Podcasts about Independence Institute

Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute is pressed into duty filling in for Dan on Monday and declares the program a 'No Caplis' zone.Jimmy Sengenberger, The Gazette joins Jon with immediate reaction to a verdict in the Mike Lindell case, with a jury finding the My Pillow CEO liable for defamation and awarding former Dominion Voting Systems executive Eric Coomer $2.3 million in damages.

GREEN ENERGY IS EXPENSIVE AND UNRELIABLE ENERGY And Amy Oliver Cooke writes about it here for Complete Colorado. This is my favorite part:Environmentalists appealed to consumers by saying wind and solar would save ratepayers money. From the outset, Governor Polis refused to provide a detailed cost analysis of his plan while rejecting Independence Institute's 2017 projection that the transition could cost $45 billion. Polis insisted the Institute's estimates were inflated and modeled a plan that wasn't even his. Yet, Polis never offered an alternative figure, saying, instead, he knows it will be less.Fast forward to 2024. The Colorado Energy Office's (CEO) Ascend Analytics report offered an acknowledgment and a sobering warning: Polis's wind, solar, and battery-only system would require 69,000 megawatts of new capacity by 2040 and still “barely meet reliability targets.” At $61 billion, it's also the most expensive scenario studied. That figure doesn't even include the billions of dollars needed for transmission costs. The total system cost will be far greater.Once again, the Institute did the math. The total system cost for Polis' plan, including storage, necessary overbuild, backup, property taxes, and utility profits, new wind and solar costs $280–$319 per megawatt-hour, compared to $32 for existing coal and $40 for gas. Wind and solar costs aren't just expensive—they're economically destabilizing.Amy is on the show to discuss at 1pm, but you really should watch her great show with Jake Fogelman called Power Gab here.

In the first hour of today's edition of The Dan Caplis Show, Dan talks to Dave Kopel, of the Independence Institue, about Jared Polis' decision to sign SB25-003 (Colorado's latest gun ban bill) into law. Caplis will talk about what this means for Americans and for Polis's political career.

LEARN THE RIGHT WAY TO ENGAGE WITH GOVERNMENT In a class on how to be more involved taught by my friend Kathleen Chandler from the Independence Institute. From the website:The Citizen's Guide to Civic Involvement workshop will help you see where and how you can make a difference in your community. This practical class will give you ideas and point you in a productive direction. Stop complaining and take back your country by taking back your community.If you are tired of feeling powerless and ready to take action, sign up for the class here. Kathleen joins me at 1pm to talk about it.

This week, we're taking a close look at the Supreme Court's ruling in Bondi v. VanDerStok. To do that, we have the Independence Institute's David Kopel on the show. Kopel has written extensively on gun policy and been cited repeatedly at the Supreme Court. So, there are few people better qualified to dissect what the VanDerStok ruling means. Kopel argued the decision upholding the ATF's "ghost gun" kit ban is relatively narrow, but still likely applies to more than just the Polymer80 "buy build shoot" kits discussed at length by the majority. He also explained why the majority decided the case as a facial challenge and why he, along with Justices Thomas and Alito, disagrees with the use of that standard. He said the Trump Administration could have tried to intervene in this case, but didn't move fast enough. However, he argued that it can still try to undo the rule despite the decision. Kopel also gave his view on where the balance of the court lies on gun issues and whether there's a reliable way to read what they might do with other pending gun cases. Get a 30-day free trial for a subscription to The Dispatch here: https://thedispatch.com/join-offer-reload/?utmsource=thereload&utmmedium=partnerships-podcast&utm_campaign=0125 Special Guest: David Kopel.

DID THE DEMS JUST PASS ANOTHER UNCONSTITUTIONAL GUN BILL? I've got Dave Kopel from the Independence Institute on to discuss at 1 today, as he is the guy who studies this stuff all day long. By the way, Dave Kopel is Research Director of the Independence Institute; an Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute, in Washington; and a Senior Fellow at the University of Wyoming College of Law Firearms Research Center. His website is davekopel.org. He writes frequent for the Volokh Conspiracy law blog, hosted by Reason magazine. So he knows what he's talking about.

