Mount Virtus

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

Ben on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About Ben
  • Mount Virtus?
  • Writer / Editor For Hire
  • What I’m Thankful For
  • Colorado Ballot Reviews
    • Colorado Ballot 2008
    • Colorado Ballot 2010
    • Colorado Ballot 2012
  • Archives
  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • Mary and Jacob: From the Forgotten Dust
  • The Westfield Gardener
Home Archives for My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben 6 Comments

New Conservative Joins RMA 2.0

The Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0 keeps growing: Welcome aboard Steve Nielson from The New Conservative (also a new father!). In his spare time, Steve is a Lockheed engineer, as well as the secretary of the Douglas County Republican Party. He's also the third RMA member to be a graduate of the Leadership Program of the Rockies. Make sure to bookmark his site for regular visits if you haven't done so already. Welcome aboard, Steve! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, General, My Life Tagged With: New Conservative, Rocky Mountain Alliance, Steven Nielson

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Mark Udall Ran Away from a Bipartisan Online Debate: Wrap-up Edition

The hackles have been raised over at the Dead Guvs, as a post by reliable conservative blogger El Presidente has been promoted to the front page: For whatever it's worth, he highlights the revelation of the story behind the online debate between Bob Schaffer and Mark Udall that never materialized. The debate was the brainchild of respectable liberal blogger David Thielen, who had hosted several of these debates during the Democratic primary. For the U.S. Senate race, he sought the fair and balanced approach, and I agreed to co-moderate. Kudos to David for promoting El Presidente's entry, for verifying the facts presented, and for defending the truth against the slings and arrows of outrageous insults. My already significant respect … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: a watcher, Bob Schaffer, Colorado Pols, David Thielen, El Presidente, Mark Udall, name-calling, Online debate

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Not in My Future

Monday morning, little time to write. As I get ready to head back for another week of work, I ironically find this posting for a job that probably isn't in my future. Given my credentials, I doubt I would even get a phone call for an interview. Oh, well. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, Labor, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Sad Days: Demolishing Tiger Stadium

As a baseball sentimentalist and lifelong Detroit Tigers fans, this is painful to read:A much bigger swath of Tiger Stadium is coming down today as efforts to save part of it keep amping up. A ragged hole the size of a baseball diamond is now gashed into the north end of the stadium, near the corner of Trumbull and Fisher Freeway West service drive. The historic stadium is a scene of massive back hoes and smoke from the crumbling cement and iron within the chain-link fence area where demolition is taking place. Beyond the hole, the blue and orange seats can be seen and the grass field itself still looks inviting and green. It also looks like one more big swing from a wrecking ball is all it will take for the left field bleachers … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Baseball, classic ballpark, Detroit News, Detroit Tigers, sentimentalism, Tiger Stadium

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Wings Win!

A little diversion from the usual subject matter of the blog. But I just wanted to take the time to point out that the Stanley Cup is back where it belongs: Hockeytown. 'Nuff said. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Detroit Red Wings, Hockeytown, Nicklas Lidstrom, Stanley Cup

2/7/2026 By Ben 4 Comments

John LeGrew, Who Are You?

If you want to know how bad a state the national Republican Congressional campaign is in, look no further than my own backyard: Colorado's 7th Congressional District. Once a nationally targeted toss-up swing district defended by Republican incumbent Bob Beauprez, the GOP cannot find anything approaching a credible candidate to square off against the first-time Democrat incumbent Ed Perlmutter. According to the Colorado Statesman handed out at Saturday's Republican State Convention, the GOP's candidate for the 7th is none other than (drumroll, please) ... John LeGrew. "No information was available to the Party as of press time," it reads under his picture. No offense or anything, I'm sure Mr. LeGrew is a nice guy and all. But just who … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life Tagged With: 7th Congressional District, Ben DeGrow, Bob Beauprez, British Army, Colorado Statesman, Crimean War, Ed Perlmutter, John LeGrew, Light Dragoons, Republicans, Will Grow

2/7/2026 By Ben 7 Comments

Baseball with Fred Barnes

It was my privilege to spend time with Fred Barnes - executive editor of Weekly Standard and co-host of Fox News Beltway Boys - at yesterday evening's Colorado Rockies game. Thanks to Tom Roche of Roche Constructors, Inc., for generously providing an extra seat in his guest suite (which included a nice spread of baseball-friendly food and fixings), and to my Independence Institute colleague Amy Oliver for inviting me along. It was the first time to Coors Field for Fred Barnes, an avid fan of baseball, most especially (and regrettably) of the Boston Red Sox. Fred Barnes has been a guest of the Independence Institute in the Denver area for the past several days - centered around his keynote speaking appearance at Saturday's ATF Party. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, National Politics, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Amy Oliver, ATF party, Baseball, Colorado Rockies, Coors Field, Fred Barnes, Greg Maddux, Hillsdale College, Independence Institute, politics, Roche Constructors, San Diego Padres, Tom Roche

