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Home Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

6/25/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Hindu Delegation Gives “Obamessiah” Different Kind of “American Idol”

From the Times of India (via Drudge Report):NEW DELHI: With Democrat senator Barack Obama busy in the run-up to the US presidential polls, a group of well-wishers in the capital have decided to send him a symbol of his lucky charm, Lord Hanuman, to help him emerge victorious.... An hour-long prayer meeting to sanctify the idol was earlier organised at Sankat Mochan Dham and by Congress leader Brijmohan Bhama, Balmiki Samaj and the temple's priests. "Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him," said Bhama. This story gives a whole new meaning to the name "American Idol." But seriously, this could add another layer of religious confusion to the ever-unfolding bizarre "Obamessiah" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, National Politics Tagged With: American Idol, Barack Obama, Brijmohan Bhama, Christianity, Drudge Report, elitism, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, Lord Hanuman, Obamessiah, snobbery, Times of India

6/25/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Support the Troops: Moving America Forward Seeking Care Package Support

Just in case you have missed this important news elsewhere... the group Moving America Forward is working to organize the largest ever care package shipment to U.S. military personnel. (More information from Rush Limbaugh and the San Francisco Chronicle.) Here's their goal:...to send the largest single shipment of care packages in U.S. history. We're hoping to collect sponsorships in excess of $500,000 for care packages by the end of the day Thursday. How can you learn more and get involved? On Thursday, June 26, tune in to Hot Air's "From the Front Lines." What a great way to show our nation's appreciation to our troops and their families! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General Tagged With: care packages, From the Front Lines, Hot Air, Moving America Forward, Rush Limbaugh, San Francisco Chronicle, support the troops

6/24/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Turn Off the TV on Bill Ritter

Over at the Colorado Index, one of my new favorite bloggers Civil Sense clues readers in to a new taxpayer-funded television ad, starring our hapless Gov. Bill Ritter:The ads range from 10 to 30 seconds, and they send a simple message: Turn down the thermostat, unplug unused appliances, turn off lights and use alternative transportation. Good advice. I think I'll be turning off the television whenever this commercial comes on my set. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Energy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Civil Sense, Colorado Index, Energy, taxpayer funds, television ad, thermostats

6/24/2008 By Ben 5 Comments

Feeling Out of the Loop: John Lerew (not LeGrew) and CCM Comes to Denver

Oh joy, I've finally figured out who my Republican Congressional candidate is: John Lerew, not John LeGrew (how bad is it when your name gets misspelled in a key publication that introduces your candidacy to a key audience of activists?). Longtime Colorado blogger Jack Ott, whom I met back in 2004, has posted information about Mr. Lerew. Certainly, he seems an ardent and passionate conservative, but it's apparent the GOP went pretty deep onto the bench to bring him forward as the candidate. Or, as one Lefty blogger quite accurately put it, Mr. Lerew is "the sacrificial lamb" to run against incumbent Rep. Ed Perlmutter. (I feel out of the loop to have taken so long to learn about this one. But it also speaks ill of the candidate's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: 7th Congressional District, Coalition for a Conservative Majority, Colorado, Denver metro area, Jack Ott, John Lerew, Republican Party, sacrificial lamb

6/24/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Canadian Parents, Beware

Say what? As absurd as some of our court decisions seem to be, the Euro-wannabes north of the border have trumped us when it comes to sheer lunacy (H/T Doug Bandow):A recent court decision in Canada should send chills down every parent’s spine. The ruling is so out of bounds that the news story sounds like a parody — but it isn’t. A Canadian judge ruled that a 12-year-old girl was “excessively” punished when her father told her she could not go on a school camping trip because she had broken rules for use of the Internet. O Canada, the nation with tribunals that enforce politically-correct government censorship of speech, now gives us micromanagement of parental responsibilities. Wherever Canada is, I fear the United States is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cultural Conservatism, General, World Events Tagged With: Baptist Press, Barack Obama, Canada, Doug Bandow, Free Speech, John McCain, judicial activism, Mark Steyn, nanny state, parental responsibilities

