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How to Train Your Politician: Conservative Ed Hanks Urges Intentional Voting

1/5/2015 By Ben Leave a Comment

How to Train Your Politician: Conservative Ed Hanks Urges Intentional Voting

On December 20, 2014, I chatted by phone with Ed Hanks about his new book How to Train Your Politician: Intentional Voting as a Path to Tea Party and Constitutional Victory. Hanks, an acquaintance and Jefferson County conservative activist who has been one of Colorado's leading voices for Personhood, graciously shared a Kindle copy of his book for me to read prior our conversation. We talked in the wake of the lame-duck Congress passing the corporatists' dream bill, known as Cromnibus, fueling the fires of populist conservative discontent (including yours truly). A mounting frustration definitely brings a growing interest in the strategy Hanks endorses. Yet what I find most appealing about the book and its author is his historical … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Book Reviews, clean government, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, liberty, National Politics Tagged With: 14th Amendment, abortion, Abraham Lincoln, activism, administrative, Alexander Hamilton, amendment, Article V, authoritarianism, Ayn Rand, balanced budget, Barry Goldwater, Bill Clinton, Bill Owens, candidate, Colorado, conservative, Constitution, Cory Gardner, Cromnibus, Democrats, Ed Hanks, Education, Elizabeth Warren, Establishment, executive, Forrest McDonald, Free Markets, George Washington, government, Governor, gun rights, Hillary Clinton, human nature, initiative, Ivory Tower, John Boehner, journalism, liberal, libertarian, media, Personhood, philosophy, politics, pro-life, Rand Paul, Republican, rights, RINO, Ronald Reagan, Scott Walker, Secretary of State, social issues, socialism, state legislature, taxes, Tea Party, Ted Cruz, Thomas Jefferson, treasurer, William Safire

6/3/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Lessons: Unparallel Treatment of George Tiller & William Long Murders

No two events are perfectly parallel, but seldom are two such similar and terrible stories juxtaposed for our edification. Within 24 hours and within 500 miles from each other, two notable murders occurred -- both evil acts perpetrated in public by two different men, but both for apparent ideological reasons, both sudden and horribly unexpected events for the families and loved ones of the victims, both suspects quickly brought into custody. That's where the parallels end. What's most informative is some of the prominent responses to the two incidents: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, General, History, liberty, National Politics, World Events Tagged With: abortionists, act, antebellum, anti-government, anti-military, attention, Barack Obama, bigger view, blog, brought, care, ColoradoPols, comment section, communicate, conclusion, context, couple, custody, death, definitions, deprived, destructive, diarist, disagreements, edification, enforced, events, evil acts, families, fanatical, Free Speech, fringe, George Tiller, Google News, greater, groups, hate crime, heinous, ideological, implications, individuals, informative, killed, language, larger, legal concept, liberal, likewise, lone nut, loved ones, military recruiter, Moonbattery, movement, murder, murders, Muslim convert, notable, nut, parallel, peaceful, people, perpetrated, politically correct, preliminary, President, private, pro-life, prominent, Quenton Ezeagwula, quickly, ratio, reasons, relevant, responses, rights, short-sighted, similar, slavery, Southern, speech codes, statement, states, suspects, terrible, terrorist, thought, threats, unjust, victims, White House, William Long, wounded

5/29/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

Strange Twists and Turns Following Obama’s Sonia Sotomayor Nomination

The other day I highlighted Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's indefensible statement and the need for repudiation. But more serious than a statement at Berkeley is Sotomayor's actual judicial record. It certainly is interesting to see serious criticism directed at Barack Obama's nominee from outside the center-right political spectrum -- and not because she is insufficiently liberal. Take the Denver Post's Chuck Plunkett, for example:You’re supposed to say out-there stuff at Berkeley. Otherwise everyone thinks you’re dull and boorish. But while wearing the robes of justice you’re supposed to be fair. And the Ricci v. New Haven decision Sotomayor was involved in looks just terrible – even to some prominent Democrats. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Cultural Conservatism, General, Judiciary, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: abortion rights, arguments, Barack Obama, Berkeley, boorish, Catholic, center-right, Chuck Plunkett, concerning, confirmation, conservative, Democrats, Denver Post, doubts, dull, expect, groups, highlighted, indefensible, insufficiently, Jonathan Turley, judicial record, justice, lack of depth, law professor, leader, leading, liberal, nominee, oppose, out-there stuff, political, President, pro-abortion, pro-life, prominent, reports, repudiation, Ricci v New Haven, rooting for, Rossputin, seated, serious, serious criticism, Sonia Sotomayor, spectrum, statement, supreme court, terrible, uncertain, unexpected, video, virtual certainty, Washington Times, wild turns, William Donohoe

