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Home Archives for General

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Last-Minute Initiative Submissions Make It Look Like a Crowded Colorado Ballot

It looks like a crowded ballot after all. Face The State was on the scene yesterday to report that six more campaigns turned in signatures before the deadline in an effort to get their initiatives on the ballot. They are all bad news - some worse than others. It looks like five of them are a lock to make the ballot, while a sixth one may cut it very close. Along with the four citizens' initiatives that have already secured a place for Colorado voters to decide in November, and several legislative referenda, there may be a record 19 measures on the ballot. Stay tuned to Mount Virtus for coverage of statewide issues. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: ballot, Colorado voters, deadline, Face the State, initiatives, Mount Virtus, referenda, signatures

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

The “Guerrilla Congress” Continues: A Reason to be Proud of GOP

From the Heritage Foundation blog: How refreshing ... I haven't had reason to truly be proud of Republicans in Congress in a long time. Just want to let the "guerrilla Congress" know that we're watching you out here in Colorado and cheering you on - ready to do what we can to help get the word out. Does it involve political posturing? Is it somewhat theatrical? Yes - but it makes the point: Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats don't even want to debate about a comprehensive energy policy. They aren't listening to the American people. Call Nancy Pelosi at 202-225-0100 - and your own Representative, too - to urge them to come back and debate the American Energy Act. Maybe, just maybe, the Republicans finally are listening … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, General, National Politics Tagged With: broken promise, Colorado, day off, Democrats, Energy policy, Guerrilla Congress, Heritage Foundation, Mark Udall, Nancy Pelosi, political posturing, YouTube

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Pushy Union Rep Making Himself at Home on Colorado State Property

Regular readers of this blog and followers of the Colorado political scene generally are aware of Gov. Bill Ritter's executive order that has given union leaders the keys to state government. Already the "Colorado WINS" labor union coalition has ridden the popularity of the "don't give a crap" mentality to become the "exclusive representative" for a majority of state workers. Right now, two elections are pending that would unionize the remaining 9,500 Colorado state employees. Disturbed by the "don't give a crap" mentality and wanting his fellow public servants to judge the union's promises for themselves, state employee Dave Ohmart has started the tongue-in-cheek group "Colorado Loses." He has a regular e-mail list of interested state … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Colorado WINS, Dave Ohmart, don't give a crap, Executive Order, poster, state employees, union elections

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Ballotpedia: THE Source for Information on All Colorado Ballot Initiatives

I earlier mentioned the last-minute flurry of initiatives heading into the Colorado Secretary of State's office that may appear on your ballot in November. I should have included a link to this page from Ballotpedia - with the most comprehensive information about all initiatives that have been certified, as well as all those having submitted signatures and awaiting certification. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: ballot initiatives, Ballotpedia, certification, Colorado, Secretary of State, signatures, wiki

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Face The State: Colorado Ethics Watch Still in the Tank for Democrats

Face The State calls out Colorado Ethics Watch for its deafening silence on Bill Ritter's admitted campaign violation. But we already knew Colorado Ethics Watch was a partisan tool. Face The State also notes:Additionally, Judge Michelle Norcross took the bizarre step of ordering the Republican who filed the complaint to pay Ritter’s legal fees. Interestingly, Michelle Norcross is the same judge who initially let the teachers union off the hook in its case of campaign coordination with state senator Bob Bacon. Legal ethics reform, anyone? You won't hear Colorado Ethics Watch crowing about that issue - not with the trial lawyers' association sitting on their side of the partisan fence. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, General, Labor Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Bob Bacon, campaign coordination, campaign finance violation, Colorado Ethics Watch, Face the State, legal ethics reform, Michelle Norcross, Poudre Education Association, teachers union

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter’s Property Tax Hike May Work Against Funding Aurora Schools

