Station:   KNUS, 710 AM

Show:      Dan Caplis Show

Guests:    Shogan

Link:        http://dancaplis.podbean.com/?source=pb

Date:       April 25, 2014

Topics:     Healthcare, Obamacare, Affordable Care Act (ACA), Obama, Marijuana, Federal Government, Enforcement of Federal Laws, Social Issues, Fiscal Responsibility, Representative Cory Gardner, Senator Mark Udall, Senator Michael Bennet, Third Party Candidate, Independent, Fundraising, 527, Attack Ads, Negative Campaigning, Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, National Debt, Benefits, Life Expectancy, Donations, 1960s, Job Creation, Partisan Gridlock, Supply, Demand, Free Market, National Database

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[The following represents notes and transcribed portions from this interview.  All portions, except where identified as transcribed sections, are paraphrased from the questions and responses between the host and the guest.]

HOST DAN CAPLIS:

• Announced yesterday as independent candidate for U.S. Senate
• Highly respected neurosurgeon and national reputation
• Dan Caplis’ doctor – I asked around as personal injury attorney, “who’s the top neurosurgeon? Your name was at the top or in the top 1 or 2… and I could see why. 
• You are no joke, like other 3^rd party candidates.
• What’s your platform? Why you got in the race, what are your big issues, why you think you can win?

CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE DR. STEVEN SHOGAN:

• Thanks for compliments
• Unfortunately, some of answers as to why I’m getting in the race sound corny
  • I grew up in the 60s
  • We thought we would change the world, make it a better place
  • That’s why I went into medicine, and it’s been a pleasure
  • But something bigger, more than just on an individual to individual level
  • Getting into this race, and taking on crucial issues, I’ll be able to accomplish something on a larger scale
    • National debt
    • Social security reform
    • [inaudible—tout?] reform
    • Healthcare

CAPLIS:

• Your reasons for getting in are the noblest, the reasons our founders envisioned and hoped for.  Public service, etc. and you certainly fit the mold of great figures in history (great accomplishments in personal/professional life before going into public service] will help you reach people
• When it comes to the issues, people wonder Is there any real chance you can win?  And who will you hurt more if he can’t win?  Udall? Gardner?  Before getting into issues, Do you think you can win, and what is your path to victory?
• SHOGAN:
  • Yes I do think I have a real chance to win
    • I wouldn’t be doing this to not win
  • Path to victory
    • Appeal to the 35% to 38% of CO voters who are independents
    • Appeal to both Democrats and Republicans who are dissatisfied with the failures of their parties
  • My hope is to take both from both sides
  • And I’m running to win

CAPLIS:

• Amounts, dollars, money, math.  You probably know what Udall and Gardner are expected to raise and then with the 527 money on top of it.  How are you going to compete financially

SHOGAN:

• Will be difficult
• 2 part answer
  • As independent, I won’t have access to huge amounts of money that party candidates have
    • My campaign will raise money in old fashioned way
    • Connecting with voters on an individual basis
    • Trying to obtain individual donations
    • I think that voters are sick and tired enough of what’s been going on between Republicans and Democrats
      • They will respond to an independent candidate
      • They will see the value in trying to retake their government from the big money interests
      • I hope they’ll support and donate to an independent candidate

CAPLIS:

• I think this is the kind of state that would take an interest in an independent candidate, it’s the spirit of the state.  People sick of partisan gridlock.  I think you’ll find a lot of open minds.  Open wallets will come when the polls show you as a viable candidate.  Reminds me of John Hickenlooper.  He drowned in money as soon as he showed in the polls as having a chance to win.
• No doubt, you’re biggest problem will be having enough Brinks’ trucks to collect the money

SHOGAN:

• That would be a great problem to have
• I’ll look forward to that
• Other part of this
  • A positive campaign won’t need so much money
    • They spend on personal attack ads
    • I don’t plan on engaging in any of that
    • My job:  getting our message out
      • If we do that
      • Voters will respond
      • Campaign will catch fire

CAPLIS:

• CO is still small enough that you can win retail – by just getting your ambulance out and travelling county to county, and if the idea of you catches fire and you personally catch fire, anything could happen
• Issues:  most assume that no matter how strong a candidate you are, you can’t win, and they want to figure out who you’ll hurt, Udall or Gardner?  Do you lean left or right?  How do you describe yourself globally, ideologically?

SHOGAN:

• Globally I’m a centrist
• Plan of this campaign:  I plan to run right inbetween of the two extremes represented by the two political parties.

CAPLIS:

• Where do you see these candidates being extreme?

SHOGAN:

• Clear that Republicans are conservative around social issues and more fiscally responsible
• Democrats are liberal on social issues and don’t have the same kind of ability to balance the budget
• My plan: be more socially liberal and more fiscally conservative
• Run in the middle of things

CAPLIS:

• Where are you on Obamacare?

SHOGAN:

• Huge mistake
• Fatally flawed
• Won’t accomplish what it wants to accomplish
• It will increase the national debt, cost a lot of money
• And as studies have recently shown, will kill employment and jobs.

CAPLIS:

• What’s your quick summary of your solution for healthcare challenge?

