US Constitution Week

BIO:  Rob Natelson is Senior Fellow in Constitutional Studies at the Independence Institute in Denver. A former law professor, he has written widely on constitutional law and history. His research into the Constitution's meaning has been cited 39 times by Supreme Court justices since 2013, including 11 citations in 2023 alone. He also has extensive experience in business, journalism and politics and is a frequent guest on talk radio.

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DATE:  Monday, September 11, 2023

TIME:  5:00 pm 

SUBJECT: "Our Current Supreme Court: Not Conservative But Fractured"

LINK: Professor Natelson Handouts

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Kelly Johnston retired from the Campbell Soup Company in October 2018 after a 16-year career as Vice President of Government Affairs.

Previously, Kelly spent nearly 25 years in Washington, DC in several leadership positions within the executive and legislative branches of the federal government,
politics, and the trade association world.

From 1995 to 1997, he was the Secretary of the US Senate, the Senate’s chief legislative, financial and administrative officer, and took leading roles in the implementation of the Lobby Disclosure Act and Congressional Accountability Act. Kelly has also served as Staff Director of the Senate Republican Policy Committee; Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs in the U.S. Department of Transportation; and chief of staff or press secretary to three Members of Congress. In politics, Kelly worked with 35 US House and Senate candidates in 25 states over two decades, mostly working for the official campaign committees for congressional Republicans.

Kelly is now focused on non-profit work, working with political campaigns, and writing. He is a founding board member and now serves as co-chair of the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communication at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV. His blog, “Against The Grain,” on public policy, history, and politics, can be found at http://kellyjohnston.substack.com.

A native of Oklahoma, Kelly earned his BA degree in Communications in 1976 from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, where he was elected by his peers as
student body president and editor of the college newspaper. He attended Georgetown University’s Graduate School of Demography in Washington, DC. He has guest lectured
on politics, government, lobbying and communications at several universities, including Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, George Washington University, and Shepherd University.

He and his wife, Adrienne, live in Arlington, Virginia. They have two sons and a one grandchild.

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DATE:  Tuesday, September 12, 2023

TIME:  12:00 Noon

SUBJECT: "US Capitol History: The Home of Article I"

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Randy Moorhead was born in Charleston, West Virginia in1950 and grew up in  Dayton, Ohio where his father founded and built his electronics manufacturing  business after discharge from the Air Force in 1953. The experience of watching  his father grow his business from scratch into a significant enterprise imbued  Randy with a passionate appreciation of entrepreneurship and free market  capitalism. His political world view crystallized in 1964 when Randy first became  involved in politics as a volunteer for the Goldwater for President campaign.  

Randy studied political science at both Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where  he was elected class president and Wright State University in Dayton where he  graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Between his junior and senior years Randy was chosen to be an intern in the US House of  Representatives. In 1972, Randy was the Republican nominee for Treasurer of  Butler County, Ohio earning 48% of the total vote against a 16 year incumbent.

Following the 1972 election Randy embarked upon a 42 year career in politics,  public policy, and government service, retiring in 2014 after 25 years at Philips  Electronics North America Corporation where he served as Vice President of  Government Affairs. During his work with Philips Randy led dozens of public  policy campaigns on behalf of his employer that had the effect of saving or  earning the company several hundred million dollars in revenue that would have  been lost had policies inimical to Philips businesses been adopted. Randy was  initially hired by Philips to lead the ultimately successful public policy campaign  to have the company’s technology adopted as the United States’ standard for  broadcasting high definition television. 

Prior to joining Philips Randy served in the Reagan Administration as Legislative  Affairs Director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the  Department of Commerce. He worked for both the Republican National  Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, and as a  private political consultant managing campaigns for the US Senate and House  of Representatives. He began his career in an executive position working for the  County Commission of Butler County, Ohio. 

From 1979 thru 1985, Randy was employed by the National Association of  Realtors where he served as Vice President of Political Affairs. He led a staff of  19 who were responsible for association activities to elect candidates to  congress whose policy views were supportive of the ownership of private  property and protection of private property rights. In this role he also served as  Treasurer of the Realtors Political Action Committee, then the nation’s largest  PAC as measured by total dollar contributions raised and spent annually. 

Randy and his wife Laura are proud parents of four children and five  grandchildren and make their home in Virginia. They have been Grand County,  Colorado homeowners and part time residents for 23 years. 

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DATE:  Tuesday, September 12, 2023

TIME:  5:00 pm 

SUBJECT: "The 1st Amendment and Money in Politics"

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Andy Peth is a KLZ radio personality and Founder of The Party Of Choice.  Raised in leftwing, academic surroundings, Andy realized he was being taught to control others, not liberate them.  Eventually, Andy embraced Liberty, and has spent decades refining a simple approach to spread the truths of Liberty in a nation that has forgotten it.  

Andy knows why people distrust Liberty activists, and how, in just minutes or seconds, we can break through!  Wherever Andy speaks, listeners are surprised to realize the difference we make with our delivery—good or bad. 

Do you want to be more effective, more relaxed, and more liked when those liberty moments arise?  Then listen to a simple change in approach, as Andy Peth shares the secrets in “How To Sell Liberty.” 

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DATE:  Wednesday, September 13, 2023

TIME:  5:00 pm 

SUBJECT: "How to Sell Liberty -

Helping people embrace liberty quickly…and like us for it!" 