Jon Caldara, President of the Independence Institute, joins Dan to brag about his new, taxpayer-subsidized Nissan Leaf purchase.He also discusses his eye-opening interview with Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly about gang infiltration in and around Denver - including intelligence from outside Colorado suggesting Tren de Aragua has been given the green light to shoot at police officers.Independence Institute on X: "Gangs taking over apartment complexes? According to Sheriff Weekly of Douglas County @dcsheriff it's happening. Jon Caldara sits down with Sheriff Weekly for an explosive Devil's Advocate you don't want to miss. #coleg #copolitics #TrendeAragua https://t.co/o6cpaHjsIB" / XLora Thomas joins Dan to discuss her early resignation from the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, citing mistreatment and harassment from fellow officials.Douglas County commissioner resigns over alleged harassment | News | coloradopolitics.com

Jon Caldara, President of the Independence Insitute fills in for Dan and leads off with his tedious airport experience in Montreal where protesters were blocking traffic.

The Supreme Court handed down its first Second Amendment ruling in two years on Friday. It's also the first case where The Court applied the test it developed in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen. Those facts alone mean US v. Rahimi will hold a great deal of influence on gun cases across the nation. So, we've got one of the top pro-gun scholars in the country on the show to break down what The Court did and didn't hold. Independence Institute's David Kopel has been at the forefront of the Second Amendment fight for decades, with citations in federal court decisions coast to coast and at the Supreme Court itself. He also filed a brief in Rahimi that appears to have significantly influenced the majority's thinking. Kopel lays out the good, bad, and ugly of the ruling that upheld the domestic violence restraining order gun ban. He said he wasn't surprised The Court upheld Rahimi's conviction, given a lower court found him dangerous. He also agreed with some of the warnings about how the majority loosened the standard for the Bruen test that Justice Clarance Thomas included in his lengthy dissent. However, Kopel said he was overall pleased with the Rahimi decision's outcome. He argued it gave credence to future challenges to the same law by defendants who don't have the same lengthy criminal record as Rahimi did. He also predicted how the case might impact other Second Amendment cases pending in the lower courts. Special Guest: David Kopel.

Enjoy this 10-minute highlight from Luke's marijuana legalization debate with top Colorado libertarian Jon Caldara, head of the Independence Institute. The full episode can be found on SAM's YouTube Channel. Follow the work of SAM and FDPS below:https://learnaboutsam.org/https://gooddrugpolicy.org/https://thedrugreport.org/On X: https://twitter.com/learnaboutsamhttps://twitter.com/GoodDrugPolicyhttps://twitter.com/KevinSabethttps://twitter.com/LukeNiforatosOn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/learnaboutsam

Rod Arquette Show Daily Rundown – Thursday, May 16, 20244:20 pm: Washington County Commissioner Adam Snow joins Rod to discuss the dustup in the community over a proposed Northern Corridor highway, aimed at reducing congestion in St. George, that would run through the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.4:38 pm: Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach for Parents Defending Education joins Rod for a conversation about the widespread use of “restorative justice” disciplinary practices in American schools, which focus on conversations between offender and victim rather than traditional punishments like suspension.6:05 pm: Steve Malanga, Senior Editor of the Manhattan Institute's City Journal joins Rod for a conversation about some cities and states are spending billions on housing projects that, in the end, won't help solve the housing affordability crisis.6:20 pm: George C. Upper III, Contributing Editor for the Western Journal, joins Rod to discuss his recent report about how Joe Biden's administration is planning to issue ID cards for illegal immigrants across the U.S.6:38 pm: Robert Natelson, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Independence Institute joins Rod for a conversation about his article in The Epoch Times about how RICO laws should be used against organizers of pro-Hamas lawlessness.

Jon Caldara is once again in for Dan and welcomes in his colleague from the Independence Institute, Director of Policy Jake Fogelman, on why Governor Jared Polis is squarely responsible for scheduled gasoline price hikes at the pump due to prohibitive fees and taxes on the production and sale of fossil fuels.

Jon Caldara (in for Dan) explains how difficult it is to get issue proposals before voters on the ballot, the time and resources it requires, and why it's so important for organizations like his Independence Institute to do the hard work that gets it done.

