On this Monday, July 10, 2023 broadcast, Kim Monson examines the challenges of working across party lines in today’s divided political landscape. Former Ambassador Francis Rooney discusses the dysfunction in Congress and the growing threats from national debt and liberal education policies, while finance professor Kurt Gerwitz explores capitalism, property rights, and the concerning trend of indigenous land acknowledgments in universities.

Start listening at 60:05 – Hour 2

Kurt Gerwitz, finance professor at Regis University, provides a masterclass on understanding capitalism and national debt. He explains that a dollar is fundamentally a storage of value, representing the exchange of goods and services in a free market. The difference between capitalism and cronyism is crucial: cronyism occurs when business and government collude, using force rather than voluntary exchange.

Gerwitz puts the national debt in perspective using vivid examples. One million seconds equals 12 days. One billion seconds equals 31 years. One trillion seconds equals 31,000 years. With national debt exceeding GDP, the math is terrifying. Since 1960, debt as a percentage of GDP has grown from 53% to over 120% today. The most likely outcome, Gerwitz warns, is inflation that will steal years from Americans’ retirements.

“Tell me how the incentives are, and I’ll tell you what the outcomes are going to be.”

Kurt Gerwitz, Finance Professor, Regis University

Start listening at 30:11 – Hour 1

Francis Rooney, former Ambassador to the Holy See and Florida Congressman, breaks down why slim majorities in both the House and Senate make tackling serious problems nearly impossible. The incessant quest for votes and money, he explains, makes Congress timid on hard problems like China, immigration reform, and education reform. Real legislative progress requires building coalitions, but the current environment rewards messaging bills over substantive policy.

Rooney points to Secretary Yellen bowing to Chinese officials as emblematic of a broader weakness in American foreign policy. The Biden administration’s relaxation of supply chain restrictions on China to satisfy domestic manufacturers echoes Lenin’s warning about capitalists selling the rope that will hang them. Meanwhile, education has been captured by liberal ideology from college down to grade school.

“I think a couple of generations of liberal educators, particularly at the college level, but now down into the grade school level, and in partnership with the teachers’ unions, have gotten us here.”

Francis Rooney, Former Ambassador to the Holy See

On July 7, 2023, Kim Monson celebrates Independence Day week by examining the ideological battle for America’s soul. Denver Seminary philosopher Doug Groothuis dissects critical race theory’s assault on American founding principles, while banker and economist Jay Davidson makes the moral case for capitalism and individual property rights.

Start listening at 00:00 – Hour 1

Doug Groothuis, professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary and author of 18 books, returns to discuss his book “Fire in the Streets: How You Can Confidently Respond to Incendiary Culture Topics.” Written in response to the 2020 riots, the book confronts critical race theory as a neo-Marxist ideology that views all societal problems through the lens of race and group identity rather than individual character.

Groothuis explains how critical race theory fundamentally contradicts the American creed found in the Declaration of Independence. Where the Founders declared that all men are created equal with inalienable rights from God, critical race theory posits that America is irredeemably racist and must be torn down completely. The professor outlines eight elements of what he calls the American creed, including consent of the governed, separation of powers, religious and political freedom, and upward mobility through individual initiative.

The conversation addresses common misconceptions, including the misrepresentation of the Constitution’s three-fifths clause. Groothuis clarifies that this compromise actually limited Southern representation in Congress rather than declaring any human being as three-fifths of a person. He advocates for charter schools, homeschooling, and private education as alternatives to public schools dominated by ideological indoctrination.

“But simply being a person of color doesn’t make you an expert on the three-fifths clause or on American history, or what American ideals are, or what would actually advance people overall.”

Doug Groothuis, Professor of Philosophy, Denver Seminary

Start listening at 57:00 – Hour 2

Jay Davidson, CEO and founder of First American State Bank, argues that America’s founding rests on a unique principle: the sanctity of the individual and the inalienable right to own property. He traces this philosophy directly to the Declaration of Independence, noting that these rights come from the Creator rather than any government or law.

Davidson presents capitalism as the natural outgrowth of freedom, explaining that fair trade occurs when a willing buyer and willing seller agree on a transaction without outside coercion. He challenges the left’s characterization of profit as greed, arguing instead that profit represents value created beyond subsistence and enables families to protect themselves from life’s uncertainties.

The banker warns against the progressive vision that began with Woodrow Wilson over 100 years ago, which holds that individuals lack the intellectual capacity to manage their own lives and need government bureaucrats to guide them. Davidson distinguishes between fascism and communism, noting that both represent systems of control antithetical to individual liberty. He calls for Americans across the political spectrum to unite around constitutional principles rather than allowing divisive politicians to fracture the republic.

“And to me, that principle is the sanctity of the individual, the rights of the individual not to be overpowered and controlled by a greater entity, a more powerful entity.”

Jay Davidson, CEO, First American State Bank

In this special Independence Day week broadcast, Kim Monson explores the cultural battle between progressive ideology and traditional American values. Noelle Mering, fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and author of ‘Awake, Not Woke,’ analyzes how woke ideology has captured institutions from churches to schools. Producer Luke Cashman provides a 25-year-old’s perspective on the American founding and the proper role of government.

