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2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

All-Star Break: Detroit Tigers Putting the Hurt on Cleveland and AL Central

Mercifully, for the sake of fellow blogger Civil Sense, I haven't harped on the American League Central race in awhile. But the All-Star break is upon us, and a good time for reflection on the standings: 1. Detroit Tigers 48-39 -- 2. Chicago White Sox 45-43 3.5 GB 3. Minnesota Twins 45-44 4 GB 4. Kansas City Royals 37-51 11.5 GB 5. Cleveland Indians 35-54 14 GB It's not looking good for the Indians, especially after the symbolic 10-1 spanking Detroit delivered to them this afternoon. GO TIGERS! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, My Life, Sports and Leisure

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Three Days Left for You to Chime in on Colorado’s Political Temperature

Last week I introduced readers to a one-of-a-kind, in-depth survey of Colorado's political temperature co-created by El Presidente and myself. The response so far has been great, with hundreds registering their opinions on key national and state issues, as well as candidates for national and state office. Everybody else is doing it ... why not you? Don't miss your chance -- Click here to vote in the July 2009 survey of Colorado's political temperature! El Presidente has added some enticing questions to pique your interest. Don't forget: You can only take the survey one time, but you have to take it by this Friday, July 17, at 5:00 PM local Mountain time. We look forward to hearing you chime in! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Buck and Frazier Fundraising Numbers: Be Not Dismayed, but Pick Up Pace

Fundraising numbers are out in Colorado's U.S. Senate race. While the indecisive Michael Bennet has awed observers once again with his million dollar-plus cash intake, numbers for the two most highly-touted Republican challengers Ken Buck ($330,000) and Ryan Frazier ($140,000) were significantly less overwhelming. Given their different positions, statuses, and backgrounds, one cannot reasonably hold the same expectations for the three candidates. Still, at this point it's clear that the appointed incumbent Michael Bennet is winning this phase of the game. Frazier wisely is using the opportunity to transition from the exploratory committee phase to an officially declared campaign. His first quarter fundraising numbers doubtless have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Continuing the Tiller & Long Discussion

Update, 6/4: Thanks to a comment left by Politically Correct Death author Francis Beckwith, I refer you to his newer and more relevant book Defending Life. I'll have to check it out myself very soon. Update, 9:30 PM: My final thought (for now) on the matter, from Doug Wilson: "The question is whether you would be willing to reduce a society to anarchy for the sake of saving that kid, when you (should) know that the anarchy you introduce is going to be responsible for the deaths of far more children than you managed to save." And for further edification, I will commend the thoughts of Dr. Albert Mohler as being squarely right on the matter. Thanks to one of the more thoughtful liberals I know, David Thielen, a link to this morning's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, Labor, liberty, My Life, World Events

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Learning from Bill Ritter’s Four Mistakes (so far) in the Senate Bill 180 Veto

I asked before if Bill Ritter called the bluff of Big Labor with his veto of Senate Bill 180. If we're to judge by last Friday's union-organized rally, then Ritter made a mistake. To see what I mean, take a step over to Face The State's slideshow, and see signs like "Why does Ritter hate fire fighters?" and "Ritter lied to my dad" (or just Senator Lois Tochtrop's angry expression). Of course, Ritter didn't make a mistake from the standpoint of choosing good policy over bad policy. But he has made four mistakes surrounding this issue: Don't make promises you don't intend to keep. Backroom campaign promises can come back to burn you. As observed at ColoradoPols and demonstrated by the little girl's "Ritter lied to my dad" sign, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, PPC Tagged With: angry, apparently, astroturfing, backroom, bad policy, Big Labor, Bill Ritter, blogosphere, bluff, bulk, burn, called, campaign, chief executive, ColoradoPols, compared, conveyed, damaging, decision, Democrat, Denver Post, enjoy, expression, Face the State, feet, fire fighters, fires, forced, good policy, harping, hide, intend, judge, keep, kill, labor bills, lied, Lois Tochtrop, media, minor, mistake, news conference, observed, offense, Party, politically, promises, prop, public, rally, Rocky Mountain Right, save, SB 180, Senate Bill 180, senator, show, sign, sit back, slideshow, standpoint, state house, state senate, stoked, support, threefold, traction, union-organized, veto, whoops

