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Home Archives for liberty

5/15/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Public-Sector Unions vs. Taxpayers: Timely Lesson for Governor Bill Ritter

Quick post, but an important read for a Friday: As clearly and as effectively as I've seen done, Steven Malanga's Wall Street Journal column explains the negative impact of public-sector union strength on the well-being of taxpayers. (H/T Labor Pains) Read it. Maybe it will help clarify the reasons why Governor Bill Ritter ought to veto Senate Bill 180. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Bill Ritter, clarify, column, Friday, Governor, important read, Labor Pains, negative impact, public sector, quick post, reasons, Senate Bill 180, Steven Malanga, strength, taxpayers, union, veto, Wall Street Journal, well-being

5/15/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Cast Vote for Best Slogan to Describe Government Borrow-and-Spend Habits

The Americans for Prosperity Foundation is concluding its Stop Spending Our Future "Give It a Name" contest with the chance for you to vote on which of the five finalists best conveys "the threat of government over-spending and/or excessive debt using 10 words or less". While you're there casting your vote, you can also sign the petition to tell Washington the common-sense truth that we can't borrow and spend our way to prosperity. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Americans for Prosperity Foundation, borrow, contest, excessive debt, finalists, Give It a Name, government, over-spending, petition, prosperity, sign, spend, Stop Spending Our Future, vote, Washington

5/14/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Principled”, “Solutions-Driven” US Senate Candidate Ryan Frazier Speaks Out

(Co-authored by El Presidente and Ben DeGrow) We were privileged with the opportunity last Saturday to sit down and conduct an exclusive half-hour two-on-one interview with Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ryan Frazier (Frazier's two GOP primary contenders are Weld County district attorney Ken Buck and businessman Cleve Tidwell). The conversation was wide-ranging and informative. We left with a clearer picture of the candidate's vision and the campaign's direction. We began by bringing up a recent article in The Hill that portrayed Frazier as part of a "band of centrists", and asked him what he thought of the characterization. He responded: "I'm Ryan Frazier, and I do what I believe to be right. I've never been much for labels.... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, liberty, My Life, National Politics

5/13/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Walker Stapleton Preaches Fiscal Conservatism on National Cable TV

On national cable television, Colorado Republican state treasurer candidate Walker Stapleton takes on government involvement in the auto industry and Congressional hypocrisy in this one-minute clip (H/T Rocky Mountain Right): "Congress needs to live within the same means and guidelines as these companies they're preaching at." … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, National Politics Tagged With: auto industry, cable television, candidate, Colorado, Congressional hypocrisy, government, one-minute clip, Republican, state treasurer, video, Walker Stapleton, YouTube

5/12/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Joe The Plumber at ATF?

A clear sign that I'm not talking enough to people around the office (or someone is just keeping secrets from me) ... I learn that the Independence Institute is courting a famous speaker for our summertime Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms Party by reading a Bill Husted column in the Denver Post:Institute boss Jon Caldara says he's this close to closing the deal to have Plumber (a.k.a. Samuel Wurzelbacher) as the speaker. [Joe the] Plumber would join a distinguished roster of former speakers, which includes Christopher Hitchens and Fred Barnes. Westword named the party the "Best Place to See a Drunk Conservative." One problem. Joe the Plumber announced last week that he was quitting the Republican Party because he is outraged by GOP … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, liberty, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms Party, ATF, Bill Husted, Christopher Hitchens, column, Denver Post, Fred Barnes, Independence Institute, Joe the plumber, office, people, Republican Party, Samuel Wurzelbacher, Sarah Palin, secrets, spending, Westword

5/11/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

“The Time Is Now” to Get Connected with the American Liberty Alliance

If we are to be successful, pro-liberty groups and individuals are going to have to be more collaborative. There is strength in numbers. To a good extent, this movement has begun in Colorado -- with the People's Press Collective, Liberty on the Rocks, and other projects. But plenty of work remains to be done on many levels. Kudos to all those in the trenches. On the most recent episode of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio we talked with blogger and online activist Ken Marrero about -- among other things -- his work with the national Tea Party movement and the development of a group called American Liberty Alliance. It turns out that as of today Ken is now the executive director of this national grassroots movement. It's an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, liberty, PPC Tagged With: advocates, American Liberty Alliance, Americans, Big Government, Blog Talk Radio, blogger, broken, businesses, citizen, city councils, Coalition for a Conservative Majority, collaborative, Colorado, Colorado Union of Taxpayers, concerned, corrupt, county commissions, dictate, Don't Go Movement, Eric Odom, evolution, executive director, extreme spending, federal encroachments, fiscally responsible, free market, getting connected, grassroots, groups, individuals, Ken Marrero, Liberty on the Rocks, local action, majority votes, movement, national, online activist, organizer, outgoing, over-governed, Peoples Press Collective, politicians, pro-liberty, projects, R Block Party, Rocky Mountain Alliance, school boards, society, special interest groups, spontaneous energy, state legislatures, streamline, successful, Tea Party, teachers unions, tolerated, Transparency, trenches, unproductive, work

