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Mount Virtus?

Every day is seeking to rise to the challenge, 'neath the shadow of the mighty Rockies.

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Sometimes the choices are daunting or confusing, sometimes they're as clear as a Mile High view.

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If I had five more writers just like him, I think my job would be the easiest in journalism....

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Starting the DNC Countdown

El Presidente has started the 100-day countdown to Denver's Democratic National Convention, wrapping it up with this teaser:We'll see just how many "amateurs" cover the DNC, providing alternate content--the stuff they won't show you on TV. If you have any interest in the DNC and the moonbattery it attracts, you simply ought to be making regular stops at Slapstick Politics and The Drunkablog. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Democratic National Convention, Drunkablog, Slapstick Politics

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Charity Golf Event to Aid Local Law Enforcement Families in Need

Do you live along Colorado's Front Range, want to contribute to a good cause, perhaps even enjoy playing a round of golf? Then please check out the Jefferson County Sheriff's Cup Golf Tournament, scheduled to take place on Monday, June 9, at the Rolling Hills Country Club in Golden. Proceeds go to support the Employee Assistance Fund to aid members of the Sheriff's Office who face serious financial need because of illness or death in their family. What a great cause - giving back to help those who sacrifice to protect and serve us in Jefferson County. A friend who is serving as a volunteer fund-raiser for the Tournament brought this to my attention, and I'm glad to help advertise for him. I not only have another friend who serves in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Labor, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: brother, charity, golf, Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, law enforcement, Rolling Hills Country Club, Sheriff's Cup Golf Tournament

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Intellectual Ammunition for Colorado’s State and Local Candidates

Calling all Colorado candidates for state and county office! Want to catch up on your policy homework? The Independence Institute (where I work) is sponsoring an important event on June 11:Want your state legislative candidates to be intellectually well-armed for battle on the campaign trail? Then make sure he or she attends our candidates' briefing on Wednesday, June 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Independence Institute offices. We gather the state's leading free market experts on everything from TABOR, to transportation, to education, to property rights, to energy policy and more. Candidates will leave well-prepared to debate issues and field questions from friends and foes alike. This event is free of change and open to all state … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, property rights, Second Amendment Tagged With: candidates briefing, Education, Energy policy, grassroots organizing, Health Care, Independence Institute, property rights, Second Amendment, TABOR, transportation

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Scandal Surrounding Ritter Grows with Disappearance of Key Computer

From the Rocky Mountain News:A laptop owned by the former campaign manager that Gov. Bill Ritter publicly disowned has been reported stolen, raising unanswered questions about its contents. Ritter accused Greg Kolomitz on April 15 of writing himself and his company $83,250 worth of unauthorized checks. The governor also produced an audit finding Kolomitz improperly paid $217,164.56 in campaign bills with money donated for the Democratic governor's inauguration. Three days later, on April 18, Kolomitz reported to Denver police that his Dell laptop had been stolen from inside his locked Colfax Avenue political consulting firm, Solutions West, sometime between the afternoon of April 16 and the morning of April 18. "Unknown suspect(s) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, campaign finance violation, Greg Kolomitz, Rocky Mountain News, stolen computer

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Iowahawk Parodies GOP Backsliding, Fred Embodies Conservative Hope

Earlier this evening I asked if the results of recent special elections had thrown enough cold water on Congressional Republicans to get them to wake up and return to their conservative senses. Well, the master satirist Iowahawk has painted the picture of the Congressional GOP's downfall better than I can with a series of letters from fictional Congressman Jerry Bristol. Check it out. The other good news to cheer up my day? Fred Thompson is back, with his inspirational and no-nonsense conservative commentary as a Townhall blogger (H/T Michelle Malkin). I was a loyal Fredhead for a couple months there, before the wheels came off his campaign. He wasn't destined to be President, but perhaps he'll do much better as an online conservative … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: Congressional Republicans, Fred Thompson, Iowahawk, Michelle Malkin, Townhall

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Enough Cold Water Splashed on the Face of the GOP in Congress?

There's a great editorial in the Wall Street Journal today:If there is such a thing as a useful election defeat, then Tuesday's Republican loss in a special House election in Mississippi would qualify. Maybe this thumping in a heretofore safe GOP seat will finally scare the Members straight, or at least less crooked. Followed by a reminder that many members of Congress need to figure out what it is they stand for:In the Mississippi race, the national GOP tried to link Democratic candidate Travis Childers to Barack Obama and Reverend Jeremiah Wright. One TV ad declared: "Travis Childers: He took Obama's endorsement over our conservative values." But Mr. Childers was well known as a cultural conservative who favors gun rights and opposes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, National Politics Tagged With: agenda, Barack Obama, Jeff Blanco, Jeremiah Wright, John McCain, Louisiana Conservative, Mississippi, reform, Republican Party, Wall Street Journal

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Best Destiny: How Not to Respond to the Taxpayers’ Courtroom Win

Yesterday's Colorado Republican State Convention - with key video at Slapstick Politics and a great recap from Night Twister - was bolstered by the announcement of the taxpayers' legal victory against Gov. Bill Ritter for his unconstitutional property tax hike. But Michael at Best Destiny has some sage cautionary advice for Colorado Republicans on how to respond to Friday's courtroom decision:Republicans MUST NOT go out in public and seem too giddy about this. They should talk about checks and balances, and limiting the governor's ability to act unilaterally, and the majority's clear disregard for the Constitution. But if they seem like they're just glad to have the money taken back by the general public, it'll be a lot harder to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Best Destiny, Bill Ritter, Bruce Randolph, cautionary advice, Democrats, Denver Public Schools, education reform, innovation, Night Twister, property tax hike, Republican State Convention, Slapstick Politics, teachers union

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Now Liveblogging at The Minority Report

At the invitation of Night Twister, I am switching over to join him and others live-blogging the State GOP Convention at The Minority Report. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Night Twister, State GOP Convention, The Minority Report

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ron Paul Supporters Numerous Among National Delegate Candidates

From the GOP Convention in Broomfield... Balloting is ongoing from state delegates. One of the things they are deciding on is the slate of delegates to the Republican National Convention in the Twin Cities. There is a list of nearly 400 candidates for national delegate in the Colorado Statesman along with their Presidential preference. About 40 percent have no preference listed - nearly the same amount (155) are pledged to John McCain. Poised to wreak havoc are 74 Ron Paul supporters, followed by a handful each listed for Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. State conventions can be strange things, though this is a particularly strange year. On a different note, Sen. Shawn Mitchell just compared Bill Ritter to Jimmy Carter ... ouch. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Broomfield, Colorado Republican Party, Colorado Statesman, GOP Convention, Jimmy Carter, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Republican National Convention, Ron Paul, Shawn Mitchell

2/7/2026 By Ben Leave a Comment

Mark Hillman for National Committeeman

Mark Hillman is speaking from the podium right now, articulating so well his deep-abiding principles of limited government and personal freedom. He has a lot of Republican heavy hitters behind him, and appears to be the favorite over Leondray Gholston (who also gave a strong, inspiring speech) and Sen. Dave Schultheis (who is about to make his appearance). My earlier endorsement of Mark Hillman is here. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General

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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

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Completing the Blogroll

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Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

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To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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