Mount Virtus

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

Ben on Social Media

Home Archives for General

By 3 Comments

Dr. Coburn Has the Correct Prescription

A short reprieve from my all-too-brief blogging holiday to point your attention to the response of Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn to last night's election results: The overriding theme of this election, however, is that voters are more interested in changing the culture in Washington than changing course in Washington, D.C. This election was not a rejection of conservative principles per se, but a rejection of corrupt, complacent and incompetent government. Read it all. Dr. Coburn not only has the correct diagnosis but the correct prescription. We need more statesmen like him. (HT: Dennis Prager) … [Read more...]

By 8 Comments

I Was Wrong

What can I say? I underestimated the anti-Republican sentiment, both in Colorado and nationally. But I would caution members of the political Left from reading too much into this as some sort of ideological shift in their direction. Nationally, it represents a failure of many GOP officials to live up to their principles and a weariness with the war in Iraq. Maybe a mandate to raise the minimum wage ... after that, voters may be asking themselves what they were thinking, but sometimes they feel they have no choice but to kick out some of the bums only to find different bums in charge. C'est la vie when it comes to politics. Worthwhile reads: - Philip Klein in The American Spectator - John Podhoretz in New York Post - Hugh … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Voting Machine Issues Not Isolated to Denver

Complaints in Colorado about problems with voting machines are not isolated to Denver, despite the heavy media attention focused there. I'm hearing secondhand that complaints have been registered "across the state," including more heavily Republican areas such as south Jeffco. Why then would the Colorado Democratic Party sue only to keep Denver's polls open to 9 PM? It doesn't take a genius to figure out why. Any legally registered voter in line to vote at their proper polling location at 7 PM - no matter where across the state - has to be allowed to vote. Until we see enough evidence to compel us otherwise, the problems across the state have to be seen as manageable through current laws and procedures. Regardless, no special … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Colorado Sets the Pace for GOP, Surpasses Own GOTV Records

The Republican Party's Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) program in Colorado is second to none. Having seen it function firsthand, I can honestly say that the quality and quantity of work being done here outstrips not only what was accomplished in the state in 2004 and 2002, it also is quantifiably doing the best job of any state in the country. Who will benefit the most? Statewide candidates like Mark Hillman (Treasurer), Mike Coffman (Secretary of State), and Brian Davidson (CU Regent). Congressional candidates Marilyn Musgrave and Doug Lamborn are on to victory, while Rick O'Donnell finds new life in his bid to upset Ed Perlmutter and the pundits. State house candidates like Affie Ellis (HD 29), Bill Crane (HD 27), & Ramey Johnson (HD 23) in … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

Five Reasons to Vote for Hillman

One of the closer races in Colorado figures to be the contest for state treasurer. If for some reason you are reading this blog and haven't voted yet, here are five reasons to support Mark Hillman, the only candidate for State Treasurer who has (as circulated by email): 1. Balanced a state budget. In the State Senate, Mark has done that seven times. He knows that the value of government must be balanced against the cost of government to Colorado families and businesses. (His opponent has never been elected by the people.) 2. Business experience. Mark owns and operates his family's farm near Burlington, where he has grown wheat for the past 13 years. He knows firsthand about hard work, long hours and sound financial planning. (His … [Read more...]

By 2 Comments

How Colorado Union Bosses Spend Teachers’ Money

On this Election Eve, here's some interesting information. If you know someone who is a member of the Colorado Education Association (CEA) or American Federation of Teachers (AFT)-Colorado - our state's teachers unions - you might want to point them to this Web page (compliments of Independence Institute research). Here are some selected tidbits of information on how union members' money has been spent on Colorado's elections in 2006: According to reports available on November 2, Colorado teachers unions have given $1,481,043 in combined contributions to political parties, candidates, and registered 527 political groups in 2006. The Colorado Education Association (CEA) and four of its local affiliates, … [Read more...]

By Leave a Comment

GOP-mentum

Democrats may be kicking themselves - or John Kerry, or a good economy, or the common sense of the American people - on Wednesday for squandering a big chance. All hopes for a massive electoral "wipeout" (a la Chris Matthews) to take over Congress, seem to be fading as Republicans have the momentum going into tomorrow's national elections. I stand by my earlier predictions. … [Read more...]

By 8 Comments

Paula Noonan Clarifies

Thank you to Democrat Senate District 22 candidate Paula Noonan for taking the time to respond to my post on her heated election campaign with some clarifying comments. I responded to some of her remarks in the comment box. Additionally, some of her claims could not be independently verified and may deserve further scrutiny (e.g., I can find no evidence that Sheriff Ted Mink has withdrawn support from Mike Kopp's campaign). Of course, it is a little late for the purposes of this election to unearth these claims, unless one of my readers has a source. Or what does anyone think about invoking the name of Ted Haggard to attack Mike? … [Read more...]