WE'RE HAVING CHEESECAKE TODAY Because our aviation specialist Steve Cowell allegedly makes amazing cheesecake so he's bringing one in. I feel like cheesecake has become the unofficial official food of the show.
JON CALDARA JOINS ME AT 2 TO TALK ABOUT MAKING XCEL PAY And I don't mean that in a nefarious way, but Jon is planning a ballot initiative that would force Xcel to pay for part of their grandiose expansion plans that they currently just shove the cost onto us. It's a very clever initiative and Jon is on today to discuss. Read about it here.
WHEN THE SUPREME COURT CHECKS FEDERAL POWER THE LEFT HOWLS I was reading this article today about the just ended Supreme Court session which was quite the blockbuster. In this session, the court repeatedly checked the power of the federal government and returned much of it to the states. Now states can decide what to do with abortion. Now people can pray, even on public school grounds. Now the EPA can't run roughshod over people with new regulations and bureaucracy not passed by Congress. They checked the Feds over and over and that is why the Left is SUPER MAD. They love the federal government because they use it to exert power over more people. The simply don't think people in flyover country are smart enough to do things themselves. All of these decisions were created through an originalist lens and this is very, very good. Let them be super mad.
THE BOULDER CITY MANAGER SHOVES HER POLITICS ONTO BOULDER EMPLOYEES I got sent this email by several people who work in Boulder. The relatively new City Manager of Boulder Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde decided to send out an email about the overturn of Roe.
The Subject line: Equity in Uncertain Times.
Dear colleagues,
The month of June has given us so many wonderful opportunities to lean into our values of equity and inclusion. From the commemoration of the official end of slavery in our country to celebrations of LGBTQ+ pride and events celebrating immigrant heritage, we’ve had a lot of positive moments.
But now, in the aftermath of historic rulings by the Supreme Court last week, our commitment to these values is being put to the test.
As a progressive woman, it likely comes as little surprise that I am most deeply impacted by the decision to overturn Roe v Wade. The message this sends – and the very real consequence for those who are not lucky enough to live in Colorado or other select states – is that more than half of Americans can no longer make decisions about their own bodies. This directly impacts not just women, but all who have the biological ability to carry children, including transgender and non-binary Americans, as well as men and families who will also face difficult decisions that affect their lives. As is often the case with regulations, the greatest inequity will be felt disproportionately by the most vulnerable and under-served in our country.
Furthermore, the decision, as written, calls into question very real concerns about what other freedoms could be altered, restricted or simply taken away without the safeguards of long-standing legal precedent. Very few rulings in our country’s history have left so many feeling unsafe and unsure of their place in America.
I am also concerned about the court’s finding, in a separate case, that there is a nearly irrefutable right for individuals to carry weapons in public. Unfortunately, I believe this decision makes it more likely that public shootings will continue, and that police will face that much more of a challenge in detecting potential risk to communities. For those of you who are wondering what, if any, impact this will have on the recent measures passed by our City Council, our City Attorney’s Office is still assessing.
So why am I telling you this? I believe in authentic leadership, and I choose to be both accountable to, and transparent about, my convictions.
I also share my reactions because I believe many of you may be experiencing similar feelings. I want you to know that I see you, and I understand your pain and concern. I encourage you to find safe spaces to express your feelings and seek out ways to put your passion toward making a positive impact. I support departments or work groups that wish to provide optional opportunities for colleagues to come together and share the impacts these national issues are having on them.
At the same time, I want to be clear that in any thriving workforce, there are certainly alternative perspectives. I welcome the viewpoints of my colleagues who see these rulings differently, who for religious, personal, or political reasons believe the court got it right on one or both these issues.
There are likely others who simply prefer not to have these types of discussions in the work environment. I see you, too, and respect that position. (emphasis mine)
As we prepare for the Fourth of July – a holiday focused on celebrating our freedom – there is no doubt this range of reactions will make for interesting, and sometimes challenging, conversations. As these topics, or any of the many other stressors we’ve experienced over the past few years, come up, I encourage you to treat your fellow employees with respect. As we know, respect is one of our core city values and part of what makes our organization such a great place to work. Listen actively. Empathize, when you can. Strive to find common ground. Recognize that we have a choice to model inclusive and meaningful civic discourse, which I personally believe is the only way we will find our way out of the divisiveness that currently defines our country.
I also encourage you, whatever your political perspective, to vote in upcoming elections. In our current polarized context, the ballot box is the single best way to ensure that your voice is heard. Don’t miss your chance to shape the future you want to see.
Regards,
Nuria
I certainly hope that those of you who don't wish to have these conversations in the workplace let her know how inappropriate this is. And if you believe the Court has done the right thing, or that abortion is murder I would urge you to keep that to yourself. This is another example of virtue signaling by a person who believes politics trumps all else and she needs to know how wrong this is. What if she were pro-life and sent this out? She's probably already be suspended on her way to being fired. Unacceptable.
THE JOE O'DEA WIN HAS ALREADY HAD AN EFFECT ON THE ODDSMAKERS As his seat was moved from Solid Dem to Likely Dem, which is a big deal this early in the race.
WEED ADVERTISING IS COMING TO RADIO And if you thought sports gambling ads were everywhere, just wait. A new provision in a budget bill would allow radio companies to take cannabis advertising something most have avoided until now for fear they would run up against the FCC and lose their licenses. This paves the way for that to become reality. I'm not going to lie, this is GREAT news for my business, and I don't expect KOA to be full of pot ads because of our demo, but you will definitely hear some.
TEACHERS UNIONS OWN SCHOOL BOARD RACES FROM NOW ON We have a whole slew of new laws and agencies being born today, as much of what the Legislature passed goes into effect. Drug dealers need to know they can only carry 1 gram of fentanyl at a time to avoid facing felony charges, the teachers unions can spend unlimited money on school board campaigns while other candidates face new limits, and new departments are being born as our allegedly libertarian governor watches government grown.
WHEN DOES FALL START I'm ready. Now.
ANTI ANXIETY MEDS COULD LEAD TO DEMENTIA This isn't good news as so many people are taking meds for anxiety right now. A new study shows why anxiety drugs could lead to cognitive decline and it's serious. I feel like we should talk more about what these drugs do to your brain long term. This is very bad.
THE HUMOR OF RONALD REAGAN Wow, this is really refreshing to watch.
THE GREATEST SUPERHERO MOVIES OF ALL TIME And I started to read this list not knowing it was from 50 to 1 and was shocked to see GhostRider 2nd. It wasn't, it was 49, which is manageable. Check out and argue about the entire list here. I strongly disagree with #1 on this list. Strongly.
THEY HAVE TINY HUMAN HANDS BUT NO CAR But that didn't stop a family of raccoons from getting a treat at the drive thru. The lady filming was having none of this.
THE PERFECT PROPOSAL GOES IN THE DRINK That sound you hear is the ring hitting the pond. The couple managed to create the perfect proposal with a new ring.
AROD GOT HIS WEATHER NERD ON AND IT MESSED UP HIS CAMERA EXPOSURE
NOW I NEED A FIRE BREATHING CHOCOLATE DRAGON FOR THE STUDIO To go along with my house band. Check this magic artistry out!
CHINA HAS MAPPED MARS Using an unmanned spacecraft that circled the planet over 1,300 times to cover the entire thing, including the poles. This is super cool. Good for China until they put a military base there.