers from both sides of the state line and both political parties.

Leading the charge against the takeover in Missouri is Kansas City Democratic state Sen. Greg Razer, who said the idea of KU owning a hospital in suburban Missouri is “terribly wrong.”

“There are boundaries for a reason, and they’ve crossed one,” said Razer, a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The Republican leader of the Kansas Senate also has expressed concern about the takeover, along with at least one member of Liberty Hospital’s board of trustees.

Earlier this month, Razer pre-filed a bill in the Missouri General Assembly that would put a stop to a proposed partnership between the University of Kansas Health System and Liberty Hospital by prohibiting hospital boards to partner with an out-of-state health system “operated by an institution of higher education” without voter approval.

“I can’t imagine the outrage of Missouri taxpayers if we opened up (University of Missouri) Health in Olathe, Kansas,” Razer said, calling the proposed arrangement “mind boggling.”

Liberty Hospital announced in May it was looking to partner with another health system to help it expand to meet growing demand in the Kansas City suburbs north of the Missouri River. In October, it announced it had chosen KU.

The two health systems have signed a letter of intent but are still in negotiations, and the terms of the deal are not yet available. But Liberty Hospital CEO Dr. Raghu Adiga said in an interview Friday that KU had pledged to continue the services the hospital provides, including cardiothoracic surgery and a level-two trauma center.

Adiga said those are rare for a hospital Liberty’s size.

“They put the patients first just like us,” Adiga said, “ensuring high-quality health care that we can provide right here in town.”

In a video announcing the deal in October, he said the partnership “will bring world class clinical excellence across the river to every Northlander’s doorstep.”

Razer said the arrangement would take health care dollars from Missouri to “prop up Kansas,” and feared it would be a recruiting tool for the University of Kansas.

“Liberty has a lot of high school students. … They get great grades. It’s a great school district up there. They’re all going to be driving by a Jayhawk every day in the state of Missouri,” Razer said.

Razer’s primary objection centered on the idea of having a Kansas state institution plant its flag in Missouri.

The University of Kansas Health System is governed by the University of Kansas Hospital Authority, a board established in Kansas statute, primarily appointed by the Kansas governor and affiliated with the University of Kansas School of Medicine. But the health system hasn’t been owned by the state in 25 years. It receives no state or local tax dollars.

Indiana, one of the most “red” states in the union, is struggling to keep up economically speaking

https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/12/13/hoosier-economic-policy-improving-slower-than-competitors-report-says/

Indiana has improved on key economic development criteria in recent years, but has still fallen in national rankings, the influential Indiana Chamber of Commerce found in a report card Tuesday.

The chamber in August released a vision for Indiana in 2035, with 31 goals for the state’s education, entrepreneurship, economic growth, energy and infrastructure, health, quality of place and workforce.

The report cards — expected to be biannual — log progress on 59 metrics related to those goals.

Compared to previous years, the state scored better on about 67% of the metrics — but its national rankings on those metrics improved just 41% of the time.

“What that tells us is that we’re improving overall — but the progress isn’t happening fast enough, because other states are improving at a faster pace,” outgoing President and CEO Kevin Brinegar told reporters Tuesday. “We need to pick up the pace.”

Indiana’s strongest performance was a third-place ranking for the 11% of Hoosiers working in knowledge- and technology-intensive industries, like manufacturing or software development.

It came in fourth for the 63% of foreign-born Hoosiers with science or engineering bachelor’s degrees, as well as for the 10% of non-white workers who are self-employed.

More Rail Service In Colorado… coming soon?

https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/front-range-rail-development/

Front Range Passenger Rail District will get a $500,000 planning grant as part of the federal Corridor ID program, which aims to help development of intercity passenger rail projects. The idea, Bose said, is to get projects into the pipeline for implementation, eventually connecting an entire corridor of cities to rail service.

The Front Range Passenger Rail District, which was created through 2021 legislation, is planning a rail line that would connect cities between Fort Collins and Pueblo.

“Colorado is very, very well positioned in the Corridor ID program,” Bose said, partly because the district has already defined the scope of its service development program and can move forward to the second step of the program. There are “tens of millions of dollars” for project planning now that the scope is set.

The Colorado project is one of 70 that the Federal Railroad Administration selected to get money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

“The fact that we have a federal administration that’s committed to helping us dream up and execute a project like this is not an opportunity that we can take for granted. I think it shows us what kind of a moment we have,” Lew said.

Polis is pushing a housing agenda that encourages development along transit corridors, and he is likely to champion related legislation next year. Though the state is years away from putting Front Range residents onto passenger rail cars, the agenda represents a goal for people to live near their primary mode of transportation and commute more easily without adding traffic congestion.

“Coupled with bus rapid transit and transit oriented neighborhoods, passenger rail is a huge lynchpin in this vision we have for smarter growth, for improving affordability, livability and sustainability as Colorado grows,” Polis said.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Abortion Laws In Missouri and Iowa with Jess Piper, Laura Belin, and Rachel Parker

13 december 2023 | 48 min

Collective Bargain: Bruce Poppovich of UAW Local 1005, a member of a 1,400 person GM plant operation

12 december 2023 | 25 min

Talkin' Politics 12/11/23: Criminalizing Women's Healthcare & Labor Union Impacts on 2024

11 december 2023 | 73 min

Elad Gross for Missouri AG & Response To Unfounded Claims Of Conspiracy

8 december 2023 | 37 min

Friday News Flyover - December 8, 2023 - Government and Elections News Roundup

8 december 2023 | 27 min

Friday News Flyover, December 8, 2023

Intro: On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, December 8th, 2023

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

Texas abortion bans creating legal confusion | MO Pastor jailed facing sexual abuse charges | Sen Josh Hawley and Rep Cori Bush speak against defense bill without funds for St. Louis residents exposed to radiation | AL Senator Tommy Tuberville gives up his misguided military holds | Dolly Parton gives books to millions of kids, if you didn’t know

Welcome to The Heartland POD for a Flyover Friday, this is Sean Diller in Denver, Colorado. With me as co-host today is Adam Sommer, how you doing Adam?

We’re glad to have you with us. If you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media with @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at thehearltandcollective.com

Alright! Let’s get into the stories

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/06/1217637325/texas-woman-asks-court-for-abortion-because-of-pregnancy-complications

Updated Thursday, Dec. 7 at 1:55 p.m.

"Kate Cox needs an abortion, and she needs it now." Thus began a petition filed in a Texas district court this week, asking a judge to allow the abortion to be performed in the state, where abortion is banned with very limited exceptions.

On Thursday, Judge Maya Guerra Gamble of Travis County, Texas, ruled from the bench, granting permission for Cox to have the abortion she is seeking. Cox's fetus has a genetic condition with very low chances of survival and her own health and fertility are at risk if she carries the pregnancy to term.

The petition was filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is the group behind a high profile case heard at the Texas Supreme Court last week.

In that case the group's senior staff attorney Molly Duane argued on behalf of 20 patients and two OB-GYNs that the medical exception to the ban on abortion in the state's laws is too narrow and vague, and that it endangered patients during complicated pregnancies. An attorney for the state argued the exception is already clear and that the plaintiffs didn't have standing to sue.

On the very day of those arguments, Nov. 28, Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two who lives in the Dallas area, got "devastating" news about her pregnancy, the filing says. At nearly 20-weeks gestation, she learned that her fetus has Trisomy 18 or Edwards Syndrome, a condition with extremely low chances of survival.

So, as the Texas Supreme Court considered whether its abortion laws endangered patients with pregnancy complications in the past, Cox was trying to figure out what to do in her present situation.

Cox had already been in the emergency room three times with cramping and other concerning symptoms, according to court documents. Her doctors told her she was at high risk of developing gestational hypertension and diabetes, and because she had had two prior cesarean sections, carrying the pregnancy to term could compromise her chances of having a third child in the future, the brief says.

Last Thursday, she reached out for the Center for Reproductive Rights. Five days after that, the group filed this petition on her behalf.

The filing asked a Travis County district court for a temporary restraining order against the state of Texas and the Texas Medical Board, blocking enforcement of Texas's abortion bans so that Cox can terminate her current pregnancy. It also would block enforcement of S.B. 8, which allows civil lawsuits to be filed against those who help patients receive abortions.

That would protect the other plaintiffs in the case, Cox's husband, Justin, and Dr. Damla Karsan, who is prepared to provide the abortion if the court grants their request. Karsan is one of the OB-GYN plaintiffs in the Zurawski v. the State of Texas case.

Thursday's ruling will allow Karsan to provide an abortion without threat of prosecution. It only applies to Cox, her husband and Karsan. Issuing the ruling, Judge Guerra Gamble said: "The idea that Ms. Cox wants so desperately to be a parent and this law may have her lose that ability is shocking and would be a genuine miscarriage of justice."

There are currently three overlapping abortion bans in Texas. Abortion is illegal in the state from the moment pregnancy begins. Texas doctors can legally provide abortions only if a patient is "in danger of death or a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function, " the law says.

"I don't know what that means," Duane says of the language of the medical exception. "But I think [Cox's] situation must fall within whatever it is that that means."

The Texas Attorney General's office did not respond to a request for comment on Cox's case, but the office argued in the Zurawski case that the medical exception needs no clarification.

Sponsor Message

Texas Alliance for Life, a group that lobbied in the state legislature for the current abortion laws, published a statement about Cox's case Wednesday. "We believe that the exception language in Texas laws is clear," wrote the group's communication director Amy O'Donnell, and accused the Center for Reproductive Rights of pretending to seek clarity while really attempting to "chisel away" at Texas's abortion laws.

The timeline of this case was very quick. "I have to be honest, I've never done this before, and that's because no one's ever done this before," Duane says. "But usually when you ask for a temporary restraining order, the court will act very, very quickly in acknowledgement of the emergency circumstances."

The hearing was held via Zoom on Thursday morning.

The State of Texas cannot appeal the decision directly, says Duane. "They would have to file what's called a writ of mandamus, saying that the district court acted so far out of its jurisdiction and that there needs to be a reversal," Duane explains. "But filing a petition like that is not does not automatically stay the injunction the way that an appeal of a temporary injunction does."

In the meantime, the justices of the Texas Supreme Court are considering the Zurawski case, with a decision expected in the next few months. "I want them to take their time to write an opinion that gets this right and will protect patients, doctors and their families going forward," Duane says.

"But the reality is that in the meantime, people are going to continue to be harmed," and Cox couldn't afford to wait for that decision, Duane says.

Duane praises Cox for her bravery in publicly sharing her story while in the midst of a personal medical crisis. "She's exceptional – but I will also say that the pathway to this has been paved by all the other women in our lawsuit," she says. "There is strength in numbers."

https://www.kmbc.com/article/court-documents-independence-missouri-pastor-charged-child-molestation/46058889

Court documents state that multiple people under the age of 18 accused Virgil Marsh of sexually assaulting them between 2011 and 2018.

Marsh, 71, is now in the Jackson County jail.

He was charged with two counts of first-degree of child molestation and first-degree statutory sodomy.

A probable cause statement indicates that Marsh told police he was a current pastor in Independence and admitted he had "inappropriately touched" one of the victims.

He did tell police he 'potentially kissed' a second victim on the mouth but denied sexually touching them.

He also told police he has asked for forgiveness with God and is no longer the man who "had previously done things to the victim," the probable cause reads.

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/12/07/compensation-for-st-louis-victims-of-nuclear-waste-stripped-from-federal-defense-bill/

Compensation for St. Louis victims of nuclear waste stripped from federal defense bill

Provisions that would have compensated those exposed to radioactive waste left over from the Manhattan Project were removed on Wednesday

BY: ALLISON KITE - DECEMBER 7, 2023 9:03 AM

A joint investigation by The Independent and MuckRock.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said Thursday he would do everything he could to stop a federal defense spending bill after a provision offering compensation to Americans exposed to decades-old radioactive waste was removed.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, the Missouri Republican called the decision to remove compensation for Americans who have suffered rare cancers and autoimmune diseases a “scar on the conscience of this body.”

“This is an injustice,” Hawley said. “This is this body turning its back on these good, proud Americans.”

This summer, the Senate amended the National Defense Authorization Act to expand the existing Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include parts of the St. Louis region where individuals were exposed to leftover radioactive material from the development of the first atomic bomb. It would have also included parts of the Southwest where residents were exposed to bomb testing.

But the provision was removed Wednesday by a conference committee of senators and members of the U.S. House of Representatives working out differences between the two chambers’ versions of the bill.

Even before the text of the amended bill became available Wednesday night, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri was decrying the removal of the radiation compensation policy.

“This is a major betrayal of thousands and thousands of Missourians who have been lied to and ignored for years,” Hawley said in a post on social media Wednesday.

Dawn Chapman, a co-founder of Just Moms STL, fought back tears Wednesday night as she described hearing the “gut-wrenching” news from Hawley’s staff. Chapman and fellow moms have been advocating for families exposed to or near radioactive waste for years.

“I actually thought we had a chance,” Chapman said. But she said the group hopes to get the expansion passed another way.

“Nobody has given up on it,” Chapman said.

The St. Louis region has suffered from a radioactive waste problem for decades. The area was instrumental in the Manhattan Project, the name given to the effort to build an atomic bomb during World War II. Almost 80 years later, residents of St. Louis and St. Charles counties are still dealing with the fallout.

After the war, radioactive waste produced from refining uranium was trucked from downtown St. Louis to several sites in St. Louis County where it contaminated property at the airport and seeped into Coldwater Creek. In the 1970s, remaining nuclear waste that couldn’t be processed to extract valuable metals was trucked to the West Lake Landfill and illegally dumped. It remains there today.

During the Cold War, uranium was processed in St. Charles County. A chemical plant and open ponds of radioactive waste remained at the site in Weldon Spring for years. The site was remediated in the early 2000s, but groundwater contamination at the site is not improving fast enough, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

For years, St. Louis-area residents have pointed to the radioactive waste to explain rare cancers, autoimmune diseases and young deaths. A study by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry found people who lived along Coldwater Creek or played in its waters faced an increased risk of cancer.

Chapman said she knew two individuals who made calls to members of Congress while receiving chemotherapy. It’s hard to ask people to keep fighting for the legislation, she said.

“They’re not going to see another Christmas, and they’re not going to see the compensation from this,” Chapman said. “This won’t help them.”

An investigation by The Missouri Independent, MuckRock and The Associated Press this summer found that the private companies and federal agencies handling and overseeing the waste repeatedly downplayed the danger despite knowledge that it posed a risk to human health.

After the report was published, Hawley decried the federal government’s failures and vowed to introduce legislation to help.

So did U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis. In a statement Wednesday night, she said the federal government’s failure to compensate those who have been harmed by radioactive waste is “straight up negligence.”

“The people of St. Louis deserve better, and they deserve to be able to live without worry of radioactive contamination,” Bush said.

Missouri’s junior senator, Republican Eric Schmitt, grew up near the West Lake Landfill. He said in a statement that the “fight is far from over” and that he will look into other legislation to get victims compensation.

“The careless dumping of this waste happened across Missouri, including in my own backyard of St. Louis, and has negatively impacted Missouri communities for decades,” Schmitt said. “I will not stop fighting until it is addressed.”

Already, two state lawmakers have pre-filed legislation related to radioactive waste in advance of the Missouri General Assembly reconvening in January. One doubles the budget of a state radioactive waste investigation fund. The other requires further disclosure of radioactive contamination when one sells or rents a house.

In July, the U.S. Senate voted 61-37 to adopt Hawley’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act expanding the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include the St. Louis area. It would have also expanded the coverage area to compensate victims exposed to testing of the atomic bomb in New Mexico. The amendment included residents of New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Guam and expanded the coverage area in Nevada, Utah and Arizona, which are already partially covered.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that expanding the program could cost $147.1 billion over 10 years with St. Louis’ portion taking up $3.7 billion of that.

The amendment would have also renewed the program for existing coverage areas. Without renewal, it will expire in the coming months.

Hawley said, however, the “fight is not over.”

“I will come to this floor as long as it takes. I will introduce this bill as long as it takes,” he said. “I will force amendment votes as long as it takes until we compensate the people of this nation who have sacrificed for this nation.”

https://www.azmirror.com/2023/12/06/in-bid-to-flip-the-legislature-blue-national-dems-announce-spending-on-az/

With Republicans holding the barest of majorities in the Arizona Legislature, national Democrats are already making major investments in a bid to flip the state’s legislature blue.

The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee on Wednesday announced it would spend $70,000 in Arizona to aid in candidate recruitment for key races, hiring staff, digital investments and more. The spending is the start of the DLCC’s push in swing states where the committee hopes to either solidify Democratic majorities or pick up seats and win legislative control.

The money is part of an initial $300,000 push in swing states by the DLCC, with Arizona and Michigan getting the lion’s share of the money. The DLCC is also spending money in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

In Arizona, Republicans have one-seat majorities in both the 60-member state House of Representatives and the 30-member state Senate. DLCC interim President Heather Williams told the Arizona Mirror that the committee is hoping to flip the House and Senate in part by highlighting the extreme positions of Republican lawmakers. Many proposed law changes inspired by those extreme positions earned vetoes from Gov. Katie Hobbs earlier this year.

“The Republican majority in both chambers is vulnerable,” Williams said, adding that this is only the committee’s “initial investment,” as the group anticipates spending much more in 2024.

Williams did not elaborate on which Arizona races the group plans to target, but mentioned that the group aims to do something similar to what happened in Virginia this year.

Last month, Virginia Democrats gained control of the House and solidified their control of the Senate. The DLCC hopes to mirror that in Arizona. In that election, all 140 seats in the Virginia legislature were up for grabs, and Democrat wins will block Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s ability to fully enact his conservative agenda.

The DLCC ended up spending more than $2 million in Virginia.

“Here is what we know about Republicans, they are legislating in a way across the country that is not where their constituents are,” Williams said, citing access to abortion and health care for women as key.

Republicans and Democrats are eyeing a number of key state house races for 2024 but Williams is confident that her party will come out on top, adding that the DLCC intends to have a dialogue with voters and to help people get registered to vote.

“I think we feel really strong with our position as an organization,” Williams said, adding that having Hobbs, a former state lawmaker as a Democratic ally in the governorship will offer advantages.

https://alabamareflector.com/2023/12/05/tuberville-relents-on-months-long-blockade-of-most-military-nominees-blaming-democrats/

WASHINGTON — After blocking hundreds of U.S. military promotions for most of 2023 in protest of a Pentagon abortion policy, Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said Tuesday he will lift his holds on all of them except for a handful of four-star general nominees.

The senator, who sits on the Senate Committee on Armed Forces, said he told his fellow Senate Republicans “it’s been a long fight” but ultimately he said Democrats were to blame for stalling hundreds of service members from moving up in the chain of command. Tuberville had said repeatedly that Democrats could bring each of the nominees to the floor for votes, which would take hours of debate.

“We fought hard. We did the right thing for the unborn and for our military, fighting back against executive overreach, and an abortion policy that’s not legal,” Tuberville said after announcing his about-face to his fellow Senate Republicans during their regularly scheduled weekly lunch.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said Tuesday that he would move the nominations to the floor “as soon as possible, possibly later this afternoon.”

“I hope no one does this again, and I hope they learned the lesson of Sen. Tuberville. And that is he held out for many, many months, hurt our national security, caused discombobulation to so many military families who have been so dedicated to our country, and didn’t get anything that he wanted,” Schumer said.

Tuberville has blocked hundreds of nominees since the spring because he opposes a recent Pentagon policy that allows armed services members time off and travel reimbursement should they need to seek an abortion in a state where it remains legal.

Roughly 80,000 active-duty female service members are stationed in states where legislatures enacted full or partial bans following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a RAND analysis.

The Biden administration and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin maintain the policy is legal, as did a 2022 Department of Justice opinion.

The list of nominees affected by Tuberville’s months-long hold grew to 451 members of the military as of Nov. 27, according to a Department of Defense official. Majority staff for the Senate Armed Services Committee list 445 affected nominees.

Tuberville’s agreement to halt his protest means that all but 11 of those nominees are expected to clear final Senate approval, according to figures from committee’s majority staff.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Tuesday that GOP senators are “pleased obviously that that situation seems to have been ameliorated by recent announcements by the senator from Alabama.”

Sen. Jack Reed, chair of the Senate Armed Forces Committee, said in a statement Tuesday he’s “glad that hundreds of our nation’s finest military leaders will finally receive their hard-won, merit-based promotions.”

“They, and their families, have shown us what grace and grit look like in the face of hardship. Senator Tuberville’s actions have been an affront to the United States military and the Senate,” said Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island.

“He has jeopardized our national security and abused the rights afforded to all Senators. No Senator should ever attempt to advance their own partisan agenda on the backs of our troops like this again.”

Threat of Democratic-led procedure change

Tuberville’s change in course arrived as Schumer was poised to bring to the floor a Democratic-led rules resolution to bypass the Alabama senator’s blockade.

The proposed temporary change in floor process would have allowed senators to quickly approve large blocs of nominations simultaneously on the floor, saving hours and hours that would have been required to vote on each individually.

Tuberville said Tuesday that he and fellow Republican senators decided they did not want to see any changes to Senate floor procedures and that is the reason he decided to lift his blockade.

“All of us are against a rule change in the Senate, OK. We’re all against it,” Tuberville said.

The Alabama senator’s own Republican colleagues have grown publicly frustrated with his stalling of military promotions.

GOP senators, including Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Joni Ernst of Iowa and Todd Young of Indiana, have on two occasions held the Senate floor into the wee hours bringing forward the names of nominees, only to meet Tuberville’s objections.

Some frustrated Republicans last week mulled whether to support the Democratic-led effort to override Tuberville’s blockade. Democrats would have needed nine of them to pass the change in procedure.

“I have said that right now I support Tommy Tuberville, but if he makes a statement that he’s going to maintain this posture through this Congress I intend to vote for nominations under the rules suspension,” Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina told States Newsroom Nov. 29.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/12/06/ohio-senate-wants-to-stop-you-from-growing-weed-house-fights-back/

Ohio Senate wants to stop you from growing weed; House fights back

BY: MORGAN TRAU - DECEMBER 6, 2023 4:55 AM

While Ohio Senate Republicans move to dramatically change recreational marijuana policy, the House is fighting back in a bipartisan fashion — saying the will of the voters must be followed.

On Thursday, adults 21 and older in Ohio will be able to smoke weed and grow up to six plants.

When Issue 2 passed in November, state Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) knew he could be part of clarifying public policy. He invited WEWS/OCJ’s Morgan Trau to his introduction of H.B. 354 in a “skeleton” session Tuesday morning. Skeleton sessions are when typically two lawmakers gather with the House clerk and take less than five minutes to introduce policy.

“We preserve the things that the people voted on,” he told Trau after he banged the gavel and Finance Chair state Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) watched.

Callender, who has been an outspoken supporter of marijuana, has been working on recreational implementation for years. Issue 2 came after all of his efforts were purposely stalled in the Statehouse.

“The Marijuana Legalization Initiative” allows Ohioans to grow up to six plants, with 12 per household. In addition, the proposal would impose a 10% tax at the point of sale for each transaction. It also establishes the Division of Cannabis Control within the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Ohioans voted in favor of the statute 57-43%.

“I’m glad it passed and I’m excited that we’re going to be able to take some of these measures that make it a more responsible act,” Callender said. “I want to make sure that here in this chamber, the People’s House, that we carry out the will of the people — and the people have spoken.”

His bill doesn’t make major changes, but it does add safeguards — like guidelines on advertising, public smoking bans and provisions that give local governments more of a say in where tax revenue goes. It also explains that home grow must take place at residential addresses.

“We’ve seen folks aggregate those six plants and, in essence, create a mega farm which is simply an aggregation or a co-op of a whole lot of home grows,” he said, saying that he is trying to prevent that.

The bill, one that Callendar says has bipartisan support in the House, deeply contrasts the Senate’s version.

The proposal by state Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) also includes guard rails to prevent exposure to children, including advertising guidelines. It would require marijuana to be packaged in a child-resistant container and prevents “cartoon character” or other pop culture figures whose target audience is a child from being used in weed marketing.

However, those safety guidelines are the end of the common ground.

The Senate proposal would reduce how much weed you could possess from 2.5 ounces to 1 ounce and 15 grams of marijuana concentrates to 5 grams; It would make weed less strong by limiting THC levels for plants to 25%, when the minimum was 35%. In addition, it would limit extracts to 50%, when the minimum was 90%; and it would make marijuana more expensive by raising the tax from 10% to 15%.

It also changes where the taxes go.

As mentioned, it was a 10% tax at the point of sale. It was 36% revenue to the cannabis social equity and jobs fund; 36% to the host community cannabis fund to provide funds to jurisdictions with adult-use dispensaries; 25% to the substance abuse and addiction fund; and 3% to the division of cannabis control and tax commissioner fund. Issue 2 capped the number of dispensaries permitted at once to 350, but the bill cuts that down to 230.

The Senate version ups to 15% tax at the point of sale. It is 30% to the law enforcement training fund, 15% to the marijuana substance abuse treatment and prevention fund, 10% to the safe driver training fund, and the remaining 45% goes to the grand revenue fund — aka, the state lawmakers.

“The social equity program — when you really got down to the nuts and bolts of it — it was tax revenue being collected to be put right back into the hands of the industry,” McColley said. “It was a tax grab by the industry to prop up more dispensaries within the industry.”

The “Social Equity and Jobs Program” was established by Issue 2. It is designed to fix “the harms resulting from the disproportionate enforcement of marijuana-related laws” and “reduce barriers to ownership and opportunity” to those “most directly and adversely impacted by the enforcement of marijuana-related laws,” according to the initiative.

The most significant change is the proposal eliminates home grow.

“The opposition has been all around the black market,” McColley said. “It’s been around, ‘how do we keep these plants from then being transferred and sold illegally?'”

After facing backlash, McColley assured he wasn’t going against the will of the people, since he believes that the voters didn’t really know everything that they were voting on.

“I think what the voters really voted for would have been access to products,” the senator added.

Clearly, the voters want home grow, Callender argued. Access to products means access to home grow, he said.

It isn’t just Callender who is frustrated with the legislation moving through the other chamber. Dozens of Republican and Democratic representatives are infuriated with the Senate.

One with a unique perspective is state Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Twp.) The Senate took his legislation, H.B. 86, that revised the limit on the gallons of spirituous liquor that a micro-distillery may manufacture each year and added their marijuana proposal onto his bill.

“Slap in the face of Ohio voters,” LaRe told WEWS/OCJ.

The lawmaker doesn’t support recreational marijuana, but he does respect the will of Ohioans, he added.

“It’s unfortunate they want to use a bill that is focused on helping certain small businesses recover from the pandemic to fast-track language that changes the intent of the ballot initiative,” he said. “I believe we should look into where the tax dollars are spent, but this goes way beyond those details.”

Democrats agree. House Minority Whip State Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) says she can’t and won’t support the Senate version.

“I’m not a fan of turning my back on the Ohio voters and the will of what they said when they overwhelmingly passed Issue 2,” Miranda said.

When asked what happens if the two chambers don’t reach a compromise, Callender said he will be in better standing — since the House can just block the Senate version.

“I’m okay with just letting the initiated statute go into effect, which is a pretty strong bargaining position,” he said. “If we don’t come up with an agreement, I’ll trust the rule-making process, trust Commerce to make good rules to do this.”

The Senate is expected to pass the marijuana bill out of committee Wednesday morning, putting it on the floor for a full vote later in the day. The House version is set to be heard Wednesday, as well.

This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.

Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/dolly-parton-imagination-library-officially-launches-statewide-in-illinois

Pritzker says goal is to send free books to all children, ages 0-5

By PETER HANCOCK

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois families with infants and toddlers now have access to free children’s books that can be sent directly to their home, regardless of their income.

Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the official launch of the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program founded by the country music legend in 1995 in her home county in east Tennessee. It now sends free books every month to nearly 3 million children in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland.

“Today, I couldn't be prouder to announce that the Imagination Library is working with the state of Illinois to begin our journey to provide every child under the age of five an opportunity to receive a free book delivered to them every single month,” Pritzker said at an event at the Bloomington Public Library.

Pritzker first announced in June that the state had formed a partnership with the Dollywood Foundation, Parton’s philanthropic organization, after Illinois lawmakers included $1.6 million in this year’s budget to fund the state’s share of the program. Other funding comes from the Dollywood Foundation and local, county-based organizations.

Since then, about 44 local programs have been operating in the state, serving roughly 4 percent of eligible children. But Dollywood Foundation executive director Nora Briggs said the goal is to reach all of the estimated 755,000 children under age 5 in Illinois.

“We know that nothing is more basic, more essential, more foundational to a child's success in life than the ability to read,” Briggs said. “The research is clear. We cannot wait until kindergarten for children to have access or exposure to books. It must happen early. It must start in the home environment. And reading at home requires books.”

People who are interested in enrolling their child in the program can find their local provider on the “check availability” tab located at imaginationlibrary.com. From there, applicants submit basic information including their address, their child’s name and date of birth, and the parents’ information.

Once a child’s eligibility is approved, they will start receiving one book each month, addressed to them. Each child within an age group receives the same monthly book. Books on the distribution list are chosen by a panel of early childhood literacy experts who review potential titles for inclusion in the distribution list.

In addition to funding the Imagination Library program this year, lawmakers also approved Pritzker’s “Smart Start Illinois” initiative that will provide $250 million this year for early childhood programs, including expanded access to preschool, wage support for child care workers, early intervention programs, and home visiting programs.

“We're making our mark on every aspect of early childhood, and working with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library literacy efforts will begin now at the earliest ages,” Pritzker said. “Illinois is well on its way to solidifying our status as the number one state in the nation to raise young children.”

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

Stories in today’s show originally appeared in the Missouri Independent, Capitol News Illinois, Alabama Reflector, Michigan Advance, Arizona Mirror, KMBC9 Kansas City, Ohio Capital Journal, and NPR News

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

TRIGGER WARNING: Abortion Petition Roulette In Missouri & "The Daily Show" Platforms A Former OB/GYN Who Abused His Patients

6 december 2023 | 39 min

Collective Bargain - Your Union Sister: Alana, Base Council Rep for Association of Professional Flight Attendants and member AFACWA

5 december 2023 | 43 min

Talkin' Politics 12/3/23: 2024 Momentum Shifts?; Iowa GOP Money Telling An Interesting Story

4 december 2023 | 86 min

Friday News Flyover for December 1, 2023 - TX Gov Abbott's voucher crusade, Cruz and Cornyn stand up for a billionaire, Ohio booting huge numbers of its residents off Medicaid, GOP AGs gang up on queer foster kids, and more

1 december 2023 | 18 min

Flyover Friday, December 1, 2023

Intro: On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, December 1st, 2023

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

Welcome to The Heartland POD for a Flyover Friday, this is Sean Diller in Denver, Colorado. With me as co-host today is Adam Sommer, how you doing Adam?

We’re glad to have you with us. If you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on social media with @ THE heartland pod, and learn more at thehearltandcollective.com

Alright! Let’s get into the stories

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/28/new-article-greg-abbott-school-vouchers-hugh-shine-endorse/

Gov. Greg Abbott is starting to make good on his threat to politically target fellow Republicans who oppose school vouchers, issuing his first endorsement of a primary challenger to a House member who has helped thwart his top legislative priority of the year.

Abbott on Tuesday backed Hillary Hickland, an activist mother who is running against Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple. Shine was one of 21 Republicans who voted earlier this month to strip a voucher provision out of an education bill, delivering the most decisive blow yet to the governor’s agenda.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/16/texas-house-school-vouchers/

The Texas House on Friday voted to strip school vouchers from the chamber’s massive education funding bill, taking an ax to Gov. Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority of the year.

The House voted 84-63 in favor of an amendment offered by Rep. John Raney, R-College Station, which removed the provision of the bill allowing some parents to use tax dollars to send their children to private and religious schools. Twenty-one Republicans, most of whom represent rural districts, joined all Democrats in support.

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/29/missouri-attorney-general-opposes-proposed-federal-rule-supporting-lgbtq-foster-kids/

“Because of family rejection and abuse,” the Biden administration said in a September press release, LGBTQ children are “overrepresented in foster care where they face poor outcomes, including mistreatment and discrimination because of who they are.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey this week joined with 18 other states to oppose a proposed federal rule that aims to protect LGBTQ youth in foster care and provide them with necessary services.

The attorneys general argue in a letter to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services that the proposed rule — which requires states to provide safe and appropriate placements with providers who are appropriately trained about the child’s sexual orientation or gender identity — amounts to religion-based discrimination and violates freedom of speech.

“As a foster parent myself,” Bailey said in a news release Tuesday, “I am deeply invested in protecting children and putting their best interests first.”

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/11/30/senate-clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-john-cornyn-ted-cruz/

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz were among several Republicans who bolted from a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting Thursday to protest subpoenaing Dallas-based conservative donor Harlan Crow.

The committee’s Democrats are seeking records over payments, gifts and travel Crow reportedly provided Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, some of which were not initially listed on financial disclosures. The committee’s GOP members cast the subpoena authorization as a partisan attack against one of the most conservative members of the court and a private citizen.

"This is an outrageous attempt to target private citizens without any legitimate legislative purpose," Cornyn told reporters after the meeting. "If you can go after a private citizen … for a non-legislative prupose, you essentially can target for political reasons any American citizen at any time in the future. And that is a dangerous, dangerous place to go."

https://www.propublica.org/article/clarence-thomas-scotus-undisclosed-luxury-travel-gifts-crow

IN LATE JUNE 2019, right after the U.S. Supreme Court released its final opinion of the term, Justice Clarence Thomas boarded a large private jet headed to Indonesia. He and his wife were going on vacation: nine days of island-hopping in a volcanic archipelago on a superyacht staffed by a coterie of attendants and a private chef.

If Thomas had chartered the plane and the 162-foot yacht himself, the total cost of the trip could have exceeded $500,000. Fortunately for him, that wasn’t necessary: He was on vacation with real estate magnate and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, who owned the jet — and the yacht, too.

For more than two decades, Thomas has accepted luxury trips virtually every year from the Dallas businessman without disclosing them, documents and interviews show. A public servant who has a salary of $285,000, he has vacationed on Crow’s superyacht around the globe. He flies on Crow’s Bombardier Global 5000 jet. He has gone with Crow to the Bohemian Grove, the exclusive California all-male retreat, and to Crow’s sprawling ranch in East Texas. And Thomas typically spends about a week every summer at Crow’s private resort in the Adirondacks.

The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court.

These trips appeared nowhere on Thomas’ financial disclosures. His failure to report the flights appears to violate a law passed after Watergate that requires justices, judges, members of Congress and federal officials to disclose most gifts, two ethics law experts said. He also should have disclosed his trips on the yacht, these experts said.

Thomas did not respond to a detailed list of questions.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/11/30/over-342000-ohioans-have-lost-their-medicaid-coverage-since-april/

Ohioans may be contacted up to eight times — through the mail, text messages and phone calls — before being unenrolled from Medicaid, Lawless said.

But if someone has moved, changed their number or doesn’t have internet access they might not have been notified about potentially losing their coverage.

“If they can’t get a hold of you after a few times you can just get kicked off,” Poe said. “People are just getting kicked off of their health care coverage, because Medicaid can’t find them. And that feels really rather unacceptable to me.”

More than 3 million Ohioans are enrolled in Medicaid and the Medicaid renewal process starts 60 days before their annual renewal date. Ohioans receive a final notice of disenrollment before losing their coverage, Lawless said.

Ohioans can renew their Medicaid coverage by returning a completed renewal packet to their county Jobs and Families Services office, by calling 1-844-640-6466 or online through the Ohio Benefits eligibility portal.

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Twitter.

https://www.warrencountyrecord.com/stories/giving-parents-options-is-the-free-market-approach-to-education,90867

For many of our friends and neighbors, public schools are the right place for their children to be educated. In our small towns, the public school is the center of the community. Unfortunately, a one-size-fits-all approach to education doesn’t work well for the entire state or for every child.

In Missouri, we should provide options for school choice so families choose an education that fits their children’s needs. I believe so strongly in our public schools and their ability to serve students, that I know providing some families a choice will not hurt our public education system. Legislators, like me, can be pro-education and pro-education options.

School choice provides families with the flexibility to choose the best educational environment for their children. This could mean traditional public schools, charter schools, private schools, virtual schools, and homeschooling. The key is putting the power back into the hands of parents, allowing them to make decisions based on what they believe is best for their children.

I believe that we can, and should, agree that one-size-fits-all does not fit all when it comes to education. Each child is unique, with different learning styles, interests, and needs. School choice recognizes this and acknowledges that parents are in the best position to understand their child’s individual requirements. By allowing parents to choose the educational setting that aligns with their child’s needs, we can foster a community where every student can thrive.

Critics likely will argue that education freedom might divert resources away from public schools, but the reality is quite the opposite. When parents have the option to choose, schools are incentivized to improve and innovate to attract students. Moreover, school choice promotes economic empowerment by allowing parents to invest in their children’s education. Education is an investment in the future, and when parents can direct their education dollars to the school of their choice, they are more engaged and invested in their child’s success. This active involvement creates a positive ripple effect, strengthening the entire community.

In some of Missouri’s urban areas, the ultimate outcome of our public school system is prison or death. Many kids graduate without being able to read or write.

Here in Rural Missouri, we pride ourselves on our strong sense of community, and school choice aligns with our values of individual freedom and personal responsibility. Giving parents the freedom to make decisions that impact their children’s education falls in-line with that personal responsibility. The fears of schools using school choice as a tool for recruiting for athletics fails to account for the above mentioned sense of community.

This is why I believe that school choice programs that have seen success in Missouri’s urban areas should be expanded. The Missouri Scholars Program was started last year and allows for qualifying families based on need to receive a scholarship for $6,375 to use towards the educational needs of their children, like tuition. The reality is that many members of our community don’t qualify for this program or wouldn’t use it because they are satisfied with their public education.

However, for the few that need a different option for their children, this scholarship is essential to provide another option. Unfortunately, right now only residents of St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, Clay County, Jackson County, Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Springfield, Jefferson City, St. Joseph, and Joplin. There’s no reason why our area of the state shouldn’t also be included in that list.

As your representative, I am committed to supporting policies that prioritize the well-being and success of our community. I am committed to making the public schools in our area the very best that they can be. To me, this is not a partisan issue. It’s about putting our children first and ensuring they have access to the best possible education. I urge you to consider the benefits of school choice.

Well that’s it for me. From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Stories featured in today’s show appeared first in the Missouri Independent, Ohio Capital Journal, Texas Tribune, Pro Publica, and the Warren County Record in the blessed land of Warrenton, MO.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Bleeding Heartland: Laura Belin's Community Blog About Iowa Politics

29 november 2023 | 49 min

Robert Huffman Organizing Cannabis Farmers In Colorado

28 november 2023 | 45 min

Talkin' Politics - 11/27/23: Red State Brain Drain; Pay To Play Primaries?; MO Abortion Rights Petitions ; Wisconsin Gerrymandering; Fighting Trump's Lies; Boebert Better Bail

27 november 2023 | 87 min

Talkin' Politics Thanksgiving Week Feast 2023 | We Got Polls (Polls!) In Different Area Codes; Trump Engaged In Insurrection; Speaker Johnson's Theocratic Aims; Missouri AG Okay With Corruption?; Future Of "The Heartland Collective" website, coming 2024

20 november 2023 | 127 min

Friday News Flyover - Nov. 17, 2023 - Senate GOP fails to stop Biden on student loans - Ohio abortion and Senate updates - Illinois paves the way for nuclear, and more

17 november 2023 | 16 min

Title: Flyover Friday, November 10, 2023

Intro: On this episode of The Heartland POD for Friday, November 17, 2023

A flyover from this weeks top heartland stories including:

GOP Senators can’t stop Biden’s student loan plans

Illinois legislature approves plan for Small Nuclear Reactors
Ohio Republicans can’t take a hint
Ohio Secretary of State misses personal financial disclosure deadline
Biden Administration expands veterans’ health care
Democrat Dan Kildee of Michigan is retiring

Welcome to The Heartland POD for a Flyover Friday, this is Sean Diller in Denver, Colorado.

We’re glad to have you with us. If you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe and leave a 5 star rating wherever you listen. You can also find Heartland POD content on Youtube and on Twitter @ THE heartland pod. Alright! Let’s get into the stories

https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/attempt-to-kill-biden-student-debt-relief-plan-tied-to-income-fails-in-u-s-senate/

Senate Republicans fail to kill President Joe Biden’s income-based student debt relief plan

BY: ARIANA FIGUEROA - NOVEMBER 16, 2023 7:10 AM

WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia was the sole Democrat who joined Republicans in backing the resolution, which was 2 votes short of passing.

Following the vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said “There are millions of students, poor, working class … who will benefit from what the president has done. Republicans don’t think twice about giving huge tax breaks to ultra-wealthy billionaires and large corporations, but when it comes to helping out working families with student debt relief, suddenly it’s too much money, it will raise the deficit, we can’t afford it. Give me a break.”

The Department of Education unveiled the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan hours after the Supreme Court in June struck down the Biden administration’s one-time student debt cancellation that would have forgiven up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for anyone making less than $125,000 per year.

Borrowers who received Pell Grants would have been eligible for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness of federal student loans.

The new income-driven repayment plan calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years. More than 5.5 million student loan borrowers have already enrolled in the SAVE plan, according to data released by the Department of Education.

Repayments on federal student loans restarted last month after a nearly three-year pause due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the SAVE plan, borrowers with undergraduate loans will pay 5% of their discretionary income, rather than the 10% required under previous income repayment plans.

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/illinois-lawmakers-approve-plan-to-allow-small-scale-nuclear-development

Illinois lawmakers approve small-scale nuclear development

Thursday, November 9, 2023

Governor, who vetoed previous bill, supports new effort

By ANDREW ADAMS

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers on Thursday approved a proposal that would allow companies to develop new nuclear power generation in Illinois for the first time since 1987.

House Bill 2473 does not entirely lift the 36-year-old moratorium on nuclear construction, but rather creates a regulatory structure for the construction of small modular nuclear reactors, or SMRs.

The bill limits the nameplate capacity of such reactors to 300 megawatts, about one-third the size of the smallest of the six existing nuclear power plants in Illinois. It also requires the state to perform a study that will inform rules for regulating SMRs, which will be adopted by regulators at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency by January 2026.

Proponents of the measure say it is a step to make the ongoing transition away from fossil fuels more reliable for customers throughout the state, while opponents warn the unproven technology comes with safety risks and the potential for cost overruns.

The bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, 44-7, and the House, 98-8. The opposition came exclusively from Democrats.

Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that he would sign the bill. He worked with lawmakers on the new bill after vetoing a broader measure this summer.

Leadership of the Illinois AFL-CIO umbrella labor organization released a statement Thursday calling the policy “important for our state’s economy and our clean energy future.”

It echoed a release from the Illinois Manufacturers Association, an industry advocacy group that testified in support of the proposal several times, saying that it would allow the state to “continue leading in energy and manufacturing innovation.”

The legislation’s sponsors, Republican State Sen. Sue Rezin, and Democratic State Rep. Lance Yednock said the bill has the potential to bolster Illinois’ electric reliability as intermittent sources like wind and solar begin to make up a larger portion of the state’s energy output.

Sen. Rezin said she is particularly interested in the potential for SMRs to be developed at the sites of former coal plants in Illinois, avoiding the need to build new transmission lines.

Because permitting nuclear energy takes many years at the federal level, the earliest a nuclear project could be brought online in Illinois would be in the 2030s.

But critics of the bill and of nuclear power are worried.

David Kraft, an outspoken critic of nuclear energy and head of the Chicago-based advocacy group Nuclear Energy Information Service, urged lawmakers at a Thursday committee meeting to reject the bill.

Kraft said he was concerned about the lack of existing SMR installations and the unproven nature of the technology. While some nuclear reactors of this scale do exist in other countries, no commercial SMRs have ever been built in the United States.

In a follow-up interview, Kraft said that SMRs bring with them security concerns, as the smaller installations have different staffing requirements than traditional reactors and use a more highly enriched type of uranium. This relative abundance of this uranium, according to Kraft, could incentivize the further proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Sierra Club Illinois chapter director Jack Darin called nuclear energy “at best, a distraction.” Sierra Club was one of the main advocacy organizations that sought Pritzker’s veto of the previous bill.

Since 2016, five other state legislatures have either repealed or weakened their bans on nuclear construction. Counting Illinois, bans on nuclear construction remain on the books in 11 states.

Several of the states that have lifted their bans in recent years have done so to pave the way for SMR technology. But the biggest player in that industry has seen several upsets in recent weeks.

As lawmakers debated the bill on Wednesday, NuScale Power – the only company with a federally approved SMR design – announced that it was canceling its highly watched “Carbon Free Power Project” in Utah, which would have been the first commercial project with a NuScale reactor.

The project’s cancelation comes after months of falling stock prices and criticism from trading firms. Still, its leaders say the company will continue with its other projects, which are at various steps of regulation and planning.

Bill sponsor Sen. Rezin noted that “there’s a lot to learn” from NuScale’s canceled project, but hopes Illinois’ and other states’ moves to reverse their construction bans will encourage nuclear energy development in the U.S.

She said “If we do not build out this technology with companies that are in the United States, there’s other companies and countries such as Russia that are looking to sell that technology. We don’t want that.”

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/11/16/ohio-senate-gop-floats-idea-of-15-week-abortion-ban-despite-voters-saying-no/

Ohio Senate GOP floats 15-week abortion ban despite voters saying no

BY: MORGAN TRAU - NOVEMBER 16, 2023 5:00 AM

The Ohio Senate president has floated the idea of a 15-week abortion ban following voters decisively choosing to keep lawmakers out of their reproductive care.

The debate over Issue 1 continues at the Statehouse. Some fringe and alt-right Republican House representatives are infuriated with the voters who stood up to secure abortion rights in the state.

Issue 1, the proposal to enshrine abortion access into the state constitution, passed 57-43% on election night. Despite this large victory, Statehouse Republicans have been mulling over ways to combat it.

State Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) is seemingly leading this fight with other far-right representatives Bill Dean (R-Xenia), Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) and Beth Lear (R-Galena). The quartet is described by other Ohio Republicans as being on the extreme end of their caucus due to anti-vaccine beliefs, peddling of conspiracy theories, and attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.

Describing a potential 15-week abortion ban, GOP Senate President Matt Huffman said “clearly there is a majority of people in Ohio” who want the ban - however, that would of course be the opposite of what the voters just said a week ago. ere are no statistics to prove this, and based on the language of Issue 1, the voters chose not to have any restrictions before viability.

Statehouse reporter Morgan Trau asked President Huffman “Would 15 weeks be going against the will of the people?”

He said he didn’t know.

After the election where Ohioans stood up to demand abortion rights, the Senate President said this “wasn’t the end” and there would be a “revolving door” of repeal efforts.

This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/11/16/sec-frank-larose-misses-deadline-for-u-s-senate-financial-disclosures/

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose misses extended reporting deadline in U.S. Senate race. He’s the only one who didn’t file.

BY: NICK EVANS - NOVEMBER 16, 2023 4:55 AM

The three Republican candidates hoping to topple U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, go before voters in a few months, and by now should’ve disclosed information about their personal finances. Two of them, state Sen. Matt Dolan and entrepreneur Bernie Moreno, have done so. But after filing an extension through Nov. 14, though, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose still has not.

In both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, candidates and members have to regularly file disclosures that describe their financial positions, assets and liabilities. But the reports stick to broad strokes. Filers name their mutual funds, for instance, but the amount of their holdings are bracketed — $1,001-$15,000, $15,001-$50,000, etc.

Current U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown reported about $27,000 in retirement income from his time as a state official. His U.S. Senate income doesn’t need to be disclosed, nor do his U.S. Senate retirement accounts.

Brown also reports serving as a trustee at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. since 2008.

Under U.S. Senate rules, candidates must file financial disclosure reports within 30 days of becoming a candidate. LaRose announced his candidacy July 17, and filed for a financial disclosure extension August 9. That extension gave him until November 14 to file his report.

Despite that 90-day reprieve, LaRose still has yet to file. The Ohio Capital Journal reached out to his campaign to see if the report has been filed but not yet posted or if the campaign has requested a further extension. The campaign did not respond.

Late filing carries a $200 penalty and failing to file or filing a false report carries a civil penalty of up to $50,000.

LaRose’s failure to file thus far is particularly notable given a $250,000 personal loan he made to his campaign in September. While his Republican opponents have loaned their campaigns significantly more money, LaRose’s previous disclosures from his time as a state lawmaker don’t suggest he’d have that much cash readily available.

Chagrin Falls Republican Matt Dolan comes from a wealthy family that owns the Cleveland Guardians baseball team. In addition to serving in the legislature, Dolan has worked in the Geauga County prosecutor’s office and as an Assistant Attorney General.

The state senator’s investment holdings are vast—including stocks from more than 250 companies, more than 50 mutual funds and bonds. He reports a Morgan Stanley money market account with more than $1 million alone as well as several mutual funds worth more than half a million dollars each.

Dolan also reports a handful of retirement accounts, partial ownership of several LLCs and real estate. One residential building brought in more than $50,000 in rent.

In addition to his income Dolan holds personal line of credit with Morgan Stanley worth at least $5 million. The interest rate for that credit line is just 5.96% according to Dolan’s amended report — roughly 2.5 percentage points below the current prime rate.

Dolan has loaned his campaign a total of $7 million.

Next, there’s Bernie Moreno

If anything, Moreno’s disclosure is even more complex. The Westlake entrepreneur began his business career selling cars, and his report describes his role as director of 17 different automotive business entities, most of which are no longer operating. But from cars, Moreno has branched into several other lines of business including real estate and tech.

Moreno’s assets are held in a series of trusts, and the report includes several notes about partial ownership and recent sales. He owns 65% of Dryver, LLC, for instance, which the report values at between $5 million and $25 million. Moreno recently sold off his stake in a different company called Champ Titles, and reports making more than $5 million on the deal.

He has investments worth at least half a million dollars in handful of Tel Aviv companies working technology, social media investing and healthcare AI. Moreno has also invested in Narya, the venture capital firm U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-OH, started before running for office. Vance has endorsed Moreno’s senate bid.

Moreno also reports owning millions in residential and commercial real estate. He owns 43% of a home in Ocean Reef, FL worth at least $5 million. It appears the property is a rental because it generated more than $50,000 in income. Moreno also owns a 1% stake condos located in Washington, D.C., and New York City, as well as a $1 million unimproved parcel in Zapotal, Costa Rica, and at least $1.5MM sitting in two checking accounts.

Moreno has loaned his campaign $3 million.

https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/veterans-health-care-coverage-expanded-by-biden-administration/

Biden Administratoin expands Veterans’ health care coverage

BY: JACOB FISCHLER - NOVEMBER 10, 2023 4:01 AM

Officials said the Department of Veterans Affairs will expand health care coverage for certain groups of veterans and their families, and create new programs meant to make care more accessible.

The VA will make coverage of certain toxic burn pit-related conditions available sooner than anticipated. Family members of veterans who served at North Carolina’s Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune from between 1953 and 1987 will be eligible to have the costs of treating Parkinson’s disease covered. And all living World War II veterans will be eligible for no-cost health care, including at nursing homes, the department said in a series of news releases.

The administration will also create a new graduate medical education program to help expand health care availability for veterans in rural, tribal and other underserved communities. And the VA will spend $5 million on an advertising campaign aimed at having more veterans sign up for services.

https://michiganadvance.com/2023/11/16/dan-kildee-dean-of-michigans-u-s-house-delegation-wont-run-for-reelection-in-2024/

Dan Kildee, dean of Michigan’s U.S. House delegation, won’t run for reelection in 2024

Retirement leaves open a key seat made more competitive with redistricting

BY: KEN COLEMAN - NOVEMBER 16, 2023 1:53 PM

Kildee, who is 65, said a cancer diagnosis this year caused him to reassess his career plans.

Kildee’s retirement from the 8th Congressional District including Genesee, Bay and Saginaw counties and portions of Midland County, leaves open a seat made more competitive during the last redistricting process. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter has moved the seat from “leans Democratic” to a “tossup.”

A number of candidates could line up to run in 2024 from both parties. Republican Martin Blank, a surgeon, has already declared. Other Republicans who could run are last year’s nominee Paul Junge, former House Speaker Tom Leonard and state Rep. Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland).

On the Democratic side, potential candidates could include former Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint), Flint Mayor Sheldon Neely, state Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City), former state Rep. Pam Farris (D-Clio) and state Sen. John Cherry (D-Flint).

In a 2020 interview with the Michigan Advance, Kildee recalled having only been in Congress for a few years when news of the Flint water crisis broke.

“That was one of those moments where I knew why I was there. I knew exactly why I was in Congress. I had to go to bat for my hometown because they only had one member of Congress, and I had to persuade a whole bunch of people to help me out with Flint.”

Kildee has served as a leader in the House Democratic caucus and has been a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). He is the co-chair of the House Democratic Steering Committee.

Pelosi told the Advance in 2020 that Kildee “has proudly carried on his family’s long legacy of service, becoming a tremendous champion for the people of Flint and all Michiganders” as part of leadership.

“As a powerful member of the Ways and Means Committee, his persistent, dissatisfied leadership has delivered critical resources to strengthen and develop his community and ensure that our budget remains a reflection of our nation’s values. Congressman Kildee’s bold vision and expert guidance as chief deputy whip has been invaluable to House Democrats as we work to advance progress that make a difference in the lives of hard-working families in Michigan and across the country.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said through a statement that “no one fights harder for his constituents than Dan Kildee.

“Congressman Kildee knows the Bay region like the back of his Michigan mitten, and I am so grateful for our productive partnership,” Whitmer said. “I am grateful for our collaboration to bring progress to areas of Michigan that too many left behind. We brought good-paying, middle-class manufacturing jobs back to Flint, worked to lower the cost of prescription drugs with President Biden, and delivered on the issues that make a real difference in people’s lives.”

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) called Kildee’s retirement “a huge loss for Congress, for Michigan, and for me personally. The center of his work is and always has been his hometown of Flint, for which he has fiercely advocated especially in the darkest hour of the Flint water crisis,” Slotkin said. “While I’m thankful I have another year to work with him, and thrilled that he is moving on to his next chapter, this departure stings.”

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) said that Kildee “will be missed. His deep knowledge of many issues and his concern for others has made a difference in countless lives, and his years of service have benefited our country in many ways,”

Advance Editor Susan J. Demas contributed to this story.

We will definitely have more on the developing primary picture for this open seat in Michigan, as well as the new open seat in Virginia as Abby Spanberger runs for Governor, and everything else that happens as we are now just a couple of short months from the 2024 primary season.

Well that’s it for me. From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Stories featured in today’s show appeared first in the Kansas Reflector, Michigan Advance, Ohio Capitol Journal, Missouri Independent and Capital News Illinois. Thanks for listening, see you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Let's Have A Chat 11/15/23 | Missouri Initiative Petition Process with Jeff Basinger, An Abortion Rights IP Attempt Challenged By MO SOS Jay Ashcroft

15 november 2023 | 28 min

Collective Bargain - 11/14/23: Glenn Kage Jr. is joined by MO State Rep Candidate Jen Tracy (D- MO 120th) to talk about Jen's run for Missouri's State House

14 november 2023 | 40 min

Talkin' Politics - 11/13/23 | CW Gardner's Big New Book For "Josh"; Is Beshear's Win In KY A Model for Quade In MO?; Did You HearAbout The NY Times Poll On Biden and Trump?

13 november 2023 | 103 min

Friday News Flyover - 11.10.2023 - Joe Manchin is moving on - OH, KY, and VA progressives win, and more

10 november 2023 | 49 min

Marion Co Kansas newspaper raid | Hospitals are suing patients and putting liens on their homes to get paid | Missouri Sunshine Laws are alive and well | Joe Manchin retiring from the U.S. Senate probably to run for President alongside RFK Jr., Jill Stein, and Cornel West in 2024's JV election

Welcome to The Heartland POD for a Flyover Friday, this is Sean Diller and with me today are my cohosts Rachel Parker and Adam Sommer

We’re glad to have you with us and if you’re new to our shows make sure you subscribe, and leave a 5 star rating wherever you’re listening to our shows, remember to look for The Heartland POD content on youtube and learn more about our shows and hosts at heartlandpod.com

Let’s get into the stories

2023 Election Results That Caught Your Eye?

Ohio Issue 1 on abortion

Massive win for abortion rights - 56-43, 13 point margin is pretty massive especially in this age of often close partisan election results

Kansas 2022 measure was 59-41, also was a larger election but still, bigger margin

County map breakdown on vote

https://www.wlwt.com/article/ohio-issue-1-abortion-rights-passes-county-map/45772375

GOP still promising to ignore voters and do what they think is best, because they don’t care what people thinking

https://www.salon.com/2023/11/08/this-isnt-the-end-top-ohio-vows-effort-to-undo-abortion-amendment-backed-by/

Virginia house and senate flipped to Dems after Youngkin’s double down on abortion

Youngkin pushed for voters to give him a GOP majority in both chambers so they could make abortion super illegal, and voters said, “That’s gonna be a no from me, dawg”

Sound bite from the ghost of Josh Hawley’s future

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1722092355770016036?s=46&t=mukZUfs5M_R3E9tAHIu-GA

Kentucky reelected a Democrat for Governor - Andy Beshear

Moms for Liberty candidates LOST in almost every race they were in

https://www.kcrg.com/2023/11/09/moms-liberty-backed-school-board-candidates-overwhelmingly-lose-elections/

Summary of results on Ballotpedia

https://ballotpedia.org/Election_results,_2023

The folks behind the Marion Co. newspaper raid that left an elderly woman and former publisher dead were more involved than they ever let on and it looks like what we thought it was all along

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/06/kansas-officials-downplayed-involvement-in-marion-raid-heres-what-they-knew/

Chaos in Missouri’s Medicaid Program

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/02/medicaid-unwinding-breeds-chaos-in-states-as-millions-lose-coverage/

Callers in Missouri reported waiting on hold for more than two hours on hotlines to renew their Medicaid coverage

People in North Carolina are losing their homes to hospital bills

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/06/hospitals-lawsuits-atrium-north-carolina?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Notes (just for reference):

In 2005, to secure a debt of $23,311 from Sandra’s treatment, a lawyer for the hospital convinced the couple to sign a deed of trust to their home. It required Atrium’s debt and attorneys’ fees to be paid before the home could be sold, transferred or refinanced.

In 2010, Belk was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Suddenly, he owed another $6,792, which he could not pay. In 2012, the hospital sued to collect its money and succeeded. Another lien was placed on the family home, with an 8% annual interest rate and more attorneys’ fees on top. Worse, Sandra’s cancer returned.

In 2013, Sandra died at 61. That did not stop the hospital from refiling the debt lien from her initial treatment, when it would have otherwise expired in 2022. That has allowed the hospital to retain a stake in Belk’s home to this day.

Rebecca Varney, a good trouble maker in Missouri’s Phelps County, and a Missouri court agrees - and awards almost $44,000 in attorney fees as a reult

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/08/phelps-county-judge-rules-missouri-city-tried-to-intimidate-woman-with-ban-on-city-hall-visits/

Edgar Springs, a town of 200 in southern Phelps County, must pay a nominal fine of $150 to Rebecca Varney for banning her from city hall for four years, and for holding several closed meetings with business that should have been conducted in public, Judge John Beger decided.

The cost of the violations will be far more than that, however, because Beger also ordered the city to pay $43,995 in attorneys fees, plus additional costs that have not yet been calculated to bring the case to trial.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Trust Me with Rachel Parker, Nov. 8, 2023 | Rachel dives into the good that could be, and should be, in online communities

8 november 2023 | 25 min

Talkin' Politics 11/6/23 | Josh Hawley's BS Populism; Violent Rhetoric Of Christian Nationalism; "Real Hypotheticals" with Jay Ashcroft Pre-Quitting; Trump Trials Continue; Biden Policies Good Campaign Points; CEO's Want Social Emotional Learning

6 november 2023 | 87 min

Friday News Flyover - Nov 3, 2023 - Ohio voters decide on abortion rights and cannabis - Red states kicking millions off Medicaid - Pennsylvania Dems outpacing GOP mail ballots - Britney Spears memoir sells 1MM copies in a week

3 november 2023 | 15 min

Welcome to the Friday News Flyover for November 3, 2023. I’m Sean Diller. This week: Medicaid chaos in red states around the country | Cannabis legalization on the ballot in Ohio | Pennsylvania Democrats have returned triple the mail ballots compared with their Republican neighbors | Colorado voters consider two statewide ballot initiatives, and | It’s Britney

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/11/02/medicaid-unwinding-breeds-chaos-in-states-as-millions-lose-coverage/

Medicaid ‘unwinding’ breeds chaos in states as millions lose coverage

BY: PHIL GALEWITZ, KATHERYN HOUGHTON, BRETT KELMAN AND SAMANTHA LISS - NOVEMBER 2, 2023 11:34 AM

More than two dozen people lined up outside a state public assistance office in Montana before it opened to ensure they didn’t get cut off from Medicaid.

Callers in Missouri and Florida reported waiting on hold for more than two hours on hotlines to renew their Medicaid coverage.

The parents of a disabled man in Tennessee who had been on Medicaid for three decades fought with the state this summer to keep him enrolled as he lay dying from pneumonia in a hospital.

Since the expiration of COVID-era protections earlier this year, states have reviewed the eligibility of more than 28 million people and terminated coverage for over 10 million of them. Millions more are expected to lose Medicaid in the coming months.

The Medicaid disenrollment rates of people reviewed so far vary dramatically by state, largely along a blue-red political divide, from a low of 10% in Illinois to a high of 65% in Texas.

“I feel like Illinois is doing everything in their power to ensure that as few people lose coverage as possible,” said Paula Campbell of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association, which represents dozens of community health centers.

Camille Richoux, health policy director for the nonprofit Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families said, “It’s not just bad, but worse than people can imagine. This has not been about determining who is eligible using all possible means, but how we can kick people off by all possible means.”

The unprecedented enrollment drop comes after federal protections ended this spring that had prohibited states from removing people from Medicaid during the three pandemic years. Since March 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and the related Children’s Health Insurance Program had surged by more than 22 million to reach 94 million people in the U.S.

The process of reviewing recipients’ eligibility has been anything but smooth for many Medicaid enrollees, and some suspect particular states have used the confusing system to discourage enrollment.

But gaps in coverage can jeopardize people’s access to health services - or their financial security - if they get medical bills for care they cannot postpone.

Pam Shaw, a pediatrician in Kansas City, Kansas, who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics’ state government affairs committee said, “Any type of care that’s put off — whether it’s asthma, whether it’s autism, whether it’s something as simple as an earache — can just get worse if you wait,”

Doctors and representatives of community health centers around the country said they have seen an uptick in cancellations and no-shows among patients without coverage — including children. Nationwide, states have already disenrolled at least 1.8 million children in the 20 states that provide the data by age. Children typically qualify more easily than adults, so child advocates believe many kids are being wrongly terminated based on their parents’ being deemed no longer eligible.

In Texas, 68% of those disenrolled from Medicaid were children, compared with 16% in Massachusetts, according to KFF. In September, President Joe Biden’s administration said most states were conducting eligibility checks incorrectly and inappropriately disenrolling eligible children or household members. The administration ordered states to reinstate coverage for some 500,000 people.

Idaho, one of a few states that completed the unwind in six months, said it disenrolled 121,000 people of the 153,000 recipients it reviewed as of September because it suspected they were no longer eligible. Of those kicked off, about 13,600 signed up for private coverage on the state’s ACA marketplace, according to Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Health Idaho, the state’s exchange. What happened to the rest, state officials say they don’t know.

Nationwide, about 71% of Medicaid enrollees terminated during the unwinding have been cut because of procedural issues - meaning they could actually still qualify for Medicaid, but lost it anyway.

‘People are not getting through’

In many states, enrollees have faced long waits to get help with renewals. The worst phone waits were in Missouri, according to a KFF Health News review of letters the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent to states in August. In the letter to Missouri’s Medicaid program, CMS said it was concerned that the average wait time of 48 minutes and the 44% rate of Missourians abandoning those calls in May was “impeding equitable access” to assistance and patients’ ability to maintain coverage.

Some people are waiting on hold more than three hours, said Sunni Johnson, an enrollment worker at Affinia Healthcare, which runs community health centers in the St. Louis area. That’s a significant hurdle for people with inflexible jobs and other barriers.

In Florida, which has removed over 730,000 people from the program since April, enrollees earlier this year were waiting almost 2½ hours on a Spanish-language call center, according to a report from UnidosUS, a civil rights advocacy group. The Spanish versions of the Medicaid application, renewal website, and other communications are also confusing, said Jared Nordlund, the Florida director for UnidosUS.

Some Medicaid recipients are seeking help through the courts. In a 2020 class-action lawsuit against Tennessee that seeks to pause the Medicaid eligibility review, parents of recipients describe spending hours on the phone or online with the state Medicaid program, trying to ensure their children’s insurance coverage is not lost.

One of those parents, Donna Guyton, said in a court filing that Tennessee’s Medicaid program, called TennCare, sent a June letter revoking the coverage of her 37-year-old son, Patrick, who had been eligible for Medicaid because of disabilities since he was 6. As Guyton made calls and filed appeals to protect her son’s insurance, he was hospitalized with pneumonia, then spent weeks there before dying in late July.

“While Patrick was fighting for his life, TennCare was threatening to take away his health insurance coverage and the services he relied on,” she said in a court filing. “Though we should have been able to focus on Patrick’s care, our family was required to navigate a system that kept denying his eligibility and putting his health coverage at risk.”

TennCare said in a court filing Patrick Guyton’s Medicaid coverage was never actually revoked — the termination letter was sent to his family because of an “error.”

Phil Galewitz in Washington, D.C., wrote this article. Daniel Chang in Hollywood, Florida; Katheryn Houghton in Missoula, Montana; Brett Kelman in Nashville, Tennessee; Samantha Liss and Bram Sable-Smith in St. Louis; and Bernard J. Wolfson in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/11/01/marijuana-legalization-would-add-260m-to-ohio-economy-study-predicts/

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Or when you get ‘em anyway.

Issue 2, an initiative that would legalize recreational marijuana for people over 21 in Ohio, is on the ballot in next Tuesday’s election.

An economic analysis released last week found that the benefits of legalizing cannabis in Ohio would outweigh the costs by a quarter-billion dollars a year.

A study by Columbus-based Scioto Analysis attempts to identify the pluses and minuses that would come with legalization.

To do the analysis, the group used studies from states such as Washington and Colorado, where recreational weed has long been the law. To examine how the pros and cons identified in those states might play out in Ohio, the researchers looked at economic and census data, as well as crime statistics.

with its 10% excise tax on top of Ohio’s normal sales tax, passage of Issue 2 would produce $190 million a year, according to the report.

Then there are the jobs the new industry would create.

The report predicts that Ohio will add roughly 3,300 new jobs in the first year after legalization. Assuming these jobs are full time and pay matches the average wage across the state of Ohio, this will amount to about $190 million in wage benefits for workers across the state.

And if weed is no longer illegal for adults over 21, it stands to reason that there will be fewer arrests.

The report said using data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report on the number of cannabis-related arrests in Ohio, they estimate there would be about 4,400 fewer arrests per year if recreational cannabis were legalized.

Adding up the cost of those arrests, and assuming that 6% of those people would have been convicted of felonies, this amounts to over $38 million in savings for Ohio.”

Overall, study estimated Ohioans would receive $260 million in annual benefits if Issue 2 passes this coming Tuesday.

https://www.penncapital-star.com/blog/mail-in-ballot-returns-top-half-a-million-2023-election-mailbag/

Dems far outpacing Republicans in mail and absentee ballots returned

Mail-in ballot returns top half a million | 2023 Election Mailbag

BY: CASSIE MILLER - NOVEMBER 1, 2023 2:00 PM

Here are the numbers: As of Nov. 1, Pennsylvania voters requested a total of 1,026,227 absentee and mail-in ballots.