5/11/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

The Evidence Mounts Against EFCA, and Michael Bennet Still Can’t Decide

James Sherk of the Heritage Foundation (and a proud fellow Hillsdale College alumnus) breaks down the evidence to debunk the "Employer Advantage" myth at the heart of Big Labor's argument for the card-check bill before Congress:The law stacks the deck against employers in union drives. And – contrary to union assertions – the overwhelming majority of employers obey the law. Which is why unions rack up that impressive 2-1 win rate. The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace is right to say that the government should not tilt the playing field even more heavily in union organizer’s favor. That would hurt workers ability to make a free choice. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, Labor, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: alumnus, American jobs, argument, assertions, Big Labor, bill, binding arbitration, card-check, Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, Colorado, Congress, debunk, economic, EFCA, effective, Employee Free Choice Act, Employer Advantage, evidence, explained, free choice, George McGovern, harmful, Heritage Foundation, Hillsdale College, icon, imposition, impressive, influence, James Sherk, liberal, Michael Bennet, myth, newly-selected, opinion, playing field, political money, poorly-named, removal, represent, research, secret ballot, thousands, tilt, U.S. Senate, U.S. Senator, union organizers

3/30/2009 By Ben 4 Comments

Ryan Frazier Dominates Competition in DougCo U.S. Senate Straw Poll

El Presidente has some potentially earth-shaking news (for active lovers of liberty and the handful of Colorado political insiders who are paying attention at this point, that is): Despite the weak and transparent efforts of the liberal Dead Governors to marginalize his campaign with ridicule, Aurora city councilman Ryan Frazier not only won but dominated the competition in a U.S. Senate straw poll among the conservative Douglas County GOP faithful (complete with video of Frazier's Saturday speech at the Douglas County Lincoln Day dinner). Other names in the straw poll included former Congressman Bob Beauprez, popular radio talk show host Dan Caplis, Weld County district attorney Ken Buck, and businessman Cleve Tidwell. This result … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, liberty, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: 2010, Aurora, Bob Beauprez, businessman, campaign, city councilman, Cleve Tidwell, Colorado, competition, Congressman, conservative, Dan Caplis, Dead Governors, District Attorney, dominated, Douglas County, earth-shaking news, edged, El Presidente, faithful, Ken Buck, liberal, Lincoln Day dinner, lovers of liberty, marginalize, Mark Hillman, mentioning, Michael Bennet, momentum, national pundits, non-candidate, paying attention, political insiders, radar, Radio talk show host, Republican, ridicule, Rocky Mountain Right, Ryan Frazier, Saturday, selected, speech, straw poll, transparent efforts, U.S. Senate races, Weld County

3/10/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Forget Stem Cell Ethics Debate, What About Diana DeGette’s Political Career?

This morning you can read the Denver Post's glowing "DeGette relishes stem-cell research triumph" by Michael Riley - in which the only dilemma is not the ethics of harvesting cells from dead unborn babies (or now, thanks to President Obama, spending taxpayer money to do so) but to what extent Denver's liberal Congresswoman will have a successful political career now that her pet issue has been passed into law. Or, if you actually want a thoughtful and critical approach to the issue, you can go back and refresh yourself with Yuval Levin's masterful deconstruction of Diana DeGette's book Sex, Science, and Stem Cells (H/T David Harsanyi). I hope that the Post isn't trying to imply from Riley's article today that the ethical debate … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, clean government, Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General, Journalism Tagged With: adult stem cells, anthropogenic global warming, approach, Barack Obama, book, breakthroughs, Congresswoman, critical, cultural elite, David Harsanyi, deconstruction, Democrat, Denver, Denver Post, Diana Degette, dilemma, embryonic, ethical debate, ethics, harvesting, liberal, media elite, Michael Riley, political career, political elite, President, refresh, representative, stem-cell research, taxpayer money, thoughtful, unborn babies, Yuval Levin

