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Home Archives for General

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

A Campaign Volunteer Opportunity that Gives Back to the Community

If you live in the Denver metro area, Ryan Frazier, a Republican candidate for Colorado's 7th Congressional District, is advertising a volunteer opportunity for you that does not involve stuffing envelopes, knocking on doors or waving signs. Rather, it's a way to help those in the community who are struggling during these difficult economic times:Please join us on Monday, November 23 from 9:30am - noon as we volunteer our time at the JeffCo Action Center. We will be helping to sort and box food in their warehouse 8035 W. Colfax Avenue in Lakewood. The JeffCo Action Center needs to know how many of us to expect, so please RSVP by clicking here or emailing Marc Massey at marc@frazierforcolorado.com by noon on November 20. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, General, liberty

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ably Deconstructing the Work of Ritter’s Long Term Fiscal Stability Commission

The antithesis of the conservative reform agenda now being heavily touted by many Colorado Republican leaders is the sort of stale tax-and-spend thinking that emanates from the many taxpayer-funded commissions appointed by Bill Ritter and the Democrat legislature. Such an example is the Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission. Three of the minority party members who suffered through hours sitting on the panel -- state representative Cheri Gerou, Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway and my Independence Institute colleague Amy Oliver Cooke -- ably deconstruct the work of the commission in a column for yesterday's Denver Post:The commission squandered a golden opportunity to reform government and provide long term fiscal stability. Instead, … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

A Grassroots Escape Clause in the New Colorado GOP Prosperity Platform?

So some Colorado GOP leaders have crafted a Prosperity Platform and rallied behind Scott McInnis as the gubernatorial candidate. Meanwhile, some in the grassroots remain thoroughly unconvinced and stand behind hard-working longshot Dan Maes. The issue is not the rhetoric or the substance of the 20 governing principles that has earned skepticism or even ire. It's some of the cast of characters involved that many understandably still have a hard time trusting. I'm not all the way there yet myself. What might help make the Prosperity Platform more palatable is an escape clause -- and by that I mean not for McInnis, but for us. So the issue is an agreement to fulfill the 20 principles. What happens if he is elected and then reneges, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

November Survey: Ken Buck’s Support Rises, Jane Norton Seen as Strongest

Introducing the top-line results from the 3rd edition of the survey of Colorado's political temperature. Participation dropped to 281, but results still demonstrated some remarkable consistency. As always, thanks to those of you who took the time to help out! Coming later in the month will be an analysis of some key crosstabs and correlations. But for now here's a quick rundown of the survey's top-line results: In the U.S. Senate race, with Ryan Frazier dropping out of the race, momentum has grown behind Ken Buck as the candidate with the most support and behind Jane Norton as the strongest candidate -- an interesting dynamic given the credible rumors circulating at Rocky Mountain Right Josh Penry was on track for his best showings … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, Judiciary, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Recovery.gov Fail: $1.1 Million Per Stimulus Job in Jeffco May Be Low

Earlier this month I did a little research on the Obama administration's multimillion-dollar Recovery.gov website and found that one Jefferson County, Colorado, job was created for every $1.1 million spent. And now we find that dollar figure in fact may be low! Why? Among other reasons, $6.4 billion of stimulus money has been spent in phantom Congressional districts -- including, as Mike Robinson points out at Rocky Mountain Right, on Colorado's imaginary 64th Congressional district. Because it comes from the government's own website, and there's reason to believe the figure is if anything on the conservative side, all Jeffco Republican candidates would be wise to repeat the $1.1 million per job point about the wastefulness of their … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Josh Penry Taking Debate in Serious Direction of Long-Term State Reform

Yesterday state senate minority leader and gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry took the opportunity to respond to Governor Bill Ritter's "kick the can down the road" budget-cutting proposals with a provocative series of questions aimed at serious reform of state government:Is it time to abolish the Department of Local Affairs? Is it time to consolidate the bureaucracy over Higher Education? Is it time to eliminate duplicative boards and commissions? Is it time to abolish silos of patronage like the governor's energy office? Is it time to consolidate administrative functions among the state's 178 school districts? Is it time for the 357 state employees making more than $125,000 a year to take a permanent pay cut? Is it time to cut other … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

Senate District 16: Rob Witwer, Dan Maes Out; Penry Touts Cheri Gerou

Update, 11/18: Count out another one, too. Ali Hasan left a comment following my earlier speculation that included his name as a possible candidate: "Sorry Mount Virtus, but I won’t be getting into SD16 at all – I got my eyes on a different race. Honestly, Don Ytterberg ran a great campaign and he would be a terrific candidate for this race, especially since Gibbs’s 2008 win mostly came off of his 75% vote total in Summit County, which propelled his victory – a non-Summit Dem puts this race in the R column, imo." Last night I noted Democrat state senator Dan Gibbs' announced decision not to seek re-election in 2010, and started the speculation about which Republicans might be enticed to step up to the plate. After all, this key seat very … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

Taking on the Colorado Supreme Court: Mark Hillman, Mike Rosen & Me

Update, 1:50 PM: I also will be talking about the Lobato case and school funding adequacy on Face The State weekend radio with Brad Jones. In the Denver area, that's AM 710 KNUS on Saturday at 5:00 AM and Sunday at noon. Check local listings for additional stations and times. A sense that the Colorado Supreme Court is growing out of control continues to pick up momentum after the October 19 Lobato v State ruling (PDF), in which the 4-3 liberal majority arrogated to itself the power to determine school funding policy. On Wednesday my friend and former state senate leader Mark Hillman ably dissected the dangers in this decision. Yesterday, Colorado's leading conservative talk show host Mike Rosen leaped into the fray with a strong … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Judiciary, liberty, My Life, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Has John Salazar’s Support of Obama Care Invited a Scott Tipton Challenge?

(H/T Complete Colorado) The Grand Junction Sentinel reported yesterday that Colorado 3rd District Democratic Congressman John Salazar has opted to back Nancy Pelosi and the Party leadership's attempt to push a government health care takeover. Might this development be enough to prompt a repeat challenge from a strong conservative like state Rep. Scott Tipton? My guess is yes, it will. Colorado may have three competitive challenges to Congressional Democrat incumbents in 2010. Stay tuned. … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Bill Ritter Bait-and-Switch Continues … Desperate? Unethical? Incompetent?

Update, 11/2: Another campaign email from Ritter begging multiple times for contributions, with only a brief passing mention of "improving the quality of our children's education" .... Yes, that's one bait-and-switch online petition. The Bill Ritter email bait-and-switch continues. Three weeks ago, during my first and only ever contact on Bill Ritter's website, I signed an online petition urging "the U.S. Department of Education to recognize Colorado’s distinct education reform initiatives, and to award Colorado a 'Race to the Top' grant...." What followed within the first couple weeks were a pair of emails from Ritter urging me to take action in support of Obama Care. Did it occur to anyone in the Bill Ritter re-election office that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, My Life, National Politics, PPC

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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
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