Mount Virtus

"Happy to come back to Michigan, but I miss the mountains!"

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Mount Virtus?

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

Colorado Ballot Reviews

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

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Message to Chad the Elder: Sit Down

I'm sure the boys at Fraters are aware of the old Irish saying, but under the current circumstances it bears repeating: "When everyone says you're drunk, you'd better sit down." When the best defense of your state's honor is giving the correct spelling of lutefisk, it's time to take a seat, Peeps. Perhaps reviewing some of the great moments in Minnesota history will remind the inebriates of the terrible insecurity driving them to waste their time trying to disparage the beautiful state of Colorado. Here are the highlights - a chronology of events that nearly every Minnesota school boy can recite with pride: 1805 - Zebulon Pike explores Minnesota, yawns, gets ripped off purchasing 155,000 acres of land for 60 gallons of whiskey (still … [Read more...]

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“65 Percent Plan” Discussion Moves West

The Colorado version of First Class Education's "65 percent plan", which was unveiled a few weeks ago by House Minority Leader Joe Stengel and some of his Republican colleagues, got some press along the Western Slope with an article by Danie Harrelson in today's Grand Junction Sentinel. A few points in the story need to be examined a bit more closely. First: Colorado, whose school districts on average spend 58 cents of their budget in the classroom, ranks 47th in the nation when it comes to the percentage of state funds that schools invest in instruction, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Mesa County Valley School District 51 pumps about 67 percent of its state funding into classroom instruction, District … [Read more...]

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Praise for Coffman, Endorsement for Beauprez

Yesterday, a crowd of friends and supporters gathered in Littleton for a farewell send-off to Major Mike Coffman, our truly honorable State Treasurer who has temporarily resigned his post to spend a tour of duty in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps. The ceremony was simple but poignant, with former State Senate President John Andrews leading the invocation, an older Army veteran leading the Pledge of Allegiance (while he stood surrounded by all the veterans in attendance), and Miss Colorado 2004 Laura Tobey singing a beautiful rendition of our national anthem. Former Ambassador Sam Zakhem gave Mike Coffman high praise, comparing him to a modern day Nathan Hale ("I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.") … [Read more...]

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A Terrific Idea

After a week-long trip to Alaska (simply awesome), the post-vacation catchup, and some bandwidth issues, I'm finally back blogging. (Because of the bandwidth issues, I'll be limiting the number of vacation pics I post here.) But the main reason I'm blogging right now is to encourage readers to send a letter to our dear friend and fellow blogger Jim, who recently passed through a serious life-threatening challenge and is now facing the grim reality of a long and difficult recovery. Keep him in your prayers, and check out Clay's site for more information and where you can send Jim a card or a letter. What a ministry of encouragement that would be! … [Read more...]

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Judicial Extremism

Editor's note: This is the last scheduled post on Mount Virtus for the next 10 days or so. The author is taking a self-imposed "blog vacation" but shall return to his wit and witticisms after the Memorial Day weekend holiday. May God bless our brave but media-beleaguered men and women in uniform both today (on Armed Forces Day) and on Memorial Day. They and their families remain in our thoughts and prayers. Until then, enjoy the following.... Throughout the crescendoing rancor of the ongoing debate over the judicial filibuster, the Senate Democrats and their MSM allies perpetually reassert two suppositions: 1) That President Bush's nominees are radical and outside the "mainstream." 2) That Republican Senators should not implement … [Read more...]

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Could You Define That, Please?

The same week as several Republican state legislators launched their "First Class Education for Colorado" ballot initiative proposal, following a national organization's lead in calling upon school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their operating budgets in the classroom, the Denver Public Schools Board of Education makes this declaration under the announcement of its proposed 2005-2006 budget: DPS Budget Facts 69.1 percent of every dollar spent is allocated to instruction and instructional and pupil support. This includes the learning support provided by counselors, librarians, nurses and others, in addition to books, supplies, computers and other classroom equipment. 23.4 percent of every dollar covers school … [Read more...]

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Rossputin on the Big Stage

Colorado's own Ross Kaminsky, of Rossputin fame, found a bigger platform for his eloquent insights into Social Security reform (had you forgotten about this issue) with today's Real Clear Politics Commentary. Ross thanks Democratic Congressman Robert Wexler for proposing a whopping tax hike as an alternative to the President's personal account plan. Check it out. … [Read more...]

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Where Are the Riots?

Food for thought for the moral and religious equivalence crowd - how many Christian-led riots has this incited? How many have died as a result? Where's the equivalent outrage? Though I can't vouch for its complete veracity, the story from Saudi Arabia certainly has much more comprehensive credibility, much more established detail, and a much longer history than Newsweek's factual faux pas that sparked a firestorm of riot in Afghanistan and heightened distrust of American intervention in the region. The larger questions must continue to be asked: How compatible is Islam with liberal Western notions of democracy, pluralism, and the rule of law? What Islamic leaders, if any, will take the mantle of reform and make a widespread and … [Read more...]

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No Surprises Here: A “Can’t-Do” Reaction to First Class Education

Yesterday I asked to see what the CEA's reaction would be to the "First Class Education for Colorado" proposal that would put 65 cents of every dollar of current education expenditures into the classroom. Well, the Rocky Mountain News got the scoop on that one this morning: "The Colorado Education Association, the union of teachers, views the proposal as more political than educational, spokeswoman Deb Fallin said. "What is valuable for kids is a lot bigger than what Rep. Stengel is proposing," Fallin said. "It includes counselors, school nurses, teacher training and curricular development. "School counselors are very key to student achievement and success and to reducing the dropout level." Interesting analysis. Ask the … [Read more...]