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Home Archives for Colorado Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Front Range County Sheriffs Refute Campaign Lies against Amendment 49

Readers of this blog are now well familiar with the orchestrated deception by a group called Protect Colorado's Future (PCF) against Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative. In addition to numerous Colorado newspaper editorial boards, respected public figures like former U.S. Senator Hank Brown and former state treasurer Mark Hillman have refuted the lies. Many of PCF's false claims center around purported negative effects on the ability of law enforcement and public safety workers to do their jobs. Who better to refute the lies than respected law enforcement officials whose jurisdictions already have an Ethical Standards policy in place? In today's Denver Post, three Colorado county sheriffs took their turn at batting down the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Arapahoe County, audio, body armor, Boulder County, Boulder Daily Camera, county sheriffs, David Weaver, deceptive attacks, Denver Post, Douglas County, El Paso County, Ethical Standards, Hank Brown, Jeff Shaw, Jefferson County, John Cooke, law enforcement, letter, lies, Mark Hillman, modern equipment, multi-million dollar ad campaign, orchestrated deception, Protect Colorado's Future, public safety workers, refuted, Rocky Mountain News, Sheriff, similar theme, Ted Mink, Weld County

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Believe “Nonsense” Against Colorado Amendment 49? “Don’t Be Stupid”

The Rocky Mountain News today provides the most systematic deconstruction of the grossly misleading, multi-million dollar Protect Colorado's Future campaign against 49:There's no obligation for political campaigns to be fair, let alone balanced, but there are times when messages go beyond the pale. Case in point: the advertising, largely bankrolled by labor unions, to defeat Amendment 49, the "ethical standards" initiative. Muzzle workers and endanger public safety? "In what way? The amendment doesn't say unions can't collect dues. It just says government can't collect dues for them." Threaten public employees' paychecks? "Nonsense." Silence small business? "Bizarre." Backed by multinational corporations? "What a joke." Or as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 49, bankrolled, Ethical Standards, grossly misleading, labor unions, multi-million dollar, political campaigns, Protect Colorado's Future, Rocky Mountain News, systematic deconstruction

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Buescher “Favored”? Deceptive Attacks on Cancer Survivor Say Maybe Not

Today the Rocky Mountain News highlights the hottest state legislative race on Colorado's Western Slope, as Republican challenger Laura Bradford faces down Democrat incumbent Bernie Buescher in HD55:"I think her chances are great," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, who was among Republicans who stopped in Grand Junction while on an RV tour of the state. "One thing she said was, 'Gov. Ritter will not be whispering in my ear what to do.' People loved that." Buescher, however, says he doesn't hew that closely to Gov. Bill Ritter. "They're going after me on some issues, but it seems to me the fundamental attack is that I'm too close to the administration," he said. "The fact is I pushed the administration as much as any Democrat in the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, Labor Tagged With: 527 groups, administration, Alida Messinger, attack ads, Bernie Buescher, Bill Ritter, billionaire, campaign finance reform, cancer screenings, cancer survivor, challenger, Colorado, Colorado Democracy Alliance, Colorado Education Association, Colorado Values, Cory Gardner, Democrat, desperate, Gene Kinsey, Grand Junction, HD55, headline, Health Care, health insurance, incumbent, John Bodnar, John McCain, K-12 employees, Laura Bradford, Mesa County, negative advertising, property tax hike, reports, Republican, Rockefeller heir, Rocky Mountain News, Secretary of State, state legislative races, Tim Gill, union, Western Slope

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

ObamaFraud and the Ongoing Motivation of the GOP Ground Game

There is a ton to catch up on heading into the election's final week: Palestra has the latest on vote fraud committed by Barack Obama staffers camping out in Ohio. Naysayers repeat the mantra that this fraud can't possibly affect the election, because it's on such a small scale. Focused so intently on potential direct impacts, they miss the point. The ever expanding, yet unknowable, scale of voter registration fraud has been part of feeding a public perception. Based on what we know about human nature and behavior, it will have some effect - how so, it's too hard to say. To further understand the concern, think instead about what this says: the bare minimum of electronic controls to cover his online donations, allowing for myriad kinds … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, anger, anonymous, assumptions, Barack Obama, Beldar, Colorado, credibility, Democrats, disparities, distortions, election, electronic controls, essay, Gateway Pundit, ground game, John McCain, journalist, margins of error, media establishment, Michael Malone, millions of dollars, nationwide, naysayers, Newsbusters, oblivion, Ohio, online donation fraud, overconfidence, Palestra, phone calls, polls, public support, reality, shenanigans, small scale, statistical sampling, volunteers, votger fraud, walking precincts, Zombie

2/7/2026 By Ben 6 Comments

Mark Hillman Cuts Through Deception Used Against Amendments 47, 49, 54

Another prominent, respected Colorado voice joins the chorus of those denouncing the nonsensical attacks against Amendments 47, 49, and 54. Former state treasurer Mark Hillman makes a couple of terrific points in his piece:Amendment 49 (”ethical standards”) prohibits state and local governments from intercepting a worker’s paycheck to collect dues or contributions for unions, lobbyists or any other special interest. It simply requires all interest groups to ask supporters directly for their contribution, rather than use government payroll systems as their collection agency. Groups from the National Rifle Association to the Sierra Club rely on voluntary contributions, so why can’t labor unions and other special … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 47, Amendment 49, Amendment 54, ask directly, attacks, Big Bad Wolf, Coloradans for Middle Class Relief, Colorado, commercial, Denver Post, dishonest, dues, employees, Ethical Standards, firefighter, government payroll system, greedy owners, indentured servants, labor unions, lobbyists, Mark Hillman, membership, National Rifle Association, Political contributions, profit motive, Protect Colorado's Future, respected voice, Sierra Club, special interest groups, state treasurer, voluntary contributions, white noise

