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5/6/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Senator Jim DeMint Sets Up a Great Framework for Rebuilding the GOP

If there is anyone currently in the U.S. Senate of whom I would consider myself a fan, Jim DeMint of South Carolina would be on that short list. I understood where he was coming from but found it a little disconcerting when he said: "I would rather have 30 Republicans in the Senate who really believe in principles of limited government, free markets, free people, than to have 60 that don't have a set of beliefs." What a great relief then to see Senator DeMint's excellent column in yesterday's Wall Street Journal -- what I consider an opportunity to revise and extend his remark. His rhetoric is blunt, and his analysis is clear: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General, liberty, My Life, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: abortion, analysis, beliefs, big tent, blunt, bolded statements, candidates, center-right coalition, centralized government, clear, coalition, column, Congress, conservative, Constitution, constructively, debate, democratic process, different, disconcerting, diverse, elected officials, electoral defeats, excellent, exceptional nation, extend, faithful few, fan, federal Leviathan, federalism, first impression, fiscal issues, flavor, focus, force for good, Free Markets, government, History, inalienable, individual liberty, isolation, Jim DeMint, limited government, measured disagreement, mind, national party, national security, people, perfect, politician, President, principles, problems, regions, rein in, remark, Republican, respectful, revise, rhetoric, same-sex marriage, short list, social issues, social policies, solved, South Carolina, states, strong poles, U.S. Senate, unelected judges, walk the walk, Wall Street Journal

4/30/2009 By Ben 3 Comments

GOP Needs Problems Fixed, But Arlen Specter Defection Isn’t One of Them

I will not deny that the Republican Party (nationally and locally) has had its share of problems and dysfunctions in the recent past. My purpose here is not to write an in-depth treatise analyzing the causes, suffice it to say that a gross lack of fiscal responsibility and a glaring absence of fealty to other mainstream conservative ideas played major roles. But let's be honest: the Party deserves little if any of the blame for the Arlen Specter defection. The man is far less principled than the average member of Congress, and that's saying a lot. Specter's party switch (and his ham-handed, self-serving approach in doing so) showed a lack of respect to the voters of Pennsylvania, and to the intelligence of the average American. That … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, liberty, National Politics Tagged With: absence, add people, American, Arlen Specter, average, beating heart, blame, causes, Congress, conservativce base, conservative, defection, deny, dysfunctions, explanations, fealty, fired up, fiscal responsibility, GOP, ham-handed, hands-off, honest, ideas, intelligence, John Hawkins, Joshua Sharf, jump ship, lack, lack of respect, left-wing radical, livelong day, mainstream, major roles, member, moderates, out-of-whack, party leaders, party switch, Pennsylvania, Porkulus, primaried, problems, psychologically, recent past, Republican Party, Right Wing News, self-serving, slack, status, suggestion, Tea Party movement, tolerant, treatise, voters, White House

4/20/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Is Democrat Jack Pommer Just Screwing Up a Lot of Paperwork Again?

Face The State has the details about the Boulder Democrat:On the April 16 report, [state representative Jack] Pommer lists campaign contributions from registered lobbyists and special interest groups made on February 5. The date is significant, as it falls exactly a month into the legislative session. Under Colorado campaign finance law, it is illegal for lobbyists or special interest groups that lobby to give or solicit money for the campaigns of state office-holders while the legislature is in session. "The way the law reads, it says lobbyists shall not give," said Rich Coolidge, spokesman for the Secretary of State. "The burden falls on the lobbyist." Lobbyist contributions came from Jane Urschel of the Colorado Association of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, General, PPC Tagged With: basic details, bookkeeper, Boulder, Boulder Valley Education Association, burden, campaign contributions, campaign finance law, Colorado Association of School Boards, Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Professional Firefighters, consultant, delinquent fines, Democrat, details, ethics, extraordinary, Face the State, flagrant violation, Jack Pommer, Jane Urschel, judgment, legislative session, lobbyists, office-holders, problems, qualified, Qwest, Rich Coolidge, Secretary of State, solicit, special interest groups, spokesman, Thomas Shilling

2/5/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Is This How John Sweeney Will Convince Michael Bennet to Kill the Secret Ballot?

Courtesy of Hot Air, a great video exposing the hypocrisy and dubious logic behind Big Labor's poorly-named Employee Free Choice Act: Of course, the removal of the secret ballot process from workplace elections only presents the more sensational half of the problems posed by this legislation. Costly binding arbitration makes up the other half. But if AFL-CIO president John Sweeney of all people can't tell you why the secret ballot should go (but liberal icon George McGovern can tell you why not), isn't the case rather clear cut? All eyes are on Colorado's newly-selected U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to see where he comes down on this issue. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, General, Labor, National Politics, PPC Tagged With: AFL-CIO, Big Labor, binding arbitration, CASE, clear cut, Colorado, costly, dubious logic, Employee Free Choice Act, George McGovern, Hot Air, hypocrisy, John Sweeney, legislation, liberal icon, Michael Bennet, newly-selected, President, problems, secret ballot process, sensational, U.S. Senator, video, workplace elections, YouTube

12/10/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Blago and Bailouts Connected in Anger-Inducing Big Government Theme

Economist Steve Horwitz ties the thread between the two mammoth stories running through the blogosphere right now (H/T Brian Doherty, Reason):I can't help but note that yet another politician is indicted on corruption charges at the very same time we are handing over unprecedented power to the political class as we partially nationalize the banking system and, apparently, the Big Three auto companies. I simply do not understand how those who are in favor of giving government all of these new powers because they sincerely believe that doing so will work out the way their blackboard designs intended can keep a straight face. What kind of cognitive dissonance must it take to believe that the people YOU are handing power over to are "not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: blogging, clean government, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: auto bailout, average citizen, bailout, Big Government, Big Labor, Big Three auto companies, blogosphere, car, complicit role, Congress, consumer, corruption, Democratic majority, destructive, destructive economic agenda, domestic production, economic pain, economist, exacerbate, expansive regulatory powers, fewer choices, footing the bill, government, high labor costs, human nature, irony, jobs, Joe Taxpayer, key player, less money, major example, mammoth stories, more taxes, new powers, officials, pay-to-play scandal, political scandal, President-elect, problems, rationality, Rod Blagojevich, scandal, Service Employees International Union, Steve Horwitz, swamp-like conditions, ties together, TV, United Auto Workers, victim

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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

  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
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