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Home Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

10/18/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Which Gaffe Will Joe Biden Most Likely Make When He’s in Colorado?

Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Joe Biden is reportedly on his way to Colorado for campaign stops on Tuesday and Wednesday (H/T Slapstick Politics). In honor of his arrival, which gaffe do you think Slow Joe Biden is most likely to make? Please vote in the poll below: Vote early, but since we're not a Democratic site, you can't vote often. Sorry. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: campaign stops, candidate, Colorado, Democratic Party, gaffe, Joe Biden, poll, Slapstick Politics

10/18/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

A National Media Double Standard on Florida Congressional Scandals?

The radical shift in polling numbers after the explosive news about the sex/bribe scandal of Democratic Rep. Tim Mahoney - who replaced the infamous Republican Rep. Mark Foley - ensures that Florida Congressional seat shifts back to GOP hands. But where are the national media's incessant demands to find the facts about what Democratic leaders knew and when? I guess the question answers itself. The liberal media establishment doesn't want to drive its favored party into the ground and harm the chances of its chosen candidate (read: Barack Obama). Mark Foley at least had enough shame to do the decent thing and resign over his illicit messages to Congressional pages (and as I said then of Republican leaders, "if they knew and withheld … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, chosen candidate, Congressional pages, Congressman, decency, demands, Democrat, Democratic leaders, double standard, favored party, Florida, Mark Foley, media establishment, national media, question, Republican, resign, scandal, shame, Tim Mahoney

10/18/2008 By Ben 6 Comments

GOP Voter Registration Fraud Story is Bad – Not As Bad As ACORN, Though

I find this story out of California quite disturbing. The Los Angeles Times reports that a Republican contractor has been targeted with serious allegations of engaging in voter registration fraud - a stupid, repugnant, and unethical activity (H/T Volokh Conspiracy):Voters contacted by The Times said they were tricked into switching parties while signing what they believed were petitions for tougher penalties against child molesters. Some said they were told that they had to become Republicans to sign the petition, contrary to California initiative law. Others had no idea their registration was being changed.... It is a bait-and-switch scheme familiar to election experts. The firm hired by the California Republican Party -- a small … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, National Politics Tagged With: ACORN scandals, allegations, Barack Obama, California, Curious Stranger, Democratic agenda, FBI criminal investigation, initiative law, Los Angeles Times, national election, non-partisan, partisan, petition, Republican contractor, Republican Party, stupid, taxpayer funds, unethical, Volokh Conspiracy, voter registration fraud, Young Political Majors

10/17/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Slow Joe the Six-Term Senator … Remember, He’s Smarter Than You

Joe Biden, er, how many letters in that word? If it makes you feel better, Joe Biden clearly has a "much higher IQ than you": It's Friday, a good time for laughs. So if you have 10 minutes, you also ought to watch the good-spirited and rollicking humor of Senator John McCain's speech at the Al Smith dinner. Even Barack Obama was in stitches as many of the subtle (and sometimes self-deprecating) jabs were delivered. (H/T Patrick Ruffini, The Next Right) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Al Smith Dinner, Barack Obama, Friday, good-spirited, higher IQ, Humor, jobs, Joe Biden, John McCain, letters, Patrick Ruffini, speech, The Next Right, word, YouTube

10/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Discussing Education on Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 9 PM

This evening at 9 PM (local Mountain time), I'll join state representative candidate, long-time blogger, and host Joshua Sharf (and possibly another guest) for a half-hour discussion of the latest and greatest education issues in Colorado on Blog Talk Radio. Click here to tune in. The conversation is sure to be lively and informative. And if you miss it live, you can always come back later to catch a recording. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Education, General, My Life Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, Education, Joshua Sharf

10/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sen. Ken Salazar Repeats Discredited Anti-Amendment 49 Talking Point

