Mount Virtus

"Happy to come back to Michigan, but I miss the mountains!"

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Home Archives for My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Schock-ing Obama on the House Floor

In this bleak moment of Congressionally-approved bloated government spending and stimulation, we did hear from the youngest member of Congress and doubtless a rising conservative star in years to come: Rep. Aaron Schock of Illinois (H/T The Corner). If I'm not mistaken, I believe he is the first member of Congress younger than myself - so it's all downhill from here. Hot Air posted this video of this well-delivered zinger of a speech from the House floor earlier today: Kind of fits with the politically conservative youth movement here in Colorado. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: Aaron Schock, bleak moment, bloated, Colorado, Congress, conservative, doubtless, downhill, government spending, Illinois, member, rising star, stimulus, video, well-delivered, youngest, youth movement, YouTube, zinger

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Come Roast a Pig – and the Porkulus Bill – Tomorrow at the State Capitol

You don't want to miss this! From a note just sent out by the Independence Institute's Jon Caldara:President Obama is flying his corporate jet to Denver to sign a bill putting my children into debt. I want to give him a proper mile high welcome. The Independence Institute, along with Americans for Prosperity and other groups promoting sanity, are organizing a protest tomorrow, Tuesday, at noon at the west steps of the state capitol, and I hope you'll be there. We'll have over-sized checks you can sign to show your family's $30,000 commitment to the bill. I'll be joined by Michelle Malkin, Mike Coffman, Bob Beauprez, Jim Pfaff from AFP and many others. I'm not usually one for public protests, because like so many on our side, I have a day … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: alternative, Americans for Prosperity, Amy Oliver, Barack Obama, Bob Beauprez, children, comments, commitment, corporate jet, day job, debt, Denver, Family, hell no, huge push, Independence Institute, Jim Pfaff, Jon Caldara, kosher, Michelle Malkin, Mike Coffman, Mile High, Night Twister, on the record, over-sized checks, Peoples Press Collective, pertinent, pork roast, President, protest, sanity, Slapstick Politics, slippery slope, socialism, State Capitol, world

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Lovable Losers Don’t See Rude, Big-Gov Lawmakers as GOP’s Future

From the Rocky Mountain News (via Complete Colorado)... So state representative Don Marostica, R-Loveland: Thinks removing limits on state government spending is the answer to our economic woes Thinks those who disagree with him are "has-beens" and "losers" Hmmm, interesting. Just consider me another lovable loser. I just did an informal poll of those around me: "Do you think elected officials who are rude and support bigger government represent the future of the Republican Party?" Complete silence. Not a single hand raised. Next, please. Update: My friend and colleague Amy Oliver says Don Marostica is "off the reservation". That's one way of putting it. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life Tagged With: big-spending, Complete Colorado, complete silence, disrespectful, Don Marostica, economic woes, future, hand raised, has-beens, informal poll, limits, losers, lovable loser, Loveland, Republican Party, Rocky Mountain News, spending, state representative

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

Poetic License: A Lefty Blogger’s Dilemma, the Week in Review

With too much time on my hands, here's a fun set of rhyming couplets to recapitulate the week just passed from the perspective of a hypothetical Lefty Colorado blogger:Do I write about Marostica, Or the dude with the Swastika? A Republican lawmaker mocking his peers, Or some guy to abuse for a few Josh Penry jeers? I must blog on one or the other, 'Cause what is there really to say about Suthers? Do I write about Marostica, Or the dude with the Swastika? One gives our free-spending values that bipartisan glow, The other had fun stealing Michelle Malkin's show. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Barack Obama, Big Government, Bill Ritter, bipartisan glow, Bob Beauprez, debt, dilemma, Don Marostica, elephants, inspiration, John Suthers, Josh Penry, Lefty bloggers, Liberty on the Rocks, Marc Holtzman, Mark Udall, Michael Bennet, Michelle Malkin, mistakes, Nutroots, Obamessiah, pretensions, Progress Now, propaganda machine, rally, Republicans, right-wing, Senate, State Capitol, swastika, tasteless sign

