Stepping Back the Power of Government

On September 16, 2022, during Constitution Week, Kim Monson welcomed Allen Thomas to discuss his essay on constitutional principles and limited government, while Kane and Ashley of Task Force Freedom explained how parents can protect their children from school survey data mining, and Mary Alpers of Three Points Financial shared practical strategies for navigating inflation.

Constitutional Limits and Limited Government

Start listening at 1:47 – Hour 1

Allen Thomas argues that America’s founding fathers never sought to create a global superpower. Instead, they prioritized protecting individual liberty above all else. Thomas explains that when the founders defeated Great Britain, they could have mimicked the British Empire model, but chose a different path entirely. They drew from ancient republics, English common law, and Enlightenment philosophy to create something unprecedented: a government designed to limit its own power.

Thomas emphasizes that progressivism represents a fundamental departure from founding principles. While the founders dispersed power to protect against tyranny, progressives concentrate power in expert bureaucracies that bypass constitutional checks and balances. The result, Thomas argues, is an erosion of civic education that leaves citizens unable to understand why limited government matters.

“Every time you shoot for power, human atrocities follow.”

Allen Thomas, Essayist and Constitutional Advocate

Protecting Children from School Data Mining

Start listening at 17:02 – Hour 1

Kane, founder of Task Force Freedom, sounds the alarm on school surveys that track children from kindergarten through 12th grade. These surveys, he explains, are data mining operations used to justify critical race theory, social-emotional learning, and transgender ideology in schools. Task Force Freedom has partnered with Courage is a Habit to provide parents with legally-backed opt-out forms.

Kane calls on fathers, uncles, and grandfathers to step up and protect children from what he describes as government schools that have turned corrupt. He notes that 95 percent of Task Force Freedom volunteers are women and urges men to stand alongside them in this fight.

“It is shocking to me how the government is telling parents, you’re not in charge. We get to do whatever we want to do to your child.”

Kane, Founder, Task Force Freedom

Parent Rights and Federal Protections

Start listening at 18:57 – Hour 1

Ashley, Task Force Freedom’s opt-out coordinator, describes school surveys as the bloodline to critical race theory implementation. Third-party companies conduct these surveys, she explains, then manipulate the data to justify introducing ideological content into curricula. Schools are administering these surveys to students as young as kindergarten.

Ashley walks parents through the opt-out process: download the form from Courage is a Habit, submit it via certified email to board members, the superintendent, and school principal. When schools resist, parents can invoke the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), a federal law protecting parental rights regarding surveys and instructional materials.

“You need to stand up for your kids, even if you don’t have kids in the district.”

Ashley, Opt-Out Coordinator, Task Force Freedom

Navigating Inflation with Long-Term Thinking

Start listening at 1:01:10 – Hour 2

Mary Alpers of Three Points Financial acknowledges that inflation is affecting everyone regardless of income level, with food prices up over 13 percent. She offers practical short-term strategies: buy generic products, use coupons from sites like CouponCabin.com, purchase in bulk at big box stores, and plan meals to reduce waste.

For long-term financial health, Alpers urges listeners to continue retirement savings even during difficult times. Roth IRAs still grow tax-free, and I-bonds currently offer 9.62 percent returns guaranteed for six months. She warns against get-rich-quick schemes that prey on people feeling desperate and emphasizes the importance of maintaining balance and seeking professional advice.

“Time waits for no one and we want to be prepared, and part of that takes courage.”

Mary Alpers, Co-Owner, Three Points Financial