March 12, 2025 • 35 mins
On today's episode, Dan talks about how the Democrats want you relying on the government, so that you'll continue to vote for them.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Dan Caplis and welcome to today's online podcast
edition of The Dan Caplis Show. Please be sure to
give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind,
and to subscribe, download, and listen to the show every
single day on your favorite podcast platform. Beautiful Bay, to
fight that fight. Glad you're here, man. Spring is in
the air. And I thought it was going to be
snow again, probably four or five times. But this time
(00:22):
of year, Yeah, it's just gorgeous. The snow mellets, it
goes away, and then we get days like this. This
is what it's all about. Glad you are here. A
lot of interesting stuff to kick around today, a lot
of it local as well. I do, though, I do
want to start national, and because I think this is
such a fascinating issue in one of the many really
really good things that Trump is doing right now. And hey,
(00:44):
I get it, I get that there is a lot
of upset nationally right now about the economy. I don't
think you're surprised. I'm surprised anybody's surprised to see the
president upside down in the polls right now on the economy.
Everybody's hurting, right, I mean, everybody's hirement fund et cetera.
Has taken a hit in the last week or so.
But it's one of the reasons I respect Trump so
(01:07):
much because, and this is a great thing to throw
out there to you, how many politicians, either party and
in our lives have been willing to go through this,
this pain and this unpopularity while while the people are
hurting in order to get the long term gain. When's
the last time we had that? I'd love to get
(01:28):
your take on that. You can text Dam five seven
seven three nine. Dan five seven seven three nine. But
when in our lifetime is the last time we had that?
And the fact Trump's willing to do it right now
to me super impressive. And because he is. He he's
suffering in the polls right now on this not necessarily overall,
(01:51):
though that's going to follow right. I mean, economy is
one or two on pretty much everybody's list. He's going
to be very popular now, as he should be for
you know, enforcing the border way it should be enforced,
et cetera. But he's willing to take that hit for
the long term, and I really respect that. Would have
been so easy, as we talked about yesterday, right just
to do the sugar high thing, just to command and again,
(02:12):
you know, to just spend our grandchildren's money. Make this
an easy term for him. But I respect what he's
trying to do. I don't know enough about tariffs to
say that it's going to work, but I trust him.
I trust him. I trust him on the economy three
or three someone three eight two five five, the number
techs d A N five seven seven three nine. But
(02:36):
this is another reason I trust him. I just love
what he's doing on this front. I love what Marco
Ruby is doing and Marco Rubio, this is going to
be so much fun to watch right as we hit
twenty six and had to the presidential in twenty eight
because you have all these all this young conservative talent
and so much of it now Trump has on his
team that's just getting better all the time with this experience,
(02:58):
Like Rubio, I think it's been really good for a while,
just growing. I think before our eyes. In this Secretary
of State role here he's talking about this Hamas supporter
who wants to stay on a student visa and a
green car.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
When you come to the United States as a visitor,
which is what a visa is, which is how this
individual entered this country as on a visitor's visa. Okay,
you are here as a visitor. We can deny you
that visa. We can deny you that if you tell
us when you apply, Hi, I'm trying to get into
the United States on a student visa. I am a
big supporter of Hamas, a murderous, barbaric group that kidnaps children,
(03:35):
that rapes the teenage girls, that takes hostages, that allows
them to die in captivity, that returns more bodies.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Than live hostages.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
If you tell us that you are in favor of
a group like this, and if you tell us when
you apply for your visa, and by the way, I
intend to come to your country as a student and
rile up all kinds of anti Jewish student anti Semitic activities.
I intend to shut down your universities. If you told
us all these things when you apply for a visa,
we would.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Deny your visa. I hope we would.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
If you actually end up doing that once you're in
this country on such a visa, we will revoke it.
And if you end up having a green card, not citizenship,
but a green card as a result of that visa,
while you're here in those activities, we're going to kick
you out.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Or beautifully said, right, hey, why is this even an issue?
But this is the beauty of it, right, is part
of Trump's magic, Scott Jenny said, it is that you
got the left now, the Democratic Party right, just glombing
onto the twenty side of all these eighty twenty issues.
So this humas what do we call them here, hamas holes,
this amass hole is going to be the new poster
(04:36):
boy for the left, which is a beautiful thing, right
because eighty percent of the population is going to say,
you guys are nuts. It's going to be right up
there with men in women's sports. Right. That's now I
think it is. It's an eighty one to nineteen issue.
We like to say eighty twenty that that's an eighty
one nineteen. So you got that going for you? Three
(04:58):
or three someone three eight two five five the number
text d A N five seven seven three nine. Ryan
Schuling does a great show in the Denver market two
to four each day, and when I come in and
do it from the Denver studio, I see his text.
So Ryan, what is the backstory on this? Ryan? Add
Danielle Jerinsky to the list of conservative women. Kyle goes
(05:19):
after that from Alexa is Zach Kyle, what was the
name of that Bronco quarterback Tim t Boyd to sit
behind him for four games? Kyle Orton? Orton, Yeah, are
we doing another Kyle Orton show?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
That was Kelly Coucheri's perdue Boilermaker Kyle Orton, by the way, No,
it was Kyle Clark who had Darcy Shaning.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
On his program.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I believe nine next he's interviewing.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
All the candidates for Colorado gop share and I think,
much to his glee, that there's a lot of kind
of infighting going on and there seems to be a
disturbing trend.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
I observed that.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Whether it's Heidie Ganall or Representative Lauren Bobert or Danielle
Jerinsky or we'll see what happens with Darcy, that Kyle
Clark has an affinity or a propensity to really target
conservative women.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Doesn't he target all conservatives? No?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
No, no, no, that's a little bit different on the women front.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Polist, I think is a very obvious problem a Polis.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
It's more of an animosity for Kyle. It's more like
an obsession or compulsion it's just weird. And I'll just
say this once again that he's been very, let's say,
eager to get a sit down one on one interview
with Lauren Bolbert and she was resistant.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
To that, didn't want to do it.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
And then he moderated a debate for the fourth Congressional
district in which he really just won in like a
bulldog after and he ended up getting highlighted and featured
on Jimmy Kimme Alive and getting some national notoriety out
of it.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah, but it just seems to me he does that
to all conservatives, right, I mean, he's got his stick
for the left in this.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Dan, why don't you ask Hidig and all that, or
Lauren Bobert that or Danielle Jerensky that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I mean I'm not doubting their experience, but what conservative
man could could we get on air who would say
I was treated fairly by Kyle Clark.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Well, when you put it that way, true, I'm saying
that his pursuit of these conservative women is much nastier,
It has a harder edge to it, it's much more rabid.
And I don't think I'm alone in saying that or
observing that at all.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Well, no doubt it's in the eyes of the Boulder.
But now Polis, on the other hand, I mean, I
think that's just clear to anybody watching. And that was
one of the beautiful things about the last gubernatorial campaign, right.
I wish the results had been the opposite. But Heidi
just schooled him, just took him, you know, to the woodshed,
and every one of those debates she really did, Yeah,
and exposed him. And yeah, I don't think I don't
(07:41):
think Heidi just beating up on Polis in those debates
had any impact on Polis's inability to gain traction nationally.
But I think she exposed a weakness of his right.
