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Home Archives for PPC

8/24/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Denver Post Editorial Sunday: The Good, The Good, and The Far-Fetched

I can only imagine very few readers of Sunday's Denver Post opinion page shrugged their shoulders with a ho-hum. All stacked together on good old page 3D of the Perspective section, the collection of pieces had to evoke some wholehearted assent, some serious disagreement, or both. Let's go with the bad news first, the lead fantasy-ridden editorial "Public option is critical to reform":Opponents also say the public option is a ruse meant to facilitate a government takeover of health care. On the contrary, we think it will give the insurance industry every incentive to innovate and find efficiencies, best treatment practices and ways to make their rates more attractive to businesses and policy holders. Based on what, the wishful … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, Journalism, liberty, National Politics, PPC

8/24/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

The Continuing Scott McInnis Interview Chronicles: Statesman Edition

First there was Caplis & Silverman. Then there was Colorado's Morning News. Now we have a couple of strange Scott McInnis gems in writing (no transcripts, no audio) from his recent "InnerView" with the Colorado Statesman. First, in regards to closing the budget gap:You need to say, “Okay, here’s what we have.” The state Senator up there, Dan Marostica. He’s got some ideas, and he’s a numbers guy. That’s what you need. Frankly, the governor should have hired that guy the first day he was in office. Those are the kind of people that I’m going to put in place. No doubt gubernatorial candidate McInnis meant Representative (until recently) Don Marostica. Hey, mistakes on details like title and first name happen. But why … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, PPC

8/22/2009 By Ben 14 Comments

Sources: Jane Norton Is In

Yes, it appears that Colorado's former lieutenant governor won't need the full 30 days to make up her mind. I have received word from a reliable source or two that Jane Norton is definitely going to announce her candidacy for U.S. Senate. My guess is this will mean Bob Beauprez opts to stay out of a crowded phone booth field. Initial reactions? Norton doesn't bring Beauprez's baggage of the disastrous 2006 campaign or firsthand experience with the fiscally profligate Republican Congress of the early-to-mid 2000s. She brings administrative experience in state government, whereas the current two frontrunners in the race Ryan Frazier and Ken Buck have experience in municipal or other local government. … [Read more...]

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

8/21/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

MSNBC’s Phony Racial Controversy; Gun-Toting Not Most Sensible Tactic

Everything is out of whack with the story about the nameless black man toting a semi-automatic weapon around at an Arizona townhall meeting. Just everything. One of the driving Lefty narratives about the nature of the townhall protests and the general popular opposition to Obama Care's proposed government health care takeover is exemplified in this comment to the local Fox TV news affiliate:"All the claims of Nazism and socialism are really racist attacks," said David Sirota, one of many liberal columnists who define the growing conservative uprising as a "white backlash" -- that of a dwindling white non urban America, aflame with grievances and awash in self-pity as the country hurtles into the 21st century and leaves it behind. No … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care, liberty, media bias, National Politics, PPC, Second Amendment

8/19/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Health Care Debate Leaves Obama with No Good Options, “Public” or Otherwise

Competent pro-free market voices like the Cato Institute's Michael Cannon and the editors of the Wall Street Journal (via Patient Power) have raised red flags about the so-called "co-op" idea that's moving through the Senate and being floated by the administration as a fallback from the "public option". The Journal cleverly calls the co-op idea "Fannie Med". Cannon writes:The president’s approach to health care reform hasn’t changed at all. All he has done is tried to distract attention from how dangerous and unpopular his approach really is. But that doesn't mean President Obama could use the "co-op" rhetoric to smoothly shift political gears and pull government health care over the finish line in Congress any easier than … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, Health Care, liberty, National Politics, PPC

8/19/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

School Reform News September Highlights: Choice in Indiana, Tennessee, and Colorado

Most readers probably don't know that I am a contributing editor and regular writer for the Heartland Institute's monthly publication School Reform News. But the September issue just came out, in which I wrote two stories and was quoted in another. Without further ado here they are: For all my Hoosier friends, "Indiana Joins Growing List of School Choice States" Doesn't sound like a Volunteer thing to do, but "Tennessee Lifts Charter School Cap After U.S. Threat" From our own backyard, "Private Choice Program in Colorado Beats State Graduation Rate" Happy school reform reading! For the 3 or 4 of you who actually care, I may start this as a regular feature. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, liberty, My Life, PPC

8/18/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Obama Learned One History Lesson

Rossputin makes a great observation about the not-so-great surprise (I'm shocked!) that the Obama porkulus money is being spent at such a slow pace:The “stimulus” bill was NEVER about stimulating the economy or fixing the infrastructure that needs fixing. That’s why it’s not being spent quickly and why many infrastructure projects are being undertaken where the bridge or road is not in very bad shape but happens to be in an important Democratic district. Instead the “stimulus” bill is about stimulating the Democrats’ chances in the next election. The plan all along has been to save as much money as possible until mid-2010 and then spend like crazy, trying to buy as many votes as possible going into a mid-term election when … [Read more...]

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

8/17/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Trips to Whole Foods Now Take On a Whole New Wonderful Meaning

So I hear that some wacko Lefties are trying to boycott Whole Foods because the company's CEO wrote a widely read opinion-editorial for the Wall Street Journal explaining why Obama Care is bad medicine and offering a proven, constructive alternative. I'm proud to say that the lovely Mrs. Virtus today went shopping at Whole Foods. It wasn't the first time, and certainly not the last. We're not overboard on the natural foods thing, but with some pretty serious food allergy issues in our household, the availability of some alternatives they offer is quite convenient. Being very cost-conscious consumers, we tend to purchase different types of groceries and necessities at different stores. So it's not like we give Whole Foods a tremendous … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Care, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC, Random and Miscellaneous

8/17/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Yes, It’s Time for Birthers to Get Over Their Deluded Obama Fantasies

Some Blog Guy over at Rocky Mountain Right writes about an apparent surge of the Birther movement in Colorado:We get it. You don't like Obama. We don't either. But please focus on stuff he's actually done instead of fantasies. Just wanted to take a moment and state that I second the motion. Anyone else with me? James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal offered a more in-depth analysis of this non-issue a few weeks ago -- I commend that to you, too. Glad to see that Mr. Bob also agrees. … [Read more...]

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

8/17/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Rolling the Obama Care “Public Option” Uphill Becoming a Harder Job

Love how the Denver Post lends a hand to Barack Obama and appointed Senator Michael Bennet in the health care debate:He acknowledged that the ire in town halls — in Colorado, and across the country — was mostly about fear of changing a system that hasn't worked for years. [emphasis added] Not "changing a system that he said hasn't worked for years," mind you. A stated opinion given cover with a straight news declaration of fact. Sigh. I'll even give them the benefit of the doubt and suspect that the phrasing was an unintentional slip that reflects the newsroom's own uninformed bias rather than some malicious attempt at partisan hackery. I know of many personal friends and acquaintances who could tell stories -- some of them rather … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Health Care, liberty, media bias, 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

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