1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Broadcasting life in Denver, Colorado. You've tuned into the Weekend 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:04,480 Speaker 1: with Michael Brown. Happy to have you joining in the 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:08,800 Speaker 1: program today. Rules of engagement Text any question or comment 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 1: to this number on your message app three three one 5 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: zero three three three one zero three. Start your message 6 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: with one of two keywords, either Mike or Michael. Go 7 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: follow me on x at Michael Brown, ussay at Michael 8 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: Brown USA. For years now, ken you know, having dinner 9 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: with friends last night, bringson the story came up, and 10 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: then I went home last night and started digging around 11 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: trying to find out more information about it. But conservative 12 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: Californians have just been leaving the state in droves because 13 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: they went to escape all the radicals. Of course, the 14 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: social and economic policies of Governor Newsom, and all this 15 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: fellows socialists and Marxists in the California State Assembly. Likewise, 16 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: New York City elect Zoefram mom Donnie promising socialism for 17 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: the Big Apple. He's still out there talking about how 18 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: he wants to, you know, implement a rent freeze, which 19 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: we'll just destroy the rental market in New York. But 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: you know, residents of art considering moving out of New 21 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: York because they want to find a place where they 22 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: can actually afford to make a living. You ever thought 23 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,559 Speaker 1: about that phrase, they want to afford to make a living. 24 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: So across the country, Americans are voting with their feet 25 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: because they want to avoid politicians that don't represent their 26 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: core values over that matter, politicians who don't care about 27 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 1: their economic well being. But it's not only conservatives that 28 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: are picking up you hauls and heading into the heartland 29 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: in search of the American dream. And this is what 30 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: bugs me. Democrats in Republican states are putting up for 31 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: sale signs and moving to places where they can congregate 32 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: with their neighbors who share their worldview. At the beginning 33 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: of the program, I forget what the context was because 34 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 1: I've since moved on from the first hour. Texas is 35 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:10,839 Speaker 1: the holy grail for Democrats because with all of their 36 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: electoral votes, if they could turn Texas blue, then they 37 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: could own the presidency for the rest of our lifetimes. However, 38 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: what they're doing is when and I'll get into more 39 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: details in just a minute. They're picking up and they 40 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: may be moving, say from a rural part, maybe they're 41 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: moving from Amarillo, Texas out in the Pananda and instead 42 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: they're moving down to Dallas, Fort Worth or San Antonio, 43 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: or Waco or Austin or Harris County, Texas, which includes 44 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: all of Houston, and so they're turning those areas purple 45 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: and then blue. The same thing happened in color twenty 46 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 1: years ago. Three three leading Democrats, a big tech giant, 47 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: our current governor used to be a congressman, and a 48 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: heiss to a medical device fortune got together and created 49 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: what was called the Blueprint, and they used that blueprint 50 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 1: as their way. They were going to pretty much invade 51 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: the front range of Colorado. If you look at a 52 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 1: map of Colorado, many people think, for example, that Denver 53 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: is up in the mountains. Denver is not in the mountains. 54 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: The mountains are, I mean, they're close to us, but 55 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: we're pretty much flatlanders. If you've ever been to Calgary, Canada, 56 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: we're not quite as far away from the rocky mountains 57 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: as Calgary is, say, getting up into the bamf area, 58 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: but where you know. You get out to Golden Colorado, 59 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 1: a suburb of Denver, and you start heading up ice seventy, 60 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: you're in the mountains, but everything else is flatland. Same 61 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: as true if you're looking again looking at a map 62 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: of Colorado, say from Fort Collins down through Loveland, Longmont, Boulders, 63 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: up against the mountains, the People's Republic of Boulder, and 64 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: then Denver, Lakewood, Broomfield. I'm gonna leave out different places. 65 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: But then you get into Littleton, the Highlands, ranch into 66 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: the Castle Rock, get down into Colorado Springs. 67 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 2: That's the Front Range. 