The Get More Smarter Podcast - A Weekly Show About Colorado Politics

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, oh no! The big bullshit bill has hit some serious roadblocks! Wait, sorry, OH YAY! The big bullshit bill had hit some serious roadblocks! And by “some serious roadblocks” we mean “the opinion of the vast majority of voters” How does it play in Paonia? Then, it turns out that cutting healthcare kills people. You mean, you can’t just rub a crystal on it and call it good? Next, the big bullshit bombing of Iran maybe slowed down their development of a nuclear weapon by a few weeks, despite President Trump's claim that he “totally obliterated” their enrichment capacity. We ask, what the fuck, man? Then, your federal lands are safe, for now, sort of...we think...ask us next week. And finally, we go through some updates on the 2026 campaigns even though yes indeed it is still 2025. But first, she’s the President of COBALT Advocates and a friend of the show: Karen Middleton is back on the pod to talk about Colorado’s exceptional progress on abortion rights since the disastrous Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade about three years ago.

This week’s guest is Congressman Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger and impeachment manager representing Colorado's 6th District. He discusses the complexities of military parades and their connection to political rhetoric. The conversation dives into the implications of a contentious Senate bill on Colorado's economy and social programs, while addressing the dangers of political polarization and violence. They also touch on the alarming trends regarding public lands and the risks posed by proposed sales under current political pressures.

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, it’s no wonder there’s a clown car of candidates in Colorado’s 8th congressional district because the current incumbent is the biggest clown of them all! Then, that same clown famously promised that it would be “gangsters, not grandmas!” that ICE was going to deport in President Trump’s mass deportation raids; now that the exact opposite is true, Gabe Evans has put his name on a mildly worded letter expressing some concerns! Then, that constitutional crisis we’ve been talking about? Well, it’s exploded into full blown fascism -- who could have guessed that was going to happen? And finally we visit our 8th favorite member of congress from Colorado who gleefully reminded us that all this horrible shit is exactly what she voted for (even if she didn't).But first, with a poll showing Gabe Evans is less popular than Donald Trump in his own district, and some interesting findings about public health, social media, and medicaid, Healthier Colorado CEO Jake WIlliams is BACK on the pod to talk about the recent survey they just published.

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, another violent antisemitic attack hits the USA, this time very close to home as Republicans try to politicize the tragedy to gin up anger against immigrants and Colorado Democrats stand in solidarity with the Jewish community. Then, it’s the greatest feud ever on the dumbest timeline imaginable. Will Donald Trump deport Elon Musk? Will Elon start a new party to spite Trump?  Will both of them get outed in the Epstein files? Will anyone, anywhere learn anything from any of this? And finally is it getting crowded in here or is it a WAVE YEAR? There are now five legit candidates in the pool to take on Gabe-ish Evans in Colorado’s 8th congressional district. Meanwhile, the AG’s race gets a fourth Democratic candidate and even the Bread Sandwich draws a primary opponent.But first...in our unofficial series “interviewing as many reporters whose editors don’t listen to the show as possible,” we’ve got Tyler Duncan, government reporter for the Greeley Tribune and some other papers on the show this week to talk about Northern Colorado politics, being a young local journalist in the age of AI, and why so many people are moving there despite the…you know…you know what distinguishing feature Greeley has (we don’t have to tell you).

Mike Littwin, a legendary liberal columnist for the Colorado Sun, dives into the twists and turns of Colorado politics and the state of U.S. journalism. He discusses the chaotic press conference held by a local Congressman facing backlash over unpopular bill cuts. Littwin reflects on the evolving media landscape and the impact of political hypocrisy, especially during the Trump era. With his signature wit, he explains what keeps him hopeful amidst the turbulence in both politics and journalism.

This week’s guests are Jeni Arndt, the Mayor of Fort Collins, and Rahmin Sarabi, founder of American Public Trust and former product manager at Good Eggs. They dive into the transformative power of citizen assemblies in local democracy, using Fort Collins as a case study. The conversation highlights the critical impact of recent Medicaid cuts and critiques the prioritization of wealthy interests over vulnerable populations. Also discussed are the ethical dilemmas surrounding Donald Trump's $400 million jet gift from Qatar, igniting debates on foreign influence in U.S. politics.

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, the 2025 legislative session has adjourned 'Sine Die,'which is latin for “a lot of things that happened this year made us want to die.” We check in with the Trump Trainwreck as tariffs, trust, and traitors start to weigh heavy on the regime. Then, Colorado’s future one-term Congressman from the 8th congressional district is writing his own ticket back home...and don’t say we didn’t tell you so. But first, to unpack the legislative session that just ended, we’ve got Denver Post Statehouse Reporter Seth Klamann on the pod!

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, 100 days down, 1,359 to go: Donald Trump’s second nonconsecutive term in the White House is going extremely poorly by literally every metric, to the surprise of absolutely nobody on this podcast. Then, Mike Waltz has left the chat! But he has entered the nomination for the Ambassador to the United Nations. Is there literally nothing a Trump loyalist can do to actually get fired by a guy who literally made “You’re Fired” a personal catch phrase? Next Trump and Republicans are almost comically unserious about handling the scourge of gun violence that has plagued this country for essentially the entirety of the time both of us have been on the planet, and they’re still managing to find time to screw over American veterans while they do nothing about guns. And  finally we zoom in on our home state of Colorado as Republican politicians try to get Democratic politicians arrested; dark money comms organizations that aren’t really think tanks finally get called out by the local press; and while the trade war makes everything dumber and more expensive, one American export is really picking up steam. Can you guess what it is? (it’s measles!) 

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, that constitutional crisis we keep talking about keeps getting worse -- at what point do the people who can maybe do something about it start doing something about it, especially as Trump’s poll numbers continue to nosedive? Then, are we headed for a Trumpcession, a Trump-pression, or another worse third thing caused by the worst president the country has ever had? Then, we check in on Colorado’s representatives in two Capitols as the Colorado legislative session enters the home stretch and Republicans in Congress are doing ... whatever the hell they’re doing.But first, she’s the Colorado State Representative for the Get More Smarter Podcast and a freshman in the Colorado House of Representatives. State Rep. Rebekah Stewart (D-Lakewood) joins us to talk about what it was like in her first year of her first term in the lower chamber of the Colorado legislature.

Send us a message! Really!This week on the Get More Smarter Podcast, with approval ratings for Republicans and Democrats alike in the gutter in Colorado and across the country, Democrats have one ally in the fight to bring their numbers back up...and you’ll never guess who it is. Then, we’ve got great news! Wait, sorry, we mean, we’ve got terrible news! The constitutional crisis is here; it’s obvious, it’s permeating everything, and we’re just as freaked out about it as you are. Next, we check in on some developments in the 2026 campaign even though we know it’s only 2025. And finally we have an update on the Colorado legislature: With just three weeks left to go, how are trifecta Democrats protecting you, us, and Colorado from the evils of Trump, DOGE, and whatever other new horrors await us? But first, he’s the left side of the bipartisan polling team at the Colorado Polling Institute and he’s got some good news and some less good news about Colorado. Kevin Ingham of Aspect Strategic joins us to talk about CPI’s latest poll, and some of the results may surprise you.