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Devils Advocate Archive 2007

2007 Catalog of Shows

December 20: School Choice for Kids

Researching K-12 schools in search of the best educational experience for children can be daunting task. Independence Institute’s Education Policy
Center Director Pam Benigno and Raaki Garcia-Ulam, a school choice Hispanic outreach coordinator, join host Jon Caldara to discuss the difficultyparents have finding educational options. Hear how the new SchoolChoiceForKids.org web site is empowering parents to find the best schools for their children. Watch this episode here.

November 22nd – K-12 Education Legislative Preview

High dropout rates. Poorly performing schools. Are statewide graduation requirements the answer? What should the legislature do? For a preview of what Coloradans can expect regarding K-12 education from the 2008 legislative session, tune in to Independent Thinking for a discussion with guests State Representative Rob Witwer and policy analyst Ben DeGrow. That’s Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12; repeated the following Tuesday evening at 5 p.m.

Thursday, October 18th and Tuesday, October 23rd

Brought to you by the letters A-I: By now you’ve seen Mayor John Hickenlooper and his companions, the bright red letters, trying to convince voters to approve yet another tax increase for the city of Denver. It would take darn near the entire alphabet to cover all the tax increases that Denver voters have approved under Hick’s watch. While you’ll see Hick and company in carefully scripted TV commercials, one place you won’t see them is on Independent Thinking. We extended invitations to the Better Denver campaign, Hickenlooper’s office and the entire Denver City Council and staff to be a guest on our show to discuss their views on Denver ballot issues 1A-1I. No one would appear. So we invited two opponents instead. Tune into Independent Thinking for a discussion with Dick Poole from Senator Wayne Allard’s office and activist Brad Jones about more taxes and debt for Denver and what implications they could have on the rest of the Colorado.

November 15th

Election Wrap up The voters have spoken but what did they say? Did Denver voters say yes to A through I? How did voters in several Colorado cities react to payroll reform? Westword editor Patty Calhoun and Denver Post political analyst Fred Brown join Jon Caldara and Independent Thinking to answer those questions and more as they analyze the 2007 election results. That’s Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12; repeated the following Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. November 22nd – K-12 Education Legislative Preview High dropout rates. Poorly performing schools. Are statewide graduation requirements the answer? What should the legislature do? For a preview of what Coloradans can expect regarding K-12 education from the 2008 legislative session, tune in to Independent Thinking for a discussion with guests State Representative Rob Witwer and State Senator Peter Groff. That’s Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12; repeated the following Tuesday evening at 5 p.m.

November 8th – Governor Ritter’s collective bargaining

At the close of business on Friday Governor Ritter issued an executive order allowing collective bargaining for state employees and dramatically altering a previously cordial, 131-year–old relationship between the state of Colorado and its employees. What does this mean for Colorado business and taxpayers? For answers tune into Independent Thinking as Jon Caldara discusses the Governor’s back room executive order with State Representative Cory Gardner and nationally syndicated columnist David Sirota of the Progressive States Network. That’s this Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12; repeated the following Tuesday evening at 5 p.m.

Thursday, October 25th and Tuesday, October 30
The Cato Institute got its name from Cato’s Letters, series of libertarian pamphlets that helped lay the philosophical foundation for the American Revolution. Published between 1720 and 1723, these essays on liberty and civil society became some of the most influential source on political thought in the colonial period. The mission of the Cato Institute is principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets and peace. Tune in for a special one-on-one interview with Cato founder and president Ed Crane.

Thursday, November 1 and Tuesday, November 6

What happens when limited government meets the tax-and-spend? When free markets battle centralized control? Sparks fly of course. Tune in to Independent Thinking for a special one-on-one interview. Host Jon Caldara, president of the Independent Institute, challenges left-leaning Bell Policy Center president Wade Buchanan on everything from fiscal policy to education to health care. Don’t miss this clash of intellectual titans this Thursday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12; repeated the following Tuesday evening at 5 p.m.

Friday, August 23rd

When free markets battle centralized control

Is the Internet the bastion of the Left? With different rules of engagement and lots of funding, the Left does a much better job at using the Internet to advance its agenda. Can the Right catch up? Tune into Independent Thinking as guests Brad Jones of FaceThestate.com and blogger Ross Kaminsky of Rossputin.com discuss what the right needs to do to be competitive on the Internet.

Friday, August 17th

Despite warnings from opponents, the public is hot for HOT lanes. Revenue from the year-old HOT lanes along I-25 far exceeded expectations. A spirited discussion between Duane Fellhauser, director of Douglas County Public Works and State Representative Spencer Swalm about expanding HOT lanes in the Denver Metro Area.

Friday, August 10th

You might have seen Rick Berman profiled on 60 Minutes. He is every nannyist’s and union boss’s nightmare, with his organizations, the Center for Consumer Freedom and UnionFacts.com. Meet him this Friday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12 as he joins me on Independent Thinking.

Friday, July 20th

The ever jovial Colorado Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff discusses his problems with TABOR and taxpayers placing restrictions on the legislature’s ability to spend their money.

Friday, July 13th

Higher education, K-12 and health care in Colorado are all cash-starved! With the state swimming in excess Ref C revenue, where did all the money go? To figure it out, Representative David Balmer and former state Senator Mark Hillman.