And wow, three or three someone three two five five
the number speaking of local and not planned out this way,
(08:02):
but we in fact, and I'll do this after the breaks,
I can play it in full. I want to play
this ironically Kyle Clark's story about the Sixteenth Street Mall.
And I understand you may well be listening to the
show somewhere outside of the Denver metro area. But as
we talk about the abject failure, kind of the death
spiral of the Sixteenth Street Mall in Denver, no matter
(08:23):
how much taxpayer money and other money, private money they
pour into it, there are I think really important lessons
there for all of us, everywhere in the state and
beyond Colorado. And so I think it's very very useful
to study this because how many years now You've been
here five or six years now, right, Ryan?
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Six?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yep, Yeah, and I've been here I think going on
close to fifty. But the point is, it's just this
never ending battle, this money pit to somehow turn the
sixteen Street mall around. In the sixteenth you know, that
whole area was a whole lot better at one point.
But the bottom line is, and what we'll get into
more detail, the bottom line is that once they decided
(09:04):
to make Denver that literally the drug capital of the world,
that the fate of the sixteenth Street wall was sealed.
And there is no way you are ever going to
turn that around unless Colorado reversus legalized marijuana just does
a one to eighty on this whole glorification of recreational
drug thing. It is just going to be the magnet,
(09:26):
the hangout, the backyard, the gathering place for young homeless,
for attics for for a lot of sad, sad stories,
from around the country and a lot of homegrown ones
who would have had good, healthy, successful lives if not
for the drugs. But hey, as long as the left
is getting what it wants, not illlegalized drugs and adults
are making a lot of money, what do they care
(09:47):
about the kids? Right, you're on the dan Kapla Show.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
And now back to the dan Kaplas Show podcast.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Pressure on.
Speaker 7 (10:00):
It complicates Putin's position a little bit. I don't think, frankly,
a ceasefires in Ukraine's interest. I think if you freeze
the conflict along the existing front lines and start negotiations
in Geneva or Vienna or some neutral capital that drag
on and on, the ceasefire line could become a new
de facto Ukraine Russian border, which.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Wait, wait a second, John Bolton, and listen. I respect
John Bolton, and John Bolton sat three feet from me
in the studio when he was US Ambassador to the
United Nations. But I think what's happened to John Bolton,
and it's happened to some other conservatives I really respect,
is they get into a pissot pardon me, they get
into a urinating match with Trump and then it becomes
personal and then all the principle goes out the window.
(10:45):
So what is your alternative here, John Bolton? The people
of Ukraine have been raped and pillaged by Putin. Europe
refused to step up and save them. I know, John's
not suggesting that there'll be American boots on the ground
in Ukraine. The only way evil Putin was ever going
to be defeated is if Europe put boots on the
ground in Ukraine. This is not complicated and Europe would
(11:09):
not save Ukraine. So at that point, how do you
move these lines now? John? How do you do that?
This isn't etra sketch, No, I mean, this is Trump
coming in to stop the bloodshed. Don't blame Trump. Nobody
invaded Ukraine when Trump was president. Yeah, I hate to
see Putin get one inch of territory, But don't blame Trump.
(11:33):
Blame Europe for not stepping off. Three h three someone
three eight two five five the number real quick on
that topic, Dan, how do you think Russia is going
to respond now that the ball is in their court?
So to speak? It's wired. This thing's totally wired. There
is no way Russia. I mean, there may be a
little whaling nation of teeth, pretending, But there is no
(11:54):
way the Trump administration would have asked Ukraine to agree
to that unless it was certain was going to get
Russia's agreement. And again, it may take a few days,
it may look like it was a fight, but I
think the fights already happened. I think Trump's already won
that fight, both Lensky and I mean with Russia. I
think he's already won it with Putin. And so whether
(12:17):
whether Russia pretends to be debating this whatever, and they
probably will pretend they're going to agree to it right
first show they're going to agree to it.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Interesting that then what happens if the ceasefires agreed to
by Russia is that, for all intents and purposes, the
end of the war, at the beginning of.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
The end of the war. I think. So that's amazing, Yeah,
And I think that's why this has been so tough
right now. And I'm really interested in the reports they
there appears to be credibility to him that you had
a number of big operators from the Obama administration trying
to get Selensky to reject the Trump deal, the mineral
rights deal. So but but I think what's happened here
(12:52):
is that Trump has succeeded in getting what he wanted
from Ukraine, which wasn't agree into these lines. And who knows,
maybe baked in the cake is Russia gives up something
on that territory. But you've got to believe, don't you
sit here right now? The final deal is going to
look something like that. Maybe Russia gives up here and there,
(13:13):
and again I hate to see Putin get anything, but
that's not Trump's fault. That's that's Europe's fault. And if
you think I'm wrong on that, as Prime says, I
ain't hard to find three out three someone three eight
two five five text d An five seven seven three
nine Dan just joined the show. You may have already
mentioned it, but there's an interesting article on the Wall
Street Journal this morning about how cannabis industry is failing
(13:36):
in Pueblo and it suggests a lot of its homeless
problems due to young people who came to Colorado in
fourteen for marijuana from DK and Brumfield. Yeah, tremendous piece
in the Wall Street Journal. But here's what you want
to notice. You want to notice you see these pieces
now consistently popping up where on the right, on the left,
whether it's New York Times, Wall Street Journal, et cetera,
(13:58):
you see these pieces popping up that are starting to
tell the truth about the hell being wrought by legalized marijuana.
And so you know why, you know why those pieces
are popping off because normally most of these outlets and
Wall Street Journal editorial pages, real good but news pages,
they've gone left the Yeah, I think the reason you're
seeing these on the left isn't politics, right, because legalization
(14:20):
of marijuana is a really important saying to the Democratic Party,
because the more stoners you have, the more people you
have dependent on government, the more people voting for the left.
But here's what I always banked on because you know
it's true, and I know it's true, and that is
that people love their children more than they love their
(14:41):
political party. And marijuana is wrecking so many kids across
party lines. It's an equal opportunity destroyer. And if someone's
lucky enough that their kids haven't been wrecked by dope,
like I thank god every day our kids have avoided that.
So many great kids, kids of great character, kids of
(15:03):
great strengths, kids with great parents. So many kids have
fallen into it. And of course what the left does,
right with Polus's full blessing and everybody in the lefts
full blessing, is they crank the potency up so high
that you can't even call it marijuana anymore. It's krakawana.
And you know, the old stuff that did so much damage,
you know, up two to four percent THHC in the leaf,
(15:26):
et cetera. Not now the left's cranking this stuff over
eighty ninety percent. And of course that's the stuff the
kids want and get most right, because you can smuggle that,
you can hide that from your parents, you can do
it in class, whatever. So what the left wants to
do is they want to hook them young, hook them forever.
And I think what's happening now, and the reason you
see this coming up even through the New York Times
(15:47):
and elsewhere, is that people love their kids. And these reporters,
these editors, these managers, these newspaper owners, if it hasn't
happened to their kid, it's happened to someone close to them.
And everybody listening has had that experience. And it's right
if you have kids. And again, we've been very blessed.
Our kids have been spared all that and avoided all that,
but some of their friends absolutely heartbreaking stuff. And everybody
(16:12):
listening to the show can tell those stories. So I
think we're going to see more and more stories like that.