5/11/2009 By Ryan Leave a Comment

The Power of the Purse and the Fed

A significant part of the struggle for government that is both limited and run by the people was waged on our behalf by our English forerunners.  The most significant aspect of this battle was English citizens gaining the power of the purse over the Monarchy in a struggle that lasted hundreds of years.  As the monarchy lost the power of the purse, the king became a servant of the People. In our day, we are risking not giving the government the power of its own purse, but the power of the purse over the people.  This would naturally make the people servants of the government. Indeed, we have already taken long strides in the direction of government financing of peoples' lives through Social Security, Medicare, various Federal … [Read more...]

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

5/8/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Is George McGovern Michael Bennet’s Way Out of Card-Check Indecision?

Liberal former U.S. Senator George McGovern smacks down Congressional Democrats again. Last year he spoke out against the so-called Employee "Free Choice" Act for depriving workers of the secret ballot. Yesterday McGovern explains in a Wall Street Journal op-ed why the binding arbitration provisions in the bill is equally bad:Currently, labor law maintains a careful balance between the rights of businesses, unions and individual employees. While bargaining power differs depending on individual circumstances, the rights of the parties are well balanced. When a union and a business enter negotiations, current law requires that both sides bargain "in good faith." … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: angry, arbitrator, Arlen Specter, bargaining power, benefit costs, better graces, binding arbitration, business, business dispute, card-check, Colorado, compelling reasons, Congressional, contract, Democrats, dodge, EFCA, Employee Free Choice Act, fading prospects, George McGovern, good faith, government-appointed lawyers, harmful, hold my breath, indecisive, issue, junior, labor law, Lefty, legislation, liberal icon, local union goons, Michael Bennet, negotiations, nuances, off the table, op-ed, party switch, Pennsylvania, plethora, politician, promotions, provisions, relief, rules, secret ballot, so-called, strike, turncoat, U.S. Senator, unique, unnecessary, unprofitable, unwanted attention, wages, Wall Street Journal, workers

5/7/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Peter Groff Departs Denver with Nonpartisan Education Reform Gesture

A month ago I asked which party will miss Democrat Senate President Peter Groff more under Colorado's Golden Dome. Several days ago Senator Nancy Spence told me that Groff's parting gesture as Senate President before heading off to work for the Obama administration in Washington D.C. would be to appoint her -- a Republican -- to an interim committee on school finance. It didn't really surprise me, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise for everyone else either. Then today we learn: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: administration, Arne Duncan, Barack Obama, Bob Bacon, Chris Romer, Colorado, Democrat, education reform, golden dome, icing on the cake, interim committee, Josh Penry, kids, missed, Nancy Spence, opportunity, participate, parting gesture, Party, Peter Groff, Republican, school finance, Senate Education Committee, Senate President, successful, surprise, voucher program, Washington DC

5/6/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sine Die

It sounds like a garbled threat, or possibly a song from the High Mass. Sine die means neither, but it is cause for high celebration: The Colorado state legislature is adjourned for 2009, at least for the regular session. (I'm hearing insiders say that the Governor very well may call a special session in the summer.) In one sense, it's a shame to see the legislature walk away from its responsibility: Democrats have kicked the state's fiscal problems a little ways down the road. But then again, the majority Democrats aren't likely to grow a sense of responsibility any time soon. So staunch the bleeding while there's still time. Because, in fact, Democrats are now openly touting a recent state supreme court decision to say they can … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Judiciary, liberty, PPC Tagged With: adjourned, approve, bleeding, capital gains, Clear the Bench Colorado, Colorado, decision, Democrats, deserving, down the road, fiscal problems, garbled threat, Governor, havoc, high celebration, high court, High Mass, insiders, majority, plain language, raise, regular session, responsibility, sense, Sine die, song, soon, special session, state constitution, state house, state legislature, state senate, state supreme court, staunch, summer, support, tax hikes, taxes, vote of the people, walk away, wreak

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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

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