The Get More Smarter Podcast - A Weekly Show About Colorado Politics There is No Vaccine for Stupidity (feat. Logan Davis)
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Sep 9, 2025 Logan Davis, a progressive researcher and writer from Denver, dives into the alarming influence of right-wing extremists connected to Russian oligarchs shaping Colorado's politics. He discusses how vast financial contributions from wealthy individuals like Phil Anschutz fuel conservative narratives despite their poor electoral outcomes. The conversation also touches on the stark differences in vaccine policies between Colorado and Florida, along with the troubling spread of misinformation surrounding Medicaid funding. Davis highlights the ongoing challenges faced by local journalism in exposing these issues.
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Conservative Network Shapes Colorado Politics
- Advance Colorado built a pervasive conservative ecosystem in Colorado despite Republicans being out of power.
- That network shapes policy debates through coordinated messaging, think-tanks, and ballot initiatives.
Opaque Donors Buy Narrative Power
- Anonymous millions flowed into Colorado Stronger Alliance and likely came from Phil Anschutz and bundlers.
- That opaque funding buys narrative control, policy wins, and long-term influence beyond direct electoral success.
Framing Turns Small Issues Into Crises
- The network manufactured 'property taxpocalypse' panic using methodologically dubious think-tank reports.
- Coordinated message discipline and reuse of experts made a small tax change feel like a crisis.