Mount Virtus

"Happy to come back to Michigan, but I miss the mountains!"

Ben on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About Ben
  • Mount Virtus?
  • Writer / Editor For Hire
  • What I’m Thankful For
  • Colorado Ballot Reviews
    • Colorado Ballot 2008
    • Colorado Ballot 2010
    • Colorado Ballot 2012
  • Archives
  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
  • The Westfield Gardener
Home Archives for Ben

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Yo, Ho, Ho! A UAW Boss’s Life for Me…

Here's another small log to throw into the automotive bailout fiasco: A local Detroit TV news station tracks the well-paid lifestyle of a couple UAW union plant officials. See if you can count the number of stops at the liquor store made while on the clock, being compensated from their line workers' mandatory dues funds. (H/T Labor Pains) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: automotive bailouts, Detroit, liquor store, mandatory dues, TV news station, union officials, United Auto Workers, well-paid lifestyle

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio with Tom Lucero Tonight at 9 PM

Tune in at 9 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the eighth edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio, the first of 2009. Tonight's guest is Tom Lucero - University of Colorado Regent, chairman of the recently successful Amendment 54 campaign, and already a declared Republican candidate for Colorado's 4th Congressional race in 2010. Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, you can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. More information on past and future episodes is posted at Slapstick Politics. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Would Ed Perlmutter Vote our Taxpayer Dollars to Bail Out the Big Three?

From The Hill (via Rocky Mountain Right):Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) sat on an exercise bicycle at the Wheat Ridge Recreation center this weekend, hearing unvarnished advice from constituents about the auto bailout. “It was one after another,” Perlmutter recounted. “One guy would come up and say, ‘You can’t let them fail.’ The next guy would say, ‘Let them go bankrupt.’ ” Perlmutter said he was leaning in favor of the bailout, but couldn’t say for certain until he sees final language. As a constituent of Ed Perlmutter who is paying very close attention to these developments, count me among the latter: Let them go bankrupt. It's the bitter medicine needed, certainly not a vast government takeover at the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics Tagged With: 2010, advice, auto bailout, bankrupt, colleague, Colorado, Colorado delegation, constituents, Democratic, Ed Perlmutter, fail, Jared Polis, leaning, massive bailout, Rocky Mountain Right, The Hill, Wheat Ridge Recreation Center

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

This is Christmas: Our 2-Year-Old Serenades Us with “Away in a Manger”

Okay, we're light on the politics here for a little while. It's too close to the sacred celebration of Christmas, and most people are completely tuned out anyway. Last night, the older Virtus girl (still nearly 2 months shy of her 3rd birthday) gave us a remarkably clear and *almost completely accurate rendition of "Away in a Manger"--the first verse lyrics with a little melody, anyway. Little things like that show the spirit of Christmas is growing in our household. So much to be thankful for (yes, we ARE rich), and many extra blessings beside. Fancy presents are nice (but overrated--if I see one more of those annoying Lexus commercials, I think I'll scream), though there aren't as many of them this year. Baked goodies I can rarely … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Away in a Manger, baked goodies, blessings, Christmas, Family, fancy presents, friends, household, Lexus, price tag, rich, spirit, thankful

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrat Rollie Heath Wants to Use Economic Downturn to Kill TABOR

It only took seven weeks after the voters of Colorado said no to a statewide proposal that would have gutted the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) - a proposal pushed by a campaign that heavily outspent the opposition - for the Democrats to be back at it again. From today's Denver Post:Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat elected to the Senate, said that as lawmakers grapple in the coming session with cutting as much as $600 million from the budget because of declining revenues, they should also look at TABOR, a revenue-capping provision of the state's constitution. The state is in a timeout from TABOR's tax-revenue limits, but that timeout expires in 2010, when Colorado will have to begin refunding to taxpayers any revenue it collects … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life Tagged With: Amendment 59, Boulder, budget-cutting, campaign, Colorado, Democrats, Denver Post, eventuality, flexibility, foresight, lawmakers, limit, opposition, Referendum C, revenue, Rollie Heath, shortfall, state constitution, state government, state senate, statewide proposal, TABOR, tax limits, taxes, Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, taxpayers, timeout, voters

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio Episode 6 Tonight: Jim Pfaff

Tune in at 9 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the sixth edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. Confirmed co-hosts are Joshua Sharf and El Presidente. The guest will be Jim Pfaff, Colorado state director of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and keeper of the site Opinion Times. Topics of discussion will include AFP Colorado's new report "Keeping Colorado Competitive". Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, you can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life Tagged With: Americans for Prosperity, Blog Talk Radio, co-hosts, Colorado, El Presidente, Jim Pfaff, Joshua Sharf, Keeping Colorado Competitive, Mount Virtus, Opinion Times, podcast, Rocky Mountain Alliance, widget

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rocky Mtn News Features Providence Bible Church, Denver’s Newest