SHOGAN:

• Two tiered
• Take the best of what government can do and combine it with the best that free market system can do.
  • I believe that we need to provide healthcare to everyone in this country
  • And we already do that
  • But the costs are hidden
  • And by doing that they’re not proportionately borne  by  everyone in society
  • We need a system where everyone get care from government at some level
  • But a market system will be superimposed on this
    • That’s where we’ll get the efficiency
    • And save money

CAPLIS:

• This is wild!  Highly respected neurosurgeon has entered the Senate campaign as an independent candidate.  First chance to hear his position on the issues.
• What other big issues do you expect to focus your campaign on?

SHOGAN:

• Big issue = national debt
• Threatening to poison the future for our children and grandchildren
• Neither of the major parties is willing to take that on

CAPLIS:

• How do you take that on?

SHOGAN:

• Dealing with Healthcare is going to be one of the major things we’ll do a contributing factor.
  • A large portion of the unfunded liabilities are represented by the healthcare costs
  • By reforming healthcare in a rational way will reduce National debt
  • Also, reforming Social security
    • Also necessary

CAPLIS:

• Any key thoughts on how to reform Social Security?

SHOGAN:

• A number of different things
• But long and short of it is that Social Security is scheduled to go bankrupt in early 2030’s
  • Everyone realizes this
  • No one’s willing to take steps to fix it
  • In one way or another, it needs to include either decrease in benefits or increase in revenues
  • Approach I would take:
    • phase in an increase of the age at which you’d receive full Social Security benefits
    • tie it to life expectancy
      • as it is now, Social Security is tied to a time when life expectancy was much shorter
      • and this has really exacerbated the debt problem

CAPLIS:

• in a follow up show, Medicaid and Medicare aspects, need exploring.  What other issues?

SHOGAN:

• Another key issue: Job creation
• Lingering unemployment
  • In Colorado
  • And more so in other states
  • But also in CO because people just can’t find jobs

CAPLIS:

• What’s your fix there?

SHOGAN:

• Number of things I’d try to do to create jobs
  • Demand side
    • Having employers create more jobs
    • Supply side
      • Try to match skills and give skills to people to fill those jobs
  • Create a national job database,
    • Could be centered here in CO
      • We have high tech industry that could set it up
    • Employers could signal what jobs are available and what skills are needed
      • People would be able to match their skills to those jobs
    • This would help guide education system
      • What skills they need to be providing and teaching to people
      • Help to guide curricula

CAPLIS:

• Should Federal Government enforce federal marijuana laws?  Schedule 1 substance federally, but the Obama administration has decided not to enforce while it sees the impacts of legalization:  Key concerns are marijuana use among kids, or if CO marijuana is getting shipped out to states where it’s illegal.  I’d like to see the Obama administration say, “Okay, we’ve seen enough” and step in to enforce federal laws.  But do you have a position on that.

SHOGAN:

• What you’ve described would be my position
  • = waiting and seeing how it goes on a federal basis
  • But right now, Coloradoans have spoken and said that they desire that marijuana be available legally
  • With the restrictions that exist right now, I’d encourage the federal government not to step in.
  • If it becomes clear however, that there are other problems that are becoming a national threat, then I think the federal government will need to enforce its laws.

CAPLIS:

• I look forward to talking more about that with you.  It will be interesting to see if it becomes an important part of this Senate race.  I think it will.  Michael Bennet said he thought it was insane, this legalized marijuana situation.  I know he’s not your opponent, Mark Udall is.  It will be interesting to see if Mark Udall will pick that up as a cause.  Or what Cory Gardner will do with it.
• Let me ask you more globally, I don’t know your personality that well.  Are you one of these kind of fun people, persons, who’s going to enjoy mixing it up, and pressing the flesh, meeting folks all around Colorado.  Is that your style? Are you more reserved?  How would you describe yourself?

SHOGAN:

• I’ve been described by patients as being pretty serious in the office
  • Neurosurgery is serious
  • You don’t want jovial laughing person in dealing with the problems we deal with
  • I am a people person
    • And enjoy meeting people
    • And I’m looking forward to the campaign trail and meeting a lot of people around the state

CAPLIS:

• I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy travelling and meeting people.  It’s a blast.  And Colorado is small enough, that you could catch fire and all the normal dynamics go by the wayside.

SHOGAN:

• Well, and that is certainly the hope that I have, and My hope for the campaign

CAPLIS:

• Candidates who use talk radio are very wise.  Like Udall and many others who are afraid of it, because they’re afraid of making a mistake, not being able to  handle selves well… they don’t need it because they have lots of money already.  But I think insurgent, fresh candidates like you, and major party candidates, can get five or ten million dollars of value out of talk radio around the state.  It sounds like you’re up for that, and you’re smart to be

SHOGAN:

• I’d like the opportunity to return and talk to you in more detail about any number of issues

CAPLIS:

• Yeah.  Let’s get you in studio.  I know Pete Boyles is going to have you on Monday, he has a large audience also, and I look forward to the conversation, sir.

SHOGAN:

• Thank you. I really appreciate the opportunity
• Likewise.

CAPLIS:

• Big time guy, serious guy, and his involvement in this race is going to matter