Of that number, 90% requested a mail-in ballot and 10% requested an absentee ballot ahead of the municipal election.

Registered Democrats requested 723,746 mail-in and absentee ballots compared to 215,286 Republicans and 87,195 requests from “other” registered voters. So about 3 of every 4

Of the 570,000 ballots returned so far statewide, 417,829 - or about 3 of every 4 - were ballots from registered Democrats and 114,149 were from those registered as Republicans.

https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/10/01/proposition-hh-proposition-ii/

Colorado voters will decide on two statewide measures this election, both of which were referred to the ballot by the state Legislature.

First, Proposition HH

If approved, Proposition HH would lower property tax rates over the next 10 years and allow the state to keep more money than it would otherwise be obligated to return to taxpayers.

If Proposition HH passes, the residential assessment rate would be reduced to 6.7% from 6.765% until 2032.

Proposition HH would also raise the amount of tax revenue the state can keep — set by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — by 1%. The new revenue allowed would be used to backfill property tax revenue that local governments would miss out on, for things like public education. $20MM would also be set aside for a rental assistance program.

The proposition is backed by the Democratic lawmakers who voted to put it on the ballot and by Demoratic Gov. Jared Polis, as well as by other liberal groups, unions, AARP and the League of Women Voters. They say the proposal is a responsible solution to rising property taxes while still keeping schools funded.

https://variety.com/2023/music/news/britney-spears-memoir-the-woman-in-me-sales-publisher-1235768414/

It’s Britney

Britney Spears‘ long-awaited memoir “The Woman in Me” — which details her fight for freedom and tumultuous relationships with the men in her life — has sold 1.1 million copies in its first week across print, pre-sales, e-books and audiobooks in the United States.

“The Woman in Me” was released on Oct. 24 and has officially been out for just over a week.

The memoir is 275 pages long and the audiobook is read by actress Michelle Williams. The book featured a wild assortment of revelations that touched on Spears’ career, family, conservatorship and high profile relationships. Among them, Spears revealed that she and her ex-beau Justin Timberlake had gotten an abortion and she also claims Timberlake cheated on her with unnamed celebrities.

Spears landed the publishing deal for a tell-all last February, just a few months after her conservatorship was terminated. Simon & Schuster acquired the rights to Spears’ book last year after a bidding war that involved multiple publishers, though the financial terms of the transaction have not been revealed.

That’s it for me, from Denver I’m Sean Diller. Stories featured in today’s show were originally reported in the Missouri Independent, Ohio Capital Journal, Pennsylvania Capital Star, Colorado Newsline, and Variety. Thanks for listening, see you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Trust Me with Rachel Parker, 11/1/23 | ML Smith, Founder of Missouri Justice Coalition

1 november 2023 | 53 min

Collective Bargain with Glenn Kage, Jr. | Derek Cronin, President of UAW Local 440 of Bedford, Indiana

31 oktober 2023 | 39 min

Talkin' Politics 10/30/23 | Should Plocher Resign As MO Speaker?; No Labels On Another Ballot; Mo State Rep's Completely False Constitution Claims; Trump Is In Trouble; GOP Picks A Dominionist Speaker

30 oktober 2023 | 77 min

Friday News Flyover - October 27, 2023 - UAW strike, KS medicaid expansion, cannabis on the ballot in Ohio, MAGA Mike Johnson is full of it and more

27 oktober 2023 | 36 min

October 27, 2023 - UAW strike might be ending | Kansas GOP peddles lies about working poor | Ohioans may legalize cannabis on Issue 2 in November | Dark money floods into Denver school board elections | Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announces $402MM in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to replace lead drinking water service lines | SCOTUS smacks down another racial gerrymander from a GOP state legislature in the South

Support what we do by leaving a five star rating and a review wherever you listen and follow us on social media at the heartland pod. Also check out heartlandpod.com and click the patreon link to learn about becoming a podhead today.

https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/26/we-won-things-nobody-thought-possible-uaw-reaches-tentative-deal-with-ford/

What started at three plants at midnight on Sept. 15, has become a national movement,” said Fain. “We won things nobody thought possible. Since the strike began, Ford put 50% more on the table than when we walked out. This agreement sets us on a new path to make things right at Ford, at the Big Three, and across the auto industry. Together, we are turning the tide for the working class in this country.”

Ford confirmed the deal in a news statement Wednesday night.

“We are pleased to have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract with the UAW covering our U.S. operations,” the company said.

“Ford is proud to assemble the most vehicles in America and employ the most hourly autoworkers. We are focused on restarting Kentucky Truck Plant, Michigan Assembly Plant and Chicago Assembly Plant, calling 20,000 Ford employees back to work and shipping our full lineup to our customers again,” the automaker said in a statement. “The agreement is subject to ratification by Ford’s UAW-represented employees. Consistent with the ratification process, the UAW will share details with its membership.”

While Ford did not detail the terms of the tentative agreement, the UAW released some of the terms:

It provides more in base wage increases than Ford workers have received in the past 22 years.
The agreement grants 25% in base wage increases through April 2028.
It cumulatively raises the top wage by over 30% to more than $40 an hour.
It raises the starting wage by 68%, to over $28 an hour.
The lowest-paid workers at Ford will see a raise of more than 150% over the life of the agreement.
Some workers will receive an immediate 85% increase immediately upon ratification.
The agreement reinstates major benefits lost during the Great Recession, including Cost-of-Living Allowances (COLA) and a three-year wage progression, as well as killing wage tiers in the union.
It improves retirement for current retirees, those workers with pensions, and those who have 401(k) plans.
It also includes a historic right to strike over plant closures, a first for the union.

During a Friday livestream, Fain had detailed the latest proposals at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, highlighting the shortcomings of the latter’s current offer. The union represents about 150,000 members.

The latest picket site on Tuesday at GM’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas brought the total number of UAW members on strike at the Big Three automakers to more than 45,000.

The UAW remains on strike against GM and Stellantis, but the Ford deal could become the blueprint to settle those contracts.

The strike began on Sept. 15 with a walkout against three assembly plants in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. It has since grown to include eight assembly plants and 38 parts distribution centers in 22 states.

President Joe Biden in September made a historic visit to the picket line alongside Fain at the Willow Run Redistribution Center in Belleville. He said in a statement Wednesday night that he applauds the “UAW and Ford for coming together after a hard fought, good faith negotiation and reaching a historic tentative agreement tonight.

“This tentative agreement provides a record raise to auto workers who have sacrificed so much to ensure our iconic Big Three companies can still lead the world in quality and innovation. Ultimately, the final word on this contract will be from the UAW members themselves in the days and weeks to come. I’ve always believed the middle class built America and unions built the middle class. That is especially the case for UAW workers who built an iconic American industry,” Biden said.

https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/26/legislative-leaders-spread-biased-tropes-about-disabled-kansans-in-crusade-against-medicaid/

Recently, Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson were quoted as calling Gov. Laura Kelly’s campaign to expand Medicaid a “welfare” tour for “able-bodied adults” who “choose not to work.”

This deception is both a wildly inaccurate portrayal of uninsured Kansas who could benefit from Medicaid expansion and also directly harmful in its disability-related stereotypes. Though I should note that we disabled people do not need to work to deserve dignity, decent living situations and have our needs met (as well as a reasonable amount of our wants). We deserve legislators’ respect.

Hawkins and Masterson are playing into well-rehearsed tropes and biases. I will seek to spread some facts to these dishonest politicians, who are supposed to be representing all their constituents, about disability and employment.

Before I get to that, however, I’d like to quickly point out that the Medicaid expansion Hawkins and Masterson are railing against likely would benefit both the Kansas economy and many hardworking Kansans, according to a Wichita Eagle report. Also, despite their claims that Medicaid expansion would be welfare for able-bodied people who do not want to work, according to WIBW, 74% of the non-elderly, uninsured, working-age Kansans these men represent, are, in fact, working.

With that aside, let’s look under the hood at that comment, which clearly also seems to be a dog whistle for several profoundly harmful stereotypes. These include the idea that flocks of able-bodied people fake disability and that disabled people don’t want to work. Both stereotypes ignore the immense barriers and biases that disabled people face while looking for jobs, the numbers of disabled people who are working for substandard wages and the substantial barriers disabled people face to receiving the education necessary to even have a foot in the door for many jobs.

To dispel the idea that able-bodied people are pretending to be disabled to receive welfare benefits, numerous reliable sources, including the Social Security Administration itself, find that Social Security fraud is less than 1%.

Let’s also look at the number of disabled Kansans working for far below minimum wage in sheltered workshops with sub-minimum wage certificates, which some GOP Kansas legislators tried to create tax breaks for and increase.

According to Russell, at least 420,000 disabled workers nationwide were working in these sheltered workshops, which paid 25-50% of the minimum wage. Goodwill was listed as one of the largest of these sheltered workspaces, paying disabled people as little as $2 an hour.

Not only do these figures indicate clear employment and education-based barriers to work for disabled people, they also show a large number of disabled people would prefer to be working if they could find jobs. Even Forbes Magazine has written about why businesses should focus on hiring disabled people, the benefits in doing so, as well as the significant gifts that disabled people bring to the table, including higher retention rates and significant adaptability.

In sum, though disabled people are often prevented from doing the work they would prefer to be doing, the statistics make clear that most, if not all, of those barriers come not from within disabled people but rather from the outside world.

https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/10/26/passing-issue-2-doesnt-come-with-protections-for-employees-who-use-recreational-marijuana/

Issue 2 would legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and the sale of marijuana to Ohioans 21 and up. It would also create the Division of Cannabis Control within the Department of Commerce.

Recent polling shows majority support for Issue 2 is expected to pass in the November election. A total of 54% of lawmakers surveyed in last week’s Gongwer-Werth Legislative Opinion Poll think Issue 2 will pass. The poll showed 63% of Democrats and 52% of Republicans believe Issue 2 will pass. The poll had 35 lawmaker respondents.

A July Suffolk University/USA Today poll shows 59% of Ohio voters support Ohioans 21 and older buying and possessing marijuana. It showed 77% of Democrats, 63% of independents and 40% of Republicans support the issue. The Suffolk University/USA Today poll surveyed 500 registered Ohio voters and their margin of error is +/- 4.4 percentage points.

Ballot Language

The ballot’s language makes it clear it does not require an employer to “accommodate an employee’s use, possession, or distribution of adult use cannabis.”

It also doesn’t prohibit an employer from “refusing to hire, discharging, disciplining, or otherwise taking an adverse employment action against an individual … because of that individual’s use, possession, or distribution of cannabis.”

“An individual who is discharged from employment because of that individual’s use of cannabis shall be considered to have been discharged for just cause,” according to the ballot language.

https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/10/21/billionaire-dark-money-denver-school-board/

Colorado Newsline

The Denver school board race is off and running, and several key groups have announced their endorsements. MIKE DEGUIRE

The Denver school board race is off and running, and several key groups have announced their endorsements.

The Denver Classroom Teachers Association, the local teacher organization, endorsed Charmaine Lindsay, Scott Baldermann, and Kwame Spearman.

Denver Families Action endorsed Kimberlee Sia, John Youngquist, and Marlene Delarosa.

Who is Denver Families Action? Chalkbeat says it is the “political arm of a relatively new organization,” Denver Families for Public Schools, formed with the backing of several local charter school networks, and they get funding from The City Fund, a pro-charter education reform national organization.

What is City Fund? How much funding did they give to this new group called Denver Families for Public Schools? What Denver Public Schools “families” do they represent?

According to Influence Watch, The City Fund is an “education organization that funds initiatives that promote the growth of charter schools and other school choice organizations. It also funds activist organizations that support increasing charter school access and school choice programs.” Chalkbeat reports that City Fund was started in 2018 by two billionaires, Reed Hastings and John Arnold, who donated over $200 million to “expand charter schools or charter-like alternatives in 40 cities across the country.”

Reed Hastings has called for the elimination of democratically elected school boards, he serves on the national KIPP charter school board, and he built a training center in Bailey, Colorado, to house the Pahara Institute, an education advocacy and networking group that supports the expansion of charter schools. In December, 2020, he spelled out his vision. “Let’s year by year expand the nonprofit school sector … for the low-performing school district public school — let’s have a nonprofit public school take it over.”

The City Fund set up its own political group, a PAC, called Campaign for Great Public Schools (also called City Fund Action), to give money to organizations that promote charter schools and lobby to privatize education. Since its formation, the Campaign for Great Public Schools has given millions to Education Reform Now, which is the political arm of Democrats for Education Reform. DFER is a “New York-based political action committee which focuses on encouraging the Democratic Party to support public education reform and charter schools.”

Campaign for Great Public Schools also gave millions to the American Federation for Children, which is “a conservative 501(c)(4) dark money group that promotes the school privatization agenda via the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and other avenues. It is the 501(c)(4) arm of the 501(c)(3) non-profit group the Alliance for School Choice. The group was organized and is funded by the billionaire DeVos family.”

The City Fund Action PAC also funds the National Alliance for Charter Schools, 50 CAN, and numerous other organizations that support the expansion of charter schools.

Denver Families for Public Schools received $1.75 million in 2021 from the Campaign for Great Public Schools to promote their three selected candidates in the current Denver school board race.

Denver Families for Public Schools functions as a 501(c)(4), which means it can donate unlimited amounts of money in political elections without disclosing its donors.

It functions as an “astroturf” group by engaging in the practice of creating the illusion of widespread grassroots support for a candidate, policy, or cause when no such support necessarily exists. It set up a website, Facebook page, hired staff and recruited others to lobby for its cause. It posts videos of parents who say they don’t like the current school board candidates if they are opposed to them. It participates in forums to promote its selected candidates.

When Denver Families Action announced its school board endorsements in August, the leading fundraiser in the at-large seat at that time, Ulcca Hansen, withdrew from the race since she did not gain its endorsement. Hansen stated she could not win without the significant financial resources that come from “soft side spending.”

This money is also referred to as outside spending or “dark money,” because the funders of the outside groups often remain secret. Hansen felt the dark money would outpace campaign spending by a 10 to 1 margin. The $1.75 million that Denver Families for Public Schools received from The City Fund will be a major factor in the DPS school board race.

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/evers-dnr-announce-402-million-in-spending-to-improve-drinking-water/

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Monday that more than 100 municipalities across the state will receive $402 million in funding to improve local drinking water by removing lead service lines and addressing contaminants such as PFAS and nitrates.

The funds come from the DNR’s Safe Drinking Water Loan Program and a number of programs through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Across the state, there are 167,000 known lead service lines — which are the city-owned pipes that connect a home’s plumbing to the water system. In his budget proposal earlier this year, Evers had requested $200 million to replace the lines.

Through the funding, the city of Milwaukee, which has many of the state’s remaining lead pipes, will receive more than $30 million to replace lead service lines.

The city of Wausau is set to receive more than $17 million in funds to help pay for a PFAS-removal treatment system at the city’s newly constructed water treatment facility. The city will also receive nearly $6 million to replace lead service lines.

Many communities around the state are dealing with the harmful effects of PFAS in drinking water. The man-made compounds known as “forever chemicals” have been found to cause cancer and don’t break down easily in the environment. The compounds enter the environment through products such as firefighting foams and household goods such as nonstick pans.

In rural parts of the state, communities are dealing with increased nitrates in their drinking water, which is often caused by runoff from agricultural operations. As part of the funding announced Monday, the village of Reedsville is set to receive $3 million for additional water treatment to address excess nitrates in its water.

What caught your eye?

Rachel

https://www.democracydocket.com/cases/georgia-congressional-redistricting-challenge/

Federal judge strikes down Georgia's congressional and legislative maps, ruling they violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters. New, fair districts must be drawn before the 2024 elections.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Trust Me with Rachel Parker | What COULD the Future of Online Journalism Look Like?

25 oktober 2023 | 28 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post)

Substack had negative revenue - The Verge

Substack gets writers to invest, but doesn't share new financial info

Intro:

Support what we do by leaving a five star rating and a review wherever you listen to the show and follow us on social media with AT the heartland pod and check out heartlandpod.com and click the patreon link to learn about becoming a podhead today.

Last week: I beat up on the news business and the baseless nostalgia the old guard loves to bathe itself in as if we don’t notice that journalists, and the newsrooms where they worked, were largely white, straight, and male.

I also talked about how journalists I follow and trust are nearly in unison on one point: The ancillary income that newspapers and news outlets make from Google is going to go away due largely to advancements in AI.

I watched an entire generation of journalists fail us in the early part of this century. There were two trains running in my view that led to this: an utter lack of innovation and hubris. If you tell yourself that your industry is so valuable that wayward consumers will always find their way back to you, you’ll never be bothered to pay attention to what consumers are actually doing.

The slow leak in the newspaper industry is already terrible, and a thriving democracy needs journalism.

Outside of nonprofit newsrooms…what should they do?

The two things that we have today that still pose as “saviors”: aggregation models and the newsletter business. Let’s talk about the second one first.

The writing is probably on the wall for Substack. In 2021, it lost $25M. There’s a story from The Verge in the show notes from April that details how the Substack founders failed to raise another round of investment capital from VCs and instead, crowdfunded more money. I posted a pretty great article from Dan Primack in Axios from April about that. Both are worthy reads, because they basically tell you something we should all know: The independent news boom is probably in trouble.

And we can all imagine why. How many of us can really afford to subscribe to numerous Substacks? It starts to add up, and most of us already have other premium content products that we pay for monthly. (name some)

News outlets have, for a long time, had what I’ll call an “aggregation” mindset. Push stories where people are—search, social, YouTube—and the money will come.

My idea: Build an overlay payment system that allows individuals to pay for individual stories that will rival the cost of an ad impression AND deliver immediate value to the publication.

Describe Post and why, as much as I like it and use it, I’m worried it won’t work. (See also: Apple News)

BUT…the micropayment feature is magnificent. Let’s expand on it.

(Explain that, close it up).

I don’t have a Big Ask for this week. Just enjoy the rest of fall.

Credits

Trust Me with Rachel Parker is a production of Mid Map Media LLC, producers Rachel Parker, Adam Sommer, and Sean Diller.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Collective Bargain with Glenn Kage, Jr. | "A Brick & A Bible" Glenn for a conversation with Tony Pecinovsky, a prominent member of the Communist Party USA, and the deep dive into some labor history about Carrie Smith.

24 oktober 2023 | 42 min

Talkin' Politics 10/23/23 | Josh Hawley Is Unpopular, But Does It Matter?; Missouri AG Announces Refusal To Defend Constitution; Trump Legal Update; GOP Trash Voting System Then Try To Invent Same System... But Worse

23 oktober 2023 | 70 min

Flyover Friday 10/20/23 | Ohio's Abortion Initiative Petition; JB Pritzker Puts Money Where His Mouth Is On Abortion; Kansas Medicaid Stand Still; Arizona 2024 Getting Hot; What Caught Your Eye?

20 oktober 2023 | 50 min

Trust Me with Rachel Parker | Fair Thee Well Local News (Papers)?

18 oktober 2023 | 29 min

Collective Bargain with Glenn Kage, Jr. | Amy Woodard And The Teamsters Local 916 In Illinois Are Working On A New Contract for Illinois DOT Workers

17 oktober 2023 | 22 min

Talkin' Politics 10/15/23 | Grovel For The Gavel?; Craven Politics and Gross Opportunism Around Isreal Attack; Did Twitter Hit The Iceberg?; US Response To Isreal Attacks & The Odd Politics Of The Moment

16 oktober 2023 | 101 min

Collective Bargain with Glenn Kage, Jr. | October 14, 2023 - Meet The Member: Matt Lebeis is a stationary operating engineer with OE Local 49 in Minnesota

14 oktober 2023 | 40 min

Friday News Flyover - October 13, 2023 - Steve Scalise sees gavel slipping away - UAW President Shawn Fain announces expansion of UAW strikes and more

13 oktober 2023 | 29 min

This week on the Friday Flyover, Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan battle for Speaker of the U.S. House | UAW President Shawn Fain announces 8,700 Ford Kentucky Truck plant workers are joining the strike | Nurses are striking around the nation | Wisconsin Supreme Court judge Janet Protasiewicz stands her ground against GOP goofballs

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/republicans-fail-to-coalesce-around-speaker-choice-leaving-house-in-limbo/ar-AA1i49ox

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/11/uaw-launches-strike-against-fords-kentucky-truck-plant-signaling-major-escalation-in-labor-fight.html

Oct. 11 – Today, Ford came to the table with the same offer they submitted to us two weeks ago. It was an unacceptable move that triggered a strong and immediate response.

UAW President Shawn Fain and Vice President Chuck Browning called on our 8,700 members at Ford’s extremely profitable Kentucky Truck Plant to Stand Up and strike. Our Local 862 members answered the call and walked out today at 6:30 p.m.

Our Stand Up strategy has won important victories at the table, but we must go further. We will keep increasing the pressure on Ford and all of the Big Three until we’ve won our fair share of the record profits we’ve made at Kentucky Truck and every Big Three plant.

Tune in to Facebook Live this Friday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m. for more announcements on the status of bargaining at Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.

General Motors last week agreed to include workers at its electric vehicle battery plant in the company’s national contract with the union, which Fain called a “transformative win.”

Fain said the union expects Chrysler parent Stellantis and Ford to follow suit, including battery plant workers in eventual contract agreements.

The UAW has been gradually increasing the strikes since the work stoppages began after the sides failed to reach tentative agreements by Sept 14.

The additional workers brings UAW’s total to about 34,000 U.S. workers, or roughly 23% of UAW members covered by the expired contracts with the Detroit automakers, who are currently on strike.

Fain will give bargaining updates and potentially announce further strikes at 10 a.m. Friday online, the union said Wednesday night.

https://capitolnewsillinois.com/NEWS/nurses-unions-push-for-mandatory-staff-to-patient-ratios

Safe Patients Limit Act would cap the number of patients per registered nurse

By PETER HANCOCK

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

SPRINGFIELD – Unions representing nurses in Illinois are pushing for legislation that would impose mandatory staff-to-patient ratios in hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities.

But lobby groups representing hospitals and nursing homes say they are steadfastly opposed to the legislation, arguing that a nationwide nursing shortage makes it impossible to comply with such a mandate.

The proposed Safe Patient Limits Act, by Sen. Celina Villanueva and Rep. Theresa Mah, both Chicago Democrats, was introduced in February and was the subject of a joint hearing last week in Chicago by two House committees. It’s an issue that has been discussed in the General Assembly since 2019 but has thus far failed to gain the necessary traction for passage. The latest hearing came just three weeks before lawmakers return to the Capitol for their fall veto session, which begins Oct. 24.

“Short staffing isn't a mere inconvenience. It's a dire issue,” said Shaba Andrich, vice president of nursing homes for the SEIU Healthcare employee union. “It's predominantly a Black and brown issue. In historically marginalized communities of Chicago, these issues are magnified. These communities that already face systemic underinvestment are further deprived of adequate nursing care due to chronic short staffing.”

The bill calls for setting a maximum number of patients that could be assigned to a registered nurse in specified situations. For example, in units with critical care or intensive care patients, the maximum number of patients per nurse would be just one. In units with pediatric patients, the bill would allow three patients per nurse, and in units with psychiatric patients, the bill would allow four patients per nurse.

It also provides some legal protection for nurses, stating that they are to provide their services exclusively in the interest of patients, “unencumbered by the commercial or revenue-generating priorities” of a facility that employs registered professional nurses.

Andrich, testifying before the committee last week, disputed the notion that there is a nursing shortage in Illinois. He said there is only “a shortage of caregivers who are refusing to be overworked and undervalued and underpaid,” and that the result of understaffing has direct consequences for patients.

“Such understaffing isn't merely an operational concern. It translates into real world consequences,” he said. “Seniors enduring falls, malnutrition, missed medication, avoidable hospitalization, and, tragically, avoidable deaths.”

Some of those who testified in favor of the bill accused hospitals and nursing homes of being more concerned about labor costs and profit margins than the best interests of patients.

“We need this legislation because hospitals are incentivized to reduce labor costs. This means less staff,” said Jeanine Johnson, a critical care nurse at Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. “Hospital executives see budgets and labor costs. Nurses see patients and their lives.”

A.J. Wilhelmi, president & CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, a hospital trade group, said it’s true that health care providers face significant financial pressures, largely because Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates have not kept pace with the rising cost of health care. But he said contrary to what the unions claimed, there is a significant and growing nursing shortage in Illinois, and the proposed Safe Patient Limits Act would put even more of a financial burden on providers.

During his testimony, Wilhelmi cited a state survey into the registered nurse workforce that was conducted by the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center – which is a state agency that works to promote the nursing profession. Of the respondents to that survey, 27 percent indicated an intent to retire within the next five years. The IHA interpreted that and other data in the survey to suggest the state could see a shortage of 14,400 registered nurses by 2025.

“I'm deeply concerned that many hospitals in the state, particularly safety net hospitals, critical access hospitals, will be unable to absorb the huge cost that ratios would impose,” he said. “And given the enormous financial pressures that Illinois hospitals already face, if this bill becomes law, they're going to have to make some tough decisions like cutting back services, closing hundreds of beds, and eliminating jobs. And frankly, some of our hospitals might be forced to close.”

Andy Allison, deputy director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the agency that administers the state’s Medicaid program, suggested that the key to solving the staffing issues in hospitals and nursing homes is to raise wages to make the jobs more attractive.

He noted that last year, lawmakers passed a significant overhaul of the way the state reimburses nursing homes through Medicaid, adding roughly $700 million in the form of incentives to increase wages and hire more staff.

Before those reforms were adopted, he said, Illinois was home to 46 of the 100 worst-staffed nursing homes in the country. As of March 31, he said, that number had dropped to 14.

“We hope that it becomes zero. We have a ways to go,” he said. “But in the last five quarters – that is, through March 31 of this year – in that five-quarter period, total nurse staffing hours statewide are up 15 percent.”

Denise Stiger, an organizer for Teamsters Local 743, which represents health care workers in many Chicago-area facilities, said that money has not solved the problem, and that in some nursing homes, one CNA still could have as many as 20 patients to tend to during their shift.

“We have to deal with the owners because they’re slum lords. That's what they are,” she said. “And I understand that they get cited, and it's public. But these owners are not looking at that. These owners are looking at these patients as money.”

Health care workers at hundreds of Kaiser Permanente hospitals and medical facilities across the U.S. walked off the job on Wednesday morning, in an effort to ramp up pressure on their employer to fix a staffing shortage that has intensified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over 75,000 workers — including nurses, emergency department technicians, pharmacists and hundreds of others — went on strike in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

It is the biggest health care strike in U.S. history, according to the unions.

Kaiser, headquartered in Oakland, California, is one of the largest nonprofit health care providers in the United States, serving nearly 13 million patients. Most Kaiser workers who have walked off the job will be on strike for three days, until Saturday morning — except those in Virginia and Washington D.C., who will be on strike for 24 hours.

Roughly 1,500 essential workers at four hospitals in Los Angeles County kicked off a five-day strike Monday morning to protest what they claim are dangerous working conditions and unfair labor practices by hospital management.

Employees at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood walked off the job and picketed outside while nonunion nurses and staff were brought in to keep the hospital open, according to union organizers.

Nurses and other staff at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, and Encino Hospital Medical Center are also participating in the strike through Friday.

ST. LOUIS — Nurses at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital walked off their jobs for a 24-hour strike on Monday, a measure they said was necessary after the hospital failed to address their concerns about short staffing.

Registered nurses union stages 24-hour strike at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital

Maddi O’Leary, a registered nurse who works in the bone marrow transplant unit, joins other SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital nurses represented by the National Nurses United union in staging a 24-hour strike Monday Sept. 25, 2023, outside the hospital.

Christine Tannous, Post-Dispatch

“We don’t want to be out here,” said Maddi O’Leary, a nurse in the bone marrow transplant unit, who has worked at the hospital for eight years. “We want to be inside taking care of our patients. But we have not been given the resources to do so safely.”

In a statement, SSM said the health system was “deeply disappointed” in the union’s decision to organize a strike. The hospital said workers from nurse staffing agencies would help fill in where needed.

Dozens rallied outside the hospital along South Grand Boulevard Monday, carrying signs and chanting. Nurses described feeling frustrated when they couldn’t provide patients the quality of care they wanted to give because their units are understaffed.

And when patients have to wait longer for care, health care workers receive backlash from them and their family members, they said. Several emergency department nurses said that they’ve noticed an increase in patients after South City Hospital, about 4 miles south, closed in early August following financial troubles.

O’Leary said that while nursing shifts in her unit ideally are staffed by four nurses, lately there have been shifts with only two. That means she can’t take a break because she can’t leave the unit staffed by only one nurse.

“Enough was enough,” she said.

The strike was scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Monday and end at 6:59 a.m. Tuesday. The nurses gave the hospital 10 days’ notice.

The union, National Nurses United, has represented nurses at the hospital since 2012. Though the nurses have held several protests to pressure SSM to increase staffing levels there, they had never before gone on strike.

The nurses’ labor agreement expired June 15. They have been in negotiations for a new contract since May and claim there has been little movement in bargaining. With the exception of the VA St. Louis Healthcare System, SLU Hospital is the only hospital in the region where nurses are unionized.

SSM accused the California-based nurses union of holding strikes that are “intended to create tension and division within hospitals,” and said the moves are counterproductive to SSM’s efforts to recruit and hire nurses.

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/10/11/republicans-ease-off-impeachment-threat-after-supreme-court-accepted-redistricting-case/

After months of threatening that they would consider impeaching liberal Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz if she weighed in on a lawsuit over the state’s legislative maps, Wisconsin Republican lawmakers have pulled back from the idea.

Republicans began raising impeachment before Protasiewicz was even elected in April, with then-Rep. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) saying during his special election campaign for an open Senate seat that he would consider impeaching her. In August, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said he would consider impeaching Protasiewicz if she weighed in on the redistricting lawsuit — stating in a radio interview that he believed she had “pre-judged” the case and that could constitute a violation of her oath of office.

Late last week, Protasiewicz ruled against Republican motions requesting that she recuse herself, writing in an opinion that the standard for recusal Republicans were arguing for would be “unworkable.” On the same day, Protasiewicz joined the Court’s three other liberals in voting to accept one of two lawsuits filed against the maps.

As Republicans floated the impeachment possibility, and state Democrats launched a campaign to raise public opinion against it, Vos said he convened a panel of three former Supreme Court justices to weigh in on the idea.

One of those former justices, conservative David Prosser, wrote in an email to Vos on Friday before the court’s decision was released that nothing Protasiewicz had done rose to the level of corrupt conduct in office, which along with criminal acts is the standard for impeachment in the state Constitution.

“In my view, ‘corrupt conduct’ is not a term that is open to a mere political grievance,” Prosser wrote. “If that were the case, legislative bodies could be trading questionable impeachments with considerable frequency.”

“To sum up my views, there should be no effort to impeach Justice Protasiewicz on anything we know now,” he continued. “Impeachment is so serious, severe, and rare that it should not be considered unless the subject has committed a crime, or the subject has committed indisputable ‘corrupt conduct’ while ‘in office.’”

After the Court’s decision was released last week, Vos said in a statement that he believes the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately weigh in on the issue.

“Justice Protasiewicz should have recused herself. We think the United States Supreme Court precedent compels her recusal, and the United States Supreme Court will have the last word here,” Vos said.

Wisconsin’s impeachment process requires a simple majority vote of the Assembly to impeach and a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict and remove an official. In addition to Vos’ retreat from the threat, multiple Senate Republicans have stated they don’t support impeachment, meaning there wouldn’t be enough votes in the Senate to remove Protasiewicz.

In an audio recording obtained by the Examiner, a staff member for Sen. Rachel Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) told a member of the public that “she does not support impeachment.” Sen. Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) also told CBS58 he doesn’t support impeachment.

Prior to the Court’s acceptance of the case, concerns had been raised that under Wisconsin’s impeachment statutes, a judge is unable to hear any cases while the Senate is considering conviction — meaning that if the Assembly voted to impeach, the Senate could hold off on a vote in order to delay the case.

With the lack of supermajority support for impeachment in the Senate, state Democrats have called for Vos to drop the threats.

“While it’s long been clear the law wasn’t on the Republicans’ side, they now lack the votes to pursue conviction in the Senate — underscoring how any impeachment in the Assembly would represent an unprecedented abuse of the Wisconsin Constitution,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Joe Oslund said in a statement. “Broken clocks are right twice a day, and now that David Prosser and Duey Stroebel have somehow emerged as voices of reason here, Robin Vos should have no excuse for not knowing what time it is: time to drop his unconstitutional impeachment threats.”

What caught your eye:

Wisconsin Examiner, Capitol News Illinois, STL Post Dispatch, LA Times, Washington Post, CNBC, NPR

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Trust Me, October 11, 2023 | Rachel Parker chats with Pat Garofalo of the American Economic Liberties Project about the recent FTC suit against Amazon

11 oktober 2023 | 54 min

Talkin' Politics | St. Louis hosts DNC and Has Controversy Locally Prior; Trump Gets Gagged; Matt Gaetz Caught The Car, So Now What?; Biden's Big Switch On Immigration and 2024 Impacts

9 oktober 2023 | 99 min

Friday Flyover | Rex's Deep Pockets; Kansas Recovers; Biden Forgives Student Loans (Again); Gov. Abbott Wants Public Funding For Private Schools

6 oktober 2023 | 14 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

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This week on the Friday Flyover: MO GOP candidates cashing big checks, Kansas Gov Laura Kelly announces huge budget surplus, Biden Admin announces $9 B more in student loan forgiveness, Gov. Abbott’s got a fever - and the only prescription, is school vouchers, and Bidden-Harris campaign ads hit battleground states. Alright, let’s get into it.

http://missouriindependent.com/briefs/st-louis-mega-donor-drops-425k-into-missouri-campaigns-in-last-week/

St. Louis mega-donor drops $425K into Missouri campaigns - in one week

BY: JASON HANCOCK - OCTOBER 3, 2023 10:00 AM

Rex Sinquefield, a retired investor from St. Louis and Missouri’s most prolific political donor, cut $425,000 worth of checks to PACs supporting eight different candidates in the last week — with the largest going to bolster Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe’s bid for governor.

His $250,000 3rd quarter contribution to Kehoe brings Sinquefield’s total to $750,000. That’s right - Mike Kehoe has taken $750,000 from Rex Sinquefeld.

Sinquefield also donated $25,000 each to two GOP candidates for state treasurer — state Sen. Andrew Koenig and state Rep. Cody Smith. He gave $25,000 to Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, who is rumored to be eyeing a run for secretary of state, and to Sen. Denny Hoskins, who is already in that GOP primary.

He also donated $25,000 to two state representatives running for the state Senate: Phil Christofanelli and Chris Dinkins, and to a state senator who is term-limited, Tony Luetkemeyer.

Sinquefield has given more than $42 million in campaign contributions in Missouri — mostly to Republicans, though not exclusively. His main policy priorities are defunding the state’s public education system and eliminating income taxes.

In neighboring Kansas, he helped bankroll a group called Kansans for No Income Tax that promoted, in 2012, one of the largest state tax cuts in history with the support of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. Sinquefield called the cuts “unbelievably brilliant” and predicted that “there’s going to be a cloud of dust … as the businesses move from Missouri to Kansas.”

By 2017, National Public Radio reported state lawmakers were seeking to close a $900 million budget gap,[2][Note 2] following nine previous budget cuts.[43] Earlier efforts to close budget gaps had left Kansas "well below national averages" in a wide range of public services from K-12 education to housing to police and fire protection.[4][17]

Kansas’ sharply reduced revenues following the income-tax repeal led rating agency Moody’s to cut the state’s bond rating in April from its second-highest bond rating to its third highest.

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https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/03/kansas-on-track-for-2-6-billion-state-revenue-surplus-1-6-billion-stash-in-rainy-day-fund/

Kansas on track for $2.6 billion state revenue surplus, $1.6 billion stash in rainy day fund

Mountain of cash guarantees political fight over tax, education, health spending

BY: TIM CARPENTER - OCTOBER 3, 2023 1:16 PM

Democratic governor Laura Kelly said, “Because of my administration’s work to put our state on solid financial footing, we have been able to grow our economy and make historic investments in schools, roads and law enforcement. Now, it’s time to give money back to Kansans through responsible tax cuts.”

She urged the Republican-led Legislature to reduce property taxes, grocery sales taxes and drive down taxes on retirees. In addition, Kelly is recommending additional spending on K-12 special education and to expand eligibility for Medicaid to working-poor families.

Adam Proffitt, the state budget director, said the Kansas unemployment rate contracted from double digits during the pandemic to 2.7% in August of this year.

He also said Kansas has two job openings for every available person in the workforce. Thank you, Governor Kelly. You are my ultra dark horse candidate for Democratic nominee for U.S. President in 2024.

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White House provides another $9 billion in student debt relief as pandemic pause ends

BY: ARIANA FIGUEROA - OCTOBER 4, 2023 6:03 PM

WASHINGTON — As federal student loan repayments restart, the Biden administration Wednesday announced an additional $9 billion in student loan forgiveness for 125,000 borrowers.

“For years, millions of eligible borrowers were unable to access the student debt relief they qualified for, but that’s all changed thanks to President Biden and this Administration’s relentless efforts to fix the broken student loan system,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

The announcement comes days after federal student loan repayments restarted following a nearly three-year pause due to the pandemic. Borrowers with federal student loans have the option of an on-ramp program, where they can delay making payments for 12 months, but interest will still accrue.

The $9 billion in new relief includes $5.2 billion in forgiveness for 53,000 borrowers in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program; $2.8 billion in forgiveness for 51,000 borrowers from a one-time fix to income-driven repayment plans; and $1.2 billion in forgiveness for 22,000 borrowers with permanent disabilities.

The PSLF program forgives remaining student loan debt after qualifying public sector and non-profit employees have made 10 years’ worth of monthly payments. Since October 2021, the Biden administration has forgiven more than 715,000 borrowers with PSLF loans, totaling $50.8 billion.

With Wednesday’s announcement, more than 854,870 federal student loan borrowers have had their student loan debt forgiven through the IDR adjustment, totaling nearly $42 billion in relief, the administration said.

The Department of Education also implemented a new income driven repayment program known as Saving on A Valuable Education, or SAVE, and many borrowers have been automatically funneled into the program. It’s a plan that, for some borrowers, could result in no monthly payments.

So far, the Biden administration has approved up to $127 billion in student debt cancellation for about 3.6 million borrowers.

https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/29/greg-abbott-texas-leglislature-school-vouchers/

Gov. Greg Abbot wants school vouchers and he wants them right now!

BY BRIAN LOPEZ AND WILLIAM MELHADO

SEPT. 29, 2023

[He] has notified the Texas Legislature that a third special session will begin on Oct. 9.

A Sept. 26 letter signed by Abbott and addressed to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan, did not indicate the focus of this special session. But the governor has said repeatedly the next special session would focus on public education, including the issue of school vouchers that would allow parents to use taxpayer dollars to pay for their children’s private schooling.

Lawmakers are to return to Austin on Oct. 9 at 1 p.m. This year’s regular legislative session ended in a stalemate between the House and Senate over education savings accounts, a voucher program that would allow parents access to a state-managed account to pay for private school tuition.

The Senate tried different ways to pass an education savings account program — even tacking it on to the only school finance bill the House advanced during the session — but Democrats and rural Republicans blocked it from moving forward.

Abbott recently said that if lawmakers fail to pass a school choice proposal, he won’t hesitate to bring lawmakers back. And he promised political consequences for those who get in his way.

Abbott said “If we do not win in that first special session, we will have another special special session and we’ll come back again. And then if we don’t win that time, I think it’s time to send this to the voters themselves.”

Biden touts blue-collar roots in latest AZ ad

BY: JIM SMALL - OCTOBER 3, 2023 5:00 AM

The Biden campaign today is launching a new TV ad in Arizona and other battleground states that spotlights how the president’s agenda is lowering costs for America’s middle class.

The ad, titled “Never Left,” is part of a 16-week, $25 million campaign that launched last month. The ad focuses on Joe Biden’s roots in Scranton, a blue-collar city in northeastern Pennsylvania, and his pursuit of policies that benefit low- and middle-income Americans.

The narrator says of Biden, “He knows what life is like for working people and knows middle-class life is too expensive right now,”

The ad highlights Biden administration policies capping insulin costs at $35 for some seniors, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices and investments in the American clean energy sector, which the campaign said would lower power costs for families.

The Biden campaign said the ad will run on broadcast TV and cable channels, and will target programming that is widely watched by general election voters, including “Dancing with the Stars,” “Bachelor in Paradise” and NFL games.

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the campaign manager for Biden-Harris 2024 said “This ad serves as an early reminder of the choice Americans will face next year: between MAGA Republicans whose agenda would give tax handouts to the ultra-rich at the expense of working people, or Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ agenda for the middle class.”

We’ll see what happens!

Welp that’s it for me. Stories for today’s show originally published by States Newsroom outlets the Missouri Independent, Kansas Reflector, Texas Tribune, Arizona Mirror. Additional Rex Sinquefeld information from National Public Radio.

Host: Adam Sommer

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Reaction To McCarthy "Gaetz" Removed (get it?) and Adam Chats With Russ Carnahan, Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party

4 oktober 2023 | 40 min

Talkin' Politics | GOP Continues To Lose Abortion Fight; Democracy Docket Montana Case; Shutdown Avoided (for now) But At What Price?; Amazon Goin' Courtin'

2 oktober 2023 | 77 min

Impeachment Implosion With Jason "Not An Expert On Timelines" & Lucas Kunce v. Josh Hawley... or Nah?

29 september 2023 | 51 min

Picket Lines, Shutdowns, & Trump's Fraud

27 september 2023 | 59 min

Collective Bargain with Host, Glenn Kage, Jr - A Labor Focused Show

26 september 2023 | 18 min

Ethical violation allegations from leading Missouri Republican while US Dem Senator Gets Charged; Justice Thomas Ethical Pit Deepens; Democracy Docket Win In Mississippi; Antivax Impacts Coming; Biden's Big Green Project

25 september 2023 | 79 min

Rep. Crystal Quade, Democratic Candidate for Governor

24 september 2023 | 35 min

Friday Flyover | Heartland News and Views From Across Flyover Country

22 september 2023 | 38 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

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Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)

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Kansas
1. https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/19/kansas-judge-rejects-prosecutors-attempt-to-seal-affidavit-by-insulting-newspaper/
  1. Douglas County prosecutor Joshua Seiden said Lawrence Journal-World should be denied access to public record because it is ‘devoid of journalist integrity’
  2. Joshua Seiden, Douglas County deputy district attorney, had tried to persuade the judge to seal an affidavit because he said the newspaper lacks integrity and is interested in clickbait.
  3. latest attempt by government officials in Kansas to punish a news organization for publishing stories they don’t like - recall the raid in Marion that left an elderly woman dead
  4. Under state law, affidavits are public records unless the state can prove that the public interest would be served by keeping them sealed.
  5. His completely unfounded legal argument: While the Lawrence Journal-World may claim that it requests this information because it is in the public interest, the sad reality is that the Lawrence Journal-World is a fledgling publication devoid of journalist integrity and constantly on the prowl for potential clickbait
Texas Schools Censor Teacher
1. https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/texas-teacher-anne-frank-fired-18375331.php
  1. A Texas middle school teacher has been fired after assigning an unapproved illustrated version of Anne Frank's Diary to her eighth grade reading class. Per a report from KFDM, a spokesperson for Hamshire-Fannett ISD, located south of Beaumont, released a statement confirming the teacher was sent home on Wednesday after reading a passage from Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation in which Frank wrote about male and female genitalia. An investigation into the incident has since ensued.
  2. While district officials claim the adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary was not approved, it was included on a reading list sent to parents at the start of the school year, KFDM reports
Missouri falling behind energy shifts
1. https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/20/seizing-the-clean-energy-opportunity-missouris-time-to-shine/
  1. Utility companies across America are working to shift away from coal to more renewable sources
  2. For years, electric companies across the nation cited cost concerns in their resistance to clean energy. But that should be the case no longer, thanks to new federal opportunities.
  3. Take the Kansas City-based Evergy, which has taken action to decrease its reliance on coal and increase its renewables-based energy generation. In 2018, Evergy closed some of its coal plants and increased its wind production while working with businesses to attract new development through renewable access. At one time, Evergy planned to reach net zero emissions by 2045.
  4. Federal funding can be used to boost coops
  5. Also a job creator
  6. Win-win-Win situation here
Indiana Takes The Lead On Non-Compete Legislation
1. https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/09/20/indiana-likely-to-wait-on-further-noncompete-legislation-pending-lawsuit-industry-impacts/
  1. Indiana lawmakers went on the offensive when they limited physician-employer noncompete agreements for the second time in three years — but with a lawsuit pending and an industry adjusting, they’re sitting back to observe before doing more.
  2. And still-unfolding national efforts could supersede it all.
  3. “I’m hopeful, maybe, but I think it’s more of a sit and wait,” said Sen. Justin Busch, the Fort Wayne Republican who authored this year’s legislation.
  4. Noncompete agreements bar employees who leave their jobs from working in similar positions within a certain timeframe, and often, a geographical range. In Indiana, physicians working under such agreements must purchase their freedom for a “reasonable” price.
Looming Federal Shutdown Puts Millions In State of Uncertainty
1. https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/09/20/a-disaster-nears-millions-of-federal-workers-paychecks-would-be-on-hold-in-a-shutdown/
  1. 3.5 million federal workers or other pearson reliant on federal system for regular income will be in a bind
  2. All of this coming as the House gears up for their first impeachment hearings coming up on Thursday, which could be happening almost simultaneously with a shut down
Child Rape and Abuse Charges In Tennessee Against Another Drag Queen… oh sorry, misread that, against another white male pastor
1. https://www.thedailybeast.com/traveling-texas-preacher-benjamin-garlick-and-wife-charged-in-child-rape-case
  1. Traveling pastor and wife got crowd sourced funds to pay for a van
  2. Now he’s charged with rape and abuse and she is charged with facilitating the same
  3. But hey, at least a man in a dress didn’t read a book to kids, amiright?
Feds Bringing Back Free COVID testing
1. https://www.covid.gov/tests
  1. The COVIDtests.gov program has distributed over 755 million tests directly to more than two-thirds of American households, 310 million of which went to households in underserved communities. The U.S. government will continue to make COVID-19 tests available to uninsured individuals and underserved communities through existing outreach programs. Please contact a HRSA health center, Test to Treat site, or ICATT location near you to learn how to access low- or no-cost COVID-19 tests provided by the federal government.
Friday Feel Good - Springfield MO charity helping millions of kids
1. https://sgfcitizen.org/schools/k12-education/care-to-learn-celebrates-a-3-million-milestone-of-meeting-needs/

The charitable foundation focused on helping students and their families for educational success recently celebrated meeting its 3 millionth need.

Krystal Simon, CEO of the organization, said Care to Learn reached that mark relatively quickly, compared to the last milestones — it took 10 years to surpass a million.

“It took us 14 years to hit 2 million needs,” Simon said. “About a year later, we hit 3 million.”

The reason for the increased number of needs deals with the growth of the organization. In its 15th year, Care to Learn now has chapters and partners in 42 school districts around Missouri, from Kansas City to Cape Girardeau, reaching about 130,000 public school students.

Care To Learn link: https://caretolearn.org/who-we-are/

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Just A Couple Of Dudes Throwin' Flames, Brah

20 september 2023 | 44 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

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Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Missouri’s Fascist Display Fallout

Missouri Sen. Bill Eigel a Gubernatorial candidate and Sen. Nick Schroer held a Freedom Fest (which cost $ to attend) in which they raffled off flame throwers
This included a demonstration of the flame throwers
Video showed what evoked for many people memories of Nazi book burning gatherings
Appears no books were harmed as they were burning a pile of cardboard and the “woke liberal agenda” in effigy
AP good summary: https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-false-flamethrower-missouri-senators-books-ban-186453919126
Another good one: https://scrippsnews.com/stories/missouri-lawmakers-deny-burning-books-in-viral-video/
- Rowden: https://x.com/calebrowden/status/1704118480784523639?s=20
- Eigel then says he in fact is just fine with burning books and says he would burn books on the lawn of the governor’s mansion
The cherry on top
https://x.com/TheHeartlandPOD/status/1703956026939039838?s=20

Real Housewives Of Presidential Politics

First - I saw a Doug Burgum ad during monday night football and I about Burgumed in my pants

California also working to get Trump off ballot - follow up from last week talking 14th Amendment

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/18/democrats-effort-kick-trump-off-california-ballot-00116476

From Article: Nine California lawmakers wrote a letter to Attorney General Rob Bonta over the weekend, arguing that Trump isn’t eligible to be on the ballot for inciting an insurrection when a mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The move, which comes amid several lawsuits to keep Trump off state ballots across the country, is unique because Bonta could use his standing as California’s top law enforcement officer to expedite a state court ruling on the matter. Should the effort succeed, California could be the first state to bump Trump off its ballot, even if the ruling is ultimately overturned.

Bonta would also be the country’s first state attorney general to take a swing at knocking Trump off the ballot. The other cases rely on secretaries of state.

Young Voters Back Uncle Joe

https://www.rawstory.com/young-voters-support-biden/

From article: But as a young voter and host of "iGen Politics," Victor Shi observed, the same poll shows a record 65 percent support for Biden among voters under 30. For voters between 30 and 44, Biden enjoys 56 percent support. The lowest amount of support for Biden comes from those over 65.

The official question read: "If next year's 2024 presidential election is between Joe Biden, the Democrat, and Donald Trump, the Republican, who would you vote for?"

As goes Ohio’s Senate Race So Goes The Nation?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/18/sherrod-brown-democrat-ohio-senate-reelection?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

From Article: A Suffolk University poll in July had Brown in a statistical tie with the leading contenders for the Republican nomination. More than half of voters said they approved of the senator’s job performance but, even among them, one in six said they were likely to vote for the leading Republican candidate.

Brown’s supporters say he unifies disparate Democrats and other voters in a way others in his party do not.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Collective Bargain (Ep.2) with host Glenn Kage, Jr: Meet The Member - Damon Moore, UAW member

19 september 2023 | 25 min

Special Guest: Don Looney (MO Activist & Union Member) on UAW Strike, Lauren Boebert Gets Kicked For Getting Kicks; Missouri's Failure On Protecting Children; GOP's Impeachment Uh Oh; Google Goes On Trial

18 september 2023 | 82 min

The Sunday Shows -UAW Is On Strike, and Glenn Kage, Jr. , host of "Collective Bargain" and member of UAW 225O, Helps Us All Understand The Reasons Why

17 september 2023 | 17 min

Friday Flyover - Sep 15, 2023 - Politics and 2024 Elections News - Democrats look to hold Bob Casey and Sherrod Brown's Senate seats | Mitt Romney retires | Lauren Boebert tries to change her image

15 september 2023 | 41 min

Real House Wives Of Presidential Politics | Tim Scott Makes A Headline; The 14th Amendment, Trump, and You; Biden Camp Calm While Headlines Swirl; Adam and Sean's Top 5

13 september 2023 | 84 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)

Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post)

Sean Diller @SeanDillerCO (Twitter and Post)

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Tim Scott seems to have just realized he’s in the Republican party
1. https://www.businessinsider.com/tim-scott-responds-gay-rumors-unmarried-black-2024-campaign-2023-9
  1. Sen. Tim Scott, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, is defending his unmarried status.
  2. It's garnered more attention over the course of the campaign, with some insinuating he's gay.
  3. Scott insists he has a girlfriend and says the attention on his relationship status is a stand-in for other attacks.
  4. Sad that Sen. Scott cannot simply be who his is, or is not.
The Trump 14th Amendment Insurrection clause push is on
1. Let’s talk 14th Amendment
  1. Often referred to as the “substantive due process” clause and where you can find the “priviledges and immunities” language, along with equal protection
    1. BTW why this isn’t being mentioned as a way to challenge abortion laws, I’m not sure, but that’s another show
  2. Language of 14th: 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Civil Rights (1868) | National Archives
  3. Very Smart Legal Scholar Article
    1. Quote from article: The Congress that proposed the Fourteenth Amendment rightly regarded the situation as outrageous—not only morally, but practically. If former Confederates held the levers of federal and state government power, effective “reconstruction” of the political order and any hope of extending the full and equal protection of the laws to the newly freed former slaves would be at an end.
  4. Section 3 is the insurrection clause: No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
  5. Potential problem: section 5 places enforcement with Congress to make laws that enforce the provisions of the 14th, but wording of Sec 3 seems to automatically attach, or be “self executing” in legal terms
2. Laurence Tribe: If Trump doesn’t qualify for insurrection clause, nobody would
  1. Minnesota challenge (just the latest similar in Colorado) Trump faces another 14th Amendment candidacy challenge, this time in Minnesota | CNN Politics
  2. 14th Amendment challenges against Trump's candidacy mount as campaign pushes back - ABC News
From law suit: “Donald J. Trump, through his words and actions, after swearing an oath as an officer of the United States to support the Constitution, then engaged in insurrection as defined by Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment,” the new lawsuit says. “He is disqualified from holding the presidency or any other office under the United States.”
Trump’s Final Solution Plan unveiled
1. Conservatives aim to restructure U.S. government and replace it with Trump’s vision | PBS NewsHour
  1. From article: With a nearly 1,000-page “Project 2025” handbook and an “army” of Americans, the idea is to have the civic infrastructure in place on Day One to commandeer, reshape and do away with what Republicans deride as the “deep state” bureaucracy, in part by firing as many as 50,000 federal workers.
  2. Plan to “flood the zone” with Conservatives
  3. Basically a plan to completely turn over the government with only those who have passed the Fuhrer’s loyalty test
GOP Primary now with more COVID
1. COVID panic hits the Republican primaries | Semafor
2. GOP on social media posting like it’s 2021 and they are fighting masks again
Hitting the panic button on Biden? Not so fast say
1. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/12/joe-biden-age-polls-democrats-2024-election
2. Washington Times - which has become increasingly right wing, not just right leaning, article about Biden being cut off and ushered off stage in Vietnam
  1. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/sep/11/joe-biden-cut-mid-sentence-vietnam-press-conferenc/
3. Impeachment inquiry opened in the House, will include Gym Jordan and Missouri’s own Jason Smith
The Fett Man seems unphased by this news (Video & sound)
1. https://twitter.com/noliewithbtc/status/1701639496498843932?s=46&t=mukZUfs5M_R3E9tAHIu-GA
The non-Biden contenders list
1. The Memo: Five Democratic alternatives if President Biden exits the 2024 race
  1. Article lists: Harris, Newsom, Mayor Pete, Whitmer, and AOC as their 5
Each presents their list of 5 Dem POTUS hopefuls
1. Sean
  1. Big Boy from Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker - $170 MM in last campaign
  2. CO Gov. Jared Polis - $13 MM
  3. KS Gov Laura Kelly - $8 MM
  4. U.S. Sen from MN Amy Klobuchar - $8 MM in 2018, $4 MM cash on hand now
  5. NC Gov Roy Cooper - $41 MM in 2020 win by 4.5 points
2. Adam
  1. Gretchen Whitmer - MI Gov
  2. Raphael Warnock - GA Sen.
  3. Josh Shapiro - PA Gov
  4. JB Pritzker - IL Gov
  5. Jared Polis - CO Gov

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Talkin' Politics | Remembering 9/11; Trump’s Impacts On State party GOP; "Red State" policies run off professionals; Democracy Docket Does Work; Look at the TN Senate Race; The Recession Obsession Reimagined

11 september 2023 | 61 min

Friday Flyover | Abortion Across State Lines; Gloria Johnson Is Running For Senate In TN; MO Dems 2024 Primary Issues; Marion Co. Kansas Accountability?; Reminder On Dirt Road Democrat Show

8 september 2023 | 43 min

Talkin' Politics | Bumper Sticker Bingo; A Proud Boy Gets Prison Israel’s Ongoing Protests For Democracy; Alabama GOP Gets Caught Suppressing Votes; Real Housewives of Presidential Politics

6 september 2023 | 60 min

Collective Bargain w/ Glenn Kage, Jr | Ep. 1 - Introducing The Host; Understanding The Strike; Meet The Member with Drew "Your Boy From Illinois" Duzinskas

4 september 2023 | 68 min

Friday Flyover | Heartland News And Views, with Rachel Parker

1 september 2023 | 22 min

August 30, 2023 - Heartland Pod Politics Wednesday - 2024 Elections and Government News

30 augusti 2023 | 27 min

Florida Gov and GOP 2024 also-ran Ron DeSantis looks to lead in wake of violence and major hurricane | Former SC Gov and UN Ambassador under President Trump, Nikki Haley is having a moment, kind of | President Biden names first 10 drugs subject to negotations with Medicare | 60th anniversary of the March on Washington

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Welcome to Heartland Pod Wednesday!

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

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Alright! Let’s get into it:

Hurricane in Florida / Shooting in Florida

POLITICO: DeSantis knows how to handle a hurricane. The racist shooting poses a bigger dilemma.

A racially-motivated Jacksonville tragedy, couple with a looming storm, pose big tests for the governor.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, center and his wife Casey, right, bow their heads during a prayer.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (center) and his wife Casey bow their heads during a prayer at a vigil for the victims of Saturday's mass shooting on Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023, in Jacksonville. | John Raoux/AP Photo

By KIMBERLY LEONARD

08/28/2023 04:14 PM EDT

Updated: 08/28/2023 05:12 PM EDT

MIAMI — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handling of back-to-back crises — a racist mass shooting and a potentially catastrophic hurricane — could help burnish his image as a can-do, effective governor or further damage his standing with Black Americans who have grown livid over his policies.

Already, DeSantis’ attempts to show leadership in the immediate aftermath of the Saturday shooting were poorly received by some Black lawmakers, Democrats and residents in Florida. In the hours after a 21-year-old white man killed three Black Floridians near a historically Black college in Jacksonville, several state Democrats blamed DeSantis, who is running for president, for creating an environment, through policies such as loosening gun laws and ending diversity programs, that helped hate fester.

DeSantis has condemned the shooting and said “targeting people due to their race has no place in this state of Florida.” But attending a Sunday night vigil in Jacksonville, he was jeered and booed by people who had come out to remember the victims. At one point, a Jacksonville Democratic councilmember stepped in to calm the crowd, urging people to “put parties aside.” Later during the event, a pastor took issue with DeSantis describing the gunman as a “scumbag,” and said he should have used the word “racist” instead.

The vigil stood in contrast to press conferences in Tallahassee on Sunday and Monday, when DeSantis appeared visibly tired but spoke authoritatively about preparations overseeing Tropical Storm Idalia, which is forecast to become a major hurricane. He canceled campaign appearances and fundraisers, and told Floridians Sunday they could “rest assured” because “I am here” and would “get the job done.”

DeSantis says politics won’t interfere with storm response

“He needs to be in Florida for as long as it takes,” said Adam Hollingsworth, the former chief of staff to Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who served as governor before DeSantis. “His presidential ambitions could be a distraction, but first Gov. DeSantis has to dance with the one who brought him. Right now, that’s the people of Florida.”

Though the shooting and looming storm are taking DeSantis away from campaigning for president following a high-profile debate, they’ll also allow voters and donors to see the governor at work leading the hurricane response, letting the public assess how he balances multiple priorities, displays empathy and projects leadership in moments of tragedy. At the same time, the shooting has shined a spotlight on DeSantis’ record and vulnerabilities on race, one of the areas for which he has faced the most criticism and controversy as governor.

In times of tragedy, opponents are “looking for a misstep,” acknowledged Craig Fugate, who led Florida’s emergency division under Gov. Jeb Bush and oversaw FEMA during the Obama administration.

“They’re looking for something to go wrong — particularly for the opponents; they’re looking for something to capitalize on,” Fugate said.

DeSantis began his Monday morning hurricane preparedness press conference by first addressing the mass shooting. He pledged $1 million in security funding to Edward Waters University, a historically Black university that the gunman is believed to have initially targeted, as well as $100,000 toward a charity for the families of the victims. He also deployed state law enforcement officials to evaluate the campus’ security and make additional recommendations, pledging to continue to assist in the “days and weeks ahead.”

But many Democrats in the state panned his response. They pointed to laws he enacted in Florida to carve up representation in a Black-majority district that eventually led a Black Democratic congressman, Rep. Al Lawson, to lose his seat. They also pointed to his policies, approved by the GOP-led Legislature, banning what he calls “critical race theory” in schools, as well as his defense of a public school curriculum on Black history that required middle-school teachers to instruct that enslaved people “developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

Florida Minority House Leader Fentrice Driskell, a Black Democrat of Tampa, said it was “absolutely” the right decision for DeSantis to attend the vigil but added that she didn’t want to give him a pass.

“The reality is, a number of wrongheaded decisions about the state of Florida, and who we are as a people, I think contributed to this charged political climate that resulted in the violence that we saw,” Driskell said in an interview.

The accused gunman, identified as Ryan Palmeter, had a racist manifesto and drew swastikas on his weapons. He also had a history of mental illness, having been involuntarily institutionalized for emergency mental health services as a teenager, police said.

During DeSantis’ vigil remarks Sunday, Democratic state Rep. Angela Nixon, who represents the district where the shooting took place, could be seen glaring at the governor in videos and photos widely shared on social media.

“We feel the same,” the NAACP wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

AXIOS: Biden set to name first 10 drugs subject to Medicare negotiations.

The blood-thinners Eliquis and Xarelto are among the 10 prescription medicines the Biden administration will seek lower Medicare prices for as part of a new program allowing the government to negotiate drug prices for America's seniors.

Why it matters: The administration's landmark announcement Tuesday detailed the first-ever set of drugs subject to Medicare price negotiations, a longtime Democratic priority included in last year's Inflation Reduction Act over drug companies' fervent objections.

Other drugs up for negotiation include:

Jardiance, a diabetes drug.

Januvia, also for diabetes.

Farxiga, another diabetes drug.

Entresto, for heart failure.

Enbrel, for arthritis and psoriasis.

Imbruvica, a blood cancer drug.

Stelara, used on psoriasis, Crohn's disease and other illnesses.

Fiasp, also used for diabetes.

Of note: Insulin is already subject to a $35 monthly co-pay cap for Medicare prescription drug plan enrollees under a different provision of the IRA.

State of play: The drugs' manufacturers will have just over a month to decide whether to participate in negotiations — which the industry is battling in court — or sit out the process, at the risk of significant financial penalty.

Drugmakers who refuse to negotiate with Medicare face an excise tax of up to 95% of their U.S. sales, or they can withdraw their drugs from Medicare and Medicaid coverage, shutting them out of huge markets.

What they're saying: "The cancer moonshot will not succeed if this administration continues to dismantle the innovation rocket we need to get there," Stephen Ubl, CEO of industry trade group PhRMA, said in a statement following the release of the list.

Zoom out: The medicines up for negotiation were chosen from a list of the 50 products with the highest spending in Medicare's prescription drug program, Part D.

The selected drugs accounted for 20% of Part D prescription costs between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2023, according to the Health and Human Services Department.

Some of the highest-cost Medicare drugs were not eligible for this round of negotiations, either because they still have market exclusivity, they're the only option for a rare disease or another factor.

The prices won't take effect before the 2024 elections, but Democrats are expected to tout the negotiations, along with other drug cost reforms in the IRA, as part of their campaign messaging.

What's next: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will submit price offers to the drug companies by Feb. 1, with negotiations continuing until next August.

CMS will publish the drugs' final maximum fair prices by Sept. 1, 2024, and prices will go into effect in 2026.

What we're watching: Ongoing legal challenges could draw out or halt the negotiation process.

Drugmakers and allied groups have already filed eight lawsuits against the Medicare drug negotiation process, and more lawsuits could follow Tuesday's announcement.

President Biden and his health officials committed this morning to fighting industry lawsuits.

"Let me be clear: I am not backing down. There is no reason why Americans should be forced to pay more than any developed nation for life-saving prescriptions just to pad Big Pharma's pockets," Biden said in a statement.

Nikki Haley

DAILY BEAST: Is it time for Republicans to take Nikki Haley seriously?

According to a new Emerson College Polling survey, “Haley saw the largest increase in support among Republican candidates, jumping 5 points from 2 percent to 7 percent” following last week’s debate.

“Nikki Haley’s support increased from about 2 percent to 9 percent among voters over 50 [years of age],” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, “while Trump’s support dropped within this age group from about 56 percent to 49 percent after the debate.”

Republican Debaters Agreed on One Thing: They Hate Vivek Ramaswamy

This jump is modest, inasmuch as it still leaves Haley in the single digits. But it’s also no outlier. According to a poll conducted by The Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight, and Ipsos released last Thursday, voters were persuaded to at least give her a second look. “Pre-debate, 29 percent of GOP primary voters who watched the debate said they were considering voting for her,” according to the survey, “and that increased to 46 percent after the debate.”

So how did she do it? Haley caught our attention by being first to hit Trump (from the right), when she criticized him for “adding eight trillion to our debt.” This surprised everyone, demonstrated courage, and put to rest the notion that she is merely running to be Trump’s vice president.

Haley also staked out a strong position on abortion. While stressing her pro-life beliefs, she made the pragmatic case that a federal abortion ban would require 60 votes. Instead, Haley urged Republicans to focus on consensus issues, like banning late-term abortions, making sure contraception is widely available, and supporting adoption as an alternative.

Trump’s former veep, Mike Pence, who supports a 15-week federal ban on abortion, took umbrage with this. “Nikki, you’re my friend, but consensus is the opposite of leadership,” Pence scolded. (As the Never Trump conservative writer Jonah Goldberg has pointed out on his podcast, building consensus is often a key attribute of leadership.)

The Republican Debate Was a Futile Pudding Wrestling Match

This exchange, like others during that same debate, made it clear that in a general election Nikki Haley would likely be Joe Biden’s most challenging opponent.

Having served as governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the United Nations, she has the experience needed for the office. She also has sharp elbows. (“You have no foreign policy experience and it shows,” she told Vivek Ramaswamy.)

At 51, Haley would present a stark contrast in terms of generational change, assuming that Joe Biden was still the Democratic nominee. And (unlike others) she is not staking out an abortion position that might render her effectively unelectable, should she become the Republican nominee.

Haley (who frequently cites Margaret Thatcher’s line, “If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman”) was the only woman on that stage. Her identity, temperament, and policy positions could help chip away at the gender gap that has only grown in recent years.

The obvious caveat here is that all of these things would make Haley a great candidate to beat Joe Biden if she somehow wins the Republican nomination. But that’s an awfully big “if.”

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: GOP Debate Showed How Not to Pick a President

Haley’s answer to this is to make the electability argument: “We have to face the fact that Trump is the most disliked politician in America,” she—and she, alone—averred during last week’s debate.

But will that dog hunt?

Right now, the electability argument isn’t persuading Republicans to jump off the Trump bandwagon, even though that argument is likely the only one that could ever work. At some point (perhaps after Donald Trump goes on trial and it’s too late), Republicans might be convinced that, as entertaining as Trump is, he simply can’t win.

Based on all of this, you might expect me to suggest that it’s time to clear the field—to rally every freedom conservative, Reagan Republican, and Never Trump conservative to coalesce around Haley as the GOP’s last, best hope.

Some of my colleagues are already there. The New York Times columnist David Brooks, for example, declared last week that “Wednesday’s debate persuaded me that the best Trump alternative is not [Tim] Scott, it’s Nikki Haley.”

But here’s my problem. Haley has been all over the map for years now. One day she’s courageous and impressive, and the next day she’s a pathetic Trump toady.

Haley is a political chameleon, which makes me reluctant to ever trust her again.

Trump and Ramaswamy Show Us How the Worst Get to the Top

On the other hand, anyone looking for purity (as it pertains to Trump) can also dismiss Pence and Chris Christie—both of whom supported Trump until Jan. 6—and a vast swath of today’s leading Never Trumpers. As the Good Book says, “Who then can be saved?”

