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Home Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

10/28/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Attorney’s Vulgar Racist Slur a Stain on Big Labor Opponents of Right-to-Work

As reported in the Denver Post, this is the kind of story that Big Labor would rather sweep under the rug. A union attorney exposed for his racist, vulgar email messages sent to Ryan Frazier, a leading supporter of Amendment 47, and also (apparently) for practicing law in Colorado without a license. It wasn't like the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) had much choice but to get rid of DeAngelo Starnes - otherwise a natural ideological fit. It is not insignificant to note that UFCW has spent nearly $5 million on state issue campaigns this year - mostly to fight Amendment 47 (Right-to-Work) but also to spread lies about Amendment 49 (Ethical Standards) and Amendment 54 (Government Contracting Reform). Only the National Education … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 47, Amendment 49, Amendment 54, Big Labor, Colorado, DeAngelo Starnes, Denver Post, Drunkablog, email messages, Ethical Standards, good government, government contracting reform, ignominious, National Education Association, practicing law, pro-worker, racist, right-to-work, Ryan Frazier, snide commentary, supporter, union attorney, United Food and Commercial Workers, vulgar

10/28/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

State Should Charge Protect Colorado’s Future with Extortion Processing Fee

The Rocky Mountain News Stump blog reports:Colorado spent more than $200,000 in printing costs and extra postage this fall because the deadline for withdrawing ballot measures comes too close to Election Day, according to a study from the University of Denver. Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57 were withdrawn by labor groups by an Oct. 2 deadline. But it was too late to keep them off the printed ballot. DU's Center for Colorado's Economic Future offered some advice for the state legislature: rethink the law that allows ballot initiatives to be pulled as late as 33 days before the election. Changing the law on the withdrawal deadline may not be a bad idea, but here's an even better one. Seeing as how Protect Colorado's Culture of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 53, Amendment 55, Amendment 56, Amendment 57, ballot initiatives, ballot measures, ballot scam bill, bid, business leaders, Center for Colorado's Economic Future, Colorado, Election Day, extortion, extra postage, hostage, Jon Caldara, labor groups, printing costs, processing fee, Protect Colorado's Future, Rocky Mountain News, sock puppets, state legislature, Stump blog, University of Denver, withdrawal deadline, withdrawing

10/27/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Off to Denver Townhall Talkers Tour

I'm off to the Townhall Battleground Talkers Tour's first event this evening in Denver. Hope to see some of you there. What do syndicated radio hosts Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, and Dennis Prager have to say off air? Will they succeed in firing up the troops? Is the media's assessment of conservative and Republican voter enthusiasm on- or off-base? What do Colorado's grassroots leaders really think about the McCain-Palin's ticket to win Colorado and the national election? What other campaigns and figures will make an appearance? Check back later for a report. Sadly, the event comes on the same day as the passing of regular Hugh Hewitt guest host, Weekly Standard contributor, and blogger extraordinaire Dean Barnett. Rest in peace. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: Colorado, conservative, Dennis Prager, Denver, grassroots leaders, Hugh Hewitt, McCain-Palin, media, Michael Medved, national election, Republican, Talkers Tour, Townhall.com, voter enthusiasm

10/27/2008 By Ben 6 Comments

Mark Hillman Cuts Through Deception Used Against Amendments 47, 49, 54

Another prominent, respected Colorado voice joins the chorus of those denouncing the nonsensical attacks against Amendments 47, 49, and 54. Former state treasurer Mark Hillman makes a couple of terrific points in his piece:Amendment 49 (”ethical standards”) prohibits state and local governments from intercepting a worker’s paycheck to collect dues or contributions for unions, lobbyists or any other special interest. It simply requires all interest groups to ask supporters directly for their contribution, rather than use government payroll systems as their collection agency. Groups from the National Rifle Association to the Sierra Club rely on voluntary contributions, so why can’t labor unions and other special … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 47, Amendment 49, Amendment 54, ask directly, attacks, Big Bad Wolf, Coloradans for Middle Class Relief, Colorado, commercial, Denver Post, dishonest, dues, employees, Ethical Standards, firefighter, government payroll system, greedy owners, indentured servants, labor unions, lobbyists, Mark Hillman, membership, National Rifle Association, Political contributions, profit motive, Protect Colorado's Future, respected voice, Sierra Club, special interest groups, state treasurer, voluntary contributions, white noise

10/27/2008 By Ben 3 Comments

Is Barack Obama a Socialist?

