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Home Archives for 2008

Archives for 2008

11/14/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Podcast Recapping Big Labor’s Multi-Million Dollar Colorado Ballot Battles

Just in case you want to hear another recap of Colorado's recent ballot battles - specifically, Big Labor's well-heeled campaign to sink Amendments 47, 49, and 54 - I was the guest on an Evergreen Freedom Foundation podcast with Scott Dilley to explain just that very thing to the primarily out-of-state audience: I know, it's not exactly "DeGrow Gone Wild" on the podcast. But what did you expect? Anyway, moving on now.... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, My Life Tagged With: Amendment 47, Amendment 49, Amendment 54, ballot battles, Big Labor, Colorado, Evergreen Freedom Foundation, podcast, Scott Dilley, well-heeled campaign

11/14/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Founders’ Night 2008: Michelle Malkin Charges Colorado’s Freedom-Fighters

Update: The Daily Blogster and Face The State have more. Last night, at the Independence Institute's 24th Annual Founders' Night Dinner, conservatives and libertarians didn't waste much time moping. Sure, Mike Rosen's election commentary was a bit more sobering than usual. But with Jon Caldara as emcee - and receiving recognition for 10 years as Independence Institute president, a tenure he hopes to continue with his self-professed "lack of marketable skills" - it was hard to get too down. Fred Holden, longtime hard-working and outspoken advocate for liberty and author of Total Power of ONE in America, won the Vern Bickel Award for Grassroots Leadership. This was certainly a well-deserved honor. The inspiring and energetic … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life Tagged With: advocate, Beltway, blogosphere, Colorado, Colorado bloggers, community, conservatives, David D'Evelyn Award, dinner, educational opportunity, El Presidente, election commentary, entrepreneur, first-generation American, Founders Night, Fred Holden, freedom-fighters, Grassroots Leadership, highest honor, Independence Institute, Jon Caldara, Joshua Sharf, keynote speaker, libertarians, liberty, Michelle Malkin, Mike Rosen, Mr. Bob, President, principles of liberty, resident, Rossputin, Seeme Hasan, sobering, Total Power of One in America, Vern Bickel Award, warm welcome

11/14/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

What I’m Thankful For #8: A Liberal Arts College Education

This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive. If my mission in life were to go forth and make as much money as possible, I'd have to be considered a fool and a failure by now (some think the same of me, anyway). One of my first missteps would have been choosing to be a history major at a small liberal arts college of somewhat unique renown. But I have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, My Life Tagged With: answers, cafeteria, debates, discussions, dorms, dull, grateful, Hillsdale College, history major, humble, lectures, liberal arts education, life, lifelong learning, listless moments, mission, money, professors, questions, scholarships, thankfulness, the beautiful, the good, the true, thirst for knowledge

11/13/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bad Bill of the Decade Nominee: The So-Called Employee Free Choice Act

With Barack Obama as President and a growing Senate Democratic majority that seems to tick up with each passing day, it looks like the union bosses may get their disastrous and poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act after all. Here is the latest video offering (compliments of the Employee Freedom Action Committee) to remind everyone what we very well could be in store for: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, creative, Democratic majority, Employee Free Choice Act, Employee Freedom Action Committee, President, Senate, union bosses, video, YouTube

11/13/2008 By Ben 3 Comments

Survivor Corps Operation Survivor: A Worthwhile Cause to Consider

In honor of Veterans Day being this week, I'd like to bring your attention to a worthwhile private program that benefits our troops and veterans, especially those affected by some of the invisible wounds of combat. Please consider if you are able to help Survivor Corps' Operation Survivor:Survivor Corps launched Operation Survivor in 2008 to help American service members returning home from war. This program enables these brave men and women to overcome the debilitating effects of trauma and to reintegrate into their families and communities. You can read more about it here. God bless America! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Tagged With: American, combat, communities, families, invisible wounds, Operation Survivor, private program, service members, Survivor Corps, trauma, troops, veterans, Veterans' Day

11/13/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Who is the “Least Favorite” Person on the Right? And Whom Did I Vote For?