2/7/2026 By Ben 9 Comments

1861 Was Not 1776: An Essay

Update: An astute observer has corrected a factual mistake. James Madison wrote "much of" - not "most of" - the Federalist. Alexander Hamilton wrote more, though Madison wrote many of the key essays that frame the meaning of Union. My faux pas. The following is adapted and expanded from an email listserv essay I wrote recently, inspired initially in response to the following phrase someone had written: "The American Republic created by the founding fathers was destroyed by the civil war...." Here is my argument why libertarians should think long and hard before embracing a defense of the Confederate cause: Quite simply, the noble libertarian impulse to champion resistance to government encroachment on people's freedoms has led many … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, History, My Life Tagged With: "cornerstone" principle, "Peculiar Institution", 13th Amendment, 14th Amendment, Abraham Lincoln, Alabama, Allen Guelzo, American Burke, analogy, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, antebellum, antislavery, antislavery cause, civil libertarian, civil liberties, Claremont Review of Books, Confederacy, Confederate Constitution, conscription, Daniel Webster, Declaration of Independence, Deep South, Democrat Party, dictatorship, Dred Scott decision, economic nationalization, Emancipation Proclamation, federal government power, Fire-Eaters, Fort Pickens, Fort Sumter, Founders, Fugitive Slave Act, global holocaust, Great Britain, Henry Clay, historian, House Divided Speech, income tax, James Madison, Jefferson Davis, Jeffrey Hummel, John Calhoun, Kansas-Nebraska Act, Leviathan state, libertarians, Maryland State Legislature, neo-Confederates, nuclear bombs, Nullification Crisis, party platform, personal liberty laws, plantation slavery, popular sovereignty, pro-Southern, Progressives, racism, radical abolitionists, Republican Party, republican principles, right of revolution, Robert E. Lee, secession, Second Inaugural Address, slaveholders, slavery, South Carolina, states rights, statist, tariffs, Tennessee, Thomas DiLorenzo, Tim Sandefur, U.S. Congress, U.S. Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court, Unionists, Virginia, Western territories, Whig, Woodrow Wilson, World War II, writ of habeas corpus, Yankees

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Charity Golf Event to Aid Local Law Enforcement Families in Need

Do you live along Colorado's Front Range, want to contribute to a good cause, perhaps even enjoy playing a round of golf? Then please check out the Jefferson County Sheriff's Cup Golf Tournament, scheduled to take place on Monday, June 9, at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Golden. Proceeds go to support the Employee Assistance Fund to aid members of the Sheriff's Office who face serious financial need because of illness or death in their family. What a great cause - giving back to help those who sacrifice to protect and serve us in Jefferson County. A friend who is serving as a volunteer fund-raiser for the Tournament brought this to my attention, and I'm glad to help advertise for him. I not only have another friend who serves in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Labor, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: brother, charity, golf, Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, law enforcement, Rolling Hills Country Club, Sheriff's Cup Golf Tournament

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

The Rocky Mountain Alliance is Back

The Rocky Mountain Alliance of Blogs is back, with a new look:Some of the original cast remain, strengthened by the fresh blood of some high-quality newcomers. The goal of the Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0 is to promote our shared conservative vision of limited and accountable government, freedom, and personal responsibility - in Colorado and in our nation, the result of the most brilliant and noble political experiment in human history. You also may have noticed the updated logo and running feed of latest posts from RMA 2.0 members on my sidebar. Experienced and consistent center-right Colorado bloggers with at least a passing interest in state or local issues who are willing to collaborate with others and improve their effectiveness are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life Tagged With: Rocky Mountain Alliance

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • …
  • 55
  • Next Page »

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
  • Mount Virtus?
  • 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
  • Free Republic
  • Heritage Foundation
  • Jefferson County Republican Party
  • Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Mark Steyn
  • Michael Medved
  • Rush Limbaugh

Colorado Blogs

  • American Kestrel
  • Bob Agard
  • Colorado Charter Schools
  • Colorado Peak Politics
  • Colorado Pols
  • Colorado Right
  • Conservative Libertarian Outpost
  • Coyote Gulch
  • Ed Is Watching
  • Free Colorado
  • Jeff Crank Show
  • Mark Hillman
  • Patient Power
  • PirateBallerina
  • Protein Wisdom
  • Reagan Girl
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 1.0 (Archive)
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0 (Archive)
  • Rossputin
  • Stop the ACLU Blog
  • The Spot (Denver Post)
  • We Stand Firm

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

Copyright © 2026 RSS Feed · WordPress · Log in