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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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Colorado Ballot Reviews

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

Writer / Editor For Hire

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

5/12/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Dems Fail to Lead or Take Responsibility, Irony Lost on Dead Guvs

The Dead Governors couldn't even bring themselves to defend their majority Democrat Party for accomplishing so little. So they tried to make fun of the minority Republicans for not getting much done themselves either:How do you write a critical op-ed about how Democrats talked and Republicans acted without bothering to mention anything that you actually accomplished yourself? For example: "On health care, we tried to clear away regulatory hurdles..." Good job on trying! Do Colorado's Left-leaning online apologists get the irony here? "You Republicans are going to criticize our Democrats for not fixing the state's problems? Well, I know we were in charge, and there were only 60 of us compared to 40 of you, but you didn't get anything … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Dead Governors, Democrats, education standards, irony, Republicans, responsibility

5/10/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

More Scientific Doubt Cast on Man-Made Global Warming Hysteria

In Skeptic magazine, peer-reviewed Ph.D. chemist Patrick Frank comes out with the latest rational debunking of man-made global warming hysteria, complete with well-sourced footnotes. More recommended reading for Gov. Bill Ritter and Boulder U.S. Rep. Mark Udall. Meanwhile, more scientists sign on to the dissenting report. As the challenging evidence mounts, we'll wait in vain for the nightly news report. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Global warming hysteria, Mark Udall, Patrick Frank, Skeptic magazine

5/10/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Josh Penry: Rising Colorado GOP Star

There's no need to recount the many woes and difficulties Colorado Republicans have faced in recent years, dethroned and demoralized by a well-funded and well-planned onslaught from the Left in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Thanks especially to the principled and savvy work of several key lawmakers in the caucus, the Republicans finally held their own this year. They have set the table for a comeback in Colorado, but the road is still arduous and uphill. The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel shines the light on one of the most prominent - if not the most prominent - GOP rising stars: Senator Josh Penry. The Sentinel reports on the growing speculation that their 32-year-old hometown hero will lead the Senate Republicans next year:Sen. Greg … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Andy McElhany, Colorado Republicans, Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Greg Brophy, Josh Penry, Mike Saccone

5/9/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Westminster School District Negligence Makes Case for Online Transparency

I about fell out of my chair when I read this local CBS4 TV news story (video also available):An out-of-state architectural firm has billed an Adams County School District nearly $60,000, for hotels, meals and travel expenses in the last year but the district hasn't bothered to ask for, or review, a single receipt. "It's negligence," said Kevin O'Brien, a former IRS agent, CPA and business ethics professor at the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business. "The public has a right to expect there will be some minimum checking on those receipts because its really the public's money." Adams County School District 50 hired Healy, Bender and Associates of Naperville, Ill., last year. The school district enlisted the company to help … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, My Life Tagged With: Americans for Tax Reform, Ben DeGrow, bond election, Brian Maass, CBS4 News, Colorado Open Records request, financial transparency, Healy Bender and Associates, Kevin O'Brien, negligence, Pueblo Chieftain, school construction, school district budgets, Westminster High School, Westminster School District

5/9/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Find a Charter School Near You

The Center for Education Reform, a national charter school advocacy group, has unveiled a new Web tool for families across the country to locate a public charter school near them: YourCharterSchool.com. I test drove the site a bit, and it seems user-friendly. In addition to the map feature, there are several helpful links along the side to guide the uninitiated and to arm any user with important facts. For Colorado families, I'd say YourCharterSchool.com is a very nice complement to the more comprehensive, state-focused School Choice for Kids website. But I'm also interested to hear what Colorado's resident charter school expert Denise has to say. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General Tagged With: Center for Education Reform, Colorado families, public charter schools, School Choice for Kids, school search, YourCharterSchool.com

5/9/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter and Colorado Dems: Cheap Tactics, Poor Leadership

It's a classic trick to try to extort taxpayers, yet Bill Ritter and Colorado Democrats are acting as if we're too naive to see it. Mr. DNA at Rocky Mountain Right yesterday highlighted a story in the Denver Post where Ritter and other Democrat leaders made an absurd and startling revelation - blaming the Republicans (who are in the minority across the board) for the inability to move forward a transportation agenda:"I feel like this conversation broke down around politics, that we tried to get the Republicans interested in looking at how we would put together different pots of money," Ritter said. "We began our conversation very early in the session and could not get the Republican leadership to act on it at all." Senate President … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Andrew Romanoff, Bill Ritter, Colorado budget, Denver Post, extorting taxpayers, Independence Institute, Linda Gorman, Peter Groff, Republicans, roads and bridges, Rocky Mountain Right, transportation

5/8/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter’s Property Tax Hike on Trial: Closing Arguments for Tomorrow

A busy day, not much time to blog. For those of you following Bill Ritter's property tax hike on trial, Jon Caldara reports that closing arguments are set for tomorrow morning at 10:00. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Denver District Court, Jon Caldara, property tax hike

5/7/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Cary Kennedy Said What?

With Gov. Bill Ritter's property tax hike still on trial, the Rocky Mountain News reports that state treasurer Cary Kennedy - who thought up the mill levy "freeze" idea - made a remarkable concession on the witness stand:State treasurer Cary Kennedy conceded today on the witness stand that a bill passed last year by the legislature alters the way taxes are calculated with the net result that many property owners pay more. But Kennedy continued to insist the 2007 law, SB 199, does not violate Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. O-k.... … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Cary Kennedy, Denver District Court, local taxpayers, Marcia Neal, mill levy "freeze", property tax hike, Rocky Mountain News, state treasurer, Taxpayer's Bill of Rights

5/7/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Where Will the 2008 Election Leave Us?

In the current 24/7 political news cycle, with its rapid-fire sound bites and he said/she said sensationalism, it's not often enough that bloggers step back and look at the big picture of what's unfolding in the 2008 Presidential election. Hats off to my friend Michael at Best Destiny for some keen (and honest) insights in the wake of last night's Democratic primary results from Indiana and North Carolina:With the Left lurching through its own 60s-esque upheaval, and the GOP tragically unable to get its footing over the last four years, it's very hard to see how this isn't a time of seismic change in the American political world. This is a time for ideals and orators and men of character and greatness. I don't know who those men--or … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics Tagged With: 2008 Presidential election, American politics, Barack Obama, Best Destiny, Hillary Clinton, John McCain

5/7/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Republicans Get Head Start on Easy Job of Critiquing Ritter, Dems

From this morning's Rocky Mountain News:As Democrats raced Tuesday to write what were the final chapters of the 2008 legislative session, Republicans passed around a playbook for taking back the House and Senate this fall. Not exactly big news, but a fun story nonetheless. Take for example the response of the Democratic Speaker of the House, who must still be feeling the stinging blow of not finding enough support for his plan to gut TABOR:"I think that's disappointing but not surprising," said House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver. "When you're in the minority, you can either take pot shots at the party in charge or you can actually work together and solve problems." The legislative session is behind us. And maybe, just maybe, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Andrew Romanoff, Bill Ritter, Colorado, Democrats, Executive Order, Republicans, Rocky Mountain News

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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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bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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