Protecting Constitutional Liberties and Securing the Power Grid

Constitution Day weekend took center stage on Friday, September 15, 2023, as Kim Monson welcomed guests exploring both the foundations of American liberty and modern threats to critical infrastructure. Colorado GOP Secretary Anna Ferguson explained the upcoming primary opt-out vote, author Scott Powell traced the miraculous origins of our Constitution, and Save Our Grid founders Tina Francone and Tonya Van Beber sounded the alarm on the nation’s vulnerable electrical grid.

The Miraculous Story Behind Constitution Day

Start listening at 31:58 – Hour 1

Scott Powell, author of Rediscovering America: How the National Holidays Tell an Amazing Story About Who We Are and senior fellow at Discovery Institute, traced the dual miracles that birthed the American republic. Powell described how the ragtag Continental Army defeated the world’s greatest military power against impossible odds, then achieved the seemingly impossible task of uniting disparate colonies under a single constitutional framework.

Powell highlighted the Bill of Rights as America’s unique contribution to governance, noting that no other nation grants its citizens such fundamental protections. He warned that the federal government has systematically encroached on states’ rights and individual liberties, pointing to border chaos, crime waves, energy dependence, and media censorship as symptoms of constitutional erosion. Powell also updated listeners on the Defend Arlington effort to preserve the reconciliation monument at Arlington National Cemetery, where less than 1% of survey respondents supported its removal.

“the Bill of Rights makes the people in charge of our country”

Scott Powell, Author and Discovery Institute Fellow

Reclaiming Republican Primaries from State Control

Start listening at 20:30 – Hour 1

Anna Ferguson, Colorado GOP Secretary, broke down the state party’s plan to opt out of Colorado’s open primary system. Ferguson explained that under the proposal, the GOP would take complete control of the primary process, removing Secretary of State Jenna Griswold from ballot distribution and eliminating Dominion machines from vote counting. The state party would mail ballots directly to registered Republicans, who could return them electronically, by mail, or at designated drop-off locations.

Ferguson emphasized that the opt-out would save taxpayer money while ensuring that Republicans, not unaffiliated voters, select GOP candidates. The critical vote requiring 75% approval is scheduled for September 30th at the Rock Church in Castle Rock. Despite pushback from some quarters, Ferguson noted that opposition largely comes from those profiting from the current petition-gathering system.

“We’re taking over the whole process and completely removing partisan hacks like Jenna Griswold from having a part in it. So instead of her mailing out the ballots, the state GOP is going to do it.”

Anna Ferguson, Colorado GOP Secretary

America’s Fragile Electrical Grid Faces Catastrophic Threats

Start listening at 73:06 – Hour 2

Tina Francone, former Jefferson County Commissioner and RTD Director, joined forces with former State Representative Tonya Van Beber to unveil Save Our Grid, a grassroots initiative to protect America’s electrical infrastructure. Francone warned that catastrophic failure of the power grid would leave citizens without government rescue, with the most vulnerable populations facing deadly consequences within days of an extended outage.

Van Beber recounted her efforts to pass the Colorado Critical Infrastructure Resiliency Initiative, explaining that she ultimately pulled the bill to prevent green energy amendments from sabotaging its core mission. The former legislator emphasized that studies estimate grid hardening could cost as little as $4 billion nationally, a fraction of federal spending on other priorities. Both guests pointed to the Save Our Grid website’s real-time outage map as evidence of current vulnerabilities, noting that Adams County alone had over 2,200 residents without power during the broadcast.

“When you’re talking about our very fragile electrical infrastructure, there’s nobody going to be coming to save you if this grid goes down. A failure of our power grid will be catastrophic, and people are going to lose their lives.”

Tina Francone, Former Jefferson County Commissioner

“An extended outage would be absolutely devastating. It would be deadly.”

Tonya Van Beber, Former Colorado State Representative