GraniteGrok

Meet the New Press Podcast 

            

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Hour 1              Hour 2

Hour One:

Opening Banter - political debates - behind the scenes in the blogosphere by the campaign's E-campaigners.

Discussion with Karen Testerman - Cornerstone Policy Research, mentions Joe Biden intro'd by VP John Mccain.  Title V brouhaha at the Capital - Planned Parenthood (who gets over $1 Billion each year) and its allies tried to spike $90K used in abstinence education funding (even though PP gets over $1 million).  Jeanne Shaheen - refused it when Gov at first, then "wasted it" in admin just so she could say she took it. How Planned Parenthood / Teen Clinics, funded by government, separate kids from their kids in defense of "reproductive rights" and their sense of "morality".  In essence, Planned Parenthood does not want a choice out there - just their way.  Discussion - kids are not just sexual beings - they do have minds - it doesn't have to "oh, they're just gonna do it!  Choices have consequences! 

The process by which the Democrat Executive Councilors (except Shea!) tried to block that $90K funding.  Jorge calls in! Politician ratings by Cornerstone / CPR.  History of Doug, Karen, and Jorge (Skip's the Johnny-come-lately) in activism; the role of technology.  CT Supreme Court vote on validating gay marriage - effect here in NH?  Traditional and proven customs vs change for the sake of change. Karen - temp reloc with her husband to Australia!  Obama - a change to socialism aided and abetted by a Dem majority?  Traditional family - best for kids - the studies prove it (role models, poverty avoidance).

Jeb Bradley, Republican candidate for NH's Congressional District 1, calls in!   Sprinting to Nov. 2 and he is optimistic.  People want answers to bad economy, jobs lost, and high healthcare and energy costs, bailout.  Where's Carol Shea-Porter on her agenda?  Jeb talked about the AARP debate yesterday (she tried to blame Jeb for the problems and she didn't like Jeb quoting her voting record).  Raising taxes, not drilling: not answers!

Jeb wants the Blogger Debate that Carol Shea-Porter is running from!  Even with Liberals coming in to grill Jeb while Doug and I question her.  The people deserve to know where both Jeb and Carol stand on the issues (Skip points out - Jeb granted Carol a lot of debates; why is she not granting the same in return?  Open and transparency in how the candidates stand.

Skip will re-issue the invitation; convictions of the ideas should be demonstrated before the public.

Karen, Part 2 - Brings up that Jeb was always willing to take time for his constitutents when they came to DC.  Skip recalls the Carol Shea-Porter will not "You are not my constituent".   Get involved!  Life is up to you - and not the government.

Hour Two: 

Part 1 - Mark Primeau (President and CEO) and Steve Loughlin (Sr. Vice President, Commercial Lending) of Laconia Savings Bank come in to talk about the current financial tempest.  Wall Street & international finance have big problems but locally, banks are stable, are well capitalized, and lending; they do not have a credit crunch.  As a result of keeping their loan policies the stable for years, they are not in trouble - they simply lend to those that can repay their loans.  Politics has played a role in the current situation as well as complex financial derivatives / financial instruments.  Mark confirms - lending to homebuyers that really couldn't afford them started this bubble problem.  NH / Lakes Region is not in the same bucket as CA, FL, NV - foreclosures here number 151 so far this year - 116 last year (and no local banks are involved).  But there are THOUSANDS of mortgages that are fine here in the Lakes Region!  Comparison of economy in 1929 vs that of today - there isn't one even if there are some comparison that are true (e.g, asset bubble).  The economy is still pretty good here in NH.

Part 2 - All is not rosy as the financial problems could ripple into the general economy. Some of the problems highlighted in the media are part of an industry and companies within it and not part of the financial meltdown - but does our educational system have a part in this - does it teach what capitalism is (and isn't)?  Regulations have effects too -> see France!  Capitalism -> the freedom to screw up!  Context check - far more banks died in the last crisis during the early 1990s than so far now; Steve lists just the banks that failed on Oct 10, 1991.  Right now, it is the big banks, the sub-prime players, that are in trouble - not the community banks like Laconia Savings.  Quick discussion on "Mark-to-Market" - the theory sounded good - not so much in reality so quickly.  An emailer - Laconia Savings' online banking system is primo!

Joe Kenney, Republican candidate for New Hampshire Governor calls in to talk issues - Dems went into spending mode with $500 million over revenues for a 17.5% rise in spending.  Lynch has not protected the taxpayer. Doug - Lynch is going to the employees to solve the problem. Joe - not addressing the problem and has not made the cuts needed to keep the budget balanced.  Lynch says he has solved the retirement system problem - Joe calls him out for his absence in the actual process.  The retirement system is the elephant in the room - a big problem that is not going away.  How would he differ from Lynch - a real balance budget, a better financial / ERP system (Pew rates NH near the bottom), and get the line employees to suggest better procedures.  Openness and transparency - Joe will put the check register and the departmental audits out on the State's website (like Alaska) to allow citizens to do policing of their government.  Joe cites the non-open process of last minute bonding - that should have been open!

Part 2 - New Hampshire Advantage - "what would you do to preserve the NH advantage?" Joe - no income or sales tax, biz friendly state, individual responsibility, limited government.  Lynch - NH Advantage - it's wonderful people. - it shows the problem with Lynch, that you don't know where he stands.  Joe stands on core conservative principles - Lynch says what's needed to just get elected.  Doug asks Joe about Jane Aitkins's (one of our go-to education gals here at MTNP!) Letter to the  Editor (Laconia Citizen):

Editor, The Citizen:

Your endorsement of Lynch is some sort of sick joke isn't it? $500M deficit, 25 new taxes, RGGI nonsense, SPA nonsense, and abortions for 11-year olds really don't show 'leadership' in any way shape or form. Not to mention that he cannot string together a coherent sentence when responding to questions, that is, if he responds at all. Most times he runs away.

Shame on you, Citizen.

J. Aitken
Manchester

Parental Notification - Joe is pro-life and feels that when Lynch signed that repeal, he took away the right's of parents.  Dems all but say "kids, you don't have to listen to your parents".

SchlubCam:

Karen Testerman - Part 1, Break 1, Part 2, Break2, Part 4

Karen while our friend Jorge Mesa-Tejada and Congressman Jeb Bradley call in.

Mark Primeau and Steve Loughlin from Laconia Savings Bank talking with Doug and Skip about the current financial credit crunch and why community banks like LSB are not only surviving but doing well.     Coming in, Part 1, Break 2, Part 2