Scanlon for Colorado

Tag: Trump

  • Thanks and Gratitude

    This was a blog post I had ready to go for Thanksgiving when the tragic news struck about the loss of my friend Senator Faith Winter. Now seems like a good time to put this out there. Even as I still miss Faith. A lot.

    This New Year, my heart overflows with thanks and gratitude. There’s a risk in leaving out someone important, but I’m gonna take the plunge in semi-random order:

    • I’m thankful for the continued health, safety and well being of my four children.
    • I’m thankful for the 27J schools that educated my children. Go ThunderHawks!
    • I’m thankful so many Democrats still identify as Democrats. Still. Despite the betrayals and the pussy footing from party leaders, many of us continue to identify as Democrats and to the rest of you I’m very thankful.
    • I’m super grateful I landed an amazing Campaign Manager. His name is Brian Hewlett, he also runs the L.I.F.E. Foundation, and I hope you get a chance to meet him along the campaign trail over the next 10 months.
    • I’m thankful I live in the greatest city – Commerce City – in the greatest county – Adams County – in the greatest state – Colorado – in what was once, and will one day once again be, the greatest country ever. How lucky am I?!?!
    • I’m thankful for the Teamsters Union. My family and I have great health insurance and I enjoy dignity at work. Union For All! (With a special shoutout to Local 455!)
    • I’m grateful to all the sponsors, ticket buyers, panelists, volunteers and others who come together to make ClimateCon! the great celebration of climate innovation it has become known for. The next one is February 2nd, www.climatecon.world
    • I’m grateful my two favorite hockey teams – the Caps and the Avs – are both playing good hockey and looking like playoff teams. Yes, I said both! And if either misses the playoffs now, we’ll all know I’m the one to blame 🙂
    • I’m grateful Las Dos Americas is expanding. What can I say, I love fresh tortillas!
    • I’m grateful for the crew at Ted’z. (I’m looking at you Boxline 1.) Sometimes, you just want a cold beer after work. Even if your shift ends at 9:30AM.
    • I’m thankful for the crew at Pour Tap House. We needed a watering hole up here on the north range, and they’ve been delivering now for what, close to 10 years. Wow how time flies.
    • I’m thankful my 2010 KIA Sedona keeps on chugging along. I call her the Korean Stallion for a reason!
    • I’m thankful my beautiful state of Colorado didn’t vote for Trump – all 3 times! I wouldn’t feel completely comfortable in a red state.
    • I’m thankful Jimmy Fallon is back on the air despite the fascist impulses of our thin-skinned President.
    • I’m grateful Adams 14 Education Foundation continues to expand and grow its scope of influence serving economically disadvantaged youth in core city Commerce City.

    As you can see, I have a lot to be thankful as 2026 gets ramped up.

    Most of all, thanks to all who have contributed to my campaign! Primaries can be lonely affairs and money is hard to come by, so most of all, thank you to all my donors!

  • The Democratic Party Doesn’t Want To Talk About How The Democratic Party Made The Mistake Of The Century

    The Democratic Party has finished the post-election analysis report, often referred to as an “autopsy” as it’s designed to diagnose the cause of failure, ideally for purposes of not losing the next election.
    The DNC has decided not to release it.
    In the interest of both transparency and making our party better and stronger, here are some of the items that either are in the report, or should be in the report. I’m going to go in the rough order in which I think they rank, most serious mistake first:
    1 We got away from working people. Dems lost their way. Once the party of unions and working class voters and concerns, they lost their focus.
    2 We became the party of the rich. This one is astounding to me. First of all, the rich have a national political party, it’s called the Republican Party and the rich own it lock stock and barrel. They don’t need the Democratic Party except for greed greed greed.
    Working people desperately need the Democratic Party to stand up for them. It is often our only hope.
    3 The Democratic Party became weak and soft. We don’t exhibit strength or toughness. Ever. I’m not saying we need knuckle-dragging morons as leaders. I am saying quit acting like wussies.
    4 We discourage primaries. When I say “we” I mostly mean party elders and leaders at the top echelon who think they know what’s best for the party and don’t want the messiness that comes with an election and an open and honest debate about issues.
    5 The Democratic Party became too elitist. It manifests itself, in part, with the lack of primaries, but is most evident in the behavior and actions of some of our top leaders.
    6 The Democratic Party lost touch with young people. This is in part because young people vote at such a low percentage. But how much of “young people don’t vote” happens because young people see two political parties who are completely out of touch with the reality they’re experiencing every day?
    7 The Democratic Party is stuck in the past. We continue to door knock like it’s 1999. Except people don’t answer the door as much any more (especially young people). Did we even have a YouTube strategy? A social media strategy? Don’t do one podcast each election. Do one podcast every day.
    8 Poor messaging. I’m reluctant to even add this one, it’s the typical Dem excuse – “Oh, our messaging was off.” It’s our go-to excuse, and I guess any election loser anywhere any time had “poor messaging” because they lost. That said, the messaging in 2024 was indeed horrible.
    9 We blame voters instead of understanding them and their experiences. I never want to hear the phrase “low information voter” ever again. They have as much information as you and I do. In their gut, they don’t feel the Democrats are looking out for them. It’s not a lack of information feeding that gut feeling.

