The Myth of the Robber Barons and Cutting Grocery Taxes

On March 4, 2024, Jeff Toborg, Brian Joondeph, and Burt Folsom joined the show. Announced a grassroots campaign to repeal Parker’s grocery tax, feminine product tax, and diaper tax through citizen petition, arguing these regressive taxes hurt families during inflationary times Described visiting Turkmenistan, one of the world’s most isolated and strange countries, and analyzed Nikki Haley’s D Distinguished between political entrepreneurs who failed. Cutting Grocery Taxes Through Citizen Initiative Start listening at 17:09 – Hour 1 Jeff Toborg, Mayor of Parker, Colorado, announces a citizen initiative to repeal the town’s grocery tax, as well as taxes on feminine products and diapers. Acting as a private citizen rather than in his official capacity, Toborg explains that the town council declined to put the measure on the ballot themselves, so he and fellow citizens are gathering the 7,500 signatures needed by July 1st to get the question before voters in November. Toborg argues that grocery taxes are the most regressive form of taxation, hitting families hardest during times of high inflation. He points to neighboring communities like Lone Tree, Castle Pines, Aurora, and Denver that do not tax groceries and manage their budgets successfully. Rather than replacing the lost revenue, Toborg advocates building a strong economy to grow the tax base organically, citing recent success in attracting data centers to North Parker. “When the government raises taxes on you, do they come to Kim? Do they come to Jeff and say, hey, how is your family going to make up the revenue in your home? They don’t.” Jeff Toborg, Mayor of Parker Turkmenistan: The World’s Strangest Country Start listening at 31:38 – Hour 1 Dr. Brian Joondeph describes his recent trip to Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic he calls a combination of the Las Vegas Strip and North Korea. The country, ruled by a familial dictatorship, has used natural gas revenues to build the capital city of Ashgabat into a gleaming metropolis of white marble buildings, ornate lampposts, and monuments celebrating independence. Despite the pristine appearance, the streets are eerily empty of people, internet access is heavily restricted, and all cars in the capital must be white or silver by presidential decree. Joondeph notes the irony of being able to read Wikipedia articles about human rights abuses in Turkmenistan while visiting. The country receives only about 10,000 foreign visitors annually, making it one of the least-visited nations on earth. “I would describe it as a combination of the Las Vegas Strip and North Korea.” Dr. Brian Joondeph, Writer The 2024 Presidential Race and Deep State Politics Start listening at 49:10 – Hour 1 Joondeph analyzes Nikki Haley’s Washington D.C. primary victory, arguing it reveals her support base among the administrative state and ruling class rather than representing genuine momentum. He contends that Haley remains in the race only as a contingency plan should something remove Trump from contention, noting that her endorsers represent the establishment wing of the Republican Party. Looking at the broader stakes, Joondeph warns that four more years of current policies on open borders, mounting national debt, and foreign entanglements could cause irreparable harm to the country. He expresses cautious optimism that Trump has learned from his first term about personnel decisions and working within the constraints of the administrative stat...