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Born and raised in Granby, CO

10.5 years active duty USAF Security Forces and Combat Arms Training & Maintenance

Community College of the Air Force

Associates Arts Criminal Justice Administration

Colorado State University

BA Journalism 2012

BA Sociology 2012

Minor Political Science

Weekly columnist for The Rocky Mountain Collegian 2008-2012

Former host, producer and creator of The Firing Line on 1310 KFKA Greeley

Regular guest and guest host of The Scooter Mcgee Show on 1310 KFKA

Entrepreneur

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DATE:  Thursday, September 14, 2023

TIME:  12:00 Noon

SUBJECT: "US Foreign Policy and the Role of the President and the Legislature"

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Drew joined the US Army in 1962 in Pueblo Colorado at the age of seventeen. He was assigned to the 82d Airborne Division where he was deployed to the Dominican Republic for his first combat tour. He remained with the 82d until he met the age requirements for the US Army Special Forces. Following graduation from the operations & intelligence course, he attended Spanish language and High Altitude parachute training courses before being deployed to the Republic of Vietnam; where he was assigned to a highly classified project with the mission of eliminating enemy infrastructure. Assigned as a lone American, he led multi ethnic mercenaries on missions throughout the region. After receiving a direct commission, Drew was assigned back to Vietnam as a Company Commander of A co, 2/502,101st Airborne Division. In addition to the 82d, and the 101st, Drew was assigned to the 5th & 6th Special Forces Groups, Aide to the CG of the JFK Special Warfare Center, aide to the CG XVIII Airborne Corps. He was instrumental in establishing the Joint Special Operations Support Element (JSOSE) at MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL., and was assigned to the 4th BN, 9th INF at Ft Wainwright, Alaska.

Following the attacks of September 11, He was asked by the Governor of Alaska to advise him on the strategies that should be used to protect the oil infrastructure in Alaska. He served as Alaska’s first Director of Homeland Security. Drew retired from the State of Alaska as a Deputy Commissioner within the Department of military and Veterans affairs.

As a Special Forces Sergeant, during his first tour he was awarded the Medal of Honor and became the first enlisted man in the US Army Special Forces to receive the Medal of Honor.

This early beginning in special operations paved the way for Drew to work in numerous anti- terrorist assignments following his twenty years of service in the US Army. While living in Alaska he worked on a classified contract from 1985 to 1995, with the mission to establish Ice Stations on the Arctic Ocean to track Soviet Submarines. He also served in the Middle East and Central America.

While in Alaska, he owned and operated an air service and flew throughout the northern regions of the state.

He is the C0-Founder of the “Center for American Values” an educational nonprofit in Pueblo, Colorado where he served as the Board Chairman until being elected as President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. He is on the board of The Center for American Values. He founded REMUDA, LLC which specializes in providing training to active military and other government entities, speaking to those deploying and/or returning from deployment. 

He now lives with his wife Patricia on their ranch in Westcliffe, CO.

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DATE:  Thursday, September 14, 2023

TIME:  5:00 pm 

SUBJECT: "The Warrior Culture Needed to Defend Our Constitution"

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Dr. Thomas Krannawitter is President of Speakeasy Ideas. He knows that every valuable human creation begins with an idea, and he specializes in distilling the most important ideas—starting with the idea of human liberty—so that others can understand them and use them to improve their own lives.

He holds a Ph.D. from the School of Politics & Economics at
the Claremont Graduate University. He has taught at
Claremont McKenna College, Hillsdale College, Ashland
University, and George Mason University, among other
places. He was Director of Academic Programs and Vice
President for Development at The Claremont Institute in
California.

He’s one of the principal instructors for the Leadership Program of the Rockies, based in Colorado, and the Charter Oak Leadership Program in Connecticut. He frequently
advises businesses and charitable organizations on communications, cultural development, and strategy.

Dr. Krannawitter has testified before state legislatures, though he doesn’t put much faith in politicians. That’s among the reasons why he focuses on teaching citizens, helping teachers, students, business owners, and others to improve our modern American culture through persuasion and moving stories. Americans won’t get better policies from their government until they demand better politicians to serve in government.

Dr. Krannawitter’s research and published writings have ranged from politics to constitutional law to economics to social commentary, from specific historic events to
timeless philosophic questions. His 2008 book, Vindicating Lincoln, was featured by The History Book Club and endorsed by the United States Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.

His 2014 book, Crisis of Our House Divided: A Guide To Talking Politics Without The Noise, applies the lessons of Lincoln to our challenges today. His most recent book,
Save the Swamp: Career Guidebook for Budding Bureaucrats, is different. Swamp is funny. It’s satire. Feel free to check out Dr. Krannawitter’s author page at Amazon.

Dr. Krannawitter has received numerous research fellowships throughout his career, including an H.B. Earhart Fellowship. He was a Winston Churchill Society Fellow, a
Henry Salvatori Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, and a Richard Weaver Fellow at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute.

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DATE:  Friday, September 15, 2023

TIME:  11:00 am

SUBJECT: "Private Property as a Moral
Concept and the Foundation for Constitutional Self-Government"

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.

BIO:  Kurt is a graduate of the University of Kansas with bachelor’s degrees in history and political science, and master’s degree in American military history. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1985 and served in a variety of billets to include imagery intelligence, ballistic missile warning and space control, ICBM combat crew commander, and Air Force ROTC commandant of cadets. Following retirement from the Air Force, Kurt was Social Studies department head at a Christian high school, teaching American history, civics, and economics. Kurt has presented first-person historical portrayals as Meriwether Lewis and Theodore Roosevelt for many years and is currently authoring a book on Roosevelt’s Rough Rider regiment as veterans. He serves as Deputy Director for The American Legion Colorado Boys State program, is a member of The American Legion National Americanism Council, and is active in Americanism and Youth programs sponsored locally by The American Legion at his home post, Neil Thomas Jr.-Centennial Post 209 in Colorado Springs.

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DATE:  Friday, September 15, 2023

TIME:  5:00 pm 

SUBJECT: "A Republic If We Can Keep It - Restoring an American Citizenry Fit for
Self-Government"

LOCATION:  Grand Lake Center - 301 Marina Dr.