2/26/2009 By Ben 1 Comment

RIP, Rocky Mountain News

Update (3:15 PM): Here is a hot-off-the-presses iVoices podcast, with Jon Caldara and Dave Kopel discussing the end of the Rocky Mountain News era: Only one more edition of a 150-year-old Denver journalistic institution before the axe falls. We knew the day was coming, but the sudden realization is still striking. More often than not, the Rocky's editors have provided a sensible, Rightward-leaning balance to the liberal Denver Post. That will be missed. It's a sad day for many good people - some of whom I have agreed with much more than others - who only have left the guarantee of one day of work and two months of pay. Here's wishing them all the best in landing on their feet somewhere soon. Even as we reflect back, the local … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, Journalism, My Life, PPC Tagged With: balance, Denver, Denver Post, edition, editors, El Presidente, Joshua Sharf, journalistic institution, lament, liberal, local media landscape, opportunities, rapidly, reflect, Rocky Mountain News, sensible, shifting, striking, sudden realization, untimely demise

2/19/2009 By Ben 13 Comments

Obama “Stimulus” Overreaches, But Republicans Still Have Much to Prove

A candid word from liberal Mickey Kaus about a major effect of the Pelosi-Reid-Obama Generational Theft Act:But the reference to liberalism isn't irrelevant, because the now-undermined welfare reform was the key to rebuilding confidence in (liberal) affirmative government. As Bill Clinton recognized, voters may well have been willing to let government spend, but they didn't trust old style liberals not to spend in actively destructive ways, like subsidizing an isolated underclass of non-working single mothers with a no-strings cash dole. It's a 75-25 values issue. Work yes. Welfare no. Even if welfare spending was only a tiny portion of the liberals' spending agenda, it poisoned the rest of it. Only when Clinton's New Democrats put an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: anti-"stimulus", backbone, Barack Obama, beginnings, big plans, Bill Clinton, bloated, candor, chairman, Congress, day care, Denver, dependency, destructive ways, early, Earned Income Tax Credit, federal largesse, fiscal conservatives, fiscal responsibility, fortified pensions, Gateway Pundit, Generational Theft Act, government, governors, hard work, Health Care, liberal, liberty, limited government, major effect, Michael Steele, Mickey Kaus, newfound, political opportunities, positive signs, public confidence, rallies, reform, Republican majority, Republican National Committee, Republicans, restoring trust, rhetoric, right direction, rousing speeches, saying no, serious, Social Security, spend, state legislators, state level, trust, welfare reform, wisely

1/10/2009 By Ben 2 Comments

If Michael Bennet Alienates Hispanics, What Should GOP Take Away?

The former career .230 American League hitter who runs in Denver's liberal circles shares an interesting observation about Governor Bill Ritter's newly-appointed Senator:I've now heard the same concern raised about Michael Bennet by three different Denver political insiders. Namely, can he win the support of Hispanics in Denver? I'd say the growing conventional wisdom amongst some Bennet pessimists is that he stands little chance of wooing the Latino vote after his tenure at DPS. Not sure how much stock to put in this assessment. But if Republicans are paying attention and see an opportunity to win some more Hispanic votes (and ultimately a U.S. Senate seat) in 2010, Tom Tancredo most likely isn't the guy to carry the party banner. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor, My Life Tagged With: Bill Ritter, conventional wisdom, Denver, Hispanics, interesting observation, Latino vote, liberal, Michael Bennet, opportunity, party banner, political insiders, Republicans, Steve Balboni, Tom Tancredo, U.S. Senate

9/23/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Slow Joe Biden, the Gaffe-Making Gift that Just Keeps On Giving

One month ago, when we learned Barack Obama had picked someone even more gaffe-prone than himself to be his running mate, I said: Let Joe Biden speak for himself! Last week the 3rd-most liberal U.S. Senator Biden basically announced his intention to lose western Pennsylvania by saying "no coal plants here in America": Then yesterday, the self-professed high-IQ Joe Biden declared his monumental historical illiteracy to Katie Couric: Jessie Walker on Reason.com had the best retort:And if you owned an experimental TV set in 1929, you would have seen him. And you would have said to yourself, "Who is that guy? What happened to President Hoover?" Maybe the next thing we'll learn is that Abraham Lincoln telephoned Ulysses S. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, History, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, British, Democrats, FDR, Great Depression, Herbert Hoover, high-IQ, historical illiteracy, Joe Biden, Katie Couric, liberal, no coal plants, surrender, television, U.S. Senator, Ulysses S. Grant, victory, western Pennsylvania, Yorktown

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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
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