Nikki Haley’s got a long way to go before she clears the not-Trump lane of candidates, much less taking on the final boss himself. And though nothing has yet made a dent in Trump’s domination of the GOP voter base, he’s never run as a candidate on trial before. But the whole 91-felony indictment thing might just do the trick.

If Haley can prove herself by stringing together two or three of these kinds of courageous performances—in which she not only characterizes Trump as the guy who already lost to Biden, but also that she’s as real a conservative as any of the other contenders—there is a path to success.

It’s hardly guaranteed, and as I’ve noted, courage comes and goes with Haley. But in the “Matt Lewis primary,” you can count me among the 46 percent who are now considering voting for her.

Talkin' Politics, 8/28/23: GOP Overplaying Their Hand?; Missouri Republican's Lead Nation In Attacking Education; Population Shifts Impacting Rural Areas; Modern Conservatism Marches On With or Without Trump

28 augusti 2023 | 59 min

Helping MO Special Needs Families with Larry Opinksy - GOP Debate; Texas Elections Bill; Meatpacking Waste In Mid MO; Energy Warning Signs; Josh Hawley Isn't Popular; RAGA Won't Back Bailey; Urban Rural Undivided?

25 augusti 2023 | 74 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Joyce Elliot with "Get Loud Arkansas"

24 augusti 2023 | 51 min

Real Housewives Of Presidential Politics: Biden's Approval; Bidenomics; Trump Skips Debate; DeSantis Fades; and Jenna Ellis Puts The FUN In Legal Defense Fund;

23 augusti 2023 | 58 min

Talkin' Politics | Defining Woke Communism; MO GOV Race 2024; "Red State" AGs Hate Privacy?; Wisconsin Labor Market Booming; Biden's Big Summit; Trump Charges Mounting

21 augusti 2023 | 65 min

Flyover Friday | Marion County Record Raid, Eric Schmitt Was Wrong (Again); Library Attacks Continue In St. Charles MO, Julian Assange Prosecution Continues; Pop culture pick

18 augusti 2023 | 38 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Erik Richardson For Congress, 2024 Starts Now

17 augusti 2023 | 43 min

August 16, 2023 - High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West

16 augusti 2023 | 9 min

Colorado teachers’ union sues school district over gag policy | Arizona’s state Democratic Party has raised 7x more money than AZ Republicans this year | Cecelia Espinoza, Rochelle Galindo, and Tim Hernandez seek vacant Colorado House seat representing Denver-based 4th district | Power shutoffs could prove deadly as Nevadans brace for continued extreme heat

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Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

A Colorado teachers union filed a federal lawsuit against the Woodland Park School District and its board of education over a policy that they say prevents teachers from publicly speaking about school concerns.

The Woodland Park Education Association and its president, Nate Owen, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Denver this week. The school board and district in Woodland Park, outside Colorado Springs in Teller County, has become increasingly conservative in recent years and the schools have become a frequent flashpoint of controversy over a number of issues including curriculum, personnel, transparency, etc.

The lawsuit alleges that a district policy known as KDDA, is an unconstitutional prior restraint on speech that goes against the First Amendment.

That policy, revised twice this year, states that the superintendent is the official spokesperson for the district and employees cannot talk to the media or even post on social media about district decisions without approval. Violation of the policy is considered insubordination.

The lawsuit says “Prior restraints on speech are the most serious and least tolerable infringement of an individual’s First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court has routinely held that prior restraints on protected speech are presumed to be constitutionally invalid,”

There are examples of courts striking down policies that prevent public employees, like teachers, from speaking to the media without prior approval.

attorney Steve Zansberg, who works on cases pertaining to media and the First Amendment said “It is my understanding that policies like this have previously been challenged in other school districts and have been found by courts to be unconstitutional restrictions on free speech rights of school employees.”

Because of Owen’s standing as president of the local teachers union, he often makes public comments to the school board about working conditions and matters of public concern, as well as comments to the media. The district’s policy, however, puts his teaching job in jeopardy if he speaks out.

The lawsuit also alleges that the way the policy was revised in February and March violates Colorado’s Open Meetings Law. There are no posted minutes or agendas that show the school board publicly discussing the issue.

Woodland Park School District Superintendent Ken Witt called the lawsuit a “coordinated political attack” by groups seeking to intimidate him, but of course offered no support for that claim.

ARIZONA MIRROR:

Arizona Republican Party’s fundraising abysmal in run up to pivotal 2024 election

BY: CAITLIN SIEVERS - AUGUST 11, 2023 7:00 AM

The Arizona Republican Party’s fundraising efforts so far this year are embarrassing, with Democrats outpacing them seven to one, leaving political operatives wondering if the party’s new chairman can right the ship in time to mount any sort of meaningful campaign in 2024.

The party took in only $165,000 in contributions so far in 2023, as compared to the Arizona Democratic Party’s more than $1,150,000.

And the state Republican Party’s federal account, which is vital to fund operations during a presidential election year, was in a sad state as of the end of June, with less than $24,000 in cash on hand, compared to the state Democratic Party’s nearly $714,000.

Because of campaign finance laws, the parties must operate separate accounts for money spent to help elect federal candidates and funds used to bolster state and local hopefuls.

Robert Graham, a former Arizona Republican Party chairman from 2013-2017, told the Arizona Mirror, “If this were me, I would be sweating a little bit.”

He went on to say that the last party chairman Kelli Ward’s extravagant spending and far-right fringe politics have left some big donors hesitant to give.

Ward, who chaired the state GOP for four years beginning in January 2019, was part of the group of fake electors from Arizona that hoped to overturn former President Donald Trump’s loss to President Joe Biden in 2020. She bought into election conspiracy theories and spent more than $500,000 on an election night party and statewide bus tour in 2022, angering fellow Republicans who would have rather seen that money used to help GOP candidates who lost extremely tight statewide races.

In that election, Arizona Republicans suffered losses in the race for governor, secretary of state and attorney general and the U.S. Senate.

One former AZ Democratic Party executive director said

“Functionally, they’re running an operation right now that wouldn’t be capable of running one Dairy Queen franchise, much less a state operation to hopefully elect a senator or a president,”

“I would be shocked, I think, just given where they are right now, if this time next year they’re running any sort of impactful campaign or effort out of the state Republican Party.”

DENVER WESTWORD:

Firebrand Teacher Tim Hernández seeks seat in Colorado House

House District 4 had been represented by Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, who won an at-large seat on Denver City Council.

By Michael Roberts

August 9, 2023

Tim Hernández is a teacher best known for fighting on behalf of diversity, equity and inclusion related to both students and educators. Now he hopes to bring his passion to the Colorado Legislature as a representative for House District 4.

Hernandez has been a controversial figure, making headlines last year when students at North High School protested the decision not to keep him on the staff.

Colorado’s House District 4 stretches roughly from Regis University south to Morrison Road, and from Sheridan Boulevard east to Zuni Street.

However, the District’s voters as a whole won't be making the selection — at least not yet. On August 26 "appointed leadership of the Democratic Party within the House district, an estimated 69 individuals, will decide who fills out the rest of the term.

Two other hopefuls with significant Democratic connections are also vying for the spot. Cecelia Espenoza previously worked as a counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice and an appellate immigration judge. She is also a former professor at the University of Denver and St. Mary's University School of Law, and a former chair of the board at the National Hispana Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., as well.

Also in the race is Rochelle Galindo, who in 2015 became the first openly gay person to be elected to the Greeley, Colorado City Council. She followed this win by besting Republican rival Michael Thuener to become the state representative for Weld County's District 50 in 2018. She resigned the next year after being accused of sexual assault and providing alcohol to a minor and was cleared of the charges in 2021.

Since she left the legislature, Galindo has worked in various roles at advocacy organizations Colorado People's Alliance, Colorado People's Action, and Emerge.

NEVADA CURRENT:

NV households struggle to pay summer power bills, and it’s getting worse

BY: JENIFFER SOLIS - AUGUST 15, 2023 5:34 AM

Record heat in Southern Nevada throughout July drove scores of residents to take refuge in air-conditioned homes, but the cost of fighting off summer temperatures will likely leave an alarming number of Nevadans unable to pay their bills.

Last month was the hottest July ever recorded in Las Vegas, with a daily average high of 109 degrees. The last two weeks of July were the hottest 14-day stretch on ever record, with an average high of 112 degrees.

Nevada residents living in a single-family home saw an average 22% increase — from about $337 per month fo $407 per month - in their energy bills.

Electricity rates in July were set to be even higher before NV Energy agreed to temporarily reduce costs for customers.

For many Nevada households, an extra $60 to $70 dollars won’t completely break the bank, but for low-income households or those on a fixed income, higher utility bills mean choosing between keeping the A/C running or addressing other essential needs like food and medication.

In the worst-case scenario, lack of payment may lead to a power shut-off, leaving families scrambling to find enough money to restore service, often only to face disconnection again.

Further, Nevada does not require utilities to disclose the number of customers they disconnect, leaving little transparency of the magnitude of the problem. NV Energy, a monopoly with more than a million captive customers, has shown little interest in publicly sharing the number of disconnected customers.

An NV Energy spokesperson said in an email that “NV Energy does not share this type of data publicly, though the company works diligently with customers and makes every effort to avoid disconnecting power.”

Data that is public reveals that more and more households are struggling to pay utility bills in Nevada.

Applications for state utility assistance over the last three months of available data reveal a sharp 37% increase compared to the same period last year. Public health officials anticipate the high demand will continue as temperatures remain high throughout August.

The state program, called the Energy Assistance Program, provides a supplement for qualifying low-income Nevadans with the cost of home energy. Eligible households receive an annual, one-time per year benefit paid directly to their energy provider.

But the cost of that assistance ultimately falls on NV Energy customers. Part of the program’s funding is subsidized by ratepayers through NV Energy’s Universal Energy Charge, which adds 46 cents a month to the typical residential power bill.

Unpaid bills that can’t be recovered by NV Energy are eventually paid by customers too.

Nevada law does protect utility customers from power shut-offs during periods of extreme heat, when a lack of air conditioning can result in waves of hospitalizations or even death.

According to state statute, a utility company can’t terminate service for a non-paying customer if the National Weather Service has forecast a period of extreme heat within the next 24 hours within the customer’s geographical area. For most residents in Southern Nevada, extreme heat is defined as 105 degrees. So if it won’t be 105 in the course of the next day, service can be terminated.

NV Energy must also notify elderly customers at least 48 hours before termination of power.

For all other residents in Southern Nevada, a forecast of 105 degrees or higher within a 24 hour period is considered extreme heat. Utilities also can’t terminate service to a customer for nonpayment if the outstanding amount owed is $50 or less. But more than $50, it could be lights out.

COLORADO SUN:

Colorado’s Copper Mountain resort starts seeding to spark a huge biodiversity effort

Jason Blevins

3:50 AM MDT on Aug 15, 2023

This story first appeared in The Outsider, the premium outdoor newsletter by Jason Blevins.

In it, he covers the industry from the inside out, plus the fun side of being outdoors in our beautiful state.

SUBSCRIBE

Copper Mountain has identified 558 acres on the front side of its ski area where soil work can help restore ecosystems and improve biodiversity to help lessen the impacts of climate change. Last year the resort announced a 10-year carbon sequestration plan to plant carbon-storing plants and grasses on its ski slopes. The resort has tapped researchers at Southwestern University in Texas in the effort, with student scientists staking out test plots on five ski runs where they can monitor vegetation growth using native seeds, compost and biochar.

The ski area hosted several resort leaders at its second-annual conservation summit earlier this month in an effort to share their research, strategies and projects. A large focus was restoring biological vibrancy on ski slopes, which too often are simply treated pretty much like lawns instead of critical components of mountain ecosystems. Last year sustainability workers at Copper Mountain started collecting seeds from 27 native species and replanting them across the resort’s north-facing ski runs.

Jeff Grasser, head of sustainability at Copper Mountain said “We are experimenting. We are trying to figure out how to make all this work at a landscape level,” as he sifted through charred wood chips in a 50-gallon drum that he will carefully spread across plots of ski slopes to see how the porous, lightweight biochar might help native grasses thrive.

The aptly named Grasser has big plans. What if he could create “tons and tons” of biochar in massive kilns, not just little drums? What if Copper Mountain’s corporate owner deploys its fleet of helicopters for heli-skiing in Utah to spread biochar across all the ski slopes at the company’s 10 mountain resorts?

“We want to do this in ways that can be done on a very large scale and we can’t wait to share these results with you,” Grasser told a group of sustainability leaders at a recent conservation summit.

The program included a presentation from folks from another Colorado ski area, Arapahoe Basin, detailing how crews replaced vegetation by hand and preserved topsoil when installing new chairlift towers. The crew from Eldora Mountain Resort offered details of a project with the Town of Nederland to build a wetland to replace a trailhead parking lot. Sunlight ski area took a page from Copper Mountain’s biodiversity playbook and began collecting native seeds for replanting on ski runs.

The Copper Mountain project will build a dataset of more than 100 locations across the ski area, with 10 years of science showing how native grasses, compost and biochar can help resort operators regain a more diverse, balanced ecosystem on ski slopes.

“We want to have the data to be able to say,‘Hey this works really well. Don’t just take my word for it. We have scientific evidence that supports these methods. These are the first steps in delivering resilience so bio-diversity can grow.’”

And your unsolicited concert pick of the week, Ha Ha Tonka

Thu., Aug. 24, 9 p.m. at the Skylark Lounge in Denver (Bobcat Club) $12-$15

An indie / southern rock band originally formed in West Plains, MO, Ha Ha Tonka’s "dark view of the realities of socio-economic hardship, backwoods prejudices and drug abuse is leavened by wry humor and a deep appreciation for regional storytelling traditions. New album Blood Red Moon will be released on October 23.

After Denver, Ha Ha Tonka will play a slate of shows throughout California, then Columbia, Missouri on November 2nd, West Plains on November 3rd, and Springfield, Missouri on November 4th. hahatonkamusic.com

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Sun, The Outsider, Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

"Some Good Indiana Non-Alcoholic Beer" - The Real Housewives Of Presidential Politics

15 augusti 2023 | 50 min

Talkin' Politics, Aug. 13, 2023 | "A New Hope" - Ohio Setting Trends?; Kansas 1st Amendment Nightmare; MO Dems Gaining Strength?; Arkansas Outlaws History; Horror In Hawaii

14 augusti 2023 | 81 min

Flyover View, August 10, 2023 | Heartland News & Views From 30,000 ft.

11 augusti 2023 | 43 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)

Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post)

Sean Diller @SeanDillerCO (Twitter and Post)

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Our Big Story…And a Big Relief for Democracy. Ohio voters just said…No.

Politico: https://www.politico.com/2023-election/results/ohio/ballot-measures/

A quarter of Missouri nursing homes haven’t had health inspection in years

“Of the 510 nursing homes in Missouri, 126 have not been inspected in at least two years, according to data published by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid in July.

The nonprofit investigative newsroom ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect database combines several CMS data sources to make them more easily searchable across reports.

According to ProPublica’s database, Missouri has among the largest inspection backlogs in the country. The worst backlog is in Kentucky, where 74% of nursing homes are awaiting inspection more than two years.”

“Nursing home inspections were put on hold during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, creating an initial backlog that was compounded by national staffing shortages and increased demand for inspectors to survey for COVID infection control in facilities.”

Indiana Borrowers Benefitting from Biden Loan Forgiveness…Big Time

More than 19,000 Hoosiers will get total student loan debt forgiveness under new Biden relief plan

In new updates to the U.S. Department of Education loan forgiveness programs, Indiana debt holders are about to see less money going out the door. The Department is updating longstanding problems with the agency’s income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. Among other forgiveness programs the Biden administration will be addressing, long-time borrowers including those who have been making payments for 20 years or more, are eligible for new loan forgiveness standards. According to federal officials, Hoosiers are eligible for amounts to more than $932 million.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers calls special session:

“Gov. Tony Evers issued a call Tuesday for the Legislature to come back into a special session and “finish your work on the 2023-25 biennial budget, and pass a comprehensive plan to address our state’s chronic workforce challenges.””

Evers issues special session call to ‘finish your work’ on the state budget

Branson, MO Voters Say Yes to Public Library BARELY Keeping Library Open

Voters say ‘yes’ to new tax levy. After 90 years, Taneyhills Library in Branson gets public funding.

Missouri Independent, Politico, KSMU, News From The States, Indiana Capital Chronicle,

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Delta, E54 - Donuts: Brain Drain in Mid America

9 augusti 2023 | 19 min

Last Call | Joe Rogan v. Roe Jogan, Nonsense Begets Nonsense

8 augusti 2023 | 9 min

Talkin' Politics | Tump Updates; Ohio Issue 1; Missouri The New Colorado?; The Justin's Are Back In Tennessee; Texas Judge Abortion Ruling; "Woke Communism" As A GOP Funding Mechanism

7 augusti 2023 | 79 min

The Flyover View, August 4, 2023 | Heartland News And Views

4 augusti 2023 | 14 min

@TheHeartlandPOD on Twitter and Threads

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)

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“Change The Conversation”

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS:

Illinoi Governor JB Pritzker signs bill aimed at ending homelessness

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Task force brings multiple agencies together to focus resources

By PETER HANCOCK

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Wednesday that seeks to effectively end homelessness in Illinois by marshaling the resources of multiple agencies into one effort.

House Bill 2831 codifies an executive order Pritzker signed in 2021 that established the Illinois Interagency Task Force on Homelessness and the Community Advisory Council on Homelessness. It centralizes programs across 17 state departments and agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to combat homelessness.

At a bill-signing ceremony at Featherfist, a homeless services organization in Chicago, Pritzker said the goal of the initiative is to bring homelessness in Illinois to “functional zero.”

Pritzker said “For those who don't know and who may be listening, it's a measurable metric of success that reduces homelessness to something that’s brief and rare and nonrecurring.”

The Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates that more than 100,000 people in Illinois experienced homelessness for all or part of 2020.

Christine Haley, the state’s current chief homelessness officer and chair of the interagency task force, said Black people and other people of color are disproportionately affected by homelessness.

She said “We stand here in one of the few Black-led homeless services organizations in our state. And as we stand here, we know that this housing crisis before us is rooted in housing injustice, is rooted in segregation, is rooted in racism. We know this because in our city of Chicago, where now less than a third of its residents are Black, 73 percent of individuals and 90 percent of children and their parents who are experiencing homelessness are Black.”

State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, who was the lead sponsor of the bill in the House, said that on any given night, an estimated 4,500 people in Illinois are without shelter and the average wait time for someone to receive housing services is 802 days. She also noted that in Fiscal Year 2022, 9,800 people were turned away from emergency shelters.

She said “Ending homelessness and ensuring every neighbor has access to shelter and supportive services has long been possible in Illinois and across the nation, but we haven't had the collective political, economic – and I say this with love – the bureaucratic will to make it happen until now.”

In his State of the State address in February, Pritzker highlighted the state’s “Home Illinois” plan, which calls for increased spending for homelessness prevention, crisis response, housing units, and staffing.

On Wednesday, he noted that the budget lawmakers passed this year includes more than $350 million for homeless services, an increase of $85.3 million over last year.

That includes $50 million in rapid rehousing services for 2,000 households; $40 million to develop more than 90 Permanent Supportive Housing units that provide long-term rental assistance and case management; and $37 million in Emergency Shelter capital funds to create more than 460 non-congregate shelter units.

Governor Pritzker said “No stone will be left unturned in this endeavor,”

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

TENNESSEE LOOKOUT:

Evolution of the Christian right in Tennessee

Middle Tennessee, and Williamson County, in particular, as the buckle of Christian nationalism

BY: DEVON HEINEN - 6:00 AM

Part of the far right in the U.S. is the Christian far right. According to Philip Gorski, chair of Yale University’s sociology department — political sociology and social movements, as well as religion, are areas of interest for him — the Christian far right in the U.S. has evolved over hundreds of years. Its basic principles, though, date back to the country’s birth, as do its two main groups: “God and country” and “God over country.”

“’God and country’ people believe that America was founded as a Christian nation and that the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are inspired by the Christian Bible,” Gorski explains. “They believe that America is especially blessed by God, and America has a special mission in history. And they worry that all these blessings and all that power will be taken away if it doesn’t remain a Christian nation. And, for most of these people, the term ‘Christian’ also kind of implies ‘white.’”

“Even further to their right is what I would call the ‘God over country’ people,” Gorski adds. “And these are people who don’t believe that America is a Christian nation or that it ever was, but they’re determined to make sure that it becomes one, and that usually involves destroying the American government and replacing it with some form of Christian government and Christian law.”

Gorski says the U.S. Christian far right has grown over the last 15 or 20 years. One reason, he says, is that there’s been an erosion of authority from older Christian leaders.

“I think there are a lot of conservative white Christians out there who’ve learned a lot more of their ‘theology’ quote-unquote from Rush Limbaugh” — a former Republican media personality who Trump awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom before dying in 2021 at 70 years old — “and Tucker Carlson, than from Jerry Falwell or Billy Graham.”

The U.S. Christian far right has grown a lot since the start of Obama’s presidency, Gorski says, both in terms of numbers and power, but especially in power. When it comes to sheer size, a conservative guess by Gorski puts the percentage of current U.S. Republican voters who are either “God and country” or “God over country” Christian far right at 25 or 30 percent. In terms of power, he says the U.S. Christian far right has grown so much that it’s among the loudest voices in the GOP.

Why has the Christian far right grown in the country? Gorski credits social media for being, probably, the biggest reason: social media has let once-small fringe groups interact with each other as well as work on influencing mainstream opinion.

The U.S. Christian far right is also becoming authoritarian. He says it wasn’t like that 10 or 20 years ago.

When it comes to Middle Tennessee, Rev. Kevin Riggs runs down a list of examples showing the region’s power in Christianity. It’s home to several denominational headquarters. Williamson County houses the majority of the Christian music industry. There are a number of Christian publishing houses in the Middle Tennessee area. And a lot of the executives who work in Christian publishing live in Williamson County.

Riggs is 57 years old. For the past 33, he has been a pastor at Franklin Community Church. He’s currently a senior pastor there. When RIggs talks, you hear a Southern drawl. Originally from Nashville, the fourth-generation ordained minister has lived in Franklin for more than three decades.

“Almost anything that gets put out in the quote ‘Christian world’ and ‘Christian culture’ is going to come through Middle Tennessee before it goes out to the world, and a lot of that is going to come through Williamson County,” Riggs says.

There’s more on his list. Middle Tennessee has so-called Christian celebrities. And it has organizations that have large preaching circuits. Plus, it has Christian institutions of higher education.

And Middle Tennessee’s power doesn’t end there. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research tracks the number of megachurches in the U.S. - megachurches being those with average weekly attendance of at least 2,000 people. With 67 megachurches, Tennessee is 5th in the U.S. But on a per-capita basis, Tennessee had the most.

One thing Riggs wants to make clear: Not every Christian is far-right. But he says the Christian far right is definitely present.

He said “You hear the South oftentimes referred to as the ‘buckle of the Bible Belt’ — sometimes that’s Tennessee, sometimes that’s Arkansas — but I’m convinced that Middle Tennessee, and Williamson County, in particular, is the buckle of Christian nationalism.”

Riggs doesn’t know if the non-violent end of the far-right spectrum makes up the majority or the minority in Williamson County’s Christian community. It’s too close to tell.

Extremism hits close to home for Riggs. He used to have Christian far-right views.

He said “I know what I’m talking about. I know how Evangelicals think. I know how that far right thinks,” Riggs says. He lets out a chuckle. “You know, I don’t need to read it in a survey. I mean, I know.”

If Trump wins the presidency in 2024, Riggs thinks the situation in Williamson County will get worse. There will be more divisiveness. The Christian far right will be even bolder.

Elizabeth Madeira decided to run for local office in the 2020 election cycle. Before eventually losing her bid for the Tennessee House of Representatives’ 63rd district, Madeira encountered the far right numerous times. The most memorable experience came about six to eight weeks prior to election day. That’s when she got a phone call. The caller had a question: Was Madeira running as a Democrat? Yes, she answered.

Then the caller “went on a long ramble about how Democrats support killing babies, pedophilia, support killing police officers — it was a long, very angry tirade, in which she disparaged the college that I attended- ” which is a Christian college. “And then she said that her daughter attends that college, and, now, she thinks she might have to take that daughter out of college because she was gonna turn into a Democrat like me.”

A little later in the conversation about that phone call, Madeira adds: “It was basically a litany of QAnon conspiracy theories for at least five minutes, and then she hung up on me.”

There were 733 far-right hate groups in the U.S. in 2021, according to the human-rights non-profit Southern Poverty Law Center. In Tennessee, the SPLC tracked 28 hate groups.These consisted of two anti-LGBTQ groups, three white-nationalist, four neo-Nazi, nine general hate groups, one antisemitic, four Ku Klux Klan, two anti-Muslim, one Christian identity, one neo-Confederate and one racist skinhead group. Eleven of Tennessee’s 28 far-right hate groups in 2021 were statewide organizations. Of the remaining 17, six were in Middle Tennessee.

MISSOURI INDEPENDENT:

Over one million Missourians on Medicaid will have their eligibility checked between now and next May. Many have never undergone the process before

BY: CLARA BATES - AUGUST 3, 2023 5:55 AM

In June, 72% of Medicaid dis-enrollments in Missouri were due to "procedural" reasons, meaning the state could not determine eligibility — generally because of paperwork issues (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Missouri has begun checking the eligibility of everyone on its Medicaid rolls — a review process that was paused for three years because of pandemic-era federal protections.

Advocates hope that continuing to get the word out about how to navigate what is, for many, an unfamiliar process, will help those who are eligible retain coverage.

About one-quarter of the state’s population was enrolled in Medicaid - called MO HealthNet in Missouri - in June of this year.

The state has 1.5 million Medicaid enrollees on the books, up from around 900,000 in March 2020 — in part because Missouri implemented voter-approved Medicaid expansion for low-income adults in late 2021 and in part because of the federal rules providing continuous coverage.

Now, hundreds of thousands of Missourians are projected to lose coverage. Nationally, more than 3.7 million enrollees already have been disenrolled from Medicaid coverage.

Brandi Linder, community health coordinator at Missouri Ozarks Community Health, a federally-qualified health center that assists with Medicaid renewals said “A lot of people got Medicaid during the public health emergency during COVID that had never had it before, so they’ve never had to go through the annual renewal process,”

Linder said the focus has been ensuring that those who are new to the renewal process understand the stakes: “That if they don’t do it, they could possibly lose their coverage.”

Here are some of the things advocates and state officials want participants to know.

1. Renewal month is typically the anniversary month of your first enrollment.

Missouri’s process of evaluating the eligibility of each person on its caseload will unfold over the next year— the state began in June and will end with those due in May 2024.

Participants can view their renewal date on the Department of Social Services’ new online portal, but need a smartphone and an active email address to sign up for the required multi-factor authentication.

2. Participants should update their contact information with the state, especially mailing addresses.

The social services department “strongly encourages” all participants to keep their address up to date — notifying the state if they’ve moved in the last three years;

check the mail regularly;

and/or verify your renewal date in the Family Support Division Benefit Portal.

Participants can update their contact info online, in-person, or by phone.

3. The participant will likely need to return paperwork to the state.

If the state doesn’t have sufficient data to renew a participant’s coverage, the participant will need to provide additional information.

That paperwork will be sent to the participant by mail and will be a yellow form.

The participant should receive the form 55 days before their annual renewal is due.

The state sends forms already partially completed with information it has about the participant.

The participant should, in addition to filling out any blanks in the form, be sure to Review the pre-populated information the state filled out;

Cross out anything that is not accurate and correct it;

And be sure to sign the document before submitting it.

5. If there are paperwork issues, eligible participants could lose coverage.

The state can end coverage for two reasons.

If the participant is found to be ineligible — because their income exceeds the allowed maximum, for instance, they will be deemed ineligible and lose coverage.

A participant can also lose coverage for what are called “procedural” reasons, meaning the state couldn’t determine the participant’s eligibility, generally due to paperwork issues.

For instance, a participant could be procedurally disenrolled if they did not return the required paperwork, or did not receive the paperwork — perhaps because of a change in address or lack of a stable address.

In June, the first month of reviews, more than 32,000 Missourians – half of them children – lost Medicaid coverage with 72% of terminations were due to procedural reasons. That means around 23,000 Missourians disenrolled were not directly found ineligible but their eligibility couldn’t be determined.

Enrollees have 90 days after the termination to submit required paperwork for reconsideration — rather than filling out an entirely new application for Medicaid. If they’re found eligible, they can get coverage reinstated.

So if you’re in this situation, it’s “very important to turn that paperwork in as soon as possible,” Oliver said. “It’s not too late.”

8. Those who lose coverage may be eligible for plans through the Affordable Care Act.

There is a special enrollment period for those who lose Medicaid from now until July 31, 2024.

If you’re a Missourian interested in speaking to a reporter about your experience with the Medicaid renewal process, please contact [email protected].

And finally, the bad joke nobody asked for: Did I ever tell you about my grandfather? He has the heart of a lion. And, a lifetime ban from the zoo.

Welp, that’s it for me. From Denver I’m Sean Diller, original reporting for the stories in todays show comes from the Missouri Independent, Capitol News Illinois, and the Tennessee Lookout. Thanks for listening, see you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

45 pages for 45's Charges | The Trump January 6th and Big Lie Indictment Has Dropped

2 augusti 2023 | 61 min

The Real Housewives of Presidential Politics - Perry Johnson Has Entered The Conversation

1 augusti 2023 | 45 min

Talkin' Politics | From the Missouri Governor's Race, to Jay NIxon joining "No Labels", to Nazis in Wisconsin, and 2024 Congressional Maps In Litigation

31 juli 2023 | 70 min

The Delta, E53 - DC v. MO: Communicating & Interpreting

26 juli 2023 | 27 min

Place Your Bets! | Adam Sommer is joined by Brett Koenig with the group "Let Mo Play" to discuss the state of sports gambling legislation in Missouri

25 juli 2023 | 23 min

July 24, 2023 - Talkin Politics - Government and Elections News from the Heartland Pod

24 juli 2023 | 76 min

The Heartland POD: July 24, 2023

Talkin’ Politics

This week on The Heartland POD for Monday, July 24, 2023

Is the New Dem Caucus a thing?
US House Republicans again not clear on what “citizenship” means
TWO very positive state supreme court rulings in the heartland this week
Missouri’s appointed attorney general wasting more time and money because abortion
Voting rights and gerrymandering ongoing issues in red and blue states…and so we have to talk about it.

Lots to Do, so let’s go!

Host Housekeeping

Welcome back to the heartland pod. Adam is out this week, and we’re stepping in for him. Those are big shoes to fill, but he apparently wanted to take time off with his family and children. Sure, bro. Whatever.

This is the regular Monday show our Talkin’ Politics show with co-hosts Rachel Parker and Sean Diller just for this week.

Together we bring big topics of the week with a special focus on the heartland as we bring our middle out approach to politics and work to change the conversation. Catch all of our shows 5 days a week including Dirt Road Democrat hosted by Jess Piper on Thursdays and our weekly roundup show The Flyover View with rotating hosts every Friday for a 15 min weekly catchup.

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TALKIN’ POLITICS

True or False?
The New Dem Caucus and their “pragmatic agenda” has more than a snowball’s chance in hell in this Congress?

From Semafor:

The New Dems plot a course for Biden’s legislative agenda | Semafor

Yeah, NO

House Republicans coming for legal US residents Again. We have some heartland house members who have been particularly pugnacious for no apparent f*cking reason. Again. Still.

The mic drop moment from Rep. Katie Porter: “Somehow, letting people who legally live in the United States buy health care is going to create a border crisis,” the top Democrat on the committee, Rep. Katie Porter of California, said. “It’d be funny to watch this bad argument fall apart if it weren’t such a waste of time.”

Sean…take it away.

DACA recipients’ Medicaid eligibility slammed by U.S. House Republicans • Missouri Independent

Yeah Yeah

We have two this week.

One, Kansas Highway Patrol has to stop its apparently very real version of “stop and frisk”; it had a name. The Kansas Two step.

Just a solid ruling and makes it harder for cops to catch people on the stretch of I-70 through Kansas where weed is stupidly still illegal

Judge rules Kansas Highway Patrol 'waged war on motorists,' violated constitutional rights

The Kansas Highway Patrol's 'Two-Step' tactic tramples motorists' rights, a judge rules | AP News

This one; the headline says it all:

Illinois Supreme Court upholds law eliminating cash bail | CNN Politics

Very few people outside of the flyover region realize just how solidly progressive of a state Illinois has become post-Trump. First state to legalize cannabis by way of its legislature and not voters.

Buy or Sell

Andrew Baily’s waste of taxpayer dollars is another sign that suburban and exurban voters ignore waste when its one of their own:

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article277506263.html?ac_cid=DM824930&ac_bid=-806357547

Same story, from the Missouri Independent:

Missouri Supreme Court rejects AG’s push to inflate cost of abortion-rights amendment • Missouri Independent

Big one

Voting and gerrymandering is still just a hot issue in both GOP dominated states and bluer states. With the SCOTUS ruling on Moore and basically wiping out the insane independent legislature theory…we should be done. But we’re not?

Ohio GOP may have bought themselves enough time to go back in front of…The Supreme Court? What the actual?

U.S. Supreme Court Gives Ohio GOP Second Shot at Gerrymandering - Democracy Docket

Neil Young was right:

Alabama's redistricting brawl rehashes bitter fight over voting rights - POLITICO

Good news from the Michigan legislature…again.

Michigan Democrats Introduce State Voting Rights Act - Democracy Docket

National dems taking advantage of new Wisconsin liberal majority on the state supreme court

National Democrats file absentee ballot lawsuit in Wisconsin ahead of state Supreme Court flip | AP News

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Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

July 21, 2023 - Flyover View - Politics and Government News from the American Heartland

21 juli 2023 | 14 min

Michigan AG files felony charges against 16 fake Trump electors | Missouri regulators say federal radioactive groundwater contamination efforts are not working | MO Gov Mike Parson signs bill easing restrictions on retired educators’ ability to teach | Illinois Supreme Court rules SAFE-T Act Constitutional, making Illinois the first state to ban cash bail | Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announces 800,000 student loan borrowers to receive forgiveness in the next month.

Support this show and all of the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the patreon link to sign up. Membership starts at $1/month and goes up from there with extra shows and special access at the higher levels. Heartlandpod.com, click the patreon link or just go to Patreon and search for the heartland pod. No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

INTRO: Welcome to Flyover View, a member of the Heartland Pod family of podcasts and a look at heartland news from 30,000 feet. I’m your host, Sean Diller, and I want to thank you for joining me today.

Here we go!

DETROIT NEWS:

16 false Trump electors face felony charges in Michigan

Craig Mauger

Beth LeBlanc

The Detroit News

Lansing —

Attorney General Dana Nessel has filed felony charges against 16 Republicans who signed a certificate falsely stating that Donald Trump won Michigan's 2020 presidential election, launching criminal cases against top political figures inside the state GOP.

Each of the 16 electors have been charged with eight felony counts, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election law forgery, according to Nessel's office.

The revelation capped six months of investigation and produced the most serious allegations yet in Michigan over the campaign to overturn Trump's loss to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020.

Biden won Michigan by 154,000 votes or 3 percentage points, but Trump and his supporters maintained false claims that fraud swung the result.

As part of the push to undermine Biden's victory, Trump supporters gathered inside the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on Dec. 14, 2020, and signed a certificate, claiming to cast the state's 16 electoral votes for Trump.

Eventually the false certificate was sent to the National Archives and Congress. The document falsely claimed the Trump electors had met inside the Michigan State Capitol on Dec. 14. But that’s not what happened. In fact Dec. 14 at the real state capitol is where the real electors met to cast their real electoral votes for the real winner, Joe Biden.

The Michigan Attorney General said "The false electors’ actions undermined the public’s faith in the integrity of our elections and, we believe, also plainly violated the laws by which we administer our elections in Michigan."

"My department has prosecuted numerous cases of election law violations throughout my tenure, and it would be malfeasance of the greatest magnitude if my department failed to act here in the face of overwhelming evidence of an organized effort to circumvent the lawfully cast ballots of millions of Michigan voters in a presidential election."

Ryan Goodman, a law professor New York University School of Law, called the charges "a strong case" and noted the fake electors signed a sworn statement attesting "we convened and organized in the State Capitol."

"In truth, they met (secretly) in GOP headquarters basement," Goodman wrote on Twitter.

The felony complaints indicate the warrants for each of the electors were signed Thursday and Friday of last week, according to copies of the documents.

The names and positions of the electors are available in news articles, and include several current and former state GOP committee chairs and local elected officials.

Each of the 16 electors is charged with eight felonies: two counts of election law forgery; two counts of forgery; and one count each of uttering and publishing, conspiracy to commit forgery, conspiracy to commit election law forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery.

Conspiracy to commit forgery carries one of the steepest penalties, punishable by up to 14 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The conspiracy charges allege the defendants worked with specific named others to falsely make a public record: which was the false certificate of votes of the 2020 fake electors from Michigan.

The 16 fake electors convened in the basement of Michigan GOP headquarters on Dec. 14, 2020, and produced a certificate that claimed Trump had won the state's 16 electoral votes.

An affidavit prepared by Michigan AG Nessel's office in support of the complaint indicated Republican staffers in interviews with investigators said that non-electors were blocked from entering the building and the electors themselves were required to surrender their cellphones to prevent any recording of the event. GOP elector Mayra Rodriguez would later tell the Jan. 6 Select Committee that Trump campaign aide Shawn Flynn was present and spoke to the fake electors at the site.

Attorney Ian Northon attempted to deliver a manila envelope similar to the size of the false electoral vote certificate to the Michigan Senate, claiming it contained the Republican electoral votes, the filing said. The U.S. National Archives and U.S. Senate Archives reported receiving a copy of the false certificate as well.

Michigan election law bans someone from knowingly making or publishing a false document "with the intent to defraud."

Each defendant, or their attorneys, has been notified of the charges, and the court will provide each with a date to appear in Ingham County district court for an arraignment.

In a statement, AG Nessel’s office also said "This remains an ongoing investigation, and the Michigan Department of Attorney General has not ruled out charges against additional defendants," Nessel's office said.

YIKES: 14 years for conspiracy to commit forgery. And I’m not a practicing attorney, but I would bet anyone connected to Rudy Giuoini, Sydney Powell, Lindsey Graham, and some of these other goofballs could be looking at conspiracy charges as well.

Because the tough thing about conspiracy crimes - so here it’s conspiracy to commit election forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery - so the tough part if you’re a defendant, is that once you talk with another person about the plan, and anyone involved takes even the smallest step toward moving on it, the crime of conspiracy is complete. You’ll be found guilty if the prosecutor can prove it.

MISSOURI INDEPENDENT: Something in the water.

BY: ALLISON KITE - JULY 17, 2023 4:40 PM

A joint investigation by The Independent and MuckRock.

In 2021, Missouri environmental regulators warned the federal government that radioactive contamination of groundwater from a uranium processing site near St. Louis was not improving despite cleanup efforts, according to documents reviewed by The Missouri Independent and MuckRock.

Officials with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy in May 2021, responding to the agency’s five-year review of its cleanup efforts at a Weldon Spring site where uranium was refined during the Cold War.

While the radioactive waste and contaminated debris from the uranium processing site have been contained, Missouri regulators said contamination in the surrounding groundwater wasn’t getting better.

The letter, which has not been reported publicly, is the latest example of Missouri officials pushing the federal government to do more to protect the health of St. Louis-area residents near the litany of World War II and Cold War-era nuclear sites in the region.

A six-month investigation by The Independent, MuckRock and The Associated Press found that federal agencies and private companies, for decades, downplayed concerns about radiological contamination or failed to investigate it fully at sites in St. Louis and St. Charles counties.

St. Louis and surrounding areas played a key role in the development of the first atomic bomb during World War II. Uranium processed in downtown St. Louis was used in the first sustained nuclear reaction in Chicago. After the war, Mallinckrodt, which operated the downtown plant, started similar operations at a new facility on Missouri Highway 94 just north of the Missouri River.

The more than 200-acre site has been contaminated for decades by radium, thorium and uranium as well as dangerous non-radioactive chemicals from its use to manufacture explosives and process uranium ore.

The Weldon Spring plant was demolished and the debris buried, along with residue leftover from uranium processing, in a 41-acre containment cell covered with rock. The containment cell, the highest point in St. Charles County, is accessible to the public and has a monument to the communities displaced by the war effort and information on the cleanup effort at the top.

Closer to the Missouri River, a quarry the federal government used to store radioactive waste was also contaminated. It’s separated from the main site but part of the same cleanup and monitoring effort.

Remediation of the plant is complete, but monitoring has shown uranium contamination is not decreasing.

The Environmental Protection Agency shared some of the state’s concerns that the groundwater monitoring network was insufficient and the groundwater is not projected to be restored in a reasonable timeframe. Beyond that, the state says, the extent of the contamination hasn’t been sufficiently defined, meaning it could be more widespread than the Department of Energy knows based on its sampling. The federal sampling program, the state argues, is inadequate.

Missouri regulators, in their letter, repeatedly corrected the Department of Energy when the federal agency said uranium levels were falling in groundwater wells at the site.

In a response to the state, the federal government said it would revise its conclusion that the remedy was working.

MISSOURI INDEPENDENT: Pulled out of retirement

New law tackles Missouri teacher shortage by encouraging retirees to return to classroom

Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation last week that allows educators to return to work without losing retirement benefits

BY: ANNELISE HANSHAW - JULY 13, 2023 9:00 AM

Missouri’s school districts are struggling - not just with a teacher shortage but a scarcity of bus drivers, custodians and other essential personnel.

In the most recent school year, teachers with inadequate teaching certification taught over 8% of Missouri public school classes, according to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The crisis has led larger school districts to consider adopting four-day school weeks to address teacher retention and recruitment problems.

Sen. Rusty Black, R-Chillicothe, has been working on one way to address the problem for four years. And last week, the governor signed a bill into law, set to take effect Aug. 28, that will allow retired public-school staff to work full-time for a district for up to four years without losing retirement benefits.

Prior to Black’s legislation, teachers and non-certificated staff could work full-time for only two years post-retirement without losing benefits.

The law also addresses other positions, like bus drivers and janitors. Retired school employees can work in positions that don’t require a teaching certificate for more hours.

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS:

UPDATED: Cash bail will end in Illinois as state supreme court rules the SAFE-T Act is constitutional

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

By JERRY NOWICKI

Capitol News Illinois

[email protected]

SPRINGFIELD –

A landmark criminal justice reform that eliminates cash bail in Illinois is constitutional, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, paving the way for the change to take effect Sept. 18.

The 5-2 decision – handed down on partisan lines – means that an individual’s wealth will no longer play a role in whether they are incarcerated while awaiting trial. Judges can still order someone to be detained as they await trial, but the new system will instead be based on an offender’s level of risk of reoffending or fleeing prosecution.

With the new law’s implementation, Illinois will become the first state in the U.S. to fully eliminate cash bail – and all provisions of the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform will have taken full effect.

Short for Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today, the wide-ranging measure was an initiative of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus that passed in the wake of a nationwide reckoning with racism in the criminal justice system following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

The act reformed police training, certification and use-of-force standards, expanded detainee rights, and gave the attorney general’s office authority to investigate alleged civil rights violations by law enforcement. It also requires body cameras at all police departments by 2025. Some larger departments are already required to use body cameras under the law.

State Rep. Justin Slaughter, a Chicago Democrat who sponsored the measure in the House, said the pretrial detention overhaul addresses an “overly punitive criminal justice system” for impoverished Illinoisans – especially those in Black and brown communities.

It’s a system that often forces innocent individuals to take plea deals – and to accept a criminal record – to obtain their freedom when they don’t have money to post bail.

“So this is not about being tough on crime or soft on crime,” he said. “This is about being smart on crime, reworking our system, streamlining our system to address those higher-level, more violent, dangerous alleged offenses. It's not about having someone unnecessarily sit in jail.”

While opponents of the new law have argued it will strain smaller court systems and hinder judicial discretion, the lawsuit centered on the meaning of two mentions of the word “bail” in the Illinois Constitution, and the interplay between branches of government.

The Supreme Court ruled on a set of consolidated cases filed against Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Gov. JB Pritzker and the state’s Democratic legislative leaders by state’s attorneys and sheriffs from over 60 counties.

The lawsuit specifically cited Article VIII of the state constitution, which states, “all persons” accused of crimes “shall be bailable by sufficient sureties.” Any changes to the language, the lawsuit argued, would require a constitutional amendment to be approved by voters.

While a Kankakee County judge ruled with the state’s attorneys and sheriffs late last year, Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis, writing for the majority, said the lower court misinterpreted the state constitution..

She wrote, “The Illinois Constitution does not mandate that monetary bail is the only means to ensure criminal defendants appear for trials or the only means to protect the public,”

Theis’ majority opinion also said that the pretrial release provisions “expressly take crime victims into account.”

“As we have already mentioned, those provisions require a court to consider the ‘nature and seriousness of the real and present threat to the safety of any person or persons that would be posed by the defendant’s release,’ including crime victims and their family members,” she wrote.

The pretrial detention changes – often referred to as the Pretrial Fairness Act, or PFA – will create a “presumption” in favor of pretrial release, meaning “the state bears the burden of establishing a defendant’s eligibility for pretrial detention,” Theis wrote.

Advocates say the intent of that provision is to divert lower-level nonviolent offenders from pretrial incarceration while giving judges authority to detain individuals accused of more serious crimes if they are deemed dangerous or at risk of fleeing prosecution.

Another facet of the reform entitles defendants to a more intensive first appearance in court. During that appearance, defendants will now have a right to legal representation and prosecutors can detail their reasons for continued detention.

The new hearings replace standard bail hearings, which often last less than five minutes and end with a judge deciding the conditions of release, including how much money the defendant must post to be released.

Advocates for the bail reform have noted that it gives judges greater authority to detain individuals accused of crimes such as domestic battery and violations of orders of protection prior to trial than does prior law.

Kaethe Morris Hoffer, the executive director of the Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, spoke in favor of the reform at a virtual news conference Tuesday.

“I want to be clear – safety and interests and voices of people who have endured rape and violence in the sex trade have never been prioritized when the criminal legal system is asked to make decisions about the liberty of people who are accused of serious crimes of violence. This changes that.”

While the new law directs law enforcement officers to cite and release anyone accused of a crime below a Class A misdemeanor, they would maintain discretion to make an arrest if the person is a threat or if making the arrest is necessary to prevent further lawbreaking.

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart was one of two state’s attorneys in Illinois who backed the SAFE-T Act alongside Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. He noted that many smaller jurisdictions will lose revenue from cash bail payments when the system is eliminated – a point that reform advocates have repeatedly noted shows a flaw in the system.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

KANSAS REFLECTOR: Promises made, promises kept.

White House announces more than 800,000 student loan borrowers to have debt forgiven. You heard that right.

BY: ARIANA FIGUEROA - JULY 14, 2023 10:41 AM

WASHINGTON —

The $39 billion in debt relief will come through fixes to mismanagement of the agency’s income-driven repayment plans. Many long-time borrowers, including those who had been making payments for 20 years or more, were denied relief they were eligible for under the repayment plans. This happens when qualified payments were made but aren’t being counted accurately.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement.

“For far too long, borrowers fell through the cracks of a broken system that failed to keep accurate track of their progress towards forgiveness,”

The Department of Education has already begun to notify those 804,000 borrowers of their forgiveness, and within 30 days their debts will be wiped out.

The plan includes borrowers with Direct Loans or Federal Family Education Loans held by the department who have reached a forgiveness threshold specified by the department.

Cardona said “By fixing past administrative failures, we are ensuring everyone gets the forgiveness they deserve, just as we have already done for public servants, students who were cheated by their colleges, veterans and other borrowers with permanent disabilities”

A 2022 NPR investigation found numerous problems with the agency’s handling of IDR plans, which are meant to help low-income borrowers. Loan servicers failed to keep track of borrowers’ progress toward forgiveness and payment histories were not properly transferred from one loan servicer to another.

In January of this year, The Department of Education announced plans to overhaul the income-driven repayment plan.

Under the new plan, monthly payments would decline to 5% of a borrower’s income — down from 10% — and the repayment timeline for loan forgiveness would be decreased to 10 years from 20 or 25 if the initial loan is less than $12,000.

The announcement Friday followed the Supreme Court’s decision in late June to strike down the Biden administration’s student debt relief program that would have canceled up to $20,000 in student loan debt for some borrowers.

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Education has canceled about $116 billion in student loan debt for borrowers who were misled by for-profit institutions, borrowers with disabilities and those with loans in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Welp, that’s it for me. From Denver I’m Sean Diller, original reporting for the stories in todays show is from Capitol News Illinois, Missouri Independent, Detroit News, and Kansas Reflector.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Dirt Road Democrat | The Truth About Water In The Heartland with Dr. Chris Jones, chemist, author, and expert.

20 juli 2023 | 39 min

July 19, 2023 - High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West

19 juli 2023 | 14 min

Lauren Boebert’s fundraising lags Democratic challenger Adam Frisch | Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO) raises $450K as her GOP challenger has yet to start fundraising | Anti-LGBTQ laws are being struck down around the country for violating First Amendment rights | Utah Supreme Court considers challenge to GOP gerrymandered Congressional map | Denver Mayor Mike Johnston declares a state of emergency around homelessness | Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Ziggy Marley, Mavis Staples, Robert Randolph Band play Vail on July 24.

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

Lauren Boebert’s Democratic challenger raised 3x what she did in the 2nd quarter

BY: SARA WILSON - JULY 17, 2023 4:07 PM

Democrat Adam Frisch raised over three times what Republican incumbent Rep. Lauren Boebert did over the last three months in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District, as the seat appears likely to be a competitive — and expensive — race in 2024.

In 2022, Boebert beat Frisch for a second term by 546 votes. Both candidates are actively fundraising with 16 months until a general election rematch.

Frisch reported raising about $2.6 million during the most recent campaign finance reporting period, which ran from April to June, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. The former Aspen City Council member spent about $1.4 million and has about $2.5 million in cash on hand.

During his 2022 campaign, Frisch raised about $6.7 million, including personal loans, and spent about $6.4 million.

Boebert reported raising over $800,000 from April to June. She spent a bit over $400,000 and has about $1.4 million in the bank.

In 2022, Boebert raised almost $8 million and spent about $7.4 million.

Both candidates brought in a large amount of donations under $200 that don’t need to be individually listed on reports — about 66% of Frisch’s cash and 47% of Boebert’s.

Frisch listed about 1,400 individual donations from Colorado residents for a total of about $280,000. Boebert listed about 600 donations from people in Colorado, raising about $150,000.

Both Boebert and Frisch spent heavily on advertising during the quarter. Frisch reported spending over $600,000 on contact list acquisition and digital advertising and another $290,000 on direct mail.

Boebert spent $52,000 on digital advertising and over $100,000 on direct mail. She reported spending over $28,000 on campaign-related travel during the quarter.

The 3rd Congressional District encompasses the Western Slope, San Luis Valley and swings east to Pueblo County.

In other districts -

Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo in the 8th Congressional District raised about $450,000 during the quarter. She spent about $120,000 and has about $625,000 in cash on hand.

Republican Scott James has announced his candidacy but has not reported any raising or spending so far this cycle.

The National Republican Congressional Committee listed the district as a target race for 2024, priming it for an influx of national party attention and resources. At the same time, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will also likely pour money into the race, listing Caraveo as a potential vulnerable freshman member.

The 8th Congressional District includes Denver’s northeast suburbs into Weld County.

ARIZONA MIRROR:

.Anti-LGBTQ laws in the US are getting struck down for limiting free speech

DR. MARK SATTA

JULY 13, 2023 7:11 AM

Anti-LGBTQ laws passed in 2023 included measures to deny gender-affirming care to trans children. Photo by Mario Tama | Getty Images via The Conversation

Nearly 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures in the U.S. in 2023. Many of those bills seek to reduce or eliminate gender-affirming care for transgender minors or to ban drag performances in places where minors could view them.

Most of those bills have not become law. But many of those that have did not survive legal scrutiny when challenged in court.

A notable feature of these rulings is how many rely on the First Amendment’s protection of free speech. In several of the decisions, judges used harsh language to describe what they deemed to be assaults on a fundamental American right.

Here’s a summary of some of the most notable legal outcomes:

Drag performances

Several states passed laws aimed at restricting drag performances. These laws were quickly challenged in court. So far, judges have sided with those challenging these laws.

On June 2, 2023, a federal judge permanently enjoined Tennessee’s attempt to limit drag performances by restricting “adult entertainment” featuring “male or female impersonators.” When a law is permanently enjoined, it can no longer be enforced unless an appeals court reverses the decision.

The judge ruled on broad grounds that Tennessee’s law violated freedom of speech, writing that it “reeks with constitutional maladies of vagueness and overbreadth fatal to statutes that regulate First Amendment rights.” He also ruled that the law was passed for the “impermissible purpose of chilling constitutionally-protected speech” and that it engaged in viewpoint discrimination, which occurs when a law regulates speech from a disfavored perspective.

Three weeks later, a federal judge granted a temporary injunction against Florida’s anti-drag law on similar grounds.

And in Utah, a federal judge required the city of St. George to grant a permit for a drag show, ruling that the city had applied an ordinance in a discriminatory manner in order to prevent the family-friendly drag show from happening. As in the other cases, the judge’s ruling was based on First Amendment precedent.

Gender-affirming care

On June 20, 2023, a federal judge permanently enjoined an Arkansas law, passed in 2021 over the veto of then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson, preventing transgender minors from receiving various kinds of gender-affirming medical care, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

The judge held that Arkansas’ law violated the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause – which ensures laws are applied equally regardless of social characteristics like race or gender – because the law discriminated on the basis of sex.

Arkansas claimed its law was passed in order to protect children and to safeguard medical ethics. The judge agreed that these were legitimate state interests, but rejected Arkansas’ claim that its law furthered those ends.

The judge also held that Arkansas’ law violated the First Amendment free speech rights of medical care providers because the law would have prevented them from providing referrals for gender transition medical treatment.

During June 2023, federal judges in Florida and Indiana granted temporary injunctions against enforcement of similar state laws. This means that these laws cannot be enforced until a full trial is conducted – and only if that trial results in a ruling that these laws are constitutional.

Free speech for the LGBTQ community

In striking down these unconstitutional state laws on First Amendment grounds, many judges went out of their way to reinforce the point that freedom of speech protects views about sexual orientation and gender identity that may be unpopular in conservative areas.

In his ruling on the St. George, Utah case, U.S. District Judge David Nuffer stressed that “Public spaces are public spaces. Public spaces are not private spaces. Public spaces are not majority spaces. The First Amendment of the United States Constitution ensures that all citizens, popular or not, majority or minority, conventional or unconventional, have access to public spaces for public expression.”

Nuffer also noted that “Public officials and the city governments in which they serve are trustees of constitutional rights for all citizens.” Protecting the constitutional rights of all citizens includes protecting the constitutional rights of members of the LGBTQ community and of other gender-nonconforming people.

Free speech rights also extend to those who want to use speech in order to help promote the well-being of LGBTQ people. In ruling that Arkansas’ law violated the First Amendment, Judge Jay Moody stated that the state law “prevents doctors from informing their patients where gender transition treatment may be available” and that it “effectively bans their ability to speak to patients about these treatments because the physician is not allowed to tell their patient where it is available.” For this reason, he held that the law violated the First Amendment.

As additional anti-LGBTQ state laws are challenged in court, judges are likely to continue to use the First Amendment to show how such laws fail to respect Americans’ fundamental free speech rights.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The Conversation

NEW YORK TIMES:

Utah G.O.P.’s Map Carved Up Salt Lake Democrats to dilute their power. Is that legal?

The Utah Supreme Court heard arguments on Tuesday over whether a congressional map drawn to dilute Democratic votes was subject to judicial review, or a political issue beyond its reach.

By Michael Wines

July 11, 2023

Last week, Utah’s Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical of arguments put forward by the State Legislature that it had essentially unreviewable power to draw a map of the state’s congressional districts that diluted the votes of Democrats.

The Republican-controlled Legislature approved a map in 2021 that carved up Democratic-leaning Salt Lake County, the state’s most populous county, and scattered its voters among the state’s four U.S. House districts, all of which were predominantly Republican.

The lawmakers acted after repealing a law — enacted by Utah voters in a 2018 ballot initiative — that outlawed political maps unduly favoring a candidate or political party.

The Legislature’s map was widely acknowledged at the time to be a partisan gerrymander, including by the Republican governor, Spencer J. Cox, who noted at the time that both parties often produced skewed maps.

The question before the justices on Tuesday was whether the state’s courts could hear a lawsuit challenging the Legislature’s map, or whether partisan maps were a political issue beyond their jurisdiction. It was not clear when the court would hand down a ruling.

Much of Tuesday’s hearing — which was streamed on the state court’s website — focused on the Legislature’s repeal of the 2018 ballot initiative, given the provision in the State Constitution that all political power resides with the people and that they have the right “to alter and reform” their government.

Mark Gaber is a lawyer for the Campaign Legal Center, an advocacy law firm based in Washington that represents the plaintiffs in the case before the court. He said, “the Legislature has for decades engaged in this anti-democratic distortion of the process. And the people said: ‘We have had enough. We are going to alter and reform our government and recognize that we hold the political power in this state.’”

Taylor Meehan, a lawyer with the law firm Consovoy McCarthy who is representing the Legislature, said Utah citizens had many ways to exercise political influence even after the repeal. “The people can advocate for a constitutional amendment,” Ms. Meehan said. “The people also can elect and lobby and propose ideas to their Legislature. The Legislature will still be politically accountable for whether they vote maps up or down.”

Chief Justice Matthew Durrant questioned the claim. “That seems like an empty promise,” he said. “Ultimately, under the system you’re suggesting, the Legislature is always going to have the final say.”

In court filings, legislators said that the State Constitution gave them exclusive authority to draw political maps, and that the plaintiffs were trying to impose “illusory standards of political equality” on the mapmaking process.

With the U.S. Supreme Court having barred federal courts from deciding partisan gerrymander cases, state courts are becoming a crucial battleground for opponents of skewed maps. Joshua A. Douglas, an expert on state constitution protections for voting at the University of Kentucky, said the growing body of legal precedents in state gerrymandering cases was important because many state constitutions shared similar protections for elections and voters, often derived from one another.

Courts in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alaska, New York and, last week, New Mexico have ruled that partisan gerrymanders can be unconstitutional. So have courts in Ohio and North Carolina. However, the Ohio court proved unable to force the legislature to comply with its rulings, and the North Carolina decision was overturned in April after elections shifted the court’s majority from Democratic to Republican.

The Kentucky Supreme Court will hear a challenge to that state’s congressional and legislative maps in September. And a lawsuit contesting an extreme Republican gerrymander of the Wisconsin Legislature is widely expected after an April election gave liberals a majority on the state’s high court.

Perhaps the closest analogy to the Utah gerrymander is in Nashville, where the latest congressional map by the Republican-led state legislature divided the city’s former Democratic-majority U.S. House district among three heavily Republican districts. Democrats have not challenged the map in state courts, presumably because they see little prospect of winning in a State Supreme Court dominated by Republican appointees.

In Utah’s case, however, the State Supreme Court’s five justices do not have reputations for bending easily to political winds. They are chosen through a merit-based selection process.

The Utah plaintiffs — the state chapter of the League of Women Voters, the advocacy group Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and a handful of Utah voters —

say that the gerrymandered map ignores a host of state constitutional provisions, including guarantees of free speech, free association and equal protection — provisions that they say should be read as prohibiting partisan maps.

Republican legislators contend that they had the right to repeal the 2018 redistricting law, just as they could any other state law. And they say that the plaintiffs’ aim is no different than their own: to tilt the playing field in their side’s favor.

But Katie Wright, the executive director of Better Boundaries — the group that led the effort to pass the redistricting law and that is backing the lawsuit — argued that there was a difference between the two. She noted that the Utah Legislature’s disclosure of its new maps in 2021 sparked an unusually large public outcry that continues even today.

“The reason we have this gerrymandered map is to keep the people who are in power in power,” she said. “But Utahns have not given up.”

Michael Wines writes about voting and other election-related issues. Since joining The Times in 1988, he has covered the Justice Department, the White House, Congress, Russia, southern Africa, China and various other topics. More about Michael Wines

A version of this article appears in print on July 12, 2023, Section A, Page 16 of the New York edition with the headline: Utah’s Supreme Court Weighs State Gerrymandering Case. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper |

COLORADO SUN:

Denver’s new mayor declares state of emergency on homelessness, sets goal of housing 1,000 unsheltered people by end of 2023

Elliott Wenzler

9:54 AM MDT on Jul 18, 2023

In his first full day as Denver’s new mayor, Mike Johnston declared a state of emergency around homelessness and announced that he plans to house 1,000 unsheltered people by the end of the year.

Johnston said he will tour 78 neighborhoods across the city to accomplish his goal and that his staff will work with landlords, property owners and hotels to find housing availability. His administration is also looking at nearly 200 public plots to place tiny home communities where people experiencing homelessness can be housed.

“This is what we think is the most important crisis the city is facing,” Johnston said at a news conference at the Denver’s City and County Building. “We took the oath yesterday to commit to taking on this problem.”

Homelessness has been an increasingly polarizing issue in Denver and it was a major focus on Johnston’s mayoral campaign. He vowed to create tiny home communities on city-owned property as a way to get people off the street.

Johnston said the state of emergency declaration will help the city access state and “possibly” federal funding. He also said it would allow the city to more quickly work through construction, renovation and permitting processes for new housing units.

“And it sends a real message to all the rest of the state that we are deeply focused on this. We have real evidence to support that housing first as a strategy will get the great majority of people access to the support they need to stay housed and then access follow up resources,” he said.

Johnston’s inaugural address Monday was centered on the theme of what he called the “dream of Denver.” He mentioned housing costs, safety, mental illness, addiction and reimagining downtown as top priorities.

Johnston said “Those of us on this stage took an oath today. But for us to succeed, every Denverite must take their own oath- an oath to dream, to serve, and to deliver. To dream (of) a Denver bold enough to include all of us. To serve our city above ourselves. To march on shoulder to shoulder, undeterred by failure, until we deliver results.”

And your unsolicited concert pick of the week, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue! With special guests Ziggy Marley, Mavis Staples, and the Robert Randolph Band. Monday July 24 at the Gerald Ford Amphitheatre in Vail. I’ve seen every one of these acts, and I’ll just any one of them would be worth the trip on their own.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Sun, New York Times, Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Real Housewives Of Presidential Politics | The Old Man & The Whitehouse; Blizzards in Iowa; plus our favorite cool treats from DQ

18 juli 2023 | 49 min

Talkin' Politics | Mismanaged Missouri; Iowa's 6 Week Abortion Ban; FDA Okay's Over The Counter Birth Control; Insurance Companies Factor Climate Change; A U.S. Senator Defends Racism

17 juli 2023 | 64 min

Friday Flyover | Wisconsin teacher fired over rainbows; Missouri, Indiana, and Iowa abortion law updates, Wisconsin Safety Net Being Gutted; Branson, MO might not have a library

14 juli 2023 | 14 min

Rural Running | Terrence Fiala is running for State Rep. in MO for the 7th State House District

11 juli 2023 | 20 min

Talkin' Politics with special guest Crystal Quade | Rep. Quade Announces For Mo Governor; Kobach and Parson Both go "Yeah...NO" in the same week; Biden Admin Healthcare Rule Change; GOP Divide Deepening?; Josh Hawley CAN Tell A Lie

10 juli 2023 | 79 min

The Flyover View, July 7, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

7 juli 2023 | 14 min

Patriotism Or Bust: The Super Official July 4th American Patriotic Movie Mt. Rushmore Movie Picks

5 juli 2023 | 44 min

Flyover View - June 30, 2023 | Heartland News & Views From 30,000 Feet

30 juni 2023 | 10 min

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STORIES ON SHOW

RED STATES ACCEPT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION MONEY, AGAIN

The Biden admin has announced a $42.5 Billion project to connect every american to high speed broadband internet. And Missouri should see $1.7 billion of that money.

Alabama is set to get about $1.4 billion

Arkansas just over $1 billion

Indiana more than $850 million

Kansas over $450,000
Iowa over $400,00

According to administration estimates some 24 million folks are without high speed internet access to their homes, many of which are located in the areas largely represented by and governed by Republican members of congress like Jason Smith in the Missouri 8th District one of the single most impoverished districts in America.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, noted Federal money glut who pretends to hate the government for political points said that the money will “greatly assist our ongoing investments in Missouri’s broadband infrastructure”

This comes as part of the Biden administrations “Internet For all” initiative.

“What we’re doing is, as I said, not unlike what Franklin Delano Roosevelt did when he brought electricity to nearly every American home and farm in our nation. Today (Vice President) Kamala (Harris) and I are making an equally historic investment to connect everyone in America to high speed internet, and affordable high speed internet, by 2030,”

So far none of the Republican governors have denounced this redistribution of wealth as a massive government overreach or bloated spending.

Wonder why?

https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/27/white-house-unveils-42-5b-to-connect-every-american-to-high-speed-broadband-internet/

https://arkansasadvocate.com/2023/06/26/white-house-unveils-42-5b-to-connect-every-american-to-high-speed-broadband-internet/

LIBRARY MEETING DRAWS A CROWD

More than 350 people crowded into a St. Charles County library board meeting Tuesday night, in Missouri, a new chapter in a fight about a library employee’s clothing choices.

The heated meeting included three hours of public comment, centered on a woman’s complaint that when she visited a branch of the Library, an unnamed worker was wearing makeup, nail polish and also had… (gasp) a goatee. LGBTQ supporters were swift to push back on the woman’s complaints, and they showed up in droves Tuesday night to counter complaints by the woman and her supporters.

Some say the employee is dressing like a stripper, and only appropriate for night clubs. The public comment portion of the meeting lasted three hours before the board decided to end comment and allow others to simply email their diatribes.

Sadie Anderson, who described themselves as being the partner of the library staff member, urged the library board to continue to support the employee.

“My partner is having to do something that no person on earth should have to do, they are having to fight for their mere right to exist,” Anderson said. “My partner, myself, and every single person in this room should be able to express themselves and feel comfortable in the clothing they choose and wear those clothes without fear of ridicule. It is as simple as that.”

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/stcharles/more-than-350-people-pack-st-charles-library-meeting-in-fight-over-dress-code-lgbtq/article_363f3d66-1069-11ee-afd9-a7e1bfb0bc7d.html

KANSAS VOTING RIGHTS CASE GOES SUPREME

No, they didn’t add sour cream and tomatoes - but the Kansas election law from 2021 is being challenged in court and it’s headed to the Kansas state supreme court

to review portions of a voting rights lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of mandates created in 2021 in response to election fraud conspiracy theories - all of which were lies.

The question is whether Kansans’ right to vote is undermined by state law restricting the number of advance ballots a person can deliver to an election office and the new state law requiring election volunteers to verify signatures on advance ballots.

The plaintiffs challenging the laws filed have asked for an injunction during the pendency of the case.

Davis Hammet with Loud Light, one of the groups involved in the case. said “It should be concerning to every Kansan, the idea that you do everything right, and then the state just alleges that someone didn’t think your signature match so your vote isn’t counted.”

The law also created new penalties for touching somebody else’s ballot, distributing ballots or altering the postmark on an advanced ballot. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed both bills, but was overridden.

So if you’re in Kansas, keep your hands and arms inside the voting booth at all times.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Still Impacted By Trump’s Big Lie

The Wisconsin Elections Commission failed to reappoint administrator Meagan Wolfe in a vote Tuesday that three Democratic commission members are banking on to protect her from a Senate confirmation process - Wolfe is expected to lose a confirmation vote.

