Hour 1 of Rush to Reason sets the tone with a powerful Health and Wellness Wednesday led by John Rush, diving into preparation, prevention, and personal responsibility. Estate planning attorney Michael Bailey (https://michaelbaileylawllc.com/)explains why 2026 changes aren’t just about taxes—but about protecting families before emergencies strike. What happens when your child turns 18, and you legally lose access? Are you truly prepared if something goes wrong? The hour then pivots to habit change and alcohol awareness with wellness coach Erica Mallory (https://www.ericamallery.com/), who challenges the all-or-nothing mindset of “Dry January.” Why do resolutions fail so quickly, and is curiosity
SPEAKER 04 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 14 :
You are going to shut your damn yapper and listen for a change because I got you pegged, sweetheart. You want to take the easy way out because you’re scared. And you’re scared because if you try and fail, there’s only you to blame. Let me break this down for you. Life is scary. Get used to it. There are no magical fixes.
SPEAKER 04 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 14 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did! Get a job, turd! You haven’t made everybody equal. You’ve made them the same and there’s a big difference.
SPEAKER 10 :
Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because you know something. What you know you can’t explain, but you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life. That there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there. It is this feeling that has brought you to me.
SPEAKER 03 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 11 :
It’s Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush. Presented by Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, we are back. Hour number three, Rush to Reason, Denver’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Thanks for tuning in. We appreciate it greatly. All right, I promoted this earlier, I believe, on Facebook. Our 2026 Colorado legislative session is beginning. And several things that the Democrats are going to try to run through, which… We’ll we’ll see how this goes. Not shocked in any of these, by the way. You know, they’re going to try to make housing more affordable. They’re worried about the environment, public safety. Keep in mind, they’re going to try to do all of this under a very strained budget as is now affordability and housing. Of course, Democrats are in control. In fact, major control. It almost makes you wonder, why does our side even show up? But we do, and we’re going to try our best to try to make a difference. And I give a kudos out to all of our Republican politicians that are at our statehouse doing what they can. And my heart goes out to them because they are far outnumbered. Again, to the point where it’s almost like, you know, why are we going to show up? But they do. So one of the priorities is going to be affordability and housing. It always cracks me up when they say affordability and housing. Affordable to whom? Somebody define that for me. Is that, you know, $100,000 tiny homes? Is that $200,000 condos? I mean, somebody define that for me because you hear this name all over. It’s sort of like I always even used to caution my kids with this. There’s a term. He makes good money. She makes good money. And I always ask someone when they say that, define that for me. What is good money, quote-unquote? Here’s the real answer, by the way. It’s different to everyone. What’s good money to me may be different for Charlie, may be different from you that are listening and so on. Good money, it’s sort of like living wage. There’s no definitive answer to that. What is good money? What is a living wage? What is affordability and housing? And you’ll not find anybody to give you an exact answer because the reality is there isn’t one. So anytime I hear somebody say affordability and housing, I almost want to laugh because it’s sort of like, okay, well, first of all, the real answer to quote-unquote affordable housing is how do we make people wealthier so they can afford the things they want no matter what anyways? But see, when you’re a Marxist, and you want to have control over the populace, the mentality that I just gave you as to how do we make people richer so they have more money to spend, therefore making things more affordable, that never enters into the equation. Because Marxists don’t think that way. In fact, Marxists think just the opposite of that. In fact, Marxists don’t want you thinking that way at all. They don’t want anybody lifted up. They want to keep you down. And by the way, affordable housing, talking about affordable housing, creating affordable housing, quote unquote, that’s a Marxist move. Because at the end of the day, what they do with quote-unquote affordable housing is, in this case, they want to run a bill whereby certain public schools or certain private property developments and so on could go ahead and put high-density housing in and avoid all of the city scrutiny that would normally be there, all the city zoning and ordinances and so on. It would bypass all of that. They’re trying to pass a bill. And the cities, by the way, are upset about this, rightfully so, because you’re sidestepping anything that a city would have as far as a master plan, ordinances, and so on. And oh, by the way, if you’re somebody that’s next to a school, by the way, that might have some empty land on it, and maybe it’s a pretty nice neighborhood that you live in, it may not be for long if this passes. Because that school district could sell off a chunk of that particular land and a developer that comes in and puts in high density housing apartments whatever and what you thought was a nice quiet pristine neighborhood that had a nice school in it no longer is that’s the bill they’re trying to run that’s one of the bills they’re trying to run and like it or not that’s one of those things that they will most likely put through now they had a bill last year that was similar to this that failed But remember, when they have a failure, unlike us, they go back to the drawing board and figure out why did this fail? What did we not have right? What did either the voters in this case, other legislators, why didn’t they vote for this? Why didn’t the governor sign it? What did we do wrong? How do we fix that this time around? And that’s what they’ll do. And they’ll run it again. Democrats are good at this. They have perfected this. This is one thing they’re much better at than us. They don’t give up. Just because they didn’t succeed the first time, they’ll do it again. So there’s other quote-unquote affordability plans that are on the docket. Some have to do with health care and so on, which good luck with that one. I’m not even going to get into that one because that one gets so convoluted. Now, artificial intelligence. They want to run some bills along the lines of artificial intelligence. And I’ll say this again, and I