Start listening at 1:51 – Hour 1

Noelle Mering breaks down how woke ideology has strategically captured American institutions over decades. The author and Ethics and Public Policy Center fellow explains that while the movement appears to have exploded onto the scene recently, it represents a deliberate “war of position” targeting churches, Hollywood, academia, K-12 education, politics, media, and the courts.

Mering identifies how the movement manipulates Christians by appealing to genuine tenets like compassion and walking with the marginalized, then redirecting those instincts toward ideological ends contrary to the Gospel. She traces the roots to 1960s feminism, which promoted far more radical ideas than average supporters realized, including the systematic undermining of masculinity and family structure.

The discussion turns to California legislation targeting parental rights, where bills would allow children to be removed from parents who refuse to affirm gender transition. Mering warns that schools are being used as “training factories to create a new sort of army of revolutionaries” and that transgender story hours in libraries and schools serve a deliberate ideological purpose rooted in queer theory.

“The movement doesn’t actually want mutual tolerance. It wants to actually now exert power.”

Noelle Mering, Fellow at Ethics and Public Policy Center

Start listening at 15:43 – Hour 1

Mering offers practical advice for those feeling silenced by workplace diversity initiatives. The ideology gains power through three mechanisms: appealing to pity, appealing to fear, and ultimately force. She encourages workers to find like-minded colleagues and band together, noting that “silence begets silence and courage begets courage.”

The conversation examines the Bud Light and Target boycotts as examples of effective targeted resistance. Mering observes that many corporate leaders are not true ideologues but are coerced by ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scoring that threatens their lines of credit. She explains how the woke movement makes a virtue out of transgression, pushing boundaries continuously because what is transgressive today becomes boring tomorrow.

“Silence begets silence and courage begets courage. So I would just encourage people to really start stepping outside their comfort zone and trying to stop this.”

Noelle Mering, Author of ‘Awake, Not Woke’

Start listening at 32:07 – Hour 1

Mering describes her Theology of Home project, founded with author Carrie Grass to present a positive vision of the good life. The project counters progressive narratives through image-based content, coffee table books with substantial writing, and a blog covering everything from recipes to cultural commentary.

The movement targets home and family because they are “deeply humanizing influences” that create stable individuals resistant to ideological control. Theology of Home reminds people that caring for children and prioritizing family are genuinely good pursuits, not oppressive burdens. Mering advises young people, especially millennials, to prioritize marriage and family rather than delaying these fundamental human goods for career advancement.

Start listening at 59:39 – Hour 2

Luke Cashman, Crawford Broadcasting producer, offers a generational perspective on how young Americans view their country. He describes attending a California university graduation where administration delivered a “formal land recognition” apologizing for occupying Native American territory, illustrating how anti-American sentiment has become mainstream in academia.

Cashman clarifies that many young people who criticize America remain patriotic in their own way, believing they serve their country by examining and correcting its flaws rather than ignoring them. He notes the pattern of pendulum swings between patriotic and anti-patriotic sentiment throughout American history, from Vietnam to the present.

“I don’t think America is, you know, the global savior of the world and we know and do everything right. But I definitely don’t think we’re this boogeyman villain.”

Luke Cashman, Producer at Crawford Broadcasting

Start listening at 86:11 – Hour 2

Cashman and Monson engage in a spirited debate about government’s proper role. Cashman argues that if taxpayers pay into the system, they should receive services in return, including both roads for drivers and public transportation for those without cars. He believes the government should provide options that allow everyone to exercise freedom of mobility.

Monson counters with the story of encountering a bear in her suburban neighborhood and calling authorities, only to be told to “just ignore it” and call back if attacked. This illustrates her concern that government cannot care for citizens the way they can care for themselves. She returns to the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, emphasizing that America’s founding documents established government to protect individual rights, not to provide comprehensive services.

“I think government inherently exists to provide for its people. Otherwise, you are paying into a system and receiving no benefit, and that’s slavery.”

Luke Cashman, Producer at Crawford Broadcasting

On this Independence Day week broadcast, Kim Monson welcomes author Tara Ross to discuss her children’s book on the American Revolution, and farmer-rancher Trent Loos to explore property rights and the duties of citizenship. Both conversations center on preserving and passing down the American idea of liberty to future generations.

Start listening at 3:00 – Hour 1

Tara Ross, whose Prager University video on the Electoral College has garnered 66 million views, explains why she wrote “We Fought for Freedom: The Story of Our American Revolution” as a children’s book. Ross designed the book with double-page spreads covering key moments from the Stamp Act to Yorktown, allowing parents to read it chapter by chapter with their children while providing deeper historical context in “Fun Fact Corners” for older readers.

Ross emphasizes that the Founders were students of history who created a unique blend of democracy, republicanism, and federalism to protect individual liberty. She discusses how bureaucracies have accumulated power through legislative delegation, creating what amounts to a fourth branch of government unaccountable to voters. During COVID, Ross notes, executives at all levels claimed powers never delegated to them, highlighting the urgent need for civic education.

