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Home Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

6/18/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Right-to-Work States Outpace Forced Union States in Economic Growth

A couple days ago I had the pleasure of pointing out the defects in Denver Post editorialist Bob Ewegen's arguments against Right-to-Work. I wrote:Even more telling than comparisons of static earnings are rates of growth. In both job growth and in overall economic growth, Right-to-Work states have performed better. I therefore found it interesting that another insightful blogger only last week posted an analysis of new economic growth data. Here's the chart Will Franklin produced showing just how much Right-to-Work states outperform states that allow union coercion: Combined with the other flaws in Bob Ewegen's argument, this interesting find only makes the case for Right-to-Work look even stronger. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor Tagged With: Bob Ewegen, Denver Post, economic growth, right-to-work, Will Franklin

6/17/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Bill Ritter: MORE Campaign Violations?

From KRDO in Colorado Springs:Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has notified prosecutors that more spending violations have been uncovered from his 2006 campaign, and that a former aide has written his campaign a check for $10,340 to correct the problem. Sure, it's not as much as the $200,000+ illegally spent out of Bill Ritter's inaugural fund that got him into hot water in the first place. But every time another one of these campaign violations trickles out - or word spreads that a computer with key facts pertaining to the investigation conveniently disappeared - it further calls into question the governor's leadership. If Bill Ritter can't provide oversight to his own campaign funds, how can he provide oversight to the state budget and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: 2006 gubernatorial campaign, Bill Ritter, campaign finance violation, KRDO

6/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bob Ewegen Uses Less Than Complete Facts to Attack Right-to-Work

In his weekend column, liberal Denver Post editorialist Bob Ewegen carried the water for Big Labor leaders who are working to undermine Colorado's Right-to-Work initiative. Once you move past his weak attempt at irony, you find problems with the facts he chose to use to make his case:If you're lucky enough to find a job at all, the only right the Coors plan gives you is the right to work for less. Quite a bit less, actually. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that an average worker in the 22 states with right-to-work laws earns about $7,131 a year less than workers in free bargaining states ($30,656 versus $37,787). Nationwide, union members earn $9,308 a year more than non-union workers, $41,652 versus $32,344. These facts … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: African-Americans, agency fees, average earnings, Big Labor, Bob Ewegen, Collective Bargaining, column, cost-of-living, Denver Post, economic growth, editorialist, infant mortality rate, job growth, National Institute for Labor Relations Research, poverty rate, right-to-work, taxes, union coercion, workers

6/13/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Jason Janz and Juneteenth

Jason Janz - a personal acquaintance I met through his launching and running the successful Christian website Sharper Iron - wrote a Speakout published in today's Rocky Mountain News about Denver's upcoming Juneteenth celebration:I am not African-American and I am going to Juneteenth. In fact, I believe that people of all ethnicities should attend if they are able. Why? Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and equality, values that every American should embrace. Just because the peak of the civil rights movement has passed does not mean that racial tension in our community is gone. There is still much work to do. By standing next to the African-American community, you are showing solidarity with them as a partner for peace and harmony in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Commemorative, General, History Tagged With: African-American culture, Denver, emancipation, Jason Janz, Juneteenth, Providence Bible Church, Rocky Mountain News, Sharper Iron

6/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Slightly Incoherent”? Not Bad

Joshua Sharf yesterday had the mild misfortune of having to endure our Independence Institute's candidate briefing. Glad to know my highly-compressed 15-minute presentation on school finance and teacher quality only came across as "slightly incoherent," and that Joshua seems to have had a good time. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Tagged With: candidates briefing, Independence Institute, Joshua Sharf, View from a Height

6/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Mark Hillman’s Turn to Ask Taxpayers’ Nagging Question for Bill Ritter