will continue to say this. You have people… Lawmakers that are going to set law on artificial intelligence that are doing good to turn their cell phone on. And folks, I’m not exaggerating when I say I meet some of these people on a routine basis. They don’t even understand technology, yet they’re going to set policy for it. They’re going to set law for it. And I get it. They don’t. They’ve got lobbyists and others that come along that assist them in even writing the things and so on, and then they will push that through. But trust me, these are individuals that don’t have the foggiest idea. There’s more people on our side of the aisle that understand AI than that side does. That one I can guarantee you. And yet we’re going to have these individuals at the statehouse running bills through, trying to pass law, about big tech and AI. Now, this is one of those, and I’ve had arguments with even some special guests on this one. To me, this is a federal thing. I don’t think this, this goes back to yesterday, Andy and I’s comments on states’ rights. This is one where I don’t think states should have any rights when it comes to setting AI law. This one should be standardized coast to coast. And our current administration, the Trump administration, feels the same way I do. AI is too big of a item to have each state patchworking things together to try to figure out exactly what should happen with AI in their own state. This is a federal issue. This isn’t a state issue. States should not even be wasting their time on this, us included. So those of you that are listening to me that might have some influence in this, just stay away from this one. You don’t even know what you’re doing anyways. So why bother? All you’re going to do is screw it up when it’s all said and done. So they’re going to try to do some things with AI. They’ve got other tech bills they’re going to try to pass, things to do with social media and so on. Again, this is another one where I don’t think these are state-by-state issues. When you start talking about things that are literally affecting everyone, i.e. social media, states should not be involved in that. That is out of their realm. It’s like states… back during COVID that weren’t going to let you drive through them because they wanted to shut their own borders. You can’t do that. And I look at these sort of national things much the same way, much like I was talking yesterday in regards to California and their California Air Research Board, the cardboard that should be dismantled tomorrow, shouldn’t exist any longer. California should not be able to do the things they do in regards to that, and they never should have been allowed. We never, as a federal government, should have allowed them to do what they did. That should have been challenged long ago. Problem is, we let it happen. They’re going to go through labor and business. They want to, for the second year in a row, the Colorado labor movement will try to tweak the state’s labor laws to make it easier for unions to force all workers at a company to pay fees for collective bargaining representation, regardless of whether they are members of the union or not. Again, that is completely wrong. Why should you pay into something you’re not a part of? Why should you be forced, let me say it that way, forced to pay into something that you’re not a part of? But again, this is one of the bills, one of the things that they’re going to try to push through. And don’t be surprised if they don’t get this one passed. And then, of course, energy and the environment. They plan to make energy and environment priorities at the Capitol this year. Of course, they are because they want to screw up the state even more so than it is. Some of these changes may be tied to a rewrite of the laws governing the Colorado Public Utility Commission, which oversees how much some consumers pay for things like electricity, natural gas, and so on. I will have in this next segment, when I come back, because of that particular thing that they’re trying to pass. And I’ve never done this before. But I went and looked up who the three PUC commissioners are and their background. And I’ve never done that, and I’m going to go through each one of these individuals when we come back, and then you’ll understand when I come back and talk about these individuals why the PUC is what it is and why it acts like it does. I’ll explain that here in just a moment when I come back. Flesh Law coming up next. Kevin Flesh, he wants to help you with all of your legal needs, problems, representation, whatever you need. Give Kevin a call today, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 07 :
Here’s why you need personal injury attorney Kevin Flesch on your side. He understands the way the jury thinks. In the context of a personal injury case, you’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence. The idea is that you’re going to try to recover so that you can get back to where you were just prior to that incident occurring. What that really means from a jurist’s perspective is that you’re going to be asking them to award you money. So when we talk about fairness, we’re talking about six people that you don’t know. Those six people view the evidence and make a unanimous decision that will decide what the fair value is. When you’re the one who’s hurt, you have a good idea of what you think it’s worth. The question is, can you persuade those other individuals whom you don’t know and were witnesses to believe that’s what the case is worth? Kevin Flesch understands the way the jury thinks. Call now for a free consultation, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 13 :
All right, if you’re looking for a doctor that looks out for your best interest, your best health, I should say, versus big pharma and big health care, look no further than Dr. Scott. Calling today, 303-663-6990.
SPEAKER 08 :
What if you could get over 110 lab biomarkers tested, just like Dr. Mark Hyman advertises, but for a fraction of the cost and with a doctor who actually explains the results? At Castle Rock Regenerative Health, Dr. Scott Faulkner has recreated this powerful biomarker test panel at a substantial savings. We have a special price for both men and women today. Just $689. That’s a savings of over $2,500 over the standard price. And here’s the difference. With Hyman, you get numbers on a page. With Castle Rock Regenerative Health, you get Dr. Faulkner and his team walking you through every result, showing what’s off and creating a personalized plan to fix it. What’s even better, you don’t even have to be a concierge patient to get this pricing. This is open to everyone. Think about it. Most people’s deductible is higher than this special price. And your regular doctor, if he could get approved by your insurance, would never order this many tests, let alone know what to do with them. Call 303-663-6990 today or visit CastleRockRegenerativeHealth.com. That’s 303-669-6990. Take control of your health at Castle Rock Regenerative Health.
