2006 Catalog of Shows
Friday, December 29th
All issues are women’s issues,” according to the brilliant and beautiful Michelle Bernard of the Independent Women’s Forum. Tune into Independent Thinking as Jon Caldara hosts a one-on-one interview with Bernard, the President of IWF, a Washington D.C. think tank dedicated to advancing economic and personal freedom in the U.S. and overseas.
Friday, December 22nd
What’s Denver willing to do to play host to the nation’s most liberal politicians and party hacks? Independent Thinking host Jon Caldara gets Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to answer that and other questions.
Friday, December 15th
Brother can you spare $832 Million? Can Colorado taxpayers spare $832 million? That’s what higher education in Colorado claims it needs. Tune into Independent Thinking to hear University of Colorado Regent Tom Lucero and Campus Accountability Project Director Jessica Corry discuss higher ed’s wish list.
Friday, December 8th
Colorado’s split personalityColorado is politically liberal but culturally conservative. Tune into Independent Thinking for a diagnosis on Colorado’s split personality with the editor of the Westword Patty Calhoun and political analyst Fred Brown.
Friday, December 1st
More Ann Coulter: If you weren’t lucky enough to hear her in person, tune into Independent Thinking for my one-on-one interview with the best selling author and Michael Moore’s worst nightmare.
Friday, November 24th
What does democratic domination in Colorado and Governor-elect Bill Ritter’s renewable energy agenda mean to the state’s oil and gas industry? A discussion with industry representatives Marc W. Smith and Ken Wonstolen.
Friday, November 17th
The democrats now control all branches of state government. What does the single party domination mean to Coloradans? Political analyst Eric Sonderman and CSU Political Science Professor John Straayer join Jon Caldara.
Friday, November 10th
It’s lonely at the Capitol for Republican women. To understand where Colorado’s conservative women have gone. A discussion between host Jon Caldara, Jessica Corry of the Independence Institute and Boulder Republican Marty Nielson.
Friday, November 3rd
Has the media been fair with its election coverage, especially the Governor’s race? That’s the question host Jon Caldara will ask Rocky Mountain News reporter Lynn Bartels and Bill Menezes of Colorado Media Matters.
Friday, October 27th
No on 41 campaign chairman Katy Atkinson and Jenny Flannigan of Common Cause discuss the oxymoron – Ethics in Government, a.k.a. Amendment 41.
Friday, October 20th
Colorado’s new Colorado Secretary of State. No we don’t know who it will be but we do know that it will be one of our two guests –- Democratic candidate Ken Gordon or Republican candidate Mike Coffman.
Friday, October 13
She’s "too busy!" That was the response we got from the democratic candidate for state treasurer Cary Kennedy’s campaign to our invitation to appear on Independent Thinking. Fortunately Republican candidate Mark Hillman is not to busy for a "debate" between Hillman and his democratic opponent (Caldara will attempt to be the voice of Kennedy).
Friday, October 6th
Should Colorado legislate the free market by raising the minimum wage? Tune into Independent Thinking for a fiery debate between II’s Linda Gorman and Rich Jones of the Bell Policy Center.
Friday, September 29th
Did the Denver daily papers really campaign for passage of Referenda C and D? Tune into Independent Thinking as host Jon Caldara moderates a fiery debate over media bias between Rocky Mountain News columnist Jason Salzman and Amy Oliver Pryzgoda of the Independence Institute.
Friday, September 22nd
Politicians are term limited, so why shouldn’t state Supreme Court Justices and appellate court judges be as well? Host Jon Caldara moderates a lively debate about judicial term limits between Former State Senate President John Andrews and Former Weld County District Attorney Bob Miller.
Friday, September 15th
Is Colorado’s petition process too lengthy, complex and cumbersome?? Does it discourage the average citizen from participating? Join host Jon Caldara as he discusses Amendment 38 – the Petition Rights Amendment – with Doug Campbell of www.PRA2006.com and Rick Reiter, Director of Coloradans for Responsible Reform.
Friday, September 8th
Is marijuana really SAFER? This fall Colorado voters get to decide whether or not to legalize pot. Join host Jon Caldara as he moderates a debate between SAFER campaign director Mason Tvert and Weld County Undersheriff Margie Martinez.
Friday, September 1st
Before you remodel your "money pit," tune into Independent Thinking to find out if a historic preservation commission has more authority over your old house than you do. Discover how property owners’ rights are marginalized in the name of history from guests Joyce Davies, Historic Boulder co-President, and Director of the Property Rights Project Jessica Peck Corry.
Friday, August 25th
Do you pay dues to a labor union, trade association, or some other membership organization in Colorado? A new rule by Colorado Secretary of State Gigi Dennis says your organization has to get your written permission each year before spending your dues money on state political campaigns. Tune into Independent Thinking as host Jon Caldara discusses the impact of the new rulings with Education Policy Analyst Ben DeGrow and attorney Shayne Madsen.