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Mount Virtus is Five Years Old (Please Don’t Pinch the Cheeks of my Blog)

Today is a landmark day for Mount Virtus. It was exactly five years ago that I put up my first post back on the old Blogger platform. My how it's grown: In honor of the occasion, I've created a new page that hopefully puts to rest any lingering uncertainty about the origins of the blog's name. Interestingly, today also would have been the 98th birthday of one of our greatest Presidents - and the President during my formative years, Ronald Reagan. A coincidence, no doubt. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Commemorative, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: birthday, blogger, five years, formative years, landmark day, Mount Virtus, name, new page, platform, President, Ronald Reagan

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Legislation to Shine Light on Colorado School Spending Still Alive and Kicking

Good news heading into the weekend: School district financial transparency is still alive at the Colorado State Capitol. Also, the Denver Post's Jessica Fender highlighted my recent Independence Institute report (PDF) in an article on the topic today. The fight led by citizens and state senator Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, for Senate Bill 57 (PDF) and shining the light on school spending resumes Monday. From the Greeley Tribune:“I anticipate it will be a very close vote — one vote either way — to take it back to mandatory,” said Harvey, before continuing later, “I am encouraged by the conversations I’ve been having with the senators.” Keep your chin up, and don't forget to remind your taxpayer-supported … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, General, My Life, PPC Tagged With: alive, article, citizens, Colorado, conversations, Denver Post, financial transparency, government officials, Greeley Tribune, Highlands Ranch, Independence Institute, Jessica Fender, light, Monday, report, school district, school spending, Senate Bill 57, senators, shining, State Capitol, taxpayers, Ted Harvey

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

March 1 at the Colorado State Capitol: Join the Rally for Personal Freedom

The newly-formed Gadsden Society of Colorado - so named for Colonel Christopher Gadsden who popularized the Revolutionary "Don't Tread On Me" flag - is hosting a "Rally for Personal Freedom" on Sunday, March 1, at the State Capitol in downtown Denver. Rising star and voice of liberty Ryan Frazier will be the keynote speaker. El Presidente has the details. Spread the word. Hope to see you there. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, property rights, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Christopher Gadsden, Colorado, Don't Tread On Me, El Presidente, flag, Gadsden Society, personal freedom, rally, Revolutionary, Ryan Frazier, State Capitol

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Another Landmark Day for Colorado Citizens Fighting for Open Government

Today was another landmark day in the struggle for open, transparent government spending in Colorado. On CBS4 Denver, the Associated Press reports:About 30 people turned out at the state Capitol Tuesday to show their support for a bill from Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, which originally would have required such reports to be posted monthly in a searchable database. [link added] A memorable line from the bill sponsor:"If you can't defend it, don't spend it," Harvey said, echoing one of the slogans on the signs at the group's rally. Where have I seen that phrase before? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, PPC Tagged With: 19th century, 21st century, Associated Press, Aurora, average, bill, bowling, Carnival Cruise, CBS4 Denver, checkbooks, citizen activist, citizens, Colorado, common sense, credit card, cruise, debate, defensible, drinks, educating, expenses, faculty, farm towns, fix, fundraisers, if you can't defend it don't spend it, involved, Jeffco Public Schools, Ken Wyble, landmark day, legislation, letter, limited information, Lynn Setzer, miniature golf, money, Natalie Menten, online financial transparency, outings, rally, reports, Rocky Mountain News, school administrators, school system, search, searchable database, small villages, soda machines, spending, spending records, spokeswoman, Starbucks, State Capitol, stress headache, students, tax money, Ted Harvey, tickets, time, transparent government, vocational students, website

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Coloradans, You Can Make a Difference for School Financial Transparency