The big question is where's the tipping point. What's it
going to take, say, to reverse AMENDMUS sixty four in Colorado?
How and when does that happen? I'd love your thoughts
on that. Three oh three someone three eight two five
five text d An five seven seven three nine, because
(16:33):
I do think it's going to happen someday. I mean,
the only place Ryan ever stupid enough to do this
before Colorado did was Alaska. And then what they do
up in Alaska, Well, the dead bodies mounted because you
get so many dead bodies from this stuff, and they say, oh,
no overdoses. How yeah, but they're no less dead, like
right out there on two twenty five, they're no less
(16:54):
dead from these marijuana crashes. They're sure as hell, no
less dead from what what's the latest person? I have
read so many hundreds, I think hundreds, but so many
autopsies of teenagers and children, you know, studying the role
of marijuana in those suicides, because We've had this big
spike in teen suicide in Colorado since legalization of marijuana,
(17:17):
and right now, I think the most recent numbers are
out double check, somewhere near half of all the kids
who commit suicide have marijuana in their system. And by
the way, those numbers are understated because think about this, Ryan,
Think about what I found out when I was doing
that research and I was talking to coroners, and that
was you've got some counties in Colorado they're not even
(17:38):
reporting it. You can have these kids who commit suicide
with really significant levels of THHC. It's not even making
it into the autopsy, so it's not making it into
the public stats until it gets over a really high level.
So yeah, it's it is a scourage. It is just
(17:59):
causing so much devastation across the country. That's why you're
seeing these stories percolate up now. But let's throw it
out there. What would it take and we'll get to
the story about the Sixteenth Street All. The reason we
got off today on all the harm caused by legalized
dope is because we're about to talk about the Sixteenth
Street mall and what a money pit it is and
(18:19):
the only way it can ever really be saved is
to reverse legalization of drugs. We'll play that story after
the break. Also quick drop with Richard Haltorf. Really respected guy.
He's now entering the race for GOP chair here on
the Dan Kaplas Show.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
You're listening to the Dan Kaplis Show podcast Spring Afternoon.
Let's go to the VIP line.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Welcome Richard Holtorf, Colorado State Rep. To the show. Now
running for Colorado GOP chair. Richard, Welcome to the program.
Speaker 8 (18:57):
Well, thank you Dan for the invitation. Greatly appreciate this opportunity.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Well, it is our pleasure. I think everybody understands how
important a healthy and thriving COLORADOGP is, especially in this
kind of election year. But so tell us what why'd
you decide to get in and why are you the man, sir.
Speaker 8 (19:21):
That I just announced. I just announced on Saturday. I've
been watching the field and really haven't seen the right
kind of leadership that we need to move this party forward.
So I just decided to saddle up and make a
difference because of the leadership experience I have. So the
(19:43):
main reason I'm running is because I know that Colorado
needs a strategic projectory that is very different than the
one we have now. And I have a vision and
a plan to move Colorado Republicans forward.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
And what is that vision, my friend?
Speaker 8 (20:01):
Well, I can't share all of it with you today,
but I will give you some teasers, because if I
tell you my vision, there's about five other people that
are running for this race that I guarantee you will
beg borrow and steal from me and it will immediately
be put into their platform.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
As they run for this office.
Speaker 8 (20:21):
But I think I'm going to.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Say, pardon that would be a compliment.
Speaker 8 (20:27):
Oh absolutely, they say. My mother used to say that
imitation is the highest form of flattery, and I saw
a lot of that on in my race for CD
four as I presented my platform over the six months
I was running in that race. But what I want
to tell Colorado One I want to tell Colorado Republicans
is we have to unify our party. We absolutely cannot
(20:51):
continue down this fractured highway where we're broken into three
or four different factions and we forget that the radical
progressive left, so socialist, woke minded Democrats are what is
taking Colorado in a very bad direction. And we need
to turn our ship around. And take it in a
direction that Colorado and the Colorado Electric will embrace. Because
(21:14):
we have we are now going to be the party
of the people. Now. The Colorado GOP has been a
top deed organization for the last two years under its
current leadership, and I got the reins of this GOP.
That's going to change to the bottom up process. We're
(21:36):
also going to work strategically.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
To re define the.
Speaker 8 (21:42):
Message and redefine our brand so it resonates for Colorado
and that's all of Colorado.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Well, you're right about to do it. How do you
do it?
Speaker 8 (21:54):
Oh boy, you're starting to get into the secret s
in the war. I will, but I will give you
a few more teasers because I know that it's important.
People knows that I mean business when I talk. You know,
for far too long, Republicans have said other Republicans, you're
(22:14):
the enemy because you're not far enough right, and so
we're gonna stap you. We're going to go after you
because you're not with us. Well, now, under my leadership,
we are going to do some very deep dive analysis
in what Colorado wants. What are the fifty four percent
of the electorate that are probably six hundred to seven
(22:37):
hundred thousand voters or more in this state that are
now affiliated because they're sick and tower to the Republican
Party or they're sick and tied to the Democrat party
because each party has gone too far right or too
far left and they've lost their way. And the Democrats
have a similar problem. So what does Colorado want? What
(22:58):
do the Colorado voters want? I've got five daughters, they're millennials,
Generation X, Generation Y. What do people like my daughters
want who are starting their families, starting their careers, beginning
to work after their education in high school and college
and trying to make a living in Colorado and have
their families and raise their families and live the American dream. Well, Richie,
(23:21):
they even bothered past.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
And well you are asking, Richard Holt of our guests
running for Colorado Cherries of state rep. Now, now you're
asking all the right questions, Archer, but let's say the
answer from a majority of the unaffiliated is we want
legalized abortion on demand. What do you do with that?
Speaker 8 (23:41):
Well, you have to satisfy the electorate, and we know
that that's one of the big things that divides us
as a pro life conservative. I don't want that pro
choice position, and many of us do not. But we
have to understand something very important, and this is going
(24:04):
to be really hard for some of the far right Republicans,
that if you do not sit in the majority or
near majority in the state General Assembly, and you do
not have any state wide office is held governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer,
secretary of state, attorney general, if you are not even
(24:29):
in a near parody position, then the majority will do
what they want and we will never be able to
change that. But even still, we can still promote pro life.
But understand that if Colorado and Colorado would say they
want this choice and it's the Dobbs decision now that
(24:55):
defines that under federal law, and they get to decide,
the only way Colorado Republicans and you pro life, hardcore
pro life, passionate pro life Republicans, the only way you
get to change that is to become the majority. And
your pathway to the majority is not to continue to
(25:17):
ignore well, the majority of the electorate can't do that.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Let me explore that a little more, Richard, because I'm
probably among the most passionate pro lifers in the state
as a former Democrat, I'm not sure anybody says I'm
the hardest core, farthest right person. But let me ask
you this. Are you saying then that the Colorado GOP
should give up its pro life position because no.
Speaker 8 (25:41):
No, absolutely not, Dan, let me stop you right there.
I'm not saying any about giving up our position and
changing our values. What I'm saying is we need to
understand the electric We can promote our values, we can persuade,
and we can continue to try to champion those things
we believe in, but we can't say to the voter
(26:04):
if you don't do it our way, you can't be
a part of our team, and we're not going to
support you. In fact, we're going to fight you as
a minority and a super minority all the way to insignificance.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
What would that look like? How would it be different
than the current approach of the Colorado GOP on say
the life.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
Issue, Well, first of all, the people that promote.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
And this is where the current regime gets it wrong.