SPEAKER 04 :
This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 13 :
And we are back. Thanks for listening. Rush to Reason, Debra’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Okay, POC commissioners, Public Utility Commission commissioners, which are, I believe, all appointed by Governor Polis, if I’m correct in this. Yeah, he appoints these, so our governor appoints these. By the way, that’s why elections have consequences. It’s important to have the right person leading the state. So first one is Eric Blank. He’s the chairman. He was appointed chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission on December 11th, 2020 by Governor Polis for a four-year term and has been reappointed for a second term effective January 12th, 2025. So he’s going to be there for essentially another three years. He is a lawyer and an economist from Boulder. Imagine that. Has worked on electric utility and clean energy issues for over 35 years in a diverse range of entrepreneurial and business and nonprofit settings. He co-founded a pioneering national renewable energy development company, which he ran until three years ago. He helped commercialize first wind and then later solar technologies by building solar some of the earliest and largest clean energy projects outside of California. All told, he’s developed 200 megawatts of operating wind and solar projects, representing $4 billion in investment capital. He spent most of the 1990s leading the energy work of a nonprofit environmental group, now called Western Resource Advocates, through PUC interventions in six western states. He helped develop some of the first policies that made utility clean energy investments initially feasible and ultimately cost effective. Prior to that, he was a consultant preparing utility capacity expansion dispatch modeling studies. He holds a law degree from Yale Law School and a master’s in economics from the London School of Economics. But bottom line, he is a hardcore environmental lefty. And he’s running the PUC. He is the chairman. So when you wonder why is it that Xcel Energy has to have so much wind and solar piped in and why does this utility have to do this and why does that utility have to do that? Well, here’s your chairman. In other words, this particular individual is against coal, he is against natural gas, he is against the development of in our state, and he will force Xcel Energy to do the things that he wants done and therefore raise your prices. Okay, I want to make sure I’m crystal clear on this. Because everybody wonders, why are energy prices doing what they’re doing? And yet, at the end of the day, why are we not getting delivered to us what we want? Why do we have some sort of a mandate in Colorado to go off of natural gas when, as a state, we produce a ton of it? Why would we want to get rid of something that’s so cheap and bountiful in Colorado and make things easier for citizens? Well, because you’ve got activists, environmental activists, running the PUC. In this case, he’s the chairman. Okay, second one. And by the way, this is nothing personal against these individuals. I’m just reading their resume telling you where they’re coming from. This is pretty simple. Number two, Commissioner Megan Gilman. She has been appointed to the second term. She was appointed in her first term back in 2024. She was first appointed in March of 2020. Sorry, she was reappointed in 2024, first in 2020. She’s an Edwards resident. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, has extensive experience working on energy issues for ratepayers as well as within the utility industry. She spent 14 years working on small business owner, during which she was deeply involved in energy usage in the built environment, working on projects in multiple countries. She served on the board of directors for the Holy Cross Energy and as the chair from 2015 to 2020. In this role, she was involved in rate analysis and strategy, overseeing large power supply changes and approving customer-facing programs and offerings. With Holy Cross Energy, she also served as a representative to the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the REA, and collaborated with 22 different rural electric utilities across the state to comprehend the challenges and consequences for rate payers in each area. In her time as the commission, She has been an active member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commission and the Committee on Gas. She also selected to serve as the NARUC Task Force on Natural Gas Resource Planning. And by the way, of the three… I believe she’s probably still fairly left, but it’s probably farther right than the other two. She is the one commissioner that is somewhat offsetting the other two, although it’s two against one. And as I look through her resume here and some of the things that she’s done, she probably understands more than anybody on the commission why we need natural gas and what we need to actually make energy affordable in Colorado. She’s the one there that is probably offsetting the other two. The last one, Tom Plant. He was appointed in 2023 by Polis, confirmed at that time. His term expires in 2027. He served as a senior policy advisor at Colorado State University for the new energy economy. During that time, he worked with states around the country helping to develop clean energy policy, kind of the same theme that we have as the chair. During the Ritter administration from 2007 to 2011, he served as director of the Colorado State Energy Office. He served as a representative in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1999 to 2006. including two years as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and one year as chairman of the Joint Budget Committee while serving in the legislature. He was executive director for the Nonprofit Center for Resource Conservation in Boulder, Colorado. By the way, this guy, I think I’m pretty correct in saying this, he’s never had a real job. The other two actually have had real jobs. This guy’s never had a real job. So he worked as an exploration geologist way back in the day after graduating Carr State University. Then he joined the Union of Concerned Scientists in his climate change department. Again, folks, I’m reiterating, he’s never had a real job. Yet, he is the third part of the stool for the PUC here in Colorado, meaning a lot of the things you get shoved down your throat as a user are coming from these three. And as I said a moment ago, she, I believe, is offsetting a lot of what these other two are doing, but trust me, she’s not enough of a voice to handle these other two. And as you can see, here’s what Polis did. He’s not dumb. He takes two hardcore greenies, puts them on the PUC, offsets it with one that’s not. So he can tell everybody, oh, I didn’t stack it in one direction or the other. I was pretty unbiased when I put people on the commission, and there’s no reason why anybody should accuse me of anything else. That’s Governor Polis. He knows how to play that very well. But keep in mind, the majority still are hardcore lefties in the environmental