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Home Archives for Colorado Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sara Gagliardi’s Bad Mortgage Bill

Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, my state representative, earned the special distinction of having a bad legislative idea dismantled by the fair-minded editors of the Rocky Mountain News:Perhaps the best thing that can be said about the American Dream Protection Act of 2008, due to be introduced in the legislature at any time, is that it's not likely to be as bad as many of its counterparts under consideration in other states - and in Congress. Unlike those other measures, Colorado's bill addressing home foreclosures, by Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, and Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, would not require substantial public subsidies. Nor would it place taxpayers on the hook for a massive bailout if the credit crunch intensifies. That said, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: American Dream Protection Act of 2008, bad idea, contracts, fiscal illiteracy, John Bodnar, Mortgage foreclosures, Rep. Mark Ferrandino, Rep. Sara Gagliardi, Rocky Mountain News

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Josh Penry: Rising Colorado GOP Star

There's no need to recount the many woes and difficulties Colorado Republicans have faced in recent years, dethroned and demoralized by a well-funded and well-planned onslaught from the Left in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Thanks especially to the principled and savvy work of several key lawmakers in the caucus, the Republicans finally held their own this year. They have set the table for a comeback in Colorado, but the road is still arduous and uphill. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel shines the light on one of the most prominent - if not the most prominent - GOP rising stars: Senator Josh Penry. The Sentinel reports on the growing speculation that their 32-year-old hometown hero will lead the Senate Republicans next year:Sen. Greg … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Andy McElhany, Colorado Republicans, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Greg Brophy, Josh Penry, Mike Saccone

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Unexplored Evidence Rebuts Big Blue Lie Machine Anti-Schaffer Campaign

Over at Schaffer v Udall, I have brought to light evidence that challenges the Big Blue Lie Machine's assumptions and characterizations of Bob Schaffer's involvement with the Northern Marianas Islands issue, which has gotten press coverage in the Denver Post recently. It's a long post, but hope if you have an interest in this issue that you will check it out. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: Big Blue Lie Machine, Bob Schaffer, Denver Post, Northern Marianas Islands, Schaffer v Udall

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Dems Fail to Lead or Take Responsibility, Irony Lost on Dead Guvs

The Dead Governors couldn't even bring themselves to defend their majority Democrat Party for accomplishing so little. So they tried to make fun of the minority Republicans for not getting much done themselves either:How do you write a critical op-ed about how Democrats talked and Republicans acted without bothering to mention anything that you actually accomplished yourself? For example: "On health care, we tried to clear away regulatory hurdles..." Good job on trying! Do Colorado's Left-leaning online apologists get the irony here? "You Republicans are going to criticize our Democrats for not fixing the state's problems? Well, I know we were in charge, and there were only 60 of us compared to 40 of you, but you didn't get anything … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Dead Governors, Democrats, education standards, irony, Republicans, responsibility

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Samsphere: Pro-Freedom Bloggers’ Shot Heard ‘Round Colorado

It's April 19, and I'm hanging out at a Denver bloggers convention sponsored by a group named after one of the Founding generation's most vocal patriots. The coincidence? It was 233 years ago today that a band of ragtag patriots on Lexington Green fired the "shot heard 'round the world" that eventually defeated the army of the world's most powerful empire. (Pictures up at Slapstick Politics, who beat me to the idea.) And here today in Denver is a band of ragtag pro-freedom bloggers, ready to counter the heavily-funded Left-wing statists who are working to turn Colorado blue. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Lexington and Concord, Samsphere Denver

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Wall Street Journal Takes Note of Bill Ritter’s Business-Labor Brouhaha

Today's Wall Street Journal takes notice of Colorado's brewing battle between Big Labor and the state's economic well-being:A labor-union campaign in Colorado to tighten restrictions on layoffs and crack down on corporate fraud could put Democrats in an awkward position as they gather here in August for their presidential convention. Unions are pushing to get a total of six measures on the fall ballot, all of them opposed by small-business owners and corporate interests. "If they pass, it would be like putting a big 'Do Not Locate Your Business Here' sign on Colorado," said John Brackney, president of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce. Don't believe the unions' initiatives would harm the economy? How about this opinion … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: ballot initiatives, Big Labor, Bill Ritter, Democratic National Convention, Wall Street Journal

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Reminder: Help Cory Voorhis at Fundraiser in Wheat Ridge Tomorrow

Don't forget about the Cory Voorhis fundraiser tomorrow, especially if you or your friends in the Denver area are looking for something to do on Sunday afternoon. This is a great cause! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Cory Voorhis, fundraiser

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sure Signs of a Colorado Democrat

Mark Hillman has a great post on "You Must Be a Colorado Democrat" if:If you think taxing marriage will reduce child abuse, you must be a Colorado Democrat. If you plan to pay for new programs with revenues from the oil and gas boom but then punish oil and gas companies with higher taxes and ridiculous regulations, you must be a Colorado Democrat. If you believe illegal aliens should get a break on college tuition but decorated veterans should not, you must be a Colorado Democrat. If you believe it’s OK to require a photo ID to buy beer or cigarettes but not to vote, you must be a Colorado Democrat. If you believe businessmen and women are motivated by greed but labor union bosses are not, you must be a Colorado … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor Tagged With: Colorado Democrats, Mark Hillman, taxes, trial lawyers, Unions

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

RTD vs. The American Dream

Via the Independence Institute's (disclosure: where I work) Property Rights multimedia page, here is the "East Denver Story" of Daniel Gallegos, whose family's property was confiscated by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) at well below fair market value: The video is also up at The Property Rights Project blog (along with links to Gallegos' speech and other key documents), at the Caldara blog, at the Competitive Enterprise Institute's Open Market blog, and at Rocky Mountain Right. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, property rights Tagged With: Competitive Enterprise Institute, Daniel Gallegos, Denver, Independence Institute, Open Market blog, Property Rights Project, Regional Transportation District, Rocky Mountain Right

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Formal Complaint Filed in Bill Ritter’s $300,000 Campaign Finance Violation

The Denver Post reports today the latest in Gov. Bill Ritter's campaign spending problems:The complaint, from Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, prompts the process for reviewing campaign-finance violations. Without the complaint, it is unclear whether the Secretary of State's Office could have begun a formal inquiry. "There are some very specific rules you've got to follow," Lambert said of campaign-finance laws. "This seemed to violate at least several of them and needs to be investigated further." Last week, Ritter, a Democrat, announced that his former campaign manager, Greg Kolomitz, wrongly used inaugural funds to pay off more than $200,000 in campaign debt and also overpaid himself by about $83,000. At the least, Bill … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: campaign finance violation, Denver Post, Gov. Bill Ritter, Rep. Kent Lambert

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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
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  • 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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bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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