Democrats argued a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in 2022 allows Wolfe to remain in the seat indefinitely — defying the efforts of election deniers to oust her after falsely accusing her of helping to steal the 2020 election, a claim that has been shown to have no merit, and is simply put: Not true.

Before the “Big Lie” of 2020, Wolfe was unanimously endorsed by the commission for the administrator’s job in 2019 and confirmed by the Republican majority in the Senate. It appears that while she was qualified to do the job prior, the only change is that she told the truth in 2020 which made former President and current federal indictment facer, Donald Trump, grumpy.

Biden won Wisconsin by over 20,000 votes but that didn’t stop Trump and his supporters from attacking Wolfe, who again was confirmed by a republican state senate, and claiming that she was a secret democrat or Biden agent, among other baseless attacks.

Earlier this month, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on a campaign by some Republican state senators against confirming Wolfe for another term.

https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/06/28/election-commission-fails-to-reappoint-wolfe-in-maneuver-to-keep-her-on-the-job/

Iowa Governor Costs Taxpayers For Keeping Secrets

The Polk County District Court approved an agreement between the governor’s office and three Iowa journalists and their media organizations following the Supreme Court’s decision allowing an open records lawsuit to proceed in April.

The Governor’s office agreed to pay $135,000 (of tax payer money) in legal fees and costs incurred during the legal battle, as well as agreeing to undergo a one-year period of judicial oversight in regard to open records requests by the plaintiffs to ensure the office continues to comply with the state Open Records Act. In other words, Iowans will also be paying for judges to babysit the Governor’s office because they can’t play nice.

Thomas Story, an attorney for the ACLU of Iowa, said:

“Throughout this litigation, we have emphasized one crucial point: that nobody is above the law,” “The Iowa Supreme Court reinforced that point and set valuable precedent that supports the right of all Iowans to a transparent, responsive government at every level.”

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/06/26/district-court-approves-settlement-in-open-records-lawsuit-against-governor/

Missouri Independent, Arkansas Advocate, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Kansas Reflector, Wisconsin Examinor, and Iowa Capital Dispatch

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Understanding Moore v. Harper| The Same Debate Since The Founding

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28 juni 2023 | 39 min

Let's Have A Chat: Mike Podhorzer and his post 2020 election work to save democracy and the future of American democracy itself

27 juni 2023 | 40 min

Talkin' Politics June 26, 2023 | Abortion law suits in Missouri as the AG stalls; McCarthy wants to rewrite history; Immigration 8-1 SCOTUS decision; Russia heats up and how it could impact 2024

26 juni 2023 | 42 min

The Flyover View, June 23, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

23 juni 2023 | 18 min

Dirt Road Democrat: Heather Flemming with Missouri Equity Education Partnership

22 juni 2023 | 40 min

June 21, 2023 - High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West

21 juni 2023 | 17 min

Magic Mushrooms are legal in Colorado! Here’s what you need to know | $1.7MM Biden Administration grant will support expansion of in-home behavioral therapy across Colorado | Auon’tai Anderson and 4 other Democrats are running for Rep. Leslie Herod’s CO House seat in District 8 | Rebirth Brass Band is playing 5 Colorado shows in the next 5 days

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Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

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Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO SUN:

Colorado decriminalized psilocybin. Here’s your guided trip through what happens next.

What’s the timeline? Is natural medicine right for you? Should you microdose? We answer these questions and more.

Chryss Cada

4:28 AM MDT on Jun 18, 2023

Four moms gather around a Saturday morning breakfast table exchanging the obsessive anxieties that come from raising teenagers in today’s society.

They share the usual concerns: Does their daughter have enough friends? Is their son being bullied at school? Are their child’s frequent dark moods typical teenage emotions, or does their angst cross over into depression?

As they talk, it becomes clear that the constant stress of worry for their teens is spiraling them down into anxiety and depressive disorders of their own.

Right down to steaming mugs of coffee and plates of avocado toast, the scene is quintessential suburban life in the early 2020s. But this meeting of the moms will likely produce more answers, more insight and more empathy than most. Because the night before these moms consumed some natural medicine known for helping to see things in a new light, bringing clarity to stubborn, problematic patterns.

These women, along with thousands of others across Colorado, have found psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) useful in bringing relief from the anxiety and depression so prevalent in today’s society.

Now, after Colorado voters approved Proposition 122 in November, they no longer have to risk state criminal penalties for their use of this indigenous medicine.

The dramatic efficiency of mushrooms to ease mental health disorders that haven’t been helped by traditional medicines and therapies isn’t just anecdotal. Recent studies from respected institutions like Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have shown psilocybin is helpful in treating everything from alcohol dependence to major depressive disorder.

However, those experienced with this medicine suggest that it be approached with intention, reverence and most importantly understanding.

Under Proposition 122, The Natural Medicine Health Act, Coloradans 21 and older are allowed to possess and use psilocybin, the psychedelic fungi commonly known as “magic mushrooms.” In addition it proposes the eventual decriminalization of the substances dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, ibogaine and mescaline (excluding peyote). The law allows the state to immediately begin the process of the “medicalization” of psilocybin mushrooms by creating a framework for state-regulated “healing centers,” where people can receive medically guided psilocybin treatments. Although decriminalized in Colorado, psilocybin and the other medicines named in the Health Act remain illegal under federal law.

“The measure is therapeutically oriented, so recreational and retail sales are not allowed,” explained Kevin Matthews, one of the authors of Proposition 122. “You can share these medicines with family and friends or in religious uses, but we didn’t want this to become a for-profit industry.”

A veteran, Matthews found relief from depression during a single psilocybin journey in 2011 and has since worked for increased access to psychedelics for the treatment of trauma. While at a legalization rally he saw a T-shirt slogan that summed up the idea behind The Natural Medicine Health Act in three words: “Healers, Not Dealers.”

“We were very careful in the writing of the proposition to put forth a healing model,” he said. “We know that people will still use these medicines recreationally, as they were before this passed. It’s not always a clear distinction: for some people taking mushrooms with friends and going to see a show at Red Rocks is therapeutic.”

The proposition laid out the problem it was hoping to alleviate, reading in part:

COLORADANS ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMATIC MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SUICIDALITY, ADDICTION, DEPRESSION, AND ANXIETY.

COLORADO’S CURRENT APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH HAS FAILED TO FULFILL ITS PROMISE. COLORADANS DESERVE MORE TOOLS TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, INCLUDING APPROACHES SUCH AS NATURAL MEDICINES THAT ARE GROUNDED IN TREATMENT, RECOVERY, HEALTH, AND WELLNESS RATHER THAN CRIMINALIZATION, STIGMA, SUFFERING, AND PUNISHMENT.

In November, 53% of Colorado voters agreed with that wording.

Denver attorney Sean McCallister’s phone started ringing as soon as the votes were counted and hasn’t really stopped since. Primarily working with those in the cannabis industry since the sale and recreational use of weed was legalized in 2012 in Colorado, McAllister is now a pioneer in the emerging field of psychedelics law.

One of the most frequent questions he is asked by those outside the psychedelic community is, “When will mushrooms become legal?” His answer: They already have.

“No, you don’t have to wait for decriminalization provisions,” he said. “People can cultivate, possess and give away mushrooms, as well as share them and be paid for bonafide harm-reduction therapy and support services.”

In an interesting twist, those without licensure will be the first to be able to legally offer natural medicine to clients.

“Right now those who don’t have a therapy license are able to work with these medicines because they are not bound by the rules of a regulatory agency,” McCallister said. “We are about two years away from the regulations being in place for doctors and therapists to be able to offer this medicine to their patients.”

In the meantime, a movement of mushroom guides who have worked underground for years or even decades is starting to push into the daylight.

In the first three months following passage of Proposition 122, McCallister wrote up more than a hundred disclaimers for guides to use with their clients.

Alexandra Jenkins believes so deeply in the medicine’s powers to process and release trauma that she was willing to put herself at risk of prosecution to guide medicine ceremonies underground for the past eight years. Now before the ceremonies she holds with one or two other facilitators she passes out a waiver that spells out what can happen when “sitting with the medicine.”

The waiver explains that the effects of psilocybin mushrooms include altered perception of time and space and intense changes in mood and feeling. Other possible effects of psilocybin include everything from euphoria and peacefulness to confusion and frightening hallucinations. The effects of psilocybin vary from person to person, based on the user’s mental state, personality and immediate environment.

Those who have spent time with the medicine will tell you it’s all these emotions and so many more, a roller coaster of a voyage through time and space that can fit what feels like a lifetime into four to six hours.

“When this (Prop 122) passed I felt a release of stress I wasn’t even aware I had been holding,” Jenkins said. “It feels like an open door to give more people access to this medicine.”

She has seen the medicine ground previously malfunctioning nervous systems, help people connect to their higher selves, and in doing so feel more compassion toward themselves and others and tap into creativity and the interconnectedness of life. “There is this plant that grows in the ground, is free and helps us see ourselves and others differently,” Jenkins said. “It’s cool to be able to believe in miracles.”

The timeline

In addition to decriminalizing the four natural medicines, for mushrooms the new law is retroactive.

McCallister had several pending cases that were dismissed as soon as Proposition 122 passed. Among them was the case of Ben Gorelick, a Denver rabbi who was facing prosecution after integrating psychedelic use as part of spiritual practice.

When this (Prop 122) passed I felt a release of stress I wasn’t even aware I had been holding.

— Alexandra Jenkins, a guide

“The dismissal of that case was especially meaningful because it highlighted the ways this medicine is used,” McCallister said.

A representative of traditional and indigenous use and religious use of natural medicine was one of 15 appointees to the Natural Medicine Advisory Board announced earlier this year. The board, which will advise the Department of Regulatory Agencies on the implementation of the regulated natural medicine access program, also includes representatives from law enforcement, veterans, criminal justice reform, mycology, emergency medical services, health care policy, natural medicine and mental health providers.

Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, is drafting a bill that would clarify who would be implementing Proposition 122. He is considering adding Department of Revenue or Department of Public Health and Environment involvement in the rollout of the program.

Proposition 122 says the state must issue rules for things like drug testing standards, license requirements, and health and safety warnings by Jan. 1, 2024, and the state must begin accepting applications for licensed facilities to administer psilocybin by Sept. 30, 2024.

The law stipulates that decisions be made on all licensing applications within 60 days of receiving them.

After June 1, 2026, the TNMHA board can decide on the medicalization of the additional substances, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline. This may include “healing centers,” like the ones being established for psilocybin, or some similar system with medical oversight for the use of these three substances.

Is natural medicine right for you?

For years, psychiatrist Craig Heacock has had patients come through his office he knew could benefit from psilocybin, but he was unable to recommend it because it was illegal.

Heacock has been able to provide therapy utilizing ketamine, which works in the brain in ways similar to psilocybin. That said, different psychedelics seem to work better for different conditions.

“Ketamine is best for endogenous conditions, such as bi-polar depression that has been present throughout the family history,” he said. These are conditions that are caused by factors inside the person’s system.

“I’m most excited about the use of psilocybin in the treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder,” he said. “There’s been cases of people having remission from OCD for weeks or even months following a single dose of psilocybin.”

OCD is one of many anxiety disorders that can develop in response to trauma. It is a coping mechanism your mind develops to try to control the possibility of something traumatic happening to you again.

The amount of research on psilocybin has been limited by its legal status, leaving practitioners like Heacock eager to explore its possibilities.

“Psilocybin has a rich and broad palette,” he said. “It connects us with self in a way that can alleviate anxiety, depression and a lack of love.”

His podcast, “Back from the Abyss: Psychiatry in Stories,” has been a pioneering voice in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapy. He and his guests often share their hopes that the healing power of psilocybin can help with society’s big issues, such as the communal depression lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the pandemic we have a whole group of people who are left demoralized and spiritually wounded,” he said. “Psilocybin can help with the big things, like alleviating existential despair.”

Although there isn’t a strict definition, those in the natural medicine community consider a transformative dose — one in which emotional breakthroughs are likely to occur — of mushrooms to be 3 grams or more.

By disconnecting parts of the brain that form what we call our ego, psilocybin allows you to step back and look at your patterns from a different perspective. It puts you in the audience to watch your life play out on the stage and then whispers in your ear that you could do things a different way.

It allows you to not only rethink who you are, but also who you want to be.

Jenkins has seen people shed deep-seated trauma through use of the medicine.

“People might have something they’ve been holding for so long they may not even know it’s there,” she said. “The medicine shows them that pain and then helps them process it so they can begin to let it go. There is a lot of strength, strength to change, that comes with the love and self-acceptance of this medicine.”

Where do I start?

Hearing of possible relief from anxiety, depression and even existential despair has Coloradans (and people from around the world) wondering how to get their hands on some mushrooms — and they don’t want to wait.

“We were prepared for an increase in interest in psilocybin if the proposition passed,” said Daniel McQueen of Boulder’s Center for Medicinal Mindfulness. “But the sheer size of the wave of interest actually took me by surprise.”

Although he doesn’t want to be specific, given the amount of competition cropping up, McQueen said calls to the center from people interested in trying psilocybin-therapy have “at least doubled” since passage of the law.

The center, one of the first legal psychedelic therapy clinics in North America, has led thousands of people through cannabis-assisted and ketamine-assisted psychedelic therapy sessions since its founding in 2014, as well as providing training for psychedelic “sitters,” (guides and psychedelic therapists). The training is done by a team of 15, including a medical doctor, nurse and nurse practitioner, four licensed psychotherapists, four pre-licensed psychotherapists, two ministers and two traditional psychedelic guides.

People lay down on mats in a circle. A woman sits crossed legged at the top of the group with candles and a laptop with music.

The Center for Medicinal Mindfulness & Psychedelic Sitters School. (Britt Nemeth, Contributed)

“Because people are in a very vulnerable state while on a psychedelic journey it is very important that they work with a guide who is well-trained,” McQueen said. “A guide should have professional boundaries, the ability to handle a mental health or medical crisis and work in an environment with oversight and accountability.”

Accountability is one of the reasons Heacock is looking forward to having mushroom guiding moving out of the dark and into the light.

“On the black market it has been ‘buyer beware,’” he said. “There were no checks and balances, it’s not like if someone had a bad experience with a guide they could post a bad review on Yelp.”

In Heacock’s view another advantage of legalization will be testing of the potency of the medicine.

“Even if you take the same amount as you had previously, the strength of the medicine could be substantially different,” he said. “With legalization you will know what you are getting every time.”

Jenkins, who classifies her work with psilocybin as “harm-reduction services,” stresses the importance of finding a guide who is experienced with the medicine.

“I’ve always had the energy to be a holder of liminal space,” she said. “Being able to create a safe container for someone to have a psychedelic journey is crucial.”

Jenkins has spent extensive time in that psychedelic space, including journeys with ayahuasca, referred to as the “grandmother” of all psychedelics.

“You have to know what they will be experiencing by having experienced it yourself, it’s not something you can learn from a book,” she said.

Jenkins is also trained in a spectrum of holistic healing from yoga to breathwork to somatic experiencing.

“All the things I trained in up to the point in my life led naturally to holding medicine space,” she said.

Despite helping outline the suggested credentials for mushroom guides, Matthews, the Proposition 122 co-author, still puts the most weight in personal recommendations.

“Ask people you know, love and respect if they know someone who would be a good match to guide you,” he said. “It’s also important to get a facilitator who can relate to your personal experiences.

“If you struggle with depression, find a facilitator who has also experienced depression and can have compassion for what you are going through.”

An altar with the sculpture of a woman and child, crystals and a variety of other objects.

A primary part of guidance at the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness is helping individuals explore their spirituality, said Daniel McQueen, founder of the Center. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

Plunging in

The “come up” of a psilocybin trip takes about 15 minutes, slowly clicking you up that first big hill of a roller coaster.

When the cable lets you go, the plunge down is a little different for everybody. Some people hold on for dear life, regretting their choice to get on the ride in the first place. Others put their hands up in the air and enjoy the ride. Some people alternate between the two.

Either way, there is usually a lot of noise when the medicine “kicks in.” In order to “hold the container,” and keep individuals in their own experience, guides will often request quiet in a group setting.

Sometimes people find it impossible to not let out a squeal, a moan, a cry, a retching, a giggle or a choice expletive.

“This is an intense experience, sometimes someone gets too loud and there’s the risk that they will compromise everyone in the group’s experience,” Jenkins said. “An experienced guide can maintain the container through this by going to that person and helping them through.”

While one facilitator tends to the individual who is struggling by taking him or her to another room, the other facilitator sings to the remainder of the group, her voice soaring above the chaos. Trippers have a choice to go on the wings of the medicine to a peaceful supportive place and have their own experience.

“Rather than saying it was a bad trip, I would say there are moments in every journey that are challenging,” said Matthews, who has found psychedelics helpful in processing trauma from earlier in his life. “Unresolved trauma comes to the surface, and you can witness with clarity how something that has been buried deeply is influencing the way you are in the world.”

Psychiatrist Heacock agrees.

“We don’t learn when things are going well,” Heacock said of difficult ketamine sessions. “It’s the hard sessions, when you feel like you can’t stand another second, that can be the real game changers.”

Single dose

Licensed clinical social worker Michelle Landon, like many in healing professions, has faced her own struggles with mental health.

She often tries healing modalities out herself before prescribing them to her clients.

“A couple years ago I began hearing a lot about the science of psychedelics and how they can help people heal,” she said. “I wanted to help others with their trauma and disordered thinking patterns, but first I knew I needed to help myself.”

People might have something they’ve been holding for so long they may not even know it’s there. The medicine shows them that pain and then helps them process it so they can begin to let it go.

— Alexandra Jenkins, a guide

Landon, who has been a therapist in northern Colorado since 2004, found psychedelics helpful in coming to terms with the death of her father in 2021.

“The last two weeks of my dad’s life he started telling my sister he was going on a trip and wanted to say goodbye to everyone,” she said. “I was with him, watching him go in and out of this world.”

Psychedelics lightened the impact and pain of the moment.

“I mean sure it sucked, but it wasn’t traumatic,” she said of her father’s final days and the grief that followed his death. “There were moments of beauty and connection. I saw him through the lens of the medicine and he didn’t look like he was suffering. He was ready to go.”

Through ketamine-assisted therapy, Landon has brought similar relief to clients dealing with a range of mental health challenges from persistent depression to acute post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Some people processing trauma find it so hard to shift things and let go with traditional therapy and prescriptions,” she said. “With psychedelics some people have direct access to knowing they are loved and are able to finally let go of their past trauma.”

Microdose

While a single-dose psilocybin journey can have profound, lasting effects, many people are beginning to take mushrooms as a daily medication — and a lot of those people, at least anecdotally, are moms.

“People are discovering microdosing to be a good alternative to the pharmaceutical approach that is so prevalent in our culture,” Jenkins said. “It gives your serotonin a bit of a boost and puts you more in tune with yourself. It can really help people with anxiety without a lot of side effects.”

Microdosing mushrooms involves taking such small amounts of the medicine (roughly 0.05 to 0.25 grams) that a person doesn’t feel the effects outright. People can take a microdose every day or work in days off to integrate the insights gained on days they do take the medicine.

“When I’ve had a microdose I feel so much more confident in the choices I’m making for my family,” said one mom over post-trip avocado toast. “It’s like the mushrooms are a little cheerleader in my head telling me I’m doing a great job.”

Another mom had been on prescription antidepressants for a little more than a decade before recently switching to microdosing psilocybin to rein in the ruminating, spiraling, obsessive thoughts she has contended without throughout her life.

She wanted to find a more natural way to access what her brain needs.

“It was rough going off them (antidepressants),” she recalls. “I was dizzy, nauseous, felt trapped and was really, really, really depressed.

Then I started microdosing and it was like my whole brain lit up again.”

Those who work with psychedelics caution that they aren’t an instant cure, but rather one resource that has been helpful to many in their healing.

“It (psilocybin) is a reminder that we hold the answers inside of ourselves,” Landon said. “It gets the BS out of the way so you can see your true self and your true potential for happiness.”

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

A new family therapy program in Colorado will meet you wherever you are — even if that’s Costco

An in-home mental health program for kids that began in January has served 200 people in 20 Colorado counties and has plans to expand

Jennifer Brown

4:00 AM MDT on Jun 15, 2023

A 15-year-old boy is sitting cross-legged on his couch in red flannel pajama pants, his hair looking like he just rolled out of bed.

Because he did just get out of bed, about three minutes ago.

Now, he’s sitting across from his therapist, who had to knock on the door for several minutes before the teenager’s mom answered via Ring doorbell from the grocery store. “It’s open,” she told Bobby Tyman, a family therapist and clinical program coordinator with Paragon Behavioral Health Connections.

It’s not the first time Tyman has had to rouse the boy from sleep for his 10 a.m. therapy appointment.

This is what in-home mental health treatment for adolescents looks like. The teenager, who recently stole and crashed his mother’s car and has been using drugs to cope with depression, is groggy and shy, but tells Tyman that he applied for three summer jobs and is choosing a new high school for the fall.

The new in-home therapy program, which has served 200 kids and their parents since it began in January, is an extension of the Colorado Boys Ranch. The ranch opened in 1959 as an orphanage in La Junta, then closed its residential program about a decade ago. But its foundation — Colorado Boys Ranch Youth Connect — has continued, pouring its resources into behavioral health care for kids in their homes.

The evolution of the program is a reflection of what’s changed in the child welfare system in the past decade — Colorado is sending fewer kids to institutions in favor of homes, and has increased efforts to provide in-home mental health care to cut down on the number of children removed from their homes and placed in foster care in the first place. Several youth treatment centers, including Tennyson Center for Children in Denver, have shifted in recent years from residential care to day treatment and in-home therapy.

Some of the children are referred by the juvenile justice system as part of pretrial rehabilitation programs, and by the Medicaid program. Parents can also call for help directly, without a referral from a government program.

A staff of 40 works in 20 counties, including the entire Denver metro area and throughout the entire state.

Camille Harding, Paragon’s CEO says “The point is to help kids and teens get better on their terms, as well as to provide a step-down program for adolescents who have visited a hospital emergency room in crisis or been admitted on a mental health hold. The program aims to schedule the first appointment within 24 hours of receiving a call for help.”

Kids who are “trying to have their own personality and a say in who they are” can accomplish that better at home, not in an unfamiliar office with a therapist staring at them.

“Having it on their own terms is so much more empowering. You get to decide what we do. We can go for a walk. We can go to the park down the street. Developmentally, it just makes more sense.”

Some kids in the program have such intense needs that someone from Paragon is in their home 10 hours a week. A therapist helps work on their mental health. A care manager can help enroll in school, sign up for a GED program, or help the family find housing or food assistance. A specialist can teach interventions specifically for kids who have intellectual disabilities along with behavioral health issues.

The team approach means kids get better help and staff are less likely to burn out. The program’s technology is unique, too. Paragon is installing geo locations on its staff, many of whom are social workers or case managers with bachelor’s degrees, and can send reinforcements quickly. That means that if a teenager is threatening suicide or having a violent outburst, a more experienced counselor can assist in person or virtually.

A $1.7 million grant, part of Colorado’s federal pandemic relief aid, is helping the program build the technology and hire a psychiatrist.

Therapy beside someone’s bed or in a Costco aisle

Tyman prefers standing on a client’s doorstep to sitting in an office waiting for a client who doesn’t show up.

He’s done therapy on the floor next to someone’s bed because the person was too depressed to get up.

And one mom is so overwhelmed by her life that the only time she finds for therapy with Tyman is when she’s at the park with her kids or walking through Costco. Tyman tells her she can say he’s a neighbor or a friend if they run into someone she knows.

“It’s OK if we start 15 minutes late because you had to get up and make coffee and put on clothes, or whatever it is you had to do to deal,” he said. “If your mental capacity isn’t super high, and you’re not functioning well, and you’re not getting out of bed on time, and you’re not able to manage your appointments, you’re never going to make it to therapy.

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

Auon’tai Anderson, vice president of the Denver Public Schools board of education, announced he will end his run for reelection to instead go for a seat in the Colorado Legislature.

Anderson, a Democrat who has been vocal against police in schools, announced his campaign to replace Democratic Rep. Leslie Herod in House District 8.

As of Monday, five candidates have filed with the secretary of state’s office looking to take the District 8 seat, including Anderson, Victor Bencomo, Christi Devoe, Lindsay Gilchrist and Sharron Pettiford. All candidates so far are Democrats. Gilchrist filed her candidacy the same day as Anderson.

Anderson told Colorado Newsline his decision was influenced by the recent shootings at East High School in Denver, when a student asked Anderson what he was going to do about gun reform.

“We need Democrats that are going to be Democrats 24/7, not Democrats when it’s convenient,” Anderson said. “I feel like we’ve had some very convenient Democrats in the Legislature when it comes to these heavy issues like rent control, or our assault weapons ban that was killed by Dems. So, for me, this was an opportunity to stand up and say ‘I’m going to run.’”

As he wraps up his time on the Denver school board, Anderson touted newly enacted board policies that make dyslexia screenings accessible for DPS students, as well as a 90% reduction in tickets and citations for students in the district, during his time on the board.

Anderson said “We can’t regress into an era where we’re going back to criminalizing Black and brown children”

If elected to the Colorado House, Anderson said he would prioritize four areas in his first legislative session: banning assault weapons, enshrining access to reproductive health care in the state Constitution, expanding protections for LGBTQ students, and increasing the state minimum wage.

And your unsolicited concert pick of the week, Rebirth Brass Band! A New Orleans Institution since 1983 - Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers says “UNBELIEVABLE. HARD AS HELL, FREE AS A RAY OF LIGHT, THERE IS NOT A BAND ON EARTH THAT IS BETTER. STUNNING."

Stunning and hardworking too, with Colorado shows tonight and the following 4 nights- Cleland Park in Delta, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox in Denver, Stoke in Salida, Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins, and finally the Durant Street VIP Tent in Aspen.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Sun and Colorado Newsline.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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War Is Peace: A discussion on the new book "War Made Invisible" with author Norman Solomon

20 juni 2023 | 20 min

The (IN PERSON!) One At Rachel's House: Voting Rights, GOP Censuring Of Sen Tillis; No Labels v. The Lincoln Project

19 juni 2023 | 54 min

The Flyover View, June 16, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

16 juni 2023 | 17 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Education Policy & Charter Realities with Prof. Jon Hale

15 juni 2023 | 28 min

The Delta, E50 - Lost Levels: Irrelevant Entertainment

14 juni 2023 | 38 min

Talkin' Politics | Real Housewives Of Presidential Poltics

13 juni 2023 | 48 min

EPISODE 311 - REAL HOUSEWIVES

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“Change The Conversation”

A new player has entered: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/07/north-dakota-governor-doug-burgum-republican-race?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

How does Trump indictment play, now that it is real?

Funny trump clip: https://twitter.com/tweetforanna/status/1667612596311138305?s=46&t=mukZUfs5M_R3E9tAHIu-GA

Trump team doing all they can to shift to Biden

https://www.foxnews.com/media/abcs-stephanopoulos-snaps-trump-lawyer-suggesting-biden-leaned-doj-ridiculous-statement?intcmp=tw_fnc

Vanity Fair think piece on field: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/06/2024-gop-field-candidates-donald-trump

Pull quote: The fight for the soul of the party isn’t about tax cuts or trade deals,” Jeff Roe, a top adviser to pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, told Axios. “It is this cultural combat that we have as a country.”

Some candidates saying they will pardon Trump but NOT Asa Hutchinson

Asa Hutchison on State of the Union with Dana Bash (who should take over MTP) when asked about other candidates saying they would pardon Trump

Dangling a pardon undermines the grand jury and jury systems and rule of law “I find it offensive” as someone who’s dedicated my life and career to supporting the rule of law

Francis Suarez - Miami mayor jumping in? Didn’t vote for Trump in 2016 or 2020, but then says he would vote for Trump in 2024 because Joe Biden makes poor people poor and China will take over as a super power.

turns out he might have some pay to play stuff on local development deals

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Talkin' Politics | June 12, 2023: "I'm So Indicted..." Missouri GOP model being used by Congressional GOP; Oklahoma paying for religious school; Biden celebrates Pride; Paxton Impeached; #mosen race adds Wesley Bell; Trump Indicted

12 juni 2023 | 109 min

The Flyover View, June 9, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

9 juni 2023 | 15 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Ban This Podcast - A Discussion With America's Most Banned Author, Ellen Hopkins

8 juni 2023 | 31 min

June 7, 2023 - High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West

7 juni 2023 | 17 min

Mike Johnston wins Denver mayoral election | All 36 CO DMV offices can now issue driver licenses to undocumented immigrants and international students who qualify | Colorado Democrats and Gov Jared Polis pass statewide ban on ghost guns | AZ State Senator says she was not aware of her flag's neo-Nazi ties. She is now though, and she's keeping it | Talented field of Arizona Democrats compete in primary for Rep. Ruben Gallego's seat in Congress

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Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

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Alright! Let’s get into it:

Looks like we’ve got a winner! As of recording, it looks like Mike Johnston will be the next Mayor of Denver. After 12 years under the leadership of Mayor Michael Hancock, in which Denver has experienced rapid growth and a booming economy, the growing pains are catching up with us and Denver’s new mayor will face crisis-level homelessness, addiction, and gun violence.

Mike Johnston is a boyish Ivy League boy who has run for lots of things and served as lots of other, different things. Jokes aside though he seems to have the respect of a lot of people I deeply respect, and I’m excited to see what he can do.

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

All Colorado DMVs now offer driver’s licenses to undocumented residents

BY: SHANNON TYLER - JUNE 6, 2023 3:10 PM

Every driver’s license office in Colorado will now offer license and ID card services to undocumented residents and international students, Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday.

In 2013, then-Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law the Colorado Road and Community Safety Act, which made obtaining a standard driver’s license accessible for undocumented immigrants and international students. At the time, only four offices in the state actually provided the service.

Now, on the 10th anniversary of the signing of the bill, the DMV announced all 36 of the state’s driver’s license office locations will offer appointments for immigrants and international students to get a standard license or ID card.

Gov Polis said “Here in Colorado, we know that our immigrants strengthen the fabric of who we are. In the last 10 years over 250,000 Coloradans have been able to get their driver licenses and insurance, making all of us safer on the roads.”

The law allows all Coloradans to obtain a standard driver license or ID card regardless of immigration status if the applicant can provide proof of identity and Colorado residency.

The DMV works with several volunteer nonprofits around the state as a part of the I Drive Coalition to help provide Road and Community Safety Act services for undocumented immigrants to obtain standard license or identification cards. Organizations help to schedule free appointments for people who come to them.

Henry Gomez with Grupo Esperanza de Colorado Springs, one of the organizations that supports and provides resources for immigrants, said the legislation is necessary for immigrants in Colorado to do essential daily tasks like driving to a doctor’s appointment or taking their children to school.

When the bill first passed, it was difficult for people to actually use the service because they had to travel long distances to the few places that offered it and wait hours to schedule an appointment, Gomez said.

1 of 20 states

Colorado is one of 20 states, along with Washington D.C., to offer driver’s licenses to undocumented residents.

DMV spokesperson Stephany Garza said “Colorado has come a long way since the program launched in originally starting in a handful of locations. We’ve been able to grow it throughout the state, thanks to strong demand and a dedication to partner with community organizations and leaders.”

“The DMV’s mission is to provide motor vehicle, driver and identity services that promote public safety, trust and confidence, and having trained and licensed drivers on our roads is critical.”

COLORADO NEWSLINE: I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghost - guns. Because now they’re banned in Colorado.

BY: SARA WILSON - JUNE 2, 2023 1:48 PM

Senate Bill 23- 279 makes the sale, manufacture and possession of ghost guns a Class 1 misdemeanor on the first offense and a Class 5 felony on subsequent offenses.

bill sponsor Sen. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat, said “Ghost guns are untraceable, unserialized weapons that anyone can make or assemble in their own home – and they’re extremely dangerous. We worked hard this session to make Colorado safer and prevent gun violence, and this new law is a big step towards reaching that goal.”

The legislation was also sponsored by Sen. Chris Hansen of Denver, Rep. Andrew Boesenecker of Fort Collins and Rep. Junie Joseph of Boulder, all Democrats. Every Republican voted no.

Law enforcement say ghost guns are being used more often in crimes across the state. The shooters involved with last year’s attack at Club Q in Colorado Springs and the March shooting at Denver’s East High School both possessed and showed an interest in ghost guns.

Ghost gun kits are easily available online for anyone to assemble or 3D-print at home. Because that process bypasses serialization and necessary background checks, the guns can be nearly impossible to trace when used in a crime.

Current ghost gun owners have until Jan. 1, 2024 to get the blank firearm, frame or receiver serialized by a licensed dealer. Serialization includes a background check. Going forward, people can still make their own firearms as long as they get them serialized.

Eleven states already regulate ghost guns.

The Colorado Legislature passed four other bills regulating firearms during this year’s legislative session, which wrapped up in early May. That includes a minimum age restriction and three-day waiting period for gun purchases, expansion of the state’s extreme risk protection order law to include groups other than law enforcement and a repeal of the state’s legal liability protections for the firearm industry.

Hats off to Colorado Democrats. They take so much abuse as well as threats from thousands and thousands of extremely aggressive gun rights activists. These gun groups create extremely dishonest and aggressive attack ads, and they do everything they can to show their strength. It takes real guts to pass gun safety laws in the West, and the Colorado Democratic legislators have some serious guts. Congratulations on a great session everyone.

ARIZONA MIRROR:

AZ GOP senator proudly flies flag adopted by ‘fringe’ far-right extremists

BY: JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY - JUNE 5, 2023 11:20 AM

The desk on the Arizona Senate floor for Republican Sen. Janae Shamp, displays the “An Appeal to Heaven” flag, which has been adopted by Christian nationalists and other extremists in recent years. Shamp says she displays the flag because of its historical ties to the American Revolution, and says she is unaware of its use by far-right extremist groups. But that, of course, is bullshit.

The white flag with a pine tree on it and the phrase “An Appeal to Heaven” was originally used by George Washington and the Continental Army. It was later adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as its naval and maritime flag until 1971, when the copy was dropped, leaving only the image of the pine tree.

In recent years, the flag has been adopted by Christian nationalists, who see the flag as a rallying call. Christian nationalists believe that the United States is Christian nation that should base its laws and practices around the teachings of Christianity.

The flag has also been embraced by far-right extremist organizations like the Proud Boys and other neo-Nazi groups.

Shamp did not respond to questions about whether she embraced the beliefs of Christian nationalism, and said she doesn’t know anything about Christian dominionism, a closely related belief system.

To investigative journalist, author and researcher David Neiwart, who has written extensively about the far-right, the lines between groups have begun to blur into an entire “universe” of far-right groups from QAnon, militias, white supremacists, and other extremist groups who have gained political influence among conservatives.

Most of them share a few things in common, including beliefs in “right-wing authoritarianism” and the alleged supremacy of Christianity.

After looking at the various people and causes Shamp has supported over the years, including various extremist and Christian nationalist figures and causes, Neiwart said it’s clear to him that Shamp ascribes to those beliefs.

“She is definitely a Christian nationalist, she is definitely QAnon, and a fully enraptured Trumpite,” Neiwert said.

While a surge in Christian nationalism in recent years has garnered media attention — due in part to high-profile conservatives like U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who explicitly declared herself a Christian nationalist, and the backing of influential leaders like white nationalist Nick Fuentes — Christian dominionism has similarly been on the rise, though with much less fanfare.

One of the more popular Dominionist beliefs is in the so-called “Seven Mountain Mandate,” which draws from the biblical book of Revelations and requires Christians to invade the “seven spheres” of society: family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business, and government. In doing so, American life can be reshaped to hew to conservative Christian values.

The idea has been embraced and promoted by people like Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk and Paula White, the televangelist who served as a “spiritual advisor” to Donald Trump while he was president.

According to David Neiwart, the key difference between Christian dominionism and nationalism is that dominionists want everyone under Christian rule, while nationalists think everyone should convert to Christianity.

“Christian nationalists take it a step further than Christian Dominionists,” Neiwart said, adding that a dominionist wouldn’t care if a Muslim was present, “they just want them under the thumb of Christian leaders.”

One of the biggest promoters of Christian nationalism and dominionism has been disgraced Ret. Gen. Michael Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, who has claimed that he is waging “spiritual warfare” and building an “army of God.” Flynn is also known to associate with other extremist groups.

AZ Sen Shamp is a fervent supporter of Flynn’s, and has posted praise of Flynn often on social media. The recent COVID-19 special committee she co-chaired was sponsored in part by an organization that Flynn co-founded.

“I get goosebumps every time General Flynn talks about our great Nation!” Shamp said in a December 2021 post accompanied by a video of Flynn.

At a Trump rally in Florence in January 2022, Shamp told Business Insider that the “No. 1 person standing up for ‘we, the people’ is probably Gen. Michael Flynn.”

Shamp, a conservative from Surprise, has also been found to have shared a number of QAnon posts on her Facebook linked to Neo-Nazis and antisemites.

The flag, which Shamp displays on her desk and in her Twitter banner image, has also been connected to extremist groups and violent events. During the violent events of Jan. 6, the flag was seen being carried by a number of individuals.

“I would say Christian nationalism as a phenomenon is one of the real undergirding movements involved in the insurrection,” Neiwart said, adding that the militias and other groups such as the OathKeepers all had underlying Christian nationalist roots or beliefs. “All these Christian patriots that formed these militias are Christian nationalists as well.”

ARIZONA MIRROR:

Meet the Dems vying for Gallego’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives

BY: GLORIA REBECCA GOMEZ - JUNE 2, 2023 1:33 PM

So far, four candidates have already launched campaigns to represent Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes Laveen, Maryvale and part of Glendale. The district is considered a Democratic stronghold, with left-leaning voters outnumbering Republicans three to one. The winner of the Democratic primary is virtually guaranteed to capture the seat in November.

First, Laura Pastor.

The most recent entrant into the race is the daughter of Rep. Gallego’s predecessor, Ed Pastor, who held the seat from 1991 until his retirement in 2015. The younger Pastor has a long career in elected office herself, with three terms on the Phoenix city council representing areas recently drawn into the 3rd District.

Prior to her position on the council, she was a classroom teacher who worked with at-risk students. Ms. Pastor also serves on the governing board for Phoenix Union High School.

In a launch video on Wednesday, Pastor invoked her family’s political legacy and promised to continue it.

“For five generations my family has worked for a better Arizona. From my grandfathers - who organized workers in the copper mines - to my mother - who lived with strength and integrity in a time of discrimination - to my dad. My dad taught me that lots of politicians can talk, but what matters is what you deliver.”

“I am running to put my experience to work on behalf of Arizonans – to take care of our veterans, to have someone looking out for family budgets, and to protect all of our access to health care, including reproductive care,”

Ylenia Aguilar

If elected, Aguilar would be Arizona’s first formerly undocumented congresswoman. Her family moved to the U.S. when she was just a toddler, and suffered repeated housing and food insecurity. Aguilar attended as many as 20 different schools. The single mother of two credits her early adversity with inspiring a personal imperative to voice the struggles of others.

Aguilar spent more than a decade as a translator before becoming the first Latina elected to the Osborn School District Board, where she’s still a member. During the Trump presidency, Aguilar helped author a resolution prohibiting ICE agents from entering schools. She also serves on the state’s Central Arizona Water Project Board and as the business development manager for SOURCE Global, a Scottsdale-based renewable energy company that helps tribal and rural communities access clean drinking water via hydropanel technology.

Water conservation is among her policy priorities, as well as immigration reform, and access to education and reproductive health care. At the top of her list is representing Arizona’s diverse communities where past politicians have failed.

“My story is your story,” she said, at her campaign kickoff. “I know what you go through. I know how hard you work, how much you love your children, how difficult it can be to get ahead and how often politicians leave our community behind, or worse — how politicians attack our communities trying to take away our rights. In Congress, I will be your voice, because your voice matters.”

Yassamin Ansari

Phoenix’s Vice-Mayor was one of the first to throw her hat in the ring after Congressman Gallego announced his challenge to U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Ansari’s election as the city’s youngest council member in 2021 followed a career in climate change advocacy that included a stint as a policy advisor for the United Nations. Her work on the Phoenix council includes helping to draft and pass a citywide resolution that deprioritized abortion-related arrests and spearheading efforts to electrify Phoenix’s public transportation.

Those concerns would follow her to the federal level, with more ambitious climate change legislation a key part of her priorities. The country’s as-yet unfulfilled pledge to reach net zero emissions by 2050 is of particular importance to Ansari, who vowed to lead an effort to remedy that. Also high up on her roster is gun violence prevention, housing affordability and a living wage.

A daughter of Iranian immigrants, Ansari’s election would be a first for the district, whose population is 51% Hispanic and has supported Hispanic candidates since 1991. But Ansari’s council district, which spans from southwest to downtown Phoenix and has a similar population makeup as CD3, resoundingly backed her in 2021.

She said, “As a daughter of immigrants, I very much understand the challenges that our community faces. My constituents know that I don’t just represent one community, I represent all communities. And whether you’re Latino, White, Black or any other background, representation is about listening to the community and making sure that you’re surrounding yourself with people in the community so that their experiences and challenges are represented in the legislation you support.”

She said “It’s time to have leadership that is young and hungry and ready to take on some of these bigger crises.”

Hector Jaramillo

Jaramillo traces his activism back to two pivotal incidents that happened at very different times in his life. When he was 4, his father was deported, which he said “opened (his) eyes to the injustices of our current system.” Then, in his early twenties while protesting the killing of George Floyd in 2020, a gun was pointed at his head. Jaramillo was disappointed to find not much had changed after the nationwide movement against racial injustice, and realized that things would only improve if more people were allowed at the decision-making table.

The 26-year-old Phoenix native, who currently serves on the governing board of the Glendale Elementary School District, would be among the youngest in Congress if elected. He noted that what he lacks in experience he makes up for in community engagement and personal, real-life knowledge.

He said “Legislative experience is important, but so is lived experience – being somebody who’s experienced the injustices of our system.”

His goals include improving education funding, affordable health care for all and a complete overhaul of the current immigration system. That includes a pathway to citizenship, opening up government assistance programs for undocumented Americans, and shielding victims of crimes from having their undocumented status used against them.

Jaramillo also wants to abolish ICE and Customs and Border Protection. He says their duties can be effectively carried out by their predecessor, the country’s Immigration and Naturalization Service, as was the case before post-9/11 policies created the Department of Homeland Security.

Jaramillo, who called himself an anti-establishment candidate, is hoping voters who are tired of the status quo will support his bid.

He said “If you’re happy with the way things are, keep electing the same people. But if you want real, progressive change, try someone new.”

Raquel Terán

With a 17-year-long career in Arizona politics, tenures in both the state Senate and House of Representatives and the title of Democratic Party Chair under her belt, Terán is perhaps one of the most experienced candidates in the race to capture Gallego’s seat. Born and raised on the Arizona border in Douglas, she attributes her passion for politics to the anti-immigrant rhetoric she grew up around.

That motivation resulted in helping to organize a recall campaign against former state Sen. Russell Pierce, who authored Arizona’s notorious 2010 ‘show us your papers’ law, and working to defeat Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Maricopa County.

Teran said, “I have been a fighter at the state legislature, and I’m ready to take on the extremists in Congress. We have a lot of work to do and I intend to bring my ‘si se puede’ attitude to Washington DC”.

Terán’s top priorities include immigration reform, affordable housing, reproductive rights, holding corporate polluters accountable, and requiring wealthy corporations to pay their fair share are key goals for her.

On Monday, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly endorsed Raquel Terán in her bid for Congress.

He said “Raquel has spent nearly two decades helping bring together a diverse coalition of voters that turned our state blue.”

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Newsline, Colorado Sun, ABC News, Arizona Mirror, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Real Housewives Of Presidential Politics: The 2024 GOP Primary

6 juni 2023 | 39 min

Talkin' Politics | June 5, 2023: Climate Crisis Hits Home Insurance; Missouri AG Report Shows Systemic Racial Disparity In Policing (Again); Voting Rights Victory In AZ; Biden/Schumer Bromance; "Debt Ceiling" Theater Ends

5 juni 2023 | 78 min

The Flyover View, June 2, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

2 juni 2023 | 19 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Pay The Middle Man: How Third Party "Non Profits" Push Legislation To Build Their Business Model, with Prof. Josh Cowen

1 juni 2023 | 45 min

May 31, 2023 - High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West

31 maj 2023 | 13 min

PACs supporting Mike Johnston spend big in final sprint of Denver mayoral election | Susana Cordova will be Colorado’s next Education Commissioner | New Colorado GOP Chair Dave Williams is off to a rocky start | Kari Lake is running for Senate in Arizona | Ringo Starr on tour in Western U.S.

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Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Denver mayoral candidates Mike Johnston and Kelly Brough sprint to the finish line

BY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 30, 2023 4:00 AM

Left: Denver mayor candidate Kelly Brough receives the endorsement of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance at an event on May 12, 2023. Right: Brough’s runoff opponent, former state Sen. Mike Johnston, receives the endorsement of progressive former mayoral candidates and Democratic state lawmakers in Civic Center Park on May 10, 2023. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)

A half-million dollar contribution from former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg was part of a flood of large donations that has helped former state Sen. Mike Johnston open up a 2-to-1 fundraising lead over opponent Kelly Brough as the Denver mayor’s race enters its final week.

Advancing Denver, an independent expenditure committee supporting Johnston’s run, raised more than $4 million through May 22.

The pro-Johnston super PAC has relied on many of the same out-of-state billionaire donors who boosted Johnston’s gubernatorial bid in 2018, including Bloomberg, LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman and hedge fund managers Steve Mandel and John Arnold. Kent Thiry, the former CEO of Denver-based dialysis giant DaVita, is the group’s largest local donor, while venture capitalist Art Reimers and private equity CEO Eric Resnick have also chipped in with six-figure contributions.

About three-quarters of Advancing Denver’s haul has been spent on TV advertising in support of Johnston, with the remainder spent on digital ads and mail.

Johnston and Brough had raised roughly equal amounts in direct contributions through the end of April, reporting total receipts of $932,060 and $895,612, for their campaign committees, respectively.

A Better Denver, the independent expenditure committee supporting Brough, has struggled to raise large sums since the April 4 first-round election, adding just $211,650 to the $1 million it had previously raised in February and March.

To date, the group’s top donor during the runoff is Pete Coors, former Republican nominee for U.S. Senate and prolific donor to conservative causes. Coors gave $50,000 to A Better Denver on April 24. Other top donors to the pro-Brough PAC have included real estate interests like the National Association of Realtors, Colorado Construction Industry Coalition and developer Lloyd Fulenwider.

The Apartment Association of Metro Denver, a landlord group, has made contributions to both candidates. After giving $25,000 to Brough in February, the group followed up with another $10,000 contribution to Brough in late April, and a $10,000 contribution to Johnston a week later.

Ballots for the city’s runoff election were mailed earlier this month. Voters can return their ballot to a 24-hour drop box or vote in person until 7 p.m. on June 6.

COLORADO SUN:

Susana Cordova, former superintendent of Denver schools, will be Colorado’s next education commissioner

Erica Breunlin and Jesse Paul

9:13 AM MDT on May 30, 2023

Denver Public Schools superintendent Susana Cordova at DPS headquarters on April 3, 2020. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post via The Associated Press)

The state’s Board of Education on Monday named Susana Cordova as the sole finalist among 23 applicants after a unanimous vote. Her appointment is expected to be formalized when the board next meets.

State Board Chairwoman Rebecca McClellan told The Colorado Sun “We really appreciated her sharp focus on results for students and outcomes for students with an eye toward equity,”

“She’s not only talked the talk, she’s proven that she’s capable of achieving gains for students.”

Cordova will take over the position from Katy Anthes, who is stepping down from the role in July after serving as commissioner since December 2016.

Cordova began her career as a bilingual language arts teacher and has since worked in education for more than 30 years, including as a teacher, principal, district leader and currently as a superintendent in residence for Transcend, a national nonprofit focused on helping schools make classrooms more equitable for all students.

Cordova was also previously a deputy superintendent for the Dallas TX Independent School District.

Cordova has also taught as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Denver’s School of Education and now serves on the university’s board of trustees.

Cordova will begin steering the state education department at a particularly consequential time for Colorado schools, as districts continue to help students recover from lost time and learning during the pandemic and as many communities struggle to recruit and retain educators and manage declining student enrollment.

Susana Cordova, then superintendent of Denver Public Schools, looks on as students work on laptops in a classroom in Newlon Elementary School early Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. The school was one of 55 Discovery Link sites set up by Denver Public Schools where students could participate in remote learning during the pandemic. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Cordova will begin her tenure just as a state task force is considering changes to how Colorado evaluates its schools, which could potentially affect how much funding schools receive.

Gov. Jared Polis celebrated Cordova’s selection in a written statement Tuesday, saying

“Her prior work boosting academic progress and improving access to high-quality education for learners of all backgrounds as superintendent of Denver Public Schools is sure to benefit students across the state as she brings this passion and experience to this new role,” said Polis, a Democrat. “I look forward to working with Susana as a member of my cabinet as we continue to carry forward our bold education priorities.”

COLORADO SUN:

Colorado GOP paid no staff in April while fundraising lags under new Chairman Dave Williams

Sandra Fish

4:20 AM MDT on May 24, 2023

Dave Williams speaks during a Republican state central meeting on March 11, 2023, in Loveland where elections for a chairman, vice chairman and secretary of the Colorado GOP were conducted. (Olivia Sun, The Colorado Sun via Report for America)

If the Colorado Republican Party had employees in April, they didn’t get paid.

It’s the first time in at least 20 years the party didn’t pay any employees.

And the party’s bank accounts have less money than the $120,540 a recent filing said the party had on hand, the GOP acknowledged in an addendum filed Saturday with the Federal Election Commission.

The Colorado GOP raised only about $58,000 in the first four months of the year, including less than $15,000 in April. The party spent more than $15,000 last month, with $9,100 going to health and dental benefits. It’s unclear if anyone is working for the party; no staff is listed on its website.

The lack of a payroll for a state party in Colorado is unusual.

“There have been other cycles where the party pays only one or two salaries in the off year,” said Kristi Burton Brown, who chaired the party during the last election cycle. “If they want to run it all-volunteer, they certainly can.”

The party raised only a little more than $18,000 in the first two months of the year, before Williams was elected chairman.

From January through April, Colorado’s GOP spent more than $263,000. That compares with $539,000 spent in the first four months of 2021, another nonelection year when five people were paid for their work in April. Of this year’s spending, $73,000 went to Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck for legal services.

“Anybody who gets elected state chair should probably prioritize raising money,” said Dick Wadhams, who ran the state party from 2007 to 2011 and has been critical of Williams. “You can’t run an operation without money.”

The state Democratic Party raised nearly $92,000 in April, and spent nearly $211,000, including about $26,000 on payroll for a half-dozen employees. That left the party with nearly $196,000 in cash at the end of April.

The Democratic Party raised more than $419,000 in the first four months of the year, while spending about $454,000. The party’s state-level account had nearly $32,000 at the end of March.

And the Colorado GOP has trailed Democrats in political spending in the state in recent years.

Campaign accounts or PACS for several of the state’s top elected Democrats have donated to the federal party account this year including U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper; U.S. Reps. Diana Degette, of Denver, Yadira Caraveo, of Thornton, Jason Crow, of Centennial, and Joe Neguse, of Lafayette; Gov. Jared Polis; Treasurer Dave Young; and others. Hickenlooper also sent two emails recently asking people to donate to the state party.

The Colorado GOP received $12,500 from the terminated 8th Congressional District campaign of state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, of Brighton, in early March. It’s the only money the party has received from Republican officeholders or candidates this year.

Tagged:Colorado Democratic Party, Colorado Republican Party, Dave Williams

ABC NEWS:

Arizona set for unpredictable Senate race

ByTal Axelrod

May 23, 2023, 3:06 AM

Democrats and Republicans can at least agree on one thing: They have no idea what's going to happen in next year's Arizona Senate race.

The election is shaping up to be an unpredictable three-way contest in one of the nation's premier battlegrounds featuring an incumbent who left her party (Sen. Kyrsten Sinema), a polarizing conservative who remains a rock star with her base (Kari Lake), and a Democratic nominee-in-waiting who would represent a shift to the left for the historically moderate-minded state (Rep. Ruben Gallego).

Sen. Sinema first set the stage when she switched from being a Democrat to an independent late last year. While she called that choice a "reflection of who [she’s] always been," the switch also prevented a primary fight with Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego -- and paved the way for something more unusual.

State data shows just under 35% of Arizona voters are registered Republicans and 30% are registered Democrats, while 35% aren't registered with either party.

If Sinema retires, the race to succeed her could feature Gallego, a Marine Corps vet and former House colleague of Sinema's who has become vocally critical of her, and Republican Kari Lake, a former TV anchor, election denier and 2022 Arizona gubernatorial candidate.

Both Gallego and Lake are more associated with their parties' ideological flanks than the centrists who have historically won statewide.

state GOP strategist Lorna Romero said "It's gonna be like nothing we've ever seen before in Arizona. I think what's going to make it nasty is obviously Ruben and Kyrsten don't get along personally. And depending on who the Republican is, if you get a firebrand like a Kari Lake again, we've seen how she's operated before, that's going to take it to another level."

Nineteen operatives from both parties who spoke with ABC News for this story mostly thought that Sinema would run again, pointing to her ongoing fundraising and continued involvement in high-profile legislative pushes like on immigration.

Senator Kyrsten Sinema questions witnesses during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing in the wake of recent of bank failures, on Capitol Hill, May 18, 2023. Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Sinema, who previously served in the House for three terms, quickly thrust herself into the heart of several of the chamber's most significant and successful legislative efforts, including on infrastructure, same-sex marriage, guns and more.

Her style of legislating has generated mixed reviews, with supporters pointing to her scorecard and liberal detractors saying she has been overly eager to water down Democratic priorities, including raising the minimum wage, supporting prescription drug pricing reform and scrapping the Senate filibuster as a way to codify abortion rights.

Cesar Chavez, a former Democratic state lawmaker said "Overall, I think the state of Arizona is content with the work that Sen. Sinema done. The issues that Sen. Sinema has advocated for will definitely result in a positive tick in her numbers."

Steve Slugocki, a senior adviser to Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a former chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party had the opposite view. He said, "I cannot stress enough how deeply unpopular she is. I traveled the state everywhere last year. The first question was always, 'What are we going to do about Sinema? How can we replace her?'"

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema arrives at the Capitol, May 9, 2023. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego speaks at a CHC event. Getty Images

All of this will play out in the larger context of the battle for the Senate, with the Democratic caucus holding a slim 51-49 majority, but defending 23 seats in 2024, making operatives eager to avoid a spoiler candidate, but without any agreement on who that would be.

A former aide to Sen. Sinema said "She has shown she knows what it takes to win in Arizona. I look at these other candidates, and I do not see proven winners. "So yeah, as a Democrat, I'm nervous because I want to keep Kari Lake out of the Senate."

"If she's in the race as an independent, Ruben's already at a disadvantage as a Democrat just because of the lower registration numbers that we have," said one former state lawmaker who is supporting Gallego. "So, it comes down to how many votes is Sen. Sinema going to take? Even if it is a very small percentage, any small percentage at all could tip this."

To be sure, Democrats aren't the only ones wringing their hands.

Republican strategists told ABC News that a three-way race with a Democrat and an independent with a Democratic background would normally be a boon to the GOP candidate. But failed 2022 candidate Kari Lake is looming in the wings and is coming off a narrow loss to Democrat Katie Hobbs, which many observers attributed to her embrace of baseless claims of 2020 election fraud.

A source familiar with Lake's thinking told ABC News they're confident she'll run for the Senate, likely launching a campaign in the fall. This person also confirmed that Lake recently met with several senators, including National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Steve Daines of Montana, and that with her broad name recognition and support from conservative voters, she would enter the race as the overwhelming primary favorite.

GOP strategist Lorna Romero said "[T]he Sinema breakup from the Democratic Party looks good for Republicans on paper, theoretically. But I think that the big heartburn is what's going to happen out of a Republican primary, and are we just going to do the same ridiculous mistakes over and over again, and Democrats are just going to continue to win in the state,"

Still, virtually every person who spoke to ABC News added the caveat that their analyses could end up being off given the unpredictable nature of a potential race with the incumbent running as the third-party candidate.

"We've never seen anything like that in Arizona," one Democratic strategist said. "I just think trying to predict anything right now, you might as well shake a Magic 8 Ball and see what it tells you."

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Sir Richard Starkey MBE, otherwise known as Ringo Starr!! Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band are on a Western U.S. tour with shows this week in San Diego, Eugene and Bend OR, and next week playing Denver’s Bellco Theatre and the Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs. Tickets and information at ringostarr.com

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Newsline, Colorado Sun, ABC News, Arizona Mirror, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Talkin' Politics | Biden's Economy & The Debt Ceiling; We Called That; Nebraska's Gov. Word Salad on Abortion; Missouri AG Picking Fights (For Politics?); Kansas District Lines; Stewart Rhodes Gets Proud Prison Sentence;

30 maj 2023 | 88 min

The Flyover View, May 26, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

26 maj 2023 | 18 min

Dirt Road Democrat | The Attack On The Other - Trans Rights With Parent and Activist, Rabbi Daniel Bogard

25 maj 2023 | 46 min

The Delta, E49 - I Hate Graduation Speeches

24 maj 2023 | 43 min

Let's Have A Chat | Labor Relations, with Glenn Kage, of Labor Front

23 maj 2023 | 27 min

Talkin' Politics | Desperate DeSantis Keeps His Safety Job; The "Soul Of The Nation" for 2024 & Christian Nationalism; Biden Admin Keeps Up Progress Push; Book Ban Lawsuits; The Labor Crisis; Last Call Preview "Rudy!

22 maj 2023 | 100 min

Flyover View - Politics News and Views from the American Heartland - May 19, 2023

19 maj 2023 | 15 min

Josh Hawley wants to be a man | Rural health clinic in Kentucky making a difference with federal funds | $11B for clean energy projects in rural areas | Conservatives worry they’re ruining their own schools | Sean and Adam talk about the role of public schools in rural America

Sean: Welcome back to flyover view, heartland news and views from the gateway arch to the rocky mountains and the stories impacting folks in the heartland, my name is Sean Diller and I’m here subbing for our regular host Kevin Smith, and with me is Adam Sommer, whaddya say, ready to start the show?

Adam: Is Ron DeSantis wishing he’d never picked a fight with a mouse?

Josh Hawley (name drop) Is A Man, Bro.
1. In his new book, Josh Hawley, the Sr. Sen. for Missouri, not from, is ready to transform America by calling on men and boys to lead.
2. HOW?
3. Great question - it seems, mostly, that Hawley is fixated on sex. Men should stop masturbating and porn should basically be illegal.
4. Oh, he must be super concerned for the women being exploited then..
5. NOPE… just with Men being weakened by lust. Hawley is up for reelection in 2024 against Lucas Kunce. You may recall Kunce from his 2022 campaign for the Democratic nomination and a particular video in which Kunce climbs a very tall poll in his shoes and using his hands. Based on Hawley’s book and his assertion of being the arbiter of manliness, we have to assume the 2024 Missouri senate race will be a series of feats of strength culminating in a caber toss right out of the scottish highland games in which the candidate who throws a tree the farthest will win the seat. No word yet from the Hawley campaign on if Josh’s incredibly soft hands can handle the splinters, we will monitor this one closely.
In more useful news… The federal Rural Health Clinic program started as a way to provide safety-net care to underserved populations.
1. https://dailyyonder.com/rural-health-clinic-program-offering-head-to-toe-womb-to-tomb-care/2023/05/17/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Center%20for%20Rural%20Strategies&utm_campaign=17d1501c13-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_05_17_03_36&utm_term=0_-17d1501c13-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=17d1501c13&mc_eid=33f9e891ee
2. Waylon Williams (great name) was born in Eastern Kentucky and at just 5 weeks old is already doing his name proud. Waylon is the first child born at a new facility in rural eastern Kentucky called “Beacons of Hope” a temporary housing facility for women facing substance abuse problems., part of the primary care centers of eastern Kentucky.
3. Beacons of Hope is an extension of PCCEK’s Pregnancy & Beyond, an addiction-treatment program that offers obstetrical services, medication for substance use disorder, prenatal education, pediatrics, and counseling – services that in so many rural communities nationwide are in critically short supply or entirely absent.
4. The town of Hazard, where the largest of PCCEK’s four clinics is located, is in Perry County. Perry County ranks 117th among Kentucky’s 120 counties in health outcomes. Life expectancy is 67, as compared with 78.5 for the country.
5. Great to see some blue solutions helping out in the blue grass state
Money and Power, as usual, go hand in hand
1. https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/rural-electric-co-ops-to-get-10-7b-in-usda-funds-for-clean-energy-grants-loans/
2. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin to administer two loan and grant programs worth nearly $11 billion to boost clean energy systems in rural areas
3. Rural areas can have more difficulty than more urban ones in attracting private sector investment, White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said. The programs are intended to allow those rural areas to take advantage of an industry-wide trend to invest in clean energy production.
4. “There’s a favorable wind blowing here,” he said. “This allows rural communities to put up a sail.”
5. The programs are meant to put rural electric cooperatives on equal footing with larger privately owned companies that have already put major funding into clean energy deployment, Vilsack said.
6. The programs represent the largest single funding effort for rural electrification since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act in 1936, a USDA press release said.
7. The money is meant not only to address the climate impacts of fossil fuel energy and reduce home energy costs, but to act as an economic engine for rural areas, Zaidi said.
8. So get ready folks, because that leftist liberal woke power is gonna be indoctrinating your meter before you know it.
Conservatives concerned about right wing extremists impact on schools
1. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woodland-park-colorado-school-board-conservatives-rcna83311?fbclid=IwAR2ernEIIXvA4Vgdw4sD106umXpcK6cjzAGItWm9m4QtUe1TzQipAU4GIvA&mibextid=Zxz2cZ
In a story that comes as no surprise to people who live in reality, a school board in Woodland Park, Colorado is now home to a cadre of hard core right wing extremists and folks are not pleased
Chief among those concerned? Conservatives (whaaat?)
That’s right, it seems actual conservative folks have finally figured out that the MAGA members of their party might not be the best people to put in charge.
Lose Your School, You Lose Your Town - is the headline
1. Contrary to Lobbyist Social Media Postings, Rural Schools Are At Major Risk, and educators in rural states are not sitting this out.
2. https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/school-vouchers-and-rural-schools
3. Rural schools are also hubs for community engagement through concerts, theatrical productions, and sports. Often, they are a town’s largest employer.
4. “At our school, we offer a lot, because our community expects a lot,” says Steve Peterson, a teacher in Decorah, a town in northeastern Iowa. “They want good programs—academic, but also extra-curricular opportunities.”
5. Sean and Adam talk about the rural public school we went to

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Dirt Road Democrat | The GOP's Attack On The First Amendment

18 maj 2023 | 24 min

High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West - May 17, 2023

17 maj 2023 | 16 min

Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor’s race | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy bills | $11B in federal funds allocated for rural clean energy projects | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis commission meets in Flagstaff, AZ (WARNING: contains graphic descriptions of violence) | Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs nation’s first Right-to-Repair law | Violent Femmes perform their self-titled debut in Denver, Austin and Houston this week.

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Progressives back Mike Johnston in Denver mayor’s race

BY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 15, 2023 4:00 AM

As ballots begin to hit mailboxes for Denver’s June 6th runoff election, Johnston and Kelly Brough, the other top-two finisher in April’s first round of voting - have rolled out a veritable smorgasbord of endorsement announcements.

Former mayoral candidates Ean Thomas Tafoya, Terrance Roberts, Jim Walsh, Al Gardner and Leslie Herod all endorsed Mike Johnston.

Rep Herod (who was my preferred choice for mayor) said “Having shared countless debate and forum stages with Mike over the past months, I know that he has the passion, commitment, and vision to tackle Denver’s toughest problems. Mike and I share the value of public service, hard work, and doing right by our communities, and I am excited to work with him to deliver on our progressive vision for Denver.”

Meanwhile, Brough, the former Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce head who secured her spot in the runoff with just over 20% of the first-round vote, has picked up endorsements from Democratic state Sen. Chris Hansen as well as Thomas Wolf, an investment banker who campaigned on harsh anti-homelessness policies and received 1% of the vote for Mayor in April.

Sen. Hansen said “Denver needs a proven executive — Kelly Brough is the leader we can trust to deliver results. It’s going to take all of us to tackle Denver’s biggest challenges, and I’m proud to join Kelly’s team.”

Brough also picked up endorsements from Democratic state Rep. Alex Valdez and former Tattered Cover CEO Kwame Spearman, both of whom entered the mayor’s race but later withdrew.

Brough and Johnston emerged from the crowded field of mayoral candidates after becoming by far the race’s two best-funded candidates, each raising about $1MM in direct contributions and benefiting from millions more in outside super PAC expenditures from billionaires and real-estate interests.

After a first round that featured a wide range of perspectives and ideologies, the runoff campaign has featured few stark disagreements on policy between the two candidates, both of whom are veteran figures in Colorado’s centrist political establishment.

Brough served as then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s chief of staff from 2006 to 2009, then led the conservative-leaning Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for 12 years before stepping down ahead of her mayoral run. Some of her top endorsers include former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter and former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, both Democrats.

On Friday, she touted the endorsement of the Greater Metro Denver Ministerial Alliance, a coalition of clergy and civil rights leaders in the city’s Black community. Pastor Paul Burleson, the Alliance’s vice president of political affairs, said that Brough’s experience is key to her appeal.

Brough has also picked up endorsements from the Denver Police Protective Association and other unions representing law enforcement officers and firefighters. She was one of the only candidates in the mayor’s race to endorse a return of “qualified immunity,” a legal doctrine that bars people from suing law enforcement officers in their individual capacity. Colorado lawmakers, led by Herod, passed a landmark police reform bill that abolished qualified immunity in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. - Just one reason I love Leslie Herod.

During his time in the state Senate, Mike Johnston became one of the state’s leading champions of education reform, a movement that has galled teachers’ unions and progressives who’ve accused him of undermining public education. From 2020 to 2022 he was the CEO of Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization founded by oil tycoon Sam Gary.

Though hardly a progressive firebrand himself, Johnston spoke at Wednesday’s event of the coalition he hopes to build as mayor. Along with former mayoral rivals, he received endorsements from Democratic state Sens. Julie Gonzales (another legislator I have tremendous respect for) and James Coleman (who is my state senator but someone whom I don’t know much about), adding to a list of supporters that also includes former Mayor Federico Peña and former Colorado House Speaker Terrance Carroll.

Rep. Leslie Herod said “Make no mistake: We are the progressives in this race, and we have chosen to back Mike. We are the candidates who have consistently spoken about putting people over structures, putting people over businesses — people always first.”

So for my part I’ll be following State Sen. Julie Gonzales and Rep. Leslie Herod, voting for Mike Johnston.

Final thought: Johnston might not be seen as progressive, but if he wins this election assembling a progressive coalition to bear a developer/business-backed candidate in Kelly Brough, then progressives should absolutely have a strong voice in the Johnston administration if he wants to keep his job. But first he’s got to win.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Gov. Jared Polis signs slate of clean energy measures, utility regulation bill

BY: CHASE WOODRUFF - MAY 11, 2023 5:36 PM

Gov. Jared Polis has signed into law a bill that commits Colorado for the first time to a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target, along with other measures to address spiking utility rates and the state’s long-term energy future.

Flanked by Democratic lawmakers and state energy officials, Polis signed Senate Bill 23-16 at an event at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The bill, a wide-ranging package of reforms aimed at boosting clean energy efforts in a variety of industries, was approved on party-line votes by Democratic majorities in the General Assembly just before its adjournment on May 8.