Colorado U.S. Senator Ken Salazar made the mistake of letting his name appear on a letter recently published in the Fort Morgan Times, a letter that repeats at least one special interest group lie:Amendment 49 targets public employees, including law enforcement officials, fire fighters and teachers, who provide vital services for all of us. Amendment 49 will interfere with the personal choice of working Coloradans over how they want to spend their hard-earned paychecks. This echoes the deceptive flyers distributed by the well-heeled committee Protect Colorado's Culture of Corruption Future (the issue committee known for its perpetual deception), in which they falsely state that Amendment 49 dictates how firefighters and other public … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: 850 KOA, Amendment 49, audio, Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado, deception, deceptive flyers, Ethical Standards, firefighters, Fort Morgan Times, freedom of choice, government restriction, Grand Junction Sentinel, Hank Brown, Ken Salazar, law enforcement, letter, Mike Rosen Show, nonsense, paychecks, personal choice, Protect Colorado's Future, public employees, Rocky Mountain News, special interest group, spend, talking points, teachers, U.S. Senator, vital services, well-heeled

10/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Lobbyists Against Amendment 49? Former Sen. Hank Brown Explains Why

I ran across this satire site someone created, called Lobbyists against Amendment 49. But seriously, why would many of Colorado's political lobbying groups be against Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative? Likely because they have grown quite accustomed to the special privilege of the government serving as their banker, collection agent, and bookkeeper for free. That's a gig I wouldn't want to end either. Unfortunately, I think the people of Colorado may be of a different opinion. While appearing recently on 850 KOA's Mike Rosen Show, former U.S. Senator Hank Brown explained the problem pretty concisely: Here's the transcript:Taxpayers have to pay for the cost of transferring the money, collecting the money, accounting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: 850 KOA, Amendment 49, audio clip, banker, bookkeeper, broad coalition, collection agent, Colorado, Ethical Standards, gig, good government, government, Hank Brown, Lobbyists against 49, Mike Rosen Show, satire site, special privilege, taxpayers

10/16/2008 By Ben 4 Comments

Three Cheers for Joe the Plumber, Just Don’t Call Liquid Plumber First

As the son of a pipefitter, I'm proud to say that Joe the Plumber - with his common sense and courage to "speak his mind" and ask the right question at the right time - might yet become the hero of the 2008 election: Of course, there is always the chance that the John McCain campaign makes the fatal mistake of calling Liquid Plumber first.* Let's hope that doesn't happen! Even if he is from Ohio, God bless Joe Wurzelbacher. *In case you were trying really hard to figure it out, this is neither a product endorsement nor any kind of deep metaphor. It's just a bad joke. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General

10/16/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Former I.I. Intern Smiles for Washington Post during Presidential Debate

(Photo: Washington Post) Former Independence Institute intern and now Washington insider (ha!) Dan Head smiles widely as he watches John McCain deliver a zinger at last night's debate. After two mediocre McCain performances, last night was the aging Arizona senator's best debate of the season against Democrat Barack Obama. The only question that matters now is whether it will make enough difference to impact the election. For that, we'll just have to wait and see. Way to go, Dan, making it into the Washington Post. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Arizona, Barack Obama, Dan Head, debate, Democrat, election, Independence Institute, intern, John McCain, photo, senator, Washington insider, Washington Post

10/15/2008 By Ben 8 Comments

Why Barack Obama’s Ties to ACORN Should Really Scare (or Anger) You

It was good to see ACORN brought up in tonight's debate. My frequent attention of late to the topic has brought on Lefty critique (22 comments!) that the group has never actually been convicted of electioneering fraud. But we'll leave that dispute aside for the time being. Investigative reporter Stanley Kurtz points us to the deeper problems:On ACORN, I continue to be stunned by Obama’s denials of his extensive ties to this execrable group. The fact that ACORN came up at all is good. Most folks still don’t know what ACORN is, how bad it is, and how deeply it’s tied to the financial meltdown. John McCain needs to make sure the public learns about ACORN and Obama. Obama’s dissembling on his ties to ACORN shows that he recognizes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: ACORN, agenda, association, Barack Obama, cherished freedoms, column, debate, electioneering fraud, financial meltdown, investigative reporter, lying, New York Post, socialist program, Stanley Kurtz, The Daily Blogster, weak economy

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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.

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