The Get More Smarter Podcast - A Weekly Show About Colorado Politics

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On this episode of the Get More Smarter Podcast, "Baby of the Show" Sam Silverii made quite a bit of news as his mom had to schlep him across the country just to be able to do her job forcing House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to scramble to lock down all their votes on the worst budget resolution we’ve seen in our lifetimes. Town Halls are back, and they’re making the 2017 set look like cute little coffee clutches. Donald Trump, Elon Musk and JD Vance are destroying the country and possibly the world, and it looks like people are quickly taking notice. And we take a look at how 2026 campaigns in Colorado are starting to take shape.

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This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, it’s 2025, so why does it feel like 1861? At least one of us is coming to you live on tape from our Nation’s Capitol where a very different kind of storming of the Capitol is happening on this election certification day, and in case you’re just waking up from a coma, yes, the American voters in their infinite wisdom elected Donald Trump president again, for reasons we are still unclear on.
Then, we discuss who the real President of the United States is going to be in a few weeks, and why having the richest man in the world handpick the leader of white nationalist parties across the globe is a pretty concerning development. And, even though the Democratic Primary for Colorado’s statewide offices is over 17 months away, we’ve got TWO candidates for two of the state’s top spots that have already announced, one with a minor conflict of interest to disclose for the pod! Finally, we check in with soon-to-be-one-term Congressman Gabe-ish Evans as he bombs his first interview after being sworn in to a seat he’s just keeping warm for the 2026 Democratic Nominee; no need to get any books on those shelves because you’ll be moving back home before you know it.

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This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, new polling shows Americans are already sick of Trump 2.0; will shutting down FiveThirtyEight so nobody can get a good polling average help or hurt the 45th and 47th president and his flagging ratings?

The White House is controlled by Republicans. The senate is controlled by Republicans. The House of Representatives is controlled by Republicans. The New York Times asks, 'Why won’t Democrats stop the government shutdown?' Next, there is some real pain in store for the constituents of our favorite bread sandwich from Colorado’s 3rd congressional district; will Rep. Jeff Hurd stand with the tens of thousands of people in his district who have healthcare because of Medicaid expansion, or will he side with Elon Musk and Donald Trump to kick them off their insurance and doom their rural hospitals to bankruptcy? Finally we check in with the most anti-family political party in the country, the Colorado GOP.

But first...he was the first officially announced candidate for Colorado Attorney General! He's also the Boulder County District Attorney, and a former deli worker otherwise known as Colorado’s Harvey Dent (but with just the one face). Michael Dougherty joins us to talk about his campaign to be the state’s top cop in 2026.

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This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, there’s an impeachment trial in the Senate — or is it OF the Senate (1:08), the New York Times tries to find Cory Gardner (13:33), we try to explain the greater meaning of the departure of a Denver Post conservative columnist (44:49), and we interview journalist Madeline Schmidt about her national reporting on Colorado’s unique abortion laws (22:10).
Read Madeleine's article on Jezebel:

• The Desperate Trail to Safe-Haven Abortions in Colorado (Madeleine Schmidt, Jezebel, 1/6/20)

Follow Madeleine on Twitter: @ByMaddieSchmidt
Read Madeleine on the Colorado Times Recorder: https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/
Other Articles

• The White House doubles down on its dumbest impeachment defense (Paul Waldman, Washington Post, 1/20/20)
• Where Is Cory Gardner? (Elaina Plott, New York Times, 1/19/20)
• Steve Staeger Greets Cory Gardner at DIA (9News, Twitter, 1/16/20)
• Canceled: Jon Caldara (ColoradoPols, 1/20/20)
• Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren Are Democrats' Best Choices for President (NYTimes Editorial Board, New York Times, 1/19/20)
• More pizza, fewer vegetables: Trump administration further undercuts Obama school-lunch rules (Laura Reiley, Washington Post, 1/17/20)
• 'You're a bunch of dopes and babies': Inside Trump's stunning tirade against generals (Carol D. Loennig and Philip Rucker, Washington Post, 1/17/20)

Finally, congratulations to Ian and Sen. Brittany Pettersen on the birth of their first child, Davis James Silverii.

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This week, national Republicans continue to attempt to warp the reality of the deadly attack on the capitol on January 6th by Trump supporters to somehow blame Nancy Pelosi; we determine if they’re the worst people on the planet, or in the galaxy; we are very mad about the fact that we’ll all have to start wearing masks everywhere again because a bunch of whiny crybabies are scared of needles like a bunch of third graders and pretend like they can’t breathe with a tiny piece of cloth over their dumb faces; we check in with the person who wins Worst Coloradan of the Year, every year, who also happens to be our 7th favorite congressperson from our great state; and we read you things we posted on the internet. Also, BEAVERS!

• A dry California creek bed looked like a wildfire risk. Then the beavers went to work (The Sacramento Bee, 7/2/21)

Hosts: Jason Bane | Ian Silverii
Producer: Ethan Black
Music: Breakmaster Cylinder
Intern: Taleen Sample
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