movement. serving on the Public Utility Commission, PUC. And they, frankly, they probably have more to do with what you as a household pay and what your costs are on an annual basis than any other commission we have in Colorado. And I’m not exaggerating when I say that. They have more to do with the effect, you know, your effect day to day and how you live life than anyone else does. And it’s unknown who they even are. I mean, frankly, I’d never looked them up until this morning. I never knew who these three individuals were. I never paid any attention. Neither did any of you, probably. I would venture to guess that all of you listening, if you can send me a text message and you knew what these three names were, you know, I’ll give you a prize because I guarantee you nobody does. Because these are individuals that no one follows. It’s sort of like they’re just sort of running in the shadows, appointed by the governor, have complete control over what your energy costs are in Colorado, 1,000%, and yet you don’t know who they are. And they’re not elected. And frankly, these are three positions that should be elected. These positions should not be appointed by the governor. That’s a change that should be made. So those of you that are in the legislature here in Colorado that maybe are on our side, that’s a change that should be made. The PUC should be made up of people that are elected, not appointed by governor. And this would be something normally doesn’t happen with elected officials. But I think in this particular case, there should be some criteria around what they should have done in their past to even serve on the PUC. And no, it shouldn’t just be working for wacko environmental groups that are a part of the reason why they should be qualified to serve. There should be other things in their repertoire of experience that should allow them to actually run in the first place. That’s my feeling on this. And I know that’s not how we do elected officials, but right now they’re appointed anyways. There’s nothing even out there on the books that would say otherwise. They’re going to be appointed by the next governor. Again, why it’s so important who becomes governor of Colorado, because if Michael Bennett becomes governor, it’ll be a rubber stamp of what Polis has done, only worse. In fact, I would go as far as to say Michael Bennett, he would even have Megan Gilman, the one lone, somewhat conservative individual on this commission, he wouldn’t have, Michael Bennett wouldn’t have her on there. You’d have three hardcore, tree-hugging, environmental lefties on the PUC if Michael Bennett becomes governor of Colorado. Trust me when I say that. So anyway, I thought that was interesting. I’d never looked up the PUC to determine who these individuals were and what they actually do in the running of the PUC and so on. But you can now see why the PUC does in Colorado what it does. I mean, I pretty much knew that anyways, I guess, but I verified it this morning after I went and looked up who these individuals actually were. All right, Roof Savers of Colorado coming up next. Again, the RoofMax product that can extend the life of your roof. Dave gave me a story a little bit ago of a roof he’d been on that’s 25 years old. They’re going to get another five years out of it by the rejuvenation process of RoofMax. That simple. So give Dave a call today, 303-710-6916.
SPEAKER 02 :
cold weather is coming is your roof ready to face it before winter winds and heavy snow hit colorado give your roof some love with roof max roof max is an eco-friendly treatment that revives old shingles adds flexibility and extends roof life saving you thousands but if it’s not time for a full replacement don’t worry we’re a full service roofing company roofs sidings gutters we do it all keeping your home cozy and protected all winter long And yes, with the right conditions, we can service your roof through the winter. Call Roof Savers of Colorado today at 303-710-6916 or visit roofsavers.com for your free winter checkup. KLZ listeners receive $250 off their treatment. Roof Savers of Colorado. Revive it or replace it. We’ll make your home winter ready.
SPEAKER 13 :
Ridgeline Auto Brokers, and yeah, looking for the right car at the right price. They’ve got you covered. Ridgeline Auto Brokers. Shop online. Just go to RidgelineAutoBrokers.com.
SPEAKER 15 :
Looking for the right car at the right price? Ridgeline Auto Brokers makes it easy. They specialize in quality vehicles priced between $15,000 and $25,000, perfect for first-time drivers, families, or anyone who wants real value without the hassle. Every vehicle is thoroughly inspected by Legacy Automotive, a trusted drive radio sponsor. That means you can buy with confidence, knowing your next ride is ready for the road. No dealer fees. Competitive financing and trades are welcomed. A 30-day warranty on every vehicle and your first oil change is just $1. Explore detailed videos of every car at RidgelineAutobrokers.com before you visit. Ridgeline also has a great consignment program to assist you in the sale of your car, truck, or SUV. So if you’re ready to buy, trade, or sell your vehicle, call 303- As independent brokers, GIA Insurance does not work for any insurance company. They can shop the market and find you the best premium for the coverage that you need. Call 303-423-0162, extension 100, or go online to e-gia.com.
SPEAKER 04 :
The best export we have is common sense. You’re listening to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 13 :
All right, we’ll get Scott Garlis going here in just one moment. Somebody did send me a text message, which I had not seen this story. Evidently, there’s been an arrest that has been made in the massive apartment construction fire that happened on Leedsdale Drive. Oh, what day was that? Just I would believe it was last week. Thomas or sorry, Tony. Bersera, 38 of Aurora, has been arrested as a part of an arson investigation. And again, everybody’s innocent until proven guilty, but evidently they’ve got him leaving the scene. And from what I’m guessing, they’ve got surveillance footage basically showing him being involved in this. That was on January the 2nd, by the way. January the 2nd is when that fire started. took place uh harker heights building and because of the way that it was actually still under construction no drywall nothing there to actually uh slow down that fire yeah it was a major major deal the total loss hasn’t even been determined at this point scott garless joining us now scott how are you sir john i’m well how are you this evening i’m doing great always a joy to talk to you give us an update on wall street and what’s happening today
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I think what we saw was that we saw some profit-taking today. So often tech names, what you’re seeing is people are actually a lot of institutional investors are rolling into names like small cap stocks that are very domestically focused because they’re very encouraged about the trends they’re seeing and what they think is going to happen with the economy over the next year.