68 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: And it's called the Front Range because we're up against 69 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: the rocky mountains. That area has turned Colorado blue. Now 70 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: there's still pockets of blue. You get to some of 71 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: the hoity toy places like Aspen or Vale or tell 72 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:42,520 Speaker 1: your Ride, and they're definitely blue counties. But the rest 73 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,919 Speaker 1: of the state, just in terms of square miles, we 74 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: should be a red state. But the problem is most 75 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:55,679 Speaker 1: of the population is in the Front Range. All in all, though, 76 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: it's conservative leaning residents. Going back to the general topic, 77 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: it's conservative leaning residents who think that their quality of 78 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: life in these Democrats' strongholds is bad enough to break 79 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: ties with communities where sometimes they and their families have 80 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: lived for generations. The New York Times had a story 81 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: where they found that nine million more people moved from 82 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,119 Speaker 1: blue states to red states over the past twenty years 83 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: than the other way around. David Brooks, who is the 84 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: putity the so called conservative calumnists for the New York Times, 85 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: elaborates this way. He says that quote between twenty ten 86 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: and twenty twenty, the fastest growing states were mostly read 87 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 1: places like Texas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, and during 88 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: the pandemic that trend accelerated, and once again most of 89 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 1: the big population gaining states are governed by Republicans. If 90 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: you go back farther, you see decade after decade of 91 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:07,799 Speaker 1: myration toward the more conservative South. But they're not moving 92 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: in search of warmer weather or simply because they don't 93 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: like having a Democrat governor. It has to do with 94 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: what has I would say, over the past six weeks 95 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: has become the buzzword affordability. At dinner last night, I 96 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,120 Speaker 1: heard my wife say to a friend of hers that 97 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: she had bought chicken breast and they seemed to be 98 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: slightly less expensive. I wasn't really they were talking. The 99 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 1: girls were talking about something else, and I didn't hear 100 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: a lot about it, but I heard her say that 101 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: chicken breas seemed to be a little cheaper, and then 102 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: we got the gas and I said, well, gas, I 103 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: paid two dollars seventy seven cents a gallon for premium 104 00:06:56,400 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: unleaded just a few days ago, which shocked them because 105 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: they live in another suburb. And the cheapest they found 106 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: four was three sixteen. Prices for many things have come down, 107 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: and the rate of inflation is obviously dropped from the 108 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: highs of you know, twenty one percent down to a reasonable, 109 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: you know, what's pretty normal two percent, But we still 110 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: have an affordability problem because that increased inflation, particularly during COVID, 111 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: the Inflation Reduction Acts, and you know, all of those 112 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: trillions of dollars spent by some by Trump and mostly 113 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: by Biden established a new baseline. And that baseline means 114 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: that even though prices may have come down, and my 115 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: wife recognizes that chicken breast costs have come down, it's 116 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: only down from the newly established higher baseline. A few 117 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: years back, the American Enterprise Institute analyze data from the 118 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: Census Bureau trying to answer a question, are there any 119 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: significant differences between the top ten inbound and top ten 120 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: outbound states when they are compared on a variety of 121 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: measures of political party control, business climate, business and individual taxes, 122 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 1: fiscal health, electricity, housing costs, economic performance and outlook, and 123 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 1: labor market dynamisms dynamism. What did the aae AEI American 124 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: Enterprise Institute find out? That's next. I'll be right back. 125 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 1: Welcome back to the Weekend with Michael Brown. Glad to 126 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: have you with me. Do me a favor and subscribe 127 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: to the podcast. Would you do that for me? On 128 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: your podcast app? Search for the Situation with Michael Brown, 129 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,199 Speaker 1: The Situation with Michael Brown. Once you find that, get 130 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: that subscribe button, leave a five star review that helps 131 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: us spread out the podcast even further, and then that 132 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:09,439 Speaker 1: will automatically download the weekday program that I do Monday 133 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: through Friday here in Denver, plus the weekend program, so 134 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,439 Speaker 1: you'll get all six days of meet So what did 135 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 1: Who's movie where? 