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Home Archives for National Politics

3/14/2011 By Ben Leave a Comment

New MAD Video: Debt Ceiling

Mothers Against Debt (MAD) has launched a powerful video update about the crushing load of national debt we already face and the danger behind plans to raise the debt ceiling: Don't crush the baby! As a dad of two (and soon to be three) young girls, the message hits home with me. Fiscal responsibility and spending discipline, already fixtures in our own household budget, are the watchwords of the day for the federal government Leviathan. Delaying today's decisions only magnifies tomorrow's pain. Let's start imposing the bitter medicine. Our children will thank us later. … [Read more...]

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

3/4/2011 By Ben Leave a Comment

Lincoln’s “Better Angels of Our Nature”: For Wisconsin 150 Years Later?

It's easy to overlook, especially if you're not a student of U.S. history. But once upon a time, before the ratification of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, presidents were inaugurated on March 4. Which makes today the sesquicentennial (that's the 150th anniversary, for Buckeye fans) of Abraham Lincoln swearing the oath of presidential office in a moment of profound national crisis and delivering his First Inaugural Address:We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, History, liberty, National Politics, PPC

2/4/2011 By Ben Leave a Comment

Irony, Hypocrisy (and Independence?) in Lefties’ Anti-Koch Brother Campaign

Update, 9:00 PM: Common Cause issued a formal "apology" for the vile behavior of its rally attendees, a statement thoroughly deconstructed by James Taranto, who concludes with the zinger: "For the sake of truth in advertising, Common Cause should change its name to Hypocrisy Hub." Ouch. That's going to leave a mark. Independent new media journalist Christian Hartsock has a compelling piece up at Andrew Breitbart's Big Government blog. Hartsock went to cover an event sponsored by the Progressive group Common Cause. The goal seemingly was to organize a grassroots protest of the pro-free market billionaire Koch Brothers and conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas for some imaginary collusion on the … [Read more...]

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

1/3/2011 By Ben Leave a Comment

How to Get Fired: Mothers Against Debt Takes On Unemployment Benefits

A preeminent challenge lying ahead for our elected Congress to tackle is the mounting debt and out-of-control spending that grew under Republican leadership and accelerated in the past few years with Democrats in charge. No one is better prepared to help equip you to do your citizen's part in taking on this challenge than my friends at Mothers Against Debt. Their new video on the idiocy of unemployment benefits as economic stimulus is a real hoot. Enjoy: … [Read more...]

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

1/3/2011 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

11/9/2010 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado GOP Candidates Who Fell Short But Can See Bright Futures

A full week has passed since the Election. We all know the results. For the winners it's transition time. New members headed off to Congress -- at least one pegged with a remarkably bright political future. I'm proud to see a new secretary of state in Colorado, a new state treasurer, not to mention the "Mighty Six" GOP upstarts who took over formerly Democratic seats to reclaim the state house majority. But what about those Colorado Republican candidates who threw their hats into the ring, who entered the arena and did battle, yet came up short? Some of them we won't see on the electoral stage again (in some cases, thankfully). For others, a potentially bright political future remains. Here are a few: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, National Politics, PPC

11/3/2010 By Ben Leave a Comment

Dan Maes Wins 10%: No Minor Party Status Problem for Colorado GOP?

There are still outstanding ballots, and so the final tabulated results are not yet in. But what's being reported in the unofficial results indicates that Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes has secured more than 10.0% of the vote. Fears based on the latest round of polls that Maes would land in single digits didn't materialize. And some pundits (myself included) are humbled again on the high-profile races. The U.S. Senate showdown remains up in the air with some late counties, as well as military and provisional ballots outstanding, (despite the Denver Post jumping the gun). But Republicans have consoled themselves so far by winning the Secretary of State and Treasurer offices, along with John Suthers holding on as Attorney … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, National Politics, PPC

11/2/2010 By Ben Leave a Comment

2010 Election Liveblogging

I am providing Election Night coverage here, including quotes and photos as available. I am working with a collaborative of organizations on this project -- including Independence Institute, People's Press Collective, Complete Colorado, Who Said You Said, Mothers Against Debt and National Review Online. Go here for the relevant details (including links and a live video feed), and stay tuned for the best in Colorado grassroots conservative political coverage! 11:55 PM: Jefferson County is counting provisional ballots in the Ramirez race, and according to his campaign manager Walt Blankenship it's overwhelmingly working in the Republican's favor. I'm feeling very confident that the GOP will win the state house. It remains to be seen … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, liberty, National Politics, PPC

11/1/2010 By Ben 1 Comment

Why a 4-Point Ken Buck Victory is Likelier than a Looming “Recount”

So if the Denver Post insists that a "recount looms" in Colorado's U.S. Senate race, why do I predict that Ken Buck will defeat appointed incumbent Michael Bennet by four points? What makes me so confident that my prognostication is more accurate than the hype? On The Spot blog, Post political editor Curtis Hubbard lists the most recent polls from the seven different major firms tracking this race, along with the New York Times blog prediction, listed as follows from most recent to oldest: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Journalism, liberty, National Politics, PPC

11/1/2010 By Ben Leave a Comment

2010 Election Predictions

ELECTION DAY NOTE: I will be providing Election Night coverage here, including quotes and photos as available. I am working with a collaborative of organizations on this project -- including Independence Institute, People's Press Collective, Complete Colorado, Who Said You Said, Mothers Against Debt and National Review Online. Go here for the relevant details (including a live video feed), and stay tuned for the best in Colorado grassroots conservative political coverage! Update, 9:00 AM: Despite all appearances, the latest Fox News/Public Opinion Research poll and I did not crib answers off each other. If we're both off the mark, we're off the mark together. Update II, 12:30 PM: Minor tweak to the governor's race … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, liberty, National Politics, PPC

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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

  • 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

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National News and Politics

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Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
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Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
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  • Flypaper
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  • IMAO
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Christian Commentary et al.

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Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
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  • Colorado Republican Party
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Other Sites

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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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