Speaker 8 (26:34):
The Colorado GOP and Dan, I want your listeners to.
Speaker 6 (26:38):
Pay very close attention.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
The Colorado GOP should be like a computer operating system.
Speaker 6 (26:45):
I'm your computer.
Speaker 8 (26:47):
They are in the background, they are making everything work
and everything on the screen. It's none of that. Is
the co GOP standing in front of the bully pulpit,
standing on the steps of the Capitol, are releasing press
releases to Colorado media. What should be happening. If we
(27:09):
should push our candidates forward, our elected officials forward, we
should empower them, and we should help them so they
can say the message to their voters and their constituents
in their districts, be it federal congressional district, state senatorial district,
state house district, or statewide. If we have an elected
(27:33):
official that's the state wide elected official, and we allow
them to resonate.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
And promote those things, then we empower.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
Them to persuade. We put them in front. They're what
should be on the screen, not the Colorado's GOP. Now,
the Colorado's GOP strategically should be working hand in hand.
And that's the problem we're not right now. We are
so dysfunctional.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
I don't think Dave even talks to the minority, the leader.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
In the House, Richard, forgive me for interrupting. We we're
one minute over our heartbreak, so we'll have to hit
this now. But how can people learn more about you.
Speaker 8 (28:10):
Well, I've got a Facebook and we're setting up our
ex site holteur for COGP chair. I just announced on
Saturday because of my passion for trying to make Colorado
relevant again, make Colorado Republicans relevant again, and our journey
(28:31):
has to be to elect more Republicans to offices at
the state wide level. That's the primary mission of the
state party.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Yeah, obviously, while holding true to the value. So Richard,
thank you for your time. Always, welcome back here and
best of luck.
Speaker 8 (28:47):
Well, thank you very much, And if you want to
get a little deeper into the strategy and the plan forward,
I'd like to begin sharing that. So let me know
if I can come next week or the week after
and talk a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
You bet always always my friend, open door here. Thank
you for the time today. Hey, when we come back,
the latest plan to save the sixteenth Street Mall? Will
it works? Spoiler alert, nothing's going to work as long
as you have legalized drugs in Colorado. You're on the
Dankapla Show.
Speaker 4 (29:21):
And now back to the Dan Taplas Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Kind of venue. Yeah, yeah, no understood. And his memories
I've read about those, Yeah, yeah, I just remember Seeger
at folsom Field. I mean, what what a great show. Anyway,
we're talking about the Sixteenth Street Mall. So here's a
KUSA story. And then you got to listen to a
(29:45):
couple of things in this, right, I mean that at
least it's funny. Right as you hear, KUSA now put
its its left spin on it. So when they cite
all the reasons the mall's failing, how in the man,
how in the world would you imagine that they would
find a way to blame this on conservatives. So listen
(30:06):
carefully to this. Okay, because last I checked, Ryan, I
don't think the MERI Denver's a Republican, right, I don't
think the last one was a Republican. I don't think
the one before that was a Republican. I don't think
the one before that was a Republican. I don't think
the one before that was a Republican. But somehow KUSA
blaming the blight on the mall on conservatives. Listen carefully, Denver.
Speaker 9 (30:28):
Sixteenth Street Mall has some real problems. First off, Americans
general disinterest in spaces like that, they used to be
far more popular. Then you layer on vacant storefronts, long
term construction, some high profile crimes, and a political narrative
that cities are to be feared as construction finally wraps up.
(30:49):
Our Mark Salinger looks at Denver's next challenge, convincing people
to come back to the Sixteenth Street mall.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Can I comment on that for a second political narrative
that cities are to be feared? Think about the assumption
in that. Think about the worldview in that. The worldview
in that is that you're an idiot. The worldview in
that is that everybody's an idiot, truly, the worldview. To
be able to make that statement on a prominent news
station that people aren't going to the mall because of
(31:15):
a quote political narrative that cities are unsafe, that the
operating assumption there for anybody you'd put that on air
is that people are stupid sheep who can't think for themselves,
can't analyze news and facts and data for themselves and
make intelligent, informed decisions about what areas are safe or not.
(31:36):
So they're just blindly following some political leader who says
cities are unsafe. So think about how you are viewed
at least that entity.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
After spending one hundred and seventy five million dollars on
construction on the sixteenth Street Mall. The concern now is
making sure people actually come back to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
The experience today is not the ultimate experience that we
want on sixteenth, and we need to do a lot
to change that perception.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
The price tag for new art activities and marketing was
set at one point nine million dollars today in Denver
City Council money. The Johnson Administration and the Downtown Denver
Partnership argue is vital to making sure people return to
a street that's been filled with Wait a.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Second, So the idea here is one point nine million
in arts and plants, Art and plants going to bring
people back to the mall. Well, that brings us back
to this whole idea that there's a quote political narrative
that has misled people into thinking the city's unsafe. I
don't think it's a political narrative. When a visiting flight
(32:43):
attendant has her throat slit in broad daylight on the
sixteenth Street mall, where's the politics in that? Where's the
narrative in that? No, you have a flight attendant shopping
on the mall, Middle of the day on a Saturday,
gets her throat slit and she dies in the street. So,
(33:07):
how is another piece of public art, particularly if it's
like old meth out at the airport or the venus
down by I twenty five, how's another piece of public
art supposed to overcome that is in hard hats for years?
How do we bring color to the space things that
just feel like someone's taking care of it.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
The nearly two million dollars would go towards trying to
get people to visit downtown again. It would fund events
like live music and street markets. It would pay for
security to make people feel safe in an area that's
seen several high profile crimes recently. And it would allocate
money for art to cover up empty storefronts where businesses
have moved out.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
This is part of a broader strategy for downtown.
Speaker 8 (33:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Second, your strategy is not to get businesses in. Your
strategy is to have some art in front of the
businesses that have closed and left because you're pro drug policies.
Your pro criminal policies have made a zombie land, have
made it. Look at the letter from the fourteen really
(34:09):
prominent restaurant owners who poured their heart and soul into downtown,
and they are not coming at you from the right. No,
all these lefty policies, these pro drug these pro criminal policies,
have made it a place people don't want to go.
But Ryan, that's the key. We just didn't think creatively enough.
Just put art over the storefronts, the stores that have left,
(34:32):
and nobody will notice a.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Band aid on a wound requiring a tourniquet. It's a
facelift and a terminal cancer patient. I mean, this is
not addressing the root causes of what the problem is
down there and back then and the story in Kyle
Clark's characterization, it's total gaslighting. We're, like you said, the
idiots for thinking there's even a problem down there. Woman
gets your throat slit. You see people shooting up with
(34:55):
drugs all the time. You see fecal matter on the streets.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
Well I'm not just on this street, right, you see
people producing it? Oh god?
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And uh do you see the one the other day
the guy just running around naked up and down the mall.
