In Episode 2 of Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with Jake Fogelman, Policy Director at the Independence Institute, to break down what “policy” actually is and how it differs from politics. They explain how public policy shows up in daily life, where laws and regulations live, and what policy professionals really do between elections. The conversation also offers a concrete example of policy work in action through Colorado’s clean energy definitions and the effort to include nuclear energy.

What we cover:
• What “policy” means, and how it differs from politics
• How laws and regulations shape daily life
• What policy work looks like behind the scenes, from bill language to rulemaking
• A real example of micro policy change through Colorado’s clean energy definition
• What Independence Institute is tracking in the 2026 session, including TABOR, the budget, and energy targets

About the guest:
Jake Fogelman is the Policy Director at the Independence Institute, a Denver-based free market think tank. His work focuses on state policy issues, including energy and fiscal policy, and translating technical policy details into public-facing insights.

Resources mentioned:
• Independence Institute: thinkfreedom.org
• IITV on YouTube
• PowerGab (energy podcast): powergab.org
• Complete Colorado

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