Ben Murrey ('12)Director of Policy at the Common Sense Institute Making an Impact in the World of PoliticsBen Murrey (‘12) is the Director of Policy at the Common Sense Institute, a role he recently started. At Hillsdale, Murrey majored in Politics and promised never to work in politics, but after graduation took a job working on Ted Cruz's Senate campaign. He shares his experience starting as a campaign volunteer and continuing in his career working at multiple levels and realms of state and national politics. His previous roles included a Legislative Correspondent and Aid for Senator Cruz and Fiscal Policy Center Director for the Independence Institute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

University of Iowa's homegrown star, Caitlin Clark, began her college basketball career playing in empty arenas at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now she competes in sold-out arenas wherever she goes—and for good reason. During her 4-year college career, Clark has broken countless records on the court and brought an unprecedented level of excitement to women's basketball. Meanwhile, Iowa has felt her impact inside and outside of the arena. The athlete's talent and celebrity has led to soaring attendance at games, and larger crowds generate more economic activity. Our recent study, Clarkonomics: The Impact of Caitlin Clark & Hawkeye Women's Basketball on Iowa's Economy is not the first to explore the economics of Clark's superstardom, but it takes a unique approach. Past reports and news coverage have highlighted the money behind Clark's brand deals, ticket sales, and media coverage, along with other anecdotes of economic impact. In contrast, this report takes a data-drive approach to quantifying the impact of Iowa women's basketball and Caitlin Clark's extraordinary college career on the economy of the state of Iowa. To discuss this report, and all things Caitlin Clark, our Chairman and Host Earl Wright welcomes Ben Murrey, CSI Iowa Director of Policy & Research. They discuss the real economic impact Caitlin Clark's remarkable talent and career have had, why she is representative of Iowa as a whole, and much more.  Thank you for listening to Common Sense Digest. Please rate, review, and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. All of our podcasts can be found here. Ben Murrey is Iowa Director of Policy and Research with the Common Sense Institute where he leads the research efforts of CSI Iowa to provide insightful, accurate and actionable information about the impact of public policy on Hawkeye families, businesses and communities. Prior to joining CSI in January of this year, Ben spent over a decade in political and public policy roles at the state and federal levels. After earning his degree at Hillsdale College, he joined Ted Cruz on the campaign trail, first as a grassroots field director overseeing 45 rural east Texas counties and later as assistant director of operations. He went on to serve seven years as a legislative staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas and Washington, D.C. Most recently, he served as fiscal policy center director at Independence Institute, a free market think tank in Colorado. In addition to leading reports on a range of fiscal, tax and economic issues, Ben's writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Real Clear Policy and more. His work has contributed to public policy change at the state and federal levels that advanced sound tax policy and free enterprise.

Jon Caldara, Independence Institute fills in for Dan and starts going down television's memory lane with Ryan on the important Gen X questions of our time: Ginger or Mary Ann from Gilligan's Island, Samantha from Bewitched or Jeannie from I Dream of Jeannie, and Betty or Veronica from the Archie comic book series. It's a Nerd-Out Friday, and it's only just beginning.

This essay traces the history of Article V research. Professor Robert G. Natelson is the Independence Institute's Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence and Head of the Article V Information Center. His work has been cited as high as the Supreme Court level. Download this Essay The Law of Article V book by Robert Natelson

Would amendments proposed by an Article V convention really make a difference? History says, "Yes!" Learn more by listening to this essay by Professor Robert G. Natelson, who is the Independence Institute's Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence and Head of the Article V Information Center. His work has been cited as high as the Supreme Court level. Download "The Lamp of Experience: Constitutional Amendments Work" The Law of Article V book by Robert Natelson

Fearful speculations about the Article V convention process ignore what scholarly research has revealed. Professor Robert G. Natelson is the Independence Institute's Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence and Head of the Article V Information Center. His work has been cited as high as the Supreme Court level. Download "The Myth of a Runaway Amendments Convention" The Law of Article V book by Robert Natelson

Rob Natelson is a Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver, Colorado.