But no, But the point being here, the links the
left will go to to deny the real truth
This is Dan Caplis and welcome to today's online podcast
edition of The Dan Caplis Show. Please be sure to
give us a five star rating if you'd be so kind,
and to subscribe, download, and listen to the show every
single day on your favorite podcast platform. Beautiful Bay, to
fight that fight. Glad you're here, man. Spring is in
the air. And I thought it was going to be
snow again, probably four or five times. But this time
(00:22):
of year, Yeah, it's just gorgeous. The snow mellets, it
goes away, and then we get days like this. This
is what it's all about. Glad you are here. A
lot of interesting stuff to kick around today, a lot
of it local as well. I do, though, I do
want to start national, and because I think this is
such a fascinating issue in one of the many really
really good things that Trump is doing right now. And hey,
(00:44):
I get it, I get that there is a lot
of upset nationally right now about the economy. I don't
think you're surprised. I'm surprised anybody's surprised to see the
president upside down in the polls right now on the economy.
Everybody's hurting, right, I mean, everybody's hirement fund et cetera.
Has taken a hit in the last week or so.
But it's one of the reasons I respect Trump so
(01:07):
much because, and this is a great thing to throw
out there to you, how many politicians, either party and
in our lives have been willing to go through this,
this pain and this unpopularity while while the people are
hurting in order to get the long term gain. When's
the last time we had that? I'd love to get
(01:28):
your take on that. You can text Dam five seven
seven three nine. Dan five seven seven three nine. But
when in our lifetime is the last time we had that?
And the fact Trump's willing to do it right now
to me super impressive. And because he is. He he's
suffering in the polls right now on this not necessarily overall,
(01:51):
though that's going to follow right. I mean, economy is
one or two on pretty much everybody's list. He's going
to be very popular now, as he should be for
you know, enforcing the border way it should be enforced,
et cetera. But he's willing to take that hit for
the long term, and I really respect that. Would have
been so easy, as we talked about yesterday, right just
to do the sugar high thing, just to command and again,
(02:12):
you know, to just spend our grandchildren's money. Make this
an easy term for him. But I respect what he's
trying to do. I don't know enough about tariffs to
say that it's going to work, but I trust him.
I trust him. I trust him on the economy three
or three someone three eight two five five, the number
techs d A N five seven seven three nine. But
(02:36):
this is another reason I trust him. I just love
what he's doing on this front. I love what Marco
Ruby is doing and Marco Rubio, this is going to
be so much fun to watch right as we hit
twenty six and had to the presidential in twenty eight
because you have all these all this young conservative talent
and so much of it now Trump has on his
team that's just getting better all the time with this experience,
(02:58):
Like Rubio, I think it's been really good for a while,
just growing. I think before our eyes. In this Secretary
of State role here he's talking about this Hamas supporter
who wants to stay on a student visa and a
green car.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
When you come to the United States as a visitor,
which is what a visa is, which is how this
individual entered this country as on a visitor's visa. Okay,
you are here as a visitor. We can deny you
that visa. We can deny you that if you tell
us when you apply, Hi, I'm trying to get into
the United States on a student visa. I am a
big supporter of Hamas, a murderous, barbaric group that kidnaps children,
(03:35):
that rapes the teenage girls, that takes hostages, that allows
them to die in captivity, that returns more bodies.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Than live hostages.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
If you tell us that you are in favor of
a group like this, and if you tell us when
you apply for your visa, and by the way, I
intend to come to your country as a student and
rile up all kinds of anti Jewish student anti Semitic activities.
I intend to shut down your universities. If you told
us all these things when you apply for a visa,
we would.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Deny your visa. I hope we would.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
If you actually end up doing that once you're in
this country on such a visa, we will revoke it.
And if you end up having a green card, not citizenship,
but a green card as a result of that visa,
while you're here in those activities, we're going to kick
you out.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Or beautifully said, right, hey, why is this even an issue?
But this is the beauty of it, right, is part
of Trump's magic, Scott Jenny said, it is that you
got the left now, the Democratic Party right, just glombing
onto the twenty side of all these eighty twenty issues.
So this humas what do we call them here, hamas holes,
this amass hole is going to be the new poster
(04:36):
boy for the left, which is a beautiful thing, right
because eighty percent of the population is going to say,
you guys are nuts. It's going to be right up
there with men in women's sports. Right. That's now I
think it is. It's an eighty one to nineteen issue.
We like to say eighty twenty that that's an eighty
one nineteen. So you got that going for you? Three
(04:58):
or three someone three eight two five five the number
text d A N five seven seven three nine. Ryan
Schuling does a great show in the Denver market two
to four each day, and when I come in and
do it from the Denver studio, I see his text.
So Ryan, what is the backstory on this? Ryan? Add
Danielle Jerinsky to the list of conservative women. Kyle goes
(05:19):
after that from Alexa is Zach Kyle, what was the
name of that Bronco quarterback Tim t Boyd to sit
behind him for four games? Kyle Orton? Orton, Yeah, are
we doing another Kyle Orton show?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
That was Kelly Coucheri's perdue Boilermaker Kyle Orton, by the way, No,
it was Kyle Clark who had Darcy Shaning.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
On his program.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
I believe nine next he's interviewing.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
All the candidates for Colorado gop share and I think,
much to his glee, that there's a lot of kind
of infighting going on and there seems to be a
disturbing trend.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
I observed that.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Whether it's Heidie Ganall or Representative Lauren Bobert or Danielle
Jerinsky or we'll see what happens with Darcy, that Kyle
Clark has an affinity or a propensity to really target
conservative women.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
Doesn't he target all conservatives? No?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
No, no, no, that's a little bit different on the women front.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Polist, I think is a very obvious problem a Polis.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
It's more of an animosity for Kyle. It's more like
an obsession or compulsion it's just weird. And I'll just
say this once again that he's been very, let's say,
eager to get a sit down one on one interview
with Lauren Bolbert and she was resistant.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
To that, didn't want to do it.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
And then he moderated a debate for the fourth Congressional
district in which he really just won in like a
bulldog after and he ended up getting highlighted and featured
on Jimmy Kimme Alive and getting some national notoriety out
of it.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Yeah, but it just seems to me he does that
to all conservatives, right, I mean, he's got his stick
for the left in this.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Dan, why don't you ask Hidig and all that, or
Lauren Bobert that or Danielle Jerensky that absolutely.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I mean I'm not doubting their experience, but what conservative
man could could we get on air who would say
I was treated fairly by Kyle Clark.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Well, when you put it that way, true, I'm saying
that his pursuit of these conservative women is much nastier,
It has a harder edge to it, it's much more rabid.
And I don't think I'm alone in saying that or
observing that at all.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
Well, no doubt it's in the eyes of the Boulder.
But now Polis, on the other hand, I mean, I
think that's just clear to anybody watching. And that was
one of the beautiful things about the last gubernatorial campaign, right.
I wish the results had been the opposite. But Heidi
just schooled him, just took him, you know, to the woodshed,
and every one of those debates she really did, Yeah,
and exposed him. And yeah, I don't think I don't
(07:41):
think Heidi just beating up on Polis in those debates
had any impact on Polis's inability to gain traction nationally.
But I think she exposed a weakness of his right.
And wow, three or three someone three two five five
the number speaking of local and not planned out this way,
(08:02):
but we in fact, and I'll do this after the breaks,
I can play it in full. I want to play
this ironically Kyle Clark's story about the Sixteenth Street Mall.
