Mount Virtus

"Happy to come back to Michigan, but I miss the mountains!"

Ben on Social Media

Home Archives for Cultural Conservatism
How to Train Your Politician: Conservative Ed Hanks Urges Intentional Voting

By Leave a Comment

How to Train Your Politician: Conservative Ed Hanks Urges Intentional Voting

On December 20, 2014, I chatted by phone with Ed Hanks about his new book How to Train Your Politician: Intentional Voting as a Path to Tea Party and Constitutional Victory. Hanks, an acquaintance and Jefferson County conservative activist who has been one of Colorado's leading voices for Personhood, graciously shared a Kindle copy of his book for me to read prior our conversation. We talked in the wake of the lame-duck Congress passing the corporatists' dream bill, known as Cromnibus, fueling the fires of populist conservative discontent (including yours truly). A mounting frustration definitely brings a growing interest in the strategy Hanks endorses. Yet what I find most appealing about the book and its author is his historical … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Why Decent Souls Will Be Glad to See Congressman Alan Grayson Lose

One of the silent joys I plan to take on Election Night will be watching the defeat of Florida Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson, truly a despicable figure and, as this NRCC ad puts it (H/T Redstate's Moe Lane), using his own words to make the case, a "national embarrassment": As Hot Air reports, even a liberal MSNBC interviewer had to call Grayson on the carpet for his outrageous attack ad against his Republican opponent Daniel Webster, an ad that took Webster's recorded comments out of context to make them sound like he said the exact opposite. Watch Grayson dissemble on the cable news program, and you'll soon join me in rejoicing at his coming defeat. And if you need a good laugh along the way, watch a good out-of-context … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Gallup Survey of Institutions: Congress Rock-Bottom, Presidency Falling Fast

For what it's worth, if you want a glimpse of the public mindset concerning 16 major institutions in American society, you should check out the new Gallup survey (H/T Mike Antonucci). The following are some salient observations on how favorably Americans view the 16 major institutions: … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Right Online: Great Vegas Opportunity for Conservatives in New Media

Next weekend is the annual Right Online conference, sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Specifically, it will be held Friday and Saturday, July 23-24, in Las Vegas. This is a great opportunity for conservatives who want to learn how they can help neutralize the advantage the Left has accrued in new media and online tools. A lineup of great speakers is on tap -- including members of Congress Mike Pence and Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, John Fund, Judge Andrew Napolitano, and more. Registration is still open. I'm not able to make the trip (family reasons), which depending on your perspective might be all the more reason to go. But definitely give it a close look and find a great excuse to make a summertime visit to … [Read more...]

By 1 Comment

Western Conservative Summit: Reflections and Ruminations

Joshua has a great rundown of this past weekend's Western Conservative Summit. I was there for most of the day on Saturday, but unfortunately not able to catch the festivities of Friday evening or Sunday morning. Judging especially by the descriptions of the Michelle Bachmann and Arthur Brooks presentations, I regret missing them most of all. The personal highlight for the lovely Mrs. Virtus and I was the opportunity to hear Dennis Prager's enlightening and insightful address. He brings a lot of well-stated wisdom to the table, along with a genuine self-deprecating humor that endears him to the crowd. Even having heard his American Trinity discussed before, the speech never lost my attention. It was an excellent evening. A very … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Don’t Delay: Register for July 9-11 Western Conservative Summit

The Rocky Mountain Alliance of Blogs (of which I am a member) and People's Press Collective (to which I am a contributor) -- not to mention the Independence Institute where I work -- are all among many co-sponsors of the upcoming First Annual Western Conservative Summit on July 9 to 11 in the south metro Denver area. Put this one on your calendars. There is a fantastic and diverse collection of speakers slated to come, including: … [Read more...]

By 2 Comments

Bob Beauprez Backs Lang Sias, Raises Questions about Relevance, Judgment

In one of Colorado's most head-scratching political moves of the year, former GOP Congressman and wildly unsuccessful 2006 gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez announced his endorsement of 7th Congressional candidate and Republican newcomer Lang Sias. The first reaction I and many of my politically aware friends had pretty much boiled down to: Huh??? When Tom Tancredo and Jimmy Lakey threw their support behind Sias, they carefully avoided trying to draw distinctions among the Republican field. Not so Beauprez: … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Politically Correct University’s Robert Maranto Tonight at LOTR Red Rocks

Just how politically correct are today's colleges? Are the faculties at American universities really as ideologically imbalanced as you have heard? What are the effects of that imbalance on students and their futures? Are there any promising and politically achievable reforms for academia? If these questions pique your interest, then you should look at obtaining a copy of the new book The Politically Correct University, a collection of insightful essays on a range of topics under the theme. Even better, if you live in the Denver metro area, you can meet one of the volume's editors -- Robert Maranto from the University of Arkansas' Department of Education Reform -- this evening at Liberty on the Rocks Red Rocks: … [Read more...]

By 1 Comment

Taxpayers for Liberty: Who Is This Group Playing in U.S. Senate Race?

Update: Scanned copy of the March 5 Taxpayers for Liberty letter posted below. Yesterday I received a strange mailing from a group called Taxpayers for Liberty. (Many of my fellow conservative, politically-active Colorado friends likely received the same.) It's a self-described 501c4 organization with a Denver P.O. Box and an executive director named Andrew O'Neill -- I'm almost positive it's not this Andrew O'Neill. I will take time later today to scan and post the four-page letter, along with the attached questionnaire and reply form, so you can see the mailing for yourself. It looks a lot like your standard political fundraising letter, with short paragraphs and heavy on underlined text and bullet points. Suffice it to say, the … [Read more...]