Backbone Radio

Ask someone who knows

Slated on Backbone Radio, July 26 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver... 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

As citizens in a free society, we can stay in the endless feedback loop of conventional wisdom and politically correct platitudes. Or we can equip ourselves for self-government by digging for the truth with the help of serious thinkers who know what they're talking about. The choice is up to you and me. We at Backbone Radio choose the road less traveled, believing that the other road is rapidly leading Americans to a loss of liberty, prosperity, and security. Among the questions we'll take up this Sunday are these:

** Is Islam a religion of peace? We'll ask Brigitte Gabriel, author of "They Must Be Stopped" and founder of ACT for America, and Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, VP at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

** Do taxes make a difference for economic growth? We'll ask Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council, co-author of "Rich States, Poor States" with Arthur Laffer and Stephen Moore.

** Are law enforcement and other American institutions the crypto-racist embarrassments that Harvard's Prof. Gates (and apparently President Obama) think they are? We'll ask black conservative Joseph C. Phillips.

** Plus J.J. Ament on why he wants to recapture the State Treasurer job for Republicans, and Jeff Crank on what you can do to head off socialized medicine.

It's a waste of your time to ask Anderson Cooper, and it's no longer possible to ask Walter Cronkite -- assuming you wanted to. Much better to ask someone who knows. Join us for the show as we do just that.

Yours for cutting through the fog, JOHN ANDREWS

Fighting for the American dream

Slated on Backbone Radio, July 19 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver... 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

One of the very few things I have in common with President Obama is that we've both met Samuel Wurzelbacher and found him an outspoken, common-sense guy. But it's safe to say I enjoyed the experience in June more than Barack did last October -- since this is the guy whom America knew within hours as Joe the Plumber, a huge headache to the Democratic candidate from then to election day. Did Samuel, or Joe, make Obama boast about "spreading the wealth around" with new taxes and giveaways? No, the candidate did that on his own, and since being inaugurated he's been true to form. So has Wurzelbacher, who spoke in Colorado last month and will talk with our listeners this Sunday.

** Joe the Plumber joins me on Backbone Radio to talk about his book, "Fighting for the American Dream," and his adventures since that fateful day on the ropeline in Ohio.

** Plus Scott McInnis, former congressman who is seen as the man to beat in next year's Republican primary for Governor of Colorado.

** Plus economist Paul Prentice of UCCS and the Centennial Institute, spelling out the moral case for capitalism over command & control economics.

** Plus Gary Marx on this week's battle over a Supreme Court seat in DC, along with Bill Banta and Matt Arnold on next year's battle over four of them in Colorado.

Funny thing about the American dream; it doesn't come by dreaming. It comes by working, preparing, sacrificing, daring -- and sometimes, yes, by fighting. That's where the backbone comes in. What a great time to be alive!

Yours for the plumbing that flushes liberalism, JOHN ANDREWS

Replacing Ritter & Bennet

Slated on Backbone Radio, July 12 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver... 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

Let's face it, Colorado's top elected offices are a near-vacuum at present. There is "no there there" with Gov. Bill Ritter or Sen. Michael Bennet. Both Democrats are empty suits as far as leadership is concerned, and weak in the polls as a result. Election year will soon be here. Josh Penry of Grand Junction has his eye on replacing Ritter. The Colorado Senate Republican leader may formally announce this Saturday, and he'll be my guest on Backbone Radio this Sunday.

Ken Buck of Greeley is formally in the race to replace Bennet, and the Weld County DA is campaigning statewide among Republicans, 13 months ahead of the August 2010 primary. He'll join us on the show as well.

Plus Marvin Hutchens on Obama's wrong-foot foreign policy... wrong on Iran, on Honduras, on Russia... and Brian Schwartz on the phony promises of government health care.

Plus Daniel Hannan, the British conservative member of European Parliament who lit up YouTube with his scolding of Gordon Brown last spring and electrified a Denver audience last month.

Backbone Radio is your resource for intellectual ammo in the political wars, along with a winning attitude to keep spirits high. Plan our broadcasts into your Sundays -- and remember our podcasts are online 24x7.

Yours for a new broom, JOHN ANDREWS