April 24, 2017 01:52 PM UTC

Get More Smarter on Monday (April 24)

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Pop quiz: Name one of two top finishers in Sunday’s Presidential race in France. It’s time to Get More Smarter! If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example). If you are more of a visual learner, check out The Get More Smarter Show.

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► President Trump is very angry that he is being judged on the first 100 days of his Presidency, but at least he still has a job. The Washington Post examines the fate of 15 top Trump supporters who didn’t even make it to 100 days in the White House.

► President Trump sat down with Julie Pace of the Associated Press for an extensive interview that was absolutely bizarre. Trump is very touchy about any attempts to summarize his first 100 days in office — which have not gone well by any serious estimation — so the President spends most of his time talking about that time he won the 2016 election and about how he is the biggest ratings draw on cable television.

As Chris Cillizza writes for CNN, Trump is starting to sound awfully similar to Uncle Rico:

At issue for Trump is that he continues to seem more interested in how he won the office than what he will do with the office. An occasional reminder of a time when you won is great. But Trump is bordering on Uncle Rico (of “Napoleon Dynamite”) territory here.  If you don’t know what I am talking about, watch this:

“Back in ’82 I used to be able to throw a pigskin a quarter mile,” Uncle Rico recalls. “If coach would have put me in fourth quarter we would have been state champions….no doubt in my mind.”

The point is: Dwelling too much in the past makes you a prisoner of the past. Trump won a historic upset. No question.  But, now he’s president. So, how he got elected — and how no one called it — is now less relevant than what he plans to do in the office.

Michael Kruse of Politico takes a look at “How Trump Succeeds Without Succeeding.”

► “Keyser’s Law” becomes official in Colorado.

► Construction defects reform legislation passed out of the State House on a unanimous vote on Monday. It is now up to the State Senate to approve HB17-1279.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

IN CASE YOU ARE STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► Yay, science! Massive crowds turned out across the country over the weekend to protest the anti-science policies of the Trump administration. The “March for Science” in Denver included an appearance by Gov. John Hickenlooper and a loud demonstration from Coloradans concerned about the dangers of fracking.

► There are many Colorado Republicans who agree with President Trump on kicking people off of Medicaid.

► Arapahoe County District Attorney and Republican gubernatorial candidate George Brauchler demonstrates how not to publicly remember a tragic event.

► Senator Cory Gardner (R-Yuma) continues to take heat for refusing to hold a town hall meeting with constituents. As the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent reports:

Scores of protesters greeted Sen. Cory Gardner with chants of “we want a town hall” when he held a private fundraising dinner at the Hotel Colorado on Friday night.

While the senator has been hosting closed-door fundraising events, he’s getting flak for not holding a public town hall for constituents.

Planned Parenthood was instrumental in rallying protesters to picket outside the Hotel Colorado, and during busy, after-work traffic, the sidewalks swelled with what was estimated to be more than 100 people at Sixth Street and Grand Avenue. Other local groups, like Indivisible Roaring Fork, also spread the word to get a solid turnout at the rally.

► Republicans are growing increasingly nervous about the potential negative impact of President Trump on the 2018 election cycle.

► Residents of Southwestern Colorado are pushing Congress and President Trump to protect 61,000 acres of land in the San Juan Mountains as official wilderness areas. Meanwhile, a new report shows that National Parks in Colorado generated $570 million in economic benefits in 2016.

► Senator Michael Bennet (D-Denver) announced a bunch of new staffers in both his Washington D.C. and Colorado offices. 

► Congressman Jared Polis (D-Boulderish) is still pondering a potential run for Governor in 2018.

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► State budget cuts in Colorado could prove devastating for rural hospitals and medical facilities.

► President Trump continues to demand that Congress finds funding for a border wall with Mexico.

ICYMI

► If you’ve watched it already, then watch it twice! The latest episode of “The Get More Smarter Show” includes an in-depth discussion with Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Denver) on Trumpcare reform efforts in Congress and why Republicans can’t get anything moving in that regard.

Click here for The Get More Smarter Show. You can also Get More Smarter by liking Colorado Pols on Facebook!