Mount Virtus

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

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Home Archives for audio

5/8/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado LOSES: Represent State Employees, No Union Middleman

Having already won Colorado Governor Bill Ritter's November 2007 executive order allowing exclusive union representation in state government, the table is set for organized labor to push for full-fledged and permanent bargaining legislation by next year. Many of those who would be purported to benefit from such legislation might have a different idea, however. On an iVoices podcast, I talk with state employee Dave Ohmart about his developing plan to provide representation for state employees without the costly union middleman services of Colorado WINS: Dave says he's open to input to refine and improve his plan. You can contact him by leaving a comment at the Colorado LOSES website. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, PPC Tagged With: audio, bargaining, benefit, Bill Ritter, Colorado, Colorado WINS, comment, contact, costly, Dave Ohmart, developing, exclusive, Executive Order, full-fledged, Governor, idea, improve, input, iVoices, legislation, middleman, organized labor, permanent, plan, podcast, purported, services, set, state employee, state government, table, talk, union, union representation, website

5/5/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Colorado Union Goon to Republican Operative: “You Gotta Delete That”

El Presidente elaborates on a Complete Colorado exclusive: official 911 audio of Republican operative Matt Milner being threatened for recording a public event featuring newly selected U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and sponsored by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Sure, our union goons aren't as bad as Michigan union goons or New Jersey union goons. But they sure aren't making a good name for themselves with this story. El Presidente asks:Are these thuggish tactics--employed by a Democrat constituency, big labor--indicative of what we as Coloradans should expect to influence a vote on EFCW, and a window into things to come with a Democrat win in 2010? In any case, I bet Mr. Milner won't be so inclined to show up in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, PPC, property rights Tagged With: 2010, 9/11, audio, Big Labor, card-check, Complete Colorado, constituency, Democrat, El Presidente, elaborates, exclusive, good name, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Matt Milner, Michael Bennet, Michigan, New Jersey, newly-selected, operative, public event, recording, Republican, sponsored, tactics, threatened, thuggish, U.S. Senator, union goons, union hall

5/1/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Should Buck Federal Rollback of Union Financial Disclosure Rules

A few months ago I told you about rumored plans that the Obama administration and new Labor Secretary Hilda Solis would relax financial disclosure rules for labor union leaders. Well, they are rumors no longer. Listen to a new iVoices podcast I recorded with Scott Dilley about the federal disclosure rollback and what it means for workers: Check out this detailed posting at Labor Pains to get a further flavor of the hypocritical complaints from union leadership. The disclosure rollback is bad on another level, as well. As I wrote recently in the issue brief Setting the Standard for Pro-Worker Transparency (PDF), Colorado would do well to emulate the U.S. Department of Labor disclosure rules for its own public-sector unions. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: administration, audio, Barack Obama, Colorado, complaints, curtain, Democrats, detailed, development, dues-paying, Evergreen Freedom Foundation, fee-paying, financial disclosure, flavor, further, Hilda Solis, hypocritical, issue brief, iVoices, Labor Pains, Labor Secretary, labor union leaders, leadership, listen, plans, podcast, posting, public, public-sector unions, rollback, rules, rumored, Scott Dilley, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington DC, workers

4/3/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Tune in Sunday to Hear the Lovely Mrs. Virtus Discuss Homeschooling

It's not often I get to sing the praises of the lovely Mrs. Virtus here on my blog. But hopefully this atones a bit for previous shortcomings. Tune in to Backbone America with John Andrews this Sunday, April 5, during the 5:00 PM (local Mountain Time) hour -- around 5:20, to be precise -- to hear an interview with the lovely Mrs. Virtus on homeschooling and parental rights. You can hear it live streaming on the 710 KNUS website. The lovely Mrs. Virtus (better known to many as Marya) will discuss her new in-depth report Colorado’s Homeschool Law Turns Twenty (PDF) - a true call to vigilance for homeschoolers and other supporters of educational freedom - as well as her experiences at Homeschool Day at the Capitol. If you can't wait … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, General, liberty, My Life Tagged With: 710 KNUS, audio, Backbone America, call, educational freedom, experiences, Homeschool Day at the Capitol, homeschooling, in-depth, interview, iVoices, John Andrews, live streaming, lobbyist, lovely, Marya, Mrs. Virtus, parental rights, podcast, praises, previous shortcomings, report, sing, Sunday, supporters, Treon Goossen, veteran, vigilance, volunteer

10/30/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Front Range County Sheriffs Refute Campaign Lies against Amendment 49

Readers of this blog are now well familiar with the orchestrated deception by a group called Protect Colorado's Future (PCF) against Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative. In addition to numerous Colorado newspaper editorial boards, respected public figures like former U.S. Senator Hank Brown and former state treasurer Mark Hillman have refuted the lies. Many of PCF's false claims center around purported negative effects on the ability of law enforcement and public safety workers to do their jobs. Who better to refute the lies than respected law enforcement officials whose jurisdictions already have an Ethical Standards policy in place? In today's Denver Post, three Colorado county sheriffs took their turn at batting down the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Arapahoe County, audio, body armor, Boulder County, Boulder Daily Camera, county sheriffs, David Weaver, deceptive attacks, Denver Post, Douglas County, El Paso County, Ethical Standards, Hank Brown, Jeff Shaw, Jefferson County, John Cooke, law enforcement, letter, lies, Mark Hillman, modern equipment, multi-million dollar ad campaign, orchestrated deception, Protect Colorado's Future, public safety workers, refuted, Rocky Mountain News, Sheriff, similar theme, Ted Mink, Weld County