136 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 2: And why? 137 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: Well, here's what the American Enterprise Institute found. The evidence 138 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: suggests that Americans are moving from blue states that are 139 00:09:26,520 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: more economically stagnant, fiscally unhealthy states with higher tax burdens 140 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: and unfriendly business climates with higher energy and housing costs 141 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 1: and fewer economic and job opportunities from there too, to 142 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: fiscally sound red states that are more economically vibrant, dynamic, 143 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: and business friendly with lower tax and regulatory burdens, lower 144 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: energy and housing costs, and more economic and job opportunities. 145 00:09:56,280 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 2: Does it take a rocket scientist. 146 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: To figure out that what one of those two is 147 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 1: a good thing and one is a bad thing. Now, 148 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: before I get into more details about what this study shows, 149 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: I want you to stop for a moment and instead 150 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 1: just put the idea about who moves where and why 151 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:20,520 Speaker 1: aside for just a moment. 152 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 2: Can you do it? 153 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 1: Come on, come on, you guys can do this now. 154 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: I want you to think about this. The politicians like 155 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:33,840 Speaker 1: I have here in Colorado, Governor Jared Polis, a billionaire 156 00:10:33,960 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: dumbass who likes to focus on importing gray wolves into 157 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:46,320 Speaker 1: the state or forcing the public utilities to comply with 158 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: a Public Utilities Commission rule that everything has to become 159 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 1: electrified by a certain date in order to reduce our emissions, 160 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: and wants to create more affordable housing, but does so 161 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: by a bunch of drifting and corruption involving all these 162 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: developers and getting housing vouchers and payments from taxpayers for 163 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 1: bonds and bubblah. I mean it's horrific. Colorado is one 164 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: of the most expensive places to live. It's horrible. I 165 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 1: actually despise it. I love my state. My grandparents settled 166 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: in this state back during the dust Bowl. They would 167 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,600 Speaker 1: look at it today and go, what the hell happened 168 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: to you guys, And I'd say, well, twenty years ago, 169 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: Republicans were asleep with the switch. Somebody came up with 170 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 1: a roadmap about how they were going to turn this 171 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 1: state into a Democrat Hello, and Republicans just were whistling 172 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: dicksiegain just and let it happen. And here we are. 173 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: And truthfully, I really don't. I mean, I suppose if 174 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,960 Speaker 1: I were really going to move, I would move, you know, 175 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: I might move where. You know, Well, one of my 176 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:01,040 Speaker 1: children is still here. My adult kids ones down in Arizona. 177 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: I've got the house down in New Mexico. But I 178 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: like Colorado. I like the climate, I like the amenities 179 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: and things. But holy cow, it's crazy. So think about 180 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:25,920 Speaker 1: the politicians when we see the data that says, oh, 181 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 1: you're a blue state governor, and people are now a 182 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: lot of people still move into Colorado simply because of 183 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: our climate and geography, because of our sports team's heritage 184 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: because it's a beautiful state, so we have a natural draw. 185 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 1: But then they get here and then they realize, Holy cow, Mike, 186 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: my car insurance is what my home insurance is. 187 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 2: What I know. 188 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: My sales tax is somewhat high. But when I look 189 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: at all the fees I pay that are truly taxes, 190 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: but you call them fees. And we have a flat 191 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: income tax, but you wanted to convert it to a 192 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: progressive income tax. 193 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 2: Why am I here? Why am I here? 194 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,199 Speaker 1: Yes, Purple mountains, majesties, But oh I could take a 195 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: vacation instead. I just for the life of me, cannot 196 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: understand what I do understand. And I'm gonna tell you why. 197 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: It amazes me how blue state politicians continue to pursue 198 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:31,679 Speaker 1: their ideology because they are truly so dogmatic in their 199 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,240 Speaker 1: beliefs that they cannot see that what they are doing 200 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: is killing the goose that lays the golden egg. And 201 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: that's what's happening in these blue states. But they're so 202 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: blinded by their desire for power, for control, for turning, 203 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: you know, for being the first to successfully turn a democratic, 204 00:13:56,559 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: constitutional republic into a socialist or Marxist utopia. That they're 205 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 1: not going to change, and it drives me back crab crazy. 