Breaking: The annual center-right blogger poll of "Least Favorite People on the Right" - brought to you by John Hawkins at Right Wing News - has been released. Each of the 46 center-right bloggers who participated submitted an unranked list of 12 nominees. The top 25 names - from "McCain staffers" to John McCain - have been released as part of the poll. For the first time I was a participant in the poll. Of the 12 names I suggested, 11 appear in the top 25. Personally, I don't consider a few of the other names to be "on the Right" - a loose designation, to be sure, and of necessity. Anyway, thought you may find the results interesting. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, National Politics Tagged With: bloggers, John Hawkins, John McCain, Least Favorite People, McCain staffers, poll, Right Wing News, unranked list

11/13/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

What I’m Thankful For #7: The Lovely Mrs. Virtus

This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive. I have the historian's uncanny memory for dates. In an unusual role reversal, I was the one who pointed out to my wife the other day that today (November 13) is the 10th anniversary of when this poor schlep finally got the nerve to ask and our committed dating relationship began. Engagement and marriage … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life Tagged With: anniversary, arranged, best friend, blessed, blessed match, complement, conscience, dates, decade, engagement, fool, genuine, gifts, God, God's grace, help-meet, historian, honest, immaturity, laughs, man, marriage, Mrs. Virtus, not funny, patient, praising, prayer partner, role reversal, sensitivities, spiritual growth, strengths, tenderhearted, thankfulness, thoughtful, thrifty, uncanny memory, unique, warm, weaknesses, wife

11/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Debt-Free GOP Can Thank Wadhams; Now to Focus on Grassroots Rebuilding

From this morning's Denver Post, the best case for keeping Dick Wadhams as the state GOP chairman:For the first time since 2002, the Colorado Republican Party can say it's debt-free. Covering the party's $580,000 in debts is a testament to Dick Wadhams' hard work, commitment, and connections. In the absence of any more viable alternatives, a pledge from Wadhams to focus his energy on the 2010 statehouse races ought to make him the frontrunner to keep the job. That being said, for all our sakes, I hope that Wadhams and the state GOP staff are attuned to the debate going on at The Next Right and prepared to plug into the growing coalition at Rebuild the Party. Not to mention the good advice of thoughtful folks like hard-working … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: 2010, advice, alternatives, candidate, coalition, Colorado, commitment, connections, debate, debt-free, Denver Post, Dick Wadhams, frontrunner, GOP chairman, hard work, Joshua Sharf, pledge, Rebuild the Party, staff, statehouse races, The Next Right

11/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Coming Very Soon: RMA Takes to the Blog Talk Radio Airwaves

Coming off the success of his own online weekly show, Joshua Sharf has taken the lead in setting up a Rocky Mountain Alliance show on Blog Talk Radio. The inaugural edition is set for next Tuesday, November 18, at 9 PM local Mountain time. Hosts will include a handful of RMA members (not confirmed whether I will be among them for the first edition). Guest details also soon forthcoming. The show promises to feature lighthearted and penetrating discussion of the week's events in national and Colorado politics. Hope you'll join us! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, details, discussion, inaugural edition, Joshua Sharf, Rocky Mountain Alliance, weekly show

11/12/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

What I’m Thankful For #6: A Great God Who Gives (Many) Second Chances

This is one in a series of daily posts I conceived of writing many weeks ago while the election still raged on, as I looked for something to write about of more lasting value. The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving seemed perfectly appropriate for it. Just in case you wondered, the topics introduced are not necessarily in any particular order. I hope the series is of some small encouragement to you, even as my site traffic takes a dive. As a fallen creature bent on sinning, I deserve to be punished. God has every just right in the universe to count my sins and failures against me. The psalmist of thousands of years ago understood this well: Psalm 130:3-4 "If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life Tagged With: Bible, characterized, divine attributes, earth, fallen creature, God, God's forgiveness, God's mercy, grateful, just right, license, meditation, presumptuous living, provided, Psalm 130:3-4, psalmist, punishment, second chances, sin, thankfulness, theological depths, universe

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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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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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