SB-16 sets a statutory goal of a 100% reduction in Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, revising that target upwards from a 90% goal set by the Legislature in 2019. It’s the first time the state has formally established the net-zero goal that scientists with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have said is necessary to avert the most catastrophic impacts of global warming.

To get there, the bill contains what sponsors called a “potpourri” of measures to accelerate the transition to clean energy, including sections that streamline the process for the installation of electric transmission lines and rooftop solar panels; stricter requirements on large insurance companies to assess climate risk; tax credits for the purchase of electric-powered lawn equipment; and more authority for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to regulate carbon capture projects.

COGCC chair Jeff Robbins applauded the bill’s efforts to encourage carbon capture, which he called “critical as a tool in addressing climate change.”

“The COGCC is well poised with its resources and regulatory understanding to now help carbon storage be deployed safely and responsibly in Colorado,” Robbins said in a press release.

Gov. Polis also signed House Bill 23-1252, which establishes a new state grant program for geothermal energy projects and requires large natural-gas utilities to develop emissions-reducing “clean heat plans.”

Senate Bill 23-291, a package of reforms to state utility regulations, and House Bill 23-1234, a bipartisan measure aimed at streamlining permitting and inspection processes for solar projects were also both signed into law.

SB-291 emerged from hearings held earlier this year by the Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates, a special panel of lawmakers convened by Democratic leaders following sharp increases in many Coloradans’ utility bills in 2022.

It directs the state’s Public Utilities Commission to more closely scrutinize how privately-owned utilities manage volatility in natural-gas prices, the main culprit in rate increases that caused the average monthly payment for customers of Xcel Energy, Colorado’s largest utility, to rise by more than 50% last year. Other provisions in the bill are aimed at assessing the long-term future of natural gas infrastructure as more homes and businesses transition to all-electric heating and cooking appliances.

In a press release, Advanced Energy United, an industry group representing clean energy companies, said the legislation creates a “national model” for dealing with volatility in the natural gas market.

“This bill will help make Colorado’s energy system more affordable long-term, and should be seen as a model for states across the country on how to manage high gas prices and a transition to cost-saving alternatives to gas, like high-efficiency heat pumps, rooftop solar and battery storage,” said Emilie Olson, a senior principal at Advanced Energy United.

House Bill 23-1272, creates or extends a variety of clean energy tax credits, including incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, e-bikes, electric heat pumps, industrial decarbonization technologies and more.

Gov. Polis said “These exciting money-saving changes for Coloradans mean reliable, lower energy costs and good-paying jobs, as we continue to fuel the innovation that makes Colorado a national leader in clean energy. We are cutting red tape, creating good paying jobs and improving air quality as we continue to make bold progress towards achieving 100% renewable energy by 2040.”

ARIZONA MIRROR: Rural electric co-ops to get $10.7B in USDA funds for clean energy grants, loans

BY: JACOB FISCHLER - MAY 16, 2023 7:11 AM

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin to administer two loan and grant programs worth nearly $11 billion to boost clean energy systems in rural areas, administration officials said Tuesday. The programs are the New ERA program for rural electric cooperatives, and the PACE program for other energy providers.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the funding “continues an ongoing effort to ensure that rural America is a full participant in this clean energy economy.”

White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi said, “Rural areas can have more difficulty than more urban ones in attracting private sector investment. The programs are intended to allow those rural areas to take advantage of an industry-wide trend to invest in clean energy production.

He said, “There’s a favorable wind blowing here. This allows rural communities to put up a sail.”

The programs are meant to put rural electric cooperatives on equal footing with larger privately owned companies that have already put major funding into clean energy deployment.

The programs represent the largest single funding effort for rural electrification since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act in 1936.

The money is meant not only to address the climate impacts of fossil fuel energy and reduce home energy costs, but to act as an economic engine for rural areas.

Rural electric cooperatives are eligible for the New ERA program, and up to 25% of the funding in that program can be in the form of direct grants. Utilities can use the money to build renewable energy systems, zero-emission systems and carbon capture facilities.

The USDA will begin to accept initial applications for funding on July 31. Applicants are expected to write more detailed proposals for funding after the USDA accepts their initial applications.

The PACE program provides loans to renewable energy developers and electric service providers “to help finance large-scale solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydropower projects and energy storage in support of renewable energy systems,” the release said.

The program is targeted to “vulnerable, disadvantaged, Tribal and energy communities,” the release said. It’s in line with a Biden administration goal to allocate at least 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal spending to disadvantaged communities.

The USDA can forgive up to 40% of most of the loans in the program. Up to 60% of loans to applicants in some U.S. territories and tribal communities can be forgiven.

Initial applications for that program will open June 30.

ARIZONA MIRROR:

National commission on the MMIP crisis meets in Arizona to hear testimony, recommendations

BY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MAY 15, 2023 1:50 PM

Five empty chairs sat at the front of the Not Invisible Act Commission hearing, each wrapped in a shawl, blanket or quilt representing a different group of individuals impacted by human trafficking or with a loved one who is missing or murdered.

“We want to allow space for representing our relatives,” commission member Grace Bulltail said, noting the traditions in many Indigenous families to always preserve a space for absent loved ones.

“We’re doing that to honor our loved ones,” Bulltail said, explaining that, by putting the chairs there, the commission hearing was holding space for them.

The chair wrapped in a red shawl with white and yellow handprints honored the missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. The chair wrapped in a red, orange, bridge, and white Native design shawl with a black blazer draped over it was to honor the missing and murdered Indigenous men and boys.

Another chair was wrapped in a light blue, white and purple quilt. Pinned to the quilt was a picture of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, a Navajo girl who was abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. This chair honored Indigenous children.

The chair wrapped in a maroon shawl with floral designs honored the LGBTQI and two-spirit Indigenous community. The chair wrapped in a brown Pendleton honored Indigenous veterans.

The Not Invisible Act Commission, organized by the U.S. Department of the Interior, held a public hearing at the Twin Arrows Casino near Flagstaff to hear testimony and recommendations from victims and families impacted by human trafficking and the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples crisis. The commission also heard from local tribal leaders and advocates.

The Not Invisible Act was passed into law in October 2020, establishing the commission as a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee of federal and non-federal members, including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors.

The meeting at Twin Arrows was the commission’s third public hearing. This summer, it has four more planned in Minnesota, northern California, New Mexico and Montana. The hearings are being held in communities impacted most by the MMIP crisis.

Commissioners heard emotional testimony from Seraphine Warren and Pamela Foster as they shared their experiences of losing a loved one and advocated for change.

Ms. Warren is the niece of Ella Mae Begay, a Navajo woman who went missing from her home in Sweetwater, Arizona, on the Navajo Nation on June 15, 2021. Warren continued to advocate for not only her aunt but all Indigenous people.

Speaking through tears, she told her aunt’s story. “I know it wasn’t her legacy to be stolen or to be murdered,” Warren said. “Just because she isn’t here doesn’t mean she can’t be part of change.”

Begay is still missing, but there have been developments in her case. In March, Preston Henry Tolth, 23, of New Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for assault and carjacking.

The indictment alleges that, on June 15, 2021, Tolth assaulted Begay, resulting in serious bodily injury, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Tolth then took her Ford F-150 pickup truck and drove it from Arizona to New Mexico with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to Begay.

Warren said during Tolth’s arraignment hearing on April 7 in Flagstaff that she heard details about the night her aunt went missing that she was not ready for.

Warren, in tears, told the commission that Tolth told federal agents that he “snapped” and struck her in the face multiple times, causing her to bleed from the nose and mouth.

Tolth told authorities that he wasn’t sure if she was dead, Warren said, and when he drove away, he said he regretted hitting her, since all he wanted was the truck.

Tolth is being held in custody and is expected to go to trial later in May.

Pamela Foster is the mother of Ashlynne Mike, the 11-year-old Navajo girl abducted and killed on the Navajo Nation in 2016. Foster has been at the forefront of advocacy efforts for Indigenous children and people since she lost her daughter.

On the afternoon of May 2, 2016, Ashlynne Mike and her 9-year-old brother, Ian Mike, didn’t make it home from school. When they got off the school bus in Shiprock, New Mexico, on the Navajo Nation, a predator tricked them into getting into his van by promising them a ride home.

Hours later, passersby found Ian Mike wandering alone in the area. Police located Ashlynne Mike’s body on May 3, 2016, and discovered she had been sexually assaulted, strangled, and bludgeoned repeatedly with a tire iron.

She said, “I miss my daughter every single day. I became a voice for my daughter the moment I received word that her life was taken from her.”

She talked about how the system failed when her children were missing in 2016. She said that May 1 to May 6 is a nightmare for her every year, because she relives what happened to her children.

Foster talked about the hours from when her children disappeared to when they found her daughter’s body; she ran into countless obstacles that left her without support.

“It was very hard to sit there and know that there were no resources available for my children,” Foster said. “I absolutely had nothing.”

She said local law enforcement was not adequately trained to handle child abductions. There was no clear communication between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Instead of searching for her children, Foster said they were trying to figure out exactly what protocols were needed to start looking.

“Time was lost,” Foster said, and they did not send out an AMBER Alert until the following day. Foster recalled the alert went out at 2 a.m., and she said that helped no one because not many people were awake then.

She remembers hearing officers from the neighboring jurisdictions tell her they couldn’t go out to look for her daughter until they were given the clearance to do so by the Navajo Nation Police Department. Foster said it frustrated her how long it took for that to happen.

She said the anger and hurt about what happened to Ashlynne led her to be a voice for her daughter.

“I promised her I would do something for all of our other Indigenous children. To give them the protection that they need so they don’t go through the same thing.”

Foster has led many grassroots efforts to support Indigenous children, including advocating and petitioning for the AMBER Alert system to include Indian Country.

Foster said she wanted to change, and she knew the justice system in Indian Country needed to be updated, so she focused her efforts on the AMBER Alert system. Her advocacy resulted in the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which makes tribes eligible for AMBER Alert grants to integrate into state and regional AMBER Alert communication plans.

“I always say that I’ve never received justice for what happened to my daughter because nothing can bring her back,” Foster said. “There will never be justice, but we can learn how to move forward in changing laws to make things better for our people.”

The goal of the hearing was for the federal commissioners to listen and hear recommendations on the best course of action for the MMIP crisis. Commissioners will use the suggestions to develop their final report for the Department of Interior.

Foster’s big recommendation was not only geared at the commissioners, but other attendees of the hearing. She encouraged them to tell their tribal leaders to receive the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act training.

“It is free,” she said, adding that it is a vital program for Indigenous communities because it will train police officers and social workers from the tribe.

Because tribes are sovereign nations, the Department of Justice has to receive a request in order to run the training on tribal land: “Have your tribal leaders request this training for your community because the children are our next generation,” Foster said. “There’s still a lot of tribes that need to be trained.”

When Seraphine Warren was finished sharing her aunt’s story, she laid out her recommendations. “Transparency and swift action is key,” she said, “which means that when a person is missing, law enforcement should immediately inform all jurisdictions and issue press releases to media channels to inform the public.”

“Family members need to be regularly and constantly updated with the progress of the investigation, and families should be prioritized if any remains are found in any jurisdiction.”

Some of the other recommendations included allowing families to hire private investigators, providing them access to case files, supporting families in organizing their task force, providing families with constant and reliable access to grief counseling services, medical attention, financial and legal assistance, and safe housing for families of missing or murdered loved ones.

ASSOCIATED PRESS: If you’re not first, you’re last.

DENVER (AP) — Sitting in front of a hulking red tractor, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill Tuesday making Colorado the first state to ensure farmers can fix their own tractors and combines with a “right to repair” law — which compels manufacturers to provide the necessary manuals, tools, parts and software farmers would need.

Colorado, home to high desert ranches and sweeping farms on the plains, took the lead on the issue following a nationwide outcry from farmers that manufacturers blocked them from making fixes and forced them to wait precious days or even weeks for an official servicer to arrive — delays that hurt profits.

While farmers wait and their increasingly high-tech tractors or combines sit idle, a hailstorm could decimate an entire crop. Or, a farmer could miss the ideal planting window for their crops to grow.

Lawmakers in at least 10 other states have introduced similar legislation, including in Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont. But Colorado has taken the lead.

At the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon, under a light drizzle of rain, Gov. Polis said: “This bill will save farmers and ranchers time and money and support the free market in repair” before exclaiming, “first in the nation!”

Behind the governor and arrayed farmers and lawmakers sat a red Steiger 370 tractor owned by a farmer named Danny Wood. Wood’s tractor has flown an American flag reading “Farmers First,” and it has been one of two of his machines to break down, requiring long waits before servicers arrived to enter a few lines of computer code, or make a fix that Wood could have made himself.

As the signing ceremony ended, Gov. Polis and Rep. Brianna Titone, who ran the bill in the state House, climbed inside the tractor for a photo as the ceremony ended.

Great job, Rep. Titone! Huge win for this up-and-coming legislator. When I first saw her speak announcing her initial candidacy in 2017, I didn't know what to expect. Honestly, I didn’t expect a lot, and I didn’t particularly expect her to even win. And then, winning that seat was just the first of many instances where I’ve seen her demonstrate a level of depth, grit, and smarts that rival any of her peers. Great job Rep. Titone, you rock.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Violent Femmes - performing their self-titled album - Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Sunday May 21. The cult favorite folk punk band from Milwaukee is celebrating 40 years since the release of their first album in 1983. More info at vfemmes.com

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, Associated Press and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

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High Country Politics - Government, Elections and News from the American West - May 3, 2023

3 maj 2023 | 16 min

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs FOUR gun control bills into law | Colorado lawmakers stand with Zooey Zephyr of Montana | Anti-hate groups worry domestic extremists will be training Arizona police under new rule | A chance to see her bee business take off | Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Red Rocks and on HBO Max documentary

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Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

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Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE:
Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signs four gun control bills into law

GOVERNMENT
BY: SARA WILSON - APRIL 28, 2023 11:54 AM

The Governor, surrounded by gun-control advocates at a bill signing ceremony said, “Coloradans deserve to be safe in our communities, in our schools, our grocery stores, nightclubs and everywhere in between,”

The new laws raise the minimum age to buy a gun to 21, impose a three-day waiting period for gun purchases, expand the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law and make it easier for gun violence survivors to sue the gun industry.

Under Senate Bill 23-170, district attorneys, educators, mental health professionals and other medical providers will be able to petition a judge to confiscate guns from a potentially dangerous person. Previously, only law enforcement and family members had that power under the state’s Extreme Risk Protection Order law, also known as the red flag law, which was created in 2019.

The expansion aims to increase utilization of the process and extend the petition authority to people who interact with an at-risk person regularly. It is a recognition that some law enforcement officials have been reluctant to use the red flag law when potentially appropriate due to concerns over the Second Amendment.

Senate Bill 23-169 raises the age to purchase any gun to 21 years old. Previously, the age restriction was 18 to buy a long gun and 21 to buy a handgun. There are exceptions for members of law enforcement and the military.

House Bill 23-1219 imposes a three-day waiting period for people to get a gun after they pay for it. Bill sponsors said that the delayed access to firearms will provide a cooling-off period for people in crisis who might harm themselves or others.

Cities will be able to establish longer waiting periods if they choose. If the purchaser’s background check takes longer than three days — which it rarely does — they would still need to wait until the background check clears to get their gun.

Finally, Senate Bill 23-168 removes a state protection for gun and ammunition dealers and manufactures against lawsuits. Previously, plaintiffs had to pay the legal fees for defendants in dismissed cases involving gun sellers. That is no longer the case.

The law makes the gun industry susceptible to lawsuits under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.

bill sponsor Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, said, “We finally, after 23 years of waiting, can open up Colorado courtrooms to gun violence victims and survivors seeking justice,”

Less than an hour after the bill signing, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners leader Taylor Rhodes announced on Twitter that the group had already filed lawsuits challenging the minimum age requirement and waiting period laws. He said they are seeking plaintiffs who could establish standing against the other two new laws.

Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would outlaw unserialized firearms, also known as ghost guns. Another firearm bill that would have banned semi-automatic weapons in the state died in its first committee hearing last week.

The Legislature adjourns on May 8.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado lawmakers stand with Zooey Zephyr

Democratic state Rep. Brianna Titone of Arvada led over 75 Colorado elected officials - including two Republicans - in sending a letter to Montana lawmakers condemning the removal of Rep. Zooey Zephyr and calling for her to be allowed back in the Montana House chamber.

In the letter, Rep. Titone said the removal was an attempt to erase trans people amid growing violence against them and an increase in anti-trans laws being passed in state legislatures.

Titone said “As elected officials, it is our responsibility to act with integrity and defend our democracy, and we are deeply concerned with erosion of democratic norms we see proliferating in statehouses across the country. Regardless of your personal stance on these issues, she is still a colleague and a duly elected and sworn representative of the people of Montana. Her voice is no less important than yours.”

The letter was joined by two Republican lawmakers, state Reps. Ron Weinberg of Loveland and Rick Taggart of Grand Junction.

On Tuesday, Montana House Republicans posted a notice announcing they would take up disciplinary measures against Zephyr, Montana’s first openly transgender representative, after she said that legislators who voted for a bill that bans gender-affirming care for minors would have blood on their hands, in reference to suicide rates among trans youth. The Montana House voted along party lines Wednesday to bar Zephyr from entering the House floor or gallery for the remainder of the legislative session, only allowing her to participate in votes via Zoom.

Rep. Titone made history in 2018 when she was elected the first openly transgender state legislator in Colorado. As chair of the Colorado Legislative LGBTQ caucus, she’s worked alongside members of the House and Senate to expand and protect LGBTQ rights in the state.

In the letter, Titone applauded Zephyr for her efforts in the Montana Legislature, saying that she has “placed a spotlight of truth on the very real damage anti-trans legislation could have on Montanans who are already struggling with discrimination and growing fear of physical harm.”

The Montana state legislative session ends on May 10, and Zephyr is unlikely to be reinstated before the end of the session.

Aside from state Rep. Brianna Titone, here are the elected officials from Colorado who signed Titone’s letter to the Members of the Montana House of Representatives:

Statewide officials:

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold
Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young

Colorado state senators and representatives:

House Speaker Julie McCluskie
Senate President Steve Fenberg
House Majority Leader Monica Duran
Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno
Rep. Ruby Dickson
Rep. Jenny Willford
Rep. David Ortiz
Rep. Kyle Brown
Rep. Sheila Lieder
Rep. Cathy Kipp
Rep. Lindsey Daugherty
Rep. Steven Woodrow
Rep. Mary Young
Rep. Barbara McLachlan
Rep. Meg Froelich
Rep. Lorena Garcia
Rep. Steph Vigil
Rep. Jennifer Lea Parenti
Rep. Michael J. Weissman
Rep. Mandy Lindsay
Rep. Junie Joseph
Rep. Karen McCormick
Rep. Said Sharbini
Rep. Elizabeth Velasco
Rep. Regina English
Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez
Rep. Elisabeth Epps
Sen. Lisa A Cutter
Rep. Tammy Story
Rep. Naquetta Ricks
Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet
Rep. Andrew Boesenecker
Rep. Iman Jodeh
Rep. Emily Sirota
Rep. Shannon Bird
Rep. Marc Snyder
Rep. Meghan Lukens
Rep. Jennifer Bacon
Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy
Sen. Janet Buckner
Sen. Julie Gonzales
Sen. Nick Hinrichsen
Sen. Janice Marchman
Rep. Eliza Hamrick
Rep. Matthew Martinez
Rep. Ron Weinberg
Sen. Rhonda Fields
Sen. Faith Winter
Rep. Javier Mabrey
Rep. Judy Amabile
Rep. William Lindstedt
Sen. Rachel Zenzinger
Rep. Leslie Herod
Rep. Bob Marshall
Rep. Rick Taggart
Rep. Tisha Mauro
Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis
Sen. Chris Hansen
Sen. Dylan Roberts
Sen. Jeff Bridges
Rep. Alex Valdez
Sen. Jessie Danielson
Sen. Tony Exum

Local government:

Castle Pines City Councilman Roger D. Hudson
Broomfield Mayor Guyleen Castriotta
Arvada City Councilmember Randy Moorman
Arvada City Councilmember Lauren Simpson
Erie Trustee Emily Baer
Erie Trustee Daniel Hoback
Erie Mayor Justin Brooks
Boulder County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann
Greeley City Councilor Tommy Butler
Greeley City Councilor Member Deborah L DeBoutez
Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett
Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon

ARIZONA MIRROR: Anti-hate groups worry about Arizona law enforcement training

BY: ISAAC STONE SIMONELLI/AZCIR - MONDAY MAY 1, 2023 11:32 AM

Warnings issued by high-profile civil rights and advocacy groups to Arizona’s governor and attorney general failed to stop a rule change that effectively lowers the bar for extremist organizations attempting to radicalize law enforcement officers through government-funded training.

Letters sent in March by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center warned the rule creates a loophole that could be exploited by domestic extremist groups.

The contentious rule change, as first reported by AZCIR in 2022, shifted the responsibility of continuing education training oversight from the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board to local law enforcement heads.

In their letters, the groups cited an increase in extremist and conspiratorial rhetoric espoused by Arizona public officials, specifically, publicly elected sheriffs.

“We are deeply concerned by the possibility that this amended rule will open the door for Arizona peace officers to receive training from adherents of the ‘constitutional sheriffs’ movement and other actors who urge local law enforcement to assume authorities beyond those allowed by law,” wrote Mary McCord, the executive director of Georgetown University Law Center’s ICAP, a nonpartisan institute focused on constitutional rights and protecting democratic processes.

McCord warned that such taxpayer-funded trainings “would place residents at risk of improper activity by county peace officers” and pose a particular threat to brown and Black communities, “who are at the greatest risk of harm from abuses by law enforcement.”

The letters cited previous reporting about so-called “constitutional sheriff” groups, which include the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association. The group is part of a national movement built on the idea that a local sheriff’s power supersedes that of higher government entities including the U.S. president and the U.S. Supreme Court, and that sheriffs have a duty to nullify laws they interpret as unconstitutional.

The civil rights and advocacy organizations highlighted numerous connections between the CSPOA and a variety of hate groups, with the NAACP denouncing some CSPOA members as “prominent antisemites, QAnon conspiracists, white nationalists and neo-confederates.”

Sarah Kader, community manager for ADL Arizona, a state-level branch of a national organization that combats hate groups in the U.S., wrote “If the revised rule goes into effect, we fear that domestic extremists, based on their previous actions, will rush to take advantage of the opportunity,”

Rachel Goldwasser, a senior research analyst for the Southern Poverty Law Center, warned that the rule change could be used as a blueprint for creating workarounds allowing extremist organizations to train law enforcement in other states.

Neither the governor, Democrat Katie Hobbs nor the attorney general, Democrat Kris Mayes, directly addressed concerns about neo-confederates and other domestic extremists running law enforcement trainings.

ADL confirmed it did not receive a response from Gov. Hobbs’ office until after the rule change took effect, though a spokesperson indicated the group had “every reason to believe that the Governor’s office understands the concerns we have raised in our letters and is taking them seriously.”

In their letters, ADL, SPLC and the NAACP all expressed concerns that more than half of Arizona sheriffs are at least partially aligned with the constitutional sheriff movement—connections AZCIR highlighted in its 2022 reporting.

Rachel Goldwasser of SPLC said “Arizona has a large extremist presence in the Legislature, sheriffs’ offices and among the public, unfortunately. They’ll exploit any opportunity for these extremists to spread their ideology.”

Three of the four letters also issued a warning about Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who has known ties to CSPOA and is the frontman for Protect America Now, another so-called “constitutional sheriff” organization.

Lamb, who announced a bid for the U.S. Senate in April, has developed a national presence by appearing on a slew of fringe right-wing news networks and podcasts, including those espousing QAnon conspiracies. Lamb did not respond to a request for comment.

Sarah Kader of ADL said “In recent years, extreme ideologies have been mainstreamed and normalized at an alarming pace. This is due in large part to the growing number of elected officials and other high-profile individuals who traffic in conspiracies and hate.”

This article first appeared on Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

DENVER WESTWORD: How Hard Can it Bee? Zzzzzz

Bee Here Now: Capella Ranch Has a Honey of an Idea

CATIE CHESHIRE APRIL 25, 2023 6:53AM

In countries like Germany and Slovenia, inhaling the aerosol created by bees in an apiary, or collection of beehives, is an authorized treatment for respiratory diseases. But in the United States, there are only three places that offer the experience: one in Georgia, one in Michigan, and Capella Ranch in Lafayette Colorado, which just opened for its second season.

Carolyn Peterson, who owns the ranch with her family said “I'm going to be out here all summer, talking to people and enjoying them and hearing their stories. They're going to come stressed out, and then they're going to leave relaxed.”

Capella Ranch currently has sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats, Nubian goats, ducks, chickens, a few turkeys and, of course, bees, the first of which arrived in 2018.

To create their bee therapy Shangri-la, the Petersons started by building two cedar huts shaped like irregular pentagons. The cedar contributes to the aroma in the huts, although its durability in the Colorado weather is its chief asset here.

The slanted roof of the hut concentrates the aerosol so people can breathe it in while they're lying flat. “Everyone comes out with a different experience,” Carolyn says. “They get in there. They lie down. They take in the whole thing, and then they just sort of concentrate on the humming of the bees.”

When bees make honey, there’s a lot of water in it at first, so the insects work to reduce the moisture content by flapping their wings. As it evaporates, the moisture is carried into the air to form an aerosol that people find therapeutic.

The bees also create an electromagnetic field with their vibration, which is at a frequency that’s calming to the human parasympathetic nervous system - a network of nerves that helps relax the body. Some people can feel the field, but most notice the smell first. Underneath the scent of cedar, there is the aromatic tang of the bees at work. Almost like the smell of a newborn baby, but with an extra oomph.

“That is all the pollen, nectars, amino acids and essential oils that the bees are bringing in to make the honey,” Carolyn says. “It's just kind of an odd smell, and it’s supposed to be very good to breathe in.”

In Slovenia, the bee experience has been used to calm firefighters after hard jobs, children who have behavioral problems at school, and parents of those children, who might need some relaxation as well. The Petersons note that they aren’t medical professionals, so they don’t consider their huts medicinal.

“If it happens to help, great,” Carolyn says. “It's relaxing. It's thirty minutes of nobody bugging you.”

One person who says the bee huts have helped is Marsha Ruggeri, who lives in Lafayette. She went to Capella Ranch four times during its inaugural season.

She first came with a friend who'd bought a deal on Groupon. After struggling with heightened asthma symptoms the past two years — which she attributes to wildfires and air pollution — Ruggeri was excited to learn of a potential way to alleviate her symptoms.

And, it worked!

“I'm not saying it was a panacea,” she says. “It felt like I was actually doing something that wasn't an inhaler or medication and I was regaining some control over how my body was reacting to all this shit in the air.”

On Ruggeri's third visit, she experienced the electromagnetic field produced by the bees.

“I was laying on my side, and then all of a sudden, I could feel it,” she says. “It really deserves more than one treatment. It's kind of like people who go for acupuncture, and they're like, ‘Well, it didn't do anything for me.’ You really need to try it more than once.”

Along with the eight hives in the huts, there are six to eight more near a special pond on the ranch where the bees drink. Last summer, over a hundred people came to Capella Ranch to check out the bees; a TikTok Charlie made announcing that the huts were open has gained about 20,000 views.

One of those visitors, a reiki and yoga teacher from Fort Collins named Yarmey, found Capella Ranch

on Instagram. “I'm really interested in energy and grounding and our connection to nature,” she says. Reiki is a practice of directing energy to help facilitate healing.

After her first visit, Yarmey came back a second time, when she says she was really able to share a meditative space with the bees, reveling in their presence in a way that humans rarely get to do with other species.

“When else in your life do you get to share space with a million other beings who all are very clear about their purpose and their path and what they need to be doing? Everything felt a little slower, more grounded.”

The huts are now open for a second season; anyone is welcome except those allergic to bee or wasp stings. A thirty-minute session is $35; an hour runs $60.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK

DENVER POST: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, with Angel Olsen - this Thursday and Friday night at Red Rocks.

By JOHN WENZEL | [email protected] | The Denver Post

April 28, 2023 at 6:00 a.m.

Jason Isbell’s voice can be a strapping, mournful thing, muscular and dripping with vulnerability as he chronicles his life in song. And on this day, it’s still waking up.

“This time of year I drink my black coffee cold so I can get it down quicker,” the 44-year-old singer-songwriter said over the phone

from his Nashville porch on Monday. “I’ve spent so many years working late at night that it makes it hard for me to get on with normal life. It’s tough, you know? But I think it’s tough no matter how you do it.”

Isbell’s family and acclaimed music career test his resolve while giving him motivation to stay sober and productive. He has won a quartet of Grammy Awards since 2018 — about a decade after getting kicked out of his former alt-country band, Drive-By Truckers, for drinking and drugs

In the HBO Max documentary “Music Box: Jason Isbell — Running with Our Eyes Closed,” which was released on April 7, we’re afforded a close-up on his life as he records the album “Reunions” with his band, the 400 Unit. His intimate musical and romantic partnership with wife Amanda Shires (who is an acclaimed solo artist herself), his love of his daughter Mercy Rose, his past divorce, and the shock of the pandemic are all there in vivid cross-section.

“If you’re a recording artist or entertainer with any kind of success, you don’t want to spend too much time looking back,” said Isbell, who was born in Green Hill, Ala., to a 17-year-old mother.

“It’s a self-centered way of living. But one thing I was surprised by watching the (documentary) is that I’d forgotten how hard those old days were, growing up where I did and having addiction issues. It was nice to see but painful to watch, that all of this was real and really happened to me, even if it’s long in the rearview.”

Isbell will headline Red Rocks Amphitheatre May 3 and 4 with the 400 Unit, on tour for their new album “Weathervanes,” to be released June 9. The lead single “Death Wish” has already been covered by Jack White and featured on “American Idol.” Isbell’s melodies channel Americana, folk, country, and rock and roll. His lyrics are cutting, urgent, and full of visceral metaphors. On “Death Wish,” he sings:

“I wanted action, she wanted answers / Sunrise with the dealers and the dancers / It takes a whole lot of medicine to feel like a little kid.”

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit With Angel Olsen, Two shows, May 3 and 4, at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Tickets at axs.com, and I think Adam may have an extra still, too.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Denver Post, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

St. Louis Mayor, Tishaura Jones, Stops By For A Chat

2 maj 2023 | 24 min

Talkin' Politics | May 1, 2023: Missouri GOP Continues Attack On Sanity; Montana GOP Says "Hold Our Beer"; Gov. Parson Threatens Special Session For No Reason; Tucker Gets Shucked and Lemon Gets Squeezed; 2024 Continues To Heat Up

1 maj 2023 | 86 min

The Flyover View, April 28, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

28 april 2023 | 20 min

Dirt Road Democrat | The Problem Is The Truth: DEI Attacks And Anti-Woke Warriors Main Issue

27 april 2023 | 31 min

The Delta, E47 - MTG: Nerd Alert

26 april 2023 | 42 min

Rep. Jamie Johnson (D-Mo12) Working To Make Missouri Better For All, One Bill At A Time

26 april 2023 | 28 min

Participation Trophies: Adam Goes Solo To Talk About Participation In The Public Process

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Talkin' Politics 4/24/23 | 2024 Presidential Race; Dobbs Legacy Question; Texas Leg Hits The F*** It Button; St. Louis' Prosecutor Problem; State Sen. Lincoln Hough Keeps #moleg On Track; MO Gov Parson Political Failure; Last Call Preview

24 april 2023 | 91 min

The Flyover View, April 21, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

21 april 2023 | 19 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Historically Speaking, with Katie Naughton, lawyer turned educator

20 april 2023 | 37 min

High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West - April 19, 2023

19 april 2023 | 10 min

Lauren Boebert’s Q1 fundraising falls far short of Democrat Adam Frisch | Arizona GOP Senate primary shows Kari Lake with wide lead - Blake Masters is at the back of the pack | Colorado Gov Jared Polis attempts to lower housing costs with statewide land use reforms

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Frisch with cash

BY: CHASE WOODRUFF - APRIL 17, 2023 4:35 PM

Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert has consistently ranked as one of Colorado’s top congressional fundraisers since her election in 2020, raking in small-dollar contributions from a national network of grassroots conservative donors.

But in her bid to win a third term next year, she may have to overcome an even stronger fundraising effort by her likely Democratic challenger.

Adam Frisch, a former Aspen City Council member who lost to Boebert by just 546 votes in the 2022 election, raised more than $1.7 million in the first quarter of 2023 — more than double the amount Boebert raised in the same period, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures.

Frisch said in a statement, “I am honored to be receiving the support of so many hardworking Colorado families,” “Boebert’s fundraising numbers reaffirm that her days in Congress are numbered because she continues to ignore the needs of her district, and instead prioritizes being a leader of the anger-tainment industry.”

If Boebert continues to trail Frisch in fundraising, it would be the first time the far-right representative has been at a financial disadvantage since her successful 2020 primary challenge against five-term GOP Rep. Scott Tipton. Boebert unseated Tipton despite raising just $133,256 to nearly $1 Million raised by Tipton in the first half of 2020.

In her bid for reelection last year, Boebert raised nearly $8 million - by far the highest total of any of Colorado’s U.S. House candidates.

Frisch, who narrowly won a three-way Democratic primary with 42% of the vote, raised $4.4 million from donors, and supplemented that with over $2.2 million in personal loans to his campaign.

Boebert was widely projected to win reelection by a comfortable margin in 2022, and neither Republicans nor Democrats spent heavily through super PACs to influence the 3rd District race. But after Frisch’s unexpectedly strong performance in a race that triggered Colorado’s first congressional recount in 20 years, the stage is set for a blockbuster rematch in 2024.

Earlier this month, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee included the 3rd District, which encompasses most of Colorado’s Western Slope as well as Pueblo County, on its list of 2024 targets. A poll released by a progressive group last week showed Frisch and Boebert tied at 45% support among likely voters.

In what promises to be an unusually high-profile congressional race, both Boebert and Frisch continue to rely on contributions from out-of-state donors. About 63% of Boebert’s itemized donations in the first quarter came from contributors outside of Colorado; for Frisch, the figure was 57%.

In other U.S. House districts, Democratic Rep. Yadira Caraveo of Thornton, who narrowly defeated Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer as the first representative of Colorado’s new 8th District last year, reported raising $339,307 so far for 2024.

Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Arvada, who won the race to succeed longtime former Rep. Ed Perlmutter in Colorado’s 7th district, reporting raising $218,108.

THE HILL: Kari Lake holds wide lead in new AZ GOP Senate primary poll

BY CAROLINE VAKIL - 04/17/23 12:58 PM ET

A poll released by J. L. Partners and shared with The Hill on Monday found former gubernatorial candidate and incessant Trump acolyte Kari Lake receiving 38 percent support among registered Republican and undeclared voters. Lake was followed next by the primary opponent she bested in last year’s Republican gubernatorial primary - Karrin Robson - who came in with just 10 percent support.

Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb was third at 8 percent, followed by former Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters with 7 percent, and former state Attorney General candidate Abe Hamadeh with 4 percent. 29 percent said they’re undecided.

One GOP strategist who requested anonymity to speak candidly said, “If Kari Lake decides to run, it’s clear she is not only the front-runner but will run away with the nomination. The GOP establishment would be smart to get behind her right away so we can win Arizona.”

The polling comes as Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) has not yet formally announced whether she will run for reelection, though The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that she’s gearing up for another run.

Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego has announced a run on the Democratic side, reporting a fundraising haul of $3.7 Million in this year’s first quarter - about 75% more than Sen. Sinema’s $2.1 Million.

The GOP poll found Donald Trump leading Ron DeSantis in Arizona’s presidential primary by more than 20 points.

CPR NEWS:

Gov. Jared Polis thinks density is the magic bullet for high housing costs. Is he right?

By Nathaniel Minor

· Mar. 31, 2023, 4:00 am

In the nearly hour-long press conference unveiling his sweeping land-use reform bill, Gov. Jared Polis and other supporters used the word “affordable” more than three dozen times.

Polis and others promised the bill would lower housing costs around the state by cutting local regulations and allowing developers to build more townhomes and multiplexes in areas currently restricted to single-family homes only.

The claim that more building will lead to cheaper rents and lower home prices is explicitly made throughout the 105-page bill as well.

But is it true? And how did sprawl get so unaffordable anyway? CPR News read through research papers and spoke with academics to try to answer those questions.

First: Local governments in Colorado have long preferred single-family homes.

In the early 1900’s, The federal government and localities like Denver began to embrace zoning to create a “better arranged, more orderly city” — and protect property values — by explicitly separating residential areas from industrial and commercial development.

Denver’s first zoning code, adopted in 1925, codified the city’s preference for single-family homes by making them the only type of housing allowed in most residential areas.

A 1929 city plan called Denver “a city of one-family homes,” and warned of the density of East Coast cities like New York, which was “throttling itself to death.”

Colorado planners laid out “dream cities” like Broomfield with meandering streets that conformed to the natural landscape and offered mountain vistas.

But by the 1970s, the price of this type of growth was becoming clear. A landmark 1974 federally sponsored study called “The Cost of Sprawl” found the land, pavement, and utilities needed for suburbs and exurbs made them the “most expensive form of residential development.”

But in spite of its cost, local governments in the Denver region have continued to embrace sprawl. By 2021, about 80 percent of land zoned for residences only allowed single-family homes according to research led by Carrie Makarewicz, associate professor and chair of the University of Colorado Denver’s urban and regional planning department.

Research shows that middle-type housing — two- to nine-unit residences, roughly similar to what the new bill would allow — accounted for just 2.2 percent of housing permits issued between 2005 and 2020 in the Denver metro.

Multifamily housing also tends to be cheaper than single-family homes in the same community, because they are often smaller, and they make more efficient use of costly land and existing infrastructure,

Every Denver metro county has a shortage of small homes, and an excess supply of large homes, in relation to each county’s demographics.

So will more housing units and higher density help?

The new bill would force many local governments in Colorado to allow multifamily housing — from townhomes to multiplexes up to six units — and accessory dwelling units (often called “mother-in-law suites") in all residential zones.

The Colorado Municipal League, which represents many of the state’s cities and opposes the bill, said the idea that more housing will cause a market-based decline in housing costs, is speculative.

But research suggests there’s a direct connection between the two. A 2018 review of studies from the New York University Furman Center said “there is a considerable body of empirical research showing that less restrictive land use regulation is associated with lower housing prices.”

One study, for example, in Massachusetts found that increases in minimum lot sizes - a precursor to more sprawling development - were followed by significant price increases.

Another, using data from 100 cities in Florida, found that putting in more restrictive development regulations decreased land prices, but increased home prices. One study directly linked restrictive local land use regulations to an increase in rates of homelessness.

A 2021 UCLA research review found strong evidence that building new market-rate apartments slows down rent increases for nearby existing housing- helping to keep neighborhoods more affordable.

Emily Hamilton, senior research fellow at George Mason University cited that cities like Houston, TX - with less restrictive rules on housing tend to be cheaper.

“They’re making small-lot single-family construction possible on a scale not seen anywhere else in the country. And, they permit tons of multi-family housing,” Hamilton said.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the CPR News, The Hill, Associated Press, and Colorado Newsline

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Missouri Action Alliance - It's Time For You To Get Involved

18 april 2023 | 34 min

Talkin' Politics | Justice Thomas' Billionaire Boondoggle; Missouri Trends On Twitter; DeSantis Eats The Pudding; Fox News Dominion Trial Mistake; Tennessee Speaker Big House Problem;

17 april 2023 | 70 min

The Flyover View, April 14, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

14 april 2023 | 19 min

Dirt Road Democrat | David Pepper, author of "Laboratories Of Autocracy" sits down with Jess Piper to discuss the realities of living in GOP "super majority" states like Missouri, and Ohio

13 april 2023 | 49 min

High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West - April 12, 2023

12 april 2023 | 11 min

Kyrsten Sinema gets first GOP challenger in AZ Senate race | Poll shows Lauren Boebert is in trouble | Denver students demand action on gun violence | Sen Michael Bennet and Rep Joe Neguse speak out against Utah rail project that would send daily oil trains through Colorado communities | Gipsy Kings announce Renaissance tour kickoff in Denver

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

ARIZONA MIRROR:

AZ Sen Kyrsten Sinema gets her first Republican challenger

BY: JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY - APRIL 11, 2023 1:25 PM

Republican Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is the first Republican to enter the 2024 contest, but is unlikely to be the last. Sinema, who won in 2018 as a Democrat but last year left the party to become an independent, has already drawn a challenge from Democratic Congressman U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego of Phoenix.

Mark Lamb was first elected sheriff of Pinal County in 2016, and since then has regularly appeared on far-right fringe media outlets.

Lamb has partnered with groups like True the Vote that have pursued far-flung conspiracy theories of election fraud and lied to law enforcement.

Lamb has also railed against vaccines, and is part of a right-wing group that call themselves the “constitutional sheriffs.”

Led by former Graham County Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack, the Constitutional Sheriffs are a sovereign-citizen group that believes a “New World Order” is aiming to take away guns — and that sheriffs are on the frontlines of stopping “election fraud.”

The group takes a favorable view of armed citizen militias, including militias that are active along Arizona’s border with Mexico, and some whose leaders were at the Jan. 6 riot.

Lamb is also a favorite of QAnon conspiracy theorists, signing a copy of a book for a QAnon influencer with the QAnon slogan “WWG1WGA.”

Lamb has appeared on a number of QAnon-related shows, as well, including one with a history of antisemitic comments. TruNews has published antisemitic rhetoric on its site, including a piece in which founder Rick Wiles spent an hour and a half saying that “seditious Jews” were “orchestrating” to impeach Trump, and calling Jewish people “tyrants.”

Wiles has also claimed that the anti-Christ will be a “homosexual Jew.” He was interviewed by Lauren Witzke and, during an episode in which Sheriff Lamb also appeared, Wiles said that Jews “squash” and “crush” people. Witzke is a conspiracy theorist and has echoed white nationalist beliefs herself. During an appearance on the white nationalist podcast No White Guilt, Witzke echoed the racist “great replacement” theory.

Lamb supported Lauren Witzke when she ran for U.S. Senate in Delaware, and has also echoed the “great replacement” theory on another QAnon talk show.

Lamb is likely to be joined by other GOP contenders in the Senate race, with Kari Lake and Blake Masters two of the most-watched.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Poll shows Lauren Boebert is in trouble

BY: SARA WILSON - APRIL 11, 2023 1:19 PM

If the 2024 election were held today, 45% of voters would choose Democrat Adam Frisch, and 45% would choose Boebert, according to findings from a poll released Tuesday.

Among voters who knew of both Adam Frisch and Lauren Boebert, Frisch led by 19 percentage points.

The poll, conducted by progressive organizations ProgressNow Colorado and Global Strategy Group, surveyed 600 likely voters in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District and has a 4.4% margin of error.

Among Republicans who described themselves as not very conservative, 60% back Boebert, 24% back Frisch and 16% are undecided. Pollsters said this shows an opportunity for Frisch to gain ground with moderate voters who may be disillusioned with Boebert’s extreme politics and headline-grabbing antics.

Boebert’s unfavorable rating has grown in the past two years. In March 2021, 39% of respondents had an unfavorable view of her. Now, 50% of them do.

The race was unexpectedly close in the 2022 midterms. with Boebert, the highly controversial conservative lawmaker, beating former Aspen City Councilman Adam Frisch by just 546 votes in the right-leaning district.

The district encompasses the Western Slope and the southwest corner of the state, sweeping east to include Pueblo, Otero and Las Animas counties. After the most recent redistricting in 2022, the district favors Republicans by 9 percentage points.

Frisch has already started his campaign for the seat in 2024 and raised $1.7 million in a strong start.

That sets the stage for the race to receive national attention — and dollars — as Democrats view Boebert as vulnerable in a presidential election year with higher expected turnout.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has announced that it will target Boebert in 2024.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Denver Students Demand Action on gun violence

BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - APRIL 6, 2023 4:00 AM

Student leaders across the Denver metro area want their voices to be heard, as they balance being high school students with pushing state lawmakers to take action on gun reform.

Students Demand Action groups have formed at multiple high schools across the city amid increasing gun violence, particularly at Denver East High School. Hundreds of Denver-area students have marched to the Colorado Capitol to testify in favor of gun reform and press legislators on how they plan to keep students safe.

This school year alone, East High has seen multiple gun-related incidents involving its students: A freshman at East was shot outside the neighboring Carla Madison Recreation Center. Student Luis Garcia died after he was shot in his car in the East parking lot. Student Austin Lyle shot two faculty members while he was being patted down for weapons, then fled and was later found dead, with a ghost gun next to his body.

Gracie and Clara Taub, both sophomores at East High School, started a chapter of Students Demand Action last year and have watched it grow immensely, with about 90 people in the club now. Clara said that while the reason behind the club’s growth is sad, it’s powerful to bring together and amplify the student voice.

Students Demand Action is a national initiative for high school and college students to advocate for gun violence prevention, with more than 600 groups formed since the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

The twin sisters have been advocating gun reform since the Parkland shooting, when they were in fifth grade and Gracie organized a walkout at their school. Now that they’ve seen gun violence harm their own community, they’ve led multiple student marches to the Capitol to talk to legislators and testify at bill hearings as co-presidents of Students Demand Action.

Gracie said of her sister, “I’m really grateful to have someone by my side who’s as passionate as me. We’ve been working together on everything our whole lives, so it was sort of natural that we did this together.”

And it’s not just students at East who are getting involved. Gracie said this year they’ve had students from five or six different schools joining them, along with teachers. The student leaders hope to have a Denver district-wide Students Demand Action meeting soon.

Agnes Holena, a sophomore at Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village, found out about Students Demand Action through her role in her school’s student Senate and started a chapter with two of her peers in November. She said the organization isn’t about politics - it’s about safety.

“Since I’ve started going to such a big high school, shootings have been a genuine worry of mine,” Holena said. “When I leave my classroom to go get water during class, I always think about ‘Where will I go if somebody were to walk in,’ and I just feel like that’s not the way I should feel or any other students should feel and that this is something that needs to be talked about.”

“When there’s more people involved, people pay attention, and when there’s more students, legislators see that these are kids,” Holena said. “It’s different when there’s a lot of adults coming together, but when it’s the kids who are saying they’re scared going to school, I think that really calls for attention.”

For Agnes, engaging with the Legislature has been intimidating, but she’s found herself prioritizing it because of the chance she might change just one lawmaker’s mind.

While some legislators have supported and encouraged Students Demand Action leaders to push their limits in their advocacy until change is made, Gracie thinks others too often make excuses for why they can’t support certain gun-related bills or why a state bill to ban assault weapons isn’t being prioritized. The Colorado Legislature has a strong Democratic majority, and four bills intended to curb gun violence have already passed both chambers this session. But to Clara, these bills are still “pretty basic gun sense.” She wants to see a state bill regulating ghost guns introduced this session.

Clara said her generation is learning the flaws of the legislative process, and is taking notes on how they will change it when it’s their turn to lead.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: No train for oil!

BY: CHASE WOODRUFF - APRIL 8, 2023 4:30 AM

Some of Colorado’s top Democratic elected officials issued their most united and forceful call yet to halt a planned Utah railway expansion, that would send up to five two-mile-long oil trains per day through sensitive mountain ecosystems.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Joe Neguse joined state and local leaders on the banks of the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon, just yards away from the tracks of the Union Pacific railroad that snakes through the canyon, alongside the river and Interstate 70.

Not far away were areas burned by the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire, and sections of the highway that were shut down for weeks by mudslides a year later.

Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes said “To say that this canyon is anything but an incredibly fragile place, to say that this river is anything but in crisis in the American West, is to ignore reality.”

Colorado officials say they’re alarmed by the risks to Glenwood Canyon and other vulnerable areas by the Uinta Basin Railway Project, an 88-mile railroad extension that would allow oil produced in Eastern Utah to be shipped to Gulf Coast refineries through Colorado’s central mountain communities and the densely populated Front Range.

Several key permits for the new railway have already been approved by President Joe Biden’s administration, but Sen Bennet and Rep Neguse have called on at least four different federal agencies to conduct additional reviews before the project’s financing is finalized and construction begins.

Mountain communities worry about the threat of the Uinta Basin trains potentially derailing and spilling oil into sensitive watersheds, or sparking dangerous wildfires in Colorado forests that are increasingly at risk from climate change. Officials in Denver estimate that the Uinta Basin project could quadruple the number of rail cars with hazardous material traveling through the city every day.

Colorado State House Speaker Julie McCluskie, state Sen. Dylan Roberts and state Rep. Elizabeth Velasquez, all Democrats who represent mountain communities along the rail route, also spoke in opposition to the project.

Five environmental groups and the government of Eagle County Colorado are suing to block the project.

As officials wrapped up their press conference beside a popular Colorado River boat ramp, Senator Bennet waved through three anglers who launched their boat and pushed off downriver. Sen. Bennet said that given the importance of the river to the Western Slope’s economy and the risks posed by climate change, there aren’t any safeguards that would make the risks of the Uinta Basin project acceptable.

“This train has no business bringing this oil through Colorado, period.” Sen Bennet said. “Anybody who has spent serious time in this canyon understands what the risks really are — what these mudslides really look like, what these wildfires really look like here.”

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: The Gipsy Kings! This legendary group is kicking off a spring tour with the first show in Denver, at the Paramount Theatre on Friday April 14. With more than 20 million albums sold and a career spanning 30 years, the legendary Gipsy Kings are hitting the road in support of their new album, Renaissance.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Colorado Sun, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Talkin' Politics | The KC Star Covers Missouri Political Twitter; Abortion Case Responses That Might Surprise You; Goin' Back To Old Rocky Top, Tennessee

11 april 2023 | 46 min

Talkin' Politics | Guest Host, Ray Reed joins to talk about: STL Progressive Wins; GenZ Turnout In Wisconsin, Clarence Thomas Ethical Issues; The Tennessee Three; Iowa Dems Push To Dinner Table; Abortion Back In The Courts

10 april 2023 | 78 min

The Flyover View, April 7, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

7 april 2023 | 18 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Take Me Home Tonight: What's It Like When A Family Runs For Office?

6 april 2023 | 43 min

The Delta, E46: Dinner Table v. Doom Scrolling

5 april 2023 | 36 min

Talkin' Politics | Adam's Open; Fetterman's Mental Health Conversation; Mo Dems Fill-A-Buster Parfait; DEI & Doug Richey's strange floor speech; Dems Missing The Mark on Abortion?; A NEW Game!; Last Call Preview

3 april 2023 | 97 min

The Flyover View, March 31, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

31 mars 2023 | 21 min

Dirt Road Democrat | A Gun, A Book, and a Child Walk Into A School... Only One Survives

30 mars 2023 | 22 min

The Delta, E45 - Return of the School Choice Lie: Say Why Again... Again, Motherf

29 mars 2023 | 29 min

Why is the burning questions that rescues their nation. - Hollow Heartland

In December 2021, Nicholas (former science teacher, now outreach coordinator) was joined by Adam (host of Heartland POD) on episode 14 of the Delta to discuss the lies behind School Choice including the underlying purpose of standardized testing. Over the past 1.5 years, Nicholas has moved from the classroom into a career of traveling the physical heartland to support teachers that help their students become agents of change in their own schools and communities.

At the time of recording episode 14, Nicholas had started a journal while recovering from COVID, which has grown into a collection of essays. These lectures he never got to give his students are now collectively titled: Hollow Heartland. Soon he hopes to publish them so that the students he left can read what he never got to tell them... but that is another time.

Episode 45 reflections over episode 14 before sharing the first half of their full conversation. The other half called: 2 Truths & 1 Lie can be found by subscribing at: patreon.com/heartlandpod

twitter: @theheartlandpod, @adam_sommer85 & @nicholasalinke
visit: heartlandpod.com & glassroomhive.com
support: patreon.com/heartlandpod

Original E14 Text:

Hidden Curriculum 3: Nicholas is joined by Adam (host of Heartland POD) to give their two truths against the lie told by school choice advocates that use standardized testing to argue how public education is failing... And how teaching students to say, "Why?" again is real education.

#changetheconversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Talkin' Politics About Missouri CAFO Ruling & A Chat With Journalist Annalise Hanshaw of The Missouri Independent

28 mars 2023 | 55 min

Talkin' Politics | Stacey Abrams New Job; Shortages Of Care Takers In Red States; Kansas and Missouri Draconian Arms Race; Fox News Dominion Problem; Proud Boys On Trial

27 mars 2023 | 84 min

The Flyover View, March 24, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

24 mars 2023 | 17 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Partisan Is As Partisan Does

23 mars 2023 | 31 min

High Country Politics - Elections and Government News from the American West

22 mars 2023 | 13 min

Arizona GOP moving variety of conspiracy-fueled voter suppression bills | Bill authorizing universal youth mental health screenings at school is moving in Colorado legislature | New Colorado GOP chair is a fringe character, prominent conservatives announce they're leaving the Party | VP Harris announces Biden Administration disbursement of $200 million in wildfire preparedness and mitigation funds | Billy Idol in Denver

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

ARIZONA MIRROR:

Conspiracy theories still dominate Arizona Senate Elections Committee

BY: JOE DUHOWNIK/COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE - MARCH 21, 2023 4:18 PM

Nearly a month after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes released documents further disproving claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, Senate Republicans continue to make the same claims in the election committee.

The most recent tantrum came during testimony regarding HB2415, which would remove people from the active early voting mailing list if they go a full year without participating in an election. Republicans said it’s a way to declutter the list.

Opponents argued that the bill would only disenfranchise voters, as many only vote in presidential elections every four years, and could be removed from the mail ballot list without knowing it.

“Conspiracy theories” also came up again later in the committee meeting, this time in regard to HB2591, which would prohibit voters from using ballot drop boxes outside the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and would require that drop boxes be inside or attached to county buildings and be under 24/7 video surveillance.

Bill sponsor Gail Griffin, a Republican state representative from Tucson, said she’s seen video of “people with boxes coming and dumping ballots,” though she maintained that “2,000 Mules” - a propaganda film about imagined “ballot mules” stuffing ballots in the 2020 election. The fantasy about ballot mules is a cornerstone of the bigger fantasy that Joe Biden stole the 2020 election, even though he won by 3 full percentage points and 7 million votes.

Democrats said restricting the times when voters can drop off ballots will make it harder for some to cast their vote. Republicans’ only response was that those folks would need to use one of the less accessible options that remain if they want to vote. Cool.

The Republican-dominated committee supported five more measures they say will increase election integrity. Republican state Representative Austin Smith sponsored HB2552 to preemptively prohibit ranked choice voting in Arizona. A companion bill already passed through the Senate in February.

Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist representing the Arizona League of Women Voters, said more than 60% of Arizona voters support ranked choice voting, which is used in Maine, Alaska, and multiple cities like New York and San Francisco.

“There should be no reason to preemptively silence the voice of your own constituents,” she told the committee.

The committee ended with discussion on HB2613, which would require that all vote recording tabulation machines be 100% sourced from and built in the U.S. in response to fantasies about foreign tampering of voting machines in the 2020 election - where Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden by 3 full percentage points and 7 million legally cast votes.

Jen Marson, representing the Arizona Association of Counties, said the machines used now are already manufactured in the U.S., but some parts, like plastics and electronics, are sourced from other countries.

The bill’s GOP sponsor said he doesn’t know that U.S. companies have the capacity to completely home-grow the voting machines, but “if there is a need, I do believe that the American engineering mindset would step up.”

For my part - I’ll just say his point makes absolutely no sense.

This article was first published by Courthouse News Service and is republished under their terms of use.

UCLA HEALTH

Suicide rate highest among teens and young adults

March 15, 2022

By Sandy Cohen

Note: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2023.

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S.

Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Recent weeks have brought heartbreaking examples of this trend, including the March 1 death of Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer, 22; and Ohio State football player Harry Miller’s revelations that he attempted suicide, shared his struggles with his coach and got help. Miller announced his medical retirement from football on March 10 in a Twitter post that’s been shared more than 10,000 times.

“This is not an issue reserved for the far and away,” wrote Miller. “It is in our homes. It is in our conversations. It is in the people we love.”

Carl Fleisher, MD, who specializes in adolescent and child psychiatry at Boston Child Study Center in Los Angeles said “Teenagers and young adults have had rising rates of suicide compared to 10 or 15 years ago, Young people are particularly vulnerable to suicide. The things that make them vulnerable are where they stand socially and where they stand developmentally.”

Developmentally, their judgment and decision-making abilities are still coming online. The prefrontal cortex — the brain’s executive control center — doesn’t fully develop until one’s mid-20s.

That makes young people more impulsive "They're not going to weigh risks and consequences in quite the same way older folks will.”

Socially, teens and young adults don’t have the same connections older adults do. Someone who is married, has a long-term partner or has children or grandchildren is in a different place socially than someone who is just coming into their own, living with roommates or alone.

The isolation of the pandemic exacerbated social disconnection even more.

So it’s good to hear that a bill that would make it easier… Colorado Newsline article follows

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 20, 2023 2:54 PM

… for schools to provide mental health assessments, and connect students to therapy, passed the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday.

House Bill 23-1003 would allow public schools to participate in a voluntary mental health screening program for sixth through twelfth graders and refer them to treatment if needed, primarily through the state’s existing free youth therapy program, called I Matter.

Bill sponsor Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, a Commerce City Democrat, said she was motivated to run the legislation after alarming statistics from the Colorado Healthy Kids Survey that showed nearly 40% of Colorado youth reported feeling depressed for at least two straight weeks.

“That’s a pretty significant indicator for severe depression,” she said. “I wanted to come up with a way for kids to learn about therapy and access to therapy through screenings in school. We have the I Matter program, so we have somewhere kids can go for help.”

In a post-pandemic environment in which Children’s Hospital Colorado declared a state of emergency for youth mental health, Michaelson Jenet said screening can be a powerful preventative tool for students under profound pressures.

Parents could opt their child out of the assessment, but students 12 years and older would be able to participate even if their parents don’t want them to.

Under the program, if the provider finds that a student could benefit from treatment, their parents will be notified and given information about the I Matter program, which has provided free therapy services to over 5,500 Colorado youth since it launched in October 2021.

If the assessment provider finds that a student is in crisis — at-risk for attempting suicide, physical self-harm or harming others, for example — the school would follow its crisis response protocol.

The Colorado Health Institute endorsed the concept of universal mental health screenings in schools in a report published earlier this month.

The report authors wrote “Schools are uniquely positioned to help address this (mental health) crisis by meeting youth where they already spend most of their day. Screening all students for social and emotional needs strengthens prevention, detection, and early intervention.”

Organizations including the National Association of School Psychologists, the National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine, the Healthy Schools Campaign, Mental Health America also recommend screening all students.

Republicans in the House opposed the bill on the grounds that a program where students could participate even if parents opt out violates parental rights. Most of the floor debate centered on whether 12 years old is too young for students to decide whether to undergo a mental health assessment. Existing Colorado law allows minors 12 years and older to seek therapy without their parent or guardian’s consent.

Democrats hold healthy majorities in both the House and Senate this session.

The legislation now heads to the Senate, where it is sponsored by Democratic Sen. Lisa Cutter of Littleton.

COLORADO SUN: and on the other side of the aisle:

The new chair of Colorado’s GOP says people concerned he will end all hope of Republicans winning here, should “relax”.

Jesse Paul and Sandra Fish

3:20 AM MDT on Mar 16, 2023

Dave Williams’ election as Colorado GOP chair has prompted prominent Republicans to announce they are leaving the party and heightened the possibility that unaffiliated Coloradans, who make up nearly half of the state’s electorate, could be shut out of the GOP’s future primaries.

Mandy Connell, a conservative talk radio host, tweeted her exit from the GOP on Saturday just after the election denier and former state representative was chosen to lead Republicans for the next two years.

Connell told The Colorado Sun, “I hoped the Republican Party could move beyond Donald Trump and looking backwards at the 2020 election. With the election of Dave Williams for the Colorado chairmanship, it is apparent that they are not ready to do that. And I am.”

The GOP has steadily lost registered voters in Colorado over the past two decades, a slide that accelerated after Trump took office. The share of registered Republicans declined to 24.2% in January from 31.1% in January 2016. There are no statewide elected Republicans, and the party is in a big minority in the legislature and in the congressional delegation following a disappointing 2022 election cycle that only saw the GOP lose more political power.

Some in the party fear Williams, who beat six other chair candidates, may lead to further decline. Dick Wadhams, who was Colorado GOP chair from 2007 to 2011 and now works as a Republican political consultant, worries the “party will have no credibility” if Williams pursues the agenda he campaigned for chair on.

Williams says his detractors should “relax.”

“I can understand why some people are concerned, especially because of the fearmongering of Dick Wadhams,” Williams said. “But the truth is I’m only here to go attack Democrats, and if they can’t get behind that then I’m not sure what else is going to unite us.”

Williams, who vowed to be a “wartime” leader of the Colorado GOP, was a divisive figure during his time in the state legislature - and last year he lost a primary challenge to Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn by just shy of 20 points.

Williams was elected chair by the Colorado GOP’s state central committee, which is made up of about 400 people. During the event Saturday in Loveland, Williams focused his message on defending Donald Trump and preventing unaffiliated voters from participating in GOP primary elections, something Colorado voters approved in 2016.

Ari Armstrong, a columnist for Complete Colorado, tweeted that he is leaving the party. “Colorado GOP leaders have made abundantly clear that theirs is the party of conspiracy mongering and petty bigotry,” he said. “The state party is not serious about winning elections or helping to guide policy. Enough.”

Denver Post columnist Krista Kafer also hinted on Twitter at a switch: “I think I’ll be doing the same (as) Mandy Connell. When I rejoined the party I had hoped it was changing. It is in other states but not here. The lunatic fringe is ascendant.” and speaking of the lunatic fringe

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

Feds to send nearly $200 million to help communities prepare for wildfires

BY: JACOB FISCHLER - MARCH 21, 2023 4:30 AM

Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials said Monday that the Biden administration will send $197 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help communities prepare for wildfires this summer.

The funding represents the first round of a new $1 billion Community Wildfire Defense Grant program authorized under the $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill that President Joe Biden signed in 2021.

Grants in the first year of the program would be available for more than 100 projects in 22 states, according to a White House fact sheet.

The funding is meant to help communities prepare for wildfires, which Harris said was preferable to responding to fires already wreaking havoc.

“The best time to fight a fire is before it starts,” she said on a Monday call with reporters.

The funding announced Monday can be used to write or update wildfire preparedness plans or on other mitigation efforts, such as clearing highly flammable brush.

Among the largest grants was a $9.9 million disbursement to the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District in eastern Oregon to clear hazardous fuels from evacuation routes on county roads.

The New Mexico nonprofit Cimarron Watershed Alliance also received $8 million to create defensible space around homes and fuel breaks designed to stop a fire’s spread.

Archuleta County, Colorado, will receive $1.1 million to remove hazardous fuels over 600 wooded acres.

Gila County AZ will receive $341,000 for evacuation planning and clearing flammable brush around buildings

Communities in Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, Wiscons, North Carolina and Georgia will also receive grants.

A full list of grants announced Monday is available here.

The Vice President said the remaining roughly $800 million will be released over the next four years.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “This is an initial round of funding - a critical down payment.”

The Forest Service, which is part of the Agriculture Department, judged grant applications on three criteria: communities that have experienced a severe disaster, are at high risk of a wildfire and are low income.

All grants announced Monday met at least two of the three criteria and most met all three, he said.

Wildfires have become more destructive in recent decades for a variety of reasons, including hotter and drier weather because of climate change, as well as increased development in areas at high risk of fire.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: You might know him from the movie “Big” - it’s Billy Idol! Mission Ballroom in Denver on Tuesday April 4th at 8pm - that’s election night and that’s also a kickass venue to see rock and roll giant like Billy. Information at billyidol.net - and don’t use .com because there is no redirect.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Courthouse News Service, UCLA Health, Colorado Sun, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Heartland POD | The Fragile Ego Of The Modern American White Dude & Missouri GOP's Attack On The Ballot Initiative

21 mars 2023 | 23 min

Talkin' Politics | March 20, 2023: The FTC cracking down on social media ads?; Marriane Williamson Is Back, And Yikes; It's The Economy, Stupid; Trump Indictment and our most interesting 2024 Mt. Rushmore of names

20 mars 2023 | 80 min

Flyover View | March 17, 2023: Heartland News and Views

17 mars 2023 | 19 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Close The Books, Open The Cheap Labor Market

16 mars 2023 | 27 min

The Delta, E44 - Moving On...

15 mars 2023 | 40 min

Talkin' Politics | A Deep Dive 2024 Primer! plus the "Yeah...yeah!" of the week; Tucker Spit Shines Hawley; Idaho "Pro-Life" Zealots Hate Needle Point; "Rick" DeSantis Trying To Sell Florida For All

14 mars 2023 | 89 min

The Heartland POD | Adam's Open and Catching Up

13 mars 2023 | 48 min

The Flyover View, March 10, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

10 mars 2023 | 16 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Understanding Collective Action & The Value Of Labor Unions

9 mars 2023 | 32 min

High Country Politics - March 8, 2023 - Government and Elections News from Colorado, Arizona and the West

8 mars 2023 | 12 min

Arizona AG Kris Mayes refocuses Election Integrity Unit on protecting election officials and voting rights | CO Gov. Jared Polis and Democrats introduce bills to lower healthcare costs | Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples commission sets field hearings for AZ, CA, MT, NM | Department of Defense provides process for service members to obtain abortions when stationed in states where abortion is banned | Ani DiFranco does a western swing with shows in CO, MT, and ID.

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

ARIZONA MIRROR: ARIZONA AG INVESTIGATES FAKE ELECTORS

Kris Mayes is investigating Trump’s ‘fake electors,’ focusing on threats to election workers

BY: JEROD MACDONALD-EVOY - MARCH 3, 2023 7:12 AM

While her predecessor used a dedicated election crimes division to investigate hundreds of bogus election fraud claims, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes says she will redirect the unit’s focus to prosecute election-related threats and protect voting rights.

“We are almost at a crisis situation in our state, in the sense that we now have a third of our counties experiencing the resignation of high-level election officialS due to death threats and harassment. That is unacceptable,”

Former AG Mark Brnovich, the Republican who Mayes replaced this year, persuaded the state legislature to create the Election Integrity Unit so his office could have a dedicated team to investigate election fraud claims. But Brnovich buried what was arguably its most important work, a 10,000-hour investigation debunking hundreds of fraud claims related to the 2020 election. AG Mayes released the results of that investigation earlier this month.

And the Election Integrity Unit is also investigating a much larger effort to undermine the will of the voters — The Trump / Eastman / Perry plot to send fraudulent slates of electors for former President Donald Trump to Congress on Jan. 6 - using the state’s seal. While she was secretary of state, Gov. Katie Hobbs requested Brnovich investigate the criminal use of the state seal on false documents, but Brnovich did nothing.

There were actually multiple “fake elector” schemes in Arizona. One was tied to the Arizona Republican Party and allegedly done at the request of the Trump campaign. It involved officials including former AZ GOP chairwoman Kelli Ward, state Sen. Jake Hoffman, state Sen. Anthony Kern and Turning Points USA CEO Tyler Bowyer. That fake electors scheme is also the subject of a federal investigation.

Another group, the Sovereign Citizens of the Great State of Arizona, also created an alternate slate of electors for Trump, independent of the former President’s desperate and nihilistic attempts to steal the 2020 election for himself.

Since the 2020 election, threats to election officials nationwide have been increasing. Arizona has been at the forefront of those threats, with the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice getting involved in multiple cases.

Most recently, veteran Cochise County Election Director Lisa Marra resigned. In her departure letter, she described a workplace that was hostile due to a monthslong saga in which Marra stood up to election conspiracists’ insane demands and threats.