The Denver Post reports good news from Aurora - with a catch:The Aurora school district and its teachers union have reached an agreement on a new contract that calls for a 2 percent increase in pay for all employees this coming school year. But there's a hitch: The school board must agree to put a property-tax hike on the November ballot to fund it and voters must approve it or else there will be no raises. Aurora Public Schools hasn't asked for a mill levy increase since 1990 but feels that is the only way it can fund salary increases for the 2008-09 school year, said chief personnel officer Kari Allen. The timing isn't good. School property taxes for Aurora homeowners and business owners already increased about 6 percent this … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Aurora Public Schools, Bill Ritter, business owners, Democrats, Denver Post, homeowners, Kari Allen, property tax hike, school board, school property tax, teachers union

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Tables May Be Turning Against Denver Teachers Union in ProComp Faceoff

Negotiations between Denver Public Schools (DPS) and Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) are as heated as ever, with the performance pay plan known as ProComp still at stake:Denver Public Schools officials want an overhaul they say will better attract and retain talented teachers. The union says the current plan is fair to all teachers but that the DPS proposal would favor beginning teachers over veterans. Three days of mediation are set to begin Aug. 20, and the union has told teachers to prepare for a strike if no agreement is reached. In essence, the district's proposal is too radical for the union, which thrives on its perceived role as a defender of teacher security and must appease many of the more veteran teachers … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: bargaining contract, Democratic National Convention, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver Post, Denver ProComp, Denver Public Schools, Denver Teachers for Change, EdNews Colorado, education reform, equal outcomes, mediation, Michael Bennet, negotiations, online petition, progressive, proposals, radical, school district, tactics, teachers, teachers strike, teachers union, union leadership, union representatives

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

AFL-CIO Tells IRS with a Straight Face It Spends No Money on Politics

Do you ever wonder why there's such skepticism about Big Labor's support of legislation that attacks workers' ballot privacy, not to mention Big Labor's opposition to legislation that gives workers more freedom over their earnings? Underreported news like this from the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) would give a satisfactory answer. Here's the letter from AWF to the Internal Revenue Service:On behalf of the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF), and rank-and-file working Americans, I urge you to investigate the apparent incongruence contained within the 2005-2006 tax filings by the AFL-CIO. According to their annual LM-2 financial disclosure form filed with the Department of Labor, the AFL-CIO spent $41,620,583 on political activities … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: AFL-CIO, Alliance for Worker Freedom, Big Labor, corruption, Department of Labor, fair elections, Internal Revenue Service, LM-2, National Education Association, political activities, political expenditures, tax evasion, workers' funds

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

What an Amazing USA Comeback and a Slap Back at French Arrogance

Yes, after several days off, mostly busy and relatively sleepless though enjoyable, I'm back. Thank you for your patience and forbearance. Few things could rouse me from my blogging slumber so fitfully and so excitedly as that AMAZING Olympic swimming relay comeback victory by the United States. The image of American swimmers Michael Phelps and Garrett Weber-Gale in raw exultation as teammate Jason Lezak helped secure them and Cullen Jones a USA victory in the 4 x 100 freestyle relay has become indelible. Only slightly less rewarding was watching the stunned and sullen looks on the faces of the French swimmers, the favorites in the race, whose anchor leg teammate and 100-meter freestyle world record holder Alain Bernard couldn't close … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: 2008 Summer Olympics, Alain Bernard, arrogance, comeback victory, Cullen Jones, France, Garrett Weber-Gale, gold medal, heroics, Jason Lezak, Michael Phelps, relay, Swimming, United States

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Rest in Peace, Tony Snow

Sad news today about a man with integrity, decency, and affability uncommon to contemporary public life, who finally succumbed in his long bout with colon cancer. Via American Thinker, here is quotable wisdom Tony Snow shared in a May 2007 commencement speech, advice to "live boldly, to live a whole life": 1. Think; use your brains. 2. Take risks; don't be content with what you know. 3. Commit to God. Faith is as natural as the air we breathe. Religion is the introduction to the ultimate extreme sport. 4. Get out and experience life. Get your fingernails dirty... and laugh, a lot, at yourselves. ..the pain, the poignancy, the aches are essential; they bring us together. 5. Love. It is everything...to love is to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Commemorative, General, National Politics Tagged With: American Thinker, colon cancer, commencement speech, faith, Fox News, obituary, Tony Snow

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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
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bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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