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Home Archives for National Politics

6/26/2008 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

6/25/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Hindu Delegation Gives “Obamessiah” Different Kind of “American Idol”

From the Times of India (via Drudge Report):NEW DELHI: With Democrat senator Barack Obama busy in the run-up to the US presidential polls, a group of well-wishers in the capital have decided to send him a symbol of his lucky charm, Lord Hanuman, to help him emerge victorious.... An hour-long prayer meeting to sanctify the idol was earlier organised at Sankat Mochan Dham and by Congress leader Brijmohan Bhama, Balmiki Samaj and the temple's priests. "Obama has deep faith in Lord Hanuman and that is why we are presenting an idol of Hanuman to him," said Bhama. This story gives a whole new meaning to the name "American Idol." But seriously, this could add another layer of religious confusion to the ever-unfolding bizarre "Obamessiah" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, National Politics Tagged With: American Idol, Barack Obama, Brijmohan Bhama, Christianity, Drudge Report, elitism, Hindu, Islam, Judaism, Lord Hanuman, Obamessiah, snobbery, Times of India

6/24/2008 By Ben 5 Comments

Feeling Out of the Loop: John Lerew (not LeGrew) and CCM Comes to Denver

Oh joy, I've finally figured out who my Republican Congressional candidate is: John Lerew, not John LeGrew (how bad is it when your name gets misspelled in a key publication that introduces your candidacy to a key audience of activists?). Longtime Colorado blogger Jack Ott, whom I met back in 2004, has posted information about Mr. Lerew. Certainly, he seems an ardent and passionate conservative, but it's apparent the GOP went pretty deep onto the bench to bring him forward as the candidate. Or, as one Lefty blogger quite accurately put it, Mr. Lerew is "the sacrificial lamb" to run against incumbent Rep. Ed Perlmutter. (I feel out of the loop to have taken so long to learn about this one. But it also speaks ill of the candidate's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: 7th Congressional District, Coalition for a Conservative Majority, Colorado, Denver metro area, Jack Ott, John Lerew, Republican Party, sacrificial lamb

6/24/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

“Obama on Your Shoulder”: Catchy Tune, Laughs Make Searing Point

I've been meaning to post this one for several days now. But enough excuses. Without further ado, here's a creative video that will make you laugh and put a catchy tune in your head: I give you the inimitable Mary Katharine Ham with "Obama on Your Shoulder." Depending on how you look at it, the video could either make you feel a lot more lighthearted or a lot sicker to your stomach. Or maybe a bit of both. But laughter is the best medicine, they say. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, HamNation, Mary Katharine Ham, Obama on Your Shoulder, Townhall

6/21/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

News Like This Could Make the DNC Much More Interesting for Me

From the Denver Post's PoliticsWest:A heated labor disagreement over Denver's teacher contract appears to be heading into late August and could reach a boiling point during the Democratic National Convention, reports Jeremy P. Meyer. Teachers and the administration are at odds over changes to the district's compensation system. It's one of the issues that led union officials to warn teachers in their May newsletter to prepare for a strike. Mediation with a professional arbiter has been set for Aug. 20-22, ending the Friday before the Democrats arrive for the convention. This has the potential to be ugly. I will be keeping a close eye not only on the broader political ramifications but on what this potential clash could portend for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: contract negotiations, Democratic National Convention, Denver Classroom Teachers Association, teachers union

6/11/2008 By Ben 3 Comments

Dems Obstruct Solution to High Gas Prices, GOP Needs McCain to do Better

"Four bucks a gallon": it's the catchphrase that hits home all across America. Even putting the best face on it that they can, even federal government officials admit that gasoline prices figure to remain high for the foreseeable future. Yet on the same day, Democrats on a Congressional committee kill a proposal that would allow the United States to expand its domestic energy supply. I would say they're stuck on stupid, but it's far more likely that Nancy Pelosi, Mark Udall, and the Democrats are glad to see gasoline prices high, as they kowtow to radical environmentalist special interest groups. To top it off, the Democrats' Presidential candidate Barack Obama makes a ridiculous statement suggesting that rising gasoline prices is a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Energy, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, Congressional Democrats, Congressional Republicans, domestic energy production, federal government, gasoline prices, John Hinderaker, John McCain, Mark Udall, Nancy Pelosi, offshore drilling, Powerline, radical environmentalist lobby

6/8/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Montana GOP Nominates Socialist Octogenarian to Run for U.S. Senate

It sounds like Republican Party ideals are not exactly in their heyday in Montana (H/T Volokh Conspiracy):Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bob Kelleher wants a “nonviolent revolution” to overthrow the foundation of American government. He favors enormous, FDR-style government work programs to reduce poverty; he wants to nationalize the American oil and gas industries and supports government-run, socialized medicine. He has little nice to say about President Bush or former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot. Political scientists and the head of the Montana Republican Party say Kelleher, 85, isn’t really a Republican, at all. And yet, two days ago, Kelleher beat five other, mostly conservative to mainstream GOP candidates to become the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, General, My Life, National Politics Tagged With: Big Sky Country, Bob Kelleher, George W. Bush, John McCain, Marc Racicot, Montana, Republican Party, Socialist, socialized medicine

6/4/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

NEA Endorses Obama, Giving the Rest of Us a Reason to Vote McCain

Did you need a reason not to vote for Barack Obama? Perhaps need a reason to vote for John McCain? If I'm not convinced already, this press release from the National Education Association sure helps to push me in that direction:National Education Association President Reg Weaver announced today that he will ask the 9,000 locally elected delegates to the Association's Representative Assembly to take a formal vote to recommend that NEA's 3.2 million members support Barack Obama in his bid to become President of the United States.... The contrast between Obama and McCain on issues that matter most to NEA members – the economy, education and health care – is indeed stark. Obama opposes using public tax dollars to provide financial … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, National Politics Tagged With: Barack Obama, endorsement, John McCain, National Education Association, rhetoric, vouchers

6/3/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Closing the Loop on Labor Union Disclosure of Member Dues Money

Union members in Colorado and across the nation stand to gain from newly proposed federal rules that would provide a clearer picture of how union leaders are spending their hard-earned dues money. If you're a glutton for punishment, there's the official 103-page document with the new rules. For the rest of us, compliments of the Public Service Research Foundation, there is a layman's version of the new pro-worker rules:They require that unions specify the costs of benefits being provided to officers and employees. Under the present system the cost of benefits is only reported as one big lump sum. The new regulations will allow union members to see how much they are paying in benefits for each officer and employee. This will … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: disclosure, LM-2, luxury trips, public comment, Public Service Research Foundation, Transparency, U.S. Department of Labor, union financial disclosure, union leaders

6/2/2008 By Ben 6 Comments

Hillary Supporter Lashes Out at Obama, Democrats; Promises McCain Victory

As much as Republicans are less than enthusiastic about their Presidential nominee, a video like this helps to confirm my suspicions that the Democrats have bigger problems: The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza has more details here on what exactly made this woman and so many other Hillary supporters angry. Clinton's overwhelming primary win in Puerto Rico doesn't add any more clarity - or confidence -to the Democrat nomination picture. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Chris Cillizza, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, Presidential election, Puerto Rico, Republicans, Washington Post, YouTube

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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.

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