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sen. Ken Salazar Repeats Discredited Anti-Amendment 49 Talking Point

Colorado U.S. Senator Ken Salazar made the mistake of letting his name appear on a letter recently published in the Fort Morgan Times, a letter that repeats at least one special interest group lie:Amendment 49 targets public employees, including law enforcement officials, fire fighters and teachers, who provide vital services for all of us. Amendment 49 will interfere with the personal choice of working Coloradans over how they want to spend their hard-earned paychecks. This echoes the deceptive flyers distributed by the well-heeled committee Protect Colorado's Culture of Corruption Future (the issue committee known for its perpetual deception), in which they falsely state that Amendment 49 dictates how firefighters and other public … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: 850 KOA, Amendment 49, audio, Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado, deception, deceptive flyers, Ethical Standards, firefighters, Fort Morgan Times, freedom of choice, government restriction, Grand Junction Sentinel, Hank Brown, Ken Salazar, law enforcement, letter, Mike Rosen Show, nonsense, paychecks, personal choice, Protect Colorado's Future, public employees, Rocky Mountain News, special interest group, spend, talking points, teachers, U.S. Senator, vital services, well-heeled

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Off to Denver Townhall Talkers Tour

I'm off to the Townhall Battleground Talkers Tour's first event this evening in Denver. Hope to see some of you there. What do syndicated radio hosts Hugh Hewitt, Michael Medved, and Dennis Prager have to say off air? Will they succeed in firing up the troops? Is the media's assessment of conservative and Republican voter enthusiasm on- or off-base? What do Colorado's grassroots leaders really think about the McCain-Palin's ticket to win Colorado and the national election? What other campaigns and figures will make an appearance? Check back later for a report. Sadly, the event comes on the same day as the passing of regular Hugh Hewitt guest host, Weekly Standard contributor, and blogger extraordinaire Dean Barnett. Rest in peace. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: Colorado, conservative, Dennis Prager, Denver, grassroots leaders, Hugh Hewitt, McCain-Palin, media, Michael Medved, national election, Republican, Talkers Tour, Townhall.com, voter enthusiasm

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Which Gaffe Will Joe Biden Most Likely Make When He’s in Colorado?

Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Joe Biden is reportedly on his way to Colorado for campaign stops on Tuesday and Wednesday (H/T Slapstick Politics). In honor of his arrival, which gaffe do you think Slow Joe Biden is most likely to make? Please vote in the poll below: Vote early, but since we're not a Democratic site, you can't vote often. Sorry. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: campaign stops, candidate, Colorado, Democratic Party, gaffe, Joe Biden, poll, Slapstick Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

State Should Charge Protect Colorado’s Future with Extortion Processing Fee

The Rocky Mountain News Stump blog reports:Colorado spent more than $200,000 in printing costs and extra postage this fall because the deadline for withdrawing ballot measures comes too close to Election Day, according to a study from the University of Denver. Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57 were withdrawn by labor groups by an Oct. 2 deadline. But it was too late to keep them off the printed ballot. DU's Center for Colorado's Economic Future offered some advice for the state legislature: rethink the law that allows ballot initiatives to be pulled as late as 33 days before the election. Changing the law on the withdrawal deadline may not be a bad idea, but here's an even better one. Seeing as how Protect Colorado's Culture of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 53, Amendment 55, Amendment 56, Amendment 57, ballot initiatives, ballot measures, ballot scam bill, bid, business leaders, Center for Colorado's Economic Future, Colorado, Election Day, extortion, extra postage, hostage, Jon Caldara, labor groups, printing costs, processing fee, Protect Colorado's Future, Rocky Mountain News, sock puppets, state legislature, Stump blog, University of Denver, withdrawal deadline, withdrawing

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Attorney’s Vulgar Racist Slur a Stain on Big Labor Opponents of Right-to-Work

As reported in the Denver Post, this is the kind of story that Big Labor would rather sweep under the rug. A union attorney exposed for his racist, vulgar email messages sent to Ryan Frazier, a leading supporter of Amendment 47, and also (apparently) for practicing law in Colorado without a license. It wasn't like the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) had much choice but to get rid of DeAngelo Starnes - otherwise a natural ideological fit. It is not insignificant to note that UFCW has spent nearly $5 million on state issue campaigns this year - mostly to fight Amendment 47 (Right-to-Work) but also to spread lies about Amendment 49 (Ethical Standards) and Amendment 54 (Government Contracting Reform). Only the National Education … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 47, Amendment 49, Amendment 54, Big Labor, Colorado, DeAngelo Starnes, Denver Post, Drunkablog, email messages, Ethical Standards, good government, government contracting reform, ignominious, National Education Association, practicing law, pro-worker, racist, right-to-work, Ryan Frazier, snide commentary, supporter, union attorney, United Food and Commercial Workers, vulgar

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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.

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