Last year, the director of elections in Yavapai County resigned due to more than 18 months of threats she received. GOP-dominated Yavapai County has been a hotbed of hostile activity, with the white supremacist Oath Keepers intimidating voters before federal law enforcement got involved.

AG Mayes said the images of armed men watching drop boxes “disturbed” her and set her on a path to begin speaking to police and sheriff’s departments across the state.

Making sure voters feel safe and secure when using a drop box will be a major priority, Mayes said, and if that means making sure that agents with the Attorney General’s Office are present alongside law enforcement, then that might be the case. Currently, Mayes has 60 agents working directly with her in the office.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies had to be dispatched in riot gear to deal with angry and armed crowds of butt-hurt snowflake losers (my term) during the 2020 election, when they descended upon the Maricopa County tabulation center. Deputies have had to dedicate security to election officials who faced threats as well.

During the midterms, Maricopa County spent approximately $675,000 on security for the elections, a number the Sheriff expects to be “substantially” higher for the next election as he and his deputies are already preparing for the next wave of threats to election officials, as well as illegal activities around drop boxes.

But for AG Mayes, the Arizona Election Integrity Unit can be a force that actually protects voting rights in the state.

“We really want to repurpose the Election Integrity Unit to be an arm of the Attorney General’s Office that is focused on protecting democracy in Arizona, protecting election officials against the rise of death threats and intimidation against them, and to protect the voting rights of every legally registered Arizonan.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and a group of Democratic lawmakers have introduced a slate of new bills that are meant to reduce health care costs in the state.

BY: SARA WILSON - MARCH 3, 2023 2:04 PM

The bills would reduce premiums for Colorado Option health insurance plans, lower prescription drug costs and work to increase transparency around the huge profits being made by hospitals.

“Saving people money on healthcare has been a top priority for me since Day One, and it’s a big challenge,” said Gov. Polis. “We want to pound away on it every year, to find every cost driver and address it, to make sure Coloradans stop having to overpay for prescription drugs, insurance, and the health care that they need.”

House Bill 23-1224 would work to improve the Colorado Option, the state-regulated plan offered by private insurers that passed just last year. The bill would make it easier for consumers to compare prices on standardized plans, and empower the state’s insurance commissioner to hold carriers accountable for the cost reduction requirements in Colorado Option standardized plans.

Another bill, House Bill 23-1225, addresses the state’s prescription drug affordability board. It would allow the board to review any number of expensive prescription drugs instead of only a dozen as outlined in the legislation that created the board.

The board, which has not yet reviewed the costs of any drugs so far, has the authority to set an upper payment limit if it determines a drug is unaffordable for Coloradans.

House Bill 23-1227, would give more oversight power to the state’s Division of Insurance over pharmacy benefit managers.

“In some cases, PBMs are coming between consumers, health insurance plans, pharmacies and manufacturers while making very, very large profits. PBMs can be a part of the plan to save Coloradans money on prescription drugs, but they have to follow the rules,” Jodeh, one of the bill sponsors, said.

Lawmakers highlighted other pieces of health care cost saving legislation:

HB23-1226 would enhance current hospital financial transparency reporting in an effort to highlight what is driving up hospital costs in the state.

COLORADO SUN: And, Almost four years after becoming the first state to cap insulin copayments, Colorado may limit what consumers pay for epinephrine autoinjectors, also known as EpiPens, which treat serious allergic reactions.

In 2007, the wholesale price of a single EpiPen was about $47. Today, two brand-name autoinjectors cost just under $636 at a Walgreens in Denver, according to GoodRx.

A proposed state law would cap out-of-pocket copays at $60 for a two-pack of Epi Pens.

The bill is part of a nationwide push by states to address the soaring prices of lifesaving drugs. New Hampshire passed a law in 2020 requiring insurance to cover the autoinjectors, and Rhode Island lawmakers are considering a similar measure this year.

No state has capped what consumers pay for EpiPens, though the New Jersey Senate passed a bill in June to do so; that measure is pending in the legislature’s lower house.

state Rep. Iman Jodeh, a bill sponsor, said “The need for EpiPens doesn’t discriminate based on who you are. This unfortunate trend we’re seeing of lifesaving medication being out of reach for so many people is something we need to end.”

In 2019, Colorado became the first state to enact a law that set a $100 limit on monthly copays for insulin, a hormone that regulates the blood sugar of people with diabetes.

Since then, 21 other states, plus Washington, D.C., have implemented laws limiting insulin costs. Congress imposed a $35 insulin copay cap for seniors on Medicare, and, in his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden called for expanding this cap to every American.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

Tagged: Colorado legislature, Colorado politics, EpiPen, Iman Jodeh, insulin, Kaiser Health News, KHN, prescription drug costs

AZMIRROR:

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples field hearing comes to AZ in May

BY: SHONDIIN SILVERSMITH - MARCH 3, 2023 12:27 PM

As part of the U.S. departments of the Interior and Justice’s work to combat the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis, the Not Invisible Act Commission will be hosting its first round of field hearing sessions this spring.

“In partnership with the Justice Department and with extensive engagement with Tribes and other stakeholders, the Interior Department is marshaling our resources to finally address the crisis of violence against Indigenous peoples,” she added.

FROM WORC: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People is an epidemic stemming from over 500 years of colonization that has harmed Indigenous communities across the globe. For Indigenous women in the United States, this means being amongst the population that is murdered at 10 times the national average.

According to the Indian Law Resource Center, more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, and more than half have experienced sexual violence. There is no official statistic regarding how many Indigenous women go missing within the United States, and many families report the same experiences where law enforcement will dismiss a missing loved one’s case.

In a Montana Public Radio article from 2019, people who had missing loved ones reported that law enforcement officers had told them “that their daughters were drunk or had run away.”

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said “This work requires each of us to face our own trauma, to relive unimaginable pain, and visualize a future in which our loved ones are safe, and our communities have closure. We’re here for our children, grandchildren, and relatives we have yet to meet.”

The Not Invisible Act was signed into law in October 2020. It is the first bill in history to be introduced and passed by four U.S. congressional members who are enrolled in federally recognized tribes. Then- Representative Haaland, one of those four, spearheaded the bill during her time in Congress.

At that time she said “A lack of urgency, transparency, and coordination has hampered our country’s efforts to combat violence against American Indian and Alaska Native people”

The commission established by the Not Invisible Act is a cross-jurisdictional advisory committee including law enforcement, tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and survivors.

In April, the commission will hold field hearings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Anchorage, Alaska. In June, more hearings are scheduled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, northern California and Albuquerque, New Mexico. In July, a hearing will be held in Billings, Montana. A national, virtual field hearing is also planned for later in the summer.

These field hearings will feature panel discussions and a public comment period. For more information, go to https://www.bia.gov/service/mmu

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Land of the free.

BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - MARCH 4, 2023 11:05 AM

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow D-Colorado praised the Department of Defense’s decision to ensure service members have access to reproductive health care including abortion after he proposed a bill that would have done the same last fall.

“After the Supreme Court’s extreme and dangerous decision to take away a woman’s fundamental right to an abortion, servicemembers struggled to access basic reproductive health care,” Crow said.

“I applaud the Department of Defense for moving to protect our servicemembers and mitigate challenges of recruitment, readiness, and retention in the ranks. The servicemembers who fight for us should not have to fight for their own basic health care.”

One of Crow’s goals was to ensure that service members stationed in states that enacted abortion bans were allowed to travel to states, such as Colorado, where abortion is still legal.

A Department of Defense news release said “Our Service members and their families do not control where they are stationed, and due to the nature of military service, are frequently required to travel or move to meet operational requirements. The efforts taken by the Department today will not only ensure that Service members and their families retain the fundamental right to make their own health care decisions, as well as ensuring they’re afforded the time and flexibility needed to do so.

In response, Rep. Lauren Boebert and fellow Republicans said they plan to maintain their laser focus on the REAL truth behind Hunter Biden’s laptop.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Ani DiFranco! It’s the 25th anniversary of the excellent album, Little Plastic Castle, originally released in 1998. Ani is doing a run of shows starting March 15 hitting Boulder, Fort Collins, Breckenridge, Salt Lake City, Boise, Bozeman, Missoula and finishing in New Orleans at the FREE French Quarter Music Festival, April 13.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Kaiser Health News, Colorado Sun, and the Western Organization of Resource Councils at worc.org.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Let's Have A Chat | "Get Out There And Lose!" with Randi McCallian, a leader in the MO-8th

7 mars 2023 | 43 min

Talkin' Politics | March 6, 2023: Rupert Murdoch Tells The Truth; Bannon's Legal Woes; Cheney & Kinzinger Try To Stay Alive; SCOTUS School Dress Code Case; Demographics Favor Dems For 2024, Can They Take Advantage?

6 mars 2023 | 81 min

The Flyover View, March 3, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

3 mars 2023 | 14 min

Dirt Road Democrat | School Vouchers Are An Assault On Education

2 mars 2023 | 28 min

The Delta, E43 - 1. Secure Student Rights. 2. Recover from COVID.

1 mars 2023 | 47 min

Talk About The Money: Moving Past Culture Debates To Break Through

28 februari 2023 | 26 min

Talkin' Politics | Feb. 27, 2023

27 februari 2023 | 81 min

The Flyover View, February 24, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

24 februari 2023 | 18 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Ryan Busse, author of "Gun Fight" a former executive in the firearms industry turned common sense gun law advocate

23 februari 2023 | 30 min

Let's Have A Chat | Amy Easterling, Harry Harris, and Douglas Ziegemeier. A Grounded Trio of Candidates for the Francis Howell School Board

22 februari 2023 | 45 min

Ray Reed & The Gen Z Political Movement

21 februari 2023 | 24 min

Talkin' Politics | Feb. 20, 2023 - Health Care Consumerism; On Wisconsin's Supreme Court; Missouri and Kansas GOP Need Abortion To Be More Illegal; Power To The Workers?; Health Care Deep Dive Analysis

20 februari 2023 | 81 min

Heartland POD on Twitter - @TheHeartlandPOD

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Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)

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“Change The Conversation”

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True or False
1. Wisconsin Supreme Court election is the most important national story that almost no national outlets are covering?
  1. Wisconsin voters have the chance to reset partisan gerrymandered maps if they
  2. The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/13/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-gerrymandered-democracy
Yeah…No, Yeah
1. Kansas and Missouri Republicans Want to Make Abortion “Illegal-er”
  1. Idiots who don’t learn from mistakes are doomed to repeat them in the next goddamn election cycle. To quoth Sean, “Dummies.”
  2. https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article272471905.html
  3. What else is there to say? Outside of this is what desperation looks like.
  4. I say again: Dummies.
Buy or Sell
1. The economic shifts that finally saw some lift to low-paid workers will last without action from Congress to increase min. wage
  1. From Semafor:
  2. https://www.semafor.com/article/02/16/2023/the-rich-are-getting-poorer
The Big One
1. Healthcare. That’s it. Just Healthcare.
  1. Hot button issue for 2024 because it sits right next to abortion?
  2. The stage is set for Dems to lead on it after Biden has done quite a bit to reduce the cost of ACA premiums, insulin costs.
  3. https://www.semafor.com/article/02/17/2023/2024-republicans-are-done-with-the-affordable-care-act-it-might-not-be-done-with-them
  4. A reminder: A WHOLE LOT of independents voted for Trump because they believed him when he said that he’d get everyone healthcare. (Granted, that was naive, but it’s also what the guy said.)

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View, February 17, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

17 februari 2023 | 19 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Run Randi Run! Randi McCallian joins Jess Piper to talk about running for Congress in the MO-8th and the realities of working on democratic infrastructure in rural areas

16 februari 2023 | 43 min

High Country Politics - February 15, 2023 - Government and Elections News from the American West

15 februari 2023 | 12 min

Republicans sue to ban abortion pill in entire U.S. | Arizona legislators narrowly avoid school funding crisis | Adam Frisch, who nearly beat Rep. Lauren Boebert in 2022, is running for Congress again in 2024 | Colorado and 10 other states consider Right to Repair legislation, and the Farm Bureau is not going to be on board

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

DENVER (AP)

COLORADO NEWSLINE: REPUBLICAN AG’S WANT TO BAN THE ABORTION PILL

WASHINGTON — Attorneys general representing nearly two dozen Republican states are backing a lawsuit that would remove the abortion pill from the United States after more than two decades, eliminating the option even in states where abortion access remains legal.

The lawsuit argues, on behalf of four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion physicians, that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration exceeded its authority when it approved mifepristone to end pregnancies in the year 2000.

The prescription medication is used as part of a two-drug regimen that includes misoprostol as the second pharmaceutical. It’s approved to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

The abortion pill is legal at the federal level, though several GOP-led states have laws in place that restrict abortion earlier than 10 weeks, setting up a dispute between state laws banning abortions and the federal government’s jurisdiction to approve pharmaceuticals.

The U.S. Justice Department argued the anti-abortion groups’ “have pointed to no case, and the government has been unable to locate any example, where a court has second-guessed FDA’s safety and efficacy determination, and ordered a widely available FDA-approved drug to be removed from the market. It certainly hasn’t happened with a drug that’s been approved for over 20 years.”

Dr. Jamila Perritt, president & CEO for Physicians for Reproductive Health, said abortion medication is safe and effective, and that “when abortion is more difficult to access, we know this means abortion gets pushed later and later into pregnancy as folks try to navigate these barriers.”

Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said “restricting access to mifepristone interferes with the ability of obstetrician–gynecologists and other clinicians to deliver the highest-quality evidence-based care for their patients.”

The judge in the lawsuit, Trump appointee Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk, could rule on whether to pull mifepristone from the market as soon as this month.

Any ruling is likely to be appealed and could eventually come before the U.S. Supreme Court.

AZMIRROR: az legislature averts massive school funding cuts

Advocates, teachers call on lawmakers to fix school spending limit

BY: GLORIA REBECCA GOMEZ - FEBRUARY 14, 2023 3:31 PM

Last week, the Republican majority reluctantly approved a one-year exemption from a spending cap, called the aggregate expenditure limit - or AEL - placed in the state constitution by voters in 1980. Without that waiver, schools would have been forced to cut $1.4 billion from their budgets immediately, resulting in mass layoffs and closures. Now that the crisis has been temporarily averted, public school advocates are turning their attention to a more lasting fix as the issue is likely to resurface next year.

Stand for Children Arizona’s executive director, Rebecca Gau, called on lawmakers to move bills that would give voters the option to repeal the cap entirely, or recalculate it to current spending levels. But none of them have been put up for a vote.

Gau warned that refusing to act would only worsen the strain on public schools. They face enough difficulties, without adding a recurring annual threat onto the pile.

She cited the results of a public opinion survey conducted by Stand for Children Arizona, which found that 62% of voters in the state might say yes to a ballot measure to permanently raise the AEL.

High school teacher Jacquelyn Larios said the ongoing uncertainty presented by the spending limit has prompted her to reconsider teaching in Arizona. Her school district warned that faculty would be facing a 26% salary cut if lawmakers weren’t able to lift the cap by March.

“I explained to my daughters that, even though I love teaching so much, I just don’t know if I can continue,” Larios said. “We can’t afford this.”

For Yazmin Castro, a senior at Apollo High School, that means her classes are overcrowded — despite being a part of advanced courses that are meant to include more one-on-one interactions. She said the continued unwillingness from Republican lawmakers to resolve the AEL sends a message to students like her, that they’d rather hold onto outdated policies than support reforms that could make things better.

“It tells us we’re not valued,” she said. “That our education is not a priority and that our future does not matter.”

Republican lawmakers, who hold a one-vote majority in each legislative chamber, have repeatedly called for accountability and transparency measures in exchange for school funding. This year, that resulted in several GOP members voting against lifting the cap, citing concerns about what’s being taught in schools. Gau said while that argument might appeal to an extreme and vocal minority of constituents, the majority of voters support and trust their public schools.

“Voters are watching,” she warned. “And organizations like mine will be here to make sure that voters in 2024 know who had the backs of kids, and who didn’t.”

COLORADO SUN: Not his first rodeo.

Democrat Adam Frisch, a former Aspen city councilman who narrowly lost his bid in November to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, will run again to represent the 3rd Congressional District in 2024.

“November’s election results show us that Boebert is weak and she will be defeated, which is why I have decided to launch my 2024 congressional campaign,” Frisch said.

Frisch filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to run against Boebert just days after her win was finalized. His formal campaign announcement kicks off what’s likely to be one of the nation’s most closely watched congressional contests.

Frisch lost to Boebert by 546 votes, or 0.07 percentage points, in 2022. The margin was so narrow that it triggered a mandatory recount under Colorado law.

Boebert’s near-loss was shocking given the electorate in the 3rd District, which spans the Western Slope into Pueblo and southeast Colorado.

The 3rd Congressional District leans 9 percentage points in the GOP’s favor, according to an analysis by nonpartisan Colorado redistricting staff. Republicans have a voter registration advantage in the district, which has not sent a Democrat to the U.S. House since 2008.

Frisch will hold his first 2024 campaign event in Pueblo on Wednesday. He ran in a crowded primary in 2022, and it’s likely he will face Democratic primary opponents in 2022 as well.

Boebert has started fundraising for her 2024 reelection bid. “I won my last race by a razor-thin margin,” she wrote in a fundraising email sent out last month. “As you can imagine, left-wingers are going to rally around (Frisch) big time after they came so close this past election.”

Riiiight. The left-wingers in your R+9 District. So you perform 9 points worse than a generic Republican. That’s not a left-winger problem, Congresswoman, that’s a you problem.

AMERICAN PROSPECT and ASSOCIATED PRESS: Colorado and 10 other states consider right to repair legislation.

On Colorado’s northeastern plains, where the pencil-straight horizon divides golden fields and blue sky, a farmer named Danny Wood scrambles to raise millet, corn and winter wheat in short, seasonal windows. That is until his high-tech Steiger 370 tractor conks out.

The tractor’s manufacturer doesn’t allow Wood to make certain fixes himself, and last spring his fertilizing operations were stalled for three days before the servicer arrived to add a few lines of missing computer code - at a cost of $950.

“That’s where they have us over the barrel, it’s more like we are renting it than buying it,” said Wood, who spent $300,000 to buy the used tractor.

Wood’s plight, echoed by farmers across the country, has pushed lawmakers in Colorado and 10 other states to introduce Right to Repair bills that would force manufacturers to provide the tools, software, parts and manuals needed for farmers to do their own repairs — avoiding the steep labor costs and delays that erode their profits.

Rep. Brianna Titone, a Denver metro Democrat and one of the bill’s sponsors said “The manufacturers and the dealers have a monopoly on that repair market because it’s lucrative for them, but farmers just want to get back to work.”

In Colorado, the legislation is largely being pushed by Democrats while their Republican colleagues find themselves in a tough spot: torn between right-leaning farming constituents who want the change, and the multinational corporations who bankroll GOP campaigns.

The manufacturers argue Right to Repair legislation would force companies to expose trade secrets. They also say it would make it easier for farmers to tinker with the software and illegally crank up the horsepower and bypass the emissions controller — risking operators’ safety and the environment.

In 2011, Congress passed a law ensuring that car owners and independent mechanics — not just authorized dealerships — had access to the necessary tools and information to fix problems.

Ten years later, the Federal Trade Commission pledged to beef up its right to repair enforcement at the direction of President Joe Biden. And just last year, Rep. Titone sponsored and passed Colorado’s first right to repair law, empowering people who use wheelchairs with the tools and information to fix them.

For the right to repair farm equipment — from thin tractors used between grape vines to behemoth combines for harvesting grain that can cost over half a million dollars — Colorado is joined by 10 states including Florida, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas and Vermont.

Many of the bills are finding bipartisan support, but in Colorado’s House committee on agriculture, Democrats pushed the bill forward in a party line vote with every Republican opposed.

“That was really surprising, and upset me,” said the farmer Danny Wood, who votes Republican.

Wood’s tractor, which flies an American flag reading “Farmers First,” isn’t his only machine to break down.

His combine was dropping into idle, and the servicer took five days to arrive on Wood’s farm — a setback that could mean a hail storm decimates your wheat field, or the soil temperature moves out of the optimal zone for planting.

Wood said “Our crop is ready to harvest and we can’t wait five days, but there was nothing else to do. When it’s broke down you just sit there and wait, and that’s not acceptable. You can be losing $85,000 a day.”

Rep. Richard Holtorf, the Republican who represents Wood’s district and is a farmer himself, said he’s being pulled between his constituents and the dealerships in his district. He voted against the measure, siding with the dealers.

“I do sympathize with my farmers,” said Holtorf, but he added, “I don’t think it’s the role of government to be forcing the sale of their intellectual property.”

This January, the Farm Bureau and the farm equipment manufacturer John Deere did sign a memorandum of understanding — a right to repair agreement made without government intervention.

Though light on details, Deere’s new memorandum would make it somewhat easier for farmers to get repair service independent from the company. It would ease restrictions on machine parts from manufacturers and open up other fix-it tools, such as the software or handbooks that Deere technicians rely on.

This olive branch, however, is predicated on a major concession from the Farm Bureau - which is one of the nation’s most powerful lobbying forces advocating on behalf of farmers.

The Farm Bureau has agreed not to support any Right to Repair legislation, or any other provisions at all that would go beyond what’s outlined in the agreement.

But Nathan Proctor of the Public Interest Research Group, who is tracking 20 right to repair proposals in a number of industries across the country, said the memorandum of understanding has fallen far short.

One major problem with agreements like this is that there’s no enforcement mechanism. If John Deere doesn’t live up to the memorandum, farmers have no path for recourse.

“The slippery language gives the company enormous discretion to just set policy as it goes,” said Kevin O’Reilly, the director of the Right to Repair campaign at U.S. PIRG.

Deere’s track record on this issue isn’t great. In 2018, John Deere issued a “statement of principles” that foreshadowed the provisions in the new memorandum. But farmers never received access to the machine parts and software they’d been promised.

“Farmers are saying no,” said Nathan Proctor. “We want the real thing.”

Jesse Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: The RZA with the Colorado Symphony - 36 Chambers of Shaolin and A Ballet Through Mud - From the mind of the RZA comes a symphonic double-feature that bridges the gap between classical and contemporary music. With spoken word, live ballet, and rich orchestration with the Colorado Symphony. Friday and Saturday Feb 17 and 18 at Boettcher Concert Hall. Tickets at ColoradoSymphony.org

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Colorado Newsline, Associated Press, Colorado Sun, American Prospect, Arizona Mirror, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

MO House Dems Development Director, Erik Richardson joins Adam Sommer for a Chat

14 februari 2023 | 31 min

Talkin' Politics | Feb. 13, 2023 - Opening Statement on Free Exercise; Satanic Panic Part 2 - Electric Boogaloo; A Missouri State reps want people to move; How Culture War Reactions Impact Politics; Pennsylvania Has Flipped Blue

13 februari 2023 | 72 min

The Flyover View, February 10, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

10 februari 2023 | 15 min

Dirt Road Democrat | The Gun Violence Epidemic with guest Stu Durando, author of "Under the Gun: A children's hospital on the front line of an American crisis"

9 februari 2023 | 29 min

The Delta, E42 - M&M Wrappers: Why Did We Skip the Critical Thinking Questions?

8 februari 2023 | 36 min

"You have to protect them from their legislature." Rabbi Daniel Bogard speaks as a parent of a trans child in Missouri.

7 februari 2023 | 38 min

Talkin' Politics | Feb. 6th, 2023 - Adam's Open; Gov. Kelly Killing It; Chinese Surveillance Balloon; MO GOP Taking Away Voters Voice; Big Oil Climate Suits

6 februari 2023 | 75 min

The Flyover View, February 3, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

3 februari 2023 | 17 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Dismantling Public Schools & The Money Behind The Movement with Jennifer Berkshire, co-author of "A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door: The Dismantling of Public Education and the Future of School "

2 februari 2023 | 27 min

Host: Jess Piper @piper4missouri on Twitter

Guest: Jennifer Berkshire @BisforBerkshire on Twitter

"A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door: The Dismantling of Public Education and the Future of School"
https://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Schoolhouse-Door-Dismantling-Education/dp/1620974940

A trenchant analysis of how public education is being destroyed in overt and deceptive ways--and how to fight back
Across the U.S., state legislatures-often under the cover of darkness, and usually in spite of public opposition-are passing bills that channel public dollars to private schools. These voucher schemes promise to transfer billions from state treasuries to upper-income families. But that's just the start. Opponents of public schools want to dismantle the public education system entirely. Outrageous and unfounded attacks on the schools-about Critical Race Theory, "gender ideology," and "grooming"-are all part of a broader strategy to sow doubt and distrust. This is the end game.

Education historian Jack Schneider and journalist Jennifer Berkshire trace the war on public education to its origins, offering the deep backstory necessary to understand the threat presently posed to America's schools. The book also looks forward to imagine how current policy efforts will reshape the educational landscape and remake America's future. A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door offers readers a lively, accessible, yet scholarly view of a decades-long conservative cause: unmaking the system that serves over 90% of students in the U.S. Presenting a clear view of the ideology motivating this assault, the book also maps the future-outlining how current policy efforts will reshape the educational landscape and remake American democracy.

Heartland POD on Twitter - @TheHeartlandPOD

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85 (Twitter) @adam_sommer85 (Post)

Rachel Parker @msraitchetp (Post)

Sean Diller @SeanDillerCO (Post)

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“Change The Conversation”

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

High Country Politics - Feb 1, 2023 - Government News from the American West

1 februari 2023 | 19 min

Anti-Abortion Groups vs. the FDA | Colorado legislators seek big boost in Special Education funding | Catholic hospitals no longer performing tubal ligations after Dobbs decision | Cannabis legalization seems to be okay | RJD2 is the Concert Pick of the Week

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

DENVER (AP)

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Anti-Abortion Groups vs. the FDA

BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - JANUARY 31, 2023 3:45 AM

Reproductive rights advocates in Colorado were feeling optimistic following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to expand access to the abortion pill mifepristone in early January — but a federal lawsuit filed just 10 days later has made the future of medication abortions uncertain.

On Jan. 3 the FDA issued a decision that allows the abortion drug mifepristone to be picked up at a pharmacy if the patient has a prescription, eliminating a previous requirement that the drug be given directly from a health care provider.

Dr. Kristina Tocce, medical director at Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, said the FDA’s decision is a “really big breakthrough” that should increase access across the country.

América Ramirez, program director for the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, said it’s exciting to see expanded access and agreed it could be beneficial for people across the state, especially the Latina community.

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat who co-chairs the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, said during a recent press conference with news reporters that the caucus is working with the Biden administration to ensure the U.S. Postal Service will be able to deliver abortion medications when prescribed by an out-of-state doctor.

Karen Middleton, president of Cobalt, a Colorado-based reproductive rights advocacy organization, said the FDA’s decision will be particularly beneficial for Coloradans outside of the Denver metro area, so long as their pharmacies are willing to participate. But, she said while this is a positive step forward, there are still too many “bureaucratic and cost barriers” for those seeking abortion care.

“We’ve known for years that medication abortion care is overwhelmingly safe and effective,” Middleton said in an email. “We hope that Colorado pharmacies, especially in rural areas, will make it available to patients as soon as possible and without bureaucratic delay.”

But anti-abortion groups have sued to stop pharmacies from filling prescriptions for mifepristone, and the case will likely go all the way to the Supreme Court.

The lawsuit argues the FDA “exceeded its regulatory authority” in approving the use of mifepristone and misoprostol to end a pregnancy, and seeks a preliminary and a permanent injunction that would remove the FDA’s approval. That would imply that Congress should decide, which is of course, dumb.

Attorneys for the U.S. Justice Department said there are no examples in history where a court has second-guessed a determination from the FDA that a drug is safe and effective.

Karen Middleton said the lawsuit was the anti-abortion groups’ only choice, as they “know that they’ll lose at the ballot box” since purple and red state voters repeatedly voted to protect abortion rights in 2022.

“That’s why these radicals are bringing legal challenges in Federal District Courts with conservative judges — to weaponize the legal system to end legal abortion access,” Middleton said.

Fawn Bolak, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, called the lawsuit a “politically-motivated attack” that has “no basis in science,” as the drug has been used safely and legally since it was approved by the FDA more than 20 years ago. This lawsuit is designed to push abortion care further out of reach for the most vulnerable.

“Exploiting the legal system in an attempt to prevent people from accessing safe, essential health care is unconscionably cruel. Rest assured PPRM will continue to provide safe and legal abortion care to our patients — no matter the outcome in this case.”

CHALKBEAT COLORADO: Education Committee backs big boost in Special Ed Spending

Colorado would fund special education at the levels lawmakers promised back in 2006, under legislation recommended unanimously Friday by a special committee on school finance.

The special education bill would reimburse districts $6,000 for each student with what’s known as a Tier B disability, and who requires more intensive support for students to be successful in school.

These include dyslexia, autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, deafness, blindness, emotional disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries, among others.

The bill also calls for Tier B funding to increase every year by the rate of inflation.

Both the federal and state governments require school districts to provide a “free and appropriate” education to all students, including those with disabilities, but they pay just a fraction of the cost. That won’t change with this bill.

School districts would still bear about two-thirds of the additional cost of providing special education services, but a few years ago, the state was paying less than half of what it had promised.

The new bill would add $40.2 million in special education funding to next year’s budget, bringing the total to at least $340 million, a 13% increase. The amount could be more, depending on how lawmakers handle requirements to respond to inflation. The bill could also get scaled back, in future budget committee negotiations.

The special education bill, sponsored by state Sens. Rachel Zenzinger (D-Arvada) and Barbara Kirkmeyer, a Brighton Republican, along with state Reps. Kipp and Lisa Frizell, a Castle Rock Republican, will be the only bill to come out of the Interim Committee on School Finance this session.

Sen Zenzinger, who also chairs the Joint Budget Committee and serves on the interim committee on school finance, sounded a note of caution even as she signed on as a prime sponsor of the funding increase bill.

“We’ll put it out there as what we’d like to see, and we’ll see what’s available to us in the budget,” she said.

Bureau Chief Erica Meltzer covers education policy and politics and oversees Chalkbeat Colorado’s education coverage. Contact Erica at [email protected].

COLORADO SUN: Catholic hospitals crack down on contraception

Jennifer Brown

4:00 AM MST on Jan 31, 2023

Colorado has one of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country, but health care advocates say women in rural and mountain towns often lack reproductive health care access

When the only hospital in Durango with a maternity ward decided that it would no longer let women get their tubes tied, there was no public announcement.

Mercy Hospital’s website doesn’t spell it out, either.

Instead, a read-between-the-lines statement added to the Centura Health hospital’s website in September noted that Mercy is “responsible for conducting itself in a manner consistent with the ethical principles of the Catholic church ministry.”

The hospital had recently completed a “re-education” of hospital staff and board members regarding the church’s ethical and religious directives, it said, adding that “patients are fully informed of all treatment options.”

Doctors who deliver babies at Mercy said they were told that beginning April 15, they can no longer provide post-cesarean-section tubal ligations - a sterilization procedure in which the fallopian tubes are cut.

Women who have decided not to have more children often have their tubes tied immediately after a C-section, when they are already under spinal anesthesia, sparing them from the risk, cost, and hassle of scheduling a separate second procedure.

The hospital already prohibited tubal ligations after vaginal births, but had been allowing them after C-sections because of the undue burden it placed on patients.

It’s been up to obstetricians to tell their pregnant patients that they will have to go elsewhere for permanent birth control.

Dr. Kimberly Priebe, who delivers 90-100 babies a year and has been an obstetrician-gynecologist in Durango for 20 years said “Patients are furious. This decision undermines our patients’ trust in Centura.”

Mercy’s prohibition of sterilization comes as health care advocates across the country are concerned about diminishing reproductive rights after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Even in Colorado, a state with statutory protection for abortion and one of the least restrictive abortion laws in the country, women are losing access to reproductive health care, particularly in rural and mountain areas where there is only one hospital in town.

Mergers that have joined Catholic health systems with secular or protestant systems have created a confusing health landscape for patients seeking abortions or birth control.

Centura Health, formed in 1996 by the merger of Catholic Health Initiatives and Adventist Health System, has 16 hospitals in Colorado and three in Kansas. The Catholic hospitals, including Mercy, follow the Catholic directives, while the Adventist hospitals do not.

In Denver, doctors affiliated with Centura Health can steer patients who want their tubes tied to nearby hospitals. But in Durango - and other towns with just one hospital - that’s not an option.

Sophia Mayott-Guerrero, senior organizing strategist with ACLU of Colorado said “We really are seeing a trend with hospitals, insurance companies, pharmacies, other health care entities, discriminating against people by denying basic care … all in the name of religion. The main target is reproductive access, including birth control, emergency contraception, sterilization and abortions.

“We can’t really consider access to reproductive health care in Colorado universally protected until everybody in every corner of our state has access. There’s often this perception that everybody in Colorado has access to abortion and to reproductive health care and that is just fundamentally untrue, especially in the rural parts of the state where you just don’t have additional options.”

It’s unclear why Mercy Hospital had been allowing tubal ligations after C-sections and what led to the change. CommonSpirit Health, the Catholic owner of Mercy and other Catholic hospitals, said they had no updates to provide. The Diocese of Pueblo, which includes all of southern Colorado, referred questions to Centura Health.

Centura Health officials would not give an interview about the change at Mercy, or explain why it’s happening now, considering that Mercy has been Catholic since it was founded.

The only exception is for women predisposed to cancer

After the latest “reeducation” of the Catholic directives, Mercy said it would allow tubal ligations post C-section for only one reason — if the woman has a genetic predisposition to ovarian or breast cancer. — Dr. Kimberly Priebe, Four Corners Obstetrics and Gynecology said “This is a very small number of women, and what an arbitrary exception.”

“What about women with hypertension, diabetes, blood clotting disorders, uterine abnormalities, and the many other risk factors that can make pregnancy deadly? It seems the Catholic church does not want a woman dying of cancer but during pregnancy is OK?”

With the new Mercy policy prohibiting tubal ligations after C-section, doctors will send those patients to the local surgical hospital, though they are concerned about overwhelming the center.

And, doctors say, forcing women to schedule the procedure separate from their hospital delivery puts them at unnecessary risk, disrupts their lives with more time away from work, and costs the health system more money.

The Medicaid billing rate for a doctor performing a tubal ligation post C-section is a $90 add-on and takes about 10 minutes, doctors said, not including anesthesia and facility fees.

Patients who go to Animas Surgical Hospital for a standalone tubal ligation would likely have to pay thousands of dollars for the procedure. The hospital’s cash-pay price for the procedure for people without insurance is $9,900.

“Patients do not understand how a health care option can be refused when our hospital gets public money and purports to put patient care first,” Dr Priebe said.

Pregnant patients in Summit County also face tough choices. Like in Durango, the only hospital is Catholic.

St. Anthony Summit Medical Center in Frisco, part of Centura Health, does not provide tubal ligations.

Dr. Amy Tomlinson, an OB-GYN in Summit County, has had to explain to hundreds of patients that they cannot get their tubes tied at the hospital where they plan to give birth.

“Usually, honestly, it was a huff and a sigh and an eye roll,” she said. “Sometimes it was a jaw drop and a shake of the head. But I think women are so used to being second-class citizens in this society that I don’t think it was ever terribly surprising to people.”

Summit County women have the choice of delivering at St. Anthony and then getting their tubes tied later at another hospital, or driving more than an hour to Denver to deliver their baby so they can have the procedure at the same time. And for women who already have a C-section scar on their uterus, it’s especially dangerous to ask them to drive that far in labor, Tomlinson said.

“The Catholic position is, ‘If you don’t like it, you can go somewhere else,’” she said. “Well, it’s not like you can go across town when your hospital is the only one in a tri-county radius. We essentially become an island during snowstorms up here. Even if a patient wants to go elsewhere, she may not be able to get there. And then you are asking women to drive an hour or more while they are laboring. Why would we put women at risk for rupturing their uterus or for giving birth on the side of the road?”

Tomlinson, who is opening her own practice but in the past worked at High Country Healthcare, recalled that while removing severe scar tissue from the uterus of a patient at St. Anthony Summit, she had to ask permission from the bishop to place an IUD in the woman’s uterus in order to keep it open and prevent pain. The woman had in the past had a tubal ligation so she was already sterile, but the Catholic hospital still required her to get permission to place the birth-control method, called an intrauterine device.

And in 2010, Tomlinson gave a presentation to the St. Anthony Summit board to persuade them not to prohibit treatment of ectopic pregnancies. In the post-Roe v. Wade era, doctors across the nation have reported confusion about whether treating an ectopic pregnancy — which is when a fertilized egg implants in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus — is considered an abortion.

In another large hospital system - SCL Health - Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver and St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction — operate under the ethical and religious directives, meaning they do not provide sterilizations.

Two of SCL’s secular hospitals — Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge and Good Samaritan Medical Center in Lafayette — also operate under the same compliance with Catholic directives, said Gregg Moss, spokesman for SCL Health.

Moss referred The Colorado Sun to an SCL Health webpage that explains the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services - they were first published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1948.

The hospital system’s webpage does not specifically mention birth control, tubal ligations or abortions, but says that in today’s society, Catholic hospitals are “pressured to provide medical procedures that are contrary to Catholic teaching.”

“And by refusing to provide or permit such medical procedures, Catholic health care affirms what defines it: a commitment to the sacredness and dignity of human life from conception until death,” it says.

Mannat Singh, executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, excoriated the choices being made by Catholic hospitals.

“It is a basic human right to seek, or refuse, reproductive health care, and we will continue to work to ensure there are no barriers to seeking that care,” she said.

COLORADO SUN: Well, it ain’t a gateway drug.

John Ingold

3:55 AM MST on Jan 31, 2023

Last year, a study came out showing that marijuana legalization in Colorado likely increased cannabis use among adults in the state.

Because of the novel methods the researchers used to examine the question, the study was perhaps the best answer to date on one of legalization’s biggest impacts. But it also left an even bigger question unanswered: If adults are consuming more cannabis and more frequently, is that bad?

Now, in a follow-up study by the same team, the researchers have come to an answer: it doesn’t seem to be.

Stephanie Zellers, one of the researchers, said “At least from the psychological point of view, we really didn’t find that legalized cannabis has had a lot of negative influence, which I think is important.”

Zellers recently graduated with a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Minnesota, but she began her doctoral work at the University of Colorado before transferring when her thesis adviser changed jobs. She had originally been interested in neuroscience research, but the necessity of using live lab animals for the work was off-putting.

And, in the Colorado-to-Minnesota connection, she found a trove of data that could be used in never-before-tried ways.

The data are from longitudinal studies of twins in Colorado or Minnesota. Researchers in both states followed the twins over long periods of time, collecting information about their behaviors, including their cannabis use. The survey information, then, creates an ideal scenario for study: It is thorough, it has built-in controls for variables like socioeconomic status, and it helps account for genetic differences.

“That twin component really allows us to rule out what could be noisy variables — cultural differences, family differences, things like that,” Zellers said.

On top of that, because Colorado has legalized marijuana and Minnesota hasn’t (at least so far) — and because some twins born in Minnesota moved to Colorado and vice versa — the data provide an ideal opportunity to study the way legalization in Colorado a decade ago has influenced people’s behavior ever since.

The original study, published last fall, simply asked whether twins living in legal-marijuana states use marijuana more than twins living in prohibition states. And the answer is yes — about 20% more, according to the research.

That answer was interesting, but “Really what people care about is: Is legalization harmful,” she said.

To answer that question, the team came up with 23 measures of what they call “psychological dysfunction.” This includes things like substance-use disorders, but also financial woes, mental health distress, community disengagement, and relationship issues.

The team looked at data on more than 4,000 people — 40% of whom live in a legal-marijuana state.

Zellers said what the researchers found was unexpected: They basically found nothing.

“Obviously the cannabis use increases, but we didn’t see an increase in cannabis-use disorder, which is a little surprising,” she said. “We didn’t really see changes in how much people were drinking or using tobacco. No large personality, or workplace, or IQ differences, or anything like that.”

People in legal states did not report using illegal drugs at higher rates. Researchers also didn’t find a link between marijuana legalization and psychotic behavior.

They did find one difference, though. People living in a state where recreational marijuana use is prohibited reported higher rates of alcohol-use disorder and more specifically one symptom of the condition: They were more likely to report using alcohol in situations that were dangerous or harmful, such as driving drunk.

To Zellers and other researchers, the study provides valuable information for the ongoing debate over whether cannabis legalization is a good idea. But it’s not the final word.

CU psychology and neuroscience professor John Hewitt, one of the study’s co-authors, said in a statement that “Our study suggests we should not be overly concerned about everyday adult use in a legalized environment, but no drug is risk-free. It would be a mistake to dismiss the risks from higher doses of a drug that is relatively safe in small amounts.”

This highlights one of the study’s big limitations. Zellers said most of the people included in the twins data are relatively light cannabis users. The sample size for heavy users is small.

“Our sample is an adult community sample broadly characterized by low levels of substance use and psychosocial dysfunction,” the researchers write. This limits our ability to generalize relationships between legalization, outcomes and risk factors for the individuals at greatest risk.”

Zellers said she and her colleagues are hoping to publish another study based on their data — but this one will be less concerned about the impacts of marijuana legalization as a policy.

Instead, it will try to look at how much cannabis people have used over their lifetimes and then score that against the same measures of psychological dysfunction “to see if, not the policy, but the actual substance itself has an effect”

And if YOU want to see about substances and their effects, don’t miss the unsolicited concert of the week

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: RJD2 with just 2 upcoming dates - Friday Feb 3 at the Music Box in San Diego, and Saturday Feb 4th at the Gothic Theatre in Denver. There should also be lots of fun stuff in lots of fun places this weekend for Bob Marley’s birthday, February 6.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Colorado Newsline, Colorado Sun, Chalkbeat Colorado, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Extremism In Legislation In A Red State: A 30,000 Foot View From Missouri

31 januari 2023 | 25 min

Talkin' Politics | January 30, 2023 - George Santos Reaches New Levels of "Wait... what?"; The Autocratic People's Republic Of Missouri; Caucus Season In Congress; Trump Is Back On Facebook, Kind Of

30 januari 2023 | 83 min

The Flyover View, January 27, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

27 januari 2023 | 16 min

Dirt Road Democrat | School Voucher Scams w/ Prof. of Education Josh Cowen

26 januari 2023 | 35 min

The Delta, E41 - CRT: The Difference is Clear

25 januari 2023 | 39 min

Let's Have A Chat | Stephen Weber (D - MO) An Eagle Scout, A Marine, A Lawyer, and a former State Rep., Running For MO State Senate in Boone Co. 19th District

24 januari 2023 | 33 min

Talkin' Politics | 1/2323 - "Woke" The New Four Letter Word; Moderate Republican Myth?; Wisconsin GOP Brings Back Conversion Therapy; Americans United Sues Missouri For Violation of First Amendment With Abortion Law; Culture War Deep Dive

23 januari 2023 | 79 min

The Flyover View, January 20, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

20 januari 2023 | 14 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Ep. 3 "Being A Woman In A Red State"

19 januari 2023 | 33 min

High Country Politics - January 18, 2023 - Government News from the American West

18 januari 2023 | 29 min

Colorado Gov Jared Polis delivers State of the State address to legislators | First bills filed in Colorado General Assembly | Interview w Democratic State Rep Matt Martinez, sponsor of a bill that would reduce prison sentences for nonviolent inmates who earn accredited degrees while incarcerated | Free Universal Pre-K application opens in Colorado | Arizona Gov Katie Hobbs calls for $40 Million DREAMER scholarship fund

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

DENVER (AP) — In yesterday’s state of the state speech to lawmakers, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis laid out his vision to tackle the state's sky-high housing prices - including proposals to roll back building regulations, open public land to affordable housing development, and support innovations such as pre-built units.

Polis, a Democrat re-elected in November, also touched on efforts to combat climate change, lower the state income tax, measures to reduce crime, and expanded education funding.

Polis, the first openly gay governor in the U.S., starts his second term after a shooting at a Colorado Springs gay nightclub in November left five dead and has renewed calls by Democrats to enact stricter gun regulations.

Looking down from the gallery were Richard Fierro and Thomas James, two patrons who tackled the shooter inside the club, as Polis read the names of those killed, asked for a moment of silence and nodded towards concerns around “spiraling hate speech.”

Polis addressed gun violence but largely skirted Democrat proposals that included raising the minimum age to buy guns and potentially banning assault weapons.

Polis told reporters after his address. “We are happy to discuss other ideas about how we can improve gun safety in Colorado and honor our Second Amendment rights,"

Polis lauded government intervention on housing, citing a ballot measure that Coloradans passed in November that dedicates an estimated $300 million annually to affordable housing. Polis said he also plans to “aggressively” free up parcels of state-owned land for low-income units.

Polis gave his speech — which referenced everything from electric vehicle tax credits to "The Lord of the Rings” character Gandalf the Grey — after securing almost 60% of the vote in a state where Independent voters are one-third of the electorate. Polis’s appeal has stirred rumors of a future presidential run.

“Our state might be shaped like a square but the political pundits can’t put us in a box,” Polis said. “We are a state that just this year voted to once again cut income taxes, while legalizing magic mushrooms.”

Jesse Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Colorado legislature’s first bills

Soon after the Colorado General Assembly convened for the 2023 legislative session on Monday, members introduced the first bills of the year, offering a hint of Democratic priorities. Democrats enjoy large majorities in both legislative chambers.

House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Democrat from Dillon, said “This session, we’ll pass legislation to protect our water and air, invest in our schools, improve public safety, and make our state more affordable.

Our first five bills are just the beginning, and we’re excited to get to work building a Colorado where everyone can thrive,”

In the House, the first five bills center on education investments, health care costs, mental health, language accessibility and water efficiency.

House Bill 23-1001 would expand the eligibility for financial assistance and loan forgiveness for educators to address the state’s teacher shortage. It is sponsored by Democratic Reps. Cathy Kipp of Fort Collins and Barbara McLachlan of Durango and Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada.

House Bill 23-1002 would create an EpiPen affordability program for people who do not have health insurance. It would cap the cost of a two-pack of EpiPens, often used to treat severe allergic reactions, at $60. It is sponsored by Rep. Javier Mabrey, a Denver Democrat, and Sen. Dylan Roberts, an Avon Democrat.

House Bill 23-1003 would form a mental health assessment program for Colorado youth in order to identify student mental health concerns and direct them to resources. It would be available in public schools for students in sixth through 12th grades. It is sponsored by Rep. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, an Aurora Democrat, and Sen. Lisa Cutter, a Littleton Democrat.

In the Senate, the first five bills introduced involve housing, health care costs, education and workforce development for mental health and forestry professionals. Three of them have bipartisan sponsorship.

Senate Bill 23-1 would provide $13 million to the Public-Private Partnership Office to encourage affordable workforce housing on state-owned land. The bill is sponsored by Roberts, Zenzinger, Rep. Shannon Bird, a Westminster Democrat, and Rep. Meghan Lukens, a Steamboat Springs Democrat.

Senate Bill 23-2 would direct the state to seek federal authorization for Medicaid reimbursement for community health worker services. Community health care workers serve as a liaison between providers and community members and can often have a personal experience with a health condition and a cultural background they share with the community they serve. The bipartisan bill is sponsored by McCluskie, Sen. Kyle Mullica, a Federal Heights Democrat, Sen. Cleave Simpson, an Alamosa Republican, and Rep. Mary Bradfield, a Colorado Springs Republican.

Senate Bill 23-3 would create the Colorado Adult High School Program for adults to earn a high school diploma at no cost and enter the workforce. The program would include transportation support and child care. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Janet Buckner, an Aurora Democrat, Sen. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican, and Rep. Mike Weissman, an Aurora Democrat.

Two bills focus on the workforce shortage in our schools and in our forests. SB-4 would authorize schools to hire mental health professionals who are not licensed by the state Department of Education but hold a Colorado license for their profession. It is sponsored by Sen. Janice Marchman, a Loveland Democrat, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, a Longmont Democrat, and Michaelson Jenet.

SB-5 involves wildfire mitigation and forestry professionals. It would direct the Colorado State Forest Service to create educational materials on the industry and create a new forestry program at Colorado Mountain College, among other provisions.

REP MATT MARTINEZ INTERVIEW

HB23-1037

Department Of Corrections Earned Time For College Program Completion

Concerning awarding earned time to nonviolent offenders who complete an accredited higher education program.

SESSION: 2023 Regular Session

SUBJECT: Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement

BILL SUMMARY

Under existing law, an inmate in the custody of the department of corrections (department) may have earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for meeting certain statutory requirements. The bill permits an inmate sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense to have earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for each accredited degree or other credential awarded by an accredited institution of higher education to the inmate while the inmate is incarcerated, in the following amounts:

One year of earned time for receiving an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree; and

6 months of earned time for receiving a certificate or other credential.

The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate the savings incurred during the prior state fiscal year as a result of the release of inmates from correctional facilities because of earned time granted for completion of a higher education degree or credential, as follows:

50% of the savings to the department of corrections to facilitate inmates enrolling in and completing accredited higher education programs; and

50% of the savings to the department of higher education for allocation to institutions of higher education that offer accredited programs in correctional facilities.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Read Less

CHALKBEAT COLORADO:

Colorado’s free preschool application is open. Here’s what you need to know.

The parent application for Colorado’s new free preschool program opened yesterday— a major milestone in the march toward the program’s launch next summer.

The program, funded in part by a voter-approved nicotine tax, will offer 10 to 15 hours a week of tuition-free preschool to 4-year-olds statewide, with some eligible for 30 hours a week.

In addition, some 3-year-olds will be eligible for 10 hours a week early childhood education.

Families who fill out the application by Feb. 14, will find out what preschool their child matched with on March 10.

State officials expect about 30,000 children to opt into the universal preschool program in its first year. That’s about half the number that will be eligible.

SO: Who gets free preschool and what age do they have to be?

Three groups of children qualify: all 4-year-olds, some 3-year-olds who need extra help, and a small number of 5-year-olds who are too young for kindergarten. The goal is for kids to be more prepared for kindergarten.

Some 4-year-olds will get 30 hours of free preschool a week, including those from lower-income families, kids who speak a language besides English at home, are homeless, in foster care, or have disabilities.

The new preschool program will also cover 10 hours a week of preschool for 3-year-olds in these same groups.

What’s involved in the application? Are there income requirements?

Many families will need about 15 minutes and not much else. The application is offered in English, Spanish, and Arabic, and parents should be able to complete the application on a cell phone or computer.

Families that earn up to 270% of the federal poverty limit — about $81,000 a year for a family of four —will need to upload documents that prove their income.

Can I pick my child’s preschool?

Yes. Families will be asked to pick up to five preschools they’d like their child to attend and will be able to rank their choices. Options include school-based preschools, church-based preschools, preschool programs inside child care centers, and state-licensed home-based preschools.

Children will be prioritized for a spot in a preschool if they’re already enrolled there, if a sibling is enrolled there, or if a parent works there.

When does free preschool start in Colorado?

August or September of this fall, depending on the specific preschool.

For more information check out upk.colorado.gov or you can also contact the state’s help desk at 303-866-5223

Do you have a question you don’t see answered here or can’t find the answer to elsewhere? Let us know at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to find an answer.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at [email protected].

ARIZONA MIRROR: Governor Hobbs wants a scholarship for DREAMERS.

More than 3,000 undocumented students in Arizona could see their dreams of a college degree come true under a new scholarship proposed by Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Dubbed the Promise for Dreamers Scholarship Program, the $40 million dollar investment is aimed at supporting undocumented students who’ve attended an Arizona high school for at least two years. Scholarships from the program help fund four years at one of the state’s three public universities

The new scholarship program debuted in Hobbs’ State of the State speech last week, where she billed it as an extension of Proposition 308 which allows DREAMERS to pay in-state tuition and access state-funded financial help.

Reyna Montoya, who was part of the effort to pass Prop. 308 said that even though it improves access to higher education, but it doesn’t resolve the inequality undocumented students face at the federal level. To fill out the FAFSA, which determines a student’s eligibility for low-income loans and scholarships like the Pell Grant, citizenship is a requirement.

If you’re a low-income student, typically you have other supports, like the Pell Grant,” Montoya said. If you’re a Dreamer, and you’re getting ready to graduate from high school, you’re not eligible. Even paying in-state tuition is going to be a steep challenge if you’re trying to pay for school completely out of your own pocket.

“Seeing the same heartache time after time — I get the chills to think that we can have different conversations with our students looking ahead. We don’t have to tell them, ‘You’re limited to these extremelydifficult pathways if you want to obtain an education,’” she said.

Montoya is also hopeful that the scholarship will benefit the state’s future by creating a more educated workforce and helping to mitigate labor shortages. Arizona is currently grappling with teacher vacancies and faces a projected nursing shortage by 2030.

“This would really help us close a lot of the workforce gaps that we have in the state,” she said, adding: “It’s in our benefit to see education as an investment rather than an expense.”

Potential future benefits are a significant argument in favor of the scholarship, said Tyler Montague, chairman of the Yes on 308 campaign.

“It’s a big payback. Everybody that we get through college — as compared to just high school — makes $650,000 to $1 million more over their lifetime, and they’re putting that money back into the economy. And they pay, on average, $380,000 more over their lifetime in taxes, which is a massive financial return,” he said, citing national studies.

Also important to consider are the social returns that college grads provide, Montague added. People who earn a college degree are less likely to incur social costs, and are more involved in their communities.

Montague hopes that the Republican-majority legislature gives the scholarship fund a fair shot, and keeps in mind the support that voters gave Prop. 308 as an indicator for the consensus around aiding undocumented youth in the state.

“I would hope that the legislature takes their cue from (308) and acts accordingly,” he said.

The proposition passed with a narrow 51% majority, but the approval across party lines was widespread, with as many as 27% of Republicans and 54% of Independents voting yes. Still, while Arizona voters agreed to level the playing field in university tuition rates, some Republican leaders in the legislature are balking at opening up access to state-funded scholarships.

“Gov. KATIE HOBBS in her State of State stated that she would like to invest $40 million to help pay for illegal immigrants to attend college in Arizona,” tweeted House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci. “What about LEGAL citizens of Arizona or any other state?”

Hobbs’ budget proposal also includes an equivalent $40 million increase to the state’s existing Arizona Promise Program, which she estimated on Monday could benefit as many as 10,000 more students. Last year, 4,000 students benefited.

While the underlying legislation of Prop. 308 found bipartisan support, and was proposed by a Republican state senator, Hobbs’ initiative may face an uphill battle in a statehouse with a more conservative bent to it. Enacting it through legislative channels isn’t her only option; she could resort to issuing an executive order or negotiate with the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s universities. It’s unclear, however, what path the governor’s office will take; they did not respond to questions about what strategies it might consider to create the new scholarship fund.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK:

Billy Strings has 3 sold out shows February 2, 3, and 4 at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield. At just 30 years old, Billy Strings is one of the most celebrated bluegrass musicians in America. He is known as an electric performer, keeping the improvisational tradition of bluegrass alive while incorporating a diverse variety of other genres into his music as well. Tickets and tour info at BillyStrings.com

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Colorado Newsline, Arizona Mirror, Chalkbeat Colorado, Indian Country Times and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Let's Have A Chat | Mica Soellner of The Washington Times, In The Room Where It Happened

17 januari 2023 | 22 min

Talkin' Politics 1/16/23 | Kati Porter For Senate; Missouri Makes National News For The Right To Bare Arms; Non-Compete Clause FTC Rule Proposal; Interpreting National Media Prediction BS; Last Call Preview "The Dog Caught The Car"

16 januari 2023 | 56 min

The Flyover View, January 13, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

13 januari 2023 | 14 min

Dirt Road Democrat | Being A Blue Dot & The Abandoned Rural Voter

12 januari 2023 | 28 min

The Delta, E40 - Our Strange World of Resolutions

11 januari 2023 | 35 min

Talkin' Politics | The Year Of The Mega Rich Self-Own; Missouri State Legislature Session Begins and Steven Weber(D) Announces 2024 Run; Trump Grand Jury In Georgia Completes Work

10 januari 2023 | 42 min

Talkin' Politics | January 6th Anniversary and Brazil's Own Insurrection; CPAC Organizer Alleged Sexual Abuse; Lucas Kunce Calls Out Josh Hawley; Kevin McCarthy (Eventually) Became Speaker, So Now What?

9 januari 2023 | 70 min

Dirt Road Democrat | What Does It Mean To Be A Dirt Road Democrat? Special BONUS Episode

7 januari 2023 | 14 min

The Flyover View, January 06, 2023 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

6 januari 2023 | 16 min

Dirt Road Democrat |The GOP Attack On Public Education & The Grifter Economy

4 januari 2023 | 29 min

High Country Politics - Government and Elections News from the American West - January 4, 2023

4 januari 2023 | 12 min

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Support this show and all the work in the Heartland POD universe by going to heartlandpod.com and clicking the link for Patreon, or go to Patreon.com/HeartlandPod to sign up.

Membership starts at $1/month, with even more extra shows and special access at the higher levels.

No matter the level you choose, your membership helps us create these independent shows as we work together to change the conversation.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

NEVADA CURRENT:

Get insurance while the gettin’ is good

Open enrollment for health insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act in Nevada, and nationwide for that matter, ends on Jan 15. It’s anticipated to be the largest enrollment in the state’s history.

Across the U.S. nearly three in four people enrolled through the marketplace receive health care coverage that’s subsidized — the highest rate since the ACA was implemented.

A Biden administration spokesperson said “Nevada Health Link had a record-setting enrollment last year and with the expanded help of the Inflation Reduction Act, and we look forward to even more Nevadans finding quality, affordable health care for 2023,”

In 2022, enrollment hit record highs nationally and in Nevada, when 101,411 people signed up for coverage during open enrollment in the state, aided by subsidy enhancements in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Those savings amount to an average of $4,494 for a middle-class family of four in Nevada.

“The more enrolled we see, the healthier Nevada is,” said Katie Charleson, the communications officer at Silver State Health Insurance Exchange.

But while more people are getting access to health care than ever before, systemic barriers are still making it harder for some populations to get coverage.

Americans who have a high school education or less, are Hispanic, live in rural areas, or lack internet access at home are disproportionately underrepresented in the subsidized marketplace plans despite being eligible, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

For individuals who get enrolled in January, your coverage will begin February 1st, go to healthcare.gov to get insured.

SOURCE NM:

Congress green-lights NM plan to further tap the land grant fund for public education

A few lines in the 4,000-page budget bill recently signed by President Biden will mean hundreds of millions more in funding for New Mexico’s public school students each year.

Last year, voters in N.M. overwhelmingly approved pulling an additional 1.25% from the state’s multi-billion dollar Land Grant Permanent Fund, for education, each year. But because the fund was initially set up by Congress back when New Mexico first became a state, the shift in funds required Congress to sign off.

In the next fiscal year in New Mexico, over $200 million will be disbursed out of a pool of money that’s fed by revenue from oil, gas and mineral extraction on state-owned lands.

Over half of the funds are destined for the state’s early childhood education system, as it hires more staff and works to reach all corners of the state, providing free or low-cost child care and pre-kindergarten schooling.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich said “When we improve our education and child care system, we also make our state a better place to raise a family, to start or expand a business, to find a good-paying job, and to hire the best and brightest employees,”

The rest of the fresh funding will go to K-12 public education, beefing up instruction for students who are at-risk, making the school year longer and paying teachers better.

Advocates say infusing public education with much-needed resources will go a long way toward putting New Mexico into compliance with a court order to provide equitable education to all of the state’s students,

including those who are Indigenous, come from families with low incomes, have disabilities, or who are learning English.

according to the judge’s ruling in the Yazzie-Martinez case, Those students have historically not received the quality of education they have a right to under the New Mexico Constitution

The effort to further tap the oil and gas funds for public schools in New Mexico has spanned years. With President Biden’s approval, it will finally cross the finish line.

COLORADO NEWSLINE:

Trump attorney Jenna Ellis of Colorado under investigation for alleged misconduct.

Jenna Ellis, the Colorado attorney who represented former President Donald Trump as he tried to overturn the 2020 election, is under investigation by the Colorado Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.

Ellis has been the target of formal complaints regarding what critics characterized as her professional misconduct connected to Trump’s effort to reverse the results of a free and fair election. In May a complaint from the States United Democracy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, asked Colorado Attorney Regulation Counsel Jessica Yates to investigate Ellis for multiple alleged violations of professional rules and impose possible “substantial professional discipline.”

In the final report of the U.S. House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, Ellis is described as the deputy to Trump campaign lawyer Rudy Giuliani,

The complaint says “Ellis made numerous public misrepresentations alleging fraud in the election — even as federal and state election officials repeatedly found that no fraud had occurred that could have altered the outcome and even as Mr. Trump and his allies brought and lost over 60 lawsuits claiming election fraud or illegality.”

Among the many alleged instances of misconduct the complaint cites, it notes that Ellis urged lawmakers in various swing states to intervene on Trump’s behalf and even certify false electors for Trump, and it says she drafted dishonest memos purporting to give legal rationale for then-Vice President Mike Pence to block the congressional electoral count on Jan. 6, 2021.

In a deposition Ellis gave to the Jan. 6 committee in March, a transcript of which the committee released this week, she indicates that Colorado is the only state where she has bar membership. During the deposition a questioner referred to a $22,500 invoice Ellis submitted to Trump for work she performed in December 2020 and January 2021. Ellis invoked her Fifth Amendment right not to answer whether she received payment.

CHALKBEAT COLORADO:

How to fund Colorado schools in ways that reflect student needs. How to open college opportunities to more students. How to narrow pandemic learning gaps, especially in math.

When Colorado lawmakers convene Jan. 9, they’ll have pressing education issues to address, competing needs to balance, and a tricky budget to navigate.

Expect bills that seek to address youth mental health, school safety, and teacher shortages. Lawmakers could find bipartisan agreement on efforts to improve math instruction and better connect higher education and job opportunities. But debates over rewriting the school finance formula and overhauling the school accountability system could divide Democrats.

For a fifth session, Democrats will control both chambers and the governor’s office. They grew their majorities in November’s election. The Colorado General Assembly will be full of new members, many from the progressive wing of the party, potentially introducing new political dynamics.

At the same time, lawmakers with a long history of engagement on education issues have moved into leadership positions. Members of a special committee on school finance, for example, now lead the House Democrats, the Senate Republicans, and the powerful Joint Budget Committee. The House Education Committee has at least four former teachers, a former school board member, and members with experience in mental health and higher education administration.

Colorado economists expect the state to have more money in its 2023-24 budget, but inflation will play an outsize role controlling spending. And the risk of a recession could diminish revenue. Questions of short-term uncertainty and long-term sustainability will affect K-12 and higher education.

Here are seven issues we’ll be watching in the 2023 legislative session:

Is this the year? The interim committee on school finance has been trying for five years to rewrite a decades-old school finance formula that nearly everyone agrees is unfair.

The current formula sometimes sends more money to well-off districts than to ones serving more students in poverty, and no school district wants to get less than they get now. Bret Miles, head of the Colorado Association of School Executives, said his members would object to a formula rewrite that “takes from one school district to give it to another.”

State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, chair of the Joint Budget Committee, said one of her priorities will be developing a “hold-harmless” provision for the new formula. Fewer students and higher local property tax revenues take some pressure off state education funding obligations. Lawmakers could use that cushion, she said, then phase in a new formula to ensure no district gets less than it does now.

Brenda Dickhoner, president and CEO of the conservative education advocacy group Ready Colorado, expects Republicans to push their own priorities for school finance, which means more focus on money following students and less concern for the impact on district budgets.

Dickhoner said she hopes all sides are “at the table thinking about how we can more equitably fund our students and really get to a student-focused formula.”

State and national test data show that students’ math skills took a bigger hit from pandemic learning disruptions than did reading. Right now, Colorado doesn’t have the tools to address it.

House Education Chair Barbara McLachlan said she’s working with Gov. Jared Polis’ office on legislation that would better train teachers on best practices in math instruction and make training available to parents so they can better support their children.

In his November budget letter, Polis called on lawmakers to ensure that every school district adopts high-quality instructional materials and training and gets all students back on track in math.

How to improve math skills also remains a priority for conservatives. Dickhoner said her organization is looking to higher-performing states for ideas.

The push comes after years of intense focus on improving reading scores. Expect the debate over the math bills to mirror ones about reading instruction, including how much the state should be involved in setting curriculum.

Last year Colorado flirted with fully funding its K-12 system after years of holding back money for other budget priorities. But a last-minute deal to reduce property tax increases would have reduced state revenues, and Democrat lawmakers held back.

Getting more funding for schools is always a top priority for the Colorado Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, but wiping out the withholding known as the budget stabilization factor and fully funding Colorado schools are unlikely to happen this year.

Colorado will have less money overall after voters approved two ballot measures — one lowering the income tax rate and the other setting aside money for affordable housing. That shouldn’t cut into budgetary spending, but will reduce the buffer the state has in case of an emergency.

Zenzinger said it’s important to increase K-12 spending and that lawmakers hope to do better than the $9.1 billion proposed by Polis in his budget recommendation.

But budget writers also have their eye on long-term sustainability and any future recession.

The picture is different for higher education, which has to fight for scraps. Polis wants to increase university budgets and financial aid by 6.8%. Schools are expected to make a case for more funding, especially to keep tuition low and because inflation exceeds that.

Metropolitan State University of Denver President Janine Davidson said the school will seek more investment from lawmakers. Programs to help students from low-income backgrounds or who are the first to go to college in their family are costly, she said. And the state funds schools with a lower share than it did 30 years ago.

Lawmakers also may address how to ensure students can get to and stay in college.

Elaine Berman, Colorado Trustees Network chair, said college board members want more support for students who need skills or credentials for in-demand jobs. School trustees want more funds to build partnerships with businesses and communities to better connect college degrees to jobs, she said.

Lawmakers also may explore how to make it easier for students to get college and workforce skills earlier, including extending opportunities in college and vocational schools.

The Colorado Community College System also wants more college options for incarcerated people. The federal government will begin to allow those students access to federal grants, and the system wants the state to prepare for the changes. It’s also a priority for Representative-elect Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista, who led Adams State University’s prison education program.

“I think it’s time that we really boost up education for this population,” Martinez said.

Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Higher Education has a small agenda starting with removing military draft questions from college enrollment applications, which colleges report stops some students from enrolling.

Advocacy groups plan to ask lawmakers to make filling out the FAFSA a requirement to graduate. That’s the federal application for financial aid, and each year Colorado students who don’t finish the form leave behind almost $30 million in federal grants. Plus students who fill out the FAFSA are more likely to go to college, according to research.

“We want to make sure that we get it right,” said Kyra DeGruy Kennedy, Rocky Mountain region director for the advocacy group Young Invincibles. “And so if that means we have to wait another year, we’ll totally wait another year, but we are hopeful that this is a year that we’ll be able to make some progress on it.”

The top priority of CASE, the school executives group, is convening a task force to consider changes to the school accountability system. They will press this even though a recent audit found that the system is largely “reasonable and appropriate” and that most schools receiving state intervention improve.

Miles said the system still hurts school districts that receive low ratings called turnaround and priority improvement, even if the intentions are good.

“It’s terrific that they make a difference,” he said of the state teams that work with schools with low test scores. “It doesn’t change the fact that it’s harder to hire in a turnaround school than a performance school” — the schools that meet state academic goals.

Jen Walmer, state director of Democrats for Education Reform, said she expects any reform to be contentious, with debate about the makeup of the task force and the scope of its work — as well as whether Colorado needs a change at all.

ARIZONA MIRROR:

Katie Hobbs officially became Arizona’s governor on Monday, ushering in a new set of priorities and vision for the state and setting the stage for contentious battles with the GOP-controlled legislature.