 

Friday, July 6th

In Davenport v. Washington Education Association, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the rights of workers trump convenience for union leaders. For the Colorado connection, tune in to this week’s Independent Thinking when Attorney General John Suthers and Independence Institute Policy Analyst Ben DeGrow join host Jon Caldara.

Friday, June 29th

Republicans need to start acting like, well, Republicans if they want to get back into power, according to Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist.

Friday, June 8th

Now that David Kopel has proven Bill O’Reilly to be fowl. His next debate is with attorney and talk show host Dan Caplis. I’ll try to moderate as Kopel and Caplis debate the media coverage, including that of Caplis and his co-host Craig Silverman, surrounding Boulder High School.

Friday, June 1st

Speaking of the nannyists…spend 30 minutes in the "nanny-free zone" as columnists David Harsanyi of the Denver Post and Jay Ambrose of Scripps Howard join me to discuss everything from nannyism to the First Amendment on this week’s Independent Thinking.

Friday, May 25th

Who were the winners and losers of this year’s legislative session? Political consultants Katy Atkinson and Eric Sondermann join host Jon Caldara to review the 2007 General Assembly.

Friday, May 11th

Is there any way to prevent another tragedy like Virginia Tech? For answers, tune into Independent Thinking to hear Shawn Smith, Psy.D. and gun rights expert David Kopel discuss what society can and can’t do about the criminally insane.

Friday, April 27th

Billions of dollars and it’s still not enough. What to do about Colorado’s bridges and highways? Join me on Independent Thinking to discuss state transportation issues with Randal O’Toole and State Representative Glenn Vaad.

Friday, April 20th

Don’t say we didn’t try to tell you, now RTD’s hyper-massive transit project is already $2 billion over budget and $1 billion short of revenue. RTD’s general manager Cal Marsella joins Jon and Randal O’Toole, director of our Center for the American Dream.

Friday, April 13th

Lifetime job security, a.k.a. tenure…does it help or harm higher ed? I’ll discuss the CU Regents’ latest tenure proposal with Regent Michael Carrigan and Campus Accountability Project Director Jessica Corry.

Friday, April 6th

When private becomes public. Tune into Independent Thinking to hear Brad Jones of Face the State and Colorado State Board of Education Vice Chairman Bob Schaffer discuss the role of open records requests for elected officials.

Friday, March 30th

The Minority Report – only better. Join me on Independent Thinking for a discussion with Senator Ted Harvey and former Senator Mark Hillman of how effective Republicans are in their role as the minority party at the State Capitol.

Friday, March 23rd

Is the war in Iraq a state or federal issue? Sparks fly as Senators Greg Brophy and Ken Gordon debate the Iraq war and what effect the Colorado General Assembly can have on the outcome or the president’s policies.

Friday, March 16th

s school choice in Colorado under attack at the state legislature? Join us on Independent Thinking for a conversation on the status of school choice with State Senator Nancy Spence and Alex Medler from the Colorado’s Children Campaign.

Friday, March 2nd

Want to pay more for your health insurance?? Then increase state mandates! Tune into Independent Thinking as host Jon Caldara talks one-on-one with nationally-recognized health care policy expert Merrill Matthews, Director of the Council on Affordable Health Insurance, on how and why government meddling in the health care market hurts consumers?

Friday, February 23rd

What does Governor Ritter’s veto of HB 1072 mean for the labor movement in Colorado? Tune in to Independent Thinking for a discussion on Colorado’s relationship between labor unions and the legislature with Independence Institute Policy Analyst Ben DeGrow and Christian LeFer from Colorado Citizens for Right to Work.

Friday, February 16th

He was the mastermind behind several high profile Republican victories. Tune to hear what Dick Wadhams has in store for Colorado. Join host Jon Caldara on Independent Thinking for a one-on-one interview with the GOP strategist and state party chair hopeful.

Friday, February 2nd

Verbal sparks fly when the Second Amendment Project Director David Kopel takes on gun control advocate Arnie Grossman this week on Independent Thinking.

Friday, January 26th

Monday, January 29, is Milton Friedman Day. In honor of the Nobel Prize-winning economist, we are dedicating this week’s Independent Thinking to the ideas of Milton Friedman and how they affected Colorado. Health Care Policy Center Director Linda Gorman and Education Policy Center Director Pam Benigno discuss Friedman’s impact on Colorado.

Friday, January 19th

What’s the cost of “diversity” at the University of Colorado Boulder? That’s a good question that no one can answer. Tune into Independent Thinking for a discussion of the breakdown of fiscal accountability at CU and a possible state audit with Jessica Corry and State Representative Cory Gardner. That’s this Friday night at 8:30 p.m. on KBDI Channel 12; repeated Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m.

Friday, January 12th

Will he or won’t he run for a third term in the US Senate? That’s just one of the questions Jon Caldara poses to Senator Wayne Allard in a one-on-one conversation with one of the few free market voices in the United States Senate.

Friday, January 5th

How many attorneys does it take to destroy Colorado’s economy? The answer depends upon which attorney you ask. A discussion between attorneys Lee Mickus and Ross Buchanan about the legal climate in Colorado.