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Home Archives for General

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Stephanie Villafuerte Nomination Resurrects Voorhis Affair for Bill Ritter

From today's Denver Post:President Barack Obama has nominated Stephanie Villafuerte to be Colorado's next U.S. Attorney. Villafuerte, currently deputy chief of staff to Gov. Bill Ritter, previously served as Denver's chief deputy district attorney. She worked on Ritter's campaign and has focused on community outreach as his deputy chief of staff. [emphasis added] Remember Stephanie Villafuerte? Still scratching your head? While with Ritter's 2006 gubernatorial campaign, she worked with the Denver DA's office as they accessed the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database to go after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Cory Voorhis. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation went after Cory Voorhis for accessing the … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Jon Caldara Groupies of the World, Unite on October 8 at Golden Hotel

Pay attention, all you Jon Caldara groupies. Next Thursday is your big chance to schmooze with Jon and "the good folks behind our TV show Independent Thinking." A $10 donation to KBDI gets you into the Golden Hotel on October 8 from 6-9 PM for this special event. Come if you can (it won't be Friday night, so no need to be stuck in front of your TV set watching medium-brow local PBS public affairs broadcasting), and spread the word. … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Call Colorado Ethics Watch: Only One Ritter Cabinet “Conflict of Interest” Report

(H/T Complete Colorado) In his latest edition of Independence Investigates, my colleague Todd Shepherd reports a troubling fact about the Bill Ritter administration:Governor Ritter's office has only one "conflict of interest" report on file for the fifteen members of his cabinet, despite an executive order that requires each and every member of his cabinet to file such a disclosure. With this revelation, it's easy to say now that it hasn't been a great PR day for Ritter. Memo to the governor: Get your cabinet members to file the disclosures, or revoke the order and end the ethical pretense. Simple as that. Hey, why doesn't somebody call Colorado Ethics Watch and see if they'll file an official complaint about this apparent breach of … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Friday Quick Hits: Two Coloradans Address the Perils of Obama Care

It's October, and the health care debate presses on. Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee joined Republicans to vote down the so-called "public option"; meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has adamantly come out stating that health care reform indeed will take the big step toward a government takeover. Against this backdrop of events are two great new columns you should read: My Independence Institute colleague Jessica Corry writes for Human Events on the human cost of Canadian socialized medicine Dr. Paul Hsieh eloquently explains "the real stakes" of the national health care debate in a new Denver Post piece Just two of the many Coloradans speaking up loudly and clearly for individual rights and medical sanity -- … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Health Czar Video

The Sam Adams Alliance presents a lighter look at the rough life of a government health czar and the new Moolah for Medicine program. I think you'll find it four minutes well spent -- I can tell you the cute and feisty Baby Virtus sure got a kick out of watching this video: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care, liberty, My Life, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Enjoying (and Sweating Out) the Tigers’ and Rox’ Late-Season Chases

If you live in my world, politics largely has taken a back seat this week. My two MLB teams -- the Detroit Tigers and Colorado Rockies -- are respectively locked in the races for the last two playoff berths. Last night, in probably the most consequential game of the Tigers' regular season so far, ace Justin Verlander got it done and the team survived some last-minute cardiac-inducing pressure from the ever-pesky Minnesota Twins. Meanwhile, everyone in Colorado knows about Chris Iannetta's 11th-inning pinch hit walk-off homer to take down the Brewers at Coors Field. Result? With five games to go, Rockies have a three-game lead and a magic number of three to claim the NL wildcard, and the Tigers have a two-game lead and a magic number … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, liberty, My Life, Sports and Leisure

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Rasmussen: Michael Bennet Vulnerable, Running Even with Ryan Frazier

On the eve of Jane Norton's official entry into Colorado's U.S. Senate fray comes from Rasmussen Reports what figures to be the last poll of the race without her for awhile. In this survey, the top two early Republican contenders were paired up separately against Bill Ritter's incumbent appointee Michael Bennet. The biggest clear takeaway from Rasmussen? Whether attributable to an unfriendly climate for Democrats, to his own lackluster performance, or to both -- the indecisive Bennet is vulnerable. Other insights? The ascendant but still little-known Ryan Frazier fares better than Ken Buck, standing even with the Democrat:The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds Bennet ahead of Buck 43% to 37%. With Frazier as the … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Idea for Michigan’s Budget Impasse: Stop Harassing Baby-Sitting Moms

Creating a little 2007 deja vu, the state of my nativity has officially shut down non-essential government operations as Republicans and Democrats bicker over the budget and a daunting $2.8 billion deficit. Welcome to Fiscal Year 2010: Oh Michigan, my Michigan... It won't solve the impasse by itself, but one part of the state budget that could be chopped is the Department of Human Services, at least the office that harasses moms who watch neighbor kids for a half hour a day while they're waiting to catch the school bus. Sheesh! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

9/11 Plus 8

Update: Michael at Best Destiny and Rossputin share their separate recollections of 9/11/01 and where our nation is eight years later. Eight years ago today, with no substitute teaching job awaiting me, I slept in. My dad woke me. The TV was already on with scenes from the World Trade Center. The horror unfolded before my eyes. Minutes after I started watching the second plane hit the South Tower. Everything changed in a moment. It was a long day that grew into a long week. Looking back, I can only think: Never forget. Stand strong. Never falter. Never surrender. In that spirit the Colorado State University College Republicans are making a special commemoration today: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, liberty, My Life, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben 7 Comments

Is Denver Post Trying to Help Clear the Field for Jane Norton, Too?

Five weeks ago the Sunday Denver Post editorial page featured a piece by columnist Vince Carroll that made short shrift of the U.S. Senate candidacies of Ryan Frazier and Ken Buck, while making the pitch for Bob Beauprez. The Post's management clearly was using its editorial heft to tout Beauprez as the GOP's great hope to defeat Ritter-appointed incumbent Michael Bennet. Well, two weeks later Bob Beauprez officially announced he was NOT tossing his hat in the ring. So now the Post is rolling out the red carpet for Jane Norton. Witness today's column by editorial page editor Dan Haley straining the bounds of credibility to tout Norton's virtues and dismiss her opponents. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, media bias, 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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  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

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