    The 2024 election, and more specifically, the failure of the Democratic Party to identify and neutralize the threat Donald Trump posed to this nation, is hands down the biggest fucking mistake of the 21st Century so far. It’s not even close.
    I’m running to address many of the issues I identified above. I’m a Teamster. I know what it’s like to struggle day to day just to pay the bills. And when I jumped in this race, it seemed likely there would be no primary otherwise.
    The Democratic Party needs to do better. We have the potential to be the strongest barrier to a dictatorship. If we can be strong for a change!
    I’m running to give the voters in Commerce City and Welby the chance to send a message to our party leaders. Enough of the issues and problems I’ve identified above. Let’s get back to a working class agenda, let’s stand up to a fascist President, and let’s deliver for working people. That’s a formula for success, I promise!

  • On The Turning Away

    On The Turning Away


    In the 1980’s, Pink Floyd had a famous court battle where David Gilmour and other surviving members of Pink Floyd wanted to continue on with the band even if Roger Waters, the original lead singer, sought to end the Pink Floyd project once and for all. Waters lost, and the band released a moderately OK album in 1987.

    If you’ve heard anything from Pink Floyd’s A Momentary Lapse of Reason, it was likely Learning To Fly. Also on the album was a song titled On The Turning Away. It was a stinging rebuke of the conservative policies of the Reagan Administration and the Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher back in their home of Great Britain.

    I’ve been singing On The Turning Away a lot lately knowing that many of my neighbors here in Commerce City are getting thrown off food support and are now struggling more than ever to stay housed and fed at the same time. This government hatred has furthered my resolve and fueled my campaign to fight for working class people and working family issues every day.


    “Don’t accept that what’s happening is just a case of others suffering or you’ll find that you’re joining in the turning away.”


    I refuse to advocate for food banks right now. I am encouraging everyone to call Congress and demand they put the federal government back together like it was. This is ridiculous. Enough is enough. Stop bailing out nations like Argentina and stop invading states that didn’t vote for Dear Leader and put the federal government back together again!


    Pink Floyd’s On The Turning Away

    [Verse 1]
    On the turning away
    From the pale and downtrodden
    And the words they say
    Which we won’t understand
    “Don’t accept that what’s happening
    Is just a case of others’ suffering
    Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
    The turning away”


    [Verse 2]
    It’s a sin that somehow
    Light is changing to shadow
    And casting its shroud
    Over all, we have known
    Unaware how the ranks have grown
    Driven on by a heart of stone
    We could find that we’re all alone
    In the dream of the proud


    [Verse 3]
    On the wings of the night
    As the daytime is stirring
    Where the speechless unite
    In a silent accord
    Using words you will find are strange
    Mesmerized as they light the flame
    Feel the new wind of change
    On the wings of the night

  • #NoKings Commerce City – Reunion Version

    Today over 1,800 locations across America hosted No Kings rallies to protest the Trump Administration, his numerous unconstitutional actions, and his general desire to be a dictator.

    About 100 people turned out to Reunion Park for the initial gathering:

    There were no speeches other than Kristi, the organizer you can kind of see standing tall on a cooler in the middle of this picture. She was brief, reading an inspiring quote about what hope is.

    There was a no campaigning rule, so Chris and I had to just quietly work the crowd. Chris and I are opponents in this race, but we’re genuine friends too:

    After about an hour, we marched almost a mile (LOL) “across” Reunion to the intersection of Reunion Pkwy and 104th. This was surely the first ever political march in Reunion. Congrats Mr. President!

    We gathered at the intersection, where we heard constant honking from passers by who apparently also disapprove of the direction the President is taking our country.