206 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: The decision to move to another state with a friendly 207 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 1: or political environment. I understand that that's pretty easy to understand, 208 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: but still, economic conditions should not be so different, so 209 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: divergent from state to state to cause people to pick 210 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: up their kids out of schools, or to break important 211 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: bonds with their neighbors, their churches, their work. To move 212 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: from one town to another's one thing. But there's certainly 213 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: a clear segment of our society that feels the American 214 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: dream is simply not possible where they live, so they're 215 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: just going to uproot everything and go somewhere else. Now, 216 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: we've always been a mobile society, and I think will 217 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: always be a mobile society. But what fascinates me and 218 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: disgusts me are the politicians in the Blue states that 219 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 1: continue to destroy their states all to try to achieve 220 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: their soul socialist Marxist goals. Well, the very people that 221 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 1: fund that are leaving in droves. See if I can 222 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 1: find it real quickly, I had a text message that, 223 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: uh here it is from Guber number thirty one to 224 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: fifteen Mike. Washington State has become a hell hole. People 225 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: are leaving along with businesses due to our high record 226 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: to our record high tax budget that our imbecilic governor approved. 227 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: Meta Facebook just pulled five building leases out of the state. 228 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 1: Amazon and Meta just let go of a bunch of 229 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,960 Speaker 1: corporate employees. Our stupid government answer, more taxes. It's awful 230 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: and we're stuck. That's what boggles my mind that the 231 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: data is right in front of these governors and for 232 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: that matter, of the legislators, to see that they're destroying 233 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 1: their own states, and yet they don't do it. That's 234 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: the economic side of it. And I, as I said, 235 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: the decision to move to another state with a friendly 236 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 1: or political environment, that's certainly understandable. I mean, I can 237 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: tell you it's absolute hell living in Colorado and listening 238 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: to some of the dumb assy coming out of the 239 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: Colorado polic Bureau or the governor's mouth. 240 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: It's amazing. 241 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,880 Speaker 1: What I wouldn't give for even a at this point, 242 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: I'd be happy with a moderate governor, just somebody that 243 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 1: understood basic economies, that understood the whole Laffer curve, that 244 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: understood that growth has to come from the private sector, 245 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:41,920 Speaker 1: not from more government employees or more government programs. But 246 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: here's the kicker from this study. It's not all about 247 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: identity with a political party or a certain political movement. 248 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: Axio says that politics isn't the main reason people consider 249 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 1: moving to another state. The biggest drivers are are more 250 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 1: likely to be economic reasons, the cost of living in jobs, 251 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,679 Speaker 1: or personal or family reasons. Now that may be true, 252 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 1: but political ideology has a direct impact on all of 253 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 1: those other things, the economic reasons, the cost of living, jobs, 254 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 1: personal and family reasons. Of course, political ideology affects that, 255 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 1: and they don't get it. They absolutely don't get it. 256 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: But at some point I don't necessarily want to be around. 257 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: It'll all go to hell in a handbasket, and somebody'll 258 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,960 Speaker 1: wake up and go, oh, there's a different way of 259 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: doing things. It's the weekend of Michael Brown. Hang tight, 260 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:53,399 Speaker 1: I'll be right back broadcasting life from Denver, Colorado. It's 261 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 1: the weekend of Michael brownl I'm glad you joined the 262 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: program today. Text line, of course, is always open, whether 263 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: you're listening live, delay or podcast. On your message app, 264 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: the numbers three three, one zero three. Just use the 265 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: keyword Mike or Michael. Tell me anything, ask me anything, 266 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: and then do me a favor go follow me on 267 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: x at Michael Brown USA. So we were talking about 268 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: everybody moving from state to state, but one of the 269 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: reasons that people move is obviously because of costs, and 270 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,120 Speaker 1: costs of living in any particular place can be prohibiting. 