6/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Obama on Your Shoulder”: Catchy Tune, Laughs Make Searing Point

I've been meaning to post this one for several days now. But enough excuses. Without further ado, here's a creative video that will make you laugh and put a catchy tune in your head: I give you the inimitable Mary Katharine Ham with "Obama on Your Shoulder." Depending on how you look at it, the video could either make you feel a lot more lighthearted or a lot sicker to your stomach. Or maybe a bit of both. But laughter is the best medicine, they say. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, HamNation, Mary Katharine Ham, Obama on Your Shoulder, Townhall

6/23/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bad News for Colorado Lefties

From Face The State's latest "Buzz":Americans for Prosperity, a center-right grassroots organization currently focusing on encouraging responsible energy policy, has announced that it is opening shop in Colorado with its 22nd chapter. The effort is being headed up by social conservative Jim Pfaff, a former president of the Colorado Family Council known and praised for his ability to make nice with social libertarians. This can't be seen as a positive development by Colorado's liberal Tim Gill-Pat Stryker-Mark Udall-Bill Ritter axis. Whenever the fiscal conservatives and social conservatives start playing nice, working behind a savvy and respected person like Jim Pfaff, that means the Left can't fall back so easily on its "divide and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Americans for Prosperity, Bill Ritter, Colorado Family Council, Face the State, Jim Pfaff, Left, limited government, Mark Udall, Pat Stryker, Tim Gill

6/21/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

News Like This Could Make the DNC Much More Interesting for Me

From the Denver Post's PoliticsWest:A heated labor disagreement over Denver's teacher contract appears to be heading into late August and could reach a boiling point during the Democratic National Convention, reports Jeremy P. Meyer. Teachers and the administration are at odds over changes to the district's compensation system. It's one of the issues that led union officials to warn teachers in their May newsletter to prepare for a strike. Mediation with a professional arbiter has been set for Aug. 20-22, ending the Friday before the Democrats arrive for the convention. This has the potential to be ugly. I will be keeping a close eye not only on the broader political ramifications but on what this potential clash could portend for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: contract negotiations, Democratic National Convention, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, teachers union

6/21/2008 By Ben 6 Comments

Beautifying the Street Where I Live

How surprised I was this morning as I went to the driveway to collect the newspapers to also find a cleverly packaged piece of white supremacist "nationalist" hate-group literature nearby on the ground. After opening it and being repulsed, I then looked around and saw that our house wasn't the only one on the block to have been so greeted. With the help of my 2-year-old daughter, we walked the block and cleaned up more than a dozen pieces of trash littered along the sidewalk and street. After writing this, I may come to find out that I inadvertently insulted the work of some local neo-Con blogger's friends. Nevertheless, the kind of ideology littered along my street this morning is a repulsive affront to true Christian religion and our … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life Tagged With: hate literature, neighborhood clean-up, neo-Confederate, whitesupremacists

6/20/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter, Tax Increases, Unions, and the Colorado Supreme Court

With a little shameless self-promotion, I tie it all together on the longest day of the calendar year. First, news broke earlier this week that Gov. Bill Ritter has done the inevitable, by agreeing to appeal a district court ruling that came to the clear and appropriate conclusion that Ritter erred in raising school property taxes without voter permission. Sure, I could link to lots of articles that highlight this news, but only the one in the Denver Daily News quotes the author of this blog:"I believe the district court judge did the right thing by recognizing that Colorado voters should be asked before they endure a tax increase," said Ben DeGrow, a policy analyst at the Independence Institute. "It's simply a matter of honoring the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Ben DeGrow, Bill Ritter, Colorado Children's Amendment, Colorado Supreme Court, Denver Daily News, Denver District Court, Evan Dreyer, Greeley Tribune, Independence Institute, Poudre Education Association, Property Tax Increase, public education, taxpayers, teachers unions

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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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Other Sites

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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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