Rod Arquette Show Daily Rundown – Thursday, January 11, 20244:20 pm: Paul Gottfried, philosopher and historian, joins Rod for a conversation about his piece for The Blaze on how the left will go nuts if Donald Trump is elected.4:38 pm: Susan Crabtree, White House and National Political Correspondent for Real Clear News joins Rod to discuss some of the items covered by Donald Trump during his town hall on Fox News last night.6:05 pm: Steve Moore, an Economist at FreedomWorks, joins Rod for their weekly conversation about politics and the nation's economy.6:20 pm: Edward Ring, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Greatness, joins the program for a conversation about his piece on how wealthy elites are controlling from both parties, therefore creating one large uniparty.6:38 pm: Robert Natelson, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Independence Institute joins Rod for a conversation about his piece for The Epoch Times on how states can respond to illegal immigration.6:50 pm: Robert VerBruggen, a Fellow with the Manhattan Institute, joins Rod to discuss his piece for the City Journal on how new studies are casting doubt on the narrative that systemic racism is playing a role in prison sentences for crime.

Conspiracy Theory Thursday news and opinion and later Constitutional Law Prof Rob Natelson with the Independence Institute discusses his 5 part series in Epoch Times on how Texas can WIN the battle with FedGov about the border.

We had open phones during the first hour and then Rob Natelson joined us. He is a Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver, Colorado.

We respond to breaking news, as former President Donald Trump has been barred from running for President by the Colorado Supreme Court. Constitutional Scholar and former UM professor Rob Natelson joined us from Colorado’s Independence Institute less than 24 hours […] The post Trump & the CO Primary, with Rob Natelson first appeared on Voices of Montana.

George welcomes Joshua Sharf - Senior Fellow in Fiscal Policy with the Independence Institute and regular contributor to Complete Colorado to the show to discuss Israel/Hamas, Ukraine/Russia, and Jared Polis' '26 plan to add more high-density housing based around transit and a train from Ft. Collins to CO Springs that nobody asked for See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ONLY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN SAVE US FROM PROPERTY TAXES NOW And I'm talking to Independence Institute's Kathleen Chandler about this column on how to do that today at 12:30. I'm lucky that I live in Douglas County where they already moved to lower home valuations by 4% to bring down property tax bills (if the Democrats at the state don't prevent them from doing so). If your property tax bill is worrying you you need to pay attention to this interview and get to work!

Thank you for listening to the 39th episode of "This Week's Economy." Today, I cover: 1) National: -Why the new U.S. jobs report is not as strong as some say -Inflation rates have moderated but still remain well above the Fed's 2% target -Federal Reserve paused again with its federal funds rate target in the range of 5.25-5.5%, supporting a boost in the stock market and likely lower mortgage rates 2) States: -Sustainable Colorado Budget was released that I authored with Ben Murrey at Independence Institute, which provides a path forward for the Centennial state to return to its TABOR roots and buy down the income tax -School choice challenges face Texas as many state leaders are against it 3) Other: -Don't miss my latest LPP episode with Jennifer Huddleston discussing problems with regulating technology, including AI -One of my latest op-eds argues why China is not our biggest threat -Argentina's new president makes significant strides that could set an example for the U.S. Please share this episode on social media and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com). Click the link to enter a giveaway for a complimentary subscription to my Substack newsletter and a free copy of "The Soul of Civility" by Lexi Hudson by simply making a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify so you can get all of the paid benefits: https://gleam.io/1TiJl/let-people-prosper-substack-newsletter-subscription-free-copy-of-the-soul-of-civility-by-lexi-hudson

TODD SHEPHERD JOINS DAWN LIVE AT 10:05 AM EST... Todd Expands on his latest articles.... Delaware County Council considering five percent real estate tax increase to cover years of new spending Philadelphia School District walks back professional development course on the so-called ‘genocide' in Gaza Todd Shepherd is Broad + Liberty's chief investigative reporter. He began his reporting career in radio, working as an anchor and reporter for KOMA in Oklahoma City and KOA in Denver. At KOA he was a three-time regional Edward R. Murrow award winner. He spent eight years as the investigative reporter for the Independence Institute in Colorado, a free-market-based think tank. Shepherd has covered national politics for the Washington Examiner and the Washington Free Beacon, and most recently was editor of Delaware Valley Journal. Send Todd tips at tshepherd at broadandliberty.com, or use his encrypted email at shepherdreports at protonmail.com. Tune in 10 AM - 12 PM EST weekdays on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT; or on the Audacy app!

