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Home Archives for My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

It’s Election Time in Colorado! Recommendations, Predictions, and More….

It's election time. So why write multiple blog posts, when I can condense my state and local endorsements, recommendations, analyses and predictions into one? Exactly. Let's start with the obvious. For those who haven't had the opportunity to drive by our Arvada yard full of signs, here are most of the candidates we're supporting in 2012: For those who have questions about state and local ballot issues, as well as nonpartisan candidates and offices, check out my guide to the Colorado ballot 2012. I'll tackle predictions of the Presidential and Congressional races later on. For now I will offer up my humble prognostications for the Colorado state house and state senate. I have had neither the time nor the inclination to create … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben 2 Comments

Seeking Transparency in Jeffco Teachers Union Negotiations

Update IV, 5:15 PM: For the record and for the sake of full disclosure -- yes, the information related to open negotiations that I have requested from Jeffco Public Schools has been done in my professional capacity as a senior policy analyst for the Independence Institute. My personal and professional opinions happen to be in very close harmony on this issue. And both versions of the recording -- the low-quality one I deleted and the higher-quality one linked just below -- came from a concerned citizen who attended and recorded the public meeting. Thankfully, because the district's recording of the relevant part of the meeting was not posted due to the aforementioned "system error." Update III, 3:40 PM: I have obtained a better 5-minute … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Memorial Day 2011

In honor of Memorial Day, here is a well-done, two-minute video produced a few years ago by my friends at the Evergreen Freedom Foundation: … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Nate Oakley Makes Case for Douglas County Colorado School Vouchers

In my official capacity at the Independence Institute, I helped to create this newly-released video (narration by Mary MacFarlane, editing and production by Justin Longo, consulting and oversight by Jon Caldara and Pam Benigno): As my juvenile alter ego at Ed Is Watching pointed out:...it’s a story like 13-year-old Nate Oakley’s that brings to life the need for Douglas County vouchers, and the real threat created by lawsuits filed by the ACLU and other groups. Find all the resources you'll need to follow the developments and ins-and-outs of the Douglas County Pilot Choice Scholarship Program on the Education Policy Center website. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, liberty, My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Child Stars Win Power Line 7th Place for Portraying Fiscal Abuse

As the ominous debt ceiling deadline approaches, the release of the winners of the Power Line Prize contest ("$100,000 will be awarded to whoever can most effectively and creatively dramatize the significance of the federal debt crisis") could not have been better timed. While prominent bloggers are helping the Power Line crew count down the top entries, I have a very special and personal attachment to the 7th place winner, released today: I'm heavily biased (take time to read the brief credits), so I'm really curious to see what six entries could have finished ahead of this "Fiscal Child Abuse" video masterpiece. Maybe the girls are so cute that they somehow downplay the gravity of the message? I don't buy it, but that's the only … [Read more...]

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

2/7/2026 By Ben 1 Comment

Colorado Teachers Union Political Refund Opportunity Ends December 15

Last week I filmed a 14-minute segment with my boss at the Independence Institute, Jon Caldara, on his show Devil's Advocate. The topic for discussion was the timely news that members of the Colorado Education Association (CEA) have until tomorrow (December 15) to get back money automatically collected with their dues to support (almost completely one-sided) state and local political campaigns. As I often say, if you like how the union spends your money on politics, you have no reason to complain and absolutely nothing to do. But for those teachers who would rather support their own political causes, or use the money to pay for Christmas shopping or just save for a rainy day, then members need to be informed of their opportunity. One … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Education, Labor, My Life, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Daniel the Maes-siah: “Thou knowest that the only true prophet is the voice that speaketh on the Day of Election”

After seeing deeply flawed and failed Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes "get biblical" on Facebook (H/T Complete Colorado), I had a late-night moment of "inspired" political satire that ended up as this. Please enjoy: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, My Life, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to my faithful few readers and anyone else who stumbles across this posting. A few links commended to you, followed by a couple important passages. First, the links: Michelle Malkin gives thanks for American ingenuity Al Maurer explores lessons of capitalism in the origins of Thanksgiving Many of us can echo Rossputin's expression of gratitude Check out or re-visit my 2008 series on "What I'm Thankful For" to help stir the mind to thankfulness and focus the heart on the meaning of the occasion Next, a psalm of David from the Scriptures for Thanksgiving Day reflection:Psalm 103:1-18 (NASB) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Commemorative, History, liberty, My Life

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Twenty-Eleven Means I’m Back

The New Year has arrived, and my long hiatus from serious blogging is over. For any blogger, a long hiatus can be a dangerous proposition -- threatening the already tenuously small readership and helping people to forget about you. Look, many of you already were going to forget about me anyway over the Christmas / New Year holiday anyway. And having blogged here for nearly seven years (can you believe that?), I felt secure enough to take the time off. But one major reason for the break was to gear up mentally and spiritually for the battles that lie ahead. Contributing to all the apparently positive gains in the 2010 elections, in Congress and elsewhere? That took some effort, to be sure. The real challenge lies ahead, however -- among … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Commemorative, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Surprise, Surprise: John Hickenlooper Calls Todd Shepherd On 850 KOA

Kudos to my friend and colleague Todd Shepherd (of Complete Colorado fame) for catching a surprise exclusive live interview with Colorado's new governor. In the middle of hosting the Sunday afternoon show on 850 KOA, Todd's jaw hit the floor when none other than John Hickenlooper heard his name being discussed and called in to the show while en route from Pueblo to an event in Colorado Springs. Click here for the full hour's audio: the Hickenlooper call starts about halfway through (not to be completely overshadowed is Todd's discussion with Colorado RNC committeeman and former state treasurer Mark Hillman at the top of the hour). Todd took a few minutes to get the softballs out of the way. But then he went to work with a series of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, Journalism, liberty, My Life, PPC

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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
  • 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

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