And I understand you may well be listening to the
show somewhere outside of the Denver metro area. But as
we talk about the abject failure, kind of the death
spiral of the Sixteenth Street Mall in Denver, no matter
(08:23):
how much taxpayer money and other money, private money they
pour into it, there are I think really important lessons
there for all of us, everywhere in the state and
beyond Colorado. And so I think it's very very useful
to study this because how many years now You've been
here five or six years now, right, Ryan?
Speaker 5 (08:40):
Six?
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Yep, Yeah, and I've been here I think going on
close to fifty. But the point is, it's just this
never ending battle, this money pit to somehow turn the
sixteen Street mall around. In the sixteenth you know, that
whole area was a whole lot better at one point.
But the bottom line is, and what we'll get into
more detail, the bottom line is that once they decided
(09:04):
to make Denver that literally the drug capital of the world,
that the fate of the sixteenth Street wall was sealed.
And there is no way you are ever going to
turn that around unless Colorado reversus legalized marijuana just does
a one to eighty on this whole glorification of recreational
drug thing. It is just going to be the magnet,
(09:26):
the hangout, the backyard, the gathering place for young homeless,
for attics for for a lot of sad, sad stories,
from around the country and a lot of homegrown ones
who would have had good, healthy, successful lives if not
for the drugs. But hey, as long as the left
is getting what it wants, not illlegalized drugs and adults
are making a lot of money, what do they care
(09:47):
about the kids? Right, you're on the dan Kapla Show.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
And now back to the dan Kaplas Show podcast.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Pressure on.
Speaker 7 (10:00):
It complicates Putin's position a little bit. I don't think, frankly,
a ceasefires in Ukraine's interest. I think if you freeze
the conflict along the existing front lines and start negotiations
in Geneva or Vienna or some neutral capital that drag
on and on, the ceasefire line could become a new
de facto Ukraine Russian border, which.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Wait, wait a second, John Bolton, and listen. I respect
John Bolton, and John Bolton sat three feet from me
in the studio when he was US Ambassador to the
United Nations. But I think what's happened to John Bolton,
and it's happened to some other conservatives I really respect,
is they get into a pissot pardon me, they get
into a urinating match with Trump and then it becomes
personal and then all the principle goes out the window.
(10:45):
So what is your alternative here, John Bolton? The people
of Ukraine have been raped and pillaged by Putin. Europe
refused to step up and save them. I know, John's
not suggesting that there'll be American boots on the ground
in Ukraine. The only way evil Putin was ever going
to be defeated is if Europe put boots on the
ground in Ukraine. This is not complicated and Europe would
(11:09):
not save Ukraine. So at that point, how do you
move these lines now? John? How do you do that?
This isn't etra sketch, No, I mean, this is Trump
coming in to stop the bloodshed. Don't blame Trump. Nobody
invaded Ukraine when Trump was president. Yeah, I hate to
see Putin get one inch of territory, But don't blame Trump.
(11:33):
Blame Europe for not stepping off. Three h three someone
three eight two five five the number real quick on
that topic, Dan, how do you think Russia is going
to respond now that the ball is in their court?
So to speak? It's wired. This thing's totally wired. There
is no way Russia. I mean, there may be a
little whaling nation of teeth, pretending, But there is no
(11:54):
way the Trump administration would have asked Ukraine to agree
to that unless it was certain was going to get
Russia's agreement. And again, it may take a few days,
it may look like it was a fight, but I
think the fights already happened. I think Trump's already won
that fight, both Lensky and I mean with Russia. I
think he's already won it with Putin. And so whether
(12:17):
whether Russia pretends to be debating this whatever, and they
probably will pretend they're going to agree to it right
first show they're going to agree to it.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
Interesting that then what happens if the ceasefires agreed to
by Russia is that, for all intents and purposes, the
end of the war, at the beginning of.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
The end of the war. I think. So that's amazing, Yeah,
And I think that's why this has been so tough
right now. And I'm really interested in the reports they
there appears to be credibility to him that you had
a number of big operators from the Obama administration trying
to get Selensky to reject the Trump deal, the mineral
rights deal. So but but I think what's happened here
(12:52):
is that Trump has succeeded in getting what he wanted
from Ukraine, which wasn't agree into these lines. And who knows,
maybe baked in the cake is Russia gives up something
on that territory. But you've got to believe, don't you
sit here right now? The final deal is going to
look something like that. Maybe Russia gives up here and there,
(13:13):
and again I hate to see Putin get anything, but
that's not Trump's fault. That's that's Europe's fault. And if
you think I'm wrong on that, as Prime says, I
ain't hard to find three out three someone three eight
two five five text d An five seven seven three
nine Dan just joined the show. You may have already
mentioned it, but there's an interesting article on the Wall
Street Journal this morning about how cannabis industry is failing
(13:36):
in Pueblo and it suggests a lot of its homeless
problems due to young people who came to Colorado in
fourteen for marijuana from DK and Brumfield. Yeah, tremendous piece
in the Wall Street Journal. But here's what you want
to notice. You want to notice you see these pieces
now consistently popping up where on the right, on the left,
whether it's New York Times, Wall Street Journal, et cetera,
(13:58):
you see these pieces popping up that are starting to
tell the truth about the hell being wrought by legalized marijuana.
And so you know why, you know why those pieces
are popping off because normally most of these outlets and
Wall Street Journal editorial pages, real good but news pages,
they've gone left the Yeah, I think the reason you're
seeing these on the left isn't politics, right, because legalization
(14:20):
of marijuana is a really important saying to the Democratic Party,
because the more stoners you have, the more people you
have dependent on government, the more people voting for the left.
But here's what I always banked on because you know
it's true, and I know it's true, and that is
that people love their children more than they love their
(14:41):
political party. And marijuana is wrecking so many kids across
party lines. It's an equal opportunity destroyer. And if someone's
lucky enough that their kids haven't been wrecked by dope,
like I thank god every day our kids have avoided that.
So many great kids, kids of great character, kids of
(15:03):
great strengths, kids with great parents. So many kids have
fallen into it. And of course what the left does,
right with Polus's full blessing and everybody in the lefts
full blessing, is they crank the potency up so high
that you can't even call it marijuana anymore. It's krakawana.
And you know, the old stuff that did so much damage,
you know, up two to four percent THHC in the leaf,
(15:26):
et cetera. Not now the left's cranking this stuff over
eighty ninety percent. And of course that's the stuff the
kids want and get most right, because you can smuggle that,
you can hide that from your parents, you can do
it in class, whatever. So what the left wants to
do is they want to hook them young, hook them forever.
And I think what's happening now, and the reason you
see this coming up even through the New York Times
(15:47):
and elsewhere, is that people love their kids. And these reporters,
these editors, these managers, these newspaper owners, if it hasn't
happened to their kid, it's happened to someone close to them.
And everybody listening has had that experience. And it's right
if you have kids. And again, we've been very blessed.
Our kids have been spared all that and avoided all that,
but some of their friends absolutely heartbreaking stuff. And everybody
(16:12):
listening to the show can tell those stories. So I
think we're going to see more and more stories like that.
The big question is where's the tipping point. What's it
going to take, say, to reverse AMENDMUS sixty four in Colorado?
