Liberty Toastmasters Members Sound Off on Colorado Primary Results and Supreme Court Decisions

On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, Kim Monson welcomes Liberty Toastmasters members to discuss the previous night’s Colorado primary election results, recent Supreme Court decisions including Dobbs v. Jackson, and grassroots ballot initiatives. In-studio guests Annette Bybee and Carol Baker join phone guests Terri Goon, Jeffrey Reeves, Greg Morrissey, Anthony Hartsook, and Rick Rome for wide-ranging political commentary.

Primary Election Analysis and Supreme Court Victories

Start listening at 28:20 – Hour 1

Terri Goon from Liberty Toastmasters North breaks down the Colorado primary results, noting that establishment candidates largely prevailed despite millions spent by Democrats attempting to boost less electable Republican candidates. She also highlights the vandalism of a pregnancy resource center in Longmont that made international news, questioning why groups claiming to support choice would attack organizations that help women choose life.

“The millions that the Democrats spent to boost what everybody is deeming the less electable, and I’m not so sure that’s correct, but everybody’s deeming the ones that were less electable. And they spent millions in this state, and it failed for them.”

Terri Goon, Liberty Toastmasters North

Constitutional Principles and the Abortion Debate

Start listening at 31:45 – Hour 1

Jeffrey Reeves draws parallels between the Founding Fathers’ compromise on slavery and today’s abortion debate. As a history major, he argues that while he personally believes life begins at conception based on science, conservatives must be willing to engage in dialogue rather than simply screaming at opponents. He emphasizes that taking uncompromising positions without engaging the other side mirrors the tactics conservatives criticize.

“If we don’t take that kind of position, that kind of a stand relative to abortion, as conservatives, republicans, libertarians, if we don’t allow compromise on that, all we get is screaming at each other.”

Jeffrey Reeves, Liberty Toastmasters Denver

Peace Through Diplomacy and Voting Patterns

Start listening at 32:40 – Hour 1

Greg Morrissey celebrates the Dobbs decision as a victory for the sanctity of life while also calling for peace talks with Russia over the Ukraine conflict. He encourages listeners to contact the White House to urge diplomatic solutions, warning that escalation could have catastrophic consequences. His comments reflect the diverse perspectives within the Liberty Toastmasters community on both domestic and foreign policy.

“I’ve even contacted our current president and asked him to have peace talks with president Putin, because I see things escalating there. If they escalate, that could be really bad and get really bad really fast.”

Greg Morrissey, Liberty Toastmasters North

State Representative Victory and American Opportunity

Start listening at 35:00 – Hour 1

Anthony Hartsook, fresh off winning the Republican primary for State Representative District 44 in Douglas County with 63% of the vote, reflects on America as the land of opportunity. The 26-year Army veteran emphasizes that with great opportunity comes great responsibility, urging citizens to seek understanding before demanding to be understood. He calls for celebrating freedoms this Independence Day weekend while working to bring people up rather than tear them down.

“With great opportunity and achievement also comes great responsibility, and as people step up, we can see the greatness of people and what they do, not just in big things, but the little things they do to their friends, their neighbors.”

Anthony Hartsook, State Representative Candidate

Finding Your Voice Through Toastmasters

Start listening at 40:00 – Hour 1

Rick Rome, outgoing president of Liberty Toastmasters Denver, celebrates the Supreme Court’s public prayer victory for a high school football coach and the Dobbs decision as wins for the First and Tenth Amendments respectively. He credits Brad Beck’s founding of the Liberty Toastmasters clubs with helping people like himself find their voice and gain confidence to become community leaders, even when members disagree on specific issues.

“It gave me the confidence to try things that I had never thought were possible in my life. It gave me the confidence to be a leader in my community, to step up and get involved in the causes that I believe in.”

Rick Rome, Liberty Toastmasters Denver

Equal Protection Ballot Initiative for Children

Start listening at 61:10 – Hour 2

Angela Eicher, a physical therapist leading the Equal Protection for All Children ballot initiative, explains the measure would protect children from conception through age 18 from discrimination based on age or developmental stage. With 250 volunteers and a goal of 125,000 signatures by August 8th, she notes the initiative responds to Colorado’s HB22-1279 which legalized abortion up to birth. She describes a troubling legal case in Nunn already testing the new law’s ambiguities.

“We see development as a continuum. Children go through the embryonic stage of development, the fetal stage of development, infanthood, toddlerhood. We see it as just a continuing developing child.”

Angela Eicher, Equal Protection for All Children Initiative

Third Party Challenge to Two-Party System

Start listening at 88:20 – Hour 2

Danielle Neuschwanger, American Constitution Party candidate for governor, argues the primary results were predictable based on historical patterns and unaffiliated voter participation. She contends that petitioned candidates typically win and that the two-party system has become a uniparty. Citing George Washington’s farewell address warning about political parties, she maintains third-party candidates offer the only path to genuinely drain the swamp and fight corruption.

“We have been so brainwashed and indoctrinated into that we have to vote for a two-party system, that we have to vote for the lesser of two evils. And that’s not upholding your civic duty.”

Danielle Neuschwanger, American Constitution Party