Ep30 - Brandon Wark of Free State Colorado - Why the Future Belongs to Those Who Participate

Paul and Scott welcome Brandon Wark of Free State Colorado. Brandon talks about Free State Colorado and gives the inside scoop on some local politics. And Paul makes up a new word.ResourcesThe Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New YorkFree State ColoradoLewRockwell.comLudwig von MisesFredrik HayakHenry HazlittMurray RothbardConfirmation BiasIncentives MatterTop Takeaways1.    Free State Colorado’s goal is to promote a culture of liberty, individual freedom, and a free market with an emphasis on the state and local levels.2.    Politicians aren’t as ideological as we think. Most of them only want to get elected and reelected.3.    Special interest groups aren’t all bad. Good ones can act on behalf of politically underrepresented groups.4.    People spend most of their time focusing on national politics. But the state, county, and local governments have greater influence over our lives.5.    The best way to have a positive impact in your community is to show up and get involved. “Don’t wait until you get the bill in the mail.” – Brandon Wark6.    Brandon’s strategy for communicating with people who have opinions different from his is to take time to get to know the person. He finds where they agree and builds from there to figure out how he can provide value to them.7.    Make a human connection with others. You can still engage with people even if your politics differ.Timestamps[0:29] Brandon’s background.[02:06] How Brandon got involved with politics.[04:55] How the sausage is made, what most surprised Brandon about politicians.[06:30] Incentives matter. Do politicians only care about getting elected and re-elected?[08:07] How do we get special interests out of politics? Do we want them out?[11:34] The Westminster, CO water issue[16:50] How much of a role does political ideology play at the local government level?[21:15] Truth is separate from what it takes to get elected.[26:04] How Brandon came to believe in liberty.[34:21] Brandon’s strategy for having productive interactions with people who don’t agree with him.[37:47] Information overload.[40:25] What Brandon learned over the last year.[42:05] Brandon’s perfect world. If you enjoyed this podcast please share it. We appreciate you helping us get the word out!Engage with Scott and Paul on Twitter.Follow Scott at Strength and Reason. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mentallyunscripted.com