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Home Archives for General

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Merry Christmas

John 1:14 (NASB) And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Wrote Charles Wesley: Christ, by highest heav'n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold Him come, offspring of the Virgin's womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hail th'Incarnate Deity - Pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. Hark the herald, angels sing Glory to the newborn King! Merry Christmas to all! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Commemorative, General

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Beauprez on Track on Education

Overlooked due to the timing of Bob Beauprez's announcement of a lieutenant governor running mate this week, the Congressman from the 7th District also has sponsored an important piece of education legislation, as highlighted by Dan Lips of the Heritage Foundation: It's been said that everything old becomes new again. This is proving true in the federal education reform debate. A conservative congressman has introduced new legislation based on an old idea: local control over education. In July, Representative Bob Beauprez (R-CO) introduced the Partnership for Academic Success in the States Act, or PASS Act, to restore greater state and local control in education. With bipartisan frustration with No Child Left Behind growing, the PASS … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, National Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben 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not be independently verified and may deserve further scrutiny (e.g., I can find no evidence that Sheriff Ted Mink has withdrawn support from Mike Kopp's campaign).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...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

NYT Memo to Romanoff: An Education Reform to Consider

Recently, Colorado Speaker Andrew Romanoff announced his intention to convene a task force to look at the recommendations for transforming the education system made by The New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce and propose a plan for Colorado. One other eminent source for ideas may be the New York Times editorial board, which today has advocated for the abolition of union-protected teacher seniority rights that often keep the most effective instructors from the neediest schools and students (H/T Edspresso): Talented novices, with no seniority rights to protect them, often quit the field after being shunted from one place to another. Others give up on the urban school systems where the bumping process is most prevalent … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

On the Rosen Show

I will be on the air with guest host Jon Caldara at 11 AM today to talk about the Colorado Secretary of State's new rules that recognize individual rights to determine whether their dues money should be spent on political campaigns. The information is highlighted on the Independence Institute's new educational Web site - TheyMustAsk.com. You can listen live to the radio show by going to the 850 KOA Web site. For the most recent developments related top this story, please read Peter Blake's column in Saturday's Rocky Mountain News. Then ask yourself: what can you learn about a group whose leaders would protest having to ask your permission before spending your money on the political campaigns they choose? You decide. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben 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...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Book Review: Maybe Another Afternoon

Rex Forrest Johnson. An Afternoon with Cody. Sioux Falls, SD: Pine Hills Press, 2006. Rating: 2 out of 5 "I am sandwiched between a seventy something woman and an even older looking man with a headset on listening to some very loud music. I can feel the vibrations of the tune as I stood next to the old geezer. Imagine what it is doing to his brain! Can we say, 'mush brain?' He is just bobbing his head up and down, back and forth, having a good old time.... He is oblivious to what is gong on until I tap him on the shoulder and point to my seat between them. I sat down between them and thought to myself that if this trip is 1400 miles, it is going to feel like 2800. The old man started tapping on both of his knees with open hands … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Christianity and Faith, General

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

In Case You Missed It…

...And really want to hear me talk with Jon Caldara on yesterday's Mike Rosen Show about the Secretary of State's new rules, the podcast version is up on the 850 KOA site. Go to the Rosen Replay page and look for the following description: Misleading ads try to prevent union members from having ability to refuse to have their dues go for political causes. I share this announcement not because I think readers will be enthralled with the dulcet tones of my radio voice but that you will latch onto this important information and pass it on. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben 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...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

I’m Back … Ritter, Wadhams, a Crazy 2007 Comes

First of all, the break is over. I come back to blogging older (literally) and wiser (my wife may disagree), and ready for the trench warfare of Colorado politics that commences today - fully aware that our side is outnumbered in the local blogosphere but undaunted by the challenge. Kudos to our new governor Bill Ritter. I wish him good health and personal happiness, though not so much political success. This blog will do its part to hold him to account and to make sure he and the legislature are doing what's best for the people of Colorado, not special interest groups. On Ritter's big day, the Denver Post gives a little space to report that earlier rumors indeed were true: Dick Wadhams has his eyes on the state party … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General

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Inside

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    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
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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
  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

Colorado News

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National News and Politics

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Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
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  • Instapundit
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  • Lileks
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  • NRO's The Corner
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Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
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  • IMAO
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Christian Commentary et al.

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Conservative and GOP Sites

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Colorado Blogs

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Other Sites

  • Technorati
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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
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  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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