SPEAKER 13 :
And by the way, and I talked about this already a couple of days this week because it’s Wednesday today, and I’ve even had some conversations with some of my clients where I think 2026, when it’s all said and done, is going to be a good year economically. I don’t think things are nearly as off track as some would say they are. Once the Fed change happens, and we can talk about that as well, I think you’ll even see more of a boost. on that end of things. But I really feel like, you know, Scott, things are poised to have a really good, you know, really good solid economic year for 2026.
SPEAKER 05 :
Agreed. And, you know, we talked about, I think we talked about some of this last week, but a lot of people have forgotten about the tax benefits that are potentially coming with the one big, beautiful bill. And I mean, that’s going to be good for households. That’s going to be good for businesses. And, you know, it has the potential to increase spending. You know, right now, economists have a baseline estimate of 2% GDP growth for next year. And again, I looked at the, I think we talked about this last week too, but the Atlanta Fed, I just looked at it the other day, the most recent GDP estimate for the fourth quarter that I saw is 5.1% growth. I mean, that’s, That’s pretty darn good.
SPEAKER 13 :
Right. It is. Real quick, there was a report, and I don’t know much about these particular individuals. There was a post on X this morning from the Kobiassier letter? K-O-B-E-I-S-S-I letter? I don’t know those guys. Do you?
SPEAKER 05 :
Kobayashi. Kobayashi.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, there you go. So they gave November PPI numbers at 3% above the expectations of 2.7, and they were really focused on that in a post they put out today, and yet December numbers are out and they’re way down. So I’m confused as to are these guys just trying to ruffle feathers? I mean, they’re basically showing November numbers, but we’re into January now and have December numbers.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, the December numbers don’t come out for PPI until the end of the month.
SPEAKER 13 :
Gotcha. So CPI is what it must have been.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, CPI was yesterday. That is December. So I always say this about the Kobayashi guys. I know a number of people that follow them, but they love to put the most dire, worst-case stuff out there to get your attention. That’s what I figure. They’re looking for clicks. That’s right. I mean, they’ve developed a following off of it. But, yes, they very much do that scary stuff.
SPEAKER 13 :
I mean, their tweet today was basically, because of that, you’re going to see a Fed pause with rate cuts in the next two weeks. Now, we’ll talk about Jerome Powell in a moment. Honestly, I don’t know what that guy is going to do. I don’t think anybody knows what that guy is going to do. So to actually put a statement out that they’re going to pause rate cuts in two weeks, I think that’s being very bold.
SPEAKER 05 :
It is and it isn’t. I mean, I think that’s already a foregone conclusion. What they’re not saying is – not anything that’s unexpected. As a matter of fact, Wall Street is pricing in no rate cuts until June, and that’s largely because Powell’s term ends in May, and you’re not going to get another. So I think what they’re doing is they’re trying to put something out there to act predictive when it’s something that most people on wall street would look at that it’s a given why would yeah why would you even say that it’s not it’s not really but whatever they’re throwing it out there gotcha yeah all right let’s talk about jerome powell i mean i i probably wouldn’t be doing what
SPEAKER 13 :
you know, the Fed is doing and the White House is doing right now in regards to the Fed. I mean, I think he’s gone in a few months anyways. I think you have the same opinion, you know, kind of let bygones be bygones. Trump claims that he’s got nothing to do with what’s happening right now with this investigation on Jerome Powell, and a lot of that has to do with the overspending that’s happening with the $2.6 billion remodel, which, just as a side note, Scott, of all the times to do something, I mean, and again, I don’t know the inner workings of the Fed. I’m not those guys. I don’t agree with what those guys do in a lot of cases. But $2.6 billion for a remodel sounds really extravagant to me.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, so here is – there are foundational issues with the building. It’s really old. I mean, so – So move it. Which is fair, too. But I would say this. If I were the Trump administration and I were a strategist for them and I was talking to them about this, I think they’re attacking the ball the wrong way. Because if they really think about this, this renovation project was approved back in 2017 when Trump was originally in office. But it got held up forever in Congress in the last administrations. So if I were looking at it from a political strategy standpoint, I’d be like, wait a second. You know, why aren’t you going after what happened in the time you were gone? You got this approved. The time you were gone, all these things happened that drove up costs tremendously. And now they’ve finally gotten around to it. It’s, you know, how about why wouldn’t you want to talk about I’m trying to, you know, just the lack of getting things done over that time frame that has created this situation now that’s become a bit of a problem.
SPEAKER 13 :
Makes sense. Makes sense.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, yeah, I mean, look, it’s a marble building. You know, I love, every time I go to D.C., I marvel at D.C. because of the architecture of these old government buildings that were done, the layout, I guess it was Thomas Jefferson that, They laid it out. And just the style is amazing. But in this day and age, going back and fixing these old marble buildings, I mean, it’s expensive. And then you pile on top of that all the inflation we had over the last couple of years because of everything that happened in 21 and the spending bill that was approved in March 21 and how it drove up prices for labor, for all sorts of other stuff, because All this money was spent on all sorts of things like materials, houses, you know, that has compounded this problem and not, you know, and taking forever to get things approved to move this process forward. You start compounding all those things and, you know, that’s sort of where you run into the problem with this. renovation projects, the costs have really exploded.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, and I guess, you know, I get it. Historic buildings, yes, we’re a country that really is not that old, but we do have some history. We want to try to retain that history. I get all of that. I understand all of that. I guess… My problem, I guess, maybe even as a taxpayer, Scott, is as you look at this and you think, okay, approved back in 2017, why then is it taking almost eight years basically to get this thing started again? At the end of the day, this thing could have been done a long time ago. And maybe costs would have been cheaper had you done this thing even back during COVID, for example. Could we have gotten it done cheaper during that time? And why didn’t we? I mean, to me, there’s a lot of questions here that need to be asked. But right now, with the optics of what is battling right now between, you know, Jerome Powell and Donald Trump, I mean, at the end of the day, it just doesn’t look good.
