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5/7/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Enough Already with the Swine Flu Hysteria and Media Obsession, Please

Last week, columnist Jay Ambrose did a fine job swatting down the swine flu hysteria. The Wall Street Journal's Bret Stephens chipped in with the swine-flu hysteria contest winner a couple days ago:Of course the winner of the contest is Mr. Biden, since he lacks even the excuse of a self-interested motive. But standing right behind the vice president is a legion of heavily credentialed panic proliferators. These are the people whose terrifying forecasts you last heard during the avian flu panic of 2005 (deaths to date: 257, according to the World Health Organization) and the SARS panic of 2002-2003 (774 deaths). By contrast, garden-variety flus typically kill upwards of 30,000 Americans a year. You might also have a vague memory of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, General, Health Care, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: avian flu, Boulder Daily Camera, Boy Who Cried Wolf, Bret Stephens, columnist, contagion, disturbing, graph, H1N1, hysteria, Jay Ambrose, Joe Biden, mad cow disease, malaria, SARS, spread, story, strain, swine flu, Wall Street Journal

2/25/2009 By Ben 3 Comments

Counterproductive: Scott Renfroe Poorly Chose Rhetoric and Context

Denver Post columnist Al Knight has a fine piece today stating the arguments why the Colorado legislature should reject Senate Bill 88, the mandate to provide health-insurance benefits to same-sex couples: it embroils the state in legal battles, it violates the will of state voters, it has a negative impact on a tight budget, etc. No, instead, Republican state senator Scott Renfroe opened his mouth during the SB 88 debate, and played right into the hands of the Left. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Al Knight, arguments, biblical arguments, Colorado, columnist, context, counterproductive, debate, Denver Post, good intentions, good policy, health-insurance benefits, homosexuality, imposition, Left, legal battles, legislature, morality, narrative, negative impact, oppose, personal opinion, poorly chosen, Republican, Republican brand, rhetoric, same-sex couples, Scott Renfroe, Senate Bill 88, state policy, state senator, state voters, theme, tight budget, values, will

2/6/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Arming with Knowledge in Debate for Economic Liberty & America’s Future

A must-read end-of-the-week Linkfest, in the midst of a critical national debate: American Thinker's Randall Hoven strikes again, this time with a less controversial and heavily fact-laden piece - reviewing some of the abundant evidence that economic freedom promotes economic growth and the failed history of massive government so-called "stimulus" projects. It's a worthy read. (If the article above triggers your curiosity and interest, and you live in Colorado, then I also strongly recommend you take a look at signing up for the Free People, Free Markets class.) Along the same lines, the Wall Street Journal has been a great place to stay informed. Earlier this week the Journal featured a terrific, hard-hitting piece by economists … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: American Contrarian, American Thinker, bill, brings attention, Bruce McQuain, Colorado, columnist, Congress, critical, Dan Henninger, debt, Dick Armey, economic growth, economic liberty, economists, excellent, failed history, Free People Free Markets class, Freedom Works, government, Great Depression, Harold Cole, Kevin Williamson, Keynesian, laugh, Lee Ohanian, Linkfest, lost brand, must-read, national debate, National Review, outrageous, pork, pork-laden, Randall Hoven, Reason TV, reminder, Republicans, Rossputin, socialism, Stephen Spruiell, stimulis ad, stimulus, Tom Coburn, U.S. Senator, Wall Street Journal

12/15/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

“Un-American”? Michigan Bailout Rhetoric Reaches Fever Pitch

I can feel the pain of my home state of Michigan (and no, I'm not referring to the bitter cold temperatures we're experiencing here along the Front Range). The angst coming from the Motor City and its environs is palpable. One of the most poignant examples, at least from my perspective, relates to a scheduled weekend appearance by Kentucky's U.S. Senator (and former Detroit Tigers pitcher) Jim Bunning. Detroit Free Press columnist Brian Dickerson ripped Bunning a new one after the Republican Senator voted against the UAW's federal government bailout deal. Dickerson wrote:He may be losing his marbles, but U.S. senator and ex-Tiger pitching great Jim Bunning still has big brass cojones. After all, most of the GOP senators … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, My Life, Sports and Leisure Tagged With: "un-American", angst, automotive bailout, bitter cold, Brian Dickerson, Canadian, Colorado, columnist, committee room, deal, Democrats, Detroit Free Press, Detroit Tigers, economically inept, event, federal government, former pitcher, Free Speech, Front Range, Gibraltar Trade Center, government takeovers, Governor, hearings, hypocrisy, Interior Department, Jennifer Granholm, Jim Bunning, Joseph McCarthy, Ken Salazar, Kentucky, Lansing, lofty clouds, Michigan, Mitch Albom, Mitch McConnell, Motor City, ownership, pain, palpable, poignant example, powerful contrast, ratcheted up, Republicans, Ron Gettelfinger, temerity, Toyota, Tuesdays with Morrie, U.S. Senator, United Auto Workers, vote, weekend appearance

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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

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