Constitutional Limits on Executive Power and Economic Freedom

On Thursday, February 13, 2025, Kim Monson examines the rapid pace of Trump administration executive actions with economist and banker Jay Davidson, exploring the constitutional implications of presidential power while celebrating the dismantling of wasteful federal spending.

Executive Power and Constitutional Boundaries

Start listening at 24:28 – Hour 1

Jay Davidson, founder and CEO of First American State Bank and a student of Austrian economics, offers a nuanced assessment of President Trump’s first three weeks in office. Davidson acknowledges that the administration’s actions have been remarkable in scope, describing them as a breath of fresh air after years of bureaucratic expansion. However, he cautions that the speed and method of these changes raise important constitutional questions about the proper role of executive power.

The conversation explores the design of America’s governmental structure, with Davidson explaining why the Founders deliberately made Congress slow. The bicameral legislature, with its House and Senate serving different terms and purposes, was designed to prevent hasty action and protect liberty through deliberation. While executive orders can reverse previous administration overreach, Davidson warns against becoming comfortable with rule by executive fiat, regardless of which party holds the presidency.

Davidson brings his expertise in free market economics to the discussion, connecting constitutional principles to economic freedom. As a proponent of the Austrian School of Economics, he emphasizes the importance of sound money, limited government, and the sanctity of individual rights. His community bank, First American State Bank, embodies these principles by providing personalized service that helps Main Street businesses pursue their hopes and dreams through capitalism’s voluntary exchange of value for value.

“And then when he got into office, what he did in the first three weeks literally absolutely blew my mind.”

Jay Davidson, Founder and CEO, First American State Bank

DOGE Cuts DEI Funding at Education Department

Start listening at 18:12 – Hour 1

Kim Monson reports on the Department of Government Efficiency’s termination of 89 Department of Education contracts totaling $881 million, with $101 million specifically earmarked for DEI training programs. These programs taught educators to help students interrogate complex histories of oppression and recognize areas of privilege rather than focusing on foundational skills like reading, writing, and arithmetic.

The host connects this federal spending to the broader agenda of the World Economic Forum and globalist elites, arguing that American tax dollars have been used to undercut the nation’s founding principles. She recommends the documentary at artclubmovie.com, which tells the story of a family who discovered their daughter’s after-school Art Club was actually an indoctrination event, as an example of how these ideologies infiltrate local schools.

Colorado Legislative Watch: Septic System Enterprise

Start listening at 9:29 – Hour 1

The Colorado Union of Taxpayers rates House Bill 25-1120, the Septic System Replacement Enterprise, as a no vote. Sponsored by Democrats Representative Leslie Smith and Senator Dylan Roberts, the bill creates a government-owned business that charges fees on septic system permits to fund loans for failing septic systems. Kim Monson explains this represents another attack on TABOR, circumventing taxpayer protections through enterprise fee structures that the Constitution never contemplated.