Rod Arquette Show Daily Rundown – Tuesday, November 7, 20234:20 pm: Kevin Stocklin, an investigative reporter and documentary producer, joins the show to discuss his piece for the Epoch Times about how Michael Bloomberg is ready to spend $500 million to shut down coal and gas plants.4:38 pm: Robert Natelson, Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Independence Institute and a former Constitutional Law Professor joins the show to discuss his piece for the Epoch Times on how to fix American universities.5:05 pm: Deroy Murdock of the Daily Caller and Fox News joins Rod for a conversation about his piece that outlines why early voting is illegal.6:05 pm: Frank Miele, a Columnist for Real Clear Politics, joins Rod to discuss his recent piece about why the Democrats fear new Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.6:20 pm: Senator Mike Lee joins Rod for their weekly visit about what's happening in Washington, D.C., and today they'll discuss how the U.S. should approach the Hamas-Israel war, funding for both Israel and Ukraine, and his recent trip to the nation's southern border.6:38 pm: State Senator Keith Grover joins the program to discuss his proposed legislation that would help regulate future school district splits in Utah.

Jon Caldera of the Independence Institute fills in for the vacationing Peter Boyles today. First thing on the docket, the consequences of Proposition HH if it passes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thank you for listening to the 31st episode of "This Week's Economy," where I briefly recap and share my insights on key economic and policy news. Please share thie episode on social media, and provide a rating and review. Also, subscribe and see show notes for this episode on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com) and visit my website for economic insights (www.vanceginn.com). Today, I cover: 1) National: Economic uncertainty from dysfunction in Congress, home sales slide to the slowest since 2010, and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell indicates extended pause in interest rate hikes; 2) States: Texas continues to debate passing Universal School Choice, and data on California and New York's spending shows that increased state spending does not necessarily decrease poverty or improve schools, and; 3) Other: Recap of last week's excellent podcast with guest Ben Murrey from Independence Institute discussing the importance of maintaining Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, and a sneak peek of my upcoming podcast episode with special guest Texas State Representative Brian Harrison.

Today, I'm joined on episode 66 of the "Let People Prosper" show by Ben Murrey, director of the Independence Institute's Fiscal Policy Center: We discuss: 1) What he learned about the transactional nature of relationships on Capitol Hill during his 7 years working in D.C. alongside U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX); 2) What Republicans can learn from Democrats about collaborating together for the greater good; and 3) How Colorado's Proposition HH on the ballot now, which would reduce tax refunds and further weaken the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), and why legislators should instead pass Sustainable Colorado Budgets and use surpluses to reduce and eliminate total income taxes. If you enjoyed the show, please rate it 5 stars, leave a review, and share it on social media. For show notes, thoughtful insights, media interviews, speeches, blog posts, research, and more, please check out my website (www.vanceginn.com) and subscribe to my newsletter on Substack (www.vanceginn.substack.com).

POLIS'S GREEN DREAM IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE Our fake libertarian Governor is very wealthy so he probably doesn't care if his power bill skyrockets as he pursues a goal of 100% renewables by 2050 but the rest of us will. A new study from Jake Fogelman at the Independence Institute says it will cost more than $318 BILLION to get there and guess who pays those bills? You guessed it, us. Read about it here and I'm trying to get Jake on the show to discuss.

PROP HH MUST DIE And I'm going to keep having Ben Murrey from the Independence Institute on until it does. Today we're going to talk about renters getting screwed the hardest and ask why is this on the ballot if it's a tax decrease? He's on at 1.

PROPOSITION HH IS A BIG FAT LIE And the Independence Institute's Ben Murrey explains how the shady as hell ballot language is fooling people into thinking this is something it clearly is not. You need to not only pay attention to this TABOR stealing nonsense that will bring an embarrassingly small amount of relief this year while robbing us of our TABOR refunds forever. I've got Ben at 1 today to talk about it.

