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Home Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

1/25/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Dems’ “No-Strike” Bait-and-Switch a Boon to Ritter

The Democrats at the State Capitol are trying to pull one over on Colorado voters in an attempt to give cover to Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order that provides for the unionization of state employees. Startled by the Attorney General's revelation that his order could not prevent strikes, Ritter quickly and publicly agreed to support the concept of a no-strike law in the state legislature brought forward by Republicans. Well, today we receive word of a bait-and-switch. After killing a bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, that would provide real enforceable penalties that deter public employee strikes, the Democrats went ahead and gave mere lip service to public order and accountability:[The House Business and Labor … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Big Labor, Binding arbitration Gov. Bill Ritter, Collective Bargaining, No-strike laws, Public employee unions, Rep. Bob Gardner, Rep. Jim Riesberg

1/24/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Time to Find That New Public School

Guest writers for the Rocky Mountain News have reminded us that now is the time for students & parents in Denver - and many other Colorado school districts - to get into the open enrollment game if you're looking for another public school for next year. What the writers didn't tell you - likely because they aren't aware of it - is that the School Choice for Kids website is the one-stop shop for Colorado families to find a school and navigate through open enrollment (more information here, too). Go check it out! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General Tagged With: open enrollment, Rocky Mountain News, School Choice for Kids website

1/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Help Falcon Find a Parent-Friendly, Visionary Education Leader

Looking for a quick way to make your voice heard on the importance of public education reform? Falcon School District 49 is a fast-growing district in El Paso County, a district where more creative choices and options could help make a big difference for families. As its board searches for a new superintendent, Falcon is conducting a survey of what characteristics their new leader should have. There's a few reasons why you should take the few minutes to participate, answer as many questions as you can, and let them know why non-traditional experience and outside-the-box visionary thinking is to be preferred to traditional establishment credentials that offer less chance to bring real reform: 1. If you live in Falcon 49, you will be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General Tagged With: Education, Falcon School District 49, school choice, superintendent, survey

1/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Look at (State) Senate Candidate’s Taxpayer-Funded Expenses

As my colleague noted on the Schaffer v Udall blog, a recent audit of taxpayer-funded expense accounts by the state board of education has shown just how frugal Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer is - as he claimed only $521. Reporters did ask board chair Pamela Jo Suckla about her $25,851, and got an answer:Suckla said her expenses were higher than other members' because she has to commute from her home in Slickrock on the Western Slope, rent cars and stay in hotels, while others live along the Front Range. She said the board held more meetings than usual last year because members were searching for a new education commissioner. Sure, that's worth extra scrutiny, but it at least gives a plausible explanation. But … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General Tagged With: Bob Schaffer, Evie Hudak, expense accounts, Pamela Jo Suckla, State board of education, Sue Windels

1/22/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Dose of Humor: The 24 Pilot from 1994?

Posted over at the Volokh Conspiracy is a short video depicting what a pilot episode of Fox's 24 would have looked like if were done in 1994. Good humor, especially for fans of the show. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: 24, Humor

1/22/2008 By Ben 4 Comments

“Superdaddy”

Tonight I was called "Superdaddy" at least 50 to 60 times by a smart, beautiful, healthy, happy and giggly (nearly) 2-year-old girl. And it required very little provocation. Life doesn't get much better. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life Tagged With: Superdaddy

1/22/2008 By Ben 5 Comments

Mitt for President

Sadly - but arriving with an increasing sense of inevitability - Fred Thompson has dropped out of the race to be our next President. A classy departure worthy of an honorable man who ran an honorable, if less than inspirational, campaign. Most telling is his lack of endorsement: a non-endorsement that has to hurt John McCain. Yes, my predictions for South Carolina clearly were wrong, altogether too much made from the heart rather than the head. I'm not ashamed of holding out hope for Fred while hope was still there. Nor should my blogger friend Steven be ashamed of holding out hope for his man Huck (though we disagree on his candidacy). I share the sentiments of Dr. Rusty Shackelford at The Jawa Report (H/T Hugh Hewitt):Dear fellow … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: endorsement, Fred Thompson, Hugh Hewitt, Mitt Romney, presidential primary

1/22/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Teacher Union Prepared to Thwart Autonomy Reform, Its Own Members?

Today is the day of truth (again) for the union that represents Denver public school teachers. As the editors of the Rocky Mountain News highlight today, observers want to know whether they will vote Yes and grant the request for freedom from district bureaucracy and union work rules, or vote No and stand squarely in the way of educational progress for a high-poverty school: We're heartened by this spontaneous uprising. It has been led as much by unionized teachers as by school management; two-thirds of Bruce Randolph's DCTA members backed autonomy, and at Manual the vote was unanimous. The DPS board unanimously approved Bruce Randolph's request last month, so the district is open to giving some schools more control. But the union brass … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, Labor Tagged With: Bruce Randolph, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver Public Schools, Rocky Mountain News

1/21/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Roe v Wade at 35

Tomorrow is the annual Blogs for Life conference at Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, DC, a somber commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the terrible and infamous Roe v Wade decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. A provocative NewsMax essay today from Joseph Sobran summarizes three and a half decades of the debate:Note the strange progress of the advocates of abortion. A generation ago, just before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that virtually all legal restrictions on abortion violated the U.S. Constitution, these people agreed that killing the unborn was evil; but they held that its evil might be minimized by legalizing and regulating it. Then they shifted to what might be called an agnostic position: that nobody … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Commemorative, General, National Politics Tagged With: 35th anniversary, abortion, pro-life, Roe v Wade

1/19/2008 By Ben 6 Comments

South Carolina Predictions

If Michael (picking McCain) and Steven (picking Huckabee) can do it, let me venture a stab-in-the-dark prediction at today's South Carolina Republican primary results. Because, with Rasmussen seeing an extraordinary amount of uncertainty and the unusual weather apparently driving down turnout, this one is up in the air. So without further ado, here is my prognostication: Huckabee ... 28 Thompson ... 24 McCain ... 22 Romney ... 13 Paul ... 7 Giuliani ... 6 Such a finish would knock McCain down a couple notches and give Thompson the boost he needs heading into Super Tuesday as a viable competitor with Huckabee in the Southern states and with Giuliani & Romney in some of the other states (provided Rudy can win Florida, of course … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Fred Thompson, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, predictions, presidential primary, South Carolina

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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
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  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
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