“Every generation of Americans has done one more thing to kind of take the baton, pass it to the next generation. I ran my leg of the race. You run yours.”

Tara Ross, Author

Start listening at 34:00 – Hour 1

Ross reveals that George Washington, often portrayed as stoic and unemotional, actually struggled with a terrible temper throughout his life. His success in controlling his passions through discipline made him appear composed, but the struggle was real. Washington relinquished power three times, an extraordinary departure from human nature that set America on its unique path.

The conversation touches on lesser-known Revolutionary War events including Henry Knox’s remarkable transport of captured cannon from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, and the fog that providentially covered Washington’s retreat across the East River from Long Island. Ross and Monson discuss how many Americans at the time, including Washington himself, attributed such events to divine providence protecting the new nation.

“The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the Republican model of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finely, staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people.”

George Washington

Start listening at 59:00 – Hour 2

Trent Loos, a sixth-generation farmer and rancher who has traveled to four continents discussing agriculture, warns that property rights are under attack through escalating property taxes. He shares that his own property tax has increased 240% since 2008, threatening the viability of family farms and ranches. Loos recounts his work with the All-American Beef Battalion, which has fed 500,000 troops including 5,000 in a single day at Fort Carson.

Loos introduces the story of President Martin Van Buren, who grew up working in his father’s tavern frequented by Founding Fathers. Van Buren eventually left the Democratic Party he helped create when it became focused on taxation, and later helped found the Republican Party. The conversation explores how the shift from land patents to warranty deeds after World War II opened the door to property taxation that the Founders would have considered unconstitutional.

“There is no doubt in my mind we can reclaim our country, and we try to do it at the local level. We don’t start fixating on what’s happening in Washington, D.C.”

Trent Loos, Farmer and Rancher

Start listening at 90:00 – Hour 2

Both guests emphasize the importance of being “dutiful citizens” who understand and defend constitutional principles. Loos argues that political correctness has caused Americans to self-censor, serving the same purpose as government censorship. He notes that the only people offended by truth are those who feel guilty about what is being said.

The conversation concludes with a call to action at the local level, focusing on city councils, county commissions, and school boards. Monson quotes Thomas Paine: “I prefer peace, but if trouble must come, let it come in my time so that my children can live in peace.” Both agree that each generation must step forward to preserve the American experiment in self-government.

On this Independence Day broadcast, Kim Monson explores the profound meaning behind July 4th with two distinguished guests. Scott Powell, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, examines the Declaration of Independence and the principles that made America exceptional. In hour two, 94-year-old Lt. Colonel Bill Rutledge shares the remarkable story of George Washington’s military leadership and the divine providence that protected the father of our country.

Start listening at 1:42 – Hour 1

Scott Powell reminds listeners that when the 56 members of the Continental Congress put pen to parchment on July 4, 1776, every signatory knew they were placing a death warrant on their own heads. As Powell explains, America was first in human history to establish a free constitutional republic based on two revolutionary principles: that government must protect God-given rights, and that governmental legitimacy resides exclusively in the people who elect their leaders.

Powell draws attention to the distinction between pure democracy and a constitutional republic. The founders understood that democracy alone would inevitably devolve into mob rule and tyranny of the majority. Their solution was a carefully designed system of checks and balances rooted in their deep understanding of political philosophy and Christian principles. Ninety-five percent of the Founding Fathers were practicing Christians who believed in the triune God.

The discussion turns to Benjamin Franklin, often mistakenly labeled a deist. Powell notes that when the Constitutional Convention deadlocked over disputes between large and small states, it was Franklin who called the delegates to prayer, proving he was no deist who believed God had abandoned creation. The founders understood that their cause required divine assistance.

“America was first in human history to establish a free and independent constitutional republic based on two political and moral principles.”

Scott Powell, Senior Fellow, Discovery Institute

Start listening at 59:28 – Hour 2

Bill Rutledge, a retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel at 94 years of age, shares his deep knowledge of George Washington’s early military career. Washington’s journey to becoming commander of the Continental Army began with three expeditions to the Ohio Valley as a young Virginia militia officer during the French and Indian War. At just 20 years old, Washington was already a captain, and by 21 he held the rank of major.

Rutledge recounts Washington’s harrowing experiences that convinced him of divine providence. During battles in the French and Indian War, Washington should have been killed numerous times, yet emerged unscathed while bullets pierced his coat and hat. Washington later attributed his survival to divine protection, a belief that would sustain him through six years of commanding the Continental Army against the world’s most powerful military.

The conversation covers Washington’s brilliant strategic retreats from New York, the famous crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night 1776, and the surprise victories at Trenton and Princeton that revived the patriot cause. Despite losing more battles than he won, Washington never lost faith in the righteousness of their cause, demonstrating the extraordinary leadership that made American independence possible.

“This was the first situation in which George survived, where he should have been killed, where he made a statement later in life that it was divine providence that had protected him.”

Bill Rutledge, Lt. Colonel, USAF (Ret.)