House Speaker Crisis and Local Elections Spotlight Citizen Engagement

On Thursday, October 19, 2023, Kim Monson examines the tumultuous House Speaker race following Kevin McCarthy’s ouster, while spotlighting local elections and fiscal responsibility. Lakewood mayoral candidate Don Burkhart exposes how state mandates override local zoning, actor Kevin Sorbo champions traditional masculinity through children’s literature, and Citizens for Tax Fairness founder George Allen reveals questionable tactics behind Douglas County school tax proposals. Reclaiming Traditional Masculinity Through Children’s Books Start listening at 50:00 – Hour 1 Kevin Sorbo, the actor who played Hercules in the internationally popular television series, discusses media’s systematic attack on traditional masculinity and fatherhood. Sorbo observes that sitcoms have portrayed fathers as bumbling and unnecessary for decades, accelerating into outright emasculation in recent years. The actor describes his new children’s book published by Brave Books, featuring a lion cub named Lucas who must overcome his fears to save his little sister from a poisonous plant. The story teaches boys to face challenges and grow into strong men and father figures. “The book is really about: let boys be boys and let them grow up to be men and strong men and strong father figures. That’s all it’s about. I’m pro child is what I am.” – Kevin Sorbo, Actor and Author Sorbo notes that critics attack the book without reading it, labeling it anti-something when it simply promotes letting children mature naturally. Autographed copies are available free at BraveBooks.com with an annual subscription. Douglas County School Tax Increases Under Scrutiny Start listening at 30:00 – Hour 2 George Allen of Citizens for Tax Fairness breaks down why voters should reject ballot questions 5A and 5B in Douglas County. With property valuations already driving 40-50% tax increases, Allen argues the school district is manufacturing a fiscal crisis to justify additional mill levy overrides. Allen reveals that the chairman of the school district’s own Fiscal Oversight Committee publicly opposes the measures, calling the district “fiscally irresponsible” and accusing administrators of wasting the $40 million from the 2018 mill levy override. When a school board director requested a budget prioritizing teacher salaries, other directors refused, fearing voters would realize tax increases are unnecessary. “Unlike income tax, property tax has to be paid with money earned somewhere else. You could have zero income, and if you own the property, then you have to pay that property tax every year.” – George Allen, Citizens for Tax Fairness The segment features callers Bill in North Glen and Ann in Denver. Bill highlights that teachers receive gold-plated defined benefit pensions with 19.9% employer contributions, meaning salary alone understates total compensation. Ann urges listeners to call representatives supporting Jim Jordan for Speaker. Allen notes campaign finance reports show construction companies and home builders making large donations to pass the tax increases. More information is available at CitizensForTaxFairness.net. Additional Segments Kim discusses the House Speaker race following Kevin McCarthy’s removal, noting Rep. Ken Buck’s opposition to Jim Jordan over Ukraine funding concerns. Kim reviews a Prager University quiz on Middle East history, covering Israel’s founding, the Six-Day War, and Hamas’s charter rejecting peaceful solutions. Kim promotes her voter’s guide a...