SPEAKER 05 :
It doesn’t. And, you know, you also have to, as a strategist, you would want to Step back and look at a couple things I think here, too. Look, the guy’s gone in four months.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right.
SPEAKER 05 :
What is the point of doing this right now? I mean, I think the better— Oh, for Donald Trump, it’s to prove a point, as you know.
SPEAKER 13 :
I mean, I love Donald Trump dearly, but it’s to prove a point, Scott.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know that as well as I. Well, yes. This is very true. But I think the better move is— Just go ahead and say who you’re going to nominate for the next election. Well, that’s what I would do.
SPEAKER 13 :
I agree with you on that. Yeah, I am 100% with you on that one. And again, I can see from even some of the pictures on this particular building and the structure and things they’re having to do to shore things up and so on. I mean, I get all that. I can see where the cost overruns are coming from and so on. And I guess, you know, had I been involved or had I been the Fed chair at this time when all of this stuff was even being talked about in the renovation and so on, I probably would have looked at this a little bit differently and said, OK, wait a time out. You know, are we really the ones that should even be responsible for this entire renovation? Should we be farming this out differently as a historic building? You know, maybe we should think about doing something different, making it a historic building and we go move Fed operations someplace else. I mean, there’s all sorts of things I think I would have looked at differently just because of the optics, Scott.
SPEAKER 05 :
I’m with you there. Or how do you heat somebody up to get this done? Correct. Because everybody knows the longer you wait on a building project, it’s very rare that it gets cheaper.
SPEAKER 13 :
Oh, it always gets more money. You know that as well as I. But going back to the rift between Trump and Powell, and I’ve said this before. I mean, I understand where Trump’s rift comes from. I’ve said it numerous times on this program. and I’ll keep saying it. Jerome Powell has become nothing more than a Democrat operative. He’s doing everything that he possibly can to make sure that votes stay on one side of the aisle versus the other. He hasn’t done anything interest rate-wise because he knows it affects the housing market in a negative way. He doesn’t care that it affects things in a negative way. He’s bound and determined to do what he possibly can to affect the midterm elections in 2026, and it’s as simple as that. So, in my opinion, he is a Democrat operative.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I mean… I think he is very, very much the longer this has gone on, the more he’s gotten his back up and the more it’s really unfortunate. And the more he’s been like, I’m not going to be told what to do, or I’m not going to do just, just because you’re saying this, I’m going to be the opposite. I have a 13 year old son. My son is like this on some days, but you know, my wife and I talk about this. And so we have to come up with Jedi mind tricks sometimes to get him. So I, You know, there’s there’s sometimes that approach to it’s like, OK, wait a second. This tack isn’t working.
SPEAKER 13 :
And, you know, well, and I think, you know, and I think and correct me if I’m wrong. But I believe that’s where Besant has come in and tried to do some things to run around Powell to not be as forceful as what Donald Trump is when it comes to the Fed. So he’s tried to do some of the end around things, which, by the way, to his credit, he’s done pretty well at. I mean, given what the Fed has not do to stimulate the economy, but looking what’s happened behind the scenes and the fact that even this week, I think we finally got below 6 percent on a 30 year mortgage. I’m not saying it’s going to stay there for long. But the reality, Scott, is, is in spite of the Fed, And Besant’s done a pretty good job of getting things handled.
SPEAKER 05 :
He’s done a really good job. He’s a very good operator. And he knows a lot about finance from having run a big hedge fund. But again, so I think part of this, too, if we go back to Trump naming a new Fed chair, once he just gets out there and names a new Fed chair, I mean, the market is going to pay way more attention to what that guy says than they’re going to pay attention to what Powell says. And Powell’s kind of a lame duck at that point, right?
SPEAKER 13 :
So what do you think the hesitation is?
SPEAKER 05 :
I don’t know. I’m not really sure. I thought the only thing I can think of is he wants to name Hassett, but Wall Street pushed back a little bit on Hassett. And they’re saying, they said, we think he’s too close to you. We’d rather see somebody that’s not so close to you. But still, there are other great candidates. I don’t see why you can’t find somebody. But if you don’t like them… You’re the president of the United States. Name the guy you want. And then he gets approved by Congress. I just think what is going on right now because of this thing that happened over the weekend and all the news, you’ve got to let that die down now.
SPEAKER 13 :
Right.
SPEAKER 05 :
You do. But you really can’t let that move forward because that’s not going to help you. Because if that does move forward, you’re not going to find the support to get your guy nominated unless – They can really have some sort of concrete malfeasance that shows the guy is doing something to his benefit, which I would think you’re going to have a really hard time finding that. So I think you let this die down, and then you just say, this is my guy, and you move forward to get him approved by Congress, and then you don’t have to worry about Jerome Powell anymore. Because bond markets will start pricing in easier monetary policy once they know who the next Fed chief is going to be.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, yeah, and that was a question I was going to have for you. So once they name, let’s say, for example, which I agree with you, I don’t think now anything gets named until probably 1st of February. I doubt seriously whether anything gets named here by the end of the month. I could be wrong, but two weeks left, I just don’t see it happening. I think they’ll let their Fed meeting roll through, and I think once that’s all said and done, I think as you get into the first part of February, Trump makes an announcement as to who that’s going to be. Once that happens, how quickly do the markets respond?