10/16/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Sen. Ken Salazar Repeats Discredited Anti-Amendment 49 Talking Point

Colorado U.S. Senator Ken Salazar made the mistake of letting his name appear on a letter recently published in the Fort Morgan Times, a letter that repeats at least one special interest group lie:Amendment 49 targets public employees, including law enforcement officials, fire fighters and teachers, who provide vital services for all of us. Amendment 49 will interfere with the personal choice of working Coloradans over how they want to spend their hard-earned paychecks. This echoes the deceptive flyers distributed by the well-heeled committee Protect Colorado's Culture of Corruption Future (the issue committee known for its perpetual deception), in which they falsely state that Amendment 49 dictates how firefighters and other public … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: 850 KOA, Amendment 49, audio, Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado, deception, deceptive flyers, Ethical Standards, firefighters, Fort Morgan Times, freedom of choice, government restriction, Grand Junction Sentinel, Hank Brown, Ken Salazar, law enforcement, letter, Mike Rosen Show, nonsense, paychecks, personal choice, Protect Colorado's Future, public employees, Rocky Mountain News, special interest group, spend, talking points, teachers, U.S. Senator, vital services, well-heeled

9/22/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter, Labor Leaders Prepare to Subject Coloradans’ Votes to Blackmail

With the aid of Governor Bill Ritter, the labor leaders behind Protect Colorado's Culture of Corruption Future - the group with a rap sheet of deception, hypocrisy, and avoidance of public debates - are preparing to practice extortion, subjecting the votes of the people of Colorado to blackmail:Business and labor leaders planned to meet Tuesday night to discuss a compromise in which four contentious union-backed measures would be pulled from the state's November ballot, according to sources. Labor, in return, would receive financial support from businesses to fight a union-restricting measure. It's the last sentence that is key. What labor leaders are doing goes beyond the simple give-and-take of negotiation. They are demanding money … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor Tagged With: Amendment 49, audio, bad principle, Bill Owens, Bill Ritter, blackmail, business leaders, Colorado, compromise, deception, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, economy-busting initiatives, Ethical Standards Now, extortion, forced extraction, hypocrisy, Independence Institute, Jon Caldara, KOA, labor leaders, negotiation, political money, private sector, Protect Colorado's Future, public debates, rap sheet, underhanded activities, votes

8/14/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Hear Bill Owens, Hank Brown Endorse Amendment 49 on Colorado Ballot

Two of Colorado's most respected political heavy hitters - former Gov. Bill Owens and elder statesman former U.S. Senator Hank Brown both have endorsed Amendment 49 (Ethical Standards Initiative) on the November ballot:Government should not be the bagman for special interests. Amendment 49 will prohibit governments from bundling money from public employees' paychecks and delivering the cash to special interests who use it to lobby politicians. Government should be using our tax dollars to provide crucial public services, not to funnel money to political organizations. Amendment 49 keeps lobbyists in line. Bill Owens gave a thumbs-up to Ethical Standards when he guest-hosted the Mike Rosen Show last week: Listen to the audio here. You … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General Tagged With: Amendment 49, audio, bagman, Bill Owens, Ethical Standards, former Governor, former U.S. Senator, Hank Brown, Independence Institute, keep lobbyists in line, Mike Rosen Show, November ballot, public employees, radio ad, special interests, tax dollars

Inside

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  • Archives
  • Colorado Ballot Reviews
    • Colorado Ballot 2008
    • Colorado Ballot 2010
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  • Mount Virtus?
  • Passion and Purpose:
    The Rise & Fall of Al Gansee
  • What I’m Thankful For
  • Writer / Editor For Hire

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

  • How To Cope When Your Child Is Diagnosed With a Chronic Illness
  • Helping Children Cope with Divorce
  • How to Prepare Your Home for the Holiday Season
  • Sports Participation in Rural America is Declining: Here’s Why
  • How to Stay Fit While Traveling

Colorado News

  • Colorado Senate News
  • Complete Colorado
  • Independence Institute
  • Loveland Politics
  • The Colorado Observer

National News and Politics

  • Drudge Report
  • Hot Air
  • National Review
  • Politico
  • Real Clear Politics
  • Reason
  • The Washington Times
  • TownHall
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Weekly Standard
  • World Magazine

Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
  • David Harsanyi’s Blog
  • E!! The True Conservative Story
  • EIA Intercepts
  • Evangelical Outpost
  • Hugh Hewitt
  • Instapundit
  • LaShawn Barber
  • Lileks
  • Little Green Footballs
  • Michelle Malkin
  • NRO's The Corner
  • Power Line
  • Red State

Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
  • Eduwonk
  • Flypaper
  • Fraters Libertas
  • Historical Conversations
  • IMAO
  • Jay P. Greene
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  • Right Thinking
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Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
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Conservative and GOP Sites

  • Backbone America
  • Cal Thomas
  • Colorado Republican Party
  • Colorado Republican Study Committee
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  • Denver Metro Young Republicans
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Colorado Blogs

  • American Kestrel
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  • Coyote Gulch
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  • PirateBallerina
  • Protein Wisdom
  • Reagan Girl
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 1.0 (Archive)
  • Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0 (Archive)
  • Rossputin
  • Stop the ACLU Blog
  • The Spot (Denver Post)
  • We Stand Firm

Other Sites

  • Technorati
  • Word Press

Rocky Mountain Alliance 2.0

  • Reclaim the Blue
  • The Business Word
  • The Daily Blogster
  • View from a Height

To Contact Me:
bendegrow-at-gmail.com

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