Mount Virtus

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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....

6/26/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Eyes Turning to Fred Thompson – Including Colorado Eyes

As the long race for the White House rolls on, many conservatives find themselves "all agog over Thompson," writes U.S. News and World Report's Kenneth Walsh. His candidacy not yet officially declared, the former U.S. Senator and recognizable actor finds himself at or near the top of most polls among the Republican field. Providing some of the best evidence that Fred Thompson may be the real deal, Politico reports that the Democratic National Committee is using attacks on him to generate fundraising more than a year before the Conventions confirm either party's nominee: Democratic strategists say Thompson's populist style and show-biz allure could prove extremely appealing in a general election at a time when voters are so down on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics

6/25/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bullying Foes of “Free Choice”

This blog post and video from FreedomWorks are very revealing about the supporters of the so-called "Employee Free Choice Act" (H.R. 800). Then again, when is robbing workers of the secret ballot an act that favors "free choice"? Few bills debated by Congress have had such an Orwellian name. Amidst the intense interest in the immigration debate, the U.S. Senate votes tomorrow to close the debate on H.R. 800. While it appears highly unlikely that the threshold of 60 votes will be reached, it will be interesting to note who sides with common sense and worker privacy, and who sides to give privileges to special interest groups at the expense of an individual's power to choose. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics

6/25/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Fleeting Influence

The new rankings are out, and I'm shocked to say that somehow Mount Virtus has climbed the rankings to #1 in Blog Net News most influential Colorado political blogs. Frankly, I'm humbled. Of course, fame and influence are both fleeting. So I don't expect it to last. But I'll savor it for one week, at least. Also encouraging, my friend Michael at Best Destiny creeped up the ladder a bit to #9. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

6/25/2007 By Ben 1 Comment

State GOP Needs to Temper Confidence with Patience

Today's Denver Post headline "State GOP plots revival, but in 2010" is not surprising for those in the know. For a variety of reasons, new Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams (who instills fear into the Left side of the state's blogosphere) inherited a very difficult situation. He doesn't have an easy task before him. The headline is a little bit misleading, as Wadhams says there are real hopes for limited gains in 2008. Perhaps the better headline would have been "State GOP plots return to power by 2010." But that's a small detail. Confidently forecasting victory for U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer and that Colorado will cast its vote for the Republican presidential candidate, Wadhams is playing the role of partisan … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General

6/23/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Irrational Faith of Colorado Nutroots Continues to Amuse

It's funny to watch the Colorado Nutroots (I don't need to link to them - you can find them by going to Blog Net News) erupt into spontaneous glee with glib "I-told-you-so's" to anyone who doesn't believe in the perfecting power of the ever-expanding sphere of government, at the release of this report (large PDF). Of course, I haven't even seen any of them actually link to the report, just to articles that mention the report and its apparently bleak picture of Colorado. (Hint: The report says our state doesn't spend as much as other states in some areas. Egads! It must be the death knell of civilization here in the Centennial State.) Critical analysis? Don't expect any from the secular statist fundamentalist crowd. They've found their … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics

6/22/2007 By Ben 1 Comment

GOP Presidential Candidate to Address Liberal NEA Delegates

Although I can't find it on their website, the National Education Association has confirmed eight presidential candidates to come speak at its annual meeting starting next Friday in Philadelphia, at least according to an email sent by the Colorado Education Association affiliate to its members. The eight candidates are listed alphabetically, as follows: 1. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) 2. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) 3. Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) 4. Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) 5. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) 6. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) 7. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) 8. Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) There are seven complete non-surprises there. But, if you're at all like me, you are wondering what Gov. Huckabee … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, General, National Politics

6/22/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Garage Sale Days

Update: The grill is SOLD! But you're still welcome to stop by tomorrow (Saturday) during the day. It's garage sale time today and tomorrow at Mount Virtus. Not a ton of stuff to offer, but plenty of the usual books, clothes, and odds & ends. BUT ... if you or someone you know in the Denver area would like to be the owner of a mildly-used, Brinkman charcoal grill/smoker (needs replacement grates) for a VERY reasonable price, drop me a comment or an email. If one of our non-virtual customers hasn't swept it up first, we'll be ready to make a deal! That's all the blogging here for now. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, My Life, Random and Miscellaneous

6/21/2007 By Ben 1 Comment

George Will (and me) on SCOTUS Worker Free Speech Case

In his latest Townhall column, George Will tackles the problem many union leaders have employing force rather than seeking favor: Democracy is rule by persuasion, but the unpersuasive often try to coerce the unpersuaded. Recent days have provided two illustrations of this tendency, both of them pertaining to labor unions, whose decades of declining membership testify to their waning power to persuade workers that unions add more value to workers' lives than they subtract. Will devotes much of his column to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Davenport case. I won't retread that issue now (previous Mount Virtus coverage featured here), except to say you can tune in at 10 o'clock this morning local Denver time to the Mike Rosen … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, National Politics

6/21/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Help Sen. Salazar Take a Stand for Workers’ Rights

In today's edition, the editors of the Rocky Mountain News challenge Colorado's junior U.S. Senator with the question: Who are you going to put first - the rights of Colorado workers or the interests of labor bosses? The poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act, which already passed the U.S. House, would rob employees of a secret ballot in workplace organizing elections. It would rig the process in favor of union officials. America is great because workers have the right to volunteer to join and pay dues to a union. But equally respected should be the right of workers NOT to join and pay dues or fees to a union. The Democrat-sponsored legislation does not respect that right. It uses the excuse of declining union membership to justify giving … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, National Politics

6/21/2007 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ref C’s $5.9 billion tax hike not enough for Ritter & Company

News comes today from state economists that the Referendum C "forever tax increase" projects to yield $5.9 billion in revenue: That amount is $2.2 billion more than originally expected in November 2005 when voters approved Referendum C, suspending the state constitution's revenue limit for five years. Most telling from the piece in today's Denver Post is the defensive response from the governor's office - responding to questions of how to justify further tax increases (such as this one): Jim Carpenter, chief of staff for Ritter, said voters sent Ritter to the Capitol to "solve problems," which is what the commissions studying health care, transportation and higher education will do. "It's an easy thing to throw out this comment, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, 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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