The Specters of the Constitution and Colorado’s Regulatory Stranglehold

On Friday, March 27, 2026, Kim Monson welcomes the Dream Team to studio for a wide-ranging discussion on constitutional founding principles, Colorado’s regulatory burden on homeowners and businesses, the fight for legislative accountability, and a developing crisis at Cherry Creek School District.

The Specters of the Constitution and the Case for the Federalist Papers

Start listening at 02:20 – Hour 1

Allen Thomas previews his upcoming 10-week class on the Federalist Papers, launching April 23 through the Kim Monson Community. The class will examine why the Constitution faced fierce opposition from the very states it sought to unite. Thomas walks through the “specters” that haunted the ratification debate: the colonists’ deep fear of monarchy after fighting King George III, their attachment to the Articles of Confederation, and their suspicion that a strong federal government would strip state sovereignty.

Patrick Henry’s fiery warning at Virginia’s ratifying convention captures the intensity of the opposition. Thomas argues that the Federalist Papers answered those fears by demonstrating the Constitution’s built-in friction: impeachment power, congressional control of military funding, and the separation of powers. He connects this directly to the modern “No Kings Day” protests, noting that the founders were far more fearful of authoritarianism than any modern critic of executive power. The real threat today, Thomas contends, is the unelected bureaucratic fourth branch of government that the founders never anticipated.

“Now we have this authoritarian fourth branch of government that bypasses the entire design of our country. And now the irony is we have these folks that are saying No Kings Day. It’s like, okay, well, I’ll join in if you agree to get rid of, what, over half the departments that are proposed right now? Because they act like kings over our lives.”

Allen Thomas, Author and Guest Host

Furnace Mandates and the Rising Cost of Government Regulation

Start listening at 14:52 – Hour 1

Ben Williams of BENZ Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling details how HB23-1161, Colorado’s furnace mandate effective January 1, drives up costs for homeowners and businesses. Williams describes taking a class on ultra-low NOx furnaces that felt more like computer programming than HVAC training. The new units require specialized equipment to program and read error codes, making physical installation the easy part while setup becomes the real challenge.

The impact on commercial businesses proves even more severe. Williams reports that Denver now requires heat-pump electric water heaters for new restaurants instead of efficient gas-fired units. Each unit costs $20,000, and because they are less efficient, a restaurant that would have needed one 100-gallon gas water heater must install three electric units, totaling $60,000 before labor. Williams also shares a listener success story: his son saved a customer from an unnecessary furnace replacement by diagnosing a faulty computer control board on a 30-year-old unit still under warranty.

“These things cost $20,000 a piece. How does that even begin to pay for itself? It doesn’t.”

Ben Williams, Owner, BENZ Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling

Colorado’s Legislative Tipping Point and the Fight for Fiscal Accountability

Start listening at 02:05 – Hour 1

Colorado State Representative Max Brooks explains the legislative process from the inside, describing how bills move through committee to floor votes and why amendments on second reading matter. Brooks reveals that some lawmakers refuse to accept amendments, undermining the deliberative process the system was designed to protect. He highlights Colorado’s ranking as the sixth most regulated state in the country, with real consequences for small businesses and families.

Brooks praises the Colorado Union of Taxpayers’ bill-rating system as an invaluable resource for legislators tracking 400 to 500 bills per session. He discusses SB26-134, a bill to eliminate credit card company profit margins on swipe fees charged on taxes and tips, noting the principled disagreement with CUT over whether government should intervene in private transactions. His most urgent warning concerns Colorado’s proximity to a legislative supermajority: Republicans are one seat away in both chambers from losing the ability to sustain a governor’s veto, which would remove the last check on one-party legislative control.

“We are one seat away in both the House of Representatives and one seat away in the Senate from those bodies being in the supermajority. What happens if we lose those seats? The supermajority means that they can override the governor veto. So that loses that friction, that loses that check and balance to where now legislature can run roughshod over the entire state of Colorado with no backstops in place.”

Max Brooks, Colorado State Representative

Second Amendment Rights, Senate District 4, and the Price of One-Party Control

Start listening at 02:29 – Hour 1

Teddy Collins, owner of Spartan Defense in Colorado Springs, announces his candidacy for State Senate District 4, one of the largest in Colorado spanning eight counties. Collins traces his conservative convictions to a college political science professor who assigned students random primary candidates; Collins drew Hillary Clinton and quickly confirmed his Republican identity. He argues that Colorado’s decline on every quality-of-life metric over eight years of one-party control stems from unchecked regulation and wasteful spending, noting that the state collects nearly 40% more in taxes per capita than Florida.

“Rules, regulation, and red tape, that’s what’s leading to the unaffordability in Colorado. Colorado is one of the least affordable states, and that’s why. It’s government control. Keep the government out of our business. Keep them out of our pocket.”

Teddy Collins, Owner, Spartan Defense

Colorado Springs City Council and Civic Duty After Crisis

Start listening at 101:42 – Hour 2

Jake Savala, a former Colorado Springs firefighter, shares his bid for the District 2 City Council appointment. On December 20, 2024, Savala and his service canine Halo were struck by a hit-and-run driver at over 30 miles per hour in the Pine Creek neighborhood. Despite severe injuries, Savala returned to public service and has since worked with legislators across the country on public policy. He seeks to restore public trust in a district where the previous council member resigned in lieu of a recall election.

“I suffered a severe incident and I’m still in the fight and will still fight for my citizens rather than developers or people that have radical agendas.”

Jake Savala, Former Colorado Springs Firefighter

Cherry Creek School District’s Accountability Crisis Deepens

Start listening at 105:06 – Hour 2

Molly Lamar reports on escalating transparency failures at Cherry Creek School District. An “external” audit committee investigating toxic culture, nepotism, and conflicts of interest turns out to include two board members with apparent conflicts: one is married to the woman who hired superintendent Chris Smith and eliminated the conflict of interest policy; the other’s wife led the teachers union while he worked for a major district vendor. Through CORA requests, Lamar discovered that 15 employment contracts, including an assistant superintendent’s, contained invalid signatures. The Denver Post reported the former superintendent created a $3 million contract obligation while traveling the world on taxpayer dollars.

“The committee isn’t external at all. It includes two board members. One is the husband of the woman who hired Chris Smith and eliminated the conflict of interest policy.”

Molly Lamar, Parent Advocate