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Home Archives for states

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

5/6/2009 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

4/6/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Ari Armstrong, Modern-Day Sam Adams, Helping Fill the Watchdog Gap

Sign of the times ... The American Journalism Review has released its annual survey of statehouse reporters. The unsurprising result? Forty-four states - including Colorado - have fewer full-time journalistic watchdogs tracking how elected legislatures are doing the people's business. As much as the Right pines about the liberally-biased media, this is not entirely a phenomenon to be rejoiced over. The news-gathering local media terrain is shifting under our feet as we move. A clear reason why we need more of the Modern-Day Sam Adams variety: Congratulations to Ari Armstrong for his well-deserved award and the lucrative success it brings. We don't always agree, but no one can deny Ari's diligent and persistent advocacy on behalf of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General Tagged With: advocacy, American Journalism Review, annual, Ari Armstrong, breach, citizens, clear reason, Colorado, Congratulations, diligent, economic liberty, elected, fewer, full-time, intellectual activism, journalistic, kudos, legislatures, liberally-biased, lucrative, media, media terrain, Modern-Day Sam Adams, news-gathering, people's business, persistent, personal liberty, phenomenon, pro-freedom, professional, rejoiced over, reporters, result, Right, statehouse, states, success, survey, unsurprising, watchdogs, well-deserved

3/5/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

SB 228 a Sure Way to Lower Colorado’s High Economic Freedom Ranking

Sean Paige (the American Contrarian) points readers to a recent study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University that shows Colorado ranks 3rd among the states in economic freedom. Apparently, statehouse Democrats, along with the occasional useful Republican, strongly feel Colorado ranks too high. How else do you explain Senate Bill 228? One of the leading arguments against SB 228 - including among the moderate sectors of the business community - has been the threat posed to a reliable stream of transportation funding. But a watcher makes the case that the real winning argument is simply to demonstrate the outrageous growth of government caused by repealing the 6 percent spending cap. I say: Give me both arguments. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, PPC, property rights Tagged With: against, American Contrarian, arguments, Colorado, economic freedom, George Mason University, growth of government, Mercatus Center, ranks, readers, Sean Paige, Senate Bill 228, spending cap, states, study, transportation funding

1/22/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Remembering the Clarion Call for Life After 36 Years of Roe v Wade

Update II: El Presidente has posted an excellent video produced by Catholic Votes, which makes the case against abortion using Barack Obama's own story. Updates: Gateway Pundit notes that Obama is using the occasion to expand American taxpayer funding of abortions overseas. Kyle-Anne Shiver appreciates taking on intellectually honest, pro-abortion atheists in debates. And LaShawn Barber points us to a sad account of a woman who deeply regrets her abortion. Lest all the pomp and circumstance accompanying the 44th President's bold new Leftward agenda drown it out, we should pause to remember that today is the 36th anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision. The devastating consequences of this terribly rendered Supreme Court ruling rest … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, General, Labor, My Life, National Politics, Random and Miscellaneous Tagged With: 36th anniversary, Alternatives Pregnancy Center, Americans United for Life, Barack Obama, belongs, births, Blogs for Life conference, circumstance, Colorado, conservative, daughters, decision, demoralizing, Denver, disagree, emotionally, establishment media, fantastic work, friends, intellectually, Leftward agenda, March for Life, middle, nation's capital, neglected, occupant, overturning, personal, persuade, poignant, policy differences, pomp, pray, pregnancy, President, private groups, pro-life, ranking, Roe v Wade, speak out, spectrum, spiritually, state lawmakers, states, support, theoretical, U.S. Supreme Court, unborn child, Washington DC, White House

1/13/2009 By Ben Leave a Comment

Putting State Government’s Checkbook Online Should Take Months, Not Years

I quickly hoorayed last week when Governor Bill Ritter announced his full backing for putting the state's checkbook online. But a follow-up report from Face The State seemed to suggest the process could take a long time:“Putting the budget online will be different because there is too much to put it all,” [state representative Don] Marostica said, adding that legislative staff is working on ways to publish a “simplified” version. While Kennedy was hesitant to commit to a timeline, Marostica said the process could take three years. But - as explained in this iVoices podcast with Sandra Fabry of Americans for Tax Reform - the fact is the federal government has already pioneered this work, along with several other states, and all … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Americans for Tax Reform, Bill Ritter, Cary Kennedy, cause, Colorado, credit, Don Marostica, excuses, Face the State, federal government, fiscal transparency, four months, hoorayed, iVoices podcast, legislative staff, months, online transparency, open government, pioneered, politicians, Sandra Fabry, searchable budget database, state checkbook, state of Colorado, states, years

11/11/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Reasonable, Principled Compromise Needed to Rebuild GOP Coalition

Lately I've struggled for the time and energy to put together some coherent thoughts about what the GOP needs to do to rebuild. Jim Manzi at The Corner said it almost perfectly for me. You need to read the whole post, but here is a key excerpt:While it is always possible to imagine some arbitrary configuration of 51% of voters who have the label “conservative”, Rod’s point [ed: that "no conservative movement that hopes to be successful can do so without religious conservatives"] strikes me as correct as a practical matter. Further, more important than the question of electoral advantage, is the fact that tens of millions of citizens have deeply held beliefs that should be considered in making and enforcing the law. I also believe … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christianity and Faith, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Fiscal Policy, General, National Politics Tagged With: abortion, abortion debate, almost perfectly, bleak future, coalition, conservative movement, debates, federal funding, federal government, federal law, federalism, fools, gay marriage, good faith, humble, Jim Manzi, libertarians, liberty, life, limited government, local government, national consensus, National Review, Planned Parenthood, pro-life agenda, rallying cry, religious conservatives, Religious Right, Republican Party, Roe decision, social issues, states, strategy, The Corner, thumbnail analysis, tolerate, workable compromise

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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
  • My Baker’s Dozen of Top 2023 Reads
  • Common Learning Disabilities in Children
  • Tips to Teach Kids to Set and Achieve Goals
  • The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

Colorado News

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National News and Politics

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Blogs Extraordinaire

  • American Thinker
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  • E!! The True Conservative Story
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  • Instapundit
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Completing the Blogroll

  • Alarming News
  • Black Five
  • Blogs of War
  • Eduwonk
  • Flypaper
  • Fraters Libertas
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  • IMAO
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Christian Commentary et al.

  • Kevin Pierpont
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Conservative and GOP Sites

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Colorado Blogs

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Other Sites

  • Technorati
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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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