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Home Archives for Ben

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Obama Care Passes… Now What?

It's the day after the 2700-page Obama Care monstrosity passed the Congress, proving there really is no such thing as a pro-life Democrat and that Leftist Democrat leaders were determined to shove the highly unpopular taxes, mandates and controls down the throat of the American people ... now what? Dr. Paul Hsieh at Pajamas Media lays out the short-term and longer-term fallout, and the editors of National Review insist that Obama Care isn't inevitable. Meanwhile, you can spend a few minutes today signing one or both of the following petitions: The Senate Conservatives Fund "Repeal It" pledge (nearly 14,000 strong so far) The call to "Repeal Health Care Bill" on ipetitions On the state level, you can help my colleagues at the … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Taxpayers for Liberty: Who Is This Group Playing in U.S. Senate Race?

Update: Scanned copy of the March 5 Taxpayers for Liberty letter posted below. Yesterday I received a strange mailing from a group called Taxpayers for Liberty. (Many of my fellow conservative, politically-active Colorado friends likely received the same.) It's a self-described 501c4 organization with a Denver P.O. Box and an executive director named Andrew O'Neill -- I'm almost positive it's not this Andrew O'Neill. I will take time later today to scan and post the four-page letter, along with the attached questionnaire and reply form, so you can see the mailing for yourself. It looks a lot like your standard political fundraising letter, with short paragraphs and heavy on underlined text and bullet points. Suffice it to say, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

Check Out The Blueprint: Its Political Lessons Are Well Worth Absorbing

Last Tuesday I received a review copy of The Blueprint: How the Democrats Won Colorado (and Why Republicans Everywhere Should Care by award-winning 9News political reporter Adam Schrager and former Republican state representative Rob Witwer. Despite having a lot on my plate, I found time to read the book in two evenings. The book is a quick read but remarkably packed with substance. Political insiders who have followed the past three election cycles in Colorado will find a good amount of familiar material, and may learn a few things on the way. Everyone else, buckle up. The transformation of Colorado's political power structures from Republican to Democratic dominance is a worthwhile and important study -- one that points to the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Reviews, clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 6 Comments

Amazon Fallout for Colorado Dems

Despite the best efforts of Colorado statehouse Democrats to turn around and point the fingers at the e-e-e-eeevil Amazon.com, they (with the exception of Sen. Gail Schwarz) are all responsible for paying no heed to the warnings and ultimately killing many small Colorado Internet businesses. Speaking of difficulty in taking responsibility, WhoSaidYouSaid has posted a YouTube video of Democrat state senate leader John Morse going ballistic at Amazon. Sadly, for the overwhelming majority of people whose businesses have been affected, this just doesn't ring true. Turning in his Kindle for an iPad is John Morse's prerogative. But venting at a business for following through on a rational decision caused by his own vote won't ease the pain … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 7 Comments

Taxpayers for Liberty Update: Larimer County’s Sue Rehg Tells Her Story

A quick follow-up on the ripple effect that has come after I did a little firsthand reporting on the shadowy third-party group Taxpayers for Liberty (click the link if you need a refresher). I had a friendly phone conversation earlier today with Sue Rehg of Larimer County, whose name initially was listed as the group's registered agent. Here essentially is her story as she recounted it to me: … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Which Colorado Candidates Have Signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge?

Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge has reached iconic status, especially in Republican primaries. Politicians who sign the pledge are declaring their opposition to any and all future tax increases. Below is the official updated list of all Colorado candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress who have signed the no-new-taxes pledge. Interestingly, the top four U.S. Senate candidates are all aboard, but only two of the four candidates in the 4th Congressional, and one each from the 3rd and the 7th. Current Republican Congressmen Mike Coffman and Doug Lamborn unsurprisingly are on the list as well: … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 9 Comments

Jim DeMint Endorsement Big Boost for Buck Campaign: Is It Enough?

As Don Johnson has noted, U.S. Senate candidate Ken Buck earned an important endorsement today from Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) and the Senate Conservative Fund:"There are certainly other good Republicans in this race," said Senator DeMint, "but I believe Ken Buck is a conservative standout who will fight the establishment in both parties when he gets to Washington." At lunch I joined the conference call, and was able to ask Senator DeMint if there was concern about the Buck campaign's ability to raise money to wage a successful general election campaign. I paraphrase, but his response essentially was: … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Don’t Burden, Smother Parents with SB 110’s Booster Seat Good Intentions

CBS4Denver reports: Booster Seat Measure Moves Forward in Legislature. The booster seat manufacturing lobby must be thrilled. But seriously... do parents need the nanny Democrats running the state legislature to impose another burden on us? Is the state going to give me a dollar-for-dollar tax rebate when I buy my mandatory booster seat for the oldest Little Virtus? It's amazing how any of us survived to adulthood riding around in those metal deathtraps of yesteryear. Why don't we just get it over with and require all kids to sit into a booster seat until age 12, and then mandate that every driver and passenger must wear a football helmet and padded body suit? If they didn't die a long time ago, personal responsibility and common … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 46 Comments

Time to Denounce Taxpayers for Liberty: Sleazy Tactics & Shadowy Group

Update, 3/17: More to the story: Sue Rehg of Larimer County explains the unfortunate tale of how her name got connected with Taxpayers for Liberty. Earlier this week I introduced you to the mysterious Taxpayers for Liberty group and their survey results mailing on the U.S. Senate race:Suffice it to say, the group Taxpayers for Liberty is very fond of Ken Buck, while railing on Jane Norton for not returning the questionnaire and Tom Wiens for filling out the questionnaire identically but having a voting record, or something like that. If only I knew how nefarious it all was. Frankly, I'm sick of the underhanded tactics and the lack of transparency -- most especially in a Republican primary. I asked around about the Taxpayers for … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Kudos to Mike Coffman for Leading on New Balanced Budget Amendment

Hats off to Colorado's own Congressman Mike Coffman for stepping up to the plate and co-leading the effort to bring back the Balanced Budget Amendment. Coffman lays out the case in The Hill blog:Adoption of a constitutional amendment to require a balanced budget is an enormous task and will take an immense amount of political will but our future and our children’s future depends on lawmakers having the fortitude to do the right thing. To become law the measure must be passed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and then be ratified by two-thirds of the states. In 1995 and then again in 1997 a balanced budget amendment passed the House but failed to meet the two-thirds requirement in the Senate by a single vote. It won’t be easy, but … [Read more...]

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

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Inside

  • About Ben
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    • Colorado Ballot 2008
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  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
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  • 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

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National News and Politics

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  • National Review
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  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
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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
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  • Shot in the Dark
  • Talking Points Memo
  • Virginia Postrel
  • Volokh Conspiracy

Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
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Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
  • Cal Thomas
  • Colorado Republican Party
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  • Dennis Prager
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Other Sites

  • Technorati
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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
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  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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