Watch the video, and decide for yourself (H/T Rocky Mountain Right): Memo to media establishment: You can go back to writing about Sarah Palin's wardrobe and digging up dirt on Joe The Plumber. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, Joe the plumber, media establishment, Rocky Mountain Right, Sarah Palin, Socialist, wardrobe, YouTube

10/27/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

ObamaFraud and the Ongoing Motivation of the GOP Ground Game

There is a ton to catch up on heading into the election's final week: Palestra has the latest on vote fraud committed by Barack Obama staffers camping out in Ohio. Naysayers repeat the mantra that this fraud can't possibly affect the election, because it's on such a small scale. Focused so intently on potential direct impacts, they miss the point. The ever expanding, yet unknowable, scale of voter registration fraud has been part of feeding a public perception. Based on what we know about human nature and behavior, it will have some effect - how so, it's too hard to say. To further understand the concern, think instead about what this says: the bare minimum of electronic controls to cover his online donations, allowing for myriad kinds … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, anger, anonymous, assumptions, Barack Obama, Beldar, Colorado, credibility, Democrats, disparities, distortions, election, electronic controls, essay, Gateway Pundit, ground game, John McCain, journalist, margins of error, media establishment, Michael Malone, millions of dollars, nationwide, naysayers, Newsbusters, oblivion, Ohio, online donation fraud, overconfidence, Palestra, phone calls, polls, public support, reality, shenanigans, small scale, statistical sampling, volunteers, votger fraud, walking precincts, Zombie

10/26/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

I’m Not Ready to Delve into the 2010 Election for Colorado Governor

I'm really not ready to talk about the race for governor in 2010. Yes, I believe Bill Ritter is a vulnerable incumbent, and the Republicans have a real shot if they play it right. I agree with Rocky Mountain Right: Tom Tancredo isn't the answer. And I'm taking a wait-and-see attitude about John Elway. As of today, here's my leading choice. But let's finish this Election strong first, and think about 2010 later. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: 2010, Bill Ritter, election, Governor, incumbent, John Elway, Mark Hillman, Republicans, Rocky Mountain Right, Tom Tancredo

10/26/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

My Young Free Market Friends Showcase New Online Political Activism

The Saturday edition of the Rocky Mountain News featured the proverbial quadrennial story about the energized youth vote. Do we have reason to believe that more young voters will cast their ballots this year? I don't know. But one of my young free market friends astutely suggests that the state of the economy has re-engaged many of them:Wesley Dickinson, a 30-year-old Denver engineer, thinks the economy is forcing people near his age to confront politics more so than at any time since the 1970s economic downturn created a generation of Reagan Republicans. Since then, people have been able to live relatively comfortably and didn't care so much about what the government did; that no longer is true, he said. "They haven't had to worry … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: activism, Amanda Teresi, ballots, blog, campaign event, co-workers, computer, Denver, donate money, economy, engineer, free market, friends, Independence Institute, Justin Longo, Liberty on the Rocks, politics, Presidential debate, Reagan Republicans, Rocky Mountain News, technology, Web monkey, Wesley Dickinson, youth vote

10/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Buescher “Favored”? Deceptive Attacks on Cancer Survivor Say Maybe Not

Today the Rocky Mountain News highlights the hottest state legislative race on Colorado's Western Slope, as Republican challenger Laura Bradford faces down Democrat incumbent Bernie Buescher in HD55:"I think her chances are great," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, who was among Republicans who stopped in Grand Junction while on an RV tour of the state. "One thing she said was, 'Gov. Ritter will not be whispering in my ear what to do.' People loved that." Buescher, however, says he doesn't hew that closely to Gov. Bill Ritter. "They're going after me on some issues, but it seems to me the fundamental attack is that I'm too close to the administration," he said. "The fact is I pushed the administration as much as any Democrat in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, Labor Tagged With: 527 groups, administration, Alida Messinger, attack ads, Bernie Buescher, Bill Ritter, billionaire, campaign finance reform, cancer screenings, cancer survivor, challenger, Colorado, Colorado Democracy Alliance, Colorado Education Association, Colorado Values, Cory Gardner, Democrat, desperate, Gene Kinsey, Grand Junction, HD55, headline, Health Care, health insurance, incumbent, John Bodnar, John McCain, K-12 employees, Laura Bradford, Mesa County, negative advertising, property tax hike, reports, Republican, Rockefeller heir, Rocky Mountain News, Secretary of State, state legislative races, Tim Gill, union, Western Slope

10/24/2008 By Ben 11 Comments

“I am Joe”

Perhaps the best and most timely ad the McCain-Palin campaign has put out: Just be careful where you go with that McCain bumper sticker, lest you get attacked by a deranged Barack Obama supporter. (Update:This particular incident turns out to have been a cruel hoax. I share Jim Geraghty's sentiments. Meanwhile, the death threats keep rolling in.) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: assault, bumper sticker, campaign ad, McCain-Palin, YouTube

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About Me

Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

Recent Posts

  • AI-Enhanced Cyberbullying: The Dark Side of Teen Innovation
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

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Completing the Blogroll

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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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