Federal Budget Restraint, Second Amendment Under Fire, and Colorado’s Family Leave Mandate

On December 12, 2022, Kim Monson examines critical battles over government spending, constitutional rights, and regulatory overreach with budget expert Paige Agostin from Center for Renewing America, Second Amendment advocate Karl Honegger fighting Broomfield’s gun restrictions, and HR consultant Roger Hays warning about Colorado’s new family leave mandate.

A Blueprint for Balancing the Federal Budget

Start listening at 17:40 – Hour 1

Paige Agostin presents a bold proposal from the Center for Renewing America that would balance the federal budget within ten years without cutting Social Security or Medicare benefits. The plan focuses on discretionary spending cuts totaling nine trillion dollars, targeting what Agostin calls “woke and weaponized” spending that works against American citizens. She highlights egregious examples including National Science Foundation grants funding DEI studies, FBI resources spent investigating parents at school board meetings, and public health bureaucracy funding gain-of-function research.

The budget proposal assumes 3% economic growth achievable through regulatory reform, energy expansion, and making permanent the Trump tax cuts. Agostin argues the Republican House majority should use this proposal as their starting point when federal spending authorization expires, shifting the debate from entitlements to objectionable discretionary programs.

“We’re actually saying, no, you can balance in 10 without touching Social Security or Medicare benefits. And you can do it by actually focusing the debate on the discretionary side, which is where you have the leverage because you vote on it every year through the appropriations process.”

Paige Agostin, Center for Renewing America

Broomfield’s Assault on Gun Rights

Start listening at 32:06 – Hour 1

Karl Honegger sounds the alarm on a sweeping gun control ordinance moving through the Broomfield City Council that would impose 10-day waiting periods, mandatory training requirements, and restrictions designed to put local firearms dealers out of business. The ordinance bans possession of rapid-fire trigger activators and so-called ghost guns, with penalties including up to 364 days in jail and $2,000 fines.

Honegger explains that existing concealed carry permit holders, who have already been fingerprinted and trained, would still face the new training requirements. Even military veterans with decades of firearms expertise would need additional training if their service ended more than ten years ago. He notes the timing is deliberate, with the final vote scheduled for January 10th when residents are busy with holidays, while Council Member William Lindstedt resigns that day to join the state legislature where similar restrictions could be pushed statewide.

At the December 1st public hearing, citizens opposing the ordinance outnumbered supporters four to one, yet council appears determined to proceed. Honegger reveals many supporters wearing Moms Demand Action shirts were from outside Broomfield and could not speak until after residents had their say.

“So they’re trying to make it harder to acquire firearms. They’re actually trying to put small dealers who, I’m talking about FFL dealers, where you would go to to purchase a firearm out of business in Broomfield because there’s so few exemptions.”

Karl Honegger, Liberty Scorecard Analyst

Colorado’s Family Leave Mandate Hits Employers

Start listening at 70:02 – Hour 2

Roger Hays, CEO of Passio HR, breaks down the massive new Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance program taking effect January 1, 2023. Every employer in the state, regardless of size, must participate in this mandatory payroll deduction program charging 0.9% of gross wages split between employer and employee.

Hays warns the program is vastly underpriced and predicts rate increases within the first year of benefit payouts beginning in 2024. Unlike traditional leave requests, employees file claims directly with the state rather than their employer. The state approves the leave and simply notifies the business that their worker will be absent for up to 12 weeks with guaranteed job protection. Employers have minimal ability to coordinate or plan for absences.

The program defines eligible family broadly enough that an employee could potentially take leave to care for a childhood babysitter they consider family. Combined with existing federal FMLA protections, employees could theoretically be absent for 24 weeks in a single year. For small businesses with fewer than ten employees, Hays explains how losing even one worker for an extended period creates severe operational challenges.

“And let’s be honest, if you have 11 of them, why wouldn’t you get rid of one of them so you drop down to 10? A lot of smaller companies are going to do, they’re going to look at that.”

Roger Hays, CEO of Passio HR