Smart Meters and the Push for Energy Control

On this July 17, 2023 broadcast, Kim Monson examines two critical threats to American liberty: the divisive identity politics tearing at our social fabric and the growing government control over our energy choices. Author Michael Brandow brings satirical wit to the conversation about race relations, while Larry Behrens of Power the Future exposes the true purpose behind smart meter mandates.

Satirizing Race Relations in Modern America

Start listening at 30:00 – Hour 1

Michael Brandow, author of “What’s the Problem Now? Black Grievances and White Guilt,” takes aim at both white woke elites and Black Lives Matter with equal satirical force. The New York-based dog walker and social commentator explains how the George Floyd protests of 2020 unleashed a new wave of anti-white hostility on the streets of Greenwich Village, where he has lived for 41 years.

Brandow argues that modern identity politics reduces individuals to group stereotypes, undermining the foundational American principle that all men are created equal. He calls out the left’s language manipulation, noting that “people of color” is simply “colored people” with a preposition added. His book examines everything from ghetto fashion trends to the Supreme Court’s recent affirmative action ruling.

The conversation touches on the failure of urban public schools, where literacy rates have plummeted. Brandow connects this educational collapse to the broader grievance culture that discourages personal responsibility and celebrates victimhood.

“My favorite white targets are the wokies, the white privileged elite wokies who are always pointing the finger at me for being so white. They say, you’re acting so white, you’re thinking so white. And you don’t have this special relationship that I have with black people.”

Michael Brandow, Author

Smart Meters: A Trojan Horse for Energy Control

Start listening at 65:00 – Hour 2

Larry Behrens, Communications Director at Power the Future, exposes the true purpose behind Xcel Energy’s aggressive smart meter rollout in Colorado. The utility spent over $400 million installing these devices, costs passed directly to ratepayers, while offering an opt-out program that penalizes consumers with additional fees.

Behrens explains that smart meters enable time-of-use pricing that punishes consumers for using electricity during peak hours. The real goal is normalizing energy poverty, conditioning Americans to accept reduced comfort and higher costs. He draws parallels to New Mexico’s experience with air conditioner governors that remotely restricted cooling during high-demand periods.

The conversation reveals how utility monopolies work hand-in-hand with state regulators to advance a green agenda that undermines reliable, affordable energy. Behrens notes that Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission members are appointed by the governor, creating an accountability gap that shields radical policies from voter pushback.

“In a fair fight, no subsidies, no government intervention, no forced mandates, natural fuels, affordable, reliable, traditional energy will win every single time because it meets that quota of affordability and reliability. The intermittent, pricey nature of wind and sun power will never be able to beat it.”

Larry Behrens, Communications Director, Power the Future

Listener Response and Action Items

Start listening at 96:40 – Hour 2

Listeners called and texted with their own smart meter experiences. Wyatt from Wyoming shared that a 2005 federal law requires utilities to offer smart meters but does not mandate their installation. Kathleen from Boulder reported that opting out costs her $11 per month, a fee that could increase at the utility’s discretion.

Kim provided the Xcel Energy opt-out phone number (800-895-4999) and encouraged listeners to engage with their county commissioners and state utility regulators. As both conversations demonstrated, the forces pushing identity politics and energy control share a common trait: they require force because their ideas cannot win in the free market of ideas.