In a column for the Sterling Journal-Advocate, newly elected Republican National Committeeman Mark Hillman (be ready to be greeted by his smiling face) asks the nagging question on the minds of many Colorado taxpayers:Is it typical political spin or something more tangible that makes Gov. Bill Ritter so incredibly confident that the Colorado Supreme Court will vindicate his strategy to raise your property taxes without your permission? If you get a chance, read the whole thing. Last week I similarly asked what Bill Ritter knows about the court's coming ruling that makes him so confident to wager taxpayer money on the previous ruling being overturned. I'll second Mark Hillman's question, but I'm not very confident the governor is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Colorado Supreme Court, Mark Hillman, property tax hike, Sterling Journal-Advocate, taxpayer money

6/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Don’t give a crap” WINS Bill Ritter’s State Employee Union Elections

Gov. Bill Ritter's November 2007 executive order at last has successfully completed the loop in unionizing state government in a very un-democratic fashion. Today's Denver Post reports:At least 22,500 secretaries, prison guards and other state employees will soon fall under a union contract following a vote tallied Wednesday, though the majority of eligible workers didn't cast a ballot.... About 6,900 state workers from a pool of 22,500 who were eligible participated in the election, which gave them a choice between Colorado WINS [editorial comment: "Big Labor WINS, Colorado LOSES"] or no union representation. Of those, 5,481 supported the union. That's right. Fewer than one-quarter of eligible state employees voted to be unionized. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: agency fees, Backroom Bill Ritter, Bill Ritter, Collective Bargaining, Colorado taxpayers, Colorado WINS, Denver Post, don't give a crap, election, Executive Order, government services, Intercepts, labor unions, Mike Antonucci, non-union workers, undemocratic, union petition cards, union representation, unionization

6/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Brighton Blogger Tells Commissioners to Return Money from No-Bid Contractor

Last week I highlighted the story of two Adams County commissioners on the take from the owner of a company with $12 million in no-bid county government contracts. I've since discovered another local blogger, who has offered some strong, unsolicited advice to commissioners Skip Fischer and Alice Nichol:Accepting a contribution from the beneficiary of the no-bid contract creates, at the least, an appearance of graft. If you aren't going to do your job properly, at the minimum you, should act shocked that it happened, promise to get to the bottom of it and take the appropriate punitive and corrective actions. And make it completely obvious that you do not benefit in any way from the misdeed. Colluding with another Commissioner on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Adams County commissioners, Alice Nichol, Brighton Sage, government contracting reform, no-bid contracts, pay-to-play, Skip Fischer

6/12/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Does Evie Hudak Still Hold Prejudiced and False View of Homeschooling?

One of Colorado's top state legislative races this year - a very high target on the state Republican party's list of potential takeovers - is Senate District 19 in north Jefferson County. The race pits Republican businesswoman Libby Szabo against liberal union activist and state school board member Evie Hudak. Evie Hudak's perceived strength in this race is the education issue, but if a 1999 commentary she wrote for the Denver Post gives any evidence, she holds a narrow, prejudiced, and uninformed view of one major type of education chosen by parents: homeschooling. Here are some excerpts: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General Tagged With: better employees, civic affairs, class sizes, Colorado Constitution, community activities, Denver Post, Education, Evie Hudak, homeschooling, Libby Szabo, narrow, prejudiced, Senate District 19, voting

6/11/2008 By Ben 3 Comments

Dems Obstruct Solution to High Gas Prices, GOP Needs McCain to do Better

"Four bucks a gallon": it's the catchphrase that hits home all across America. Even putting the best face on it that they can, even federal government officials admit that gasoline prices figure to remain high for the foreseeable future. Yet on the same day, Democrats on a Congressional committee kill a proposal that would allow the United States to expand its domestic energy supply. I would say they're stuck on stupid, but it's far more likely that Nancy Pelosi, Mark Udall, and the Democrats are glad to see gasoline prices high, as they kowtow to radical environmentalist special interest groups. To top it off, the Democrats' Presidential candidate Barack Obama makes a ridiculous statement suggesting that rising gasoline prices is a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, Congressional Democrats, Congressional Republicans, domestic energy production, federal government, gasoline prices, John Hinderaker, John McCain, Mark Udall, Nancy Pelosi, offshore drilling, Powerline, radical environmentalist lobby

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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

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