It’s a little colder today in hell.  Despite my ego’s protests, I’ve decided to share this wonderful space I like to call the Cauldron with a man much smarter than I.  Drum roll please….. I’d like to welcome senior fellow, Rob Natelson.

Rob has been a Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence at the Independence Institute for many years.  He’s a nationally-recognized constitutional scholar with an awesome publication record – not just in constitutional law, but in many other fields.

Rob also has a wealth of practical political experience in several different states – including Colorado and particularly Montana.  For example, during the 1990s he led a successful movement to transform Montana from a state dominated by a collectivist, anti-freedom mind-set to a state much more respectful of personal freedom.  He ran a statewide radio talk show, and in 2000 he ran second among five Republican and Democratic candidates in the Montana “open” gubernatorial primary.

Before embarking on an academic career, Rob practiced law in Colorado, taught on various occasions at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver, and wrote a regular column for the Rocky Mountain News (RIP).  He spends a lot of time in the outdoors — hiking, skiiing, and sometimes camping and shooting.  He has been an guest several times on some very popular iVoices podcasts.

Rob is particularly known as an expert on our American Founding Fathers and the intent behind the U.S. Constitution, so many of his comments will be about the Constitution.  Expect to see remarks about personal rights, states’ rights, out-of-control judges, and how our government disregards its constitutional limits.  But you can expect him to weigh in on all sorts of topics. (Of course, his opinions are his own – not necessarily those of me, the Independence Institute, or of his current employer.)

Would a white male Supreme Court nominee be called a racist if he said, “I would hope that a wise Caucasian male with the richness of his experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a Latina woman who hasn’t lived that life”?

Would he have a snowball’s chance in hell of being confirmed?

The Independence Institute, one of the original state-based think tanks, is almost 25 years old.  This effective little organization was the brain child of a young Mr. John Andrews. I am greatly indebted to this man.  Not only has he been a strong friend when times seemed bleak, a fine mentor and a fellow freedom fighter, but quite simply, if he didn’t create Independence back then, I’d likely be flipping hamburgers now. You see, and I know this doesn’t come as any surprise to you, but I have absolutely no employable skills. How I backed into this gig is anyone’s guess.  But if John didn’t create Independence back then, the only thing I’d be saying into a microphone now is “would you like fries with that?”

Well now the former Colorado Senate President is going back to his roots as the director of the Centennial Institute, a new think tank being created by Colorado Christian University. Centennial will work to enhance public understanding of the issues relating to “faith, family and freedom.”  They couldn’t have chosen a better man to lead it.  And, in pure self-interest, this gives me possibility of another job in about 15 years.