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Home Archives for General

12/10/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Of Capitalism and Safe Meat: Happy Meal Vouchers for Poor Students?

Ever the libertarian wit, Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi highlights some "lessons in capitalism" based on a new USA Today investigation that finds safer meat at your local fast-food restaurant than in the government's National School Lunch Program for poorer students. "Doesn’t the USDA care about the children?" Harsanyi asks with more than a hint of sarcasm. Seeing his thoughts in writing made me think: Perhaps we should be giving poorer students vouchers to buy Happy Meals for school lunches? I don't know about the value of such an idea as a practical policy prescription. However, the mere fact I'm bringing it up might make some heads spin in the USDA office on the floor below the Independence Institute where I work. Let's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, liberty, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

12/10/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

The New Health Care “Compromise” Doesn’t Improve on the “Public Option”

Update, 9:50 AM: The Patient Power Now blog presents more explanation why the new Harry Reid "compromise" is a bad deal. So the big news from Capitol Hill is that Democrat leaders in Congress have ditched the "public option" -- which means we can claim some small victory, right? WRONG. What's the matter with the Democrats' new "compromise" deal on so-called health care reform? Keep on reading.... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

12/9/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

CD-7 Update: McCain Backs Lang Sias; Ryan Frazier Calls out Ed Perlmutter

Two quick updates from the Republican primary campaign trail in Colorado's increasingly competitive 7th Congressional District. First, an unsurprising big-name endorsement for newcomer Lang Sias from U.S. Senator and 2008 GOP presidential nominee John McCain. I'm not sure how much that excites the Republican base locally. Meanwhile, Ryan Frazier -- who has managed to garner a much longer list of local endorsements -- sent out a challenge to sitting Democrat Rep. Ed Perlmutter on Harry Reid's outrageous public comments:“Congressman Perlmutter owes it to the citizens of the 7th Congressional District to repudiate the incredibly hurtful statements made by Democrat Harry Reid and his intentional distortion of history. “Let me be clear: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

12/9/2009 By Ben 12 Comments

Colorado 2010 State House Showdown: A Dozen Democrat Seats In Sight?

As promised, last week the state senate; this week the state house. Currently, the Democrats own the chamber by a 38-27 advantage. It's a fairly safe bet that the Republicans will have more representatives than 27 come 2011. But winning back the majority will be a tough challenge, so just how many can they win? All 65 seats are up every two-year cycle, and a lot of jockeying can still be expected to take place. Of current Republican-held seats, the only truly vulnerable one belongs to one-term incumbent Kevin Priola (HD 30, Adams County). On the other hand, based on voter registrations and incumbent strength, here are what I see as the dozen Democrat seats that are potential pick-ups -- as you'll see, some likelier than others: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, PPC

12/8/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Seriously Rich Obama Irony: Closed Door Meeting on Open Government

I've pointed out before the lack of transparency in the Obama administration's Labor Department. But this new Associated Press story about so-called Obama transparency takes the cake with a new level of irony:It's hardly the image of transparency the Obama administration wants to project: A workshop on government openness is closed to the public. Political cartoonists are probably already putting pen to paper now to mock this amazing self-parody. Imagine the scene: Citizen: Hi, I've come for the meeting on open government. Is this the right place? Security guard: Where's your invitation? Citizen: I, uh... W-what? This is about open government, right? Security guard: Right. Which is why President Obama says it's too important to let … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, Labor, liberty, National Politics, PPC

12/8/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Harry Reid Compares ObamaCare Foes to Pro-Slavery, Makes Case for His Own Post-Senate, Village-Based Career

Update, 5:00 PM: Witticism of the day goes to the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto, who observes that "[Reid's] success to this point seems something of a miracle--an inspiration to dour, foolish men everywhere." Was that one of the painful throes of sheer desperation we heard from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yesterday?Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid took his GOP-blasting rhetoric to a new level Monday, comparing Republicans who oppose health care reform to lawmakers who clung to the institution of slavery more than a century ago.... "Instead of joining us on the right side of history, all the Republicans can come up with is, 'slow down, stop everything, let's start over.' If you think you've heard these same excuses … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, History, liberty, National Politics, PPC

12/7/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Monday Quick Hits: GOP Unity, Church & State, Cold Fraud of Climategate

After a busy weekend, all I have to offer are a few worthwhile reads for a Monday: Last week Craig Steiner wrote an insightful piece titled "On GOP Unity in Colorado", especially worthwhile for those who have followed the intense controversy around the "Platform for Prosperity" and misappropriated Tea Party endorsements My Independence Institute colleague Jessica Peck Corry tackles the issue of church-state boundaries and public religious displays in a new Colorado Springs Gazette column, just in time for the Christmas holiday season Compliments of The Climate Realists, Marc Sheppard at American Thinker explains the now-infamous "Hide the Decline" in the Climategate fraud: simply a must-read that only adds to the sting of an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Climate Hysteria, Cultural Conservatism, General, History, liberty, PPC

12/4/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Thanks to Recovery.Gov, Time to Learn about Connecticut’s Fighting 42nd CD

It's Friday, time to lighten up ... Remember all those extra phantom congressional districts on the $18 million federal government boondoggle Recovery.gov? Well, apparently they provide a fabulous educational opportunity. Compliments of the Franklin Center and the Colbert Report, here's your chance to learn about Connecticut's "Fighting" 42nd Congressional District. Prepare to laugh: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC

12/3/2009 By Ben 2 Comments

Lang Sias Joins Crowded GOP Field in Colorado 7th Congressional Race

ARVADA--Add one more to the list of Republican candidates for Colorado's 7th Congressional District. This morning at DiCicco's Restaurant in Old Town Arvada, U.S. Navy veteran and former McCain presidential senior staff member Lang Sias told a crowd of about 20 supporters that he was officially throwing his hat into the ring to challenge incumbent Congressman Ed Perlmutter. Sias -- an Arvada resident and father of two (soon to be three) -- touted the need for "mature, commonsense, fiscally conservative principles" in Washington, D.C., as well as for bringing down the federal debt and reforming tax and trade policies. Calling on his national security credentials, he observed: "There is evil in the world, and we can't ignore it or charm it … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC, World Events

12/3/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Denver School Board Sees Therapist … Hold the Jokes, Please

Education News Colorado editor Alan Gottlieb offers up a laugh about the new Denver Public Schools board calling in a therapist to help everyone get along. In case you haven't heard, it was all brought on by some low-class politics at Monday's board meeting (H/T Ed Is Watching):As board member Michelle Moss walked up to take her seat for what was to be her last meeting in eight years representing southwest Denver, her newly elected replacement Andrea Merida told her that she would be sitting on the dais instead. Merida, rather than waiting to take the oath of office with two other new members after the meeting, had instead been sworn in hours earlier so she could cast a vote on the controversial reforms. A shocked Moss reacted with … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, General, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

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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.

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