271 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,679 Speaker 1: And I find it fascinating that politicians don't understand that 272 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:39,920 Speaker 1: in pursuit of their idealistic yet unrealistic goals, whether that 273 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: be because of so called climate change, or it's because 274 00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: they have a secret, kind of subliminal desire to control 275 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 1: every aspect of your life. And I'll give you an example. 276 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:57,359 Speaker 1: I really want to talk about electricity. You tuned in 277 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 1: talk about electricity. Yeah, well that's what you're going to get. 278 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: But before I talk about electricity, I want I want 279 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: to mention roads because in Colorado, in fact, I'm in 280 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:13,439 Speaker 1: the process of trading cars, and I'm doing it with 281 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: an out of state dealer, and the out of state 282 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: dealer even even from a state that is well, I'm 283 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,200 Speaker 1: guessing twelve hundred miles from me, maybe not quite that far, 284 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 1: but far enough away that I didn't just want to 285 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: go drive to pick up the cars. So they're going 286 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: to transport he said, oh, yeah, you guys have really 287 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: bad roads. Said how do you know that? And he goes, well, 288 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: you have bad roads because of reputation. You have bad 289 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: roads because we've sold cars in your state before and 290 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: people have had bitched and moaned about you know, blah 291 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 1: blah blah blah. And he says, and of course I've 292 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: been to Colorado. Oh so now we get to the 293 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 1: real truth. So you've actually driven here. So whether you 294 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: were coming along I seventy or coming down the twenty five, 295 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: you hit the state line and the first thing it 296 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: was a bothole. Yes, that's exactly right. Do you know 297 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: why we have bad roads in Colorado? Now, to be objective, 298 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: I will first say it's because of our climate, freasamply 299 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: cold climate. 300 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 2: You may think, what, that's balmy, that's really good. 301 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: Well I think it's good too, because earlier this week 302 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: we were in the zeros and the teens. We had 303 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: a cold front and moved through. So when you think 304 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: about whether it's a concrete road, an asphalt road, or anything, 305 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 1: the melting and the thawing. The melting and the thawing 306 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 1: of course tears up the asphalt, tears up the concrete. 307 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: And we had bad roads because of that. But I 308 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: don't believe that's the primary reason, because other states, let 309 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: me look over my shoulder to the north. Oh yeah, 310 00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 1: look at Wyoming. They've got it even worse than we do, 311 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,199 Speaker 1: and their roads are one hundred percent better than Colorado. 312 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 2: The difference. 313 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: The difference is in Colorado we have a governor and 314 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: a state legislature and a Department of Transportation that is 315 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: more focused. And I believe, I don't just believe this, 316 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 1: I can qualify it. They want us out of our cars. 317 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: And part of that insanity is they don't recognize. Again, 318 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: if you look at a map of Colorado, I forget 319 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: how many square miles we are, but you know we're 320 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: kind of a square state, and we've got the eastern plains, 321 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 1: We've got the Continental Divide coming down across the you know, 322 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: the what would be the western one third of the state. 323 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: And then on the western slope you get back into 324 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: a plains where you can grow wine and all sorts 325 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: of fruit and things. And then in southern Colorado you've 326 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: got a little mixture of both plains and mountains. Getting 327 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: people out of their cars, say on the eastern plains 328 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,680 Speaker 1: where driving from in these towns won't mean anything to 329 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: you unless you live in Colorado. If you want to 330 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 1: drive from Sterling in the northeast corner down to Campo, 331 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 1: which is a little, tiny, tiny town barely I don't 332 00:22:21,920 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: think even has a stop sign, let alone to stop 333 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: light in it anymore. We take you all day long, 334 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 1: all day long to drive that and they want they 335 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: When I say they, I'm referring to Governor Jared Polus, 336 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: the Democrat governor of the state. The legislators and the 337 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: Colorado polit Bureau and the bureaucrats run the color Colorado 338 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: Department of Transportation. They don't think about those people because 339 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 1: those people out on the eastern Plains, well they're just 340 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 1: the you know, they're the plebs out there. And while 341 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: they