Friday, August 18th
Is there really a methamphetamine crisis in Colorado? The General Assembly seems to think so. It created a statewide meth task force but didn’t fund it. Tune into Independent Thinking as host Jon Caldara discusses the problem of meth in Colorado with Mike Krause of the Independence Institute and Thornton Police Department Commander Lori Moriarty.
Friday, August 11th
Should Colorado double the state gasoline tax? Or how about user fees to fund highways? Tune into Independent Thinking with host Jon Caldara as he gets answers for these and other questions from State Representative Matt Knoedler and Transportation Commissioner Bill Swenson.
Friday, August 4th
Colorado stands with Israel. The Executive Committee of Colorado’s Legislative Council unanimously passed a resolution that supports Israel in its battle with Hezbollah. Tune into Independent Thinking as guests Imman Ammar Amonette of the Colorado Muslim Society and Chad Asarch, Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council, discuss what it means.
Friday, July 28th
Is there a free market solution to the problem of illegal immigration? Tune into as Krieble Foundation President Helen Krieble and Charles Heatherly from Congressman Tom Tancredo’s office debate the number one issue in Colorado on Independent Thinking.
Friday, July 21st
American Dream or Colorado Nightmare: What can be done about the skyrocketing rate of home foreclosures in Colorado? Tune into Independent Thinking as State Senator and mortgage broker Tom Wiens and Denver Post business reporter Aldo Svaldi discuss what’s happened to the American Dream in Colorado.
Friday, July 14th Quicktime WMV
Why does the government continue to stifle free market competition? Tune into Independent Thinking to find out how entrepreneur Ernest Rakotovao and his attorney Eric Gunning are battling government. What is Ernest’s sin? He wants to start his own business.
Friday, July 7th
How much would you pay to get out of traffic? Even if you can afford it, is it fair for you to do so? Join host Jon Caldara and guests Peggy Catlin, Acting Executive Director of the Colorado Tolling Enterprise, and Executive Director of ProgressNow.org Michael Huttner as they debate the hottest issue in transportation – HOT lanes.
Friday, June 30th
Supreme Update: Besides acquiring more than 68,000 signatures, what’s a group got to do to get an initiative on the ballot? Battle the Supreme Court of Colorado and be victorious in a special session of the legislature. Tune in to Independent Thinking as I talk with Director Fred Elbel and former state Senate President John Andrews about what’s next for Defend Colorado Now and Initiative 55, which seeks to deny non-emergency state services to illegal immigrants.
Friday, June 23rd Quicktime WMV
So how many taxpayer dollars does it cost to show Suze Orman? And when can we pull the plug? Those are just a couple of the very important topics that host Jon Caldara will address with Wic Rowland, President and CEO of Colorado Public Television, KBDI Channel 12.
Friday, June 16th
Hey, anti-smoking zealots! Not so fast! I’d like you to meet Jim Von Feldt, owner of Billy’s Tavern, one of the establishments that will be devastated by Colorado’s draconian smoking ban. With help from the public interest law firm, Mountain States Legal Foundation, Von Feldt and his lawyer Joe Becker is pursuing a class action lawsuit, seeking an injunction against the smoking ban.
Friday, June 9th
State Parties War: With the Governor’s office and the state legislature at stake, join me for Independent Thinking as Pat Waak, chairman of the Colorado Democratic party, and Bob Martinez, chairman of the Colorado Republican party debate what’s the best future for Colorado.
Friday, June 2nd Quicktime WMV
Water, water everywhere but not for you: The northern part of the state is in a water emergency. Where did our water go? I thought our once-every-300-years drought happened two years ago. Tune into Independent Thinking this Friday night when I’m joined by Craig Green and Jerry Sonnenberg for an explanation.
Friday, May 26th Quicktime WMV
Don’t it turn your red state blue: Governor Bill Ritter? While the Republicans continue to bludgeon each other in a costly primary, Colorado’s Democrats have rallied around Bill Ritter, who’ll join me for a one-on-one conversation this Friday night on Independent Thinking. Is there a possibility for a Democratic governor combined with a Democratic House and Senate? We’ll get Bill Ritter’s take.
Friday, May 19th Quicktime WMV
Who were the winners and losers of the legislative session? Join me, along with Rocky Mountain News reporter Lynn Bartels and Mark Couch of the Denver Post, for a discussion of who made out like a bandit (hint: special interest groups) and who got robbed (hint: taxpayers).
Friday, May 12th Quicktime WMV
You might think that if a public school teacher proves incompetent it should be easy to get rid of him or her. Think again. Former Denver Public School Board President Elaine Gantz Berman and former DPS Superintendent Jerry Wartgow join host Jon Caldara on Independent Thinking for a discussion on the difficulty of firing incompetent teachers.
