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Home Archives for Ben

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

John Hickenlooper’s “Bitter Clinger” Moment? Colorado Voters Uninspired

With less than two weeks to Election Day, the question lingers: Can liberal Democrat gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper really avoid all controversy until the election is over? National Review's Michael Sandoval uncovers one controversy Hickenlooper might be unable to avoid, and it came straight from the mayor's own lips in a 2009 interview:Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper: I think a couple things, I mean, you know, the tragic death of Matthew Shepard occurred in Wyoming. Colorado and Wyoming are very similar. We have some of the same, you know, backwards thinking in the kind of rural Western areas you see in, you know, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico. People in rural areas might find reason to be a little incensed at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Happy Belated 240th Birthday, Ludwig von Beethoven

(H/T Schroeder) Yesterday was the 240th anniversary of the birth of the great and revolutionary musical genius Ludwig von Beethoven. Because it fits my mood for today, here's the triumphant finale to the legendary Fifth Symphony: For past reflections on Beethoven, visit last year's post. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

A Tale of Two Polls in the Colorado Governor’s Race: Advantage Magellan

Update, 10/25: Casting further doubt on the Denver Post / SurveyUSA poll is today's release from the Democrat-leaning Public Policy Polling, which finds Hickenlooper up 47-44 over Tancredo, with only 5 percent in the Maes camp. This poll was conducted after both Magellan and SurveyUSA -- from Thursday, October 21, to Saturday, October 23. (H/T Curtis Hubbard, The Spot) On Friday conservatives were treated to the release of poll results from Magellan Strategies showing Tom Tancredo narrowly trailing John Hickenlooper 44-43 in the governor's race. This morning readers opened up the Denver Post to see its SurveyUSA poll showing Hickenlooper with a 49-39 lead over Tancredo. In both polls Dan Maes is stuck at 9 percent. The Magellan poll … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Treasurer Candidate Walker Stapleton Unveils “Bounce The Bureaucrat”

Republican state treasurer candidate Walker Stapleton, fresh off an endorsement from the Colorado Springs Gazette, has unveiled a clever gimmick to drive his message home as we reach the closing weeks of election season. Called Bounce The Bureaucrat, it highlights the campaign's primary message of Stapleton's private sector experience versus incumbent Democrat Cary Kennedy's career in government jobs. The cute bouncing graphic of Cary Kennedy -- who once famously declared her support for a ballot measure to "drive a stake in the heart of" your constitutional taxpayer protections -- not surprisingly leads users to Stapleton's fundraising page. The race could be a close one. As of last week's campaign financial reports, Kennedy had raised … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, liberty, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

…And Then There Were None (State Legislators Backing Also-ran Dan Maes)

Last night retiring Republican state senator Dave Schultheis -- one of the conservative stalwarts under the Golden Dome -- announced that he is withdrawing support from Dan Maes and backing Tom Tancredo for governor:Much is at stake in this election, including the appointment of Supreme Court justices who will honor the law, decennial redistricting of State legislative boundaries, stopping the union takeover of state jobs, reducing the serious and negative effect of illegal immigration, the potential of modifying state statutes to allow the Republican Party to regain its majority status should it get less than 10% of the total gubernatorial votes, and much, much more. Furthermore, should Hickenlooper win, Colorado will become a far more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

New Michael Fallon for Congress Ad: Say, Who’s Your Boss, Diana DeGette?

With the depths of election season upon us, most of the political advertising on TV and radio has us gasping for fresh air and a hot shower. Not so Michael Fallon, whose new attack ad on liberal incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette makes a sharp point effectively without being obnoxious or offensive: The ad follows a clever 30-second spot that aired in September, introducing Fallon to voters in the largely Democratic Denver First Congressional District. I know he has rejected any longer-term aspirations for political office, but the grassroots and leadership of the GOP ought to be able to come together on recruiting Dr. Fallon for a future bid. He is doing the Party and the cause of limited, fiscally responsible government a real service. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ed Perlmutter Swings and Misses with Desperate Charter School Attack

The desperate silly season of electoral politics is upon us. Nowhere does the silliness and desperation resound more than from the campaign of an out-of-touch liberal Congressional incumbent in the fight for his political life. Look no further than my home district, Colorado's 7th, where Congressman Ed Perlmutter has fired a wild miss:Incumbent Democrat Rep. Ed Perlmutter has hit an all-time low in a desperate attempt to keep his fading political career alive. His latest attack ad wrongly criticizes Ryan Frazier for missing half of his volunteer board meetings at High Point Academy, the public charter school Frazier co-founded. Perlmutter’s attack ad has even disappointed the Board President of High Point Academy, Brandon Wyszynski. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrat Desperation Diaries: Treasurer Cary Kennedy Edition

Update, 10/29: Jessica Corry has a more thorough take on the topic in her latest Huffington Post column. She writes: "Shame on Cary Kennedy, now revealed to be just another typical career politician who will do anything to save her job." Read the whole thing. It's the last week in October. A pro-Republican Tea Party wave is coming through Colorado and the nation, carrying away Democrat officials who broke faith by pouring on their Progressive policies, spending your money recklessly and racking up debt. Some Democrats are more out of touch than others. For state treasurer Cary Kennedy, there has been her revealing moment of wanting to "drive a stake through" your constitutional taxpayer protections. But generally she has projected a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, liberty, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Rep. Lois Court to constituents: “…unfortunately it is a First Amendment right for political free speech…”

Public forums for political candidates can provide some elucidating moments. Take yesterday's Windsor Gardens event with House District 6 rivals: incumbent Democrat Rep. Lois Court and Republican challenger Joshua Sharf. Joshua recounts some of the event on his blog:...what struck me most was my opponent’s claim that she votes how her constituents would vote on a given issue. In fact, her priorities seem to be far more arcane and abstruse than the concerns I’ve heard people talking about, and had she held more than three town hall meetings in the last two years, Rep. Court might have known that. When I knock on people’s doors, we talk about the budget, the economy, jobs, and education. Rep. Court’s priorities are public financing of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Judiciary, liberty, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Support Ryan Frazier in Colorado’s Seventh Congressional District

Editor's note: This post is a guest contribution authored by U.S. Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R - CA). Every two years Americans hold their members of Congress accountable. If they have done a good job representing them they send them back to Washington, but if they fail to lead they can be replaced. The last few years, we've seen the effects of failed Democratic policies. Unemployment is too high, businesses are uncertain about the future and are holding back from hiring and investing, and we're trillions of dollars deeper in debt. Americans want fresh, new, conservative leaders to find solutions to these problems. Today in Colorado, I campaigned with one of those new leaders, Young Gun candidate Ryan Frazier. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, liberty, National Politics, PPC

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Inside

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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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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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