provide all the oil and natural gas and the 342 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: wheat and soybeans and the corn, the pheasant hunting and 343 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 1: the quail hunting and everything else that we need. No, no, 344 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,560 Speaker 1: we don't care about them. We only care about the 345 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: cool people that live in Denver and it's environs, and 346 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: we want to get them out of their cars because well, 347 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: we have traffic jams, like you're you're driving the five 348 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: in California, the four oh five we got. We now 349 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 1: have traffic jams like that, or if you're driving a 350 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 1: ninety five on the East Coast, we have traffic jams 351 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: like you'd have going around three ninety five in Washington, 352 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:33,719 Speaker 1: d C. We now have that in Denver. Maybe not 353 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: quite as bad, but eighty ninety percent as bad as 354 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: what they are in those areas. And so they want 355 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,400 Speaker 1: to get us out of our cars, and they want 356 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:48,959 Speaker 1: to reduce emissions. They are still hell bent on climate change. 357 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 2: Now. 358 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: The rest of the state, the rural areas need cars 359 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 1: to get from point A to point B. But here 360 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 1: they'll take a four lane broadway, a four lane park 361 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: and they'll reduce it down to two lanes, jamming up traffic. 362 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: And they'll create bike lanes where there are no bikers. Well, 363 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: they'll create pedestrian walkways where there are no pads, all 364 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: in an attempt to try to get you out of 365 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 1: your cars. They won't approve development unless there happens to 366 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: be a light rail station nearby, because they're trying to 367 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: get you on light rail because nobody will ride the 368 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: light rail system or use public transportation, which doesn't make 369 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,160 Speaker 1: any sense to me. It's impractical for me to use 370 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 1: I wouldn't use it anyway. I like the freedom and 371 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:39,360 Speaker 1: independence of my own vehicle and coming and going when 372 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: I damn well please. That's the American way. But that's 373 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: not the communist way. The communist way is to jam 374 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: you into a train, jam you into a bus, jam 375 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:50,639 Speaker 1: you where it's difficult to drive because we got too 376 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 1: many bike bike lanes but no bikers. That's why we 377 00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: have lousy roads. The money doesn't go into maintaining and rebuild, 378 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:04,679 Speaker 1: building or expanding the roadways. It goes into all that 379 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: other bull crap. And the consequence of that is you 380 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: reduce the standard of living, You increase the cost of transportation. 381 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: It costs you more in time, energy, and resources to 382 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 1: go from home to work than it would if you 383 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,880 Speaker 1: actually spent the money, the tax dollars that we pay 384 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 1: for road building on road building. That's what's wrong with 385 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: the country is these left blue states like Colorado and 386 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: whatever's blue state you may live in, spends money on 387 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: all the wrong things. Now, let's swerve from that to electricity. 388 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:49,439 Speaker 1: Because last winter, and I'm sure we're to hear it 389 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:55,480 Speaker 1: again this winter, that complain about surging electric bills that 390 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,959 Speaker 1: people were having difficulty keeping up with was prevalent up 391 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 1: in the Northeast, including in Delaware and other states, leading 392 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 1: to demands that state and local governments do something about 393 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: the problem. But what they do They just shrug their 394 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,679 Speaker 1: shoulders and blame the cold weather. But with a chilly starting, 395 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 1: that concern about electricity is real and now it is back. 396 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:22,720 Speaker 1: So what do they do in a state like Colorado 397 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: where we already have exorbitant electric rates. Stay tuned, I'll 398 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:38,719 Speaker 1: be right back. Thanks for listening to the Weekend with 399 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 1: Michael Brown. I know you have other things you could 400 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 1: be doing on the weekend, but you decide to either 401 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: tune in and listen to it live or on a 402 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:49,439 Speaker 1: delayed broadcast or on a podcast, And I appreciate you 403 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: doing that. So I hope you'll tell your friends and 404 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: family and your people you're pissed off at and it'll 405 00:26:55,480 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: piss them off even more. But I do want to 406 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,119 Speaker 1: always take an opportunity to tell you how much I 407 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: appreciate you listening. So we've been talking about this phenomenon, 408 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 1: which I think is just greater than it has been 409 