Do women really earn less money than men? Jessica Corry of the Independent Institute and Gretchen McComb president and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado debate gender equity and wages.
Friday, April 28th
What is it really like in Iraq? Tune into Independent Thinking for three eye witness accounts as Colorado State Treasurer Mike Coffman, 850 KOA reporter Steffan Tubbs and Ed McVaney present their own personal experiences in Iraq.
Friday, April 21st
Colorado voters may have to answer a question this fall…what role should the state of Colorado play in defining marriage and domestic partnerships? Tune into Independent Thinking this Friday night for a discussion on the proposed marriage amendment and domestic partnerships with Sean Duffy from Coloradans for Fairness and Equality and Pastor Ruben Mendez of Coloradans for Marriage.
Friday, April 14th Quicktime WMV
Colorado Philanthropist Alex Cranberg and Yeh Ling-Ling of the Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America join host Jon Caldara to discuss the politics and culture of immigration.
Friday, April 7th Quicktime WMV
Dan Griswold of the CATO Institute and author Frosty Wooldridge join host Jon Caldara to discuss population growth and the stress placed on entitlement programs due to immigration.
Friday, March 31st Quicktime WMV
U.S. Congressman Tom Tancredo and Steve Moore of the Wall Street Journal join host Jon Caldara to discuss national security and economics issues as they pertain to immigration.
Friday, March 24th Quicktime WMV
How has K-12 education changed over time? Tune into Independent Thinking for one-on-one conversation with host Jon Caldara and Chester Finn, President of the Fordham Foundation, as they reflect upon education both past and present.
Friday, March 17th Quicktime WMV
If a $250 million projected budget shortfall is a "crisis" in Colorado then how should we label PERA’s $11.5 billion shortfall? Join host Jon Caldara and Christine Burtt from Americans for Prosperity for a discussion on the various options for PERA reform.
Friday, March 10th Quicktime WMV
Juvenile Justice: Should violent teenagers be locked up for life? Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey and Paul Rosenthal of the Pendulum Foundation debate what Colorado should do with its violent juvenile offenders.
Friday, March 3rd
Meet the new President? Virginia Senator George Allen joins me for a special one-on-one interview.
Friday, February 24th Quicktime WMV
How safe are Colorado’s public schools? Parents reply upon the School Accountability Reports to tell them but those reports may not be reliable. This week on Independent Thinking, George Mumma a Juvenile Crime Investigator with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office and II Education Policy Center Director Pam Benigno discuss school safety.
Friday, February 17th
It continues to be "open season" on smokers. Imagine the outcry if the state treated other groups the way it’s about to treat smokers and the businesses that want to serve them. This week on Independent Thinking, Chuck Ford of the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association and State Representative Gary Lindstrom debate Colorado’s pending ban on smoking.
February 10th
Why can’t politicians in Washington, D.C. stop their compulsive spending? Some in Congress are trying to do something about it. This week on Independent Thinking Congressman Mark Udall joins host Jon Caldara for an honest discussion about federal spending and what can be done to control it.
February 3rd
So how secure are your property rights in Colorado? In light of the recent Supreme Court decision in the Kelo v. City of New London, Connecticut the answer is not very! This week on Independent Thinking join host Jon Caldara for a special one-on-one interview with Institute for Justice attorney Dana Berliner who was part the team that represented Suzette Kelo.
January 27th
Back in October the Rocky Mountain News reported and the Governor’s office agreed, "Colorado’s prison officials are looking at releasing inmates early, triple-bunking them or slashing mental health and other programs if Referendum C fails." Ref C passed, yet Colorado still faces a prison spending meltdown. This week on Independent Thinking join host Jon Caldara and guests Mike Krause, II’s Director of the Justice Policy Initiative, and Christie Donner, Director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition, as they discuss solutions to a problem that no one wants to address: how to fund Colorado’s growing prison population.
Friday, January 20th
The Dover area school board in Pennsylvania has rescinded its curriculum of intelligent design. Is it truly a science or just creationism repackaged? Robert Tiernan of the Freedom from Religion Foundation and high school science teacher Steve Owens to debate the issue.
Friday, January 13th
Did a smoking ban in Pueblo result in fewer heart attacks? According to some health experts, the answer is yes. Tune into Independent Thinking for a debate on the merits of the study between cardiologist Dr. Mori Krantz and II’s Health Care Policy Center Director Dr. Linda Gorman.
Friday, January 6th
The Dover area school board in Pennsylvania has rescinded its curriculum of intelligent design. Is it truly a science or just creationism repackaged? Robert Tiernan of the Freedom from Religion Foundation and high school science teacher Steve Owens to debate the issue.