How and when does that happen? I'd love your thoughts
on that. Three oh three someone three eight two five
five text d An five seven seven three nine, because
(16:33):
I do think it's going to happen someday. I mean,
the only place Ryan ever stupid enough to do this
before Colorado did was Alaska. And then what they do
up in Alaska, Well, the dead bodies mounted because you
get so many dead bodies from this stuff, and they say, oh,
no overdoses. How yeah, but they're no less dead, like
right out there on two twenty five, they're no less
(16:54):
dead from these marijuana crashes. They're sure as hell, no
less dead from what what's the latest person? I have
read so many hundreds, I think hundreds, but so many
autopsies of teenagers and children, you know, studying the role
of marijuana in those suicides, because We've had this big
spike in teen suicide in Colorado since legalization of marijuana,
(17:17):
and right now, I think the most recent numbers are
out double check, somewhere near half of all the kids
who commit suicide have marijuana in their system. And by
the way, those numbers are understated because think about this, Ryan,
Think about what I found out when I was doing
that research and I was talking to coroners, and that
was you've got some counties in Colorado they're not even
(17:38):
reporting it. You can have these kids who commit suicide
with really significant levels of THHC. It's not even making
it into the autopsy, so it's not making it into
the public stats until it gets over a really high level.
So yeah, it's it is a scourage. It is just
(17:59):
causing so much devastation across the country. That's why you're
seeing these stories percolate up now. But let's throw it
out there. What would it take and we'll get to
the story about the Sixteenth Street All. The reason we
got off today on all the harm caused by legalized
dope is because we're about to talk about the Sixteenth
Street mall and what a money pit it is and
(18:19):
the only way it can ever really be saved is
to reverse legalization of drugs. We'll play that story after
the break. Also quick drop with Richard Haltorf. Really respected guy.
He's now entering the race for GOP chair here on
the Dan Kaplas Show.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
You're listening to the Dan Kaplis Show podcast Spring Afternoon.
Let's go to the VIP line.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Welcome Richard Holtorf, Colorado State Rep. To the show. Now
running for Colorado GOP chair. Richard, Welcome to the program.
Speaker 8 (18:57):
Well, thank you Dan for the invitation. Greatly appreciate this opportunity.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Well, it is our pleasure. I think everybody understands how
important a healthy and thriving COLORADOGP is, especially in this
kind of election year. But so tell us what why'd
you decide to get in and why are you the man, sir.
Speaker 8 (19:21):
That I just announced. I just announced on Saturday. I've
been watching the field and really haven't seen the right
kind of leadership that we need to move this party forward.
So I just decided to saddle up and make a
difference because of the leadership experience I have. So the
(19:43):
main reason I'm running is because I know that Colorado
needs a strategic projectory that is very different than the
one we have now. And I have a vision and
a plan to move Colorado Republicans forward.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
And what is that vision, my friend?
Speaker 8 (20:01):
Well, I can't share all of it with you today,
but I will give you some teasers, because if I
tell you my vision, there's about five other people that
are running for this race that I guarantee you will
beg borrow and steal from me and it will immediately
be put into their platform.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
As they run for this office.
Speaker 8 (20:21):
But I think I'm going to.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Say, pardon that would be a compliment.
Speaker 8 (20:27):
Oh absolutely, they say. My mother used to say that
imitation is the highest form of flattery, and I saw
a lot of that on in my race for CD
four as I presented my platform over the six months
I was running in that race. But what I want
to tell Colorado One I want to tell Colorado Republicans
is we have to unify our party. We absolutely cannot
(20:51):
continue down this fractured highway where we're broken into three
or four different factions and we forget that the radical
progressive left, so socialist, woke minded Democrats are what is
taking Colorado in a very bad direction. And we need
to turn our ship around. And take it in a
direction that Colorado and the Colorado Electric will embrace. Because
(21:14):
we have we are now going to be the party
of the people. Now. The Colorado GOP has been a
top deed organization for the last two years under its
current leadership, and I got the reins of this GOP.
That's going to change to the bottom up process. We're
(21:36):
also going to work strategically.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
To re define the.
Speaker 8 (21:42):
Message and redefine our brand so it resonates for Colorado
and that's all of Colorado.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Well, you're right about to do it. How do you
do it?
Speaker 8 (21:54):
Oh boy, you're starting to get into the secret s
in the war. I will, but I will give you
a few more teasers because I know that it's important.
People knows that I mean business when I talk. You know,
for far too long, Republicans have said other Republicans, you're
(22:14):
the enemy because you're not far enough right, and so
we're gonna stap you. We're going to go after you
because you're not with us. Well, now, under my leadership,
we are going to do some very deep dive analysis
in what Colorado wants. What are the fifty four percent
of the electorate that are probably six hundred to seven
(22:37):
hundred thousand voters or more in this state that are
now affiliated because they're sick and tower to the Republican
Party or they're sick and tied to the Democrat party
because each party has gone too far right or too
far left and they've lost their way. And the Democrats
have a similar problem. So what does Colorado want? What
(22:58):
do the Colorado voters want? I've got five daughters, they're millennials,
Generation X, Generation Y. What do people like my daughters
want who are starting their families, starting their careers, beginning
to work after their education in high school and college
and trying to make a living in Colorado and have
their families and raise their families and live the American dream. Well, Richie,
(23:21):
they even bothered past.
Speaker 1 (23:23):
And well you are asking, Richard Holt of our guests
running for Colorado Cherries of state rep. Now, now you're
asking all the right questions, Archer, but let's say the
answer from a majority of the unaffiliated is we want
legalized abortion on demand. What do you do with that?
Speaker 8 (23:41):
Well, you have to satisfy the electorate, and we know
that that's one of the big things that divides us
as a pro life conservative. I don't want that pro
choice position, and many of us do not. But we
have to understand something very important, and this is going
(24:04):
to be really hard for some of the far right Republicans,
that if you do not sit in the majority or
near majority in the state General Assembly, and you do
not have any state wide office is held governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer,
secretary of state, attorney general, if you are not even
(24:29):
in a near parody position, then the majority will do
what they want and we will never be able to
change that. But even still, we can still promote pro life.
But understand that if Colorado and Colorado would say they
want this choice and it's the Dobbs decision now that
(24:55):
defines that under federal law, and they get to decide,
the only way Colorado Republicans and you pro life, hardcore
pro life, passionate pro life Republicans, the only way you
get to change that is to become the majority. And
your pathway to the majority is not to continue to
(25:17):
ignore well, the majority of the electorate can't do that.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Let me explore that a little more, Richard, because I'm
probably among the most passionate pro lifers in the state
as a former Democrat, I'm not sure anybody says I'm
the hardest core, farthest right person. But let me ask
you this. Are you saying then that the Colorado GOP
should give up its pro life position because no.
Speaker 8 (25:41):
No, absolutely not, Dan, let me stop you right there.
I'm not saying any about giving up our position and
changing our values. What I'm saying is we need to
understand the electric We can promote our values, we can persuade,
and we can continue to try to champion those things
we believe in, but we can't say to the voter
(26:04):
if you don't do it our way, you can't be
a part of our team, and we're not going to
support you. In fact, we're going to fight you as
a minority and a super minority all the way to insignificance.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
What would that look like? How would it be different
than the current approach of the Colorado GOP on say
the life.