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: in the past because we've always been in mobile society 410 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 1: and we've always moved from place to place. I know 411 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 1: a lot of people never leave their home state, but 412 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:18,800 Speaker 1: other people tend to move, you know, halfway around the country, 413 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: halfway around the world. But in Colorado. The insanity of 414 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: why things are more expensive here is because of the 415 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:36,920 Speaker 1: absolute ignorance and I think blind eye that our political 416 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:43,159 Speaker 1: leaders turned Utilities Commission finalized a regulatory framework that I 417 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: think exemplifies a fundamental logical contradiction in energy policy. They 418 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 1: went to simultaneously force utilities to dramatically reduce natural gas 419 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:59,680 Speaker 1: consumption because of those evil emissions. It's fossil fuels well 420 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 1: dating total electrification of residential and commercial buildings and homes. Now, 421 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:13,639 Speaker 1: if you understand anything at all, that approach ignores basic economics. 422 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: It ignores technological realities and the actual preferences and the 423 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: financial circumstances of consumers in Colorado. Their whole purpose is 424 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their systems, the utility 425 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 1: systems by forty one percent compared to a baseline established 426 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 1: in twenty fifteen and an implicit target of complete elimination 427 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:47,520 Speaker 1: of natural gas emissions by twenty fifty. So to do that, 428 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 1: there's only two ways. Either either reduce methane leaks in 429 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: existing pipelines, or you've got to remove customers from the 430 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: gas system entirely. And since methane recovery in pipeline repairs 431 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: alone would never achieve a forty one percent reduction, let 432 00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: alone one hundred percent, the mandate is truly just trying 433 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: to require forced electrification of most residential and commercial buildings. 434 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: And the logical problem is stark because our grid relies 435 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: significantly on natural gas generation to balance intermittent renewable sources 436 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: that are you know, because the wind and solar is 437 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 1: not permanent, it's intermittent, and it can't meet the peak demand. 438 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: The state maintains that the Comanche coal facility we have 439 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 1: down in southern Colorado and Pueblo specifically because the Public 440 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: Utilities Commission recognized that eliminating natural gas consumption while simultaneous 441 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: electrifying buildings would create dangerous supply gaps. Yet they are 442 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 1: simultaneously pushing utilities and ratepayers to abandon natural gas while 443 00:29:53,080 --> 00:30:00,920 Speaker 1: demand for electricity continues to surge. It's it's insane financial impact, 444 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 1: and this gives to the whole idea about why people move. 445 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 1: The financial impact on people living in Colorado will be staggering. 446 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: Let me emphasize that staggering because Colorado residential electric rates 447 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,800 Speaker 1: currently average about fourteen zero point ninety two cents per 448 00:30:20,880 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: kilab hour. Natural gas costs about ten dollars per thousand 449 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: cubic feet. Now, when you convert those numbers to a 450 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: common energy unit, you'll find a brutal math. Electricity is 451 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: more than four times more expensive than natural gas on 452 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:47,719 Speaker 1: the per unit of energy basis. Consider some specific costs 453 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:51,440 Speaker 1: that families will face. Oh, they keep telling us, install 454 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,240 Speaker 1: a heat pump, a cold climate heat pump like you 455 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: needing suitable for Colorado costs between twelve and fifteen thousand 456 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 1: dollars out of pocket. That's just for an average two 457 00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: or three thousand square foot home. For many Colorado families, 458 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: they're struggling with just housing affordability. Or if you're a 459 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: builder and you're going to put that into a new home, 460 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,760 Speaker 1: you've just added at least fifteen thousand dollars to the 461 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: cost of a new home, all because of a stupid regulation. 462 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:27,440 Speaker 1: And in politicians wonder why people leave the state or 463 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: leave your state, because I know this is the kind 464 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 1: of dumbassy that goes on in Blue states all over 465 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: the country. Two, there's a twenty twenty three cost comparison 466 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:45,320 Speaker 1: analysis that compares efficient gas to all electric homes, and 467 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: that study found the switching from natural gas to electric 468 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 1: key pumps would increase annual energy costs by one hundred 469 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 1: and twelve percent. That accounts or converts to an additional 470 00:31:58,160 --> 00:32:03,280 Speaker 1: one thousand, seven hundred dollars per year just to maintain 471 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: your home. There's another study that found that high efficiency 472 