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 3 Comments

The Colorado Blogosphere is on a Roll … and It’s Only Wednesday

Too much good stuff out there, too little time. Here's a quick Wednesday morning roundup of the best from the Colorado blogs (in no particular order): Rocky Mountain Right brings attention to Governor Bill Ritter's lavish overseas business trip on Colorado taxpayers' dime during a very tight budget situation Now your 10 dollars (or more) can go a lot further in helping the Independence Institute promote transparent government in ColoradoRossputin points to a hilarious Scott Ott spoof on embryonic stem cell research and global warming (did he read yesterday's post?) Michael at Best Destiny observes some irony from Al Gore concerning global warming and moon landings Rossputin also points to Gateway Pundit's detailed litany of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Energy, Fiscal Policy, General, Journalism, liberty, National Politics, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrat Shell Game: Raise Your Car Fees to Grow State Government

John Ingold at the Denver Post reports, not surprisingly, that Governor Bill Ritter plans to sign SB 108 (aka FASTER) the Democrat bill in the state legislature to raise car fees by an average of $41 a year per vehicle. A reminder for Colorado: You put Democrats in charge, you pay more taxes for bigger government entitlement programs. What, you say? The state has legitimate transportation needs that SB 108 is designed to fund. Those aren't entitlement programs. Except that the so-called "FASTER" bill is merely half of a liberal shell game. The other half is SB 228 - which would rip away limits on state appropriation increases and enable the Democrats to divert hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated to the highway fund (PDF) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Tagged With: backfill, bill, Bill Ritter, car fees, Democrats, Denver Post, divert, entitlement programs, FASTER, filibuster, future years, government, government spending, Governor, highway fund, highways, increases, John Ingold, raise, reminder, Republicans, shell game, state appropriations, state legislature, transportation needs, vehicle, violated

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Democrats’ Anti-Taxpayer Shell Game Demands a Principled “Party of No”

The other half of Colorado Democrats' shell game rolled through the state senate last night - with one of the longest debates on a state legislative bill in recent memory. Senate Bill 228 would repeal the state general fund's 6 percent spending limit and allow additional funds to be diverted from transportation to pet government programs (now mainly supported by Democrats). It's the latest in a series of actions by Governor Bill Ritter to raise taxes and grow government without asking the people of Colorado first. So much for confidence in his own agenda. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC, transportation Tagged With: amendments, ask first, Barack Obama, Bill Ritter, children's future, Colorado Democrats, compromise, confidence, debate, debates, Democrats, diverting funds, economy, expense, funding stream, general fund, government expansion, government programs, Governor, grow government, Harry Reid, hog wild, ill, Lefty bloggers, legislative bill, longest, Nancy Pelosi, party of No, programs, raise taxes, repeal, Senate Bill 228, shell game, solve, spending limit, State Capitol, state constitution, state senate, transportation, unfettered, vision, welfare state

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

RMA Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 8:30: A Look at Fort Collins, Tom Stone

Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the 16th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. In the early slot, two candidates for Fort Collins city council join us to discuss issues facing one of the best places to live in the United States, and their vision for the city's future. Later we'll talk with Tom Stone, recently announced candidate for the chairmanship of the Colorado Republican Party. We'll find out his thoughts about where the party has fallen short and lost its way, and what it will take to turn things around. Is it time for a new guard? 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 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, PPC Tagged With: best places, Blog Talk Radio, candidates, chairmanship, city council, Colorado, Fort Collins, Mount Virtus, podcast, Republican Party, Rocky Mountain Alliance, sidebar, Tom Stone, United States

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Will Colorado Democrats Really Line Up and Bow to Big Labor on Card-Check?

Is Colorado's Democratic Congressional delegation really going to play Pavlov's dog to Big Labor officials? News came out earlier today that Colorado Democratic Congresswoman Betsy Markey has agreed to co-sponsor - just as U.S. Senator and former Congressman Mark Udall did in the recent past - the poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) -- aka card-check. Or as my colleague and fellow blogger Amy Oliver put it: "Markey pays back labor unions". If not for the money, why else would Markey leap into action as an EFCA co-sponsor? As policy, it's terrible for business and the rights of workers. As 4th Congressional politics goes, it's equally bad - opening the door wide for a strong, credible, business-backed challenge in 2010. At … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: 2010, 4th Congressional District, AFL-CIO, Amy Oliver, bad legislation, Betsy Markey, Big Labor, blame, business, card-check, co-sponsor, colleague, Colorado, Congressman, Congresswoman, Democratic, Ed Perlmutter, EFCA, email reminder, Employee Free Choice Act, labor unions, letter, Mark Udall, Michael Bennet, Pavlov's dog, payback, politically, response, take a stand, U.S. Senator, workers' rights

