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

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    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
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Home Archives for My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Who Writes This Blog?”

FYI: Last night I added a permanent page titled "Who Writes This Blog?" as a means of providing greater clarity and transparency. A link will remain in the top, right-hand portion of the main page. In addition to basic information about myself and the things I like to write about (for those who don't read Mount Virtus regularly or have yet to figre it out), the page includes my general policies for comments. Writing the page was a good exercise. It really helped me to focus on defining a bit better what it is I do here exactly. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life Tagged With: Who Writes This Blog?

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Passion Week: Monday

By nearly all scholarly accounts, the following are from passages that happened on the Monday before Christ's crucifixion (both from the New American Standard Bible): Matthew 21:21 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it shall happen. Luke 19:45-46 And He entered the temple and began to cast out those who were selling, saying to them, "It is written, 'AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN." … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life Tagged With: Holy Bible, Passion Week

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Passion Week: Tuesday

On the Tuesday before His crucifixion, Christ was famously tested by questions from the religious teachers. Two of his dazzling responses that confounded his questioners (both from the New American Standard Bible): Mark 12:17 And Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at Him. Matthew 22:37-40 And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the prophets." … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life Tagged With: Bible, Passion Week

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

“What is the relationship of property rights and liberty in general?”

The Independence Institute is producing more Web video content. You've seen the more entertaining side - now here's a 3-minute educational clip by Dr. Paul Prentice about property rights (via The Caldara Blog): Well, somebody had to ask the question to get it going: "What is the relationship of property rights and liberty in general?" Hey, you don't know how long I spent memorizing that line. Method acting - it's called method acting. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, My Life Tagged With: Dr. Paul Prentice, Independence Institute, property rights

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ohio Can Have Hillary and Terrelle – Colorado Is Just Fine, Thank You

Jim Geraghty looks at the Rasmussen poll data (showing McCain and Obama tied at 46, but McCain clobbering Hillary 52-38) and muses:We've seen Obama running ahead of Hillary in some states, but an 11 or 12 point difference? What's got him so popular there, and her so unpopular? Does Obama come across as a mountain state kind of guy? Is he related to John Elway or something? I don't have a good answer to that question, but many hypotheses abound. Coloradans don't like the old-style Eastern politics that Hillary Clinton represents. Colorado swing voters are more open to vapid liberal platitudes than cynical ones. Frankly, it beats me. Hillary polls terribly unpopular here and would have virtually no chance to win the Centennial State in a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: Barack Obama, Colorado, Democratic presidential primary, Hillary Clinton, Jim Geraghty, John McCain, Ohio, Terrelle Pryor

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Presidents Day

Maybe some of you get a paid holiday from work to celebrate the likes of Martin Van Buren, Franklin Pierce, Benjamin Harrison, Warren G. Harding, and Gerald Ford, but not this think-tank scribbler. Yet even though it'll be like a normal day of work for me, that won't stop me from wishing you all a very low-key, lukewarm, and laid-back Presidents Day. Happy Monday to the rest of us. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, My Life Tagged With: Presidents Day

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Call in Wednesday to Discuss Gov. Ritter’s Colorado Union Payback

Update: Wednesday's show is also announced here with an invitation to "union thugs" Do you want to chime in about union issues in Colorado - like all the unwelcome fruits of Gov. Ritter's executive order granting union leaders access and power? Then please tune in this Wednesday, February 20, at Noon Mountain Time (2:00 Eastern), to RighTalk's "Leave Us Alone" radio as I join Brian Johnson from the Alliance for Worker Freedom in Washington, DC, to talk about these issues and more. We welcome you to call in live during the broadcast at 1-866-884-TALK (8255). Have an opinion about Ritter's union policies? Concerned about union harassment of Colorado state employees? Upset that government employee union leaders don't have to open … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor, My Life Tagged With: Alliance for Worker Freedom, Collective Bargaining, payroll ethics, RighTalk radio, Ritter's executive order, union harassment

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ben On Air: Backbone America Podcast, RighTalk Tomorrow

If you missed my guest appearance on Sunday evening's Backbone Radio to discuss the push for autonomy in Denver Public Schools, you can pick up the recorded podcast on their website. Also, don't forget to call in for Wednesday's online radio talk on union issues in Colorado. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, Labor, My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Here’s Your Chance to Hear the Scoop on Unions in Colorado

If you missed my live online radio interview earlier today on Gov. Ritter and Colorado union issues, you can still listen to the show. The one-hour edition of RighTalk radio's "Leave Us Alone" program will replay every hour up to noon local time tomorrow (Thursday, February 21). So you can head over now to RighTalk and hear what you missed. I'm on from about 5 minutes past the hour to 42 minutes past the hour. Enjoy! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor, My Life Tagged With: Gov. Bill Ritter, RighTalk, Unions in Colorado

2/7/2026 By Ben 3 Comments

Battle of Cambria 46 Years Later

Diverting from our regular blogging fare on this Friday, we pause to remember the 46th anniversary of the decisive and destructive Battle of Cambria. It is also the 12th anniversary of the founding of Cambria Tours (Facebook account required to view page). The ill-fated, crushing defeat of February 22, 1962, along the frozen pond and quiet streets of a midwestern hamlet, marked the ultimate demise of the small and short-lived Socialist Union of Al Gansee. It's all chronicled in the biography of the quixotic and eccentric, Michigan-born dictator, Passion and Purpose: The Rise and Fall of Al Gansee. Rumor also has it that the battle's story is being adapted into a screenplay. We'll see if it goes anywhere. Questions linger regarding how … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Commemorative, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Al Gansee, Battle of Cambria, Cambria Tours, Socialist Union of Al Gansee

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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
  • 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
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  • National Review
  • Politico
  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
  • The Washington Times
  • TownHall
  • Wall Street Journal
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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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  • Heritage Foundation
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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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  • 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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