The cover of the Christmas Day edition of the Rocky Mountain News featured a story on two churches - Denver's oldest and Denver's newest. The latter is the Providence Bible Church. Several years ago I met the eventual pastor and co-founder of Providence, Jason Janz, and have since agreed to be a prayer partner for the growing church. I am excited to read the updates of this exciting ministry that Jason sends out. It's a blessing to see more attention brought to this work:Providence Bible Church is a multiethnic congregation launched 12 weeks ago in Five Points. Using the media-savvy instincts of his generation, Pastor Jason Janz, 35, spent early donations on creating a DVD to tell Providence's story. The one-time rebel knew what kind … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life Tagged With: Christmas Day, churches, co-founder, congregation, Denver, donations, DVD, Jason Janz, ministry, multiethnic, New Testament, pastor, prayer, Providence Bible Church, Rocky Mountain News, worshippers

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio Year in Review Tonight at 9 PM

Tune in at 9 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the seventh edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. The year-end episode will take a look back at some of the big stories of 2008 and feature a discussion about Israel's current military campaign against Hamas. Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, you can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics, World Events Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, episode, Hamas, Israel, Mount Virtus, podcast, Rocky Mountain Alliance, year-end

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

A Month-by-Month 2008 Stroll Down Mount Virtus Memory Lane

It's the last day of 2008, and time for a quick month-by-month retrospective. The following are posts I've selected as the best posts for each month: January: Why did Ritter Leave Worker Protections Out of His Order? February: Getting the Whole Story Behind Ritter's Climate Action Plan March: High-Ranking Democrat: Property Tax Hike Not Just for Schools April: What Was All That Money Doing in Ritter's Inaugural in the First Place? May: Colorado Dems Fail to Lead or Take Responsibility, Irony Lost on Dead Guvs June: Bill Ritter, Tax Increases, Unions, and the Colorado Supreme Court July: Majority of Coloradans Don't Think Bill Ritter is Doing a Terrible Job August: It's Official: Colorado Government 100% Unionized, Thanks to Bill … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Commemorative, Cultural Conservatism, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Go Charter Schools & Go Nittany Lions!

An interesting sidelight to one of the football games I plan to watch today. This came in the Colorado League of Charter Schools newsletter:While 'SC and Penn State have their fans, Rose Bowl Game sponsor Citi (Citigroup) has picked its favorite for the big game on New Years Day: Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Public Schools, the fast-growing public charter school operator based in Southern California. ICEF charter schools students will be featured in Citi's "Chairman's Message" to be aired at half-time of the national ABC telecast of the Rose Bowl game on January 1 (consult local listings for kick-off time). This marks the first time public charter schools will be highlighted in a bowl game message... to an audience of tens of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, My Life Tagged With: Americans, audience, charter school operator, Citigroup, Colorado League of Charter Schools, fight song, football game, halftime, Inner City Education Foundation, interesting sidelight, lyrics, New Years Day, Nittany Lions, Penn State, Rose Bowl, Southern California, USC

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 104
  • 105
  • 106
  • 107
  • 108
  • …
  • 256
  • Next Page »

Inside

  • About Ben
  • Archives
  • Colorado Ballot Reviews
    • Colorado Ballot 2008
    • Colorado Ballot 2010
    • Colorado Ballot 2012
    • Colorado Ballot 2014
  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
  • Mount Virtus?
  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • The Westfield Gardener
  • What I’m Thankful For
  • Writer / Editor For Hire

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

Colorado News

  • Colorado Senate News
  • Complete Colorado
  • Independence Institute
  • Loveland Politics
  • The Colorado Observer

National News and Politics

  • Drudge Report
  • Hot Air
  • National Review
  • Politico
  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
  • The Washington Times
  • TownHall
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Weekly Standard
  • World Magazine

Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
  • David Harsanyi’s Blog
  • E!! The True Conservative Story
  • EIA Intercepts
  • Evangelical Outpost
  • Hugh Hewitt
  • Instapundit
  • LaShawn Barber
  • Lileks
  • Little Green Footballs
  • Michelle Malkin
  • NRO's The Corner
  • Power Line
  • Red State

Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
  • Eduwonk
  • Flypaper
  • Fraters Libertas
  • Historical Conversations
  • IMAO
  • Jay P. Greene
  • Mike Anderson
  • Mullings
  • Professor Bainbridge
  • Right Thinking
  • Right Wing News
  • Right Wing Nuthouse
  • Shot in the Dark
  • Talking Points Memo
  • Virginia Postrel
  • Volokh Conspiracy

Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
  • Sharper Iron

Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
  • Cal Thomas
  • Colorado Republican Party
  • Colorado Republican Study Committee
  • Dennis Prager
  • Denver Metro Young Republicans
  • Free Republic
  • Heritage Foundation
  • Jefferson County Republican Party
  • Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Mark Steyn
  • Michael Medved
  • Rush Limbaugh

Colorado Blogs

  • American Kestrel
  • Bob Agard
  • Colorado Charter Schools
  • Colorado Peak Politics
  • Colorado Pols
  • Colorado Right
  • Conservative Libertarian Outpost
  • Coyote Gulch
  • Ed Is Watching
  • Free Colorado
  • Jeff Crank Show
  • Mark Hillman
  • Patient Power
  • PirateBallerina
  • Protein Wisdom
  • Reagan Girl
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 1.0 (Archive)
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0 (Archive)
  • Rossputin
  • Stop the ACLU Blog
  • The Spot (Denver Post)
  • We Stand Firm

Other Sites

  • Technorati
  • Word Press

Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
  • The Business Word
  • The Daily Blogster
  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

Copyright © 2026 RSS Feed · WordPress · Log in