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rightosphere and I Agree on the Basics

I participated in the latest edition of Right Wing News' "Rightosphere Temperature Check". In case you're wondering, I happened to vote with the majority on each of the seven A or B questions. Digging further into the details likely would yield more disagreement, but when you only have two options.... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: details, digging, disagreement, edition, further, latest, majority, options, questions, Right Wing News, Rightosphere, vote, yield

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

RMA Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 8:30: Candidates Dan Maes, Cleve Tidwell

Tune in tonight at 8:30 PM local Mountain time for the 29th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. Guests for tonight's show are a pair of political newcomers making longshot bids for statewide office. Evergreen businessman Dan Maes will join us to talk about his grassroots campaign for Colorado's Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010. Causing a stir in the local blogosphere this week, U.S. Senate hopeful Cleve Tidwell will make an appearance in the latter half of the program to discuss his candidacy. If you miss the live 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, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: 2010, bids, Blog Talk Radio, blogosphere, businessman, campaign, candidacy, Cleve Tidwell, Colorado, Dan Maes, download, Evergreen, grassroots, gubernatorial, guests, hopeful, local, longshot, Mount Virtus, nomination, podcast, political newcomers, Republican, Rocky Mountain Alliance, show, sidebar, statewide office, stir, U.S. Senate, widget

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

RMA Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 8:30: Statewide Races, Higher Education

Tune in tonight at 8:30 PM local Mountain time for the 28th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. Guests for tonight's show are: Longtime GOP political consultant Patrick Davis to dissect the state of play in Colorado's major statewide races for 2010, as fields of Republicans seek to challenge Governor Bill Ritter and appointed U.S. Senator Michael Bennet Jessica Corry from the Independence Institute, to talk about the ongoing budget controversies at the University of Colorado and possibly the increasing attention on the drug legalization debate If you miss the live 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, clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC, property rights Tagged With: 2010, appointed, attention, Bill Ritter, Blog Talk Radio, budget controversies, challenge, Colorado, debate, drug legalization, GOP, Governor, guests, increasing, Independence Institute, Jessica Corry, major, Michael Bennet, Patrick Davis, podcast, political consultant, Republicans, Rocky Mountain Alliance, sidebar, statewide races, tonight show, U.S. Senator, University of Colorado, widget

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

RMA Blog Talk Radio Tonight at 8:30: Legislative Session, Rep. Kent Lambert

Tune in tonight at 8:30 PM local Mountain time for the 27th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. We hope to dedicate this episode to a review of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the recently concluded legislative session in Denver. Our special guest will be Representative Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, vice chair of the Republican Study Committee of Colorado. If you miss the live 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, liberty, PPC Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Denver, episode, Kent Lambert, legislative session, podcast, representative, Republican Study Committee, Rocky Mountain Alliance, sidebar, vice-chair, widget

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Wow! Curtis Granderson and Tigers A Leap Ahead of Last Place Indians

I have a friendly rivalry going this season with blogger Civil Sense from The Colorado Index. Today seemed like a good a time as any to point it out. Baseball is a long season, but his Cleveland Indians have slipped to the worst record in the Major Leagues after back-to-back home shutout losses to my Detroit Tigers. Tonight's 4-0 victory was great, but the finish couldn't match the 1-0 thriller on Friday -- when Tigers ace Justin Verlander carried his two-hit shutout into the ninth inning. Grady Sizemore came to the plate with one on and one out when ... well, watch for yourself: Yep, that's my boy: Curtis Granderson. And my Detroit Tigers a game out of first place and six games ahead of Cleveland. Ouch, Civil Sense. Ouch. (It … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: ace, Baseball, blogger, Civil Sense, Cleveland Indians, Curtis Granderson, Detroit Tigers, finish, friendly rivalry, Grady Sizemore, Justin Verlander, long season, Major Leagues, ninth inning, ouch, plate, shutout, thriller, victory, worst record, YouTube

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Inside

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  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
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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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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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