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: gas heating costs eight hundred and fifteen dollars on an 473 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,480 Speaker 1: annual basis compared to more than thirteen hundred dollars for 474 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: electrified homes, a seventy percent increase. Now, if you're living 475 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 1: on the margins or you're living paycheck to paycheck, that 476 00:32:23,120 --> 00:32:26,480 Speaker 1: may not seem like, oh, Michael, eight hundred dollars annually 477 00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: to thirteen hundred dollars, that's five hundred bucks. It's still 478 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:34,360 Speaker 1: a seventy percent increase. And you're telling me that, oh, 479 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: people can just absorb that. No, and think about this. 480 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:40,400 Speaker 1: The older the house that you live in, the worst 481 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: the economics, because older homes electrified would cost at least 482 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,719 Speaker 1: fifteen hundred dollars a month, and that's a ninety two 483 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 1: percent increase. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission has also approved 484 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,920 Speaker 1: extending the operation of the Comanche cold Plant, which the 485 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 1: one down in something Colorado I just mentioned, but at 486 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 1: the same time requiring utilities to invest in completely overhauling 487 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: the transmission lines to harden against wildfires and so they 488 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 1: can connect the new transmission lines to new solar and 489 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: wind farms. Now, those are unavoidable fixed costs that amount 490 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,760 Speaker 1: to hundreds of millions of dollars. They're going to be 491 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: passed on to consumers whether the demand grows or doesn't grow. 492 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:30,760 Speaker 1: So the policy in Colorado creates a destructive spiral for 493 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 1: those least able to afford it. Now, if you're least 494 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:39,800 Speaker 1: able to afford it, you either end up homeless or 495 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 1: you pack up and go somewhere else. Now what does 496 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 1: that do to the average cost of a home? You 497 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 1: pack up and leave, so somebody you know runs in, 498 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 1: picks up that house, turns it into a remo property 499 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 1: or an airbnb. 500 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 2: So affluent Colorados, well they can afford that. 501 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 1: So that's going to drive up housing costs, and you'll 502 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:07,920 Speaker 1: have fewer tax people to spread the tax burdened around 503 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,400 Speaker 1: because those people went to a state that doesn't do 504 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:14,240 Speaker 1: this kind of insanity. And I know I'm picking on Colorado, 505 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:16,120 Speaker 1: and I know it applies to your state too. It's 506 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 1: just that, you know, I can't do all fifty seven states. 507 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,360 Speaker 1: By the way, somebody said, you keep mentioning fifty seven states. 508 00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:25,400 Speaker 1: We only have fifty. Is that right? Because Barack Obama 509 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,160 Speaker 1: told us back in twenty thirteen that he had visited 510 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:32,080 Speaker 1: all fifty seven states. I've got seven more to go. 511 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 1: I've just got to find them. Lower income families in 512 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 1: Colorado that can't afford to install a heat pump, they'll 513 00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:44,319 Speaker 1: remain on the gas system, and they'll end up paying 514 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 1: increasingly higher bills to cover both the stranded costs of 515 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 1: maintaining the pipelines that are now serving fewer customers and 516 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: the utility subsidies for their wealthier neighbors getting electrified. 517 00:34:57,800 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 2: So that will start a cycle, and as. 518 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 1: That cycle continues, the gas rates will continue to increase 519 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,479 Speaker 1: for the remaining customers, accelerating the exit of the next 520 00:35:07,480 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: tier of affordability. So the ultimate outcome, do I have 521 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:17,359 Speaker 1: to spell it out? A regressive transfer of wealth from 522 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: poor to affluent households, all justified in the name of 523 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 1: climate policy. There's one Colorado community that illustrates this clearly. 524 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: Atmost energy projected that a town called Gunnison. It's a 525 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:37,760 Speaker 1: beautiful city in the southwestern Colorado, beautiful town. The residents 526 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: would face more than twelve hundred dollars annual increases from 527 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:46,240 Speaker 1: force electrification. And then in smaller communities with limited scale, 528 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:52,000 Speaker 1: the per household cost burden becomes even more severe. It 529 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:56,600 Speaker 1: becomes even worse. So when we look at people moving 530 00:35:56,600 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: from state to state, Yes, it's economics, But why don't 531 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 1: the politicians recognize that. Oh, because they still want to 532 00:36:06,480 --> 00:36:11,160 Speaker 1: impose their socialist utopia. That's why stop and think about 533 00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:13,759 Speaker 1: that for a while. See what's going on in your state. Hey, 534 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,800 Speaker 1: thanks for tuning into the weekend. Everybody, have a great weekend. 535 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:20,360 Speaker 1: I'll see you next weekend.