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Home Archives for National Politics

7/31/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Turn That Thermostat Up: Remedial Education in Bill Ritter’s Climate Plan

From the Examiner:Saving energy may not be so easy after all. A television commercial featuring Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter was meant to show viewers how easy it is to save energy, but it showed Ritter using more, not less. The original, which aired for weeks, showed Ritter turning a thermostat down from 72 degrees to 68. But during the summer, that means the air conditioner would work harder - and use more energy. I would need to see this commercial to believe it. Apparently, some remedial education is needed as part of Gov. Ritter's "Climate Action Plan". Bill Ritter would have known he couldn't turn his thermostat down to 68 if Barack Obama had been on his shoulder: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Energy, General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, Bill Ritter, Climate Action Plan, remedial education, the Examiner, TV commercial

7/30/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Jeff Crank for Congress

Admittedly I haven't followed the Republican primary in Colorado's 5th Congressional District too closely. But I have paid enough attention to know that Jeff Crank is the candidate most worthy of support. A friend e-mailed me to say that, given the positive effect of my endorsement on Wil Armstrong's candidacy, I also ought to come forward and publicly endorse Jeff Crank, too. Some of the reasons are the same - the need for fresh, outside business experience and leadership in the halls of Congress. But Crank also has a clear and principled stand against earmarks and pork (of the costly government variety), and would stand up for taxpayers not only with his words and his votes, but also with his actions. I am proud to officially … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics Tagged With: 5th Congressional District, business experience, earmarks, Jeff Crank, leadership, pork, Republican primary, Wil Armstrong

7/30/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Time for Ted Stevens To Go

News came yesterday that Alaska Senator Ted Stevens is indicted. If Republicans should have learned anything from the 2006 election, it's to purge the pork and corruption from their ranks. This story reminds us that neither major party has anything approaching a monopoly on sleazy politicians, but also gives the GOP an opportunity to distinguish itself by valuing integrity over seniority. Speaking of seniority, no Republican has served longer. It's time for that tenure to come to an end. At The Next Right, Patrick Ruffini wisely calls for Ted Stevens to step down, but points out he can't do so until after Alaska's August 26 primary. Of course, actual guilt or innocence has yet to be determined in the Stevens case. But politically … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, National Politics Tagged With: Alaska, corruption, GOP, indictment, Patrick Ruffini, pork, primary election, Ted Stevens, The Next Right, U.S. Senator

7/29/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

The Only Place Democrats Want to Drill Is Your Wallet

From the Tennessee Republican Party, this is a great idea: Could the Colorado GOP follow suit? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics Tagged With: Colorado GOP, Democrats, Drill, Picture, Republican Party, taxes, Tennessee

7/22/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Denver Gives Democrat Officials Tax Exemption, Risks Public Resentment

A few days ago I had a conversation with some non-political family members about the pains of hosting a national political convention. One of them lives in the Twin Cities. The rest of us live in and around Denver. Doubtless this means some inconveniences and annoyances for denizens, regardless of whether it's the Republicans or Democrats coming to your town. But the Denver Post today reports a small outrage I hadn't even considered before (H/T Slapstick Politics):Several Denver City Council members are questioning why the Democratic National Convention Committee has a contract with the city to fill up their fleet of vehicles with tax-free fuel. The $466,000 contract, only $9,700 of which has been paid so far by the DNCC officials, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Energy, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Democrat National Convention, Democratic National Convention Committee, Denver, Denver City Council, Denver Post, DNCC officials, gasoline, John Hickenlooper, Minneapolis, Republican National Convention, tax-exempt

7/18/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Denver Teachers Union Moves One Step Closer to Possible DNC Strike