Update, 1/29: More coverage on Colorado Spending Transparency and Ed News Colorado, as well as a kind link from the Open Records blog. This morning the Colorado Senate Education Committee got a bit of a surprise, it might seem, with a slew of concerned citizens coming forward to testify in support of Senate Bill 57 (PDF) (sponsored by state senator Ted Harvey) - which would bring something akin to full-fledged financial transparency to Colorado public schools. It's unusual to see more than 15 average citizens come forward to testify for a piece of legislation - and rarer yet, to have many of them do so quite eloquently. Most were from the metro Denver area, a couple hailed from Weld County, and one of them drove three hours over the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, PPC Tagged With: against, Arvada, bloggers, Bob Bacon, bureaucrat, centennial, Chris Romer, Colorado, Colorado Association of School Boards, Colorado Association of School Executives, Colorado Open Records Act, Colorado Press Association, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs School District 11, concerned citizens, corporate executives, cost savings, cripples, David Williams, Denver, Eagle County, eloquently, employee support, everyday apathy, Evie Hudak, financial information, financial transparency, Fort Collins, golden dome, government books, grassroots, Jack Ott, Keith King, legislation, legislative audio, little victory, Littleton, lobbyists, local government officials, metro Denver, Mike Kopp, Nancy Spence, Natalie Menten, online spending database, open government, parents, Peter Groff, political activists, prolonged testimony, proud moment, public eyes, public schools, reconvene, reliable ally, requests, Rollie Heath, searchable database, Senate Bill 57, Senate Education Committee, slew, small business owners, support, surprise, Ted Harvey, testify, Tom Stone, vacation, Weld County

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

If You Don’t Like Your Animated Character Identity, Just Wait a Minute…

Anyone out there with kids who has run across this animated series of books and videos? With the highly active imagination of a nearly 3-year-old in our house, members of our household rapidly assume and change identities to fit the characters in the Spot series. This morning I went from being a dog to a hippo to an alligator to a monkey in less than 90 seconds. No dull moments in my life. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

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Inside

  • About Ben
  • Archives
  • Colorado Ballot Reviews
    • Colorado Ballot 2008
    • Colorado Ballot 2010
    • Colorado Ballot 2012
    • Colorado Ballot 2014
  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
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  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • The Westfield Gardener
  • What I’m Thankful For
  • Writer / Editor For Hire

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

  • Colorado Senate News
  • Complete Colorado
  • Independence Institute
  • Loveland Politics
  • The Colorado Observer

National News and Politics

  • Drudge Report
  • Hot Air
  • National Review
  • Politico
  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
  • The Washington Times
  • TownHall
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Weekly Standard
  • World Magazine

Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
  • David Harsanyi’s Blog
  • E!! The True Conservative Story
  • EIA Intercepts
  • Evangelical Outpost
  • Hugh Hewitt
  • Instapundit
  • LaShawn Barber
  • Lileks
  • Little Green Footballs
  • Michelle Malkin
  • NRO's The Corner
  • Power Line
  • Red State

Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
  • Eduwonk
  • Flypaper
  • Fraters Libertas
  • Historical Conversations
  • IMAO
  • Jay P. Greene
  • Mike Anderson
  • Mullings
  • Professor Bainbridge
  • Right Thinking
  • Right Wing News
  • Right Wing Nuthouse
  • Shot in the Dark
  • Talking Points Memo
  • Virginia Postrel
  • Volokh Conspiracy

Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
  • Sharper Iron

Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
  • Cal Thomas
  • Colorado Republican Party
  • Colorado Republican Study Committee
  • Dennis Prager
  • Denver Metro Young Republicans
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  • Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Mark Steyn
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  • Rush Limbaugh

Colorado Blogs

  • American Kestrel
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  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 1.0 (Archive)
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  • Rossputin
  • Stop the ACLU Blog
  • The Spot (Denver Post)
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Other Sites

  • Technorati
  • Word Press

Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
  • The Business Word
  • The Daily Blogster
  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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