Mandy Connell Show, Karen Kataline, September 13, 2019
Station: KOA, 850 am
Show: Mandy Connell Show
Guests: Kataline, Karen
Date: September 13, 2019
Topics: Recall Polis, Signatures, Reforming Recall Laws, Rules, Dictatorial Legislature, Marxism Imposed on Coloradans, The Blueprint, Jared Polis, Grassroots, Consultants
MANDY: Oh, I’m not saying it’s unconstitutional. I’m saying it’s a bad idea. Those two things are totally separate. Whether or not we have the right to pursue a recall, I’m not – I actually think that the movement to reform the recall is misguided because, in this case, I think the recall worked as it was supposed to. The signatures could not be gathered, so the governor will not face a recall from this organization. That means the will of the people was not behind it. That’s how it should work
KAREN KATALINE: Except that the rules were pretty arbitrary. But I think that you have a well-considered opinion and of course there were a lot of people who disagreed with this particular course of action. My feeling is, if you want something done, give it to a busy person. And there are people who were utterly passionate and heartbroken when the recall wasn’t successful. The question I would ask YOU, Mandy – who I really respect – is, “What is your line in the sand? When do you finally stand up using every tool you can to try your best to rein in a monopolistic dictatorial legislature that will do anything – and watch, they’ll do it this coming session as well – to impose, basically, Marxism on Colorado. I’m a native of Colorado. I was born and raised here. It kills me to see what they’re doing to our state!
MANDY: Well, Karen, here’s the thing, here’s what I would recommend to all of those disheartened people — and it goes to my point of what my line in the sand is. My line in the sand is, if I don’t like it, I give money to candidates I support. I’m going to support candidates – I’ve already – I gave my first donation that I’ve ever given in my current life. When I started doing talk radio, I stopped giving political donations. I just gave a donation to someone for a school board race in Douglas County. I’m going to find candidates I agree with, and I’m going to support them and urge other people to support them, because, ultimately, I believe in the system. And I also believe, if I can’t make a compelling argument during the election cycle to get my candidates elected, perhaps I need to either rethink – or by the way, read a copy of “The Blueprint!” Why are people on the right in Colorado – the natives who are so passionate, who are trying to recall Jared Polis – why are they not emulating the plan that has been laid out in book form that was utilized by progressives to turn the state blue in the first place. This is what is completely beyond me. There’s a book, there! There’s a book!
KATALINE: No, that’s a spectacular question, and they’ve gone 15 years beyond that blueprint. They’re into Blueprint 401 now! And with [unintelligible] – God bless them! – wouldn’t pay attention.
MANDY: Karen, you’re kind of making my point in this, in that, how much energy is being expended on a recall that has very little chance of succeeding – very little chance!—instead of saying, “Okay, how can we create organizations to compete with the organizations created by the progressives ten, fifteen years ago. How can we counter-balance that?
KATALINE: I agree, but maybe you’re breaking news that I didn’t know about. I mean, the recall that I represented is done for the moment. Are you saying that you’re trying to discourage people from doing it again? I probably would, too! But that isn’t my decision to make. My question, though, is, – we are not Democrats. We never march in lockstep. And I’m not even a Republican. I’m an independent now. And when people are fired up, they get fired up about a lot of things. When they’re sitting on the couch – and let me tell you, people were fired up and they had no structure within which to have their voices heard. People weren’t just being persuaded to sign those petitions, they were clamoring to sign those petitions.
MANDY: I get it! And not enough people were clamoring. That’s the problem. Not enough people were clamoring. Now here’s – let me just leave it with –
KATALINE: Well, if we’d had more time, we would have gotten it
MANDY: Wait, wait, Karen! Hang on, because I’m running short on time. Hang on one second. I want to make this point
KATALINE: Sorry.
MANDY: When you have a finite resource – which is people that are so pissed off and angry – use it smart! That’s the thing. This is a short view. This is like playing small ball when the Democrats have been playing long ball for the last 20 years. This is another example of short-sightedness, because what happens if you get the recall on the ballot? What happens when Jared Polis drops another $20 million into the race? What happens when there’s not even a Republican who has stood up and said, “I want to run!” What happens then? It’s wasted energy! That’s the point.
KATALINE: You know what, Mandy, I love this discussion. I know you don’t always do politics and I’m kind of a political junkie. But these discussions are ones that need to be had. And I would love to be a part of those discussions that you have on your show because I think Coloradans, in general – you know, the so-called grassroots – they know more than the consultants do about what needs to happen. And I think you make some superb points. I do.
MANDY: I just want to – You know, I don’t want to just do something because it feels good. I want to do something that’s going to be effective. And if I thought that this would ever be effective, I would get behind it. But I have looked at it from 50 different angles, and I don’t ever see it working. I see a better strategy [would] be going toward that next election and spending our energy there. Karen, I appreciate the phone call, very much – very much. But I still – I—no one is going to convince me I’m wrong about this, just to let you know. On some subjects, I’m malleable. The Death Penalty? I’ll hear both sides. I still waffle on it. Mostly I lean on the ‘no’ side on that. But hey, this? You’re never going to convince me that it’s going to work. You’re just not. And I just am heartbroken to think that there are heartbroken people out there who worked their tails off and get nothing in return.
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