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

At Least Agnes Sobczyk Didn’t Come Out for a Republican Candidate

"And people wonder why union card-check legislation is such a problem for workers" Exhibit # 2863. From the Chicago Sun-Times (via The Union Label):[United Food and Commercial Workers staff employee Agnes Sobczyk] said she passed a letter to a co-worker detailing her concerns about State Rep. John Fritchey, the candidate the union has endorsed to replace [Rahm] Emanuel. She passed the letter to her co-worker on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning, she said Union President Ron Powell called her into his office. "He shoved this in my face and said, 'Explain this!'" she said. Sobczyk said she told Powell she was concerned about some stories she read about Fritchey and that she thought [Victor] Forys was a better candidate. "Then I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, National Politics, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Agnes Sobczyk, candidate, card-check legislation, Chicago Sun-Times, co-worker, Colorado Loses, danger, Dave Ohmart, Democrat, employee, endorsed, fired, John Fritchey, letter, office, President, problem, Rahm Emanuel, Republican, Ron Powell, sympathy, UFCW, union, Union Label, Victor Forys, workers

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Study: Union Card-Check Could Cost Thousands of American Jobs

A new study released gives you one more reason to write your Congressman and Senators to tell them to vote No on the poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Economist Anne Layne-Farrar's quantitative analysis finds that "for every 3 percentage points gained in union membership through card checks and mandatory arbitration, the following year's unemployment rate is predicted to increase by 1 percentage point and job creation is predicted to fall by around 1.5 million jobs." Let's simplify: EFCA (or union card-check legislation, if you prefer) will keep many, many Americans from a productive job and a paycheck - an especially devastating effect in the midst of our current economic turmoil. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: American, Anne Layne-Farrar, arguments, Barack Obama, binding arbitration, card-check, challenge, Congressmen, devastating effect, economic turmoil, economist, Ed Morrissey Show, Employee Free Choice Act, employment, holding my breath, Hot Air, job creation, Labor Pains, Labor Relations Institute, massive threat, Michael Bennet, money, mouth, newly-selected, paycheck, poorly-named, productive job, quantitative analysis, rights, secret ballot, senators, sound research, U.S. Senator, unemployment rate, union, wasteful spending, workers, write

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

How Does a Federal Agency Lose So Many Computers, Cameras, & Forklifts?

You hear a lot of talk about waste in government, especially in the bureaucracies at the federal level. But then you see an investigation by my Independence Institute colleague Todd Shepherd (also the founder of Complete Colorado), and that waste sort of comes to life. It becomes a little less abstract. If the headline doesn't draw you to take a peek, I'm not sure what will: "Excuse me, Homeland Security Department, how do you lose two forklifts?" (H/T Amy Oliver) During one calendar year, the Customs and Border Patrol Agency by itself lost $7.1 million of material, including 171 desktop computers, 28 motion picture cameras, and - yes - 2 forklifts. Check it out for yourself, then do what the Independence Institute did: write members … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, Journalism, Labor, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Amy Oliver, bureaucracy, calendar year, Complete Colorado, Congress, Customs and Border Patrol Agency, desktop computers, federal level, forklifts, founder, government, headline, Homeland Security Department, Independence Institute, investigation, material, members, motion picture cameras, take a peek, talk, Todd Shepherd, waste

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

TGIF: Obama as Urkel

From Michelle Malkin and Right Wing News (take your pick): The Obamessiah meets one of the more well represented figures on all-time "most annoying TV characters" lists. The first person who can accurately identify the reference in the title of the post, please leave a comment below to win the prize ... ... of a satisfying job well done. Win or lose, here's hoping you enjoy the humor and smile today. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: annoying, Barack Obama, lists, Michelle Malkin, Obamessiah, Picture, post, prize, reference, Right Wing News, Steve Urkel, TV characters

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Mark Hillman Elaborates on Democrat Shell Game at Colorado State Capitol

Yes, I pointed out to you the Democrat shell game (with your tax dollars, transportation projects, and social welfare spending) taking place at the State Capitol. But leave it to Mark Hillman to explain it more eloquently, and with greater depth and context. Here's the key section:If it sounds like Democrats are talking out of both sides of their mouths, it’s because they are - at least, so far. One day, they say our roads and bridges are unsafe and demand more money from Colorado drivers. The next day, they take a hatchet to transportation funding. Any sane person can be excused for wondering what they’re drinking or smoking at the state capitol. Sadly this is nothing new. Dating back to former Gov. Roy Romer, Democrats’ … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, PPC, transportation Tagged With: Backbone America, Bill Owens, compromise, Democrats, fast and loose, general fund, golden dome, higher taxes, Mark Hillman, Monday, monopoly, one-party rule, Roy Romer, shell game, similar agreement, social welfare, State Capitol, tactic, tax dollars, taxpayer, transportation

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 89
  • 90
  • 91
  • 92
  • 93
  • …
  • 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