She was administered the oath of office by Roopali Desai, a friend and former attorney who became a federal judge in 2022. Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Brutinel administered the oaths of office for Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes

The ascension of Hobbs to governor and the victories of Fontes and Mayes marks the first time since 1975 that Democrats have controlled the top three statewide posts. With it comes a new approach to governing that was immediately on display.

Just hours after taking the oath of office, Hobbs issued an executive order prohibiting employment discrimination in state agencies and requiring them to adopt anti-discrimination policies. By contrast, when Ducey assumed office in 2015, his first action was an executive order aimed at making it more difficult for state agencies to create regulations.

Hobbs campaigned on protecting abortion rights, funding public schools and making permanent programs like a child tax credit that would disproportionately benefit low- and middle-income families.

“Today marks a new era in Arizona, where my Administration will work to build an Arizona for everyone,” Hobbs said in a written statement after being sworn in. “It’s time for bold action and I feel ready as ever to get the job done. Let’s get to work.”

A public inauguration ceremony will be held at the state Capitol on Jan. 5.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK:

Colter Wall, playing the Mission Ballroom in Denver, two nights, Thursday and Friday January 19th and 20th.

Colter Wall and his music are from the prairies of southern Saskatchewan, where he lives and raises cattle. He sings traditionals known to most, historic reverie, and poignant originals, sure to be raising both goosebumps and beers throughout the evening.

His tour kicks off a month-long tour with 3 dates in Ft Worth and New Braunfels Texas next week, then Denver, Tulsa, OKC, St Louis, Memphis, Fayetteville AR, back to Dallas and finishing in Houston on Friday February 18. Colterwall.com

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, Chalkbeat Colorado, Arizona Mirror and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Attitude Reflects Leadership: A Chat With Michael Butler, Chair of the Missouri Democratic Party

3 januari 2023 | 54 min

Welcome to 2023: GOP Base Made Sen. Blunt's Job Too Hard; Right Wingers Walk Back 2020; Kevin McCarthy's Weak and Feckless Position; Ranked Choice Voting On The Table?; Last Call preview, The One About George Santos.

2 januari 2023 | 71 min

The Flyover View, December 23, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

23 december 2022 | 8 min

High Country - December 21, 2022 - Government and Politics News from the American West

21 december 2022 | 10 min

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Go to heartlandpod.com for information on all our political podcasts, and a link to support our work on Patreon. Sign up as an Official PODhead for just $5 per month to access all our premium podcast segments and political writing. To join the conversation on Twitter, find us at THE Heartland POD.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

NEVADA CURRENT:
Water managers across drought-stricken West agree on one thing: ‘This is going to be painful’

BY JENIFFER SOLIS - MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2022 5:25 AM

Water authorities in the Western U.S. don’t have a crystal ball, but rapidly receding reservoirs uncovering sunken boats and other debris lost in their depths decades ago give a clear view of the hard choices ahead.

If western states do not agree on a plan to safeguard the Colorado River — the source of the region’s vitality — there won’t be enough water for anyone.

Water managers, researchers, agricultural producers and others from across the drought-stricken river basin met in Las Vegas last week for the Colorado River Water Users Association annual convention to face hard truths about the state of the river and historically-low levels of its biggest reservoirs.

Two decades of drought and poor planning have caused the river’s biggest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — to drop to their lowest collective volume since they were filled.

Rebecca Mitchell, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board said “Time is not on our side. Hydrology is not on our side. That’s the frightening reality Every day that passes this problem gets harder and harder to solve.”

The water could drop below what’s needed to generate power as soon as next year, according to water experts. If nothing is done there is a real possibility water levels in both reservoirs will drop so low in the next two years that water will no longer flow downstream to the 40 million people in the West who rely on the Colorado River.

To put it in perspective, this winter both reservoirs were about a quarter full - 25%. In December 1999, Lake Powell was at 88% capacity, and Lake Mead was at 96% capacity.

In 2021, Lower basin states faced their first-ever federally declared water shortage, which directs how much water states can draw from the Colorado River. Deeper cuts were declared this year.

Ted Cooke, the general manager for the Central Arizona Project.

In June, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton issued an ultimatum to states: Develop a plan to save 2 million to 4 million acre-feet of water by next year — roughly one-fifth of their currently allocations—or the federal government will step in.

During a panel discussion at last week’s convention in Las Vegas, representatives for the seven western states who rely on the Colorado River said reaching a compromise will be their collective priority for the next six months.

They agree that the longer it takes to stabilize the river and conserve the water needed to keep the river functional, the more likely reservoir levels will continue to plummet, leaving states with fewer and fewer options.

Just last week, all of Southern California was declared to be in a drought emergency by the Metropolitan Water District, the main water supplier for Los Angeles county.

Officials for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warned that aridification, the long-term shift to a drier climate, means even less snow runoff is making it to the river each year.

Currently, there is nearly $4 billion set aside for the Colorado River that would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to use some funds to pay users to voluntarily forgo water use.

“We have to accept that we can not cling to our entitlements or allocations. If they are not there none of it matters,” Mitchell continued. “Folks in the room have to be willing to let us make hard decisions, because this is going to be painful.” Becky Mitchell Colorado Water Conservation Board

SOURCE NM:

New Mexico’s HSD proposes medication-assisted treatment for incarcerated people

BY: AUSTIN FISHER - DECEMBER 19, 2022 4:35 AM

Beginning in 2024, New Mexico’s Medicaid program could start providing medication-assisted treatment to incarcerated people 30 days before they are released, along with a 30-day supply of medication when they leave. The hope is that this will be a step toward reducing the harms of criminalizing substance use disorder, and producing better outcomes.

In a 275-page application to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by the New Mexico Human Services Department published Friday, HSD says it hopes to ensure formerly incarcerated people stay on their medication after release, and don’t commit more crimes, end up in an emergency room or unhoused.

At any given time in New Mexico, more than 14,000 people are held in state, local or youth correctional facilities, and nearly 50,000 people churn through local jails in the state each year.

according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by ACLU-NM and Disability Rights New Mexico, New Mexico’s prison system forces people who are on medication for opioid use disorder, to withdraw from it when they enter prison.

The lawsuit cites research showing that someone leaving incarceration is nearly 13 times more likely than the general population to die of an overdose in the first two weeks after their release.

HSD wants to get people who are being held in jail before a trial, or who are imprisoned post-conviction, on Medicaid so they can get medication-assisted treatment while inside state prisons, local jails, youth correctional facilities, tribal holding facilities, tribal jails and at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute.

The department plans to focus on incarcerated people with serious mental health conditions, severe emotional disturbance, substance use disorder, or an intellectual or developmental disability. It estimates 7,500 people per year could benefit.

COLORADO SUN:

The biggest election 2022 spender in Colorado? Jared Polis — by a long shot.

Sandra Fish

3:41 AM MST on Dec 15, 2022

Democratic Gov. Jared Polis spent $12.6 million of his own money on his successful reelection bid this year, more than any other state-level candidate. May sound like a lot,

Polis’ 2022 spending, however, didn’t come close to the more than $23 million of his own wealth spent in 2018 to win his first gubernatorial campaign.

After Gov Polis, the No. 2 state-level political spender in Colorado this year was Total Wine & More at $12 million. That money went toward supporting Proposition 124, an unsuccessful ballot measure that would have let the retail giant open more liquor stores in Colorado.

A few more highlights from the final campaign finance reports:

Democratic candidates dominated spending on state-level statewide contests

The Polis campaign spent more than three times the $3.7 million spent by his Republican opponent, who lost by more than 19 percentage points.

Polis spent $9 per vote cast in his favor in the general election, less than the $9.72 per vote he spent in the 2018 general election and far less than the nearly $40 per vote he spent winning a four-way primary that year.

The Democratic Attorneys General Association’s state super PAC spent $2.9 million supporting Phil Weiser against his GOP challenger, John Kellner.

In the costliest state Senate contest, Jefferson County-based Senate District 20, Republican developer Tim Walsh loaned his campaign more than $1 million in his loss to Democratic state Rep. Lisa Cutter, who spent just $262,000.

Democratic super PACs also outspent their Republican counterparts on state legislative races:

All Together Colorado spent more than $11 million helping elect Democratic state Senate candidates, compared with the $8.5 million spent by Senate Majority Fund, which supported Republicans.

Natural Medicine Colorado spent $4.46 per vote on Proposition 122, which legalized psilocybin mushrooms and was approved by nearly 54% of voters. Nearly $4.4 million of the total $5.8 million that was spent came from the national nonprofit New Approach and its federal PAC.

Healthy School Meals For All Colorado Students spent $1.32 per vote in successfully passing Proposition GG, which eliminated a tax break for wealthy Coloradans so that schools can provide free meals to all students. Numerous nonprofits accounted for the committee’s $1.8 million in spending.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Mayor Hancock works to address influx of migrants

BY: LINDSEY TOOMER - DECEMBER 15, 2022 3:37 PM

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has issued an emergency declaration so the city can more easily free up resources to support the ongoing influx of migrants into the city - having already spent upwards of $800,000 in city funds on the efforts.

At a news conference at the city’s Emergency Operations Center Thursday, Hancock said about 700 unhoused migrants had arrived in recent weeks. And he isn’t sure how many more the city can expect. The original emergency shelter the city set up at a recreation center hit capacity with 275 people, leading to two more recreation centers being pulled into the effort.

Hancock said at the news conference. “This influx of migrants, the unanticipated nature of their arrival, and our current space and staffing challenges have put an immense strain on city resources, to the level where they’re on the verge of reaching a breaking point. What I don’t want to see is a local humanitarian crisis of unsheltered migrants on our hands because of the lack of resources.”

Mayor Hancock noted that most of the people seem to be coming through El Paso, Texas, and while the city has seen groups of migrants arriving for several months, only recently have they started arriving at the current volume and without notice. City officials say the migrants come from Central and South America, including Venezuela. Employees from multiple city agencies are being pulled from their regular duties and “working around the clock” to support them as they arrive, Hancock said.

The city is most desperate for support when it comes to shelter space and staffing. Hancock asked that anyone who might have space that can serve as a shelter, or who can volunteer to help, reach out to the city’s Emergency Operations Center at [email protected].

He thanked the many city staff, volunteers, nonprofit and faith organizations that have already stepped up to support the city’s sheltering and reunification efforts.

Hancock also thanked the hundreds of Denver residents who have donated clothing and supplies and asked for their continued patience as the city works through the situation. He said he has been in direct contact with Gov. Jared Polis as well as members of Colorado’s federal Congressional delegation to help identify additional resources to help.

Mayor Hancock also said, “We are committed to doing what we can for the migrants and the asylum seekers who have come here. But here in Denver and cities all over this country are once again having to respond because of the failure of our Congress and federal government to address a very critical situation … I’m not trying to sound political, but I’m trying to sound pragmatic and practical. This is going to continue to happen, continue to overwhelm cities all over this country until Congress works on fixing the situation.”

Denver first opened an emergency shelter at an undisclosed recreation center on Dec. 6. There’s an ongoing need for donations and local faith-based groups and nonprofits are continuing to assist the city with its efforts to support the migrants.

The city has established a drop-off location for physical donations at Iglesia Ciudad de Dios located at 5255 W Warren Ave. in Denver. Donations are being accepted on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The city released a list of needed items, and noted that the list could change based on supply and demand:

Coats (men’s S and M, women’s M)

Pants (waist 30-33)

Socks

Underwear

Winter apparel (hats, gloves, scarves, boots)

Children’s clothing for ages 10 and younger

Overall, the city said there is a high demand for new clothing for adults sizes small through large, with a special need for medium-sized clothing and winter weather clothing.

The city is also asking local faith-based groups, non-profits and private sector partners to reach out if they are able to support its efforts by contacting the Emergency Operations Center at [email protected].

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: The Roots, with support from Big KRIT: Tuesday December 27 at Denver’s Mission Ballroom. GA tickets are $60 and available at axs.com. The Roots then play San Francisco on Thursday December 29, and Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. In 2023, their only U.S. show is in Chicago, March 18.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Colorado Sun, 9NEWS Denver, Nevada Current, Colorado Newsline, Source NM, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Our Favorite Things: A 2022 Year End Review with special guest host - Jess Piper - PLUS a Last Call preview!

19 december 2022 | 80 min

Heartland POD on Twitter - @TheHeartlandPOD

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85

Rachel Parker @RaichetP

Sean Diller @SeanDillerCO

https://heartlandpod.com/

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE!

“Change The Conversation”

FULL SHOW Plus a preview of the Last Call that's ALL about the Donald Trump NFT collection. Not to be missed!

Yeah No… Oklahoma bill that would make every conversation a teacher has with a student potentially illegal

https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-legislature/oklahoma-senator-proposes-bill-to-prohibit-gender-orientation-discussions-in-schools/

Bonus yeah no: child abuser concerned he might not get to be around kids any more

https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/13/long-time-agape-director-testifies-in-missouri-court-to-stay-off-state-child-abuse-registry/

Our Favorite Things, The 2022 Year In Review Mt. Rushmore Of Politics End Of The Year Extravaganza Clearance Blowout Sale

Jess Piper Picks	Sean Diller Picks	Rachel Parker Picks	Adam Sommer Picks
Mo Sen Mike Moon Wearing Overalls and removed from the floor and committees	Stewart Rhodes, Oath Keeper leader convicted of conspiracy	Kansas! The voters did a lot of good things.	Officer Michael Fanone calls out Josh Hawley for being a bitch and running like a bitch
Gretchen Wittmer being reelected in Michigan, and her kidnappers facing charges	DT-NFT’s Donald’s Trading Cards	Mr. Fetterman, welcome to the US Senate!	Taylor Swift shuts down the world at the same time Trump announced as President
Vicky Hartzler’s tear in my “beard” due to marriage equality	Alex Jones judgments for a BILLION dollars	The Heartland POD was on CSPAN!	James Webb telescope first
The Dobbs decision, overturning of Roe/Casey	Arizona Electoral Sweep in 2022	MJ is legal in MO	Mike Lindell holds crazy person event in Springfield, MO

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View - December 16, 2022 - Government and Politics News from the Heartland

16 december 2022 | 17 min

It's A Wonderful Life: WTF is the deal with the Crypto run anyway?

15 december 2022 | 63 min

The Delta, E39 - Abandoning Santa and Switching to Switches

14 december 2022 | 43 min

Harry Truman, BBQ, and Politics with MO Rep. Robert Sauls

13 december 2022 | 28 min

Talkin' Politics Dec. 12, 2022 | Mid-Term Victory Laps!; Book Bans For Freedom; Vicky's Crocodile Tears; Kyrsten's Playing 14 Dimensional Chess; Democratic Party Structure Atrophy In Heartland

12 december 2022 | 70 min

Heartland POD on Twitter - @TheHeartlandPOD

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85

Rachel Parker @RaichetP

Sean Diller @SeanDillerCO

https://heartlandpod.com/

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE!

“Change The Conversation”

MIDTERM PREDICTIONS VICTORY LAP!

True or False

Book banning will backfire in a spectacular way
1. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article269669086.html?ac_cid=DM735018&ac_bid=1555130614
2. ACLU has already started
3. Adam talked with group of MO Library Directors, it’s a real concern
  1. Mo proposed rule is a half-assed soft attempt to redefine obscenity law, and is probably unconstitutional as a result

Yeah…No

Vicky Hartzler last, and probably ONLY, major input in congress was to fake cry so hard about marriage equality that she turned into a joke
1. Video:https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5044977/user-clip-hartzler-tears

Buy or Sell

Kyrsten Sinema is now an independent… buy or sell: She’s running for President
1. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/09/sinema-arizona-senate-independent-00073216
2. Tapper interview, I believe this goes into Sean’s “smarty pants” category
  1. https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1601211096420990976?s=20&t=fZGKw5iFxIqnjzHyk64sJw

The Big One

MoDem twitter meltdown and what it says about the current relationship of the larger BIG D Democratic party to the heartland states

Vice Chair calling out Chair
Chair “speaking his truth”
Others showing receipts
Why? Lack of funding and allowing party structure to atrophy?

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View, December 9, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

9 december 2022 | 18 min

The One Where Rachel Talks To Sean

8 december 2022 | 41 min

High Country - Government and Politics News from the American West - 12.7.2022

7 december 2022 | 17 min

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Go to heartlandpod.com for information on all our political podcasts, and a link to support our work on Patreon. Sign up as an Official PODhead for just $5 per month to access all our premium podcast segments and political writing. To join the conversation on Twitter, find us at THE Heartland POD.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

NEVADA CURRENT:

Tribes in six states awarded $73MM in new high-speed internet grants.

Three Nevada tribes will receive $11.6 million for high-speed internet, in the latest round of “internet for all” grants, federal officials announced Wednesday.

The funding will directly connect more than 800 homes on tribal lands in Nevada to high-speed internet, improving access to education, jobs, and healthcare on tribal lands.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said

“The Biden administration is committed to fostering meaningful partnerships with Tribal Nations, which have been vital to our goal of connecting everyone in America, with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service,”

So far, about $1.6 billion has been awarded to 121 tribal nations with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that passed last year. Those funds have connected more than 3,100 unserved Native American households that previously had no connectivity to high-speed Internet, as well as businesses and community institutions.

These awards are part of a series of commitments the Biden administration announced Wednesday to strengthen nation-to-nation engagement between the federal government and Tribal Nations.

The Walker River Paiute Tribe in Mineral County will receive more than $6 million to install fiber internet directly to more than 400 households, 22 community institutions, and 10 tribal businesses.

The Duckwater Shoshone Tribe in Nye County is set to receive more than $3 million to install fiber internet to nearly 80 homes and 11 tribal institutions. The Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe in Churchill County will be awarded nearly $2 million to directly connect more than 300 households.

Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, who has pushed for more broadband funding on tribal lands, praised the announcement Wednesday.

“Throughout my time in the Senate, I’ve worked to make sure Tribes in Nevada have access to critical broadband,” she said. “I made sure these funds would get to Tribes in Nevada in a timely and efficient fashion, and I’m committed to helping Nevadans in every community access the critical educational, business, health care, and cultural resources that the internet provides.”

Additionally, the national Affordable Connectivity Program - ACP - provides a discount of $30 per month toward Internet service for eligible households, and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands.

You’re eligible for the benefit If you currently receive SNAP benefits, are on Medicaid, or earn less than 200% of the federal poverty line. That’s about $27K for a single person household, or $55K for a family of four.

To Apply, visit AffordableConnectivity.gov

COLORADO SUN: Colorado Democrats ready to move on gun safety laws.

A host of changes to Colorado’s gun laws, from a ban on assault weapons to tweaks to the existing red flag law, are already being considered by Democrats at the state Capitol in response to the shooting last month at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs.

“Pretty much everything is on the table,” according to Senate President Steve Fenberg, a Boulder Democrat. “The question now is: What is the highest priority?”

Democrats will return to the Colorado Capitol in early January with expanded majorities in both the House and Senate, and facing pressure to act after the state’s latest mass shooting. Five people were killed and more than a dozen others wounded in a Nov. 19 attack on Club Q, allegedly carried out by a 22-year-old shooter armed with a semi-automatic, AR-15-style rifle.

“Tay” Anderson, a Denver School board member, posted on Twitter that Democrats should immediately use their majority at the Capitol to pass an assault weapons ban.

Saying “If folks refuse to act, vote them out,”

Senate President Fenberg, who said gun control conversations were underway even before the Club Q shootings, said a ban on assault weapons is certainly a possibility. The challenge is figuring out how to write the law - how to define what an assault weapon is, what should happen to weapons already in the possession of Colorado residents, and how to address people traveling through Colorado to neighboring states where the weapons are permitted.

It’s more likely that Democrats pursue other changes to Colorado’s gun laws first, such as raising the minimum age to purchase a rifle or shotgun to 21 from 18. The minimum age to purchase handguns in Colorado is already 21.

Sen. Tom Sullivan, a Centennial Democrat, is working on changing the minimum age to purchase a gun. He initially wanted to raise the age only for so-called assault weapons, but thinks a broader change would be easier.

“That will save us having to come up with a definition of what assault weapons are,” said Sullivan, whose son, Alex, was murdered in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting. “And that seems to be the consensus that we’re hearing from the rest of the Democratic caucus.”

There are also discussions about enacting a waiting period that looks like those passed in California and Hawaii, which have 10- and 14-day waiting periods, respectively. Illinois has a 72-hour waiting period after purchases a firearm, before they can access it.

Colorado already requires universal background checks on all gun purchases, and has laws limiting gun magazines to 15 rounds, and requiring the safe storage of firearms. People whose guns are lost or stolen must make a report with law enforcement, as well, and there is a statute temporarily barring people convicted of certain violent misdemeanors from purchasing firearms.

Colorado counties and municipalities are also now allowed to enact gun regulations that are more stringent than the state’s policies after the legislature in 2021 repealed a preemption law.

When it comes to Colorado’s red flag law, a 2019 policy that lets judges order the temporary seizure of firearms from people deemed a significant risk to themselves or others - legislators might expand the list of who can petition a judge to initiate a red flag proceeding. Right now, law enforcement and family members are effectively the only groups allowed to petition a judge to order a seizure.

Gov. Jared Polis has expressed support for adding district attorneys to the list, and others have suggested the attorney general’s office, and teachers should be allowed to request seizures as well.

The Colorado legislature reconvenes on Jan. 9.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: $35 insulin price cap coming to Medicare in January.

A recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report showed drug companies increased prices for several drugs by more than 500% since 2016. But starting next month, a $35 cap on insulin prices will go into effect for millions of Medicare recipients.

The lower pricing is one of the first of several policy measures Americans will see under the Inflation Reduction Act, passed without a single Republican vote and signed into law in August.

The insulin cap benefits Medicare Part D recipients, who also no longer have to meet a deductible on their insulin. A $35 cap on insulin pumps for Medicare Part B recipients goes into effect July 1, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Medicare patients spent $1 billion on insulin in 2020, and an estimated 16.5% of people with diabetes rationed their insulin in the past year, which can be extremely harmful to their health or even fatal.

According to an analysis of the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act from the Center for American Progress, an elderly middle class couple could save as much as $2,400 per year on insulin.

ARIZONA MIRROR: AZ SOS Katie Hobbs recommends criminal prosecutions for Cochise County supervisors who refused to certify their election results.

Hobbs wrote to Attorney General Mark Brnovich and Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre, that without repercussions, the decision of supervisors Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd not to certify their results could encourage future violations, further eroding election integrity in the state, and stomping on the will of Arizona voters.

“Supervisors Crosby and Judd’s actions not only demonstrate a complete disregard for the law but also jeopardize Arizona’s democracy,” she wrote. “Had a court not intervened, the failure of these two Supervisors to uphold their duty would have disenfranchised thousands of Cochise County voters. This blatant act of defying Arizona’s election laws risks establishing a dangerous precedent that we must discourage.”

Crosby and Judd threw the Arizona state certification process into disarray last month, when they delayed their official canvassing of the midterm election results in Cochise County, citing bogus claims that electronic tabulators didn’t meet required standards. It was only after a court ordered them to complete their statutorily mandated duties that they did so on Dec. 1, days after the Nov. 28 deadline.

Their actions put the official statewide canvass in jeopardy, as Hobbs must meet a Dec. 5 deadline to certify the results. She can only push that deadline as far as Dec. 8. If she decided to go ahead with the process without the results from Cochise County, a heavily Republican region, more than 47,000 voters could have seen their ballots ignored and a number of races would have flipped in favor of Democratic candidates.

The responsibilities of county supervisors are clearly laid out in state law and the state’s Election Procedures Manual, Hobbs said, and they are non-negotiable.

And, Crosby and Judd were given ample notification of the consequences.

“Supervisors Crosby and Judd knew they had a statutory requirement to canvass the election by November 28, but instead chose to act in violation of the law, putting false election narratives ahead of Cochise County’s voters,” Hobbs wrote. Hobbs, who was elected governor in the election, wrote that the two Republicans violated several state laws, with penalties ranging from a class 3 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony.

If Crosby and Judd were convicted of a felony, their right to vote would be revoked. They also stand to lose their elected office: State law deems an elected office vacant if the officeholder is convicted of a felony or any “offense involving a violation of the person’s official duties”.

This is the second call for an investigation into the Supervisors possibly criminal acts - Earlier this week, former Attorney General Terry Goddard and Maricopa County Attorney Richard Romley wrote to outgoing AG Brnovich requesting he hold Crosby and Judd accountable.

It’s likely that Attorney General-elect Kris Mayes will make the final decision on whether to prosecute, once she takes office in January. In a statement, she said she agrees with the request from Hobbs’ office to begin an investigation, and said that it is through that process that a decision on what further response, if any, is appropriate.

COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE: Didn’t we do this a

Justices signal support for web designer who won’t help gay couples with weddings

The conservative majority appeared ready to answer a question the high court dodged four years ago: Must creative businesses put aside their religious beliefs to accommodate the beliefs of protected groups?

WASHINGTON (CN) — A six-year crusade came to a head at the Supreme Court on Monday, pitting Colorado's nondiscrimination law against a Christian website designer who refuses to create wedding websites for same-sex couples.

It was unsurprising that the narrow question at the center of the case perplexed many of the justices, since the high court passed up on answering it only four years ago. In Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the court ruled in favor of a cakemaker refusing his services to a same-sex couple, but declined to expand the ruling much beyond the case in front of them.

Lorie Smith's case brings that topic to a head. Stating that her Christian beliefs confine marriage only to heterosexual couples, Smith argues that Colorado’s anti-discrimination laws - protecting LGBTQ+ Coloradans as well as others - violate her free speech rights.

Smith’s attorney argued that “Colorado is declaring her speech a public accommodation, and insists that she create and speak messages that violate her conscience.”

After two and a half hours of arguments, the conservative majority appeared inclined to agree.

The liberal wing of the court expressed concern that a ruling for Smith could snowball into a free speech loophole allowing discrimination. Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned where the court would draw the line, on what kind of discrimination would be permitted - noting that the same arguments could be made for interracial marriage or even for excluding people with disabilities.

The hypothetical-heavy arguments included almost every culture-wars issue on the books including discrimination on race, religion, sexual orientation and political preference. These scenarios conveyed a worry by some justices about how far even a narrow ruling in the case could extend.

Colorado Solicitor General Eric Olson said Smith’s request for a free-speech exemption clause to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act would equate to a “license to discriminate.”

“The free speech protection the company seeks here is sweeping, because it would apply not just to sincerely held religious beliefs as in this case, but also to all sorts of racist, sexist and bigoted views,” Olson said. “This rule would allow another web design company to say no to interracial couples, an ad agency could refuse to run ads for women-led businesses, and a tech consulting company could refuse to serve the web designer here, because it disagreed with her views on marriage.

Where exactly to draw the line between free speech and anti-discrimination laws eluded many of the justices. This was partly because Smith brought the justices a preenforcement suit - she filed her suit against the state of Colorado before any same-sex couple actually requested her services.

This creates difficulties for the justices in deciding a ruling. Justice Elena Kagan said the reason for the multitude of hypotheticals during oral argument was due to the lack of facts in the case - which make the justices’ ruling all the more difficult.

Kagan said “It really depends on the facts, and on what exactly Ms. Smith is being asked or compelled to do.”

I could definitely be wrong, but as far as I can tell, the actual free speech claim isn’t really justiciable without a real action from the state against the business owner. Seems like it’s not ripe, as they say.

But the court, in its infinite power, could rule on whether the 1st Amendment Free Speech clause of the Constitution provides an out for companies looking to discriminate against certain customers.

You might be thinking, doesn’t the U.S. Constitution protect all Americans from discrimination based on sex? It does - but that protection only applies to discriminatory actions by the state. So the state can’t deny you a marriage license because of your sex or your partner’s sex. The state can’t deny you employment or throw you in jail, either - anymore.

Here, it’s a business that wants the right to turn away same-sex couples, and the state is looking to enforce a state anti-discrimination law - which may or may not conflict with the business owner’s protected free speech.

It’s not a slam dunk that the conservative Supreme Court will rule for the anti-gay web designer, though. No small number of right-wing attorneys have made their entire careers using anti-discrimination laws on behalf of white people, to unravel protections for marginalized groups. If college admissions boards, for example, decide that admitting too many white students is not the ‘statement’ they want to make - the ruling against the gay couple might undermine its own rulings on affirmative action practices.

The Supreme Court has a highly interesting - and highly secretive - process of passing opinions back and forth to each other. Picking apart each other’s arguments, and putting their heads together before the actual ruling comes out. We won’t get much of a picture into that, but you can bet this year’s Supreme Court clerks are going to be busy.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Allman Family Revival - featuring Duane Betts, Cody and Luther Dickinson, Samantha Fish, Jimmy Hall, Maggie Rose, Larry McCray, Orbi Orbison, Donovan Frankenreiter, and the River Kittens. And whether you go to the concert or not - Check out the River Kittens. St. Louis' homegrown duo of Soulful, Harmonious, Folk music. They’re awesome.

Upcoming shows in Nashville, St. Louis, Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and the tour closes out at the Fillmore in San Francisco next Saturday Dec 17th.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from Courthouse News Service, Colorado Sun, Nevada Current, Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Let's Have A Chat | Maggie Garrett from American's United For Separation of Church and State

6 december 2022 | 30 min

Talkin' Politics December 5, 2022 | BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!; Georgia's Runoff; Jay's Letter and JoRsh's Vote on the Respect For Marriage Act; Yellen Says Crypto Needs Regulations; Dems Make Primary Changes; Newt Gingrich Is Concerned

5 december 2022 | 79 min

The Flyover View, December 2, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

2 december 2022 | 20 min

Let's Have A Chat | "Getting To Know You" Rachel Turns The Mic Around For A Chat With Adam

1 december 2022 | 35 min

The Delta, E38 - Unforgivable: The Pursuit of TEPSLF

30 november 2022 | 34 min

Let's Have A Chat | Energy, Renewables, and The Decentralized Grid with James Owen of Renew Missouri

29 november 2022 | 33 min

Talkin' Politics Nov. 28, 2022 | What's Next? Moving On From The 2022 Midterms

28 november 2022 | 66 min

Thanksgiving 2022 Family Feast: "Eating Is A Spectrum"

22 november 2022 | 66 min

Talkin' Politics | November 21, 2022

21 november 2022 | 60 min

The Flyover View, November 18, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

18 november 2022 | 18 min

Talkin' Politics/Flyover View Crossover | Kevin Smith, regular host of "The Flyover View" on Fridays, joins Rachel Parker for a crossover session of Talkin' Politics

17 november 2022 | 46 min

Government and Politics News from the American West - November 16, 2022

16 november 2022 | 11 min

Song plays

Intro by host

Welcome to High Country - politics in the American West. My name is Sean Diller; regular listeners might know me from Heartland Pod’s Talking Politics, every Monday.

Go to heartlandpod.com for information on all our political podcasts, and a link to support our work on Patreon. Sign up as an Official PODhead for just $5 per month to access all our premium podcast segments and political writing. To join the conversation on Twitter, find us at THE Heartland POD.

Alright! Let’s get into it:

NEVADA CURRENT: The Cowardly Lombardo.

In his first public event since being elected governor of Nevada, Joe Lombardo refused to allow the Nevada Current and the Las Vegas Sun to cover what was billed as a victory speech.

Shutting the Current out of his celebratory event was an extension of the Lombardo team’s practice throughout the campaign – along with multiple Republican candidates nationwide – to refuse to provide campaign statements, notices of events, or other information to the press.

The campaign told the Current Monday morning that they couldn’t be allowed to cover the event because it was “at capacity for press right now.” Subsequent photographs of the event showed that statement from the campaign was patently false - with row upon row of empty seats in the sparsely populated high school auditorium where Lombardo gave his victory speech.

Such mendacity from Lombardo and his team comes as no surprise.

But most concerning going forward, is the prospect that as governor, Lombardo, his office, and publicly financed executive branch government offices under his purview, will refuse to provide independent journalists and other media organizations with public information.

Lombardo’s campaign presented its candidate to the public as an upright lawman of character, honesty, integrity and strength. But subverting the people’s right to transparent and accountable government, and hiding from the press is just cowardly.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: With Lauren Boebert slightly ahead in Colorado, the race to cure ballots is on.

The extremely tight race between MAGA darling U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert and moderate Democrat Adam Frisch became a contest of cured ballots this week, as the two candidates worked to rally their voters and ensure every one of their ballots is counted.

On Tuesday afternoon, the difference between the candidates’ totals remained at over 1,000 votes: a narrow spread for sure, but still above the threshold that would trigger an automatic, state-funded recount. At the current numbers, if Frisch comes within about 830 votes, then a recount would be triggered.

Vote tallies will change through the end of Wednesday as ballots continue to arrive from military and overseas voters, and as flawed ballots are “cured'' by voters.

When tabulators reject a ballot, often due to a discrepancy between the voter’s signature on the ballot and the official state voter registration records, the voter has an opportunity to resolve, or cure, the problem and have their vote count.

The Frisch team is trying to win cured ballots this week by getting the word out to voters about the curing process, encouraging use of the state’s TXT2Cure mobile phone-based curing system, and on-the-ground voter engagement.

A Frisch campaign spokesperson said “A lot of the curable ballots tend to skew a lot younger, and others who don’t have as much experience voting. We think that we probably will perform better among younger voters, so we think that probably there’s more curable ballots for us than for Lauren Boebert.”

The Frisch campaign also believes cured ballots from unaffiliated voters, not just registered Democrats, will skew their way.

That sentiment was seconded by Matt Crane, a Republican who heads the Colorado County Clerks Association.

Crane said. “Unaffiliated voters wanted to punish the hell out of the Republican Party in Colorado this year. And they sure did. It’s probably a better pool for Democrats to go and try to cure unaffiliated ballots than it is for Republicans, just based on the way the election went.”

A spokesperson for Boebert did not reply to a message seeking comment.

Ballot curing must be completed by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, and updated results are expected to be available Thursday.

Colorado law requires an automatic recount, also known as a statutory recount, if the apparent winner is ahead by 0.5% or less. During such a recount, the secretary of state’s office would delay certification of the race and neither candidate would be declared representative-elect until resolution of the recount, which must be completed by Dec. 13.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Congresswoman Caraveo focused on healthcare and climate change.

Yadira Caraveo, a Colorado state representative, stood at a lectern Thursday in the backyard of her childhood home in Adams County north of Denver. Her parents, who immigrated from Mexico and moved to the Denver-area home when Caraveo was in second grade, watched from a balcony as their daughter addressed reporters for the first time as the Democratic U.S. representative-elect from Colorado’s 8th Congressional District. And the first Latina to represent Colorado in Congress.

Dr Caraveo said “This hill behind me is where my siblings and I used to slide down and make mud piles, and the house behind us is where I spent many, many hours studying to get through high school, through college and through medical school,” Dr. Caraveo is a pediatrician in the community. She went on to say she was able to do this because of the hard work of her parents.

The new 8th District was the state’s most competitive based on previous elections, and unofficial results show Caraveo won by a margin of less than one percentage point. The district also has the highest concentration of Hispanic residents, at 39%, and includes the northern Denver suburbs, extending into parts of Weld County and Greeley.

Caraveo said her top priorities in Congress include health care and climate change. She cited the obstacles she faced as a doctor trying to treat young patients.

“The medical training that I had was not enough to beat the system that we had,” she said. “And so a lot of my effort is going to go into that system to make sure that it’s not about insurance companies or drug companies.”

Caraveo alluded to striking a balance on her environmental agenda. The 8th District includes parts of Weld County, which produces the most oil and gas in the state, by far .

“We have a very important oil and gas industry that gives people like the families at my clinic great jobs, but I also see kids struggling to breathe every single day and I’ve had to send them to the hospital to be put on oxygen.” she said

The Colorado delegation from Colorado that will join Congress in January will also include Democrats Diana DeGette from the 1st District, Joe Neguse from the 2nd District, Jason Crow from the 6th District and Brittany Pettersen from the 7th District; and Republicans Ken Buck from the 4th District and Doug Lamborn from the 5th District.

The race for the 3rd District between Republican incumbent Lauren Boebert and Democratic challenger Adam Frisch is still too close to call.

ARIZONA MIRROR: Republicans are falsely claiming that Arizona used to know final election results on Election Day.

Republicans in Arizona and elsewhere have insisted that the days-long tabulation of early ballots, particularly in Maricopa County, is a sign the election might be being stolen.

They’re flat wrong about the history, however: Final election results have never been available on Election Night in any Arizona county.

What’s changed isn’t anything about the vote-counting, but that Arizona has gone from a ruby red state where Republicans dominated most elections — to a deep purple state where races up and down the ballot have been extremely close.

Those close races mean candidates, voters, pundits and the national media are focusing intently on Arizona’s post-Election Day tallies.

For example: in the Nov. 2, 2004 presidential election, the final results came on November 15, 13 days later.

In the Nov. 7, 2006 midterm election

Final results: Nov. 19

Lag time: 12 days

Nov. 4, 2008 presidential election

Final results: Nov. 21

Lag time: 17 days

Nov. 2, 2010 midterm election

Final results: Nov. 17

Lag time: 15 days

Nov. 6, 2012 presidential election

Final results: Nov. 20

Lag time: 14 days

Nov. 4, 2014 midterm election

Final results: Nov. 18

Lag time: 14 days

Nov. 8, 2016 presidential election

Final results: Nov. 18

Lag time: 10 days

Nov. 6, 2018 midterm election

Final results: Nov. 20

Lag time: 14 days

Nov. 3, 2020 presidential election

Final results: Nov. 13

Lag time: 10 days

None of that has stopped Arizona GOP candidates and their allies across the country from crying foul about the process that has existed in the Grand Canyon State since the early 1990s, when Republicans here pioneered no-excuse early mail-in voting.

Kari Lake, the GOP nominee for governor, has insisted that Arizonans knew the Maricopa County results and the overall result of their elections on Election Night - until 2020.

Records from Maricopa County elections over the past 22 years show that has never been the case. Media outlets, like the Associated Press, might have called races in the past when election night returns showed that one candidate would clearly win, but the fastest the county has released final results in a midterm election since 2000 was six days, in 2002.

In Maricopa County, a record 290,000 people dropped off their early ballots on Election Day this year. Elections workers didn’t even begin to start counting those ballots until Wednesday morning. Before those ballots are tabulated, their barcodes are scanned to ensure that they came from a registered voter who hasn’t cast another ballot in this election. Then elections workers check the signature on the envelope against past signatures from the voter. After that, a bipartisan team separates the ballot from the envelope and checks that the voter received the correct ballot.

Once all those steps are completed, the county can tabulate the ballot. All the ballots have never been counted in one day.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN PBS: Colorado legalizes psychedelic mushrooms.

Ten years after leading the nation in legalizing the sale of cannabis, Colorado became the second state in the U.S. to permit psilocybin, or "magic," mushrooms. Oregon was the first state to do so.

As of 2 p.m. on Nov. 10, data from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office showed the Natural Medicine Health Act — voted on as Proposition 122 — was on the path to a slim approval, with 51.6% of voters supporting the measure.

The measure will allow people 21 and older to grow and share psilocybin mushrooms, as well as create state-regulated centers where people could make appointments to consume the fungi. The proposition will also create “healing centers” to give clients mushrooms in a supervised setting, but will not create "mushroom dispensaries," in the same way cannabis is sold and purchased.

Proponents of the ballot measure claim mushroom consumption has helped address their mental health issues in ways traditional pharmaceuticals did not, particularly when the mushrooms were taken in small doses, a method called microdosing.

Gov. Jared Polis has until Jan. 31 to appoint 15 members to the Natural Medicine Advisory Board, which will report to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.

CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK: Next Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving - The Last Waltz - with Warren Haynes, Jamey Johnson, Kathleen Edwards, and more. Tickets at FillmoreAuditorium.org

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Nevada Current, Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Rocky Mountain PBS, and Denver’s Westword

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Wisconsin, Missouri, and Midterm Lessons & Outcomes | Ada m Sommer has a chatwith Anders Hanhan of "Our Wisconsin Revolution

15 november 2022 | 37 min

Show Info & Link For Patreon: Heartlandpod.com

"Change The Conversation"

Adam Sommer - @Adam_Sommer85

Our Wisconsin Revolution

Anders Hanhan is a college student living in Appleton. He is currently majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies at Lawrence University. Originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota, after being activated by Bernie Sanders' run for president, Anders became involved with the Sunrise Movement and advocating for a Green New Deal in Wisconsin. He is particularly passionate about climate change issues as well as Medicare for All, and labor rights. Anders is excited to help Our Wisconsin Revolution's endorsed candidates and particularly interested in building the organizations power by getting more strong voices into local elected offices.

Our Wisconsin Revolution is about making Wisconsin a true democracy — with a government & economy that are of, by and for the people.

Shake up the system. Challenge the establishment. Stand for progressive principles. Work for fundamental change. Fight for the working class. Join us.

Our Wisconsin Revolution is a homegrown movement started here in our state by people living here. OWR’s formation was inspired by Bernie Sanders’ run for president in 2016 and his call for a political revolution, and is part of a national movement. Our name connects us to that national movement of people all over the country supporting a new generation of progressive leaders and empowering millions to fight for progressive change and transforming our political and economic systems to once again be responsive to the needs of working families.

Our Wisconsin Revolution is about countering money power with people power. It’s about revolutionizing our politics by mobilizing the power of organized people against the reckless abuse of power by rich elites. We’re sick of what’s happening in this country and this state, where public life has been coarsened and corrupted by a swarm of greedy, rules-rigging, billionaire takers. We believe our state and nation can be set right by organized citizen action. Our goal is to do everything we can to make Wisconsin a democracy—with a government and an economy that are of, by, and for the people.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Talkin' Politics | Post Midterm 2022: The Purple Drank, Our Main Takeaways From 2022 Midterms, Our Victory Laps, MAGA Death Rattle, JoRsh Hawley Runs Scared (AGAIN) and more!

14 november 2022 | 95 min

The Flyover View, November 11, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

11 november 2022 | 18 min

The Delta, E37 - Blue Dots in a Red State

10 november 2022 | 30 min

2022 Midterms LIVE (Audio Replay POD)

9 november 2022 | 133 min

Adam's Final Midterm Message for 2022

8 november 2022 | 14 min

Talkin' Politics | Lawyers, Guns, and Money & Our Midterm 2022 Best Bet Predictions & Last Call Preview!

7 november 2022 | 107 min

The Flyover View, November 4, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

4 november 2022 | 20 min

MO Votes! | Missouri Ballot Initiatives for 2022 Midterm Ballot Explained

3 november 2022 | 51 min

Co-Hosts: Adam Sommer, Rachel Parker

Guest: Reece Ellis

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“”Change The Conversation.”

All Ballot Measures: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2022BallotMeasures\

Amendment 1: This one comes to us FROM the Missouri general assembly, in other words Republicans wanted to put this on in order to add it to the constitution.

The question: Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:

allow the General Assembly to override the current constitutional restrictions of state investments by the state treasurer; and
allow state investments in municipal securities possessing one of the top five highest long term ratings or the highest short term rating?

This basically shifts greater discretion to the State Treasurer to make decisions on how to invest money. It COULD have a monetary benefit to the state of a couple million dollars, but that is not a guarantee. The reality here is that there is a huge push by the GOP to end what they call “woke” investments - basically divest all public money from anything that looks like green energy or touches a company that might be friendly to equity and equal rights.

This one is an EASY NO for me, we don’t need this change. It’s a political move - not a public benefit move. Just another way for the GOP to fight a culture war that they have invented.

Current Text of Constitution in question: https://ballotpedia.org/Article_IV,_Missouri_Constitution#:~:text=Section%2015,-Text%20of%20Section&text=The%20state%20treasurer%20shall%20be,by%20the%20department%20of%20revenue.

Proposed Change: https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills211/hlrbillspdf/0587H.03T.pdf

Amendment 4: this one is really simple - yet again we have the missouri GOP majority trying to take over local control wherever they can to keep democrats from having any say in policy - Amendment 4 would change a current provision of law that requires the city of Kansas City to provide 20% of its city budget to the city policy department by requiring that be a 25% allocation. Why? Because the KC City counsel, a local government body made up of locally elected official took money from the budget and that made people made. It’s really that simple. Republicans from hours away want to tell the folks in KC how to spend their money. Another very easy NO vote for me.

Amendment 5: This amendment moves the control of the national guard into amore direct line from the Governor’s office. I’ve seen democrats opposed to this one, I’ve also talked to folks involved with the national guard and overall this amendment seems to make Missouri’s set up similar to nearly every other state - I understand the argument from some Democrats that this is just a political power move here, I’m not so sure that argument holds water. That being said, I’m also not sure I see the point of this amendment OTHER than to give the Governor more power. And for that reason alone, Im a NO vote on amendment 5, but I’m not sure in the end it truly matters which way this goes.

Constitutional Convention: Missouri law requires that every 20 years the voters have a chance to vote to have a constitutional convention. The law provides for procedures and, in reality, would be quite a show. It would be interesting, but unlikely to be worth much. Even IF the convention came up with proposals, all of those proposals would then have to go to the voters for ratification. I’ve seen a handful of Dems pushing this issue as a chance to use the ballot box for issues - in a reliance that MO voters continue our streak of supporting more progressive measures when they are not tied to a political party - but I think that is a drastic miscalculation of how the parties will interact with proposed amendments. I’m a NO on this one.

Amendment 3:

Perfect or good? https://empowermissouri.org/amendment-3/

Reece Ellis very smart thread on twitter: https://twitter.com/TheReeceEllis/status/1587421773624229892

Emerson college pollWhen it comes to Missouri Amendment 3, legalizing the recreatiooters-back-marijuana-legalization-ballot-initiative-in-new-poll-but-support-is-tightening-a-week-before-election-day/nal use of marijuana, 47% of the respondents plan to support the measure. Meanwhile, 39% plan to oppose it, and 14% are still unsure.

https://emersoncollegepolling.com/missouri-2022-republican-eric-schmitt-maintains-double-digit-lead-over-democrat-trudy-busch-valentine/

Summary Articles:

https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/01/st-louis-mayor-tishaura-jones-announces-opposition-to-missouri-marijuana-amendment/

https://www.kcur.org/politics-elections-and-government/2022-11-02/missouri-amendment-3-legalize-marijuana-recreational-pot-cannabis-election-2022

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/missouri-v

Host: Adam Sommer

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

High Country - Politics, Government and Elections News from the American West - November 2, 2022

2 november 2022 | 10 min

Let's Have A Chat | The Kids Are Alright - Truman State Students Discuss Their Political Science Projects Looking at Missouri Elections

1 november 2022 | 36 min

Talkin' Politics | Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics; Record Oil Profits During Crisis; 2022 Early Voting Advantage for Dems?; Paul Pelosi Attack and Ratcheted Up Political Rhetoric

31 oktober 2022 | 90 min

The Flyover View, October 28, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

28 oktober 2022 | 19 min

Disinformation, Propaganda, and Dark Brandon | With Guest Julie Hotard, PHD and Disinformation Expert

27 oktober 2022 | 27 min

The Delta, E36: Voting for Vacuums

26 oktober 2022 | 30 min

Trish Gunby Is Back For a Chat About Her Run For Congress In The MO-2nd District

25 oktober 2022 | 29 min

Competent State Leadership Is A Luxury | Bannon Sentenced, Trump Did Crimes With His Lawyer | Increased Abortion Education | Bold Midterm 2022 Predictions | Last Call Preview

24 oktober 2022 | 86 min

The Flyover View, October 21, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

21 oktober 2022 | 17 min

HEADLINE 1: Contamination in Springfield’s groundwater, and Missouri knew for Decades - STLPR

An investigation by the Midwest Newsroom and St. Louis Public Radio has found that the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the company Litton Systems, a former defense contractor that had employed thousands of people in Springfield to make circuit boards for the Navy and telecommunications industry, knew as early as 1993 that contamination beyond the company’s property into the surrounding community “had undoubtedly occurred,”. Litton used a toxic solvent called trichloroethylene (TCE) to wash the circuit boards and for years improperly disposed of it. The pollutant leached into the groundwater and into aquifers deep below the ground. It then spread to nearby properties, where it made its way into wells that supplied water to those who lived and worked near Litton.

A review of thousands of pages of government records and interviews found that DNR employees raised concerns about the contamination and implored the agency to force Litton to investigate further. But in the years that followed, neither the company nor DNR sought to determine the extent of the problem or alert the public about the potential risks, our examination found. Instead, both relied on a remediation system to remove the TCE, a measure that the government later determined did not work to effectively contain the contamination.

The problem was not broadly known in Springfield until TCE was detected and publicized in 2018 at Fantastic Caverns, a tourist destination about five miles north of the former Litton site. As a result, some people bought property without knowing that they would be exposed to a chemical linked to cancer and other medical conditions. Others are left wondering how long they’ve been drinking and bathing in water tainted with TCE. And people are upset that an agency tasked with protecting the environment did not do more to warn the public about the risks of contamination.

When you hear a story like this there’s a lot of anger and frustration to be had. The carelessness of Litton cannot be overstated, but we have come to expect a company to hide in the shadows on issues like this. The thing that hits me hard is the fact that the DNR failed to adequately do its job, and there should be consequences. It may be tempting to point to the failure of the DNR as an example of how government doesn’t work, but take a step back and realize without that governmental body, this would have NEVER come to light. Yes, it functioned poorly, but that can be fixed and hopefully better handled in the future. Leave it to private enterprise and we never find out.

HEADLINE 2: Joplin, MO woman left helpless with non-viable pregnancy - Springfield News-Leader

At 6:30 a.m. on August 2, nearly 18 weeks into her pregnancy, Mylissa Farmer experienced what doctors call a preterm premature rupture of membranes — her water broke before labor, followed by vaginal bleeding, abdominal pressure and cramping.

She went to Freeman Hospital in Joplin, where she'd been just the day before. Everything had been normal then. She and her boyfriend, Matthew McNeill, had already picked out a name for their daughter: Maeve.

But the doctors had devastating news for them on Aug. 2.

If Maeve was delivered right then, chances of survival at 17 weeks and 5 days were zero, according to the assessment and plan section of Farmer's medical records outlining the visit. And the outcome wasn't much better if they tried to hold off on delivery.

The doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy, but 39 days after the state of Missouri banned abortions, that wasn't an option, at least not in Missouri.

A year ago, the hospital could have offered a chance for the couple to say goodbye and hold their daughter, even though they knew she wouldn't survive outside the womb.

Instead, Farmer and McNeill were left to make a series of trips across three states and countless phone calls.

The couple wanted to be able to grieve the loss of their daughter, not sit at home or in a hospital "with a baby dying inside me," Farmer said.

"I know it sounds horrible, but we just wanted to finish the process," she said.

In the end, Farmer didn't just lose Maeve; she lost her friends and her trust that Missouri would allow medical professionals to do their jobs.

"It was hard. You could tell the doctors were trying to tell us what we needed to do, but at the same time, trying to protect themselves. We’re not angry with them," Farmer said.

If her vitals plummeted or infection set in, or the fetus' cardiac activity stopped, the doctors could intervene, but not before then.

At 41, Farmer worried that by the time there was an emergency, it would be too late for both her and Maeve. And even if Farmer did live through it, she worried about what her recovery would be like. She was already at "risks of maternal thrombosis given her history of (deep vein thrombosis during a COVID-19 infection), infection/sepsis, severe blood loss, hysterotomy, hysterectomy and even mortality," according to the medical record.

Farmer then did something she, who describes herself as "pretty pro-life" and Christian, never thought she would do: She began to look for abortion clinics.

Farmer and McNeill set out for Granite City, Illinois. Early in the morning on Aug. 5, Farmer began to have back pain while on their way to the place just 15 minutes outside of St. Louis. When she got to HOPE Clinic, she was in labor.

After the fact, Farmer said it was almost reassuring that the labor came on. Friends in Joplin who knew of the situation had been telling her that she "could give birth at 17 weeks, that they knew people who have done it, that I was killing my child."

"It did my heart good to know I was doing the right thing," she said, as if her body was telling her that it was OK.

But still, the experience was harrowing. Protesters in front of the clinic echoed the things her friends had told her, "saying we were killing our baby and that we were evil."

"It was awful, you know? We were just going through so much. We didn’t want this ... but at the same time, we had no choice," Farmer said.

Since their ordeal, Farmer has lost trust. While she still feels her obstetrician at Freeman Hospital in Joplin is a good doctor, she's worried about whether medical professionals in Missouri will be able to offer patients necessary care.

Despite reaching out to various legislators, she has yet to receive an answer that satisfies her: Why is this law written this way? If it's to protect women, why did she have to be in danger before she could get care in-state? Why is it such a binary law?

"The world is too nuanced to put such strict rules in place," Farmer said.

HEADLINE 3: Supreme Court Considers Pork Producers’ Plea - The Intercept

On Tuesday, oral arguments will begin in National Pork Producers Council v. Ross, a case in which the pork industry is challenging the constitutionality of a California law regulating the worst cruelties of mass meat and egg production. The pork producers are arguing that California’s law ends up forcing them to change their procedures outside California’s borders at significant cost.

If the justices rule on the side of the pork producers, it will be only the latest case to expose the illusion of so-called states’ rights that conservative legal forces have spent 200 years pushing on the public.

There would also be widespread implications: Ruling in favor of industry would set yet another grim precedent, potentially curtailing the ability of states to enforce progressive industry regulations and protections. Everything from state laws on workers’ rights to environmental standards to further animal welfare issues could be challenged. Meanwhile, there could be another layer of irony: With the court’s provenselective federalism, we can be sure that any such precedent would be no barrier to conservative states enacting laws with economic consequences far beyond their state lines in future.

THE LAW IN question at the Supreme Court this week is California’s Prop 12, passed through a resounding 2018 ballot victory. The law bans the sale in California of meat and eggs from animals raised in extreme and brutal confinement, including in gestation crates where pregnant pigs are held, barely able to move, for most of their lives.

Such confinement has been condemned by all major animal welfare and veterinary organizations, and has been deemed a “profound danger to food and public health,” given the rife spread of disease, according to a brief written by the American Public Health Association and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, among others, for the case.

The pork producers contend that the law creates unconstitutional constraint on their business, as farmers in other states must change their practices to abide by Prop 12’s standards if they hope to sell pork in the nation’s most populous state and since most of the pork consumed in California is indeed produced out of state, and that the state is a market too big for major producers to forego, there’s little doubt that the Californian regulations would indeed affect interstate practices. It’s not a foregone conclusion that a majority of justices will side with the National Pork Producers Council. Both conservative justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have, from an originalist stance, previously criticized the dormant commerce clause. And, of course, all six of the court’s right-wing justices have ruled in favor of state laws that have significant economic effects on the lives of those outside those states — such is the nature of living in an entangled national body politic. Just ask the abortion clinics now overwhelmed by out-of-state travel. Yet we should never underestimate the conservative majority’s pro-business bent, and its unabashed desire to quash any and all liberation struggles — be they for human or nonhuman lives.

If the pork producers succeed in overthrowing Prop 12, many millions of animals will continue to live and die in the most appalling suffering. The message will be sent too that when big business wants to challenge democratically passed state laws, they have several right-wing Supreme Court justices — those storied defenders of states’ rights — on their side.

This situation on the Federal scale reminds me immediately of Missouri’s own quashing of local politics. The Missouri GOP claims to be the protector of local politics but when CAFOs in Missouri began polluting groundwater the State told counties they couldn’t enact regulations locally to hinder big business. It’s certainly evident the Right favors big government when it serves them.

LIGHTNING ROUND:

LR 1 - Lone Candidate shows up for Missouri’s 3rd - News Tribune

Only one candidate was present for the News Tribune's election forum Tuesday night, but two issues emerged to dominate the discussion: the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and federal student loan forgiveness. Bethany Mann, agricultural scientist and the Democratic challenger for Missouri's 3rd Congressional District, said the pandemic is ongoing and that student loan forgiveness isn't the ultimate solution to skyrocketing higher education costs, but a good policy nonetheless. Mann states that The country's student loan system is predatory, because it traps financially inexperienced young people into accumulating mass amounts of debt they don't know they can repay. The real issue is a lack of regulation on the banking industry, she said. Mann said more corporate regulations can insulate consumers from market shocks.

"We need to fix the root cause and not penalize people for trying to make a better life for themselves," she said.

As far as Blaine Luetktemeyer, he couldn’t be bothered to show up to the conversation.

LR 2 - Kansas ranks among the worst in the country on both mental illness and its treatment - NPR

A new report by Mental Health America tracking mental illness and the ease of accessing care found high rates of addiction among young people and mental illness and suicidal thoughts among adults put Kansas in last place.

The report, based largely on data from 2019 and 2020, found 9% of Kansas youth had a substance use disorder, more than any other state. Over a quarter of adults had a mental illness and over 6% had serious thoughts of suicide, both well above national averages. In part, that’s because the state doesn’t have enough psychiatrists, therapists and other mental health care workers to go around. Compared with a national rate of one provider for every 350 people, Kansas only had one for every 470 people — and experts say the shortfall is particularly dire in rural areas.

Kansas also got low marks on insurance rates and the ability to afford mental health care.

Around 18% of adults with mental illness in Kansas had no insurance, compared with 11% nationwide. And only around 7% of youths with severe depression received consistent treatment for it, compared to 28% nationwide.

LR 3 - Commission recommends salary increases to address Missouri teacher shortage - Missouri Independent

A state commission Tuesday laid out its recommendations to improve teacher recruitment and retention in Missouri, including a push to raise starting salaries that currently rank among the lowest in the nation. The State Board of Education approved the commission’s nine recommendations and pledged to bring the findings to the public and lawmakers. Nearly 8% of available full-time teaching positions in the school year 2020-2021 were vacant or filled by not fully qualified individuals, according to the report. One of the commission’s immediate recommendations was for the legislature to amend the state’s base teacher salary, which is currently set by state law at $25,000 for a beginning teacher, to “at least $38,000” and to conduct annual reviews of the starting salary level.

According to the National Education Association’s review from earlier this year, Missouri’s average teacher starting salary ranks second-to-last in the nation, at $33,234, higher only than Montana. At a public hearing in August, educators recounted taking on second jobs to get by.

Per the Report, the legislature should also establish a state fund to help local school districts pay more competitive salaries overall, the report recommended.

The average teachers salary in Missouri ranks 47th in the nation, at $51,557, according to the National Education Association. It’s good to see that last bit tacked on, the focus on teacher pay in Missouri almost always centers on starting pay, which… is admittedly terrible, but we want to retain teachers too. A pay bump for every teacher in Missouri is way overdue.

LR 4 - Will the next Farm Bill be climate friendly? Depends on the Midterms - Mother Jones

This year’s midterm elections will decide the direction of a massive legislative package meant to tackle the nation’s agricultural problems. Ahead of the November elections, House Republicans have already released insight into their priorities for this upcoming legislation. The Republican Study Committee, whose members make up 80 percent of all Republican members of Congress, released its draft budget in July. This draft document outlines a plan that completely defunds federal programs that support conservation efforts, as well as slashes federal food stamp and crop insurance programs. As Farm Bill debates continue, a group of over 150 progressive, agriculture, and environmental groups, from the nation’s largest federation of labor unions to the Sierra Club environmental group, have urged President Joe Biden to add climate reforms in the upcoming legislative package. In a letter to Biden, organizations urged the President to pass a Farm Bill that would help mend economic and racial divides in the industry, increase access to nutrition, support fair labor conditions in farming communities labor conditions, as well as tackle the climate crisis with a focus on agriculture.

LR 5 - Kansas Republicans downplay abortion in legislative races. Some change campaign sites - Kansas City Star

Mike Pence recently tweeted out “I’ve got news for President Biden. Come January 22nd, we will have Pro-Life majorities in the House and Senate and we’ll be taking the cause of the right to Life to every state house in America!” Which sounds a little funny when hearing reports of Multiple Kansas House GOP candidates removing anti-abortion material from their campaign sites in the wake of voters’ rejection of the constitutional amendment in August. We keep seeing this play out, the Republicans, the proverbial dog in this idiom, have caught the car on Abortion and frankly don’t know exactly how to move forward. Hopefully a full blown referendum is coming down the pipe in November!

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Deb Lavender for Representative | Mo 98th State House District

20 oktober 2022 | 20 min

Deb Lavender Website: https://www.upballot.com/deb-lavender

While serving in the legislature, Deb found her place working on the Budget Committee to find and distribute hidden money to the areas throughout our state that needed it the most. She was able to work across the aisle to increase funding for people living at home with disabilities, mental health needs, utility assistance, and was able to amend the budget to include 15 million for broadband expansion. There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to assure our tax dollars are working for Missourians, and Deb is widely recognized as the best person to get this done.

Deb takes an active part in the community, working as a health care professional and local businesswoman. As a physical therapist and sole owner of an outpatient physical therapy clinic, Deb has built her professional reputation based on results. She is recognized as a leader in her field, receiving referrals from around the region.

Born and raised in New England, Deb put herself through college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy. Soon after graduation, Deb moved to St. Louis and now has deep roots in our community.

Deb's interest in politics was first sparked as a teenager when she participated in Girls State, a program sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary. There, she learned the importance and value of democratic government. In the following years, she put her energy and enthusiasm for politics to work by becoming involved in local and state issues.

Before being elected, Deb worked the halls of the state capitol in Jefferson City to garner support for issues important to her and the people in her community. In 2006, she channeled her passion and skill for government into an internship for State Representative Barbara Fraser.

Deb had the great opportunity to participate in raising her nephew, Griffin, and is very proud of the man he has become and enjoys time with him and his growing family.

As an active leader and consistent volunteer in community service and community improvement endeavors, Deb participates in the following organizations:

Member of Rotary International since 1985
Women’s Political Caucus
Board of Directors, Mary Culver Home for the Visually Impaired 2010-2020
50 Trees for 50 Years, Volunteer - (Kirkwood – 2011-2019)
Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, Member
American Physical Therapy Association, Member
Missouri Physical Therapy Association, Member

Host: Adam Sommer

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Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

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Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

High Country - Politics and Government News from the American West

19 oktober 2022 | 16 min

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Alright! Let’s get into it:

COLORADO NEWSLINE: RINO hunters looking for a bloodbath

As county clerks across Colorado prepared to send out mail ballots to voters on Monday, former President Donald Trump weighed in on one of the state’s most-watched 2022 races.

Trump blasted Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe O’Dea, a Denver construction CEO, as a “RINO,” or Republican in name only, over comments O’Dea made about a potential 2024 Trump presidential campaign.

In a Sunday appearance on CNN’s State of the Union, O’Dea was asked whether the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol should disqualify Trump from running again. O’Dea called the events of Jan. 6 “a black eye for our country,” though he has previously said he doesn’t believe Trump deserves blame for the Capitol attack.

“I don’t think Donald Trump should run again,” O’Dea said Sunday. “I’m going to actively campaign against Donald Trump and make sure that we’ve got four or five really great Republicans right now — Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott. They can run and serve for eight years.”

Trump responded in a post on his Truth Social website: “MAGA doesn’t Vote for stupid people with big mouths”

O’Dea faces an uphill battle against incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat who is seeking his third full Senate term, in a state that has trended increasingly blue in recent elections. Bennet has led O’Dea in recent polling by an average of eight percentage points, according to FiveThirtyEight.

A first-time candidate who has pitched himself as a moderate on social issues, O’Dea has walked a tightrope throughout his campaign as he seeks to win over moderate voters without alienating the conservative Republican base.

He did not publicly state his opposition to a Trump 2024 bid until after the June GOP primary, when he defeated far-right state Rep. Ron Hanks with 55% of the vote. His campaign clarified that O’Dea would still support Trump in the general election if the former president wins the GOP nomination, but O’Dea has since backed off of that position in interviews.

GOP state Rep. Dave Williams, a far-right election denier who mounted an unsuccessful primary challenge against U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn earlier this year, reacted to Trump’s comments in a Twitter post.

“Ouch,” Williams wrote. “Maybe Joe’s campaign shouldn’t alienate the base 3 weeks before an election.”

Trump’s criticism follows Ron Hanks’ endorsement of the Libertarian in the Senate race, Bryan Peotter, who has put election denial and total opposition to abortion at the center of his campaign.

The Libertarian wrote on Twitter that Trump’s attack on O’Dea “reads like an endorsement for my campaign pretty clearly.”

In an Oct. 7 appearance on the conservative “Chuck and Julie Show,” Ron Hanks, who received just under 45% of the vote in the GOP’s June primary, said neither Peotter nor O’Dea have a chance of beating Bennet - and that Republican voters should vote for Peotter to send a message to party leaders.

“It’s our time now as grassroots Colorado conservatives to step in. We have a big battle ahead to try to reform this leadership,” said Hanks. “It’s got to be a bloodbath.”

COLORADO NEWSLINE: Will Colorado legalize psychedelic mushrooms?

Ten years after Colorado voters made history by approving the ballot measure that legalized recreational marijuana, this November’s Proposition 122 would allow licensed ‘healing centers’ and decriminalize personal use of some hallucinogens.

The Natural Medicine Health Act would establish a regulated market for psilocybin and psilocyn, the psychoactive compounds found in psychedelic mushrooms. Placed on the 2022 ballot by a citizen initiative, it will become law if a majority of Colorado voters give their approval.

The measure would allow licensed “healing centers” to provide access to psilocybin and psilocyn for therapeutic purposes. It would also decriminalize the “personal use” of the substances, allowing people to possess and grow psychedelic mushrooms in their own homes.

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Natural Medicine Colorado, the group backing the effort says “Natural psychedelic medicines are non-addictive, and can have profound benefits for people struggling with mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, opioid use disorder, and those struggling to find peace at the end of their lives.”

Proposition 122 qualified for the ballot in July after organizers submitted more than the required 124,632 valid signatures to the secretary of state’s office. An issue committee backing the measure has reported more than $2.8 million in contributions, according to campaign finance disclosures.

Nearly all of that funding came from New Approach PAC, a Washington, D.C.-based PAC that advocates for drug policy reform. Top donors to the group include the van Ameringen Foundation, Scotts Miracle-Gro and Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps.

New Approach PAC supported successful mushroom decriminalization measures in Oregon and Washington, D.C., in 2020. If voters approve Proposition 122, Colorado would become the third jurisdiction in the country to legalize psilocybin.

Denver voters took a more limited step towards the decriminalization of psychedelic mushrooms in 2019, approving a measure that directed police to make possession of psychedelics the city’s ”lowest law-enforcement priority.”

Legalization advocates point to a vast body of existing research showing that psychedelics can be effective in treating depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions.

The federal Food and Drug Administration has designated psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy” for the treatment of major depressive disorder.

Luke Gruber, an initiative backer and a Marine veteran who suffered from PTSD and depression after serving in Afghanistan, says psilocybin therapy “changed his life.”

He said, “I can’t really describe the experience, but I can describe what it was like after my first treatment with natural medicine. It was like being reminded of what hope felt like.”

If passed, Proposition 122 would establish a 15-member Natural Medicine Advisory Board to oversee the regulation of psychedelic substances. The first licenses for regulated providers would be issued beginning in September 2024. Pending recommendations from the advisory board, other substances, including DMT and mescaline, could be added to the program in 2026.

I WILL BE VOTING YES.

COLORADO NEWSLINE: SHE’S JUST BLOWING SMOKE

Kirkmeyer repeats false Colorado oil and gas claims in 8th District debate against Caraveo

In a recent debate in the race for Colorado’s new 8th Congressional District, right-wing GOP State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer took the opportunity to repeat a series of false claims about the oil and gas industry, and the impacts of a 2019 law sponsored by her Democratic opponent, state Rep. Dr. Yadira Caraveo.

Kirkmeyer called the package of new health, safety and environmental reforms a “de facto ban on oil and gas. We went from 5,100 permits approved in 2018 down to about, I think, 22 — 22 permits this year, something approximately in that area,” she claimed.

So, it’s not 22. It’s actually 842 new drilling permits that have been approved this year. Nearly 40 times higher than what Kirkmeyer claimed. In total, there are 1,314 active drilling permits held by Colorado oil and gas producers as of last week.