Another landmark yesterday in the fallout between Denver Public Schools and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, reports the Post's Jeremy Meyer:Representatives of Denver's teachers union and school administrators — embroiled in a contract dispute — met with a professional arbiter Wednesday to discuss next month's mediation. The two sides are at odds over compensation and time issues, particularly in regard to proposed changes to ProComp — the voter-approved performance pay system for teachers. The story continues:With mediation the week before the Democratic National Convention in Denver, there is concern of picketing during the event to bring national attention to the contract dispute. The DCTA newsletter has declared … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: arbitration, Democratic National Convention, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver Post, Denver Public Schools, Jeremy Meyer, Kim Ursetta, ProComp, teacher strike, teachers union

7/17/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Double Whammy for SEIU

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), one of the biggest boys on the Big Labor block (they spent nearly $1 million in 2006 just on Colorado's elections), has taken a one-two punch today. It doesn't look good for them. First, the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) is urging the U.S. Department of Labor to investigate SEIU's pension funding scheme. AWF's Brian Johnson writes at National Review about SEIU's pension hypocrisy:Unions often champion themselves as protecting rank-and-file workers from corporate greed and malfeasance. Yet DB pension plans, managed by union officers, are often plagued by insolvency, threatening to leave members with little in retirement. For example, the SEIU National Industry Pension Fund — which … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: 2008 election, Alliance for Worker Freedom, Big Labor, Bill Ritter, Brian Johnson, coercive non-member fees, Collective Bargaining, Colorado elections, Colorado state government, federal investigation, hypocrisy, investment advisors, Mark Mix, Michael Mukasey, National Industry Pension Fund, National Review, National Right to Work Foundation, one-two punch, pensions, political fundraising scheme, rank-and-file workers, S & P 500, SEIU leaders, Service Employees International Union, state property, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Department of Labor

7/17/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

From the Front Pages of the Lefty Political Playbook

Here's a little insight for the day ... Recently, I posted at the Schaffer v Udall blog a response to the latest trumped-up faux controversy heaped against the Republican U.S. Senate candidate. Rossputin followed it up at Politics West with an even abler and more thorough refutation of the charges - using relevant facts and evidence. I got a chuckle today when my friend pointed out to me the first comment added to Rossputin's post:when are you going to stop dodging my question about your work for the Heartland Institute? "DeGrow points out a few subsequent articles which show the attack to be erroneous as well as discussing how two of the "big names" leading the attack, former high-level diplomats, are now Democratic activists and at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: anonymity, guilt by association, Heartland Institute, Independence Institute, Lefties, name-calling, political playbook, Rossputin, tactics

7/15/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bob Schaffer-Mark Udall Debate Coverage Roundup

Here's a roundup of new media coverage of Monday's premier public debate between Colorado U.S. Senate candidates Bob Schaffer and Mark Udall. From Schaffer v Udall... - Schaffer v Udall Debate: Update, Quick First Impressions - Bob Schaffer's Clear Debate Victory over Mark Udall Sways Uncommitted Voter - Schaffer v Udall Debate Photos - Missing the Point of Bob Schaffer's Powerful Zing on Mark Udall's Iraq Record - Mark Udall Healthcare Quips From Rocky Mountain Right... - Pictures from the Schaffer-Udall Debate - Breaking News from the RMN: Udall Staffer Approves of Udall's Debate Performance! Also check out Face The State's slideshow of the debate. And, of course, though it's not new media, 9News has a report from the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: Bob Schaffer, debate, Face the State, Mark Udall, Rocky Mountain Right, Schaffer v Udall, U.S. Senate

7/14/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Live-Blogging First Campaign Debate between Bob Schaffer and Mark Udall

Today I'm taking a few personal hours from work to go cover the first debate of Colorado's 2008 U.S. Senate campaign. Hopefully, El Presidente and I will be live-blogging the event between Bob Schaffer and Mark Udall over at the Schaffer v Udall blog. Doors open to the public at 9:30 AM local time, with the debate scheduled to take place from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: Bob Schaffer, Colorado, debate, El Presidente, live blogging, Mark Udall, Schaffer v Udall, U.S. Senate

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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

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