SPEAKER 05 :
I think the markets will respond right away. As soon as whoever that candidate is starts talking about where he sees policy going, like Bessette has said stuff about introducing a shadow Fed chair, basically like this is the guy that we’re going to have in charge, so that guy can sort of speak to the markets and tell them what his plans would be, and then the markets would start pricing Bessette forward interest rates based on what the next Fed chief wants to do. And basically, I think that’s what we’re looking at. And, again, you know, four months seems like forever on Wall Street.
SPEAKER 13 :
It’s not.
SPEAKER 05 :
But it’s really not that long. No, it’s not. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER 13 :
It’s not.
SPEAKER 05 :
It’s not that long of a time.
SPEAKER 13 :
No, and you’re in the business end of things. The quarter rolls by really, really fast, and we’ll be to the end of January here. I mean, you and I will talk, you know, two more times before then, and then, boom, all of a sudden we’re into February already, and then before you know it, it’s springtime. So the reality is it’s not as far out there as you think.
SPEAKER 05 :
It is. And look, Trump made comments the other day in Detroit about, hey, this guy’s going to be gone soon. And the media tries to spin that like he’s trying to fire. To me, I hear that. I’m like, okay, what he’s really referring to, I’m assuming, is this guy’s going to be out of there in four months.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, but he’s saying the same thing you and I just said. He really is gone, and it’s not that far down the road that he’s gone. I mean, it will be here before you know it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Exactly. Exactly. But it’s going to get spun. And I understand, in fact, what you were talking about earlier, and what What he’s trying to do is the affordability push for Americans. And he knows that if you can get rates to come down, borrowing costs to come down, it’ll help credit card rates. It’ll help mortgage rates. It’ll help buying a car. It’ll help with a loan on a car. And these are all respectable. The way this stuff unfolded over the weekend, it just had a really bad feeling. So I would think the White House, and they’re trying to do this, they want to try to distance themselves from this. and just put it in the rearview mirror and then move forward with who’s going to be your next type chief.
SPEAKER 13 :
Which they kind of have done because you haven’t heard any more talk about it the rest of the week. Other things have come up that really have kind of changed the news cycle. Iran, of course, being one of those major ones. That’s kind of why I wanted to close this as well. You know, we look at what’s happened already in Venezuela. You look at what might happen next in Cuba, Iran even. I mean, I’ve got to look at all of that, and if I’m somebody on Wall Street, you’ve got to think, okay, wait a minute, if these things end up changing the way that Trump says they’re going to, which, by the way, I believe they will, man alive, the amount of potential U.S. investment in those particular countries, Scott, is huge. Venezuela alone, but then you look at Cuba. I mean, I’ve got to be looking at that as somebody on Wall Street thinking, holy cow, the spigot’s about to be opened wide up.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I would certainly think so, yes. Um, they just, I think what some companies will want to see, and we’ve heard this from some of the oil companies that is they just, especially with Venezuela, they want sort of guarantees of, Hey, the government’s not going to suddenly change hands and all of our stuff’s going to be socialized and taken from us again. Right.
SPEAKER 13 :
Which, by the way, as a taxpayer, I would have no problem with us doing something that would somehow guarantee that, you know, can’t guarantee maybe 100%, but here’s the thing. We’ll do like we do the SBA. So we’re going to guarantee, you know, 70, 80 percent. You go in there and you put, you know, you know, 100 million dollars in. You know, we’re going to guarantee that nothing happens to at least 70 percent of that. So, you know, you’re going to be on the hook for 30. We’ll take the 70 and off we go. So together we’re going to make this thing happen. I personally, as a taxpayer, would have no problem doing that.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, exactly. And that would be better for all those investments made because you have the government backing. I mean, along those lines, really quickly, you maybe think about this, too. Critical minerals and everything are rare earths. Everything going on there with the semiconductor industry and making sure our supply chain is stable. Scott was said. just met with finance ministers from the G7 and several other countries over the past couple of days to talk about supporting the rare earth industry all over the world, getting that going, and putting a floor for prices under those so these companies can be sustainable. So China can’t. We’ve talked about this in the past, how China dominates that industry because it price cut everybody.
SPEAKER 13 :
That’s right.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, you know, the company I would look at, I believe it’s MP Materials. The ticker symbol is MP. So this goes with what you were just talking about with the government being a side-by-side investor. The government has taken a stake in MP materials. They’ve guaranteed a floor price for rarer so these guys will start generating and producing them, refining them, and then they will share in any profits that they make above that price. So if you’re looking for something like that as a way to play it, this could be a company worth taking a look at as an investment.
SPEAKER 13 :
Makes sense. I appreciate that, Scott. How do folks find you?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, sure. Bent Pine Capital, LinkedIn, Twitter, or Substack, dscottgarless.