She made a similar false claim in March, asserting that only four permits had been issued at that point in the year. The true figure was 125.

Colorado’s oil production levels have dipped slightly from their 2019 peak, but remain near historic highs. Producers within the state are on pace to pump more than 156 million barrels of crude oil out of Colorado this year. That’s higher than every other year prior to 2018, and it’s more than five times the volume being pumped in Colorado ten years ago.

Drillers have reduced growth plans and capital budgets in large part due to the demands of Wall Street investors, who flooded the industry with cheap credit amid the 2010s fracking boom, but have since sought to prioritize more profitable streams of revenue.

Kirkmeyer claimed that SB-181 “killed thousands of jobs” in the 8th District, which encompasses an area in north metro Denver and Weld County that is home to the vast majority of Colorado’s oil production.

Asked why the same trends were observed in drilling-friendly states like Texas and Wyoming recently, Kirkmeyer said, “I have no idea what other laws, or what other kinds of regulations, or what else was going on in those states.” Kirkmeyer also denied the scientific consensus on fossil fuels and climate change.

Dr. Caraveo, the Democratic candidate, is a pediatrician who has seen the impacts of drilling and refinery operations in the lungs of the innocent kids who come into her clinic. The Suncor refinery, one of Colorado’s largest sources of air pollution, is located within the new district.

Dr. Caraveo said 2019’s oil and gas reform bill was moderate, and incorporated industry input.

The 8th District, the boundaries of which were drawn last year by Colorado’s first-ever Independent Redistricting Commission, is the state’s most competitive. According to the commission’s analysis, former President Donald Trump would have won the district by 1.7 percentage points in the 2016 election, while Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper would have carried the district by the same margin in his defeat of former GOP Sen. Cory Gardner in 2020. Nonpartisan elections analysts rate the race as a toss-up.

ARIZONA MIRROR:

Oath Keepers are planning to watch drop boxes in Arizona, spurred by conspiracy theories. The groups’ violent rhetoric has advocates worried, and some local politicians are stirring the pot.

The increased attention to ballot drop boxes comes in the wake of the debunked film “2000 Mules” about a completely made up ballot stuffing operation supposedly benefitting Democratic candidates.

Now, groups are organizing events to keep an eye on drop boxes in Arizona. One of those groups is connected directly to the Arizona chapter of the Oath Keepers, a known white supremacist group.

They’re calling their midterm voter intimidation efforts “Operation Drop Box.”

On its website the group members describe themselves as “conservative patriots” who say the country has been hijacked global elites, communists, leftists, deep state bureaucrats, and fake news.”

Jim Arroyo, the leader of the Arizona Oath Keepers said the group sent emails to everyone in the group’s roster, about 1,000 people.

In an Oath Keeprs meeting, Arroyo said “For the November election we would like to post people at drop boxes to have eyes on target to be able to notify law enforcement. We have already coordinated with Sheriff Rhodes and he told us that if we see somebody stuffing a ballot box and we get a license plate number, that deputies would make an arrest and there will be a prosecution.”

County Sheriff David Rhodes has spoken to the Arizona chapter of the Oath Keepers on two separate occasions. In an August 2021 meeting, he said “I’ve got to tell you, this is one of my favorite groups. It is great to be with friends”

When asked about coordination between the Sheriff, Lions of Liberty and the Oath Keepers. County spokesperson Kristin Greene said “Sheriff Rhodes has zero to do with their effort to watch the drop boxes.”

Rhodes also spoke to the group in late September, a meeting which the Sheriff’s Office said was to educate the group on what was legal and what was not legal for the group to do. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office told the group members that as long as they stay 75 feet away from the drop boxes, they are within their legal rights, but any closer and they could be violating the law.

The county is also at the center of another effort led by former Graham County Sheriff Richard Mack, who leads the so-called Constitutional Sheriffs Association, an extremist anti-government group.

CSPOA and the Oath Keepers have long had close ties.

State Sen. Kelly Townsend, a Republican, called on “vigilantes” to camp out on drop boxes.

At a legislative hearing all about indulging wild conspiracy theories, she said, “I have been so pleased to hear about all you vigilantes out there that want to camp out at these drop boxes. We’re going to have hidden trail cameras, we are going to have people parked out there watching you and they are going to follow you to your car and get your license plate, so don’t try it. Don’t try it anymore.”

Lake Havasu Republican Sonny Borrelli has also made similar calls while at an election security forum.

“We need to be force multipliers,” Borrelli told the crowd in Tempe. “We need to have people camped on unmanned drop boxes and camp on those and keep an eye on them and take down that data, license plates, pictures and so on and so forth.”

Concerned voter advocates are advising that .ocal law enforcement may not be the best option for a voter to turn to, if you end up feeling intimidated at the polls - instead suggesting contacting local election officials, the election protection hotline, or federal law enforcement.

Voter intimidation is a federal crime, one that is enforced by the FBI and Department of Justice.

When asked for comment about the situation with white supremacists camping out at ballot drop boxes,

United States Attorney for Arizona Gary Restaino said “Enough with the election deniers and fear-mongers, who only seek to undermine our democratic process. I’m proud to live in a state that endeavors to remove barriers to voting, and that has long believed in vote-by-mail. Working in partnership with our state and local election officials, the Department of Justice will do its very best to ensure that every eligible voter who chooses to vote can do so easily and efficiently, without interference or discrimination.”

Most importantly, voters shouldn’t let wackos like the Oath Keepers and so-called Constitutional Sheriffs keep you from participating in American democracy.

ON THAT NOTE:

Arizona’s General Election has officially begun, with ballots being sent out across the state to voters who have signed up to receive them by mail, and with polling places opening up for early voting.

Voters who have registered for mail-in ballots will begin receiving their ballots soon, and can check the status of their ballot at my.arizona.vote

Those who have not yet requested a mail-in ballot have until Oct. 28 to do so.

NEVADA CURRENT:

Nevada launches opioid task force as fentanyl overdoses increase

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Attorney General Aaron Ford and Gov. Steve Sisolak have launched an opioid task force designed to provide technical assistance, guidance and resources to local and state jurisdictions amid the rise of opioid overdoses.

The increase in overdoses is associated with fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more powerful than morphine. Fentanyl is often found in other drugs like cocaine and pills and is not detectable without a chemical test.

Between July and August in Nevada, emergency department visits from suspected opioid-related deaths increased by 66% - and emergency department visits from suspected stimulant-related overdoses increased by 50%.

For those looking for help, visit: behavioralhealthnv.org in Nevada, or can call the free, confidential, national treatment and referral hotline at 1-800-662-4357. 1-800-662-help

To find free naloxone or learn about using fentanyl test strips in Nevada, visit nvopioidresponse.org

Last year, 107,000 Americans died from opioid overdoses.

Concert pick of the Week: Todd Snider at Washington’s FOCO

Todd Snider is an American singer/songwriter who is 1000x more fucking badass than implied by that term. He’s got a new Live album called Return of the Storyteller, with extra resonance in our post-pandemic era.

Snider says laughingly, “This was really only my second tour – because I went out on the road in ’94 and never went home until the pandemic. And I’m so glad I recorded those shows for this album. Because that was the sound of the country getting to see live music again. Everyone just hugs at the start of a concert-you can tell folks are glad to see each other, and then they get more excited than they used to be about just being out and seeing music. I’m sure that it will go back to normal, but it hasn’t yet.”

So go to the show! Todd Snider is playing next Wednesday Washington’s Fort Collins - tickets at washingtonsfoco.com.

Next Friday - October 28 he’ll be at Knuckleheads in Kansas City - on Saturday November 19th he’ll be play the Sheldon Concert Hall in St Louis, and in between he has near daily shows in Des Moines, Eau Claire, Omaha, Iowa City, Chicago, Madison, Grand Rapids, Ohio, Illinois, Raleigh, Knoxville.

Closes out the tour in December with 5 dates in Texas, last of which being Luckenback, on December 10.

If you can’t tell - I’m definitely hoping to catch a couple of this extraordinary storyteller’s shows. God willing.

Welp, that’s it for me! From Denver I’m Sean Diller. Original reporting for the stories in today’s show comes from the Nevada Current, Arizona Mirror, Colorado Newsline, Source New Mexico, and Denver’s Westword.

Thank you for listening! See you next time.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Natalie Davis with United States of Care

18 oktober 2022 | 30 min

Host: Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85
Guest: Natalie Davis

https://unitedstatesofcare.org/

Natalie Davis has worked for nearly two decades shaping and implementing American health care policies to improve the lives of all people. In 2018, she and fellow national health care leader Andy Slavitt launched United States of Care to ensure that everyone in the country has access to quality, affordable health care regardless of health status, social need, or income. She is relentless in her person-centered approach to building health care solutions and has a history of building partnerships – with organizations, patient advocacy groups and everyday people – that work to create positive change in our country’s health care system.

From 2010-2016, Natalie served at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with the final two years as Senior Advisor to former CMS Administrator, Andy Slavitt. At CMS, she was deeply engaged in the implementation of one of the country’s largest expansions of health care in modern history. Natalie provided strategic and tactical support during the development of the agency’s internal and external priorities, and served as a liaison between CMS and stakeholders across the country.

In 2017, Natalie served as the Director of Strategic Engagement at the Bipartisan Policy Center. There she worked to launch the Future of Health Reform initiative which serves as a resource to policymakers by developing effective and politically viable solutions to our nation’s health care challenges. This effort is led by former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle and Bill Frist, as well as by Andy Slavitt, Gail Wilensky, and other leaders. Natalie knows firsthand that it is possible to bring the smartest minds together to innovate and get things done — regardless of political party.

A social entrepreneur, Natalie also helped found Town Hall Ventures and The Medicaid Transformation Project, both of which focus on bringing the best of innovation and care delivery to diverse communities. An advocate and a mother, Natalie currently serves on the board of directors of the Preeclampsia Foundation.

Natalie believes that it has never been more important to make our health care system work better for everyone. She is dedicated to bringing together leaders and advocates from across the country who can help create meaningful change in our nation’s inequitable health care system. She brings all her personal and professional experiences to the fight for better health care, working to expand access to quality, affordable health care to help people right now, while working towards durable federal policies centered on the needs of people to provide real and lasting solutions for everybody.

Natalie holds an M.A. in Social Policy from George Washington University and is an alumna of Salisbury University schools of Sociology and Art History. Natalie lives in Washington, DC with her amazing husband and four children.

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Climate Activists Embrace Soup Season; Eric May Need To Wipe Trump's Schmitt Off His Nose; Midterm Decision Desk Check In - Ticket Splitting Coming?; PLUS Adam does an Alex Jones Impression For Five Seconds

17 oktober 2022 | 80 min

The Flyover View - October 14, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views

14 oktober 2022 | 12 min

Rep. Sarah Unsicker Talks Agape and the record of Missouri Attorney General, Eric Schmitt

13 oktober 2022 | 34 min

The Delta, E35 - On Cannabis with Rachel

12 oktober 2022 | 22 min

Dr. Alan Green (D) for Missouri Auditor, 2022

11 oktober 2022 | 35 min

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse Is Retiring; Elon Musk Is A Smart Dumb Dumb; Do Missourians Want A Constitutional Convention?; Biden's Big Pot Pardon & Missouri Amendment 3

10 oktober 2022 | 74 min

Heartland POD on Twitter - @TheHeartlandPOD

Co-Hosts
Adam Sommer @Adam_Sommer85

Rachel Parker @RaichetP

Sean Diller @SeanDillerCO

TRUE OR FALSE

The retirement of Sen. Ben Sasse holds greater meaning beyond his simply leaving the job.
Sasse well known as a Trump critic

Taking a job as President of University of Florida
Anything here other than naked ambition of a Presidential run, set up by getting to base from Florida instead of Nebraska?
Sasse said he and his wife have been “pursued by wonderful institutions the past two years, but we’ve resisted being a finalist. This time is different because the University of Florida is different: I think Florida is the most interesting university in America right now.”
Gov. Ricketts could appoint himself to the seat

Yeah… NO

Elon Musk

He’s buying twitter, he lost, he’s a loser, and he might also be a russian troll farm come to life

Buy or Sell

Missourians will vote to have a constitutional convention
How is this a real thing?

https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/ArticleXIISection3a.pdf

The ballot measures for 2022

https://www.sos.mo.gov/default.aspx?PageID=10056

https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2771168638614/all-missouri-voters-will-see-these-five-questions-on-the-ballot-here-s-what-they-mean

Every 20 years the question is posed to voters - do you want to have a constitutional convention for the State
Some Dems support it because all changes would have to be approved by voters

Big One:

Biden’s Big Federal Pot Pardon
Just in time for the midterms
MJ is fully illegal - meaning there is NO form, not even CBD that is legal, in 4 states.

https://disa.com/maps/marijuana-legality-by-state
Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho, South Carolina

What about banking? Sen. Durbin calling that out as something that has to be fixed
Just announced a few days ago, will be interesting to see Biden approval

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/?ex_cid=rrpromo

Missouri Amendment 3 - seems to be a LOT of push back on it

Democratic party officially took NO position on it
Have seen a few Dems out actively campaigning against it (not gonna call anyone out)
TBV endorses amendment 3
https://twitter.com/buschvalentine/status/1570854204956377091
“If we pass Amendment 3, we are righting most of the wrongs that should have been dealt with some time ago”, says St. Louis NAACP President.
This is one of those times where I really, really have been trying to make sense of these arguments but I just cannot
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/missouris-largest-labor-union-backs-marijuana-legalization-ballot-measure/
Actual language of proposed change

https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/2022-059.pdf
Language actually PROHIBITS use of MJ as grounds for a search warrant if you hold medical or caregiver card

Updated language that keeps courts from penalizing a parent in a custody case simply for MJ use
Most of the complaints are things that are ALREADY in place, it’s already illegal to smoke pot in public and that isn’t changing

And yet… take a walk in a crowded area and tell me you don’t smell it

MOST of the convictions for MJ in MO will be immediately
expunged w/o further action

Last call preview.

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Flyover View - October 7, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News and Views

7 oktober 2022 | 17 min

Kristen Radaker Sheafer MO-07 For Congress "Investing In My Community"

6 oktober 2022 | 35 min

Host: Adam Sommer, twitter: https://twitter.com/Adam_Sommer85?s=20&t=nVpK5tX8idvZNlQAIVMkjg

Guest: Kristen Radaker Sheafer, twitter: https://twitter.com/KristenRSheafer?s=20&t=nVpK5tX8idvZNlQAIVMkjg

Kristen For Congress

https://www.kristenforcongress.com/

Kristen Radaker Sheafer was raised in rural northeast Oklahoma, where she used to watch cows grazing in the pasture behind her backyard from the kitchen table. In 2006, she graduated from her small public high school and headed to a small town in Arkansas for college. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Graphic and Web Design from John Brown University and returned to Oklahoma for a few years. In 2013, Kristen married her husband Luke and moved to Joplin, MO. After spending more than 7 years working in graphic design and marketing, she quit her web design job to pursue her dream of starting a bakery specializing in custom cakes for weddings and other events. Over the past six and a half years, she has grown the bakery has grown into a strong and successful small business.

For the last decade, Kristen and her husband, along with their two giant dogs, Eleanor "Nori" Roosevelt and Ira Glass have established deep roots in Southwest Missouri. She decided to run for the U.S. House of Representatives to use her creativity, problem solving skills, collaborative attitude, and ability to find common ground to help the people of Missouri's 7th district.

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

High Country - October 5, 2022 - Government and Politics News in the American West

5 oktober 2022 | 13 min

Pat Garafalo with American Economic Liberties Project, Author: "The Billionaire Boondoggle" and Boondoggle newsletter, joins Rachel Parker for a chat

4 oktober 2022 | 57 min

MO GOP "tax cut" Midterm Theater | Italy Elects A Fascist While Some GOP Celebrate | Abortion Continues To Move The Needle | Senate Electoral Count Act Set To Pass

3 oktober 2022 | 73 min

Flyover View - September 30, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, and Views with host, Kevin Smith

30 september 2022 | 17 min

Missouri Prison Reform, Founder and Executive Director, Lori Curry Joins Rachel Parker For A Chat

29 september 2022 | 40 min

The Delta, E34 - Pride & Embarrassment

28 september 2022 | 32 min

Bethany Mann for Congress, MO-3rd: Let's Send a Chemist To Congress

27 september 2022 | 40 min

MO Midterms 2022; Josh Hawley Is F***ING EMBARRASSING; Independent Voters Turn The Tide?; Trump Had A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

26 september 2022 | 73 min

Flyover View - September 23, 2022 | Heartland Politics, News, & Views

23 september 2022 | 21 min

Michelle Smith with Missourians For Alternatives To The Death Penalty

22 september 2022 | 40 min

High Country - September 21, 2022 - Politics, Government and Elections News from the American West

21 september 2022 | 16 min

The Increasingly Anti-Democratic Push Against Ballot Initiatives in America, with Jenna Spinelle from Penn St McCourtney institute for democracy

20 september 2022 | 46 min

Missouri's (Not So) Special Session w/ Rep. Peter Merideth; Kansas Gets Help From Feds With Criminal Officer; Patagonia owner's altruistic ends?; What's Your Tipping Point Race in 2022?

19 september 2022 | 91 min

Flyover View - September 16, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

16 september 2022 | 20 min

Mo House Dem Candidate Chats: Jessie Shepherd (MO 114) - Kyle Kerns (MO-94) - Ginger Witty (MO-156)

15 september 2022 | 38 min

The Delta, E33 - Zombies: Inclusion and Activism

14 september 2022 | 27 min

Running For MO State House with Jenna Roberson (MO-63) and Eric Nowicki (MO-65)

13 september 2022 | 21 min

Donald Looney Guest Co-Host: Ranked Choice Voting; Agape Boarding School "Ordered To Shut Down" (Not Really); A Magic Message On Abortion for 2022?; 2022 Mid-Term Desk Check In

12 september 2022 | 64 min

Flyover View - September 9, 2022 - Government, Politics and Elections News from the American heartland

9 september 2022 | 18 min

Rachel Parker, A Live Mic, & A Few Thoughts About Our Current State

8 september 2022 | 26 min

High Country - September 7, 2022 - Government and Politics News from the American West

7 september 2022 | 17 min

Dan Schaefer , host of "Democracy On The Move" a podcast out of Missouri, joins Adam Sommer for a Chat

6 september 2022 | 39 min

Rural America's True Crime & Real Tragedy: The Story of Vicky, Chris, & a Determined Sister's Unanswered Questions

5 september 2022 | 45 min

Flyover View - September 2, 2022 - Heartland Politics and Government News

2 september 2022 | 14 min

Laboratories Of Autocracy - A Chat With David Pepper About The Importance Of State Gov. To Secure The Future By Cleaning Up Our Own Back Yard

1 september 2022 | 54 min

The Delta, E32 - Cruisin' for a Bruisin'

31 augusti 2022 | 29 min

The Illusion Of Safety, The Promise Of Choice

30 augusti 2022 | 20 min

Galen Bacharier Covered Mike Lindell's Traveling Circus In Springfield | St. Louis "Politician" Transphobic Mishmash Of Words | Kansas Close Up for 2022 | Democrats Trending Up?

29 augusti 2022 | 99 min

Flyover View - August 26, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

26 augusti 2022 | 18 min

Mo House Dems pt. 3 | Jessica Slisz (MO-49th) around Calloway County || Amy Freeland (MO - 140th) Christian County, around Ozark, MO || Jessica DeVoto (MO 69th) Southern St. Charle's Co. area

25 augusti 2022 | 40 min

High Country - Politics in the American West - August 24, 2022

24 augusti 2022 | 43 min

MO Amendment 3 | Legalize Marijuana: Yes, or No? Some say the devil is in the details, even those who are in support of legalization in general

23 augusti 2022 | 67 min

Dr. Oz Is A Cruditidiot | Eric Schmitt's Duplicitous Statements | Trump Tower Tumbling Down | Liz Cheney's Next Act

22 augusti 2022 | 70 min

Flyover View Aug. 18, 2022 | News & Views From The Heartland

19 augusti 2022 | 24 min

Mo Dem House Candidates Special, Ep. 2 | Leslie Derrington in MO 96th - Douglas Mann in MO 50th - Bernadette Holzer in MO 143rd

18 augusti 2022 | 35 min

The Delta, E31 - Back to School

17 augusti 2022 | 34 min

Mo Dem House Candidates Special, Ep. 1 - Andy Leighton, Adrian Plank, Ann Zimpfer

16 augusti 2022 | 32 min

The Heartland POD Aug 15, 2022 | MO Marijuana MO Problems? - Gov. Goldfish Is Back In The Bowl - A New Middle Ground In Politics & John Wood in MO - Trump's Bad Week & Biden's Positive Momentum

15 augusti 2022 | 99 min

Flyover View - Aug 12, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

12 augusti 2022 | 26 min

The Servant Leader w/ Rev. Susan Shumway, Candidate for MO-105 House District

11 augusti 2022 | 22 min

2022 Isn't About Trump... Let's Focus Up

10 augusti 2022 | 14 min

Reap What You Sow: Kiki Hubbard of Organic Seed Alliance joins Kevin Smith for a chat

9 augusti 2022 | 29 min

The Democrats Did Something Good; C.W. Gardner and his 2,038 Votes; Reece Ellis & Social Media Presence v. Voter Turnout Realities; Kansas's High Turnout v. MO Underwhelming Showing

8 augusti 2022 | 93 min

Flyover View - August 5, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

5 augusti 2022 | 18 min

Country Music & Congressional Races - Heidi Campbell of Nashville is ready for Congress

4 augusti 2022 | 30 min

The origin story of The Heartland POD - an oral history with Sean Diller and Adam Sommer

3 augusti 2022 | 36 min

ERIC...

2 augusti 2022 | 30 min

The Forward Party Looks Back; Trudy Busch Valentine Gaffes Catching Up?; #MOSEN Primary Pics!; Post Primary Thoughts

1 augusti 2022 | 93 min

Flyover View: July 29, 2022 - Heartland News & Views

29 juli 2022 | 17 min

Deep Dive In Missouri's 1st District Democratic Primary with Akela Lacy & Rachel Parker

28 juli 2022 | 38 min

The Delta, E30 - Teaching Kids to Rebel

27 juli 2022 | 25 min

Kentucky Blue In 2022 Grass, A Chat with Conor Halbleib, (D-KY5th)

26 juli 2022 | 26 min

Sean's Birthday, Hawley's Hawlinass, Harvard study on Jan6th, Biden has COVID, Dems working with GOP to attack Cori Bush in MO, Blake Masters Wikipedia dive, Adam's wife got kicked out of a Hartzler event, & a Last Call preview

25 juli 2022 | 102 min

The Flyover View - July 22, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

22 juli 2022 | 23 min

The Big Corporate Impact On Small Everyday Life: A Chat with Pat Garofalo of American Economic Liberties Project with Rachel Parker, host.

21 juli 2022 | 47 min

High Country - July 20, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

20 juli 2022 | 13 min

High School Musi...er... Activist! - Arthi Kondapaneni, a high school student & community activist, has a chat with Kevin Smith

19 juli 2022 | 26 min

Manchin kills Climate bill - Polling Shows Abortion Animating Issue - Tim Ryan (OH-D) courting the right? - Midterms 2022 Checkin, The House - BONUS too early 2024 talk

18 juli 2022 | 85 min

The Flyover View - July 15, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

15 juli 2022 | 33 min

Ray Reed, GenZ Leader and Congressional Candidate

14 juli 2022 | 33 min

The Delta, E29 - Why I Left Teaching

13 juli 2022 | 38 min

Missouri Draws Attention - A Chat With Mica Soellner of The Washington Times

12 juli 2022 | 36 min

2 YEAR POD ANNIVERSARY! Climate Change; Missouri Is b-a-n-a-n-a-s; 2022 Senate Races; Last Call preview

11 juli 2022 | 103 min

Flyover View - July 8, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

8 juli 2022 | 16 min

Rep. Crystal Quade, The State of Abortion Rights In Missouri

7 juli 2022 | 34 min

High Country - July 6, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

6 juli 2022 | 7 min

Highland Park Reaction, Weekend Review, & best movie draft

5 juli 2022 | 45 min

Abortion Right Rally in Rural, Ruby Red America

4 juli 2022 | 48 min

Flyover View - July 1, 2022 - Politics News and Views

1 juli 2022 | 29 min

Dawnavyn James has a chat, with Kristina Linke

30 juni 2022 | 48 min

The Delta, E28 - Abortion, Salvation, & Hope

29 juni 2022 | 26 min

Rachel's Story: A journey through trauma, abuse, and choice.

28 juni 2022 | 50 min

SCOTUS Rulings from New York, Maine, and the Dobbs case on Abortion

27 juni 2022 | 94 min

Co-Hosts: Adam Sommer, Rachel Parker, Sean Diller

Adam's Open

Talkin' Politics

SUPREME COURT TERM ENDING

DOBBS V. JACKSON - STATES CAN MAKE ABORTION ILLEGAL

Missouri is first in the nation: https://www.newsweek.com/missouri-bans-all-abortions-minutes-after-scotus-ruling-overturning-roe-1718967

Josh Hawley Wants You To Move Out: https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article262849238.html

What is a “D&C”
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/dilation-and-curettage-d-and-c

Missouri statute Sec. 1.205: Life Begins At Conception, unborn have protectable interests in life, health, and well-being, natural parents have protectable interest in the life, health and well being of unborn child - those are real actual words in missouri law

Unborn child is defined to include all unborn children or the offspring of human being from the moment of conception until birth at every stage of biological development

MO Stat, Sec. 188.015 defines abortion, 188.017 makes them illegal, updated June 24, 2022

"Conception", the fertilization of the ovum of a female by a sperm of a male;

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no abortion shall be performed or induced upon a woman, except in cases of medical emergency. Any person who knowingly performs or induces an abortion of an unborn child in violation of this subsection shall be guilty of a class B felony, as well as subject to suspension or revocation of his or her professional license by his or her professional licensing board. A woman upon whom an abortion is performed or induced in violation of this subsection shall not be prosecuted for a conspiracy to violate the provisions of this subsection.

3. It shall be an affirmative defense for any person alleged to have violated the provisions of subsection 2 of this section that the person performed or induced an abortion because of a medical emergency. The defendant shall have the burden of persuasion that the defense is more probably true than not.

"Medical emergency", a condition which, based on reasonable medical judgment, so complicates the medical condition of a pregnant woman as to necessitate the immediate abortion of her pregnancy to avert the death of the pregnant woman or for which a delay will create a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman;

THOMAS’S CONCURRANCE: “For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including:
Griswold - contraceptive use

Lawrence - right to engage in private sexual acts (same sex)

Obergefell - marriage equality

https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/dobbs-v-jackson-womens-health-organization/

MAINE - PUBLIC MONEY TO RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/carson-v-makin/

Holding: Maine’s “nonsectarian” requirement for otherwise generally available tuition assistance payments to parents who live in school districts that do not operate a secondary school of their own violates the free exercise clause of the First Amendment.

Actual opinion: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-1088_dbfi.pdf

Maine residents in places with schools that don’t provide secondary education can use tuition assistance for kids to attend other schools - previously could NOT use that money for religious schools
Ruling is that it violates the free exercise clause
Allows for use of public funds for religious instruction
The Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment protects against “indirect coercion or penalties on the free exercise of religion, not just outright prohibitions.”

Missouri case Trinity Lutheran v. Comer about using public money for playground equipment in 2017
The “unremarkable” principles applied in Trinity Lutheran and Espinoza suffice to resolve this case. Maine offers its citizens a benefit: tuition assistance payments for any family whose school district does not provide a public secondary school. Just like the wide range of nonprofit organizations eligible to receive playground resurfacing grants in Trinity Lutheran, a wide range of private schools are eligible to receive Maine tuition assistance payments here. And like the daycare center in Trinity Lutheran, BCS and Temple Academy are disqualified from this generally available benefit “solely because of their religious character.” 582 U. S., at ___ (slip op., at 10). By “condition[ing] the availability of benefits” in that manner, Maine’s tuition assistance program—like the program in Trinity Lutheran—“effectively penalizes the free exercise” of religion. Ibid. (quoting McDaniel, 435 U. S., at 626 (plurality opinion)).

BREYER: The First Amendment begins by forbidding the government from “mak[ing] [any] law respecting an establishment of religion.” It next forbids them to make any law “prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The Court today pays almost no attention to the words in the first Clause while giving almost exclusive attention to the words in the second.

In a word, to interpret the two Clauses as if they were joined at the hip will work against their basic purpose: to allow for an American society with practitioners of over 100 different religions, and those who do not practice religion at all, to live together without serious risk of religion-based social divisions.

We have previously found, as the majority points out, that “a neutral benefit program in which public funds flow to religious organizations through the independent choices of private benefit recipients does not offend the Establishment Clause.” Ante, at 10 (citing Zelman, 536 U. S., at 652– 653). We have thus concluded that a State may, consistent with the Establishment Clause, provide funding to religious schools through a general public funding program if the “government aid . . . reach[es] religious institutions only by way of the deliberate choices of . . . individual [aid] recipients.” Id., at 652. But the key word is “may.” We have never previously held what the Court holds today, namely, that a State must (not may) use state funds to pay for religious education as part of a tuition program designed to ensure the provision of free statewide public school education. What happens once “may” becomes “must”? Does that transformation mean that a school district that pays for public schools must pay equivalent funds to parents who wish to send their children to religious schools? Does it mean that school districts that give vouchers for use at charter schools must pay equivalent funds to parents who wish to give their children a religious education? What other social benefits are there the State’s provision of which means—under the majority’s interpretation of the Free Exercise Clause—that the State must pay parents for the religious equivalent of the secular benefit provided?

NEW YORK - STATES CANNOT REGULATE GUNS

https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/new-york-state-rifle-pistol-association-inc-v-bruen/

NEW YORK LAW required permit for conceal and carry

Ruling is that BASED ON THE 14TH AMENDMENT (YEAH THAT SAME ONE) it is an individual liberty interest protected by the 14th (that’s not a joke)

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Flyover View - June 23rd, 2022: Heartland News & Views (guest: Josh Becker for ST. Charles Co.)

24 juni 2022 | 28 min

John Woodman (D) for the Missouri 7th Primary, for Congress

23 juni 2022 | 52 min

High Country - June 22, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

22 juni 2022 | 15 min

Randi McCallian for Congress (D) MO 8th District

21 juni 2022 | 43 min

The Progressive Movement Stalling?; Schumer Blocks Anti-Trust Bills; 2024 Third Party Ticket; January 6th Hearings

20 juni 2022 | 73 min

The Flyover View - June 17, 2022: Heartland News & Views w/ guest John Kiehne

17 juni 2022 | 30 min

We Before Me - A Chat With Jutice Horn (D) Jackson County Legislator Candidate

16 juni 2022 | 28 min

The Delta, E27 - Merp: Run Like a Tortoise

15 juni 2022 | 25 min

Jenna Roberson - Running for Reason - MO House Dist. 63

14 juni 2022 | 49 min

THE LIVE SHOW! Audio from June 11, 2022, live in Columbia, MO

13 juni 2022 | 60 min

The Flyover View - June 10, 2022 - Heartland Politics News & Views

10 juni 2022 | 25 min

Charles West for Congress - The Missouri 6th District Dem. Primary Candidate

9 juni 2022 | 42 min

High Country - June 8, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

8 juni 2022 | 14 min

Jean Evans: A Chat About School Funding

7 juni 2022 | 54 min

Guns & Mental Health; Midterm Checkin;

6 juni 2022 | 70 min

The Flyover View - June 3, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

3 juni 2022 | 23 min

Henry Martin for Congress (MO06) Democratic Primary Candidate

2 juni 2022 | 30 min

High Country - June 1, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

1 juni 2022 | 10 min

Samantha Deaton for MO-134th House District

31 maj 2022 | 43 min

Rachel Parker's Call To Action & The MO02 Candidates side-by-side with Ray Reed and Trish Gunby

30 maj 2022 | 64 min

The Flyover View - May 27, 2022 - Politics and Government News and Views

27 maj 2022 | 25 min

Trish Gunby for Congress in the MO 2nd District

26 maj 2022 | 39 min

The Delta, E26 - Conditioned for Calamity

25 maj 2022 | 13 min

John Anthony Castro is running for President to sue Donald Trump

24 maj 2022 | 53 min

Hit The Reset Button With The Week of "Yeah...No..." From State Legislators to DNC Messaging - Plus, a Last Call preview

23 maj 2022 | 113 min

The Flyover View - May 20, 2022 - Government and Politics News and Views

20 maj 2022 | 17 min

Kristen Radaker Sheafer - MO07 Congressional Candidate "Small Steps for Real Change"

19 maj 2022 | 38 min

The Delta, E25 - From Evolution to Abortion

18 maj 2022 | 32 min

Luke Barber for MO-89 (D)

17 maj 2022 | 25 min

Abortion >>> Gas Prices in 2022?; Auggie Busch Gives $ To Dems; Dems Commit $33 million to Senate races; MO Marijuana & Ranked Choice Voting

16 maj 2022 | 68 min

The Flyover View - May 13, 2022 - Politics and Government News and Views

13 maj 2022 | 21 min

Tara Anura For Missouri State Senate, Dist. 16 (D)

12 maj 2022 | 28 min

High Country - May 11, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

11 maj 2022 | 18 min

St. Louis Schools: Solidarity SLPS with Gloria Nolan & Ben Conover

10 maj 2022 | 76 min

Abortion Politics for Dems; Dr. Oz Gets Booed At His Own Event; Fired Up Base for 2022 Dems?; Is Abortion Issue What GOP Really Wants?

9 maj 2022 | 75 min

Hosts: Adam Sommer, Rachel Parker, Sean Diller

True or False: The Dobbs leak will help Dems see the value of strategic thinking over reactionary thinking

Rachel Bitecofer - author of The Unprecedented 2016 Presidential Election, where she argued that the election of Donald Trump was not the result of one or two causes, but rather the product of a long process that began in the 1950s

Rejects idea of the swing voter in favor of the coalitional, basically sports team voter motivated only by beating the other side

Article explaining her theory https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/02/06/rachel-bitecofer-profile-election-forecasting-new-theory-108944

Founded “Strike pac” which she calls a war machine of the left

The sound of one hand clapping

Yeah…No: Dr. Oz Gets Booed

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/dr-oz-donald-trump-booing-pennsylvania-rally-1349483/

Buy or Sell: anti-abortion extremism will fire up the base and lead to down ticket wins in state legislatures in red states

Picture of the woman alone in my town
2 days later over 100 folks showed up to carry on the message
Rallies all over the place

The Big One: How will republicans replace the golden goose wedge issue of abortion?

Extremely successful wedge issue, most since slavery as a political issue
The principle of abortion regulation/restrictions of all access is at odds with actual libertarians and even many of the “socially liberal, fiscally conservative” types
Will it put GOP into a funk? See above - will dems learn to think strategically?
Dr. Oz - says we have to fight big tech because they are selling babies online, he really did at a Trump rally

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

Missouri's Trigger Laws, Abortion, IVF, and more with Rep. Sarah Unsicker

7 maj 2022 | 27 min

Jewel Kelly on why mental health drives him forward in the #MOSEN primary

6 maj 2022 | 37 min

The Flyover View - May 5, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

6 maj 2022 | 23 min

The Delta, E24 - No Love in Fear

5 maj 2022 | 31 min

SCOTUS Abortion Case Leak: Lindsey Simmons and Adam Sommer break down the Dobbs leaked opinion draft as lawyers, citizens, and Missourians.

4 maj 2022 | 60 min

Jess Piper: Dirt Road Democrat, Educator, and Fire Breathing Voice For Reality

3 maj 2022 | 29 min

The Grand Obstructionist Party; George Will , Jo(R)sh Hawley, & The Manly Men Conference; May-be the end of the Trump endorsement?; Last Call: First Rule About Elon Musk, We Don't Need To Keep Talking About Elon Musk

2 maj 2022 | 82 min

Flyover View: April 29, 2022 - News & Views From The Heartland

29 april 2022 | 24 min

Robert Bucklin - Agape Boarding School survivor.

28 april 2022 | 29 min

High Country - April 27, 2022 - Government and Politics News from the American West

27 april 2022 | 15 min

JD Scholten, Sioux City's own is running for the Iowa State House

26 april 2022 | 23 min

MId-Term 2022 Desk Check In from Pennsylvania & Ohio; Shumer blocking Anti-Trust Bill; Biden's Approval and student debt; Missouri primary check in; Last Call Preview

25 april 2022 | 86 min

The Flyover View - April 22, 2022 - Government and Politics News and Views

22 april 2022 | 20 min

Dr. Ayanna Shivers for Mo Senate - From Counselor, To Mayor, To State Senator

21 april 2022 | 47 min

The Delta, E23 - Butt... Toothpaste: Preventative Measures

20 april 2022 | 27 min

Eric Nowicki Is Running For Office - The MO65th House District

19 april 2022 | 48 min

Missouri Politics with Wes Rogers (State Rep, D) - #MOSen, MO01 and MO02 primaries, and more

18 april 2022 | 79 min

The Flyover View - April 15, 2022 - Politics and Government News and Views

15 april 2022 | 15 min

The Breaking Left crew - part 2: Podcast Bugaloo

14 april 2022 | 41 min

High Country - April 13, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

13 april 2022 | 13 min

Brand New Congress members Cory Archibald & Troy Hewitt & cohort Bill Ryan: Breaking Left Podcast

12 april 2022 | 38 min

Local Elections Matter; JD Vance sucks; Teacher Attacks Tipping Point?; Climate Change Deep Dive; Last Call on Culture Wars

11 april 2022 | 73 min

The Flyover View - April 8, 2022 - Politics News and Views

8 april 2022 | 13 min

Rep. Robert Sauls (D) MO 21st for a Chat with Adam

7 april 2022 | 27 min

The Delta, E22 - You're a Wizard, Harry... Wait! There's a Line.

6 april 2022 | 41 min

Sara Sirota (The Intercept) Is Back For MO Politics

5 april 2022 | 50 min

The #MOSen Race Is Drunk (get it); Ben Shapiro Wants To Groom Kids; Term Limits Pop Up In Kansas; Mitt Romney Wants To Take Your Retirement Away... Again

4 april 2022 | 83 min

The Flyover View - April 1, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

1 april 2022 | 20 min

"A Year In A Day, Everyday" plus Claire's Deep Twitter Dive - Talkin' Politics w/ Rachel & Adam

31 mars 2022 | 29 min

High Country - March 30, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

30 mars 2022 | 14 min

Jeffrey Sites for Congress - Ohio Democrat for the 4th Dist., a seat currently held by Jim Jordan (R)

29 mars 2022 | 30 min

Missouri's Senate Race Gets Turned Flipped Upside Down; Judge Jackson's Confirmation Hearings; John Fetterman rules; The Cold Civil War Rages; Last Call Preview

28 mars 2022 | 83 min

Hosts: Adam Sommer, Rachel Parker, Sean Diller

True Or False : The Missouri Senate primary just had a snow globe flip moment - Greitens assault/Sheena Greitns - and Trump’s statement of “not an endorsement” of Billy Long

Greitens on “War Room” - Rachel

Really troubling behavior

Has denied assault allegations https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/exclusive-eric-greitens-addresses-ex-wifes-abuse-allegations/

Trump’s thing for Billy Long https://www.kmbc.com/article/missouri-senate-candidate-billy-long-hopes-trumps-support-will-shake-up-gop-race/39530780#
Sean - how does this race impact national picture if it slides into the truly competitive column?

538 polling https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/senate/missouri/
Real Clear politics polling
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2022/senate/Missouri.html

Yeah…No… : The confirmation hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, and specifically this GIF from the national GOP on twitter: https://twitter.com/gop/status/1506282786843410432?s=21

Hawley’s obsession with porn and sex

https://theintercept.com/2022/03/23/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-confirmation-child-predators/

Ted Cruz searching his own name on twitter after his question about racist babies
Marsha Blackburn Defining a Woman - I personally defer to the Billy Joel song “She’s Always A Woman to Me”
Cory Booker nice moment cuts through

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/24/cory-booker-doesnt-let-gop-ugliness-tar-ketanji-brown-jacksons-historic-moment/

Amazing the difference of how Justice Barrett was questioned as a Mother but Judge Jackson was questioned as a black woman
Silver lining - Manchin signals support for confirmation so should be a go
538 - Public opinion is in favor of confirmation

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/americans-broadly-want-the-senate-to-confirm-ketanji-brown-jackson-to-the-supreme-court/

Buy or Sell : John Fetterman, Lt. Gov. of Pennsylvania - is the absolute model Heartland POD candidate

He is doing well in the race - https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/599666-how-fetterman-is-pulling-away-in-pennsylvania
As LT. Gov he has been working on wrongful convictions
Side note: great website https://johnfetterman.com/
Joined Big Brothers at age 23, winds up joining Americorp, getting his GED and eventual his Masters in public policy from Harvard, started a GED program, then became mayor of his town for 13 years before, officiated one of the first same sex marriages in the state, and opposed a new highway going through his town on grounds of environmental racism
Pro legalization of MJ and not at all shy about it “the idea that we have allowed a plant to be illegal in this country is absurd”

The Big One - Are we in a cold civil war?

We have talked about project blitz - but one thing we have not really touched on is the way it’s being used to pass what amount to federal nullification laws
State’s rights arguments are flying around

The distinction of local control v. states rights

Voting Rights restrictions
Anti-trans rights bills
Gun laws like SAPA in Missouri
State laws to contradict federal laws in trade, forien policy, just about any category you can imagine.

Attacks on schools that teach based largely on the principles of federalism - even through the white washing of the civil war and the South’s war effort based largely on Slavery as the motivator doesn’t do justice to the brutality of slavery it DOES cheer on a President that suspended habeas corpus and intended to use federal power to take property and redistribute it

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View - March 25, 2022 - Politics News and Views

25 mars 2022 | 12 min

Ray Reed (D-MO2) - "Riding With Cori Bush Till The Wheels Fall Off"

24 mars 2022 | 29 min

The Delta, E21 - Crazy Grandma: The Greying Area

23 mars 2022 | 25 min

Christine Hyman, a concerned parent, an involved citizen, and school board candidate in Missouri's Francis Howell School District

22 mars 2022 | 28 min

MIdterm Odds Changing?; Missouri's Medicaid Failure; Hawley's Mug Shot; Mittens Warns of Danger, plus Adam's Opening Statement on Public Service

21 mars 2022 | 67 min

The Flyover View - March 18, 2022 - Politics News and Views

18 mars 2022 | 14 min

"Do Something Every Day" w/ Dem. Senate primary candidate - Spencer Toder

17 mars 2022 | 45 min

High Country - March 16, 2022 - Politics and Government News from the American West

16 mars 2022 | 9 min

Eric Woods (D-Mo 18th Rep)

15 mars 2022 | 45 min

Project Blitz Continues; MOGOP anti-Women's life bill; DNC may say so long to I-oh-way; Marijuana Legalization Push Ramps Up In Mo; Last Call Preview on state of the separation of church and state

14 mars 2022 | 69 min

The Flyover View - March 11, 2022 - Politics News and Views

11 mars 2022 | 21 min

Policy Wonks with Ian Wroble - a #moleg update

10 mars 2022 | 34 min

The Delta, E20 - Ninja Turtles & the Four-Day School Week

9 mars 2022 | 24 min

The Parkway 3: A chat with 3 candidates for a board of education race, for the Parkway district in Missouri

8 mars 2022 | 35 min

Death Tax Political Theater, 2022 Return To The "Norm" for GOP?, Vicky Hartzler's Twitter Suspension, our SOTU "reaction", the first real look at the 2022 Senate races to watch

7 mars 2022 | 90 min

Adam Sommer gives and Opening Statement connecting the "Death Tax" to "School Choice"

Rachel Parker and Sean Diller join Adam for a Talkin' Politics session, covering:

True Or False (6-7):Normcore Republicans Will Change The Trajectory of 2022 midterms?

In Missouri - multiple candidates rejected for being just the absolute worst

GOP rejected filing fees from Rep. Derges - the fake sure doctor and
https://www.ky3.com/2022/02/23/missouri-gop-rejects-filing-fee-indicted-state-rep-tricia-derges/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=snd&utm_content=kytv
GOP rejected filing fees from Steve West
https://www.8newsnow.com/news/missouri-gop-rejects-filing-fee-of-candidate-who-once-said-hitler-was-right/

https://twitter.com/Adam_Sommer85/status/1500193806989340672?s=20&t=3M1Ifcr_52sF6fBZqhG3pg
National scene more of the same?

Yeah…No…(3min) Vicky’s twitter suspension for attacking trans people -

Buy or Sell (7-9) People still remember literally ANYTHING about the State of the union as of when this show comes out, Monday the 7th - less than a week later

Policy v. Political theater
Boebert shows her ass
Most salient and clear message was the US resolve against Russia

The Big One (16-18) - 34 Senate Seats are up for election in 2022

Useful link you can hover the state and it gives you information on the seat and it’s 2016 and 2020 margins

https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_elections,_2022#Seats_up_for_election

Some races are obvious and easy to predict, no reason to spend lots of time wondering if Rand Paul will be reelected in Kentucky or if Mike Lee will be reelected in Utah - feel pretty comfy saying Alex Padilla will be reelected in California
Cook political report has 5 of those as toss ups

https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/senate-race-ratings

Penn R - Open
Wisc R- Ron Johnson
Arizona D - Kelly
Nevada D - Cortez Masto
Georgia D - Warnock

4 seats are in the leaning column

Florida R - Rubio
Ohio - open
North Carolina - open
New Hampshire D - Hassan

Real Clear Politics has a broader map including Missouri as a “leans R” seat and wit 7 in the toss up and 5 more in the leaning - 3 more potentials

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2022/senate/elections-map.html

Sabatos Cyrstal Ball - my favorite of the Crystal Ball

https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/2022-senate/
Penn - Georgia - Arizona - Nevada - that’s it for toss ups

Other seats in the Midwest no one is talking about but us:

Kansas - Held by incumbent Jerry Moran
Oklahoma
Iowa

Penn R - Open - 12 Democrats - 16 Republicans - including Dr. Mehmet Oz - whose campaign slogan is ‘scrubs on, masks off!’

Conor Lamb - D - $4MM raised, $3MM cash, $0 debt

Dr. Oz - R - $5.8MM raised, $1MM cash, $5MM debt - my understanding is he loaned 5 million dollars of his own money to his campaign

David Xu Redneck - R - $1,700 raised, all from David except $50 - $1200 cash, no debt

Carla Sands - R - $4MM raised, 3.6 was hers, $1.5MM cash

Eric Orts - D - $244,000 raised, $1700 cash, no debt

Craig Snyder - $38K

Val Arkoosh - D - $2.8MM raised, $1.2 cash, $500K loan

Dr. Kevin Baumlin - D - $600K raised

Sharif Street - D - $400K raised

Malcolm Pac - D - $1.5MM raised, $285K cash, no debt

Jeff Bartos - R - $3.3MM raised, $2.4 cash, $1.2 loans

John Fetterman - D - $11.9MM raised, $5.3 cash, no debt

Kathy Barnett - R - $1.2MM raised, $565K cash, $158K debt

Americans for Parnell - $2MM raised, $330K cash, $73K debt

Citizens for Josh Mandel - $2MM raised, $6MM cash, no debt

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View - March 4, 2022 - Politics News and Views

4 mars 2022 | 16 min

Jon Karlen For Congress - Standing Up, in the Missouri 3rd

3 mars 2022 | 27 min

High Country - March 2, 2022 - Colorado Politics and Government News

2 mars 2022 | 15 min

Sally Brooks - Dirt Roads, River Water, & Rural Missouri

1 mars 2022 | 29 min

Missouri's Governor Hates Journalists; Tulsi Gabbard goes from Dem. debate stage to CPAC stooge stage; Texas officials are attacking children; Last Call on Lucas Kunce's odd rhetoric

28 februari 2022 | 85 min

The Flyover View - February 25, 2022 - Politics News and Views

25 februari 2022 | 19 min

Tim Cutt, director of the Missouri Corrections Officers Association

24 februari 2022 | 50 min

The Delta, E19 - Myth of Sisyphus: Privatization and Stagnation

23 februari 2022 | 21 min

Donald Looney - Union Worker, Father, School Board Candidate

22 februari 2022 | 30 min

Hyperbolic Politics, School "Choice", Jack Danforth Big New Idea, GOP Tries To Shed Trump, COVID Two Years Later - the COVID Limbo

21 februari 2022 | 56 min

The Flyover View, February 18, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

18 februari 2022 | 17 min

Andy Slaughter, director with the National Education Association on Missouri's state of education; then Talkin' Politics special mid-week session, just for LauraB

17 februari 2022 | 73 min

High Country - February 16, 2022 - Colorado Politics News

16 februari 2022 | 9 min

The Social Network Administrator: Before & After w/ Rachel Parker

15 februari 2022 | 30 min

Palentines Day Fun: Missouri's Legislature Stalls, Virtue Signaling Failures, Inflation & Mega Profits, Josh & Vicky sittin' in a tree, The Last Call preview

14 februari 2022 | 67 min

The Flyover View - February 11, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

11 februari 2022 | 15 min

Joe Rogan: Employee Of The Month - A "Last Call" with Rachel Parker and Adam Sommer

10 februari 2022 | 59 min

The Delta, E18 - F-AMI-LY

9 februari 2022 | 17 min

Austin Frerick: Iowa AF

8 februari 2022 | 26 min

Missouri Politics & The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

7 februari 2022 | 66 min

The Flyover View - February 4, 2022 - Politics News and Views

4 februari 2022 | 21 min

Eric Schmitt Agrees With Dr. Fauci

3 februari 2022 | 34 min

High Country - February 2, 2022 - Colorado Politics News

2 februari 2022 | 10 min

Rockwood Board Of Education Candidates: Amy Ryan & Deborah Stine; Plus a SPECIAL mini-chat with the founder of Corn Fed Threads!

1 februari 2022 | 48 min

Presidential Trivia, Anti-Trust For Real?, MO Lawsuits Less Money, MOSEN Race Predictions (kind of), Amazon & Koch Want Legal Weed (and Nancy Mace is interesting), Last Call about Jo(R)sh Hawley's visit to Missouri!

31 januari 2022 | 70 min

Talkin’ Politics

True or False (5-7 min): Senate Anti-Trust Bill Survives fillibuster

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-20/senate-judiciary-committee-clears-tech-focused-antitrust-bill
Bill from Klobuchar and Grassley - Heartland in the house, or the senate

Yeah…NO (6-7 min) AG Eric Schmitt has sued (45 still good?) schools in MIssouri including 0 charter schools - over mask mandates

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article257710628.html
Becomes pretty transparent the point of it all when you pick on only some schools
Talk about the $$ districts have to spend, Crystal’s proposed bill for the state to cover the costs
If passed, MO taxpayers are literally paying for both sides with nothing to show for it.
Calls for sanctions on Schmitt https://www.newsweek.com/missouri-ag-facing-sanction-call-after-suing-45-school-districts-over-mask-mandates-1672951

Buy or Sell (6-8 min) The Open Missouri Senate Race will be Hartzler v. Kunce

Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa endorsed MO Rep. Vicky Hartzler
Sifton did his Missouri tour of all the Counties - the output was less than expected
Our interview with Sara Sirota of The Intercept last week from last week on Thursday - dark money in MO

The Big One (15-20 min) Prime Shipping may be coming to your Pineapple Express

https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2022/01/25/republican-congresswoman-nancy-mace-is-on-a-mission-to-legalize-cannabis-and-amazon-just-got-behindher/?sh=15f4917d5450
https://twitter.com/carlquintanilla/status/1486325343615135747?s=21
Koch’s Americans for Prosperity is going hard for this junior Congresswoman. Clear that the Koch’s want an issue that isn’t pro-life or pro-Trump to attract swing voters during the midterms?
She’s very smart, here’s the quote to end all quotes: ““It’s American, it’s uniting,” Mace says. “There are three things that really bring people together—animals, Britney Spears and cannabis. Those are the three things I've found that have struck a chord with the American people and that can bring people together at the dinner table—just like apple pie.” From a purple swing district in SC.
Rachel: If I were Scott Sifton or any of the Dem Sen candidates, I’d endorse this bill right now and blow it up all over my social. Go to SC and talk to her about it. This is Missouri, etc.

Last Call: Joshua Hawley stepped foot in Missouri

Least popular populist, ever.

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

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“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View - January 28, 2022 - Politics News and Views

28 januari 2022 | 20 min

Dark Money In Missouri w/Sara Sirota of The Intercept

27 januari 2022 | 43 min

The Delta, E17 - Masks Make It Personal

26 januari 2022 | 21 min

Understanding Equity In Education w/ Heather Fleming of Missouri Equity Education Partnership

25 januari 2022 | 46 min

Party Labels, Saving Democracy, MO GOP gaslights Missourians, Dark Money Is Running Your State House, 2022 Midterms realities

24 januari 2022 | 70 min

The Flyover View: January 20, 2022 - Heartland News & Views

21 januari 2022 | 15 min

2022 Check In: State of The Missouri Democratic Party

20 januari 2022 | 43 min

High Country - Jan 19, 2021 - Colorado Politics and News

19 januari 2022 | 8 min

WTF Is A Variant Anyway? w/ Nicholas Linke

18 januari 2022 | 44 min

MLK's legacy, Big Tech Goes To Washington, Missouri Manhood Challenge!, Heartland Redistricting Political Questions, WTF Is Going On In The US Senate, Last Call on 2024 Presidential Field

17 januari 2022 | 60 min

The Flyover View, January 14, 2022 - Heartland Politics News & Views

14 januari 2022 | 16 min

Rep. Sarah Unsicker, MO 91st

13 januari 2022 | 29 min

The Delta, E16 - 2022: New Stuff Happenin'

12 januari 2022 | 21 min

A chat about redistricting with Jason Rosenbaum & Rachel Parker

11 januari 2022 | 33 min

Voting Rights, Covid Testing Sites, Dick Cheney's Moral Compass, The Filibuster, GOP Jr. High Drama

10 januari 2022 | 63 min

The Flyover View, January 7, 2022 - Heartland Politics News and Views

7 januari 2022 | 18 min

One Year Later: The Power of Perception w/ Dr. Barry Borgerson on the January 6th attacks, and the Big Lie

6 januari 2022 | 30 min

High Country - January 5, 2022 - Colorado News and Politics

5 januari 2022 | 7 min

Henry Martin (D) for Congress, MO6th

4 januari 2022 | 48 min

January 6th Anniversary; Media Headlines Bury Biden; Biden v. Putin; 2022 Races To Watch; Last Call on Jo(R)sh Hawley

3 januari 2022 | 73 min

Talkin’ Politics

True or False: The 1 year aniv of the January 6th attacks will actually be the start of something positive as Americans come together to commemorate and reject the attackers

Yeah… NO - Continued chicken little sky is falling coverage of Biden

Dire end to Biden’s first year as Manchin says no on signature bill - the guardian
Biden can change it himself, use the bully pulpit?

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1476618089273905158?s=20

Buy or Sell: Shit is about to get very real with Russia

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-putin-ukraine-phone-call/

2022 Races That Interest Us

House:

Georgia: Marcus Flowers is running to replace that Paleo diet in human form Marjorie Taylor Green

Kansas: Sharice Davids (redistricting--Sean?--and she crushed her 2020 opponent by a whopping 10 points)

Senate

Iowa: Abby Finkenauer (against Grassley who is a walking statement about why the GOP can’t accuse the Dems of not forcing lawmakers to retire when they should); we’ve asked her team to schedule some time on the POD and we really hope they follow through with that. We’d love to sit down with her. She has history of holding office, etc.

Missouri: I’m calling it now. Hartzler is going to DC as a Senator in 2022.

Governor’s Races:

Kansas: Laura Kelly’s COVID moves may look shady AF if you live on the coast or in a city, but she’s clearly doing what she thinks she has to do to appeal to anti-Biden swing voters in Kansas (aka nearly everyone)

Texas: Beto, duh. Probably tied for first for the most watched governor’s race in history (with GA naturally)

Alabama: I hate Kay Ivy (I just want to say that)

Senate + Governor: Pennsylvania. Maybe the most fascinating races to watch right now.

Gov. Races

Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, Wisconsin

Senate

Missouri

House

MO 2nd, Mo 4th
Current Illinois 16th which is Kinzingers seat

Last Call Video Link referenced: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x-vmwqt84Y

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

No Way Out

29 december 2021 | 57 min

A Few Of Our Favorite Things, 2021 A Year In Review

27 december 2021 | 48 min

Elad Gross, An Attorney's General Opinion

21 december 2021 | 30 min

"A Proper King!" - Adam's Opening Statement On Anti-Education Policies; A Deep Dive On January 6th; Our Holiday Wish

20 december 2021 | 84 min

The Flyover View, December 17, 2021 - Heartland News & Views

17 december 2021 | 18 min

Scott Faughn, Let's Keep Having A Chat (part 2 of 2)

16 december 2021 | 44 min

The Delta, E15 - Just Breathe: Handling Holiday Politics

15 december 2021 | 16 min

Scott Faughn, Let's Have A Chat (part 1 of 2)

14 december 2021 | 40 min

BBB for Christmas; Chris Christie Owned By Trump, Again; Legalized MJ in MO?; Schmitt Stains & 2022 MOSEN Update; 2024 & The Reality Of Polling

13 december 2021 | 79 min

On today’s Heartland POD for December 13, 2021

Housekeeping Items - 1min to 5 min

www.heartlandpod.com

Remember to sign up on Patreon for full access!

Adam’s Opening Statement - The Role Of Government - 5 min - 9:45 min

Talkin’ Politics - 9:45 min

14 min 30 sec – True or False: BBB passes before Christmas
18 min – Yeah, No… Chris Christie’s book tour and attempt at relevance, now blaming Trump for giving him Covid but he still says he would have voted for Trump again

Reportedly sold about 3,000 copies the first week
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/washington-secrets/fans-buy-out-trumps-new-book-sales-30x-chris-christies
Trump fans bought Trump’s new book just to beat Christie’s, so now they are owning the libs and whatever the hell Chris Christie is these days

22 min 30 sec – Buy or Sell: Missouri will legalize recreational MJ soon?

https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/06/missouri-lawmakers-must-take-action-to-legalize-marijuana-opinion/

30 min – MO 2022 senate race: Eric Schmitt threatens schools and asks parents to take nonconsensual pictures and videos of minors - with proper lighting and horizontal orientation please, to report to his office

county heath shutting down on Covid tracking https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article256483746.html
Many schools pushing back (Lee’s Summit letter)

https://lstribune.net/index.php/2021/12/10/lsr7-legal-counsel-responds-to-attorney-general/
Schmitt’s interpretation: It is a direct misrepresentation of the case that was decided, Elad Gross has done a good job of laying that out

Case was about administrative rule making, and does NOT preclude school districts from doing as they have done
On Dem side appears that Kunce is a very likely winner, he’s almost gone full Beto at this point with his national media tour
Sifton still has lots of state Dem support but what does that really mean in terms of votes?
Spencer Toder is doing good things but isn’t raising money, doesn’t matter how much good he can do or what policies he would champion if he can’t get coverage, did see he had a piece in the Springfield News leader which was nice
The rest of the field appears to simply have not enough name ID and money to matter

I will say I think the Dem slate is full of really decent and well intentioned folks and I hope every one of them keeps working for Missouri

5. National: Way too early look at 2024

Biden’s numbers are bad, really bad if you go look at Fox reporting, but does it mean he’s already toast for 2024?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/06/tune-out-those-2024-presidential-race-predictions/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F3574da3%2F61ae47f99d2fdab56bb6bc12%2F5ef9f9c6ade4e276b323df8c%2F17%2F72%2F61ae47f99d2fdab56bb6bc12

538 average: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/?ex_cid=rrpromo

– Flavor of the week was to write a think piece about how Biden’s polling numbers, or even VP Harris, are looking bad

Polling realities
Headlines this week

A new poll finds major warning signs for Biden and fellow Democrats - NPR
Biden approval hits new low as economic discontent rises, Post-ABC Poll finds - WAshington Post
President Biden’s job approval sinking on inflation, crime and covid: POLL - ABC

RACHEL - Headlines/copy editing
SEAN - the reality of reading polling
ADAM - the synthesis as a trial presentation

Will it be Biden/Harris again?
If Biden doesn’t run, will they give it to Harris?

https://heartlandpod.com/

Twitter: @TheHeartlandPOD

"Change The Conversation"

Host: Adam Sommer

Find Adam on tik-tok and bluesky as "midmapdadenergy" - follow The Process on instagram.

JOIN PATREON FOR MORE

“Change The Conversation”

Outro Song: “The World Is On Fire” by American Aquarium

http://www.americanaquarium.com/

Nothing on this channel is to be taken as legal advice for any jurisdiction. All statements are opinions that reflect on that of the speaker and the purpose of the show is to provide space for discussion that may include statements or opinions shared only for the purpose of discussion.

The Flyover View, December 10, 2021 - Heartland News & Views

10 december 2021 | 18 min

Lights Out, Guerrilla (Politics)! Turn That $*** Up! - a chat with Lori White, copy writer and political volunteer

9 december 2021 | 37 min

High Country, December 8, 2021 - Heartland West Edition

8 december 2021 | 8 min

Local Media Is Like Craft Beer: A Chat w/ Tony Baranowski, timescitizen.com publisher

7 december 2021 | 36 min

TX Gov Abbott likely to face Beto, MO Gov Mike Parson kept embarrassing COVID report from public

6 december 2021 | 52 min

The Flyover View, December 3, 2021 - Heartland News & Views

3 december 2021 | 16 min

The Delta, E14 - The School Choice Lie: Say Why Again, Motherf...

1 december 2021 | 22 min

The 100th Episode! With Hartzell & Jess Piper - Jason Smith Lies, Parson Claims MO is NO. 4 in Opportunity, Ranked Choice Voting, School Choice

29 november 2021 | 84 min

The Heartland POD

American politics from a Heartland perspective.

Om podden

Avsnitt

Bye, Bye, Bye: The Finale of The Heartland POD

BONUS POD: Crystal Quade For Missouri Governor

November 1, 2024 | Dudes... Pay Attention

October 21, 2024 | Panic Sells

October 14, 2024 | Misinformation, Disinformation, and Lies in 2024

2024 Debate: Certified Pet Meat Free + Taylor Swift Endorses Harris

September 9, 2024 | The "Facts" Of Life, Missouri Abortion Amendment, Harris Raises 3x Trump In August

September 6, 2024 | Down Ballot Races and Upward Momentum

September 4, 2024 | Antitrust, Google, and The Future of Journalism

August 30, 2024 | The 2024 Electoral Map Flyover View

DNC (Fist) Bump: Rachel and Adam react to the Democrats big week, plus JD Vance keeps being weird

THAT'S MY DAD! - The Walz Family Feel Good Moment (and Sean and Adam predict...)

August 21, 2024 | Adam's Guide To Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit

August 19, 2024 | Josh Hawley Can't Stop Lying About "The Debate" That Wasn't with Guest Host Don Looney

August 16, 2024 | Lucas Kunce and Josh Hawley State Fair Bro Down

Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams Is Innocent, But Still Sitting On Death Row

August 12, 2024 | Republicans Endorse Harris/Walz 2024, Pies and Crowds In Rural Missouri, JD Vance Is Still Weird (Just Ask Trump)

MO conservatives may be hoisted on their own petard

Rachel explains - WTF

Shadowy ad cabal GARM shuts down after Elon Musk’s X files antitrust suit over censorship

August 9, 2024 | Coach Walz and JV Vance; Missouri Primary Reactions; Kansas Police Chief Charged; Gov.Kelly Moving Up

August 5, 2024 | Trump Losing Fuel as Harris Fills Tank, VP Reaction, and Mo Dem Primary

August 2, 2024 | Missouri Primary Primer Prediction Special w/ Jenna Roberson

July 31, 2024 | Crystal Quade, Teen Vogue, and "Girls State" the documentary, with Cecilia Bartin

July 29, 2024 | What A Year Of A Week It Was

July 26, 2024 | Lizz Callahan for Missouri 103, Political Mailers, Polling and Prediction Malpractice

July 24, 2024 | From Roe to Dobbs And Beyond w/ Devon Heinen of States News Room + BONUS 2024 Democrat VP Mt. Rushmore Draft

July 22, 2024 | There Is Risk Everywhere...

July 19, 2024 | Chuck Summers for Congress - MO 2nd

July 17, 2024 | Amanda Taylor for Missouri's 103rd

July 15, 2024 | A Moment Of Reflection

July 12, 2024 | The Potential Impacts of Ending Chevron

July 10, 2024 | No, Really, Project 2025 Y'all

July 8, 2024 | Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation, and 2024

July 1, 2024 | The Immunity Case

July 1, 2024 | Confirmation Bias

Biden blunders in debate, SCOTUS throws out MO AG Bailey's censorship case, Colorado Dem establishment defeats progressive State House incumbent Elisabeth Epps and more

SCOTUS rejects Missouri lawsuit alleging feds bullied social media into censoring content

The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Missouri and Louisiana, along with seven people who were either banned or throttled by social media companies

Kansas unemployment rate 2.9%

Camacho beats Epps in closely watched Colorado statehouse race

Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood

New agency to bring multiple programs under one roof

June 26, 2024 | Quilts For Democracy with Sally Brooks

The Heartland Pod for June 24 2024 - Supreme Court sides with gun control advocates - Missouri polling on Democratic and Republican primaries - Biden and Trump to debate on Thursday and more

Kansas passes huge incentive bill to lure KC Chiefs and Royals, Illinois families look forward to new Child Tax Credit, Trump thinks must-win Milwaukee is horrible and more

Kansas Legislature passes incentive bill to lure Kansas City Chiefs, Royals

BY: ALLISON KITE - JUNE 18, 2024 3:26 PM

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

After 3 ½ years as ILGOP chair, Don Tracy cites intraparty fighting as reason for quitting

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

$50M tax credit program will provide up to roughly $300 for low-income families

Kansas’ Davids lauds court decision on abortion pill; Marshall critiques Democrats’ IVF bill

Trump tells House Republicans Milwaukee is a ‘horrible city’

Moms For Missouri 2: The Activation Grows | The Heartland POD for June 19, 2024

The Heartland POD for June 17, 2024 | Less Burgum, More Sharks?

Abortion opponents lose bigly at the Supreme Court, Missouri set to expand I-70, and more

Iowa Has A Cancer: A Chat w/ Shawn Ellerbroek (D) For Iowa State House 57

The Heartland POD for June 10, 2024 | Summer 2024 Is Heating Up

Friday Flyover | June 7, 2024: A Special Missouri Only Episode!

The First Amendment Lives at Pride Fest | June 4, 2024

Matthew Krayton Guest Host | June 3, 2024

Flyover Friday 5/31/24: Trump Is Guilty and Stories From The Heartland

Trump Takes A Break (From Court) To Get Booed

Oklahoma legislature wants textbooks to push traditional gender roles, Ranked choice voting ban on the ballot in Missouri and more

Political Orphans w/ Jared Young, Independent candidate for Senate in Missouri, 2024

50 Hours In Missouri | May 20, 2024

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signs $75 Million in new special ed funding, MO Republicans can't get out of their own way and more

MO Senate Dems Filibuster Parfait and SCOTUS Deep Dive w/ MIchael Podhorzer

Tik Tok, The New York Times, and Utah Bathrooms | May 13, 2024

MO Gov Mike Parson says legislators should be held liable, Minnesota passes House File 1989 Taylor Swift bill, and more

"I'm Kicking My A**!" | May 8, 2023

Signatures, Senators, and Signaling | May 6, 2024

MO Freedom Caucus Fails... Again | Friday, May 3, 2024

Wayback Wednesday & The Signatures Are In... | May 1, 2024

Actions, Meet Consequences | Talkin' Politics for April 29, 2024