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Home Archives for Ben

2/7/2026 By Ben 4 Comments

Rumors Okay as Long as School Board Candidates Not Backed by Union?

In the world of K-12 education politics, when you are trying to do something right and shake up the status quo a little bit, it's very hard to avoid flak. And anyone running for local school board deserves careful scrutiny. But when silly rumors start flying and supposedly serious news agencies report them, I suppose it's time for someone else to step up and take on the challenge. Hey, no problem: I'm used to being called silly names by teachers unions. In case you're not aware, I'm talking about the upcoming elections for Douglas County Board of Education, an area south of metro Denver for the uninitiated. The story begins last December when the local teachers union -- affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers -- endorsed and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Journalism, Labor, liberty, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Ryan Frazier Announcement Thursday, 10 AM, at Brighton Ford

Speculation started flowing fast and furious on Monday about U.S. Senate candidate Ryan Frazier's "big announcement". Now we have official word from the campaign when and where that announcement will be made:Aurora, CO - Ryan Frazier, candidate for U.S. Senate, will provide critical details about the future of his campaign during an announcement to supporters. Frazier, who has been described as an atypical Republican candidate and a rising star in the party, has attracted significant grassroots support. Speculations have surfaced that Frazier may move his race to run for Lt. Governor or for the U.S. House of Representatives in District 7. WHO: Ryan Frazier, U.S. Senate Candidate The Honorable Mike May, Colorado House … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rasmussen: Marco Rubio More Electable than Charlie Crist in Florida

Red State's Dan McLaughlin reports interesting news from my second favorite 2010 Senate race: A new Rasmussen poll shows limited government conservative Marco Rubio faring slightly better (46-31) in the general election matchup against leading Democrat Kendrick Meeks than sitting governor Charlie Crist fares (46-34). Incidentally, Crist's projected lead is dwindling while Rubio's projected lead is growing. It's exciting to see so much momentum behind the Marco Rubio campaign. And as McLaughlin points out, the case for Crist's nomination pretty much is evaporating right before our eyes:The Crist campaign is all about a balancing act between two disparate narratives: an air of inevitability in the primary and sufficient desperation about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, National Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Strong Fundraising by GOP Treasurer Hopefuls: Race On to Oust Kennedy

As Rocky Mountain Right already has reported, Republican Walker Stapleton for the second straight quarter outraised incumbent Democrat state treasurer Cary Kennedy -- narrowly this time, by a margin of $106,000 to $103,000. Stapleton points out in his press release that he is "the first candidate for Colorado State Treasurer ever to raise more than $100,000 in each of two consecutive fundraising quarters." Clearly impressive. The Republican hopeful has a roughly 3-to-2 cash-on-hand advantage over Kennedy, too: $215,000 to $141,000. Stapleton's GOP primary rival J.J. Ament -- who won out over Stapleton in our most recent survey of Colorado's political temperature -- brought in a very respectable $86,000. No cash-on-hand amount was … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Health Care Reform Video

From the Independence Institute, the latest in the pantheon of great videos on the health care reform debate: Meanwhile, here's a more sensible, patient-centered health reform plan. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care, liberty, My Life, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Latest Democrat Travesty: Stuffing Hate Crimes into Defense Appropriation

Reason #2,637 why Democrat one-party rule in Washington has proven itself a travesty: sneaking an unconstitutional, politically-correct hate crimes legislation into the military appropriations bill. Opposition to the hate-crimes bill is by no means a socially conservative preoccupation -- it's common sense and good policy all around. Tim Lynch from the libertarian Cato Institute explains the problems with it. Republicans may be doing well now at starting to make the case why they would be less of a travesty in Congress, but many of us out here long for something better -- and are willing to work and sacrifice to make it happen. I'm talking about a large cadre of truly fiscally responsible reformers, devotees of liberty and limited … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Obama’s Solons of Racial Politics Overrule Local N.C. Voters’ Decision

Update, 12:30 PM: Rossputin also offers up some cogent thoughts on this outrageous story. From a Washington Times story yesterday (H/T Red State), in which the Obama Justice Department overruled a North Carolina city's popularly-approved decision to have nonpartisan local elections:The department ruled that white voters in Kinston will vote for blacks only if they are Democrats.... As noted by American Thinker essayist Ed Lasky, the good intentions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that enabled this federal power grab have been turned on their head:Racism - and partisan politics and a prejudiced view of the South - seem alive and well in Eric Holder's Justice Department. A local twist? The notion "that white voters...will vote for … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

John McCain Reshaping GOP in His Image? Jane Norton in His Shadow

As if Monday morning weren't bad enough, this Politico report (H/T Rocky Mountain Right) is a terrific way to make conservatives nauseous:Fresh from a humbling loss in last year’s presidential election, Sen. John McCain is working behind-the-scenes to reshape the Republican Party in his own center-right image.... Yeah, since this support includes ACORN friend Charlie Crist over conservative Marco Rubio in the Florida primary, "center-right" is a generous term. But beyond that, it's just plain disturbing. Whether he intends to or not, it seems to me that Senator McCain is preparing to take the GOP down the same path of irrelevance as his own failed presidential bid. But he seems determined:Erick Erickson, founder of the influential … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Savoring Silver Anniversary of Detroit Tigers’ Last World Championship

A quick walk down Detroit Tigers memory lane: Today is the 3rd anniversary of Magglio Ordonez' walk-off 3-run homer that won the ALCS and launched the Tigers into the World Series (also the first epic late-inning playoff loss for Huston Street, then of the Oakland A's). Which also means it was exactly 25 years ago today that the Detroit Tigers last celebrated World Series triumph, with an 8-5 victory over the San Diego Padres in Game 5 down at the Corner (and my childhood hero Alan Trammell named Series MVP). Sadly, the stadium is gone now. But the memory lives on. Here's hoping that Detroit repeats the feat sometime before that anniversary turns golden and my hair turns (completely) gray. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, liberty, My Life, Sports and Leisure

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Come to Oct. 18 Independence Institute Premiere of “Not Evil Just Wrong”

Update, 10/14: Here's a (substantially) complete worldwide listing of all the premiere showings of "Not Evil Just Wrong" -- looks like there is only one other showing in Colorado, and that's down in the Springs. Don't miss this one! Forget Michael Moore's latest ironic anti-capitalist screed. If you're in the Denver metro area on Sunday, October 18, then check out a movie premiere from the Independence Institute you won't want to miss: Not Evil Just Wrong:Join the resistance against extreme environmentalism that threatens the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people in the developed and developing world. This will be a record-setting, international Cinematic Tea Party! Watch the compelling trailer about the human cost … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Climate Hysteria, Energy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC, property rights

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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

  • Alarming News
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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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