    Luz Molina and I have been friends since the first Obama campaign in 2008. She’s in the middle of this picture, carrying a sign that says Love One Another. She’s currently running for city council and also plans to run for the HD32 seat I’m seeking.

    There were a few elected officials at our rally. Mayor Steve Douglas was there, as was his wife, City Councilwoman Kristi Douglas. City Councilwoman Susan Noble was in attendance as well. None of the candidates for CD8 were at our rally.

    It’s always inspiring to gather with like-minded members of the community to share energy and ideas and hopes and fears. Thanks to the organizers who made today’s No Kings rally happen in Commerce City!

    Someone said to me “Fascists use that flag.” I replied “I refuse to concede it to them. It stands for independence, freedom and represents what was once the greatest nation ever.” They seemed OK with that response.

  • Climate Week Summary

    Last week, the largest climate gathering of the year in America, NY Climate Week, was held in conjunction with the annual United Nations confab aslo in NYC.

    As the Founder of ClimateCon!, (www.climatecon.world) I have an unyielding passion for all things climate and all possible solutions to the biggest challenge humanity faces.

    At the UN last week, the President of the United States showed up and lectured everybody. He said climate change is a “con job”, and frankly, if anyone can spot a con job, you’d think it would be President Trump. He said green energy is a waste of time. He was, as he so often is, wrong wrong and wrong.

    NY Climate Week was largely overshadowed by the UN confab and the disgraceful words from our President. Perhaps they’d be better off on any other week of the year?

    Here in Denver, the next ClimateCon! is February 2, 2026 at the Lowry Conference Center in Denver. Tickets can be purchased at www.climatecon.world. We’ll have over 20 sessions, and we’re already planning sessions around hydrogen automobiles (Colorado is getting its first hydrogen stations any day), Sustainable Air Fuels, Renaming Heat Pumps (they’re air conditioners too!) and so much more, check it all out at www.climatecon.world.

    Colorado continues to be a leader on climate. There are numerous examples, from the Governor’s office to indigineous tribes, Colorado has a number of leaders and initiatives on the climate front.

    And if I’m elected to the Colorado House, climate will be front and center on my list of concerns.

  • Why Fed Independence Matters To You, And Firing Federal Officials For Mortgage Fraud

    President Trump, who more and more is exhibiting alarming displays of incoherence and possible dementia, announced today that he is seeking to remove one of the leaders of the Federal Reserve. His game plan is somewhat transparent. He knows there’s a chance his tariffs will drive the economy into a ditch (that chance being about 95-99%) and so he’s setting up the Fed to blame them for not moving fast enough to lower interest rates.

    President Trump’s justification for removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook is based on an allegation that she committed mortgage fraud.

    I’m very glad to hear that mortgage fraud has risen to the level of job termination of federal officials. Congress should move immediately to examine every mortgage Donald Trump ever signed.

    Long term, the issue of Fed independence is no joking matter. The dollar is the world’s reserve currency, we have the greatest economy in the world. But not by accident. An independent central bank is critical to a healthy capitalist economy.

    Here’s a quick primer:

    Why Fed Independence Matters:

    • Monetary Policy Effectiveness: An independent Federal Reserve can make difficult but necessary decisions based on economic data rather than political cycles, allowing for timely interest rate adjustments and inflation control without regard to election timing or political pressure from either party.
    • Credibility and Inflation Expectations: Markets and consumers trust that the Fed will maintain price stability over the long term when it operates independently, which helps anchor inflation expectations and makes monetary policy more effective at managing economic cycles.
    • Protection from Short-Term Political Pressures: Independence shields the Fed from demands for easy money policies that might provide short-term economic boosts but create long-term instability, allowing for consistent policy frameworks that support sustainable economic growth.

    Likely Market Outcomes if Independence is Compromised:

    If markets lose confidence in Fed independence, several negative consequences would likely emerge. Bond markets would probably demand higher risk premiums, driving up long-term interest rates as investors price in greater uncertainty about future inflation and monetary policy consistency. The dollar could weaken significantly as international investors question the Fed’s commitment to price stability, potentially triggering capital outflows. Inflation expectations would likely become unanchored, making it much harder and more costly for the Fed to control actual inflation. Additionally, market volatility would increase as investors struggle to predict policy changes based on political rather than economic considerations, and the Fed’s forward guidance would lose much of its power to influence economic behavior.

    The biggest damage of all will likely come from the rising interest rates. Rising interest rates kill the federal budget because of the huge debt load the federal government is servicing.

    Independence for the Fed! It might not make for a sexy political tagline, but it sure is vital.