Speaker 8 (26:23):
Issue, Well, first of all, the people that promote.
Speaker 6 (26:30):
And this is where the current regime gets it wrong.
Speaker 8 (26:34):
The Colorado GOP and Dan, I want your listeners to.
Speaker 6 (26:38):
Pay very close attention.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
The Colorado GOP should be like a computer operating system.
Speaker 6 (26:45):
I'm your computer.
Speaker 8 (26:47):
They are in the background, they are making everything work
and everything on the screen. It's none of that. Is
the co GOP standing in front of the bully pulpit,
standing on the steps of the Capitol, are releasing press
releases to Colorado media. What should be happening. If we
(27:09):
should push our candidates forward, our elected officials forward, we
should empower them, and we should help them so they
can say the message to their voters and their constituents
in their districts, be it federal congressional district, state senatorial district,
state house district, or statewide. If we have an elected
(27:33):
official that's the state wide elected official, and we allow
them to resonate.
Speaker 6 (27:38):
And promote those things, then we empower.
Speaker 8 (27:40):
Them to persuade. We put them in front. They're what
should be on the screen, not the Colorado's GOP. Now,
the Colorado's GOP strategically should be working hand in hand.
And that's the problem we're not right now. We are
so dysfunctional.
Speaker 6 (27:56):
I don't think Dave even talks to the minority, the leader.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
In the House, Richard, forgive me for interrupting. We we're
one minute over our heartbreak, so we'll have to hit
this now. But how can people learn more about you.
Speaker 8 (28:10):
Well, I've got a Facebook and we're setting up our
ex site holteur for COGP chair. I just announced on
Saturday because of my passion for trying to make Colorado
relevant again, make Colorado Republicans relevant again, and our journey
(28:31):
has to be to elect more Republicans to offices at
the state wide level. That's the primary mission of the
state party.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Yeah, obviously, while holding true to the value. So Richard,
thank you for your time. Always, welcome back here and
best of luck.
Speaker 8 (28:47):
Well, thank you very much, And if you want to
get a little deeper into the strategy and the plan forward,
I'd like to begin sharing that. So let me know
if I can come next week or the week after
and talk a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
You bet always always my friend, open door here. Thank
you for the time today. Hey, when we come back,
the latest plan to save the sixteenth Street Mall? Will
it works? Spoiler alert, nothing's going to work as long
as you have legalized drugs in Colorado. You're on the
Dankapla Show.
Speaker 4 (29:21):
And now back to the Dan Taplas Show podcast.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Kind of venue. Yeah, yeah, no understood. And his memories
I've read about those, Yeah, yeah, I just remember Seeger
at folsom Field. I mean, what what a great show. Anyway,
we're talking about the Sixteenth Street Mall. So here's a
KUSA story. And then you got to listen to a
(29:45):
couple of things in this, right, I mean that at
least it's funny. Right as you hear, KUSA now put
its its left spin on it. So when they cite
all the reasons the mall's failing, how in the man,
how in the world would you imagine that they would
find a way to blame this on conservatives. So listen
(30:06):
carefully to this. Okay, because last I checked, Ryan, I
don't think the MERI Denver's a Republican, right, I don't
think the last one was a Republican. I don't think
the one before that was a Republican. I don't think
the one before that was a Republican. I don't think
the one before that was a Republican. But somehow KUSA
blaming the blight on the mall on conservatives. Listen carefully, Denver.
Speaker 9 (30:28):
Sixteenth Street Mall has some real problems. First off, Americans
general disinterest in spaces like that, they used to be
far more popular. Then you layer on vacant storefronts, long
term construction, some high profile crimes, and a political narrative
that cities are to be feared as construction finally wraps up.
(30:49):
Our Mark Salinger looks at Denver's next challenge, convincing people
to come back to the Sixteenth Street mall.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Can I comment on that for a second political narrative
that cities are to be feared? Think about the assumption
in that. Think about the worldview in that. The worldview
in that is that you're an idiot. The worldview in
that is that everybody's an idiot, truly, the worldview. To
be able to make that statement on a prominent news
station that people aren't going to the mall because of
(31:15):
a quote political narrative that cities are unsafe, that the
operating assumption there for anybody you'd put that on air
is that people are stupid sheep who can't think for themselves,
can't analyze news and facts and data for themselves and
make intelligent, informed decisions about what areas are safe or not.
(31:36):
So they're just blindly following some political leader who says
cities are unsafe. So think about how you are viewed
at least that entity.
Speaker 5 (31:51):
After spending one hundred and seventy five million dollars on
construction on the sixteenth Street Mall. The concern now is
making sure people actually come back to enjoy it.
Speaker 1 (32:01):
The experience today is not the ultimate experience that we
want on sixteenth, and we need to do a lot
to change that perception.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
The price tag for new art activities and marketing was
set at one point nine million dollars today in Denver
City Council money. The Johnson Administration and the Downtown Denver
Partnership argue is vital to making sure people return to
a street that's been filled with Wait a.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Second, So the idea here is one point nine million
in arts and plants, Art and plants going to bring
people back to the mall. Well, that brings us back
to this whole idea that there's a quote political narrative
that has misled people into thinking the city's unsafe. I
don't think it's a political narrative. When a visiting flight
(32:43):
attendant has her throat slit in broad daylight on the
sixteenth Street mall, where's the politics in that? Where's the
narrative in that? No, you have a flight attendant shopping
on the mall, Middle of the day on a Saturday,
gets her throat slit and she dies in the street. So,
(33:07):
how is another piece of public art, particularly if it's
like old meth out at the airport or the venus
down by I twenty five, how's another piece of public
art supposed to overcome that is in hard hats for years?
How do we bring color to the space things that
just feel like someone's taking care of it.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
The nearly two million dollars would go towards trying to
get people to visit downtown again. It would fund events
like live music and street markets. It would pay for
security to make people feel safe in an area that's
seen several high profile crimes recently. And it would allocate
money for art to cover up empty storefronts where businesses
have moved out.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
This is part of a broader strategy for downtown.
Speaker 8 (33:47):
Now.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Second, your strategy is not to get businesses in. Your
strategy is to have some art in front of the
businesses that have closed and left because you're pro drug policies.
Your pro criminal policies have made a zombie land, have
made it. Look at the letter from the fourteen really
(34:09):
prominent restaurant owners who poured their heart and soul into downtown,
and they are not coming at you from the right. No,
all these lefty policies, these pro drug these pro criminal policies,
have made it a place people don't want to go.
But Ryan, that's the key. We just didn't think creatively enough.
Just put art over the storefronts, the stores that have left,
(34:32):
and nobody will notice a.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
Band aid on a wound requiring a tourniquet. It's a
facelift and a terminal cancer patient. I mean, this is
not addressing the root causes of what the problem is
down there and back then and the story in Kyle
Clark's characterization, it's total gaslighting. We're, like you said, the
idiots for thinking there's even a problem down there. Woman
gets your throat slit. You see people shooting up with
(34:55):
drugs all the time. You see fecal matter on the streets.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
Well I'm not just on this street, right, you see
people producing it? Oh god?
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And uh do you see the one the other day
the guy just running around naked up and down the mall.
But no, But the point being here, the links the
left will go to to deny the real truth
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.