An upcoming ballot measure in Colorado would allow massive expansion in government spending and weaken the Colorado Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR), the nation's strongest taxpayer protection. At the tail end of Colorado's legislative session, Governor Jared Polis signed a property tax bill that now requires voter approval. If approved, TABOR would be gutted in exchange for a small short term cut to property taxes. Known as Proposition HH, this proposal tempts voters with the promise of property tax cuts, while its real purpose is to water-down TABOR's revenue and spending limits. Ben Murrey, Director of Fiscal Policy at the Independence Institute described the package as a “boondoggle of a property tax plan.” According to The Center Square, it would decrease TABOR refunds by 23%. TABOR is the gold standard for tax and expenditure limits (TELs). Since its adoption by voters as a state constitutional amendment in 1992, it has helped to restrain the growth of government and returned billions of dollars to Colorado taxpayers. The attacks on TABOR aren't new. The property tax “cut” is only the latest gimmicky attempt to unleash the leviathan of big government on hard-working Coloradans. Special Guest: Nick Stark.

Do you have what it takes to be “entertainer (wet)” — aka, a cliff diver at Casa Bonita? The South Park guys are hiring ahead of their planned May re-opening. Meanwhile, many Denverites' energy bills have more than doubled in the past few months while Xcel posted massive profits for 2022 — so, what gives? And on the transit front, RTD is debating a policy change that would prohibit passengers without a set destination from riding the light rail. Host Bree Davies and producer Paul Karolyi break down these local stories and more as they dig what Denverites are talking about this week. Plus, Paul and Bree answer a listener question about population growth and revisit the hilarious vanity license plate convo from last week.  Paul mentioned Xcel's record profits, Jon Caldara and the Independence Institute's crusade against Xcel, and Xcel's tips for reducing your energy bill.  Don't miss our guide for how to help our neighbors struggling to pay energy bills, which we published in our newsletter Hey Denver yesterday. You can subscribe to Hey Denver for even more news from around the city by texting “Denver” to 66866 Follow us on Twitter: @citycastdenver Chat with other listeners on reddit: r/CityCastDenver Leave us a voicemail with your name and neighborhood, and you might hear it on the show: (720) 500-5418‬ Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Mortified Live: DOOMED VALENTINE'S  Looking to advertise on City Cast Denver? Check out our options for podcast and newsletter ads at citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirty years ago, Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) was meant to strictly limit spending and taxes. That's not how it's worked out. Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute details for the benefit of other states how TABOR opponents wore it down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's show rundown: It's voting season...there is no more voting day, its a whole season. Why does it take forever to count these darn votes? Mark introduces us to a returning guest Ted Harvey, and we get a reminder about a little of what he is up to. Ted's PAC stop joe.com is where he is spending a lot of his time now days. He is doing every hit he can to help with the November election to make sure we take back the Majority. The Left is at war with us, we are NOT at war with them, thats a huge problem. We may think they are wrong, but they want us dead. If a conservative speaks up or talks against the Left's thought - they DOJ goes after these people. The DOJ doesn't even to claim to be non partisan any more. They are telling you they will come after you at your local school board meeting if you want to ask questions about why we have to have boys in girls bathrooms. https://www.stopjoe.com/ Ted Harvey, Chairman Retired Colorado State Senator Ted Harvey has always had a passion for protecting the Constitution and the unborn, while promoting the free-market principle which have resulted in America's unmatched exceptionalism. At the age of 22, Ted received a political appointment to serve in the White House of President Ronald Reagan, which ignited his passion for traditional conservatism. After returning home, Ted quickly became involved in Colorado politics, working as a staffer in the Colorado State House and then as the Program Director of the Independence Institute, a Denver-based think tank. Ted also served as the District Office Manager for Representative Joel Hefley (R-CO). In December 2001, through a vacancy election, Ted was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives and became a conservative champion inside the State House. He was re-elected in both 2002 and 2004, and then elected to the Colorado State Senate in 2006 and 2010. Ted's patriotic work continues today. He was a founding member and Chairman of the Stop Hillary PAC, re-named the Committee to Defend the President following the election of President Trump in 2016. It was one of the largest pro-Trump super PACs in the country: Under Ted's leadership, the Committee spent more than $20 million in Independent Expenditures to support Republican causes, while contributing over $509,000 directly to Republican candidates and incumbents. Ted has been elected as a Colorado delegate to four of the last five Republican National Conventions including 2016 and 2020. Ted will continue leading the charge, now as the opposition to Biden-Harris' reckless liberal policies under the re-branded name, the Committee to Defeat the President. Follow Ted Harvey on Twitter: @TedHarvey