SPEAKER 13 :
As always, Scott, it’s a joy. Appreciate the conversation. Sean, thanks so much for your time. You bet, man. Have a great night. We appreciate it very much. Again, Scott Garlis, Bent Pine Capital. Golden Eagle Financial coming up next. If you want somebody you can talk to directly, sit across the table from, find out what you want to do with your investments. That is Al Smith, Golden Eagle Financial. Again, call Al today. Just find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial helps you get on track for 2026 by taking a fresh look at your retirement plan. If you’re like most people, money gets spread out over time. Old accounts, new jobs, life changes, and suddenly it’s hard to see the whole picture. Taking a fresh look with Al often means simplifying what’s gotten complicated. So less confusion, clearer records, and a solid plan for the future. And it’s not just about numbers. Al asks what’s really driving you to come in. because sometimes the issue isn’t your 401k. It’s a move you’re considering. Family dynamics, new health concerns, or uncertainty about retirement timing. Golden Eagle Financial plans at your speed and follows up regularly so you can be confident that you’re retiring on your terms and getting the most out of what you’ve spent a lifetime putting in. Get a fresh look at your retirement plan with a no-obligation meeting with Al Smith. Find out how on the klzradio.com advertisers page.
SPEAKER 13 :
Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning. Make sure you’re dialed in when it comes to your furnace, any problems, or if you want to do an upgrade, they can help you with that as well. Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
Cup Creek Heating and AC are your friends in the business, here to help you navigate the new ultra-low NOx regulations taking effect January 1st. These changes could raise your energy bill by $60 to $100 a month. And after the new Colorado legislation takes effect, replacing a unit could cost up to 60% more. Cup Creek isn’t like those big corporate HVAC companies. They’re a father and son team who care more about doing what’s right than pushing a sale. In fact, Hunter talks often about how the industry has shifted towards sales instead of comfort and how Cub Creek refuses to operate that way. Hunter and the Rheem Certified Pro Partner Technicians at Cub Creek are true craftsmen. They take pride in their work, they operate with integrity, and they’re always on your side. So let them give you an honest assessment of your furnace. If it still has life left, they’ll tell you. And if it’s time for a replacement, they’ll walk you through easy, affordable options before the new regulations drive prices up. Schedule your no-obligation consultation today at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 13 :
Veteran windows and doors go right to the source when it comes to windows and doors. Financing available as well. Find Dave at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 11 :
You want windows for your home that will truly last. That’s why we trust our exclusive partner, Veteran Windows and Doors. As a Provia Platinum dealer, Veteran offers unique, customizable window options you simply won’t find anywhere else. For example, they now offer several new laminate window options that are built to last and virtually maintenance-free. So once they’re installed, there’s nothing left to think about. This kind of reliability is rare in the window industry. All Provia windows are designed and manufactured right here in the US with quality and precision. And through Veterans Provia Platinum Partnership, you also get access to four new window series featuring classic wood grain finishes with a remarkably realistic look, giving you more flexibility to match the style of your home. Enjoy peace of mind knowing your windows will stay beautiful and energy efficient for years to come. For top-of-the-line windows you can trust, contact Veteran Windows and Doors by going to klzradio.com today.
SPEAKER 03 :
This isn’t Rage Radio. This is Real Relatable Radio. Back to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 13 :
All right, about a minute and a half or so left here of this particular hour. One thing I was reading that Charlie mentioned is you didn’t see much in the news about this. It was out there, but not much conversation on it. And that was the meeting that happened between Norway, the Danes, Greenland, all of that. There’s some fundamental differences there that was mentioned by Charlie. The Greenland, you know, the Norway, Dane side basically said there’s some fundamental differences with Donald Trump, although they said they’re very open to continued negotiations. They’re also very open to make sure that, you know, the U.S. has its safety, that it’s concerned over, while at the same time making sure that, you know, other lines are not crossed. Now, what does all that mean? I have no idea. And anybody that says they do has no idea. And there has been some things floated around. I think Bob talks about this on the roundtable that you’ll hear played tomorrow, that there’s been some things floated out there that we as a country would be more than willing to pay about $100,000 to each citizen that’s there. I think that ends up being about $6 billion or so when it’s all said and done, and essentially we then buy the country. Now, these are things floated around now. who knows how this is going to work out what i do know and i’ve talked about this before is as much as the the danes and so on talk about greenland and how it’s theirs and so on they haven’t treated their people real well they’re not living high off the hog let’s just say it that way so essentially you could go in there as a country as a us and give them some things that they’re not getting right now and probably gain quite a following in doing so because again they’re not living high off the hog by any means And you’re always going to have, you know, this is like the man on the street interview. You’re always going to find that person in Greenland that hates the U.S. and wishes they didn’t have this conversation going on and so on. But, you know, all in all, money talks. Let’s just say it that way. And I get it. Some old dyed-in-the-wool Greenlander – I don’t know if I’m saying that the right way or not – are not going to want anything changed. But, you know, is that the majority? I have no idea. As I’ve said before, this is a strategic move on the part of Donald Trump. What I’ve learned about Donald Trump is when he puts something in his mind, he’s bound and determined to make that happen some way, somehow. And we’ll see how this all plays out when it comes to Greenland. And don’t be surprised. if it doesn’t end up panning out when it’s all said and done. A lot of things have to happen over the next three years to make that happen, but I can tell you this. Donald Trump’s going to continue to go down that path. I can tell you that much right now. So, guys, that’s it for tonight. Have a fabulous evening. Be safe out there. We gain a little bit of daylight each day. It won’t be too long before it’ll be 6 o’clock and the sun’s still shining. So, guys, have a great night. Rush to Reason, Denver’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 07 :
Listen to KLZ AM HD Denver at AM 560 and 100.7 KLZ FM. KLZ is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